Stereodifferentiation in the intramolecular singlet excited state quenching of hydroxybiphenyl-tryptophan dyads.

The photochemical processes occurring in diastereomeric dyads (S,S)-1 and (S,R)-1, prepared by conjugation of (S)-2-(2-hydroxy-1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl)propanoic acid ((S)-BPOH) with (S)- and (R)-Trp, have been investigated. In acetonitrile, the fluorescence spectra of (S,S)-1 and (S,R)-1 were coincident in shape and position with that of (S)-BPOH, although they revealed a markedly stereoselective quenching. Since singlet energy transfer from BPOH to Trp is forbidden (5 kcal mol(-1) uphill), the quenching was attributed to thermodynamically favoured (according to Rehm-Weller) electron transfer or exciplex formation. Upon addition of 20% water, the fluorescence quantum yield of (S)-BPOH decreased, while only minor changes were observed for the dyads. This can be explained by an enhancement of the excited state acidity of (S)-BPOH, associated with bridging of the carboxy and hydroxy groups by water, in agreement with the presence of water molecules in the X-ray structure of (S)-BPOH. When the carboxy group was not available for coordination with water, as in the methyl ester (S)-BPOHMe or in the dyads, this effect was prevented; accordingly, the fluorescence quantum yields did not depend on the presence or absence of water. The fluorescence lifetimes in dry acetonitrile were 1.67, 0.95 and 0.46 ns for (S)-BPOH, (S,S)-1 and (S,R)-1, respectively, indicating that the observed quenching is indeed dynamic. In line with the steady-state and time-resolved observations, molecular modelling pointed to a more favourable geometric arrangement of the two interacting chromophores in (S,R)-1. Interestingly, this dyad exhibited a folded conformation in the solid state.

Excited state interactions between flurbiprofen and tryptophan in drug-protein complexes and in model dyads. Fluorescence studies from the femtosecond to the nanosecond time domains.

We report here on the interaction dynamics between flurbiprofen (FBP) and tryptophan (Trp) covalently linked in model dyads and in a complex of FBP with human serum albumin (HSA) probed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy from the femto- to the nano-second timescales. In the dyads, a rapid (k > 10(10) s(-1)) dynamic quenching of the (1)FBP* fluorescence is followed by a slower (k > 10(9) s(-1)) quenching of the remaining (1)Trp* fluorescence. Both processes display a clear stereoselectivity; the rates are 2-3 times higher for the (R,S)-dyad. In addition, a red-shifted exciplex emission is observed, rising in the range of 100-200 ps. A similar two-step dynamic fluorescence quenching is also observed in the FBP-HSA complex, although the kinetics of the involved processes are slower. The characteristic reorientational times determined for the two enantiomeric forms of FBP in the protein show that the interaction is stronger for the (R)-form. This is, to our knowledge, the first observation of stereo-selective flurbiprofen-tryptophan interaction dynamics with femtosecond time resolution.

Excited-state interactions in diastereomeric flurbiprofen-thymine dyads.

Excited-state interactions between (S)- or (R)-flurbiprofen ((S)- or (R)-FBP) and thymidine (dThd) covalently linked in dyads 1 or 2 have been investigated. In both dyads, the only emitting species is (1)FBP*, but with a lower fluorescence quantum yield (φ(F)) and a shorter fluorescence lifetime (τ(F)) than when free in solution. These results indicate that dynamic quenching occurs either by electron transfer or via exciplex formation, with FBP as the charge-donating species. In acetonitrile, both mechanisms are favored, while in dioxane exciplex formation is predominating. Isomer 1 displays lower values of φ(F) and τ(F) than its analogue 2, indicating that the relative spatial arrangement of the chromophores plays a significant role. The triplet quantum yields (φ(T)) of 1 and 2 are significantly higher than the expectations based solely on (1)FBP*-dThd intersystem crossing quantum yields (φ(ISC)), with φ(T) (1) > φ(T) (2). This can be explained in terms of intramolecular charge recombination at the radical ion pairs and/or the exciplexes, which would be again dependent on geometrical factors. The triplet lifetimes (τ(T)) of (3)FBP*-dThd and free (3)FBP* are similar, indicating the lack of excited-state interactions at this stage. The FBP-dThd dyads could, in principle, constitute appropriate model systems for the elucidation of the excited-state interactions in noncovalent DNA-ligand complexes.

Intraprotein formation of a long wavelength absorbing complex and inhibition of excited-state deprotonation in a chiral hydroxybiphenyl.

The two enantiomers of 2-(2-hydroxybiphenyl-4-yl)propanoic acid ((S)- and (R)-BPOH) have been selected as probes for human serum albumin (HSA). Photophysical characterization in the absence of protein led to emission maxima, singlet energies, quantum yields, and fluorescence lifetime values of 332 nm, 91 kcal mol(-1), and 0.28 and 1.8 ns for BPOH or 414 nm, 79 kcal mol(-1), and 0.31 and 3.3 ns for the corresponding phenolate BPO(-); the pK(a)* was found to be 1.17. In the presence of HSA, a light-absorbing ground-state complex (S)-BPOH@HSA was detected (maximum at ca. 300 nm) whose intensity increased with increasing protein concentration. The fluorescence spectra of (S)-BPOH in PBS, after addition of HSA, revealed a progressive diminution of the phenolate band, indicating that excited-state deprotonation is disfavored within the hydrophobic protein cavities. A similar trend was observed for (R)-BPOH, but the extent of deprotonation was significantly lower for this enantiomer. Addition of increasing amounts of the site II displacement probe (S)-ibuprofen ((S)-IBP) to BPOH@HSA led to a significant decrease of the absorption maximum at ca. 300 nm and to a recovery of the phenolate emission band at ca. 410 nm, which were again configuration dependent. The transient absorption spectrum of (S)-BPOH consisted on a broad band centered at 380 nm, attributed to the first triplet excited state. A dramatic enhancement of the triplet lifetimes within HSA was observed (19.0 µs within protein versus 1.3 µs in bulk PBS), although no stereodifferentiation was noticed in this case.

Triplet excited state behavior of naphthalene-based pseudopeptides in the presence of energy donors.

In this work, the triplet state behavior of naphthalene-based pseudopeptides with amide-based macrocyclic or lateral chain substructures has been investigated in the presence of benzophenone and/or biphenyl, as suitable energy-donating chromophores. Their behavior has been compared with that of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene as model compound. In all the cases, the triplet-triplet absorption of naphthalene is detected by transient absorption spectroscopy, upon selective excitation of benzophenone at 355 nm. The kinetics of formation and decay of this species is markedly slower in the pseudopeptides, due to retardation of triplet-triplet energy transfer and exciplex formation. Finally, the delayed fluorescence detected in the model naphthalene is absent in the pseudopeptides. The concept can, in principle, be exploited for the study of excited-state interactions in supramolecular systems.