6. Rehybridization of the Acceptor (RICT) 3908 7. Planarization of the Molecule (PICT) 3909 III. Fluorescence Spectroscopy 3909 A. Solvent Effects and the Model Compounds 3909 1. Solvent Effects on the Spectra 3909 2. Steric Effects and Model Compounds 3911 3. Bandwidths 3913 4. Isoemissive Points 3914 B. Dipole Moments 3915 C. Radiative Rates and Transition Moments 3916 1. Quantum Yields and Radiationless Deactivation Processes 3916

Structural Changes Accompanying Intramolecular Electron Transfer: Focus on Twisted Intramolecular Charge-Transfer States and Structures

When a molecule absorbs a photon of appropriate energy, a chain of photophysical events ensues, such as internal conversion or vibrational relaxation (loss of energy in the absence of light emission), fluorescence, intersystem crossing (from singlet state to a triplet state) and phosphorescence, as shown in the Jablonski diagram for organic molecules (Fig. 1). Each of the processes occurs with a certain probability, characterized by decay rate constants (k). It can be shown that the average length of time τ for the set of molecules to decay from one state to another is reciprocally proportional to the rate of decay: τ = 1/k. This average length of time is called the mean lifetime, or simply lifetime. It can also be shown that the lifetime of a photophysical process is the time required by a population of N electronically excited molecules to be reduced by a factor of e. Correspondingly, the fluorescence lifetime is the time required by a population of excited fluorophores to decrease exponentially to N/e via the loss of energy through fluorescence and other non-radiative processes. The lifetime of photophycal processes vary significantly from tens of femotoseconds for internal conversion1,2 to nanoseconds for fluorescence and microseconds or seconds for phosphorescence.1






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Figure 1


Jablonski diagram and a timescale of photophysical processes for organic molecules.

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Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements and Biological Imaging

The understanding of the dual fluorescence of certain aromatic systems has greatly advanced in recent years. The accompanying large charge separation has been shown to be linked to a twisted (or small overlap) arrangement of the chromophores. Recent theoretical models are able to describe the excited-state twisting of both single bonds (TICT compounds) and double bonds (olefins) in a unified picture. These models can help to elucidate the photophysical behavior of many organic, inorganic, and biologically relevant compounds, and their application to laser dyes and fluorescent probes provides a route to new “tailor-made” fluorescent materials. Applied to the primary processes of vision and photosynthesis, these models can lead to a deeper understanding of basic photobiological processes.

Charge Separation in Excited States of Decoupled Systems—TICT Compounds and Implications Regarding the Development of New Laser Dyes and the Primary Process of Vision and Photosynthesis

Solvation dynamics in polar liquids have been examined using the probe molecule coumarin 153 (Cu153) and picosecond spectroscopic techniques. Steady‐state absorption and fluorescence spectra of Cu153 as a function of solvent show that the frequency of the electronic spectrum of this probe provides a convenient measure of solvation energetics. Both nonspecific dipolar and to a smaller degree H‐bonding solute–solvent interactions are involved. Time‐correlated single photon counting was used to observe time‐dependent shifts of the fluorescence spectrum of Cu153 in a variety of alcohols, propylene carbonate, and N‐methylpropionamide solvents as a function of temperature. These time‐dependent spectral shifts provide a direct measure of the time dependence of the solvation process. Theoretical models that treat the solvent as a dielectric continuum do not adequately account for the observed solvation dynamics. In the solvents studied, such theories predict a single exponential shift of the fluorescence spectrum...

/pdf/picosecond-solvation-dynamics-of-coumarin-153-the-importance-1t4wm4h2df.pdf

Picosecond solvation dynamics of coumarin 153: The importance of molecular aspects of solvation

Fluorescence spectroscopy, one of the most informative and sensitive analytical techniques, has played and continues to play key roles in modern research. Indeed, unraveling the inner workings of biomolecules, cells and organisms relied on the development of fluorescence-based tools. As many of the players in these sophisticated interactions and exceedingly complex systems are not inherently emissive, researchers have relied on synthesizing fluorescent analogs of the building blocks found in biological macromolecules. These are the constituents of the cell surface and cell membrane, as well as proteins and nucleic acids. This review article is dedicated to emissive analogs of these relatively small molecules.

For organizational purposes, we have arbitrarily selected to approach these diverse families of biomolecules by imagining “a journey into the center of the cell”. Approaching the exterior of a cell, one first encounters oligosaccharides that decorate the cell surface and are involved in cell recognition and signaling. Next, we arrive at the cell membrane itself. This semi-permeable envelope sets the cell boundaries and regulates its traffic. Several types of building blocks assemble this membrane, most notably among them are the phospholipids. Upon entering the cell, the cytosol reveals a plethora of small and large molecules, including proteins, as well as soluble RNA molecules and RNA-rich ribosomes. Within the cytosol of eukaryotes and prokaryotes lies the nucleus or nucleoid, respectively. This membrane-enclosed control center contains most of the cells’ genetic material. DNA, the cellular blueprint, is permanently found in the nucleus, which also hosts diverse RNA molecules. Accordingly, we first discuss emissive carbohydrate derivatives. We then present fluorescent membrane constituents, followed by emissive amino acids. Our journey ends by focusing on emissive analogs of nucleosides and nucleotides, the building blocks of nucleic acids.

The common biomolecular building blocks, excluding a few amino acids, lack appreciably useful fluorescence properties. This implies that structural modifications are required to impart such photophysical features. Ideally, a designer probe should closely resemble its natural counterpart in size and shape without the loss of the original function (a feature we refer to as “isomorphicity”). This presents a fundamental predicament, as any modification attempting to alter the electronic nature of a molecule, typically by including aromatic residues or extending conjugation, will also alter its steric bulk and therefore the interactions with its surroundings.

Clearly not all biomolecular building blocks can or need to accommodate strict isomorphic design criteria. The heterocycles found in nucleosides already provide a platform that facilitates the extension of π-conjugation, which is also true for some aromatic amino acids. In contrast, employing fluorescence spectroscopy to membrane research requires very creative probe designs. Saccharides can be viewed as the most restrictive in this context, as no chemical modification is conceivable without a major structural disruption and likely loss of function. Such aliphatic biomolecules accommodate labeling only, where an established fluorophore is covalently conjugated to provide an emissive derivative. We therefore reserve the term probe to molecular designs that are expected to furnish useful modified biomolecules capable of reliable reporting. Understandably, fluorescent probes must meet the most stringent isomorphic design principles to ensure a biologically meaningful read-out. The isomorphic design principle is therefore a central theme of this review.

This article focuses on designing fluorescent probes for the four major families of macromolecular building blocks discussed above. Although not necessarily in chronological order, it spans roughly four decades of probe design with emphasis, when justified, on recent contributions. As the reader may imagine, this topic encapsulates a vast research field and cannot be comprehensively reviewed within the space limitation of Chemical Reviews. Nevertheless, we have attempted to summarize the most important and general contributions discussing fluorescent probes that were designed to shed light on biological processes and refer the reader to other resources.1 Although a few examples have found their way into the text, we do not generally address here the development of small molecule fluorophores and sensors that are not part of biomolecular assemblies. We open this article with a brief overview of the key features of fluorescence spectroscopy, where essential theoretical, experimental, and practical elements are discussed.

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Fluorescent Analogs of Biomolecular Building Blocks: Design, Properties, and Applications

A general formula for the difference of solvent shifts of fluorescence and absorption spectra in the approximation of long range dipolar interaction was derived using Ooshika’s theory of light absorption in solution. Measurements of fluorescence and absorption spectra of some naphthalene derivatives in various organic solvents were undertaken, and the data were analysed by the theoretical formula. The formula reproduces the experimental data satisfactorily, and from this fact it was concluded that the most predominant factor which determines the difference of solvent shifts of fluorescence and absorption spectra of these molecules is the interaction energy between solute and solvent molecules due to orientation polarization. The incremental values of dipolemoments in the excited state were estimated, and those for α-, β-naphthols and β-naphthyl methyl ether were interpreted as due to the increase of electron migration from the substituent in the excited state.

Solvent Effects upon Fluorescence Spectra and the Dipolemoments of Excited Molecules

The Solvent Effect on Fluorescence Spectrum, Change of Solute-Solvent Interaction during the Lifetime of Excited Solute Molecule

1. The fluorescence and absorption spectra of aqueous solutions of quinoline, acridine and 2,8-diaminoacridine were observed at various pH values, and it became clear that the stabilization energy by proton addition is larger in the excited state than in the ground state. 2. The effects of hydrogen bonding and proton addition upon the spectra were confirmed to be the same in tendency. 3. On the basis of the fluorescence intensities in various organic solvents, some discussions were made about the contribution of non-bonding electron to the inner quenching of fluorescence. 4. The vapor spectrum of quinoline was-taken and line spectra were observed, which are most certainly attributable to n→π* transition.

On the Base Strength of Some Nitrogen Heterocycles in the Excited State

1. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of α-, β- naphthols and related compounds were measured in various mixed solvents in connection with the hydrogen bonding phenomena. The observed spectral shifts of absorption and fluorescence spectra, which were almost the same (∼30 A), could be solely attributed to the hydrogen bonding effect. 2. It was found that the fluorescence intensity becoms stronger by hydrogen bonding when dioxane and acetic acid esters other than ethylchloroacetate are used as the proton acceptors. In the case of β-naphthol, it was established that the rate of inner quenching is decreased by hydrogen bonding. When ethylchloroacetate was used as a proton acceptor, fluorescence quenching was observed, which is also to be attributed to hydrogen bonding. 3. For β-naphthol, the measurement of the relative intensity established the fact that a new and different equilibrium state of hydrogen bonding, which shifts somewhat toward association, is reached during the life time of the excited stat...

Hydrogen Bonding Effect on the Fluorescence of π-Electron System

or n-butylacetate(B4) in cyclohexane becomes appreciable at remarkably smaller concentrations of proton acceptors (A) compared with that in the ground electronic state. When A is pyridine strong fluorescence quenching occurs. The concentration of pyridine where this fluorescence quenching becomes appreciable is far smaller than that where the change in the absorption spectrum becomes measurable. This circumstance holds also when /S-naphthylamine is used as fluorescer (proton donor [D]). The equilibrium constant of hydrogen bonding in the ground state was evaluated from the absorption spectral change and that in the excited state was estimated from the spectral shift for various -D pairs. The rate constants of hydrogen bond formation and decomposition, respectively, in the excited state, were evaluated in the case of several D-A pairs from the fluorescence intensity measurements of deaerated solutions. In addition, the mechanism of fluorescence quenching when A is pyridine was discussed on the basis of charge transfer interaction. Also, some discussions

Yozo Kaifu

Papers

Solvent Effects upon Fluorescence Spectra and the Dipolemoments of Excited Molecules

The Solvent Effect on Fluorescence Spectrum, Change of Solute-Solvent Interaction during the Lifetime of Excited Solute Molecule

On the Base Strength of Some Nitrogen Heterocycles in the Excited State

Hydrogen Bonding Effect on the Fluorescence of π-Electron System

Hydrogen-Bonding of Excited Carbazole and 2-Naphthylamine with Various Proton Acceptors in Non-Polar Solvent