Fully Conjugated Pyrene-BODIPY and Pyrene-BODIPY-Ferrocene Dyads and Triads: Synthesis, Characterization, and Selective Noncovalent Interactions with Nanocarbon Materials.

Several pyrene-boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and pyrene-BODIPY-ferrocene derivatives with a fully conjugated pyrene fragment appended to the α-position(s) of the BODIPY core have been prepared by Knoevenagel condensation reaction and characterized by one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry as well as X-ray crystallography. The redox properties of new donor-acceptor BODIPY dyads and triads were studied by electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV)) and spectroelectrochemical approaches. Formation of weakly bonded noncovalent complexes between the new pyrene-BODIPYs and nanocarbon materials (C60, C70, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), and graphene) was studied by UV-vis, steady-state fluorescent, and time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. UV-vis and fluorescent spectroscopy are indicative of the much stronger and selective interaction between new dyes and (6,5)-SWCNT as well as graphene compared to that of C60 and C70 fullerenes. In agreement with these data, transient absorption spectroscopy provided no evidence for any significant change in excited-state lifetime or photoinduced charge transfer between pyrene-BODIPYs and C60 or C70 fullerenes when the pyrene-BODIPY chromophores were excited into the lowest-energy singlet excited state. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations suggest that the pyrene fragments are fully conjugated into the π-system of BODIPY core, which correlates well with the experimental data.

Preparation of Viscosity-Sensitive Isoxazoline/Isoxazolyl-Based Molecular Rotors and Directly Linked BODIPY-Fulleroisoxazoline from the Stable meso-(Nitrile Oxide)-Substituted BODIPY.

We developed a simple methodology for the preparation of stable meso-(nitrile oxide)-substituted BODIPYs, which were characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. These compounds were used for the preparation of isoxazoline- or isoxazolyl-BODIPYs by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with dipolarophiles. Several BODIPYs possess molecular rotor behavior, including viscosity-dependent fluorescence. Transient absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence are indicative of a 3 orders of magnitude difference in the excited-state lifetime for dichloromethane and glycerol solutions.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Electron-Transfer Properties of Ferrocene-BODIPY-Fullerene Near-Infrared-Absorbing Triads: Are Catecholopyrrolidine-Linked Fullerenes a Good Architecture to Facilitate Electron-Transfer?

A series of covalent ferrocene-BODIPY-fullerene triads with the ferrocene groups conjugated to the BODIPY π-system and the fullerene acceptor linked at the boron hub by a common catecholpyrrolidine bridge were prepared and characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, UV/Vis, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and, for one of the derivatives, X-ray crystallography. Redox processes of the new compounds were investigated by electrochemical (CV and DPV) methods and spectroelectrochemistry. DFT calculations indicate that the HOMO in all triads was delocalized between ferrocene and BODIPY π-system, the LUMO was always fullerene-centered, and the catechol-centered occupied orbital was close in energy to the HOMO. TDDFT calculations were indicative of the low-energy, low-intensity charge-transfer bands originated from the ferrocene-BODIPY core to fullerene excitation, which explained the similarity of the UV/Vis spectra of the ferrocene-BODIPY dyads and ferrocene-BODIPY-fullerene triads. Photophysical properties of the new triads as well as reference BODIPY-fullerene and ferrocene-BODIPY dyads were investigated by pump-probe spectroscopy in the UV/Vis and NIR spectral regions following selective excitation of the BODIPY-based antenna. Initial charge transfer from the ferrocene to the BODIPY core was shown to outcompete sub-100 fs deactivation of the excited state mediated by the catechol bridge. However, no subsequent electron transfer to the fullerene acceptor was observed. The initial charge separated state relaxes by recombination with a time constant of 150-380 ps.

Rapid Excited-State Deactivation of BODIPY Derivatives by a Boron-Bound Catechol.

The excited-state dynamics and energetics of a series of BODIPY-derived chromophores bound to a catechol at the boron position were investigated with a combination of static and time-resolved spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and density functional theory calculations. Compared with the difluoro-BODIPY-derived parent compounds, the addition of the catechol at the boron reduced the excited-state lifetime by three orders of magnitude. Deactivation of the excited state proceeded through an intermediate charge-transfer state accessed from the initial optically excited π* state in <1 ps. Despite differences in the structures of the BODIPY derivatives and absorption maxima that spanned the visible portion of the spectrum, all compounds exhibited the same, rapid, excited-state deactivation mechanism, suggesting the generality of the observed dynamics within this class of compounds.

Flexible BODIPY Platform That Offers an Unexpected Regioselective Heterocyclization Reaction toward Preparation of 2-Pyridone[ a]-Fused BODIPYs.

We have explored the synthetic routes for regioselective formation of 2-pyridone[ a]- and 2-pyridone[ b]-fused BODIPYs using 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-dicarbethoxy-BODIPY as the universal starting platform. While heterocyclization of the 3-(dimethylaminovinyl)-BODIPY and 3,5-bis(dimethylaminovinyl)-BODIPY results in the formation of mono-2-pyridone- and bis-2-pyridone[ b]-fused BODIPYs, respectively, similar heterocyclization of the 1,3-bis(dimethylaminovinyl)-BODIPY leads to the regioselective formation of the 2-pyridone[ a]-fused BODIPY core, which is the first example of heterocycle[ a]-fused BODIPYs. The regioselective formation of the 2-pyridone[ a]-fused BODIPY was further confirmed by X-ray crystallography and explained on the basis of the DFT and TDDFT calculations that are suggestive of the energy-favorable out-of-plane rotation of the dimethylaminovinyl group located at first position, which accelerates the reaction with n-butylamine. Trends in the UV-vis and fluorescence spectra of the BODIPYs 1-17 were discussed on the basis of DFT and TDDFT calculations.

Ferrocene-BODIPYmerocyanine dyads: new NIR absorbing platforms with optical properties susceptible to protonation.

Ferrocene-BODIPYmerocyanine dyads 5 and 6 were prepared and characterized by a variety of spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical methods. Experimental and theoretical data on these NIR absorbing compounds are suggestive of unusual susceptibility (for BODIPY chromophores) of the delocalized π-system in 5 and 6 to protonation and low-potential oxidation of their π-systems.

NIR absorbing diferrocene-containing meso-cyano-BODIPY with a UV-Vis-NIR spectrum remarkably close to that of magnesium tetracyanotetraferrocenyltetraazaporphyrin.

Diferrocene-containing meso-cyano-BODIPY (4) was prepared by the direct cyanation/oxidation reaction of symmetric BODIPY 1 followed by Knoevenagel condensation with ferrocenealdehyde. Ferrocene-containing BODIPY 4 was characterized by a variety of spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical methods and its UV-Vis-NIR spectrum has a striking similarity with a UV-Vis-NIR spectrum of the previously reported magnesium 2(3),7(8),12(13),17(18)-tetracyano-3(2),8(7),13(12),18(17)-tetraferrocenyl-5,10,15,20-tetraazaporphyrin.

Tuning Electronic Structure, Redox, and Photophysical Properties in Asymmetric NIR-Absorbing Organometallic BODIPYs.

Stepwise modification of the methyl groups at the α positions of BODIPY 1 was used for preparation of a series of mono- (2, 4, and 6) and diferrocene (3) substituted donor-acceptor dyads in which the organometallic substituents are fully conjugated with the BODIPY π system. All donor-acceptor complexes have strong absorption in the NIR region and quenched steady-state fluorescence, which can be partially restored upon oxidation of organometallic group(s). X-ray crystallography of complexes 2-4 and 6 confirms the nearly coplanar arrangement of the ferrocene groups and the BODIPY π system. Redox properties of the target systems were studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). It was found that the first oxidation process in all dyads is ferrocene centered, while the separation between the first and the second ferrocene-centered oxidation potentials in diferrocenyl-containing dyad 3 is ∼150 mV. The density functional theory-polarized continuum model (DFT-PCM) and time-dependent (TD) DFT-PCM methods were used to investigate the electronic structure as well as explain the UV-vis and redox properties of organometallic compounds 2-4 and 6. TDDFT calculations allow for assignment of the charge-transfer and π → π* transitions in the target compounds. The excited state dynamics of the parent BODIPY 1 and dyads 2-4 and 6 were investigated using time-resolved transient spectroscopy. In all organometallic dyads 2-4 and 6 the initially excited state is rapidly quenched by electron transfer from the ferrocene ligand. The lifetime of the charge-separated state was found to be between 136 and 260 ps and demonstrates a systematic dependence on the electronic structure and geometry of BODIPYs 2-4 and 6.