Fully Functionalizable ß,ß'-BODIPY Dimer: Synthesis, Structure, and Photophysical Signatures.

The versatility in the synthesis of BODIPY derivatives in terms of functionalization is further demonstrated. In particular, in this work ß-ß'-BODIPY dimers with varied functional groups in the meso positions were synthesized in very efficient yields and short reaction times from a single platform. A photophysical study was carried out in all of the compounds. The resultant dimers show absorption bands at around 600 nm as a consequence of electronically coupled monomers disposed with a dihedral angle of around 30°, which is supported by theoretical simulations. The emission properties of these molecules are distinguished by the appearance of an ICT state as the polarity of the solvent increases.

Singlet Fission Mediated Photophysics of BODIPY Dimers.

The photodynamics of an orthogonal BODIPY dimer, particularly the formation of triplet states, has been explored by femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption measurements. The short time scale data show the appearance of transient features of triplet character that, according to quantitative analysis of their intensities, account for more than 100% of the initially excited molecules, which reveals the occurrence of a singlet fission process in the isolated dimers. The formation rate of the triplet correlated state 1(TT) is found to depend on the solvent polarity, pointing to the mediation of a charge transfer character state. The dissociation of the 1(TT) state into pairs of individual triplets determines the triplet yield measured in the long time scales. The kinetic model derived from the results provides a comprehensive view of the photodynamics of BODIPY dimers and permits rationalization of the photophysical parameters of these systems.

Adapting BODIPYs to singlet oxygen production on silica nanoparticles.

A modified Stöber method is used to synthesize spherical core-shell silica nanoparticles (NPs) with an external surface functionalized by amino groups and with an average size around 50 nm. Fluorescent dyes and photosensitizers of singlet oxygen were fixed, either separately or conjointly, respectively in the core or in the shell. Rhodamines were encapsulated in the core with relatively high fluorescence quantum yields (Φfl ≥ 0.3), allowing fluorescence tracking of the particles. Various photosensitizers of singlet oxygen (PS) were covalenty coupled to the shell, allowing singlet oxygen production. The stability of NP suspensions strongly deteriorated upon grafting the PS, affecting their apparent singlet oxygen quantum yields. Agglomeration of NPs depends both on the type and on the amount of grafted photosensitizer. New, lab-made, halogenated 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacenes (BODIPY) grafted to the NPs achieved higher singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ âˆ¼ 0.35-0.40) than Rose Bengal (RB) grafted NPs (ΦΔ âˆ¼ 0.10-0.27). Finally, we combined both fluorescence and PS functions in the same NP, namely a rhodamine in the silica core and a BODIPY or RB grafted in the shell, achieving the performance Φfl ∼ 0.10-0.20, ΦΔ âˆ¼ 0.16-0.25 with a single excitation wavelength. Thus, proper choice of the dyes, of their concentrations inside and on the NPs and the grafting method enables fine-tuning of singlet oxygen production and fluorescence emission.

Rational Design of Advanced Photosensitizers Based on Orthogonal BODIPY Dimers to Finely Modulate Singlet Oxygen Generation.

The synthesis, photophysical characterization, and modeling of a new library of halogen-free photosensitizers (PS) based on orthogonal boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dimers are reported. Herein we establish key structural factors in order to enhance singlet oxygen generation by judiciously choosing the substitution patterns according to key electronic effects and synthetic accessibility factors. The photosensitization mechanism of orthogonal BODIPY dimers is demonstrated to be strongly related to their intrinsic intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character through the spin-orbit charge-transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) mechanism. Thus, singlet oxygen generation can be effectively modulated through the solvent polarity and the presence of electron-donating or withdrawing groups in one of the BODIPY units. The photodynamic therapy (PDT) activity is demonstrated by in vitro experiments, showing that selected photosensitizers are efficiently internalized into HeLa cells, exhibiting low dark toxicity and high phototoxicity, even at low PS concentration (0.05-5×10-6 m).

Strategies for modulating the luminescence properties of pyronin Y dye-clay films: an experimental and theoretical study.

The aggregation process, particularly the type and extent of pyronin Y (PY) laser dye intercalated into supported thin films of two different trioctahedral clay minerals, LAPONITE® (Lap) and saponite (Sap), at different dye loadings is studied: (i) experimentally by means of electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and (ii) theoretically by modeling the distribution of the dye into the interlayer space of these layered silicates. According to the results, H-type aggregates of the PY dye are favoured in Lap even at very low dye loading while a much lower molecular aggregation tendency in J-type geometry is found in Sap films. The aggregation state of PY in each clay mineral is likely attributed to different strengths of the electrostatic interactions between the dye and the layered silicate in the interlayer space due to their distinctive charge localization on the TOT clay layer (i.e. net negative charge in octahedral layers for Lap vs. in tetrahedral layers for Sap), as well as the interlaminar water distribution in each clay mineral, although other factors such as their CEC and particle size cannot be discarded. To reduce the huge aggregation processes of PY dye into Lap films, surfactant molecules (DDTAB) are co-adsorbed in the interlayer space of the clay. At an optimized surfactant concentration, the aggregation tendency of PY dye in Lap is considerably reduced enormously improving the fluorescence efficiency of the PY/Lap films. Finally, by means of anisotropic response from the hybrid films to the plane of the polarized light, the orientation of the PY molecules with respect to the normal axis of the clay layer is determined for all films (with and without surfactant) at different dye loadings.

Preparation, photophysical characterization, and modeling of LDS722/Laponite 2D-ordered hybrid films.

A novel hybrid material with promising optical properties for nonlinear optical applications is presented, as formed by LDS 722 organic dye confined in Laponite clay. Thin films of the hybrid material with different dye loadings have been prepared. The film thickness, the dye and water content, and the clay swelling due to guest molecule incorporation have been characterized. Then, the photophysical properties of the thin films have been studied in detail using experimental methods and molecular simulation. As the dye load increases, the hybrid films present a hypsochromic shift in absorption and a bathochromic shift in emission. The former is attributed to the increasing strength of solvation of the dye donor group, while the latter is ascribed to a switch from an intramolecular to an intermolecular charge-transfer process as the dye load increases. The LDS 722 molecules are preferentially oriented in the host clay almost in parallel to the platelet surfaces, inducing macroscopic order that makes the material responsive to polarized light.