Ruthenium nitrosyl complexes with NO release capability: the use of fluorene as an antenna.

A ruthenium nitrosyl complex of formula [RuII(fluorene(C6)CH2O-terpy)(bipy)(NO)]3+ (AC) in which fluorene(C6) is the 9,9-dihexylfluorene, terpy the 2,2';6',2''-terpyridine, and bipy the 2,2'-bipyridine is presented with its related [RuII(MeO-terpy)(bipy)(NO)]3+ (C) and 9,9-dihexylfluorene 2-hydroxymethylfluorene (A) building blocks. The reference complex C undergoes NO release capabilities under irradiation at λ = 365 nm. The effect of the introduction of the fluorescent A antenna within the resulting AC complex is discussed both experimentally and theoretically. The importance of the encaging parameter defined as ϕAC·IAC, in which IAC is the quantity of light absorbed by AC and ϕAC the quantum yield of NO release is evidenced and found to be concentration dependent. The conditions of optimization of the antenna approach to maximize ϕAC·IAC are discussed. The crystal structure of [RuII(fluorene(C6)CH2O-terpy)(bipy)(NO2)](PF6), the last intermediate in the synthesis of AC is also presented.

Complexation of Flavonoids: Spectral Phenomena, Regioselectivity, Interplay with Charge and Proton Transfer.

The review compiles information on the spectral classification of flavonoids, the changes in their electronic structure upon complex formation, and the manifestation of these changes in the absorption and emission spectra. Part of the review is devoted to the regioselectivity of the complex formation process, including types of complexation sites, the structure of chelates and 'open' complexes, and the correlation between the structure of complexes and their spectral properties. The interplay between complex formation and other processes occurring in flavonoids during electronic excitation is also considered, such as intramolecular inter-fragment charge transfer (ICT) and intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The review also contains systematic data on the study of regioselectivity and spectral properties of flavone complexes, obtained by the author and their colleagues over the past decades.

Binding interactions of hydrophobically-modified flavonols with ß-glucosidase: fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular modelling study.

Natural flavonoids are capable of inhibiting glucosidase activity, so they can be used for treating diabetes mellitus and hypertension. However, molecular-level details of their interactions with glucosidase enzymes remain poorly understood. This paper describes the synthesis and spectral characterization of a series of fluorescent flavonols and their interaction with the ß-glucosidase enzyme. To tune flavonol-enzyme interaction modes and affinity, we introduced different polar halogen-containing groups or bulky aromatic/alkyl substituents in the peripheral 2-aryl ring of a flavonol moiety. Using fluorescence spectroscopy methods in combination with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, we examined the binding affinity and identified probe binding patterns, which are critical for steric blockage of the key catalytic residues of the enzyme. Using a fluorescent assay, we demonstrated that the binding of flavonol 2e to ß-glucosidase decreased its enzymatic activity up to 3.5 times. In addition, our molecular docking and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the probe binding is driven by hydrophobic interactions with aromatic Trp and Tyr residues within the catalytic glycone binding pockets of ß-glucosidase. Our study provides a new insight into structure-property relations for flavonol-protein interactions, which govern their enzyme binding, and outlines a framework for a rational design of new flavonol-based potent inhibitors for ß-glucosidases.

Influence of aluminum and iron chlorides on the parameters of zigzag patterns on films dried from BSA solutions.

The relationships between the structural and aggregational state of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the specific length and total number of zigzag pattern segments of the film textures formed upon drying biopolymer solutions with aluminum and iron chlorides have been shown. To obtain films, saline solutions of BSA were dried in a glass cuvette under thermostatically controlled conditions. It is shown that the formation of zigzag structures is sensitive to the influence of aluminum chlorides Al3+ and iron chlorides Fe3+ and depend on the concentration of AlCl3 and FeCl3. This may be due to a change in the charge and size of BSA particles and due to a change in conformation or a violation of the structure of BSA. These factors, in turn, affect the hydration of the solution components and the structural state of free water in solution, which presumably also affects the formation of zigzag structures. It is established that the analysis of the specific length and the number of segments of zigzag patterns makes it possible to evaluate changes in the state of biopolymers in the initial solution during structural changes and aggregation.

Progress and Achievements in Glycosylation of Flavonoids.

In recent years, the chemistry of flavonoid glycosylation has undergone significant developments. This mini-review is devoted to summarizing existing strategies and methods for glycosylation of natural and synthetic flavonoids. Herein we overviewed the reaction conditions of flavonoid glycosylation depending on the position of hydroxyl groups in a parent molecule, the degree of it conjugation with the π-system, the presence of steric factors, the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, etc. Especial attention was given to the choice of the glycosyl donor moiety, which has a significant effect on the yield of the final glycosidated products. Finally, a general strategy for regioselective glycosylation of flavonoids containing several hydroxyl groups is outlined.

Effects of semi-refined carrageenan (food additive E407a) on cell membranes of leukocytes assessed in vivo and in vitro.

Aim To assess the impact of semi-refined carrageenan (E407a) on hydrophobic regions of phosphololipid bilayer in cell membranes of leukocytes collected from rats orally administered this food additive and white blood cells incubated with E407a. Methods Fluorescent probes (ortho-hydroxy derivatives of 2,5-diaryl-1,3-oxazole) were used to estimate the state of lipid bilayer in leukocytes obtained from rats orally exposed to the food additive E407a and in white blood cells incubated with E407a. Results No noticeable changes in the physico-chemical properties were observed in the lipid membranes of leukocytes in the region where the probes locate in response to oral intake of semi-refined carrageenan. Incubation of leukocytes with E407a solutions resulted in a decrease in polarity and proton-donor ability of leukocytes in the area of carbonyl groups of phospholipids and in the area of hydrocarbon chains of phospholipids near the polar region of the bilayer. Conclusion Membrane fluidity abnormalities found in cells exposed to E407a are similar to those observed in patients with IBD suggesting that contribution of carrageenan to IBD development may be partially explained by leukocyte membrane modifications.

Aminofluoresceins Versus Fluorescein: Ascertained New Unusual Features of Tautomerism and Dissociation of Hydroxyxanthene Dyes in Solution.

Within the course of this spectroscopic research, we revealed novel features of the protolytic behavior, which extend the knowledge of the chemistry of xanthene dyes and rationalize the utilization of these compounds. In addition to the well-known tautomerism of the molecular form, H2R, of fluorescein dyes, new aspects of tautomeric transformation of anions are disclosed. First, for the dyes bearing the substituents in the phthalic acid residue, 4'- and 5'-aminofluoresceins and 4'-fluorescein isothiocyanate, the monoanion HR- exists in non-hydrogen-bond donor solvents not only as a tautomer with the ionized carboxylic and nonionized OH group but also as a "phenolate" ion with a nonionized COOH group. Such state of HR- ions is typical for dyes bearing halogen atoms or NO2 groups in the xanthene moiety but was not observed until now in the case of substitution in the phthalic residue. Second, the possibility of the existence of the HR- species in DMSO in the form of colorless lactone is deduced for the 5'-aminofluorescein using the visible and infrared spectra. This results in a dramatic difference in medium effects. For instance, whereas for fluorescein in DMSO, the inversion of the stepwise ionization constants takes place and the Ka1/Ka2 value equals 0.08, the same ratio for 5'-aminofluorescein is as high as ∼800. In addition, the pKa values of sulfonefluorescein, erythrosin, methyl ether of fluorescein, and phenol red were obtained to verify the acidity scale in DMSO and to support the detailed scheme of protolytic equilibria of fluorescein dyes.

Aminofluoresceins Versus Fluorescein: Peculiarity of Fluorescence.

In this article, we examined the fluorescent properties of 4'- and 5'-aminofluorescein, unsubstituted fluorescein, and its 4'-nitro derivative in a set of solvent systems. Fluorescence lifetimes, quantum yields, time-resolved fluorescence spectra, and quantum chemical calculations allowed clarifying the reasons of the emitting properties in this dye series. In water, the dianions R2- of aminofluoresceins are practically nonfluorescent; in alcohols, the quantum yields are low. In dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile, and other non-hydrogen bond donor solvents, the bright fluorescence of R2- ions is quenched either on adding small amounts of water which hydrate the carboxylate group or under conditions of protonation of this group (COO- → COOH). The last observation is possible owing to the peculiarities of the tautomerism of the 5'-aminofluorescein monoanion, HR-, which exists in DMSO as an equilibrium mixture of a colorless lactone and colored "phenolate" tautomer with an ionized xanthene moiety and unionized carboxylic group. In contrast, the R2- anion of 4'-nitrofluorescein demonstrates spectral behavior different from that of the amino derivatives. It practically does not emit in aprotic solvents; however, in alcohols or water media, its quantum yield increases to some extent. Such changing spectral properties are explained in terms of the excited-state interfragmental charge transfer.

On the use of acridinium indicators for the chemiluminescent determination of the total antioxidant capacity of dietary supplements.

Acridinium salts, due to their chemiluminogenic properties, have found several applications in biomedical analysis as labels and indicators, where the assessment of emission intensity is used for the end-point detection. This work presents the use of chemiluminescent indicators in the form of selected acridinium esters in order to determine the antioxidant properties of exemplary formulations, namely quercetin, vitamin C and the dietary supplement, Apiextract. The principle of measurements is based on a change in the kinetics of emission decay derived from the acridinium cations in alkaline solutions of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an antioxidant (the analyte). The proposed system makes a beneficial alternative to related methods, which mostly rely on the assessment of emission efficiency and use the luminometric standard luminol - due to superior parameters of acridinium chemiluminescence, among others - high temporary emission efficiency. The features of the proposed method are manifested by a shorter time period of analysis and lower background signals associated with the environmental influences, as compared to typical approaches. The chromatographic (RP-HPLC) analyses of the substrates and products generated during chemiluminogenic oxidation of acridinium cations under assay conditions are also presented.

Structural and Spectral Features of 4'-Substituted 2'-Hydroxychalcones in Solutions and Crystals: Spectroscopic and Theoretical Investigations.

The article describes investigations of 2'-hydroxychalcone and its three derivatives bearing differently sized alkyloxy groups at position 4'. The compounds are investigated from the point of view of crystal structure, electronic absorption, fluorescence features in solutions and crystals using X-ray diffraction and electronic spectroscopy methods, and quantum chemistry calculations. In general, both in solutions and in the crystal phase, the influence of substituents on absorption spectra of chalcones was found to be insignificant. Exclusively in the case of 4'-(4-methoxybenzyloxy)-2'-hydroxychalcone, molecular packing influences the absorption features, which is because of the intermolecular interactions of substituent's phenyl ring and chromophore fragment of the neighboring molecules. The lack of fluorescence of the excited enol form of chalcones in solutions and crystals is mainly due to intersystem crossing and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer. Fluorescent properties of the phototautomer keto species formed by the proton transfer depend on molecular conformation. In solutions, the excited keto form is twisted and effectively deactivates nonradiatively due to conical intersection. In the crystal phase, the fixed planar geometry disables the conical intersection and the fluorescence of the keto form becomes detectable.

Origin of Spectral Features and Acid-Base Properties of 3,7-Dihydroxyflavone and Its Monofunctional Derivatives in the Ground and Excited States.

Comprehensive spectral investigations of 3,7-dihydroxyflavone and its two derivatives, which each contain a methyl-blocked hydroxyl group, reveal complex radiation absorption in the 300-450 nm range and emission in the 370-650 nm range. The absorption and fluorescence characteristics of these compounds depend on the pH/H0 of the water/methanol media, which is caused by the existence of the compounds in various protolytic (cationic, neutral, anionic) and tautomeric forms. Combined analysis of steady-state, time-dependent and fluorescence decay spectral data enabled the identification of the emitting species, determination of their lifetimes with respect to radiative and nonradiative deactivation processes, fluorescence quantum yields, protolytic and tautomeric abilities under various conditions, and acidic dissociation constants of the cationic, neutral, and anionic forms of the compounds. Results of calculations carried out at the DFT and TD DFT levels of theory generally confirmed the experimental findings concerning tautomeric/protolytic transformations and equilibria. Computational methods also provided insight into possible tautomerization pathways. Electronically excited molecules are generally much more susceptible to tautomerization and acidic dissociation than ground-state ones. 3,7-Dihydroxyflavone exhibits distinguishable features among the compounds investigated and can be considered as potential spectral indicator of properties (polarity, hydrophobicity, hydrogen-bonding ability) and acidity/basicity of liquid environments.

Fluorescence of aminofluoresceins as an indicative process allowing one to distinguish between micelles of cationic surfactants and micelle-like aggregates.

Among the vast set of fluorescein derivatives, the double charged R2- anions of aminofluoresceins are known to exhibit only low quantum yields of fluorescence, [Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text] value becomes as high as that of the fluorescein dianion when the lone electron pair of the amino group is involved in a covalent bond. According to Munkholm et al (1990 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 112 2608-12), a much smaller increase in the emission intensity can be observed in the presence of surfactant micelles. However, all these observations refer to aqueous or alcoholic solvents. In this paper, we show that in the non-hydrogen bond donor (or 'aprotic') solvents DMSO and acetone, the quantum yields, φ, of the 4'- (or 5')-aminofluorescein R2- species amount to 61-67% and approach that of fluorescein (φ = 87%), whereas in water φ is only 0.6-0.8%. In glycerol, a solvent with an extremely high viscosity, the φ value is only 6-10%. We report on the enhancement of the fluorescence of the aminofluorescein dianions as an indicative process, which allows us to distinguish between the micelle-like aggregates of cationic dendrimers of low generation, common spherical surfactant micelles, and surfactant bilayers. Some of these colloidal aggregates partly restore the fluorescence of aminofluoresceins in aqueous media. By contrast, other positively charged micellar-like aggregates do not enhance the quantum yield of aminofluorescein R2- species. Results for several related systems, such as CTAB-coated SiO2 particles and reverse microemulsions, are briefly described, and the possible reasons for the observed phenomena are discussed.

7-Hydroxyflavone Revisited. 2. Substitution Effect on Spectral and Acid-Base Properties in the Ground and Excited States.

Three derivatives of 7-hydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one (7-hydroxyflavone), containing chloro, methoxy, and dimethylamino substituents at position 4', were synthesized and investigated from the view of their ground-state and electronically excited-state behavior. Spectral and fluorescent properties in a wide range of pH/H0, thermodynamics of the ground and S1 states, and kinetics of the excited-state deactivation of the compounds were investigated by means of steady-state electronic absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorescent spectroscopies as well as by computational methods. The results are rationalized from the point of view of the substituent effect. In spite of a similar structure and the same acid-base centers, the compounds strongly differ in fluorescence characteristics as well as in the dependence of fluorescent properties on pH/H0 of the media. Various protolytic/tautomeric forms of the compounds investigated absorb light in the 300-500 nm range and fluoresce in the whole visible range of spectra. The electron-releasing substituents at position 4' of 7-hydroxyflavone immensely affect spectral properties as well as the excited-state thermodynamics and kinetics, whereas the electron-withdrawing ones cause minimal effect.

Textures on the surface of BSA films with different concentrations of sodium halides and water state in solution.

The formation of the textures on the surface of the films from the solutions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with sodium halides (NaF, NaCl, and NaBr) of various concentrations was studied. The formation of symmetric zigzag textures on the surface of BSA films (Cryst Eng 3:173-194, 2000) in the presence of sodium halides depends on the conformational state of the protein globule. Thermal denaturation of BSA also did not allow to form zigzag textures on the surface of the films.

7-hydroxyflavone revisited: spectral, acid-base properties, and interplay of the protolytic forms in the ground and excited states.

Spectral and acid-base properties of 7-hydroxyflavone (7HF) in the ground and excited states were investigated with a purpose to enable reasonable application of this dye and its derivatives as fluorescent probes. Analysis of solvatochromic and solvatofluorochromic ability of 7HF in 20 solvents, investigations of 7HF spectral properties in the frozen solvents, spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric titrations in methanol-water (4:1 v/v) in the wide pH/H0 range (from pH = 11.0 to H0 = -4.5), analysis of the 3D fluorescence and time-resolved spectra, as well as quantum-chemical calculations were carried out. It has been found that 7HF can exist in three protolythic forms-neutral, anion, and cation-depending on the environment acidity or basicity. In the excited state, in methanol-water solutions, there are four forms: neutral, cation and anion, which can be formed by direct excitation of the ground-state anion or by photodissociation of the neutral form depending on pH, and only one phototautomer, which appears in the H0 range from 1.3 to -4.5. It has been shown that the mechanism of the phototautomer formation depends on medium acidity. The photoautomer can be formed by cation photodissociation as well as by photoanion protonation. Finally, it was concluded which of the 7HF protolytic forms can be used for fluorescent probing.

Tautomerism and behavior of 3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-ones (flavonols) and 3,7-dihydroxy-2,8-diphenyl-4H,6H-pyrano[3,2-g]chromene-4,6-diones (diflavonols) in basic media: spectroscopic and computational investigations.

Absorption and emission spectroscopic investigations and computational predictions have shown that neutral molecules of flavonols and diflavonols can exist in the ground and excited states in one or two tautomeric forms stabilized by intramolecular (in aprotic media) or intermolecular (with solvent molecule(s), in protic media) hydrogen bonds. Electronic excitation creates conditions for the transformation of tautomeric forms, accompanied by proton transfer, reflected in fluorescence spectra. Proton transfer is also probable in monoanions of diflavonols in protic media. The OH groups involved in hydrogen bonds exhibit a proton-donating ability characterized by the respective acidity constants. The electronically excited diflavonols are relatively strong acids if they lose one proton. With increasing basicity of the medium, anionic forms occur, which exhibit spectral characteristics and emission abilities different from those of neutral molecules. These features open up possibilities for the analytical use of these compounds as spectral probes sensitive to the properties of liquid phases--from neutral to strongly basic. The less intensively studied diflavonols seem to be more promising than flavonols for these purposes, since they are more lipophilic, polarizable, polar, and sensitive to basic features of the environment.

2-(4-Hy-droxy-phen-yl)-3-meth-oxy-4H-chromen-4-one.

In the title compound, C16H12O4, the substituent benzene ring and meth-oxy group are twisted relative to the 4H-chromene skeleton by 24.1 (1) and 61.3 (1)°, respectively. In the crystal, mol-ecules are connected by classical O-H⋯O and weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains parallel to [201]. The 4H-chromene ring systems of adjacent mol-ecules are either parallel or inclined at an angle of 28.9 (1)°.

2-(4-Fluoro-phen-yl)-2H-chromen-4(3H)-one.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C(15)H(11)FO(2), mol-ecules form inversion dimers through pairs of weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Dimers oriented in parallel, linked by C-H⋯π contacts, are arranged in columns along the b axis. The fluoro-phenyl ring and the benzene ring of the 2H-chromen-4(3H)-one unit are inclined to one another by 70.41 (16)°. They are respectively parallel in a given column or almost perpendicular [oriented at an angle of 87.8 (1)°] in neighbouring (inversely oriented) columns, forming a herringbone pattern.

3-Hy-droxy-2-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one.

In the title compound, C(16)H(12)O(4), the benzene ring is twisted at an angle of 12.3 (1)° relative to the 4H-chromene skeleton, and an intramolecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. The meth-oxy group is almost coplanar with the benzene ring [1.5 (1)°]. In the crystal, inversely oriented mol-ecules are arranged in double (A, A') columns, along the b axis, and are linked by a network of inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds (between A and A') and C-H⋯π contacts (within A or A'). The 4H-chromene cores are parallel within A or A', but make a dihedral angle of 88.6 (1)° between A and A'.

Chemiluminogenic features of 10-methyl-9-(phenoxycarbonyl)acridinium trifluoromethanesulfonates alkyl substituted at the benzene ring in aqueous media.

10-Methyl-9-(phenoxycarbonyl)acridinium trifluoromethanesulfonates bearing alkyl substituents at the benzene ring were synthesized, purified, and identified. In the reaction with OOH(-) in basic aqueous media, the cations of the compounds investigated were converted to electronically excited 10-methyl-9-acridinone, whose relaxation was accompanied by chemiluminescence (CL). The kinetic constants of CL decay, relative efficiencies of light emission, chemiluminescence quantum yields, and resistance toward alkaline hydrolysis were determined experimentally under various conditions. The mechanism of CL generation is considered on the basis of thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the reaction steps predicted at the DFT level of theory. The chemiluminescence efficiency is the result of competition of the electrophilic center at C(9) between nucleophilic substitution by OOH(-) or OH(-) and the ability of the intermediates thus formed to decompose to electronically excited 10-methyl-9-acridinone. Identification of stable and intermediate reaction products corroborated the suggested reaction scheme. The results obtained, particularly the dependency of the "usefulness" parameter, which takes into account the CL quantum yield and the susceptibility to hydrolysis, on the cavity volume of the entity removed during oxidation, form a convenient framework within which to rationally design chemiluminescent 10-methyl-9-(phenoxycarbonyl)acridinium cations.