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    Unraveling the Light-Activated Reaction Mechanism in a Catalytically Competent Key Intermediate of a Multifunctional Molecular Catalyst for Artificial Photosynthesis
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2019) Zedler, Linda; Mengele, Alexander Klaus; Ziems, Karl Michael; Zhang, Ying; Wächtler, Maria; Gr-fe, Stefanie; Pascher, Torbjörn; Rau, Sven; Kupfer, Stephan; Dietzek, Benjamin
    Understanding photodriven multielectron reaction pathways requires the identification and spectroscopic characterization of intermediates and their excited-state dynamics, which is very challenging due to their short lifetimes. To the best of our knowledge, this manuscript reports for the first time on in situ spectroelectrochemistry as an alternative approach to study the excited-state properties of reactive intermediates of photocatalytic cycles. UV/Vis, resonance-Raman, and transient-absorption spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the catalytically competent intermediate [(tbbpy)2RuII(tpphz)RhICp*] of [(tbbpy)2Ru(tpphz)Rh(Cp*)Cl]Cl(PF6)2 (Ru(tpphz)RhCp*), a photocatalyst for the hydrogenation of nicotinamide (NAD-analogue) and proton reduction, generated by electrochemical and chemical reduction. Electronic transitions shifting electron density from the activated catalytic center to the bridging tpphz ligand significantly reduce the catalytic activity upon visible-light irradiation. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
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    It Takes Three to Tango - the length of the oligothiophene determines the nature of the long-lived excited state and the resulting photocytotoxicity of a Ru(II) photodrug
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Chettri, Avinash; Roque, John A.; Schneider, Kilian R.A.; Cole, Houston D.; Cameron, Colin G.; McFarland, Sherri A.; Dietzek, Benjamin
    TLD1433 is the first Ru(II) complex to be tested as a photodynamic therapy agent in a clinical trial. In this contribution we study TLD1433 in the context of structurally-related Ru(II)-imidozo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (ip) complexes appended with thiophene rings to decipher the unique photophysical properties which are associated with increasing oligothiophene chain length. Substitution of the ip ligand with ter- or quaterthiophene changes the nature of the long-lived triplet state from metal-to-ligand charge-transfer to 3ππ* character. The addition of the third thiophene thus presents a critical juncture which not only determines the photophysics of the complex but most importantly its capacity for 1O2 generation and hence the potential of the complex to be used as a photocytotoxic agent.
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    Investigating light-induced processes in covalent dye-catalyst assemblies for hydrogen production
    (Basel : MDPI, 2020) Bold, Sebastian; Straistari, Tatiana; Muñoz-García, Ana B.; Pavone, Michele; Artero, Vincent; Chavarot-Kerlidou, Murielle; Dietzek, Benjamin
    The light-induced processes occurring in two dye-catalyst assemblies for light-driven hydrogen production were investigated by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. These dyads consist of a push-pull organic dye based on a cyclopenta[1,2-b:5,4-b’]dithiophene (CPDT) bridge, covalently linked to two different H2-evolving cobalt catalysts. Whatever the nature of the latter, photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer from the excited state of the dye to the catalytic center was never observed. Instead, and in sharp contrast to the reference dye, a fast intersystem crossing (ISC) populates a long-lived triplet excited state, which in turn non-radiatively decays to the ground state. This study thus shows how the interplay of different structures in a dye-catalyst assembly can lead to unexpected excited state behavior and might open up new possibilities in the area of organic triplet sensitizers. More importantly, a reductive quenching mechanism with an external electron donor must be considered to drive hydrogen production with these dye-catalyst assemblies. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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    Intracellular Photophysics of an Osmium Complex bearing an Oligothiophene Extended Ligand
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Schneider, Kilian R.A.; Chettri, Avinash; Cole, Houston D.; Reglinski, Katharina; Breckmann, Jannik; Roque, John A. III; Stumper, Anne; Nauroozi, Djawed; Schmid, Sylvia; Lagerholm, Christoffer B.; Rau, Sven; Bäuerle, Peter; Eggeling, Christian; Cameron, Colin G.; McFarland, Sherri A.; Dietzek, Benjamin
    This contribution describes the excited-state properties of an Osmium-complex when taken up into human cells. The complex 1 [Os(bpy)2(IP-4T)](PF6)2 with bpy=2,2′-bipyridine and IP-4T=2-{5′-[3′,4′-diethyl-(2,2′-bithien-5-yl)]-3,4-diethyl-2,2′-bithiophene}imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) can be discussed as a candidate for photodynamic therapy in the biological red/NIR window. The complex is taken up by MCF7 cells and localizes rather homogeneously within in the cytoplasm. To detail the sub-ns photophysics of 1, comparative transient absorption measurements were carried out in different solvents to derive a model of the photoinduced processes. Key to rationalize the excited-state relaxation is a long-lived 3ILCT state associated with the oligothiophene chain. This model was then tested with the complex internalized into MCF7 cells, since the intracellular environment has long been suspected to take big influence on the excited state properties. In our study of 1 in cells, we were able to show that, though the overall model remained the same, the excited-state dynamics are affected strongly by the intracellular environment. Our study represents the first in depth correlation towards ex-vivo and in vivo ultrafast spectroscopy for a possible photodrug. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Monitoring excited-state relaxation in a molecular marker in live cells–a case study on astaxanthin
    (London : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 2021) Yang, Tingxiang; Chettri, Avinash; Radwan, Basseem; Matuszyk, Ewelina; Baranska, Malgorzata; Dietzek, Benjamin
    Small molecules are frequently used as dyes, labels and markers to visualize and probe biophysical processes within cells. However, very little is generally known about the light-driven excited-state reactivity of such systems when placed in cells. Here an experimental approach to study ps time-resolved excited state dynamics of a benchmark molecular marker, astaxanthin, in live human cells is introduced. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.
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    Curcuminoid–BF2 complexes: Synthesis, fluorescence and optimization of BF2 group cleavage
    (Frankfurt a.M. : Beilstein-Institut, 2017) Weiß, Henning; Reichel, Jeannine; Görls, Helmar; Schneider, Kilian R.A.; Micheel, Mathias; Pröhl, Michael; Gottschaldt, Michael; Dietzek, Benjamin; Weigand, Wolfgang
    Eight difluoroboron complexes of curcumin derivatives carrying alkyne groups containing substituents have been synthesized following an optimised reaction pathway. The complexes were received in yields up to 98% and high purities. Their properties as fluorescent dyes have been investigated. Furthermore, a strategy for the hydrolysis of the BF2 group has been established using aqueous methanol and sodium hydroxide or triethylamine.
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    Yield—not only Lifetime—of the Photoinduced Charge-Separated State in Iridium Complex–Polyoxometalate Dyads Impact Their Hydrogen Evolution Reactivity
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Luo, Yusen; Maloul, Salam; Schönweiz, Stefanie; Wächtler, Maria; Streb, Carsten; Dietzek, Benjamin
    Covalently linked photosensitizer–polyoxometalate (PS-POM) dyads are promising molecular systems for light-induced energy conversion processes, such as “solar” hydrogen generation. To date, very little is known of their fundamental photophysical properties which affect the catalytic reactivity and stability of the systems. PS-POM dyads often feature short-lived photoinduced charge-separated states, and the lifetimes of these states are considered crucial for the function of PS-POM dyads in molecular photocatalysis. Hence, strategies have been developed to extend the lifetimes of the photoinduced charge-separated states, either by tuning the PS photophysics or by tuning the POM redox properties. Recently, some of us reported PS-POM dyads based on cyclometalated IrIII complexes covalently linked to Anderson-type polyoxometalate. Distinct hydrogen evolution reactivity (HER) of the dyads was observed, which was tuned by varying the central metal ion M of the POMM (M=Mn3+, Co3+, Fe3+). In this manuscript, the photoinduced electron-transfer processes in the three Ir-POMM dyads are investigated to rationalize the underlying reasons for the differences in HER activity observed. We report that upon excitation of the IrIII complex, ultrafast (sub-ps) charge separation occurs, leading to different amounts of the charge-separated states (Ir.+-POMM.−) generated in the different dyads. However, in all dyads studied, the resulting Ir.+-POMM.− species are short-lived (sub-ns) when compared to reference electron acceptors (e.g. porphyrins or fullerenes) reported in the literature. The reductive quenching of Ir.+-POMM.− by a sacrificial donor, triethyl amine (1 m), to generate the intermediate Ir-POMM.− is estimated to be very efficient (70–80 %) for all dyads studied. Based on this analyses, we conclude that the yield instead of the lifetime of the Ir.+-POMM.− charge-separated state determines the catalytic capacity of the dyads investigated. This new feature in the PS-POM photophysics could lead to new design criteria for the development of novel PS-POM dyads. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
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    Quinoline Photobasicity: Investigation within Water-Soluble Light-Responsive Copolymers
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Sittig, Maria; Tom, Jessica C.; Elter, Johanna K.; Schacher, Felix H.; Dietzek, Benjamin
    Quinoline photobases exhibit a distinctly higher pKa in their electronically excited state than in the ground state, thereby enabling light-controlled proton transfer reactions, for example, in molecular catalysis. The absorption of UV light translates to a pKa jump of approximately 10 units, as established for small-molecule photobases. This contribution presents the first synthesis of quinoline-based polymeric photobases prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The integration of quinolines as photobase chromophores within copolymers offers new possibilities for light-triggered proton transfer in nanostructured materials, that is, in nanoparticles, at surfaces, membranes and interfaces. To exploit the light-triggered reactivity of photobases within such materials, we first investigated how the ground- and excited-state properties of the quinoline unit changes upon polymer integration. To address this matter, we combined absorption and emission spectroscopy with time-resolved transient-absorption studies to reveal photoinduced proton-transfer dynamics in various solvents. The results yield important insights into the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of these polymeric quinoline photobases. © 2020 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Polymeric Photoacids Based on Naphthols—Design Criteria, Photostability, and Light-Mediated Release
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2019) Wendler, Felix; Sittig, Maria; Tom, Jessica C.; Dietzek, Benjamin; Schacher, Felix H.
    The implementation of photoswitches within polymers offers an exciting toolbox in the design of light-responsive materials as irradiation can be controlled both spatially and temporally. Herein, we introduce a range of water-soluble copolymers featuring naphthol-based chromophores as photoacids in the side chain. With that, the resulting materials experience a drastic increase in acidity upon stimulation with UV light and we systematically studied how structure and distance of the photoacid from the copolymer backbone determines polymerizability, photo-response, and photostability. Briefly, we used RAFT (reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer) polymerization to prepare copolymers consisting of nona(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MEO9MA) as water-soluble comonomer in combination with six different 1-naphthol-based (“N”) monomers. Thereby, we distinguish between methacrylates (NMA, NOeMA), methacrylamides (NMAm, NOeMAm), vinyl naphthol (VN), and post-polymerization modification based on [(1-hydroxynaphthalen-2-amido)ethyl]amine (NOeMAm, NAmeMAm). These P(MEO9MAx-co-“N”y) copolymers typically feature a 4:1 MEO9MA to “N” ratio and molar masses in the range of 10 kg mol−1. After synthesis and characterization by using NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC), we investigated how potential photo-cleavage or photo-degradation during irradiation depends on the type and distance of the linker to the copolymeric backbone and whether reversible excited state proton transfer (ESPT) occurs under these conditions. In our opinion, such materials will be strong assets as light-mediated proton sources in nanostructured environments, for example, for the site-specific creation of proton gradients. We therefore exemplarily incorporated NMA into an amphiphilic block copolymer and could demonstrate the light-mediated release of Nile red from micelles formed in water as selective solvent. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
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    Block Copolymers Featuring Highly Photostable Photoacids Based on Vinylnaphthol: Synthesis and Self-Assembly
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Wendler, Felix; Tom, Jessica C.; Sittig, Maria; Biehl, Philip; Dietzek, Benjamin; Schacher, Felix H.
    The synthesis of a photoresponsive amphiphilic diblock quarterpolymer containing 5-vinyl-1-naphthol (VN) as a photostable photoacidic comonomer is presented. The preparation is realized via a sequential reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization starting from a nona(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MEO9MA/“O”) hydrophilic block, which is then used as a macro-RAFT agent in the terpolymerization of styrene (S), 2-vinylpyridine (2VP), and TBS-protected VN (tVN). The terpolymerization proceeds in a controlled fashion and two diblock quarterpolymers, P(Om)-b-P(Sx-co-2VPy-co-VNz), with varying functional comonomer compositions are prepared. These diblock quarterpolymers form spherical core-corona micelles in aqueous media according to dynamic light scattering (DLS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Upon irradiation, the photoacids within the micellar core experience a drastic increase in acidity causing a proton transfer from the photoacid to neighboring 2VP units. As a result, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the entire assembly is shifted, and the encapsulated cargo is released. © 2020 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim