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    Spironaphthoxazine switchable dyes for biological imaging
    (Cambridge : RSC Publishing, 2018) Xiong, Yaoyao; Vargas Jentzsch, Andreas; Osterrieth, Johannes W. M.; Sezgin, Erdinc; Sazanovich, Igor V.; Reglinski, Katharina; Galiani, Silvia; Parker, Anthony W.; Eggeling, Christian; Anderson, Harry L.
    Recent developments in super-resolution microscopy have significantly expanded the requirements for switchable dyes, leading to demand for specially designed molecular switches. We report the synthesis and characterization of a spironaphthoxazine photochromic switch (a derivative of palatinate purple) displaying high photoconversion (85-95%) under readily accessible 405 nm light, broad absorption in the visible, and excellent fatigue resistance. The indole substituent on this spironaphthoxazine is twisted out of conjugation with the naphthalene unit, yet it is crucial for activation with visible light. The open colored merocyanine form of the spironaphthoxazine reverts to the closed form with a lifetime of 4.7 s in dichloromethane at 20 °C; this thermal reversion is even faster in more polar solvents. The photochemical quantum yields for ring-opening and ring-closing are approximately 8% and 1%, respectively, in dichloromethane. The ring-opening and ring-closing reactions have been characterized by time-resolved infrared and transient absorption spectroscopies. Ring opening occurs rapidly (τ = 2.1 ns) and efficiently (∼90%) from the singlet excited state to form an intermediate (assigned as a cisoid merocyanine), which returns to the closed ground state (τ = 4.5 ns) in competition with relaxation to the transoid open form (τ = 40 ns). Photochemical ring closing is a faster and simpler process: the excited state proceeds to the closed spirooxazine with a time constant of 0.28 ns. This photochromic switch can be used in conjunction with commercial fluorescent dyes to create a small-molecule switchable fluorescent dyad that shows high contrast and good fatigue resistance in living cells. These properties make the dyads suitable for application in RESOLFT microscopy.
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    Synthesis and characterization of new photoswitchable azobenzene-containing poly(ε-caprolactones)
    (London : RSC Publishing, 2016) Appiah, Clement; Siefermann, Katrin R.; Jorewitz, Marcel; Barqawi, Haitham; Binder, Wolfgang H.
    A novel and efficient strategy in obtaining series of mono- and bi-armed azobenzene-containing poly(ε-caprolactone)s is described, starting from a commercially available azobenzene dye via azide/alkyne-“click”-reactions. The attachment of alkyne-telechelic poly(ε-caprolactone)s (1 kDa and 3 kDa), followed by chromatographic separation, allowed the attachment of either one or two PCl-chains to either side of the azobenzene-dye. The resulting mono- and bi-armed photo-switchable polymers are fully characterized by 2D-NMR techniques and show a high thermal stability. Additionally liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) coupled to ESI-TOF allowed us to prove the presence of either one or two polymer chains affixed onto the central azobenzene dye.
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    Synthesis and characterization of MgAl-DBS LDH/PLA composite by sonication-assisted masterbatch (SAM) melt mixing method
    (Cambridge : RSC, 2019) Quispe-Dominguez, Roger; Naseem, Sajid; Leuteritz, Andreas; Kuehnert, Ines
    This research work is based on the comparison of the mixing phenomena of magnesium-aluminum (MgAl) layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated by dodecylbenzene sulfonate (MgAl-DBS) in poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Two mixing techniques were used to compare the dispersion of LDHs in PLA such as sonication-assisted masterbatch (SAM) melt mixing and direct melting (DM) methods. MgAl LDHs synthesized by the urea hydrolysis method and intercalated with DBS anions using anion exchange reaction and were used in different ratios in PLA (1.25, 2.5, and 5 wt%). MgAl LDHs and their anion intercalation were studied by the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) method. Different properties of LDH/PLA composites were compared to analyze the effect of these mixing techniques. Dispersion and exfoliation of LDHs in PLA were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Influences on the rheological properties were evaluated by analyzing the complex viscosities (η*), storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G′′) by using a rheometer. The thermal properties, thermal stability and effect on crystallinity of composites made with the two mixing techniques were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. The mixing mechanism and amount of MgAl-DBS LDHs have a notable effect on the properties of PLA composites with sonication-assisted masterbatch melt mixing techniques giving better dispersion of LDHs in PLA composites as compared to direct melt mixing. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.