Six new bacteriochlorins expanding the range of the strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption (Qy band) to both shorter and longer wavelengths (∼690 to ∼900 nm) have been synthesized and characterized. The architectures include bacteriochlorin-bisimides that have six-membered imide rings spanning the 3,5- and 13,15-macrocycle positions or five-membered imide rings spanning the β-pyrrolic 2,3- and 12,13-positions. Both bisimide types absorb at significantly longer wavelength than the bacteriochlorin precursors (no fused rings), whereas oxo-groups at the 7- or 7,17-positions shift the Qy band to a new short wavelength limit. Surprisingly, bacteriochlorin-bisimides with five-membered β-pyrrolic-centered imide rings have a Qy band closer to that of six-membered bacteriochlorin-monoimides. However, the five-membered bisimides (versus the six-membered bacteriochlorin-monoimides) have significantly enhanced absorption intensity that is paralleled by an ∼2-fold higher fluorescence yield (∼0.16 vs ∼0.07) and longer singlet excited-state lifetime (∼4 ns vs ∼2 ns). The photophysical enhancements derive in part from mixing of the lowest unoccupied frontier molecular orbitals of the five-membered imide ring with those of the bacteriochlorin framework. In general, all of the new bacteriochlorins have excited-state lifetimes (1-4 ns) that are sufficiently long for use in molecular-based systems for photochemical applications.
Bacteriochlorins absorb strongly in the near-infrared (NIR, 700-900 nm) region and hence are well suited for photophysical studies and photomedical applications, yet such endeavors heretofore have been largely limited by the intrinsic lipophilicity of the bacteriochlorin macrocycle. Here, a new molecular design is investigated wherein 3,5-dicarboxyphenyl units are appended to the β-pyrrolic positions of the bacteriochlorin. Use of the 3,5-aryl substitution motif places the carboxylic acid groups, which are anionic at neutral pH, above and below the plane of the bacteriochlorin macrocycle. A de novo synthesis has been employed to create five such bacteriochlorins, which uses as intermediates two new 2,12-dibromobacteriochlorin building blocks and a known 3,13-dibromobacteriochlorin. The aryl groups with protected carboxylate moieties were introduced by Suzuki coupling; subsequent deprotection afforded the hydrophilic bacteriochlorins. The latter were characterized by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in DMF and in aqueous phosphate buffer (pH 7). In most cases, comparable sharp emission (FWHM of ∼25 nm) and modest fluorescence yields (0.060-0.11) were observed in aqueous phosphate buffer medium and in DMF. Aqueous solubility was examined by absorption spectral interrogation of samples over a 1000-fold concentration range with reciprocal change in pathlength (∼0.5, 5, 50, and 500 μM; 10, 1, 0.1, and 0.01 cm pathlength cuvettes). One hydrophilic bacteriochlorin was prepared that contains a single maleimido-terminated tether for bioconjugation; the tether was installed by the sequence of 15-bromination of the bacteriochlorin, Suzuki coupling, and DCC-mediated amide formation. The maleimido-bacteriochlorin was conjugated to a 48-residue cysteine-containing peptide analogue of a constituent from a bacterial photosynthetic light-harvesting complex. Taken together, the results show a new molecular design and facile de novo synthetic route for obtaining hydrophilic bacteriochlorins including a bioconjugatable group if desired.
The incorporation of amphiphilic tetrapyrrole macrocycles in organized media is of great value for a variety of fundamental photochemical studies, yet work to date has chiefly employed porphyrins rather than chlorins or bacteriochlorins. The latter absorb strongly in the red or near-infrared spectral region, respectively. Here, eight amphiphilic macrocycles (six chlorins and two bacteriochlorins) have been designed, synthesized and characterized; the compounds differ in long wavelength absorption (610-745 nm) and peripheral substituents (type of auxochrome, hydrophobic/hydrophilic groups). A methyl pyridinium or benzoic acid substituent at the 15-position provides a polar "tail" whereas a hydrophobic group distal thereto (in the chlorins) provides a lipophilic "head" for the spontaneous incorporation in organized media. The eight (bacterio)chlorins are characterized by static and time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and three micellar environments (TX-100, CTAB, and SDS) as well as ultrafast transient absorption studies in DMF. In most cases, a long-lived excited singlet state was observed [free base chlorins (F f ¼ 0.14-0.20; s S ¼ 7.9-12.1 ns; F isc ¼ 0.5), zinc chlorins (F f ¼ 0.08-0.19; s S ¼ 2.0-3.4 ns; F isc ¼ 0.6-0.8) and free base bacteriochlorins (F f ¼ 0.06-0.16; s S ¼ 1.8-4.6 ns; F isc ¼ 0.4)]. In the case of bacteriochlorins, minimal medium dependence was observed whereas changing the hydrophilic group from methyl pyridinium to benzoic acid increases the fluorescence yield and excited-state lifetime by 50%. In the case of chlorins, the zinc chelate with methyl pyridinium substitution exhibits substantial environmental dependence due to interaction of the solvent with the methyl pyridinium group and the central zinc metal. Collectively, the studies provide valuable information for the design of red or near-infrared absorbing chromophores for incorporation into amphiphilic environments such as micelles, membranes, or proteins.
Staphylococcus aureus is a widely acknowledged Gram-positive pathogen for forming biofilm and virulence gene expressions by quorum sensing (QS), a cell to cell communication process. The quorum regulator SarA of S. aureus up-regulates the expression of many virulence factors including biofilm formation to mediate pathogenesis and evasion of the host immune system in the late phases of growth. Thus, inhibiting the production or blocking SarA protein might influence the down-regulation of biofilm and virulence factors. In this context, here we have synthesized 2-[(Methylamino)methyl]phenol, which was specifically targeted toward the quorum regulator SarA through in silico approach in our previous study. The molecule has been evaluated in vitro to validate its antibiofilm activity against clinical S. aureus strains. In addition, antivirulence properties of the inhibitor were confirmed with the observation of a significant reduction in the expression of representative virulence genes like fnbA, hla and hld that are governed under S. aureus QS. Interestingly, the SarA targeted inhibitor showed negligible antimicrobial activity and markedly reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration of conventional antibiotics when used in combination making it a more attractive lead for further clinical tests.
We report generation of modular, artificial light-harvesting assemblies where an amphiphilic diblock copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(butadiene), serves as the framework for noncovalent organization of BODIPY-based energy donor and bacteriochlorin-based energy acceptor chromophores. The assemblies are adaptive and form well-defined micelles in aqueous solution and high-quality monolayer and bilayer films on solid supports, with the latter showing greater than 90% energy transfer efficiency. This study lays the groundwork for further development of modular, polymer-based materials for light harvesting and other photonic applications
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