Daniel E. Falvey

In vitro studies on the photobiological properties of aloe emodin and aloin A.

Plants containing aloin A, aloe emodin, and structurally related anthraquinones have long been used as traditional medicines and in the formulation of retail products such as laxatives, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. Since a recent study indicated that topically applied aloe emodin increases the sensitivity of skin to UV light, we examined the events following photoexcitation of aloin A and aloe emodin. We determined that incubation of human skin fibroblasts with 20 microM aloe emodin for 18 h followed by irradiation with UV or visible light resulted in significant photocytotoxicity. This photocytotoxicity was accompanied by oxidative damage in both cellular DNA and RNA. In contrast, no photocytotoxicity was observed following incubation with up to 500 microM aloin A and irradiation with UVA light. In an attempt to explain the different photobiological properties of aloin A and aloe emodin, laser flash photolysis experiments were performed. We determined that the triplet state of aloe emodin was readily formed following photoexcitation. However, no transient intermediates were formed following photoexcitation of aloin A. Therefore, generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage after irradiation of aloin A is unlikely. Although aloin A was not directly photocytotoxic, we found that human skin fibroblasts can metabolize aloin A to aloe emodin.

A New Photolabile Protecting Group for Release of Carboxylic Acids by Visible-Light-Induced Direct and Mediated Electron Transfer

A new aqueous-compatible photoinduced electron transfer based photolabile protecting group has been developed for the release of carboxylic acids. The reduction potential of this group is more positive than previous systems, thereby allowing the use of sensitizers with modest oxidation potentials. Release of several carboxylic acids has been demonstrated using tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) as both a direct sensitizer and a mediator for electron transfer between a good donor and the protecting group.

Solvent-Mediated Photoinduced Electron Transfer in a Pyridinium Ionic Liquid

The dynamics of electron transfer reactions in butyl pyridinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (BuPyr-NTf2) and other solvents have been explored using laser flash photolysis. In these experiments, benzophenone (BP), duroquinone (DQ), and 9-cyanoanthracene (9CA) were used as excited-state acceptors, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and hexamethylbenzene were used as ground-state donors, and methyl viologen (MV2+) was used as a probe molecule. Analysis of kinetic and spectroscopic data from these experiments shows that electron transfer from photoreduced acceptors to the probe occurs via one or more solvent ions in cases where the acceptor anion radical has a reduction potential that is more negative than the solvent ions (BP•- and 9CA•- in BuPyr-NTf2). Mediated electron transfer was demonstrated to significantly enhance quantum efficiencies of photoinduced electron transfer in cases where back electron transfer would otherwise predominate.

Photoreleasable protecting groups based on electron transfer chemistry. Donor sensitized release of phenacyl groups from alcohols, phosphates and diacids

Abstract The electron transfer mediated photochemical release of alcohols, phosphates and diacids is examined. The alcohols can be protected as mixed phenacyl carbonate esters. Irradiation of mixtures containing electron donating sensitizers and phenacyl alkyl carbonate ester initiates a series of bond scission reactions that result in clean release of the corresponding alcohols. This was demonstrated for a variety of primary, secondary and tertiary hydroxyl groups, including the 5′-hydroxy group of thymidine. Sensitizers that were effective in promoting photolytic release include 9,10-dimethylanthracene and 9-methylcarbazole. GC/MS and NMR analysis of the by-products formed in these release reactions implicates the intermediacy of radical ion intermediates in these reactions. It is further demonstrated that the electron transfer sensitized release method can be extended to phosphate esters and di-functional acids.

Aqueous photochemistry of methyl-benzoquinone.

Chemical trapping studies combined with optical and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements were employed to examine the mechanisms of the aqueous photochemistry of methyl-benzoquinone (mBQ) at both low and high quinone concentrations. At low [mBQ], dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) reacted with a photogenerated intermediate to form a methyl radical, but methane did not, thereby unequivocally excluding the hydroxyl radical. DMSO at concentrations between 50 mM and 2 M completely suppressed the formation of the hydroxylated quinone, while only slowing the formation of the hydroquinone, suggesting reaction with either the triplet state or an intermediate arising from the triplet. Addition of Cl-, a putative physical quencher of the triplet, inhibited the DMSO reaction both noncompetitively and competitively in a fashion similar to that observed previously with nitrite, formate, and salicylic acid, thus providing further evidence for a reactive intermediate distinct from the triplet. This intermediate is attributed to a water-quinone exciplex. The relative yield of the methyl radical from the DMSO reaction decreased with increasing [mBQ], suggesting that at high concentrations, a bimolecular reaction of the triplet with the ground-state quinone outcompetes the formation of the quinone-water exciplex.

Photoremovable protecting groups based on electron transfer chemistry

Photoremovable protecting groups (also known as photolabile protecting groups, phototriggers, or caged molecules) are functional groups that are attached to a molecule in such a way as to render the latter inactive. Exposure to light releases the protecting group, restoring functionality to the molecule. The use of photoremovable protecting groups (PRPGs) allows for precise spatial and temporal control of chemical reactions. Such groups have found use in many diverse applications, ranging from time resolved studies of physiological processes, to fabrication of spatially resolved combinatorial libraries of DNA. Recent research efforts have focused on designing protecting groups that are removed through photoinduced electron transfer (PET), rather than by direct photolysis. The PET strategy allows the light absorption step to be decoupled from the bond breaking step, thus permitting more control over the wavelengths of light used in the release process. The application of these types of protecting groups to the photochemical release of amines, alcohols, ketones, and carboxylic acids is described.

A simple route to fluids with photo-switchable viscosities based on a reversible transition between vesicles and wormlike micelles

Recently, there has been much interest in photorheological (PR) fluids, i.e., fluids whose rheological properties can be tuned by light. In particular, there is a need for simple, low-cost PR fluids that can be easily created using inexpensive, commercially available ingredients and that show substantial, reversible changes in rheology upon exposure to different wavelengths of light. Towards this end, we report a class of photoreversible PR fluids prepared by combining the azobenzene derivative 4-azobenzene carboxylic acid (ACA) (in its salt form) with the cationic surfactant erucyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methyl ammonium chloride (EHAC). We show that certain aqueous mixtures of EHAC and ACA, which are low-viscosity solutions at the outset, undergo nearly a million-fold increase in viscosity when irradiated with UV light. The same solutions revert to their initial viscosity when subsequently exposed to visible light. Using an array of techniques including UV-vis and NMR spectroscopies, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), we have comprehensively characterized these PR fluids at the molecular, nanostructural, and macroscopic scales. Initially, EHAC–ACA are self-assembled into unilamellar vesicles, which are discrete container structures and give the sample a low viscosity. Upon exposure to UV light, ACA undergoes a trans to cis photoisomerization, which alters the geometry of the EHAC–ACA complex. In turn, the molecules self-assemble into a different structure, viz. wormlike micelles, which are long, entangled chains and impart a high viscosity to the sample. The above changes in viscosity are repeatable, and the sample can be reversibly cycled back and forth between low and high viscosity states. Our photoreversible PR fluids can be easily replicated in any industrial or academic lab, and it is hoped that these “smart” fluids will eventually find a host of applications.

Protecting group release through photoinduced electron transfer: Wavelength control through sensitized irradiation

Phenacyl esters (benzoylmethyl esters, PhCOCH2OCOR) release carboxylic acids upon photolysis using photosensitizers that are good one-electron donors in the excited state. Herein it is demonstrated that this procedure can be used to control the wavelength of light required to trigger the release. A variety of sensitizers having different absorption profiles are employed and in each case high isolated yields of carboxylic acids are achieved. It is further demonstrated that this method be extended into the visible (>400 nm) region of the spectrum.

Computational prediction of a ground-state triplet arylnitrenium ion and a possible ground-state triplet silylene

Abstract Density functional calculations predict that bis -(2,6-di- t -butyl)phenylnitrenium has a triplet ground state and that the corresponding silylene has essentially degenerate singlet and triplet states. The steric bulk of the aryl ligand strongly destabilizes the singlets in each case relative to the triplets; the latter can more readily accommodate large valence angles at the nitrogen or silicon atom.

Photochemistry and Phototoxicity of Aloe Emodin

Photochemical pathways leading to the phototoxicity of the aloe vera constituent aloe emodin were studied. The results indicate a photochemical mechanism involving singlet oxygen to be the most likely pathway responsible for the observed phototoxicity. Aloe emodin was found to efficiently generate singlet oxygen when irradiated with UV light (ΦΔ= 0.56 in acetonitrile). The survival of human skin fibroblast cells in the presence of aloe emodin was found to decrease upon irradiation with UV light. A further decrease in cell survival was observed in D2O compared with H2O, suggesting the involvement of singlet oxygen as the primary pathway. Laser flash photolysis experiments were also carried out on aloe emodin alone and in the presence of various biological substrates. Aloe emodin proved to be relatively photostable (Φ= 1 × 10−4) and a poor photo‐oxidant (E*red=+1.02 V). Only absorption bands caused by the triplet state of aloe emodin (λmax= 480 nm) and the aloe emodin conjugate base (λmax= 520 nm) were observed in the transient spectra.