Marcin Ptaszek

Expanded Scope of Synthetic Bacteriochlorins via Improved Acid Catalysis Conditions and Diverse Dihydrodipyrrin-Acetals

Bacteriochlorins are attractive candidates for a wide variety of photochemical studies owing to their strong absorption in the near-infrared spectral region. The prior acid-catalysis conditions [BF(3) x O(Et)(2) in CH(3)CN at room temperature] for self-condensation of a dihydrodipyrrin-acetal (bearing a geminal dimethyl group in the pyrroline ring) typically afforded a mixture of three macrocycles: the expected 5-methoxybacteriochlorin (MeOBC-type), a 5-unsubstituted bacteriochlorin (HBC-type), and a free base B,D-tetradehydrocorrin (TDC-type). Here, a broad survey of >20 acids identified four promising acid catalysis conditions of which TMSOTf/2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature was most attractive owing to formation of the 5-methoxybacteriochlorin as the sole macrocycle regardless of the pyrrolic substituents in the dihydrodipyrrin-acetal (electron-withdrawing, electron-donating, or no substituent). Eleven new dihydrodipyrrin-acetals were prepared following standard routes. Application of the new acid catalysis conditions has afforded diverse bacteriochlorins (e.g., bearing alkyl/ester, aryl/ester, diester, and no substituents) in a few days from commercially available starting materials. Consideration of the synthetic steps and yields for formation of the dihydrodipyrrin-acetal and bacteriochlorin underpins evaluation of synthetic plans for early installation of bacteriochlorin substituents via the dihydrodipyrrin-acetal versus late installation via derivatization of beta-bromobacteriochlorins. Treatment of the 5-methoxybacteriochlorins with NBS gave regioselective 15-bromination when no pyrrolic substituents were present or when each pyrrole contained two substituents; on the other hand, the presence of a beta-ethoxycarbonyl group caused loss of regioselectivity. The 15 new bacteriochlorins prepared herein exhibit a long-wavelength absorption band in the range 707-759 nm, providing tunable access to the near-infrared region. Taken together, this study expands the scope of available bacteriochlorins for fundamental studies and diverse applications.

Effects of Substituents on Synthetic Analogs of Chlorophylls. Part 2: Redox Properties, Optical Spectra and Electronic Structure

The optical absorption spectra and redox properties are presented for 24 synthetic zinc chlorins and 18 free base analogs bearing a variety of 3,13 (β) and 5,10,15 (meso) substituents. Results are also given for a zinc and free base oxophorbine, which contain the keto‐bearing isocyclic ring present in the natural photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll a. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to probe the effects of the types and positions of substituents on the characteristics (energies, electron distributions) of the frontier molecular orbitals. A general finding is that the 3,13 positions are more sensitive to the effects of auxochromes than the 5,10,15 positions. The auxochromes investigated (acetyl > ethynyl > vinyl > aryl) cause a significant redshift and intensification of the Qy band upon placement at the 3,13 positions, whereas groups at the 5,10,15 positions result in much smaller redshifts that are accompanied by a decrease in relative Qy intensity. In addition, the substituent‐induced shifts in first oxidation and reduction potentials faithfully track the energies of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO), respectively. The calculations show that the LUMO is shifted more by substituents than the HOMO, which derives from the differences in the electron densities of the two orbitals at the substituent sites. The trends in the substituent‐induced effects on the wavelengths and relative intensities of the major features (By, Bx, Qx, Qy) in the near‐UV to near‐IR absorption bands are well accounted for using Gouterman’s four‐orbital model, which incorporates the effects of the substituents on the HOMO−1 and LUMO+1 in addition to the HOMO and LUMO. Collectively, the results and analysis presented herein and in the companion paper provide insights into the effects of substituents on the optical absorption, redox and other photophysical properties of the chlorins. These insights form a framework that underpins the rational design of chlorins for applications encompassing photomedicine and solar‐energy conversion.

Effects of Substituents on Synthetic Analogs of Chlorophylls. Part 1: Synthesis, Vibrational Properties and Excited-state Decay Characteristics

Understanding the effects of substituents on the spectra of chlorins is essential for a wide variety of applications. Recent developments in synthetic methodology have made possible systematic studies of the properties of the chlorin macrocycle as a function of diverse types and patterns of substituents. In this paper, the spectral, vibrational and excited‐state decay characteristics are examined for a set of synthetic chlorins. The chlorins bear substituents at the 5,10,15 (meso) positions or the 3,13 (β) positions (plus 10‐mesityl in a series of compounds) and include 24 zinc chlorins, 18 free base (Fb) analogs and one Fb or zinc oxophorbine. The oxophorbine contains the keto‐bearing isocyclic ring present in the natural photosynthetic pigments (e.g. chlorophyll a). The substituents cause no significant perturbation to the structure of the chlorin macrocycle, as evidenced by the vibrational properties investigated using resonance Raman spectroscopy. In contrast, the fluorescence properties are significantly altered due to the electronic effects of substituents. For example, the fluorescence wavelength maximum, quantum yield and lifetime for a zinc chlorin bearing 3,13‐diacetyl and 10‐mesityl groups (662 nm, 0.28, 6.0 ns) differ substantially from those of the parent unsubstituted chlorin (602 nm, 0.062, 1.7 ns). Each of these properties of the lowest singlet excited state can be progressively stepped between these two extremes by incorporating different substituents. These perturbations are associated with significant changes in the rate constants of the decay pathways of the lowest excited singlet state. In this regard, the zinc chlorins with the red‐most fluorescence also have the greatest radiative decay rate constant and are expected to have the fastest nonradiative internal conversion to the ground state. Nonetheless, these complexes have the longest singlet excited‐state lifetime. The Fb chlorins bearing the same substituents exhibit similar fluorescence properties. Such combinations of factors render the chlorins suitable for a range of applications that require tunable coverage of the solar spectrum, long‐lived excited states and red‐region fluorescence.

Galactosyl Human Serum Albumin-NMP1 Conjugate: A Near Infrared (NIR)-Activatable Fluorescence Imaging Agent to Detect Peritoneal Ovarian Cancer Metastases

Patient survival depends on the completeness of resection of peritoneal ovarian cancer metastases (POCM), and therefore, it is important to develop methods to enhance detection. Previous probe designs based on activatable galactosyl human serum albumin (hGSA)-fluorophore pairs, which target lectin receptors expressed on POCM, have used only visible range dyes conjugated to hGSA. However, imaging probes emitting fluorescence in the NIR range are advantageous because NIR photons have deeper in vivo tissue penetration and result in lower background autofluorescence than those emitting in the visible range. A NIR-activatable hGSA fluorophore was synthesized using a bacteriochlorin-based dye, NMP1. NMP1 has two unique absorption peaks, one in the green range and the other in the NIR range, but emits at a NIR peak of 780 nm. NMP1, thus, has two different Stokes shifts that have the potential to allow imaging of POCM both at the peritoneal surface and just below it. hGSA was conjugated with 2 NMP1 molecules to create a self-quenching complex (hGSA-NMP1). The activation ratio of hGSA-NMP1 was measured by the fluorescence intensity before and after exposure to 10% SDS. The activation ratio of hGSA-NMP1 was ~100-fold in vitro. Flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and in vivo spectral fluorescence imaging were carried out to compare hGSA-NMP1 with hGSA-IR800 and hGSA-ICG (two always-on control agents with similar emission to NMP1) in terms of comparative fluorescence signal and the ability to detect POCM in mice models. The sensitivity and specificity of hGSA-NMP1 for POCM implant detection were determined by colocalizing NMP1 emission spectra with red fluorescent protein (RFP) expressed constitutively in SHIN3 tumor implants at different depths below the peritoneal surface. In vitro, SHIN3 cells were easily detectable after 3 h of incubation with hGSA-NMP1. In vivo submillimeter POCM foci were clearly detectable with spectral fluorescence imaging using hGSA-NMP1. Among 555 peritoneal lesions, hGSA-NMP, using NIR and green excitation light, respectively, detect 75% of all lesions and 91% of lesions ~0.8 mm or greater in diameter. Few false positives were encountered. Nodules located at a depth below the small bowel surface were only depicted with hGSA-NMP1. We conclude that hGSA-NMP1 is useful in imaging peritoneal ovarian cancer metastases, located both superficially and deep in the abdominal cavity.

Multifunctional Bacteriochlorins from Selective Palladium-Coupling Reactions

Nonsymmetrical, multifunctional bacteriochlorin derivatives possessing different substituents at the β-pyrrolic positions have been prepared by stepwise, selective functionalization of 3,13-dibromo-5-methoxybacteriochlorin via palladium-coupling reactions. The new derivatives reported here include monovalent bioconjugatable bacteriochlorin, orthogonally protected bacteriochlorin amino acid, and push-pull bacteriochlorins. Taken together, this study provides a route to previously unavailable bacteriochlorin architectures for fundamental studies and diverse applications.

Examination of Chlorin-Bacteriochlorin Energy-transfer Dyads as Prototypes for Near-infrared Molecular Imaging Probes †

New classes of synthetic chlorin and bacteriochlorin macrocycles are characterized by narrow spectral widths, tunable absorption and fluorescence features across the red and near‐infrared (NIR) regions, tunable excited‐state lifetimes (<1 to >10 ns) and chemical stability. Such properties make dyad constructs based on synthetic chlorin and bacteriochlorin units intriguing candidates for the development of NIR molecular imaging probes. In this study, two such dyads (FbC‐FbB and ZnC‐FbB) were investigated. The dyads contain either a free base (Fb) or zinc (Zn) chlorin (C) as the energy donor and a free base bacteriochlorin (B) as the energy acceptor. In both constructs, energy transfer from the chlorin to bacteriochlorin occurs with a rate constant of ∼(5 ps)−1 and a yield of >99%. Thus, each dyad effectively behaves as a single chromophore with an exceptionally large Stokes shift (85 nm for FbC‐FbB and 110 nm for ZnC‐FbB) between the red‐region absorption of the chlorin and the NIR fluorescence of the bacteriochlorin (λf = 760 nm, Φf = 0.19, τ ∼ 5.5 ns in toluene). The long‐wavelength transitions (absorption, emission) of each constituent of each dyad exhibit narrow (≤20 nm) spectral widths. The narrow spectral widths enabled excellent selectivity in excitation and detection of one chlorin–bacteriochlorin energy‐transfer dyad in the presence of the other upon diffuse optical tomography of solution‐phase phantoms.

Structural characteristics that make chlorophylls green: interplay of hydrocarbon skeleton and substituents

Understanding the effects of substituents on natural photosynthetic pigments is essential for gaining a deep understanding of why such pigments were selected over the course of evolution for use in photosynthetic systems. This knowledge should provide for a more thoughtful design of artificial light-harvesting systems. The hydrocarbon skeleton of all chlorophylls is phorbine, which contains an annulated five-membered (isocyclic) ring in addition to the reduced pyrrole ring characteristic of chlorins. A phorbine and a 131-oxophorbine (which bears an oxo group in the isocyclic ring) were synthesized as benchmark molecules for fundamental spectral and photophysical studies. The phorbine and 131-oxophorbine macrocycles lack peripheral substituents other than a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced ring to stabilize the chlorin chromophore. The spectral properties and electronic structure of the zinc or free base 131-oxophorbine closely resemble those of the corresponding analogues of chlorophyll a. Accordingly, the fundamental electronic properties of chlorophylls are primarily a consequence of the 131-oxophorbine base macrocycle.

De Novo Synthesis of Long-Wavelength Absorbing Chlorin-13,15-dicarboximides

Chlorins bearing a six-membered imide ring spanning positions 13-15, commonly referred to as purpurinimides, exhibit long-wavelength absorption yet have heretofore only been available via semisynthesis from naturally occurring chlorophylls. A concise route to synthetic chlorins, which bear a geminal dimethyl group in the pyrroline ring, has been extended to provide access to chlorin-13,15-dicarboximides. The new route entails (i) synthesis of a 13-bromochlorin, (ii) palladium-catalyzed carbamoylation at the 13-position, (iii) regioselective 15-bromination under acidic conditions, and (iv) one-flask palladium-mediated carbonylation and ring closure to form the imide. In some cases the ring closure reaction afforded the isomeric (and readily separable) chlorin-isoimide in addition to the chlorin-imide. The resulting chlorin-imides and chlorin-isoimides exhibit long-wavelength absorption (679-715 nm) and emission (683-720 nm) in the far-red and near-infrared spectral region. The absorption of the chlorin-(iso)imides fills the spectral window between that of analogous synthetic chlorins and 13(1)-oxophorbines (603-687 nm) and bacteriochlorins (707-792 nm). The synthetic versatility of the de novo route complements the existing semisynthetic route from chlorophylls and should enable fundamental spectroscopic studies and photochemical applications.

Abiotic formation of uroporphyrinogen and coproporphyrinogen from acyclic reactants

Tetrapyrrole macrocycles (e.g., porphyrins) have long been proposed as key ingredients in the emergence of life, yet plausible routes for forming their essential pyrrole precursor have previously not been identified. Here, the anaerobic reaction of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA, 5–240 mM) with 5-methoxy-3-(methoxyacetyl)levulinic acid (1-AcOH, 5–240 mM) in water (pH 5–7) at 25–85 °C for a few hours to a few days affords uroporphyrinogen, which upon chemical oxidation gives uroporphyrin in overall yield of up to 10%. The key intermediate is the α-methoxymethyl-substituted analogue of the pyrrole porphobilinogen (PBG). Reaction of ALA and the decarboxy analogue of 1-AcOH (1-Me) gave coproporphyrinogen (without its biosynthetic precursor uroporphyrinogen as an intermediate); oxidation gave the corresponding coproporphyrin in yields comparable to those for uroporphyrin. In each case a mixture of porphyrin isomers was obtained, consistent with reversible oligopyrromethane formation. The route investigated here differs from the universal extant biosynthetic pathway to tetrapyrrole macrocycles, where uroporphyrinogen (isomer III) – natures last common precursor to corrins, heme, and chlorophylls – is derived from eight molecules of ALA (via four molecules of PBG). The demonstration of the spontaneous self-organization of eight acyclic molecules to form the porphyrinogen under simple conditions may open the door to the development of a chemical model for the prebiogenesis of tetrapyrrole macrocycles.

Refined syntheses of hydrodipyrrin precursors to chlorin and bacteriochlorin building blocks

Bromo-substituted hydrodipyrrins are valuable precursors to synthetic bromo-chlorins and bromo-bacteriochlorins, which in turn are versatile substrates for derivatization in pursuit of diverse molecular designs. 8-bromo-2,3-dihydro-1-(1,1-dimethoxymethyl)-3,3-dimethyldipyrrin (1) is a crucial precursor in the rational synthesis of the bacteriochlorin building block 3,13-dibromo-8,8,18,18-tetramethylbacteriochlorin (H2BC-Br3Br13). 8-bromo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,3,3-trimethyldipyrrin (2) is a crucial precursor in the rational synthesis of the analogous 3,13-disubstituted chlorin building block (e.g.H2C-Br3M10Br13). The routes to 1 and 2 share a common precursor, namely 4-bromo-2-(2-nitroethyl)-1-N-tosylpyrrole (6-Ts), which is derived from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde. The prior seven-step synthesis of 1 from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde has limited access to H2BC-Br3Br13 given the large excesses of materials, extensive reliance on column chromatography, and low overall yield (1.4%). Refined procedures for synthesis of the common precursor 6-Ts as well as 1 and 2 afford the advantages of (1) diminished consumption of solvents and reagents, (2) limited or no use of chlorinated solvents, (3) limited or no chromatography, and (4) improved yields of most steps. Streamlined procedures enable the final two or three transformations to be performed without purification of intermediates. The new procedures facilitate the expedient preparation of 1 and 2 at the multigram scale.