Martina Mazzoni

The sign of the exchange interaction between triplet excited fullerene and nitroxide free radicals

The sign of the exchange interactionJ in a series of radical triplet pairs (RTPs), formed by a nitroxide free radical and a triplet excited fullerene, has been determined from the spin polarization of time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. Radical and fullerene are linked together by covalent bonds in different geometries. It is shown that the sign ofJ depends on the overlap between the orbital of nitroxide unpaired electron and the LUMO of fullerene, which is singly occupied in the excited triplet state. When the overlap does not vanish, a negative contribution toJ arises from the admixing of a charge transfer structure in the wave function of the excited doublet state D* of the RTP, which does not take place in the excited quartet state Q*. The mixing of D* and Q* states lowers the energy of the former spin state and gives antiferromagnetic coupling.

Angiotensin II-induced over-activation of p47phox in fibroblasts from hypertensives: which role in the enhanced ERK1/2 responsiveness to angiotensin II?

Background Fibroblasts are involved in the remodeling of the heart and of the vasculature associated to arterial hypertension, and an abnormal extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation by angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a pivotal role in this process. However, the intracellular pathways leading to cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, as well as to collagen production, are still incompletely known. Objective To investigate the role of superoxide anion (O2−) and of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) oxidase in Ang II-stimulated ERK1/2 over-activation in fibroblasts from hypertensive patients. Methods O2− production was measured in skin fibroblasts from hypertensives (HT, n = 11) and from normotensive controls (NT, n = 10) by electron spin resonance technique. ERK1/2 phosphorylation and p47phox NAD(P)H oxidase subunit translocation were measured by western blot. Results Ang II (1 μmol/l) induced a larger p47phox subunit translocation and increased intracellular O2− production to a larger extent in HT in comparison to NT and this effect was blocked by apocynin, an inhibitor of the NAD(P)H oxidase. Ang II increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation more in HT than in NT. The Ang II-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited by apocynin in a dose-dependent manner in NT, but not in HT. Conclusions The chain of cellular events leading to increased ERK1/2 responsiveness to Ang II in hypertension include an exaggerated response of p47phox, NAD(P)H oxidase and O2−, but it is partially resistant to apocynin. Therefore, NAD(P)H-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is not the only determinant of the exaggerated ERK1/2 responsiveness in fibroblasts of hypertensives (HT).

TR-EPR of single and double spin labelled C60 derivatives: observation of quartet and quintet excited states in solution

Time-resolved EPR spectra recorded after pulsed laser photoexcitation of two fullerene nitroxide radicals 1a and 1b and two fullerene nitroxide biradicals 2a and 2b in solution have been investigated at room temperature. The TR-EPR spectra of all the radicals are interpreted as arising from spin-polarized ground and excited states, the latter being obtained by the spin coupling of the nitroxide unpaired spins with the fullerene excited triplet state. The TR-EPR spectra of the monoradicals are consistent with strong (1a) or weak (1b) spin coupling, giving rise to pure quartet/doublet excited states (1a) or mixed states (1b). In the latter, the spectral simulation allowed the determination of the magnitude of the exchange coupling constant J TR between the triplet and the radical. The spin polarization of the excited and ground states is attributed to CIDEP effect induced by the radical triplet pair mechanism (RTPM). The sign of J TR is inferred from the sign of the spin polarization. In the case of biradicals 2a and 2b, the TR-EPR spectra are assigned, on the basis of hyperfine pattern and g-values, to quintet states obtained by spin coupling of the fullerene triplet photoexcited state with the two radicals. The spin polarization of the ground state is attributed to the triplet–triplet annihilation process and the sign of the polarization allows the assignment of the radical–radical exchange constant J RR.

Chemically induced dynamic electron polarization of C60 nitroxide bisadducts and spin multiplicity of their excited states

A series of biradicals consisting of a C60 linked to two nitroxide addends have been studied by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TR-EPR) spectroscopy. The series includes all four trans bisadducts and the equatorial isomer. After a visible laser pulse, the bisadducts in toluene liquid solution show chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) effects with a complex pattern of narrow lines in emission and enhanced absorption. From the knowledge of the sign of exchange interaction between the two nitroxide moieties, it was possible to account for the CIDEP effect in terms of an intramolecular triplet-triplet annihilation. A broad signal attributed to the quintet excited state was observed at short time delay after the laser pulse. The TR-EPR spectra recorded at low temperature in glassy matrix are assigned to an excited triplet state localized on the C60, with a small interaction with the spins of the two nitroxide fragments. The assignment is based on spectral simulation and analysis of the transient nutation frequency. The small exchange interaction between excited triplet C60 and nitroxide is shown to depend on the nature of the nitroxide addend.

CIDEP of fullerene C60 biradical bisadducts by intramolecular triplet–triplet quenching: a novel spin polarization mechanism for biradicals

Abstract [60]fullerene bisadducts containing the C 2 ν -symmetrical 2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl moiety have been synthesized. Their EPR spectrum is typical of nitroxide biradicals with electron exchange interaction J of the same order of the nitrogen hyperfine coupling. From the EPR spectrum the absolute value of J was obtained, while the sign was measured by ENDOR. When the derivatives are photoexcited strong spin polarization is observed with A/E/A/E or E/A/E/A patterns, according to a positive or a negative sign of J . This behavior is accounted for by an intramolecular triplet–triplet interaction. The analogy with the polarization of transient spin correlated radical pairs is pointed out.

TR-EPR of single and double spin-labeled C60 derivatives in frozen matrices

Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of two single spin-labeled and two double spin-labeled C60 derivatives in frozen solution are recorded with pulsed laser excitation and 100 ns time resolution. Quartet and quintet excited species are detected which arise from the electron spin coupling of the triplet excited fullerene moiety with the unpaired spin(s) of the nitroxide label(s). Despite the similar molecular structure, in both series of single and double labeled derivatives a different behavior was found, which is due to substantial difference of the energy of exchange coupling.

Unexpected high ordering of a [60]fullerene nitroxide in the nematic phase of 4-4 '-azoxyanisole

A nitroxide [60]fullerene adduct containing a pyrrolidine-1-oxyl group has been synthesized. Its orientational order in the nematic phase of the liquid crystal solvent 4,4′-azoxyanisole (PAA) has been measured from the variation of the EPR spectral parameters on passing from the isotropic to the nematic phase. Highly resolved EPR lines allow for precise evaluation of the shifts of the g, a N and a H values. Since the g and the hyperfine tensors are known, the order matrix could be obtained. This is compared with the one calculated with a theoretical model based on short range solute-solvent interactions, which predicts a considerable degree of orientation of the molecular axes, despite the almost spherical shape of the molecule. The agreement with experimental findings is quite good and it is further improved if a bent structure of the pyrrolidine ring is taken into account.