Nikola Basarić

Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) from Phenol to Carbon in Selected Phenylnaphthols and Naphthylphenols

ESIPT and solvent-assisted ESPT in isomeric phenyl naphthols and naphthyl phenols 5-8 were investigated by preparative photolyses in CH3CN-D2O, fluorescence spectroscopy, LFP, and ab initio calculations. ESIPT takes place only in 5 (D-exchange Φ = 0.3), whereas 6-8 undergo solvent-assisted PT with much lower efficiencies. The efficiency of the ESIPT and solvent-assisted PT is mainly determined by different populations of the reactive conformers in the ground state and the NEER principle. The D-exchange experiments and calculations using RI-CC2/cc-pVDZ show that 5 in S1 deactivates by direct ESIPT from the OH to the naphthalene position 1 through a conical intersection with S0, delivering QM 14 that was detected by LFP (τ = 26 ± 3 ns). ESIPT to position 3 in 5 is possible but it proceeds from a less-populated conformer and involves an energy barrier on S1. In solvent-assisted PT to naphthalene position 4 in 5, zwitterion 17 is formed, which cyclizes to stable naphthofuran photoproducts 9-12. The regiochemistry of the deuteration in solvent-assisted PT was correlated with the NBO charges of the corresponding phenolates/naphtholates 5(-)-8(-). Combined experimental and theoretical data indicate that solvent-assisted PT takes place via a sequential mechanism involving first deprotonation of the phenol/naphthol, followed by the protonation by H2O in the S1 state of phenolate/naphtholate. The site of protonation by H2O is mostly at the naphthalene α-position.

Very Efficient Generation of Quinone Methides through Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer to a Carbon Atom

Irradiation of 2-phenyl-1-naphthol (6) in CH(3) CN/D(2) O (3:1) leads to very efficient incorporation of deuterium at the ortho-positions of the adjacent phenyl ring (overall Φ=0.73±0.07), along with minor incorporation at the naphthalene positions 5 and 8. These finding are explained by excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) from the phenolic OH group to the corresponding carbon atoms, the main pathway giving rise to quinone methide (QM) 7, which has been characterized by LFP (τ≈20 ns; 460 nm). The ESIPT reaction paths have been explored with the second order approximate coupled cluster (CC2) method. In nonprotic solvents the ESIPT from the naphthol O-H to the ortho-position of the phenyl ring proceeds in a barrierless manner along the (1) L(a) energy surface via a conical intersection with the S(0) state, delivering 7. In aqueous solvent, clusters with H(2) O are formed wherein proton transfer (PT) to solvent and a H(2) O-mediated relay mechanism gives rise to naphtholates and QMs. The results are compared with 2-phenylphenol (3) that also undergoes barrierless ESIPT giving a QM via a conical intersection. However, due to an unfavorable conformation in the ground state, the quantum efficiency for ESIPT of 3 is significantly lower (Φ for D-exchange=0.041). These results show that ESIPT from phenol to carbon need not be an intrinsically inefficient process.

Photochemical Formation and Chemistry of Long-Lived Adamantylidene-Quinone Methides and 2-Adamantyl Cations

Hydroxymethylphenols strategically substituted with the 2-hydroxy-2-adamantyl moiety, AdPh 8-10, were synthesized, and their photochemical reactivity was investigated. On excitation to the singlet excited state, AdPh 8 undergoes intramolecular proton transfer coupled with a loss of H(2)O giving quinone methide 8QM. The presence of 8QM has been detected by laser flash photolysis (CH(3)CN-H(2)O 1:1, tau = 0.55 s) and UV-vis spectroscopy. Singlet excited states of AdPh 9 and 10 in the presence of H(2)O dehydrate giving 9QM and 10QM. Photochemically formed QMs are trapped by nucleophiles giving the addition products (e.g., Phi for methanolysis of 8 is 0.55). In addition, the zwitterionic 9QM undergoes an unexpected rearrangement involving transformation of the 2-phenyl-2-adamantyl cation into the 4-phenyl-2-adamantyl cation (Phi approximately 0.03). An analogous rearrangement was observed with methoxy derivatives 9a and 10a. Zwitterionic 9QM was characterized by LFP in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (tau = 1 mus). In TFE, in the ground state, AdPh 10 is in equilibrium with 10QM, which allowed for recording the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of the QM. Introduction of the adamantyl substituent into the o-hydroxymethylphenol moiety increased the quantum yield of the associated QM formation by up to 3-fold and significantly prolonged their lifetimes. Furthermore, adamantyl substituent made the study of the alkyl-substituted quinone methides easier by LFP by prolonging their lifetimes and increasing the quantum yields of formation.

Sterically congested adamantylnaphthalene quinone methides.

Five new (2-adamantyl)naphthol derivatives (5-9, quinone methide precursors, QMP) were synthesized and their photochemical reactivity was investigated by preparative photolyses, fluorescence spectroscopy, and laser flash photolysis (LFP). Excitation of QMP 5 to S(1) leads to efficient excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) coupled with dehydration, giving quinone methide QM5 which was characterized by LFP (in CH(3)CN-H(2)O, λ(max) = 370 nm, τ = 0.19 ms). On irradiation of QMP 5 in CH(3)OH-H(2)O (4:1), the quantum yield of methanolysis is Φ = 0.70. Excitation of naphthols QMP 6-8 to S(1) in CH(3)CN leads to photoionization and formation of naphthoxyl radicals. In a protic solvent, QMP 6-8 undergo solvent-assisted PT giving QM6 or zwitterion QM8 that react with nucleophiles delivering adducts, but with a significantly lower quantum efficiency. QMP 9 in a protic solvent undergoes two competitive processes, photosolvolysis via QM9 and solvent-assisted PT to carbon atom of the naphthalene giving zwitterion. QM9 has been characterized by LFP (in CH(3)CN-H(2)O, λ(max) > 600 nm, τ = 0.9 ms). In addition to photogenerated QMs, two stable naphthalene QMs, QM10 and QM11 were synthesized thermally and characterized by X-ray crystallography. QM10 and QM11 do not react with H(2)O but undergo acid-catalyzed fragmentation or rearrangement. Antiproliferative activity of 5-9 was investigated on three human cancer cell lines. Exposure of MCF-7 cells treated with 5 to 300 nm irradiation leads to an enhanced antiproliferative effect, in accordance with the activity being due to the formation of QM5.

Synthesis and structural elucidation of diversely functionalized 5,10-diaza[5]helicenes.

Diversely functionalized diaza[5]helicenes have been synthesized starting from 6,9-dichloro-5,10-diaza[5]helicene, which was prepared from a readily available quinoline building block via Wittig reaction followed by photochemical electrocyclization. The helicene skeleton was substituted by a variety of O-, S-, N-, and C-centered nucleophiles using nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions and palladium-catalyzed reactions like Suzuki coupling and Buchwald-Hartwig aminations. We have determined, using X-ray single-crystal diffraction, the crystal structures of the chloro- and methoxy-substituted diaza[5]helicenes. A resolution strategy based on diastereomeric separation by substitution of the dichloro derivative with a chiral amine has been shown.

Quinone Methides: Photochemical Generation and its Application in Biomedicine

Quinone methides (QMs) are important intermediates in chemistry and biochemistry of phenols that are characterized by wide biological activity. Some classes of anticancer antibiotics exhibit their effect due to methabolic formation of QMs that alkylate DNA. Photochemical reactions provide mild and easy approach to QMs. Photoreactions that give QMs include cleavage of oxa-heterocycles, dehydrohalogenation, dehydration, deammination, excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and tautomerizations of phenols. This critical review (137 references) features different photochemical reactions giving QMs that are applicable in biology and medicine.

Zwitterionic biphenyl quinone methides in photodehydration reactions of 3-hydroxybiphenyl derivatives: laser flash photolysis and antiproliferation study

In aqueous media, photochemical excitation to S(1) of 3-phenylphenols 4-8 leads to deprotonation of the phenol OH, coupled with protonation of the benzyl alcohol and overall dehydration that delivers zwitterions 17-21. The zwitterions react with nucleophiles (CH(3)OH, CF(3)CH(2)OH and ethanolamine) converting them in high quantum yields to the corresponding adducts and photosolvolysis products (for photomethanolysis Φ~0.1-0.5). Zwitterions 20 and 21 were characterized by laser flash photolysis in CH(3)CN-H(2)O (τ~7.5 and 25 μs, respectively) and the associated quenching rate constants with nucleophiles azide and ethanolamine determined. In vitro studies of antiproliferative activity of the photochemicaly generated QMs and zwitterions formed from 2-, 3- and 4-phenylphenols were carried out on three human cancer cell lines HCT 116 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), and H 460 (lung). Irradiation of cells incubated with 3, 6, and 26 showed enhanced antiproliferative activity compared to the cells that were not irradiated.

Near-Visible Light Generation of a Quinone Methide from 3-Hydroxymethyl-2-anthrol

Excitation of 2-hydroxy-3-(diphenylhydroxymethyl)anthracene (7) to S1 initiates photodehydration, giving the corresponding quinone methide (QM) that was detected by laser flash photolysis (LFP) in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (λ = 580 nm, τ = 690 ± 10 ns). The QM decays by protonation, giving a cation (λ = 520 nm, τ = 84 ± 3 μs), which subsequently reacts with nucleophiles. The rate constants in the reactions with nucleophiles were determined by LFP, whereas the adducts were isolated via preparative photolyses. The photogeneration of QMs in the anthrol series is important for potential use in biological systems since the chromophore absorbs at wavelengths > 400 nm. Antiproliferative investigations conducted with 2-anthrol derivative 7 on three human cancer cell lines showed higher activity for irradiated cells.

New photoinduced intramolecular ring closure to a benzopentaleno–pyrrole derivative from 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-(o-phenylenedivinylene)dipyrrole

New photochemically induced intramolecular cycloaddition and double cycloaddition of 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-(o-phenylenedivinylene)dipyrrole (4b) led to the formation of 2-{[2-(5-methyl-2-pyrrolyl)indan-1-ylidene]methinyl}-5-methylpyrrole (8) and 2-methyl-9-(5-methyl-2-pyrrolyl)-3b,4,8b,9-tetrahydro-4,5-benzopentaleno[1,2-b]pyrrole (9), respectively, in a 1:1 ratio. The compounds were characterized spectroscopically. Under the same conditions 5-methyl-2-(2-vinylphenylethenyl)pyrrole (1c) undergoes only cis–trans isomerization and decomposition.

Photochemical Formation of Indanylpyrrole Derivatives from 2,2′-(o-Phenylenedivinylene)dipyrrole

Abstract Photochemically induced intra- and inter-molecular reaction of 2,2′-(1,2-phenylenedivinylene)dipyrrole (4a) led to a mixture of geometric isomers of 5-{2-pyrrolyl[2-(2-pyrrolyl)-1-indanyl]methyl}-2,2′-(1,2-phenylenedivinylene)dipyrroles (8) in 40% yield. The compounds were isolated and characterized spectroscopically and by catalytic hydrogenation to 5-{2-pyrrolyl[2-(2-pyrrolyl)-1-indanyl]methyl}-2,2′-(1,2-phenylenediethylene)dipyrrole (10). Traces of 4,5-dihydro-4-(2-pyrrolyl)benzo [5,6]cycloocta[1,2-b]pyrrole (7) were isolated in addition to 8. Under the same conditions N,N′-dimethyl-2,2′-(1,2-phenylenedivinylene) dipyrrole (4b) undergoes only cis–trans-isomerization.