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A calix[4]arene (C4A)-functionalized (phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato) europium(iii) triple-decker compound (Pc)Eu(Pc)Eu[T(C4A)PP] (1) is firstly designed, synthesized and prepared into well-organized films using a simple solution-processing quasi-Langmuir-Shäfer (QLS) method. The QLS film of 1 on an ITO (film 1/ITO) electrode, serving as a host–guest electrochemical recognition layer, is able to establish specific responses/interactions toward organic molecules with biological and drug interest including dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA), tyrosine (Tyr), tryptophan (Trp) and Acetaminophen (APAP), depending mainly on the matching degree of molecular dimensions between the analytes and the C4A cavity in addition to their chemical nature. More significantly, the film 1/ITO electrode shows a wide linear range of electrochemical detection (from 0.1 to 100 μM) to DA and APAP, with a high sensitivity of 53.0 and 94.3 μA mM−1 and a very low detection limit of 25 and 11 nM for DA and APAP, respectively, representing the best result among the nonenzymatic organic semiconductor-based biosensors. In particular, the film 1/ITO electrode exhibits excellent stability, reproducibility, high selectivity, and anti-interference nature for the detection of both DA and APAP, indicating the great potential of calix[n]arene macrocycle-modified tetrapyrrole rare earth sandwich compounds in the field of ultrasensitive and specific nonenzymatic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two photon absorption (2PA) is of great interest across many disciplines and there has been a large effort to increase the two-photon cross section (σ2) via synthetic modification, especially by enhancing intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT). This work takes the previously studied (7-benzothiazol-2-yl-9,9-diethylfluoren-2-yl)diphenylamine (AF240), an asymmetric D–π–A chromophore, and intentionally appends a functional group (–OH, AF240-OH or –OCH3, AF240-OMe) to the 6-position of the fluorenyl π-bridge of the new chromophores. Electrochemical results in both dichloromethane and acetonitrile support stabilization of the highest occupied molecular orbital in the derivatives due to inductive electron donating effects of the hydroxy and methoxy groups. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital is stabilized via intramolecular hydrogen bonding to the benzothiazole moiety in the case of AF240-OH. As previously observed for AF240, the steady-state emission spectra show significant solvatochromism as they broaden and red shift with increasing solvent polarity. The fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields show that the non-radiative rate constant is increased for AF240-OH in all solvents, especially in nonpolar media. The results suggest there is forced intramolecular hydrogen bonding to the benzothiazole in nonpolar solvents because the solvent poorly solubilizes the hydroxy group. This increases the non-radiative decay rate constant (knr) via additional vibrational decay pathways. While not as dramatic, the increase in knr in polar solvents supports some deactivation via hydrogen bonding to the solvent. Steric effects are also observed in the methoxy derivative, which inhibits planarization of the benzothiazole with the fluorene, increasing the energy of the excited state. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in tetrahydrofuran solution supports stabilization of the excited state in a few ps as solvent and structural reorganizations occur. In the case of AF240-OH, no evidence of proton transfer is observed. The decrease in emission energies in the case of AF240-OH support increased ICT driven by higher degree of coplanarity and the quinoidal structure in the excited state. However, a moderate increase in the intrinsic 2PA cross-section is resulted. It is likely because of the two possible and competing solvent-stabilized ICT processes (PICT and TICT) in AF240-OH. Nevertheless, the strategic presence of a hydroxide group capable of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in AF240-OH provides a much broader 2PA sensitivity window than AF240. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-photon absorbing dye AF240 [1, (7-benzothiazol-2-yl-9,9-diethylfluoren-2-yl)diphenylamine] is modified by adding bulky alkyl groups to the diphenylamino moiety. Three new compounds are synthesized which have ethyl groups in both ortho positions of each phenyl ring (2), t-butyl groups in one ortho position of each phenyl ring (3), and t-butyl groups in the para position of each phenyl ring (4). The dyes are examined in several aprotic solvents with varying polarity to observe the effects of the sterically hindering bulky groups on the ground and excited-state photophysical properties. While the ground state shows minimal solvent dependence, there is significant dependence on the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime, as well as the excited-state energy levels. This effect is caused by the formation of an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state, which is observed in the solvents more polar than n-hexane and supported by TD-DFT calculations. Electronic effects of ortho or para alkyl substitution should be similar, yet drastic differences are observed. A red shift in the fluorescence maximum is observed in 4 relative to 1, yet a blue shift occurs in 2 and 3 because the substituents at the sterically sensitive ortho-positions inhibit excited-state geometric relaxation and result in less ICT character than 1. Coupled with theoretical calculations, the data support a planar ICT (PICT) excited state where the diphenylamino nitrogen in an sp2-like geometry is integral with the plane containing the fluorene and benzothiazole moieties. Ultrafast transient absorption experiments show that ICT occurs rapidly (＜150 fs) followed by geometric and solvent relaxation in ∼1–4 ps to form the PICT or solvent-stabilized ICT (SSICT) state. This relaxation is not observed in non-polar n-hexane because the solvent dependent ICT state energy lies higher than the locally-excited (LE) state. Finally, formation of a triplet state (T1) is only efficiently observed in n-hexane for all four dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free radical polymerization of (+)-2,5-bis[4'-((S)-2-methylbutyloxy)phenyl]styrene yields a chiral polymer with memory of optical activity after the initial stereogenic center in the side group of the monomer is chemically removed.