Synthesis of Alkylated Aminofluorenes by Palladium-Catalyzed Substitution at Halofluorenes

Understanding the efficiency of ionic liquids–DMSO as solvents for carbohydrates: use of solvatochromic- and related physicochemical properties

The quantification of interactions of solvatochromic probes with ionic liquids/DMSO serves as an expedient approach for predicting the solvent efficiency in dissolving carbohydrates

Solvent-dependent dual fluorescence of the push-pull system 2-diethylamino-7-nitrofluorene

The solvent-dependent excited state behavior of the molecular push-pull system 2-diethylamino-7-nitrofluorene has been explored using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory calculations. Several excited state minima have been identified computationally, all possessing significant intramolecular charge transfer character. The experimentally observed dual fluorescence is suggested to arise from a planar excited state minimum and another minimum reached by twisting of the aryl-nitrogen bond of the amino group. The majority of the excited state population, however, undergo non-radiative transitions and potential excited state deactivation pathways are assessed in the computational investigation. A third excited state conformer, characterized by twisting around the aryl-nitrogen bond of the nitro group, is reasoned to be responsible for the majority of the non-radiative decays and a crossing between the excited state and ground state is localized. Additionally, ultrafast intersystem crossing is observed in the apolar solvent cyclohexane and rationalized to occur via an El-Sayed assisted transition from one of the identified excited state minima. The solvent thus determines more than just the fluorescence lifetime and shapes the potential energy landscape, thereby dictating the available excited state pathways.

Air-Stable Pd Catalytic Systems for Sequential One-Pot Synthesis of Challenging Unsymmetrical Aminoaromatics

The selective functionalization of dibromoaromatic scaffolds using air-stable palladium catalytic systems was carried out. This methodology involved rapid mono and diselective Buchwald-Hartwig aminations via microwave irradiation. The conditions were optimized to couple sequentially different moieties in one pot. Couplings with a wide scope of amines allowed accessing a new library of symmetrical and unsymmetrical derivatives (35 examples). Using this versatile method, a near-IR push-pull sensor was prepared installing the electron-donating and -withdrawing groups through a multicomponent reaction. These conditions revealed to be gram-scalable and adaptable to various groups; hence, promoting facile use in synthetic chemistry.

Rational Design of Push-Pull Fluorene Dyes: Synthesis and Structure-Photophysics Relationship

Our work surveyed experimental and theoretical investigations to construct highly emissive D-π-A (D=donor, A=acceptor) fluorenes. The synthetic routes were optimised to be concise and gram-scalable. The molecular design was first rationalised by varying the electron-withdrawing group from an aldehyde, ketotriazole or succinyl to methylenemalonitrile or benzothiadiazole. The electron-donating group was next varied from aliphatic or aromatic amines to saturated cyclic amines ranging from aziridine to azepane. Spectroscopic studies correlated with TD-DFT calculations provided the optimised structures. The selected push-pull dyes exhibited visible absorptions, significant brightness, important solvatofluorochromism, mega-Stokes shifts (>250 nm) and dramatic shifts in emission to the near-infrared. The current library includes the comprehensive characterization of 16 prospective dyes for fluorescence applications. Among them, several fluorene derivatives bearing different conjugation anchors were tested for coupling and demonstrated to preserve the photophysical responses once further bound.

A new selective fluorene-based fluorescent internal charge transfer (ICT) sensor for sugar alcohols in aqueous solution

Sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, are commonly used as a replacement for sucrose in the food industry, applied as starting material for vitamin C synthesis, and involved as one of the causative factors in diabetic complications. Therefore, their detection and quantification in aqueous solution are necessary. The reversible covalent interactions between boronic acids and diols are the basis of efficient methods for the detection of saccharides. Herein, we report a new internal charge transfer (ICT) fluorene-based fluorescent boronic acid sensor (1) 2-[(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl-amino)methyl] phenyl boronic acid that shows significant fluorescence changes upon addition of saccharides. The boronic acid has high affinity (K a = 1107.9 M(-1)) and selectivity for sorbitol at pH = 8.31. It showed a linear response toward sorbitol in the concentration range from 1.0 × 10(-5) to 6.0 × 10(-4) mol L(-1) with the detection limit of 7.04 × 10(-6) mol L(-1). Sensor 1 was used to detect sorbitol in real samples with good recovery.

Novel benzidine and diaminofluorene prolinamide derivatives as potent hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitors

Our study describes the discovery of a series of highly potent hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A inhibitors based on symmetrical prolinamide derivatives of benzidine and diaminofluorene. Through modification of benzidine, l-proline, and diaminofluorene derivatives, we developed novel inhibitor structures, which allowed us to establish a library of potent HCV NS5A inhibitors. After optimizing the benzidine prolinamide backbone, we identified inhibitors embedding meta-substituted benzidine core structures that exhibited the most potent anti-HCV activities. Furthermore, through a battery of studies including hERG ligand binding assay, CYP450 binding assay, rat plasma stability test, human liver microsomal stability test, and pharmacokinetic studies, the identified compounds 24, 26, 27, 42, and 43 are found to be nontoxic, and are expected to be effective therapeutic anti-HCV agents.

A new boronic acid fluorescent sensor based on fluorene for monosaccharides at physiological pH

Fluorescent boronic acids are very useful fluorescent sensor for detection of biologically important saccharides. Herein we synthesized a new fluorene-based fluorescent boronic acid that shows significant fluorescence changes upon addition of saccharides at physiological pH. Upon addition of fructose, sorbitol, glucose, galactose, ribose, and maltose at different concentration to the solution of 7-(dimethylamino)-9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl-2-boronic acid (7-DMAFBA, 1), significant decreases in fluorescent intensity were observed. It was found that this boronic acid has high affinity (K(a)=3582.88 M(-1)) and selectivity for fructose over glucose at pH=7.4. The sensor 1 showed a linear response toward d-fructose in the concentrations ranging from 2.5×10(-5) to 4×10(-4) mol L(-1) with the detection limit of 1.3×10(-5) mol L(-1).

Design of New Ligands for the Palladium-Catalyzed Arylation of α-Branched Secondary Amines

In Pd-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling reactions, α-branched secondary amines are difficult coupling partners and the desired products are often produced in low yields. In order to provide a robust method for accessing N-aryl α-branched tertiary amines, new catalysts have been designed to suppress undesired side reactions often encountered when these amine nucleophiles are used. These advances enabled the arylation of a wide array of sterically encumbered amines, highlighting the importance of rational ligand design in facilitating challenging Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.

Fluorene-based boronic acids as fluorescent chemosensor for monosaccharides at physiological pH

Two fluorene-based boronic acids, 9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl-2-boronic acid (1) and 9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2,7-diyl-2,7-diboronic acid (2), were synthesized and their sensing abilities for detection of D-monosaccharides were investigated by fluorescence at physiological pH. It was found that both boronic acids 1 and 2 have high selectivity and sensitivity for D-fructose with stability constant of 47.2 and 412.9, respectively. The sensor 2 showed a linear response toward D-fructose in the concentration range from 5 × 10(-5) to 10(-1) mol L(-1) with the detection limit of 2 × 10(-5) mol L(-1).

Insights into the effect of ketylimine, aldimine, and vinylene group attachment and regiosubstitution on the fluorescence deactivation of fluorene

The spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of a 9-substituted fluorene ketylimine (3) were investigated and compared with those of its vinylene analogue (4) to determine the origins of the quenched fluorescence of these compounds. The predominate mode of singlet excited state deactivation of the heteroatomic fluorene was found to be internal conversion involving bond rotation. Meanwhile, its carbon counterpart was found to undergo deactivation preferentially by intersystem crossing to form its triplet, which was confirmed by laser flash photolysis. Both 3 and 4 quenched the fluorescence of fluorene with diffusion-controlled rate constants, implying that the singlet excited states of 3 and 4 are also quenched by intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET). This deactivation mode was found to be exergonically favorable (–90 kJ/mol for 3 and –81 kJ/mol for 4) according to the Rehm–Weller equation. The position of the heteroatomic bond on the fluorene moiety was further found to influence the singlet excited state deactivation pathway. The 2-substituted regioisomer decayed predominately by intramolecular PET and its fluorescence can be restored by acid protonation. Conversely, the PET mechanism is a minor deactivation mode for the 9-substituted fluorene derivative and its fluorescence can be enhanced by suppressing bond rotational modes, possible at low temperature and potentially in thin films.

Solvation oscillations and excited-state dynamics of 2-amino- and 2-hydroxy-7-nitrofluorene and its 2'-deoxyriboside

Push-pull substituted fluorenes are considered for use as dynamic solvation probes in polynucleotides. Their fluorescence band is predicted (by simulations) to show weak spectral oscillations on the subpicosecond time scale depending on the nucleotide sequence. The oscillations reflect the local far-infrared spectrum of the environment around the probe molecule. A connection is provided by the continuum theory of polar solvation which, however, neglects molecular aspects. We examine the latter using acetonitrile solution as a test case. A collective librational solvent mode at 100 cm(-1) is observed with 2-amino-7-nitrofluorene, 2-dimethylamino-7-nitrofluorene, 2-hydroxy-7-nitrofluorene, and its 2'-deoxyriboside. Different strengths of the oscillation indicate that rotational friction of nearby acetonitrile molecules depends on the solute structure or that H bonding is involved in launching the librational coherence. Polar solvation in methanol is used for comparison. With hydroxynitrofluorenes, the observation window is limited by intersystem crossing for which rates are reported. A prominent excited-state absorption band of nitrofluorenes at 430 nm can be used to monitor polar solvation. Structural and electronic relaxation pathways are discussed with the help of quantum chemical calculations.

Charge-Transfer-Induced Twisting of the Nitro Group

Excited-state relaxation dynamics of 2-amino-7-nitrofluorene (ANF) and 2-dimethylamino-7-nitrofluorene (DMANF) has been investigated in two aprotic solvents, namely acetonitrile and DMSO using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic technique. Following photoexcitation to the highly dipolar excited singlet (S1) state, ANF and DMANF undergo mainly two concomitant relaxation processes, namely dipolar solvation and conformational relaxation via twisting of the nitro group to an orthogonal configuration with respect to the aromatic plane. Viscosity dependence of the relaxation dynamics of the S1 states of both ANF and DMANF suggests no involvement of the twisting motion of the amino or dimethylamino group in the charge-transfer process. The twisting of the nitro group is found to be a friction affected diffusive motion, which does not associate with any further charge transfer. The results presented in this paper resolve experimentally the dynamics of the twisting motion of the nitro group for the first time.