BODIPY-pyrene donor-acceptor sensitizers for triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion: the impact of the BODIPY-core on upconversion efficiency

Triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) is an important type of optical process with applications in biophotonics, solar energy harvesting and photochemistry. In most of the TTA-UC systems, the formation of triplet excited states takes place via spin-orbital interactions promoted by heavy atoms. Given the crucial role of heavy atoms (especially noble metals, such as Pd and Pt) in promoting intersystem crossing (ISC) and, therefore, in production of UC luminescence, the feasibility of using more readily available and inexpensive sensitizers without heavy atoms remains a challenge. Here, we investigated sensitization of TTA-UC using BODIPY-pyrene heavy-atom-free donor-acceptor dyads with different numbers of alkyl groups in the BODIPY scaffold. The molecules with four and six alkyl groups are unable to sensitize TTA-UC in the investigated solvents (tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dichloromethane (DCM)) due to negligible ISC. In contrast, the dyad with two methyl groups in the BODIPY scaffold and the dyad with unsubstituted BODIPY demonstrate efficient intersystem crossing (ISC) of 49-58%, resulting in TTA-UC with quantum yields of 4.7% and 6.9%, respectively. The analysis of the elementary steps of the TTA-UC process indicates that heavy-atom-free donor-acceptor dyads are less effective than their noble metal counterparts, but may equal them in the future if the right combination of solvent, donor-acceptor sensitizer structure, and new luminescent molecules as TTA-UC emitters can be found.

Triplet–triplet sensitizing within pyrene-based COO-BODIPY: a breaking molecular platform for annihilating photon upconversion

Upconverted fluorescence assisted by triplet–triplet annihilation from heavy-atom-free photoactivatable multichromophoric organic assemblies.

Synthesis and Properties of BODIPY Appended Tetraphenylethylene Scaffolds as Photoactive Arrays

Tetraphenylethylene (TPE) and its derivatives exhibit excellent aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties. The TPE unit is easily accessible, and many functional groups can be introduced in a facile manner to yield effective luminescent materials in both solution and the solid-state. It is because of this, several TPE-based compounds have been developed and applied in many areas, such as OLEDs and chemical sensors. Boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) are a class of pyrrolic fluorophore of great interest with myriad application in both material science and biomedical applications. Through the combination of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and traditional dipyrromethene chemistry, we present the syntheses of novel tetra-BODIPY-appended TPE derivatives with different distances between the TPE and BODIPY cores. The TPE-BODIPY arrays 6 and 9 show vastly differing AIE properties in THF/H2O systems, with 9 exhibiting dual-AIE, along with both conjugates being found to produce singlet oxygen (1O2). We presume the synthesized BODIPY-appended TPE scaffolds to be utilized for potential applications in the fields of light-emitting systems and theranostics.

Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship Modelling for the Prediction of Singlet Oxygen Generation by Heavy-Atom-Free BODIPY Photosensitizers*

Heavy-atom-free sensitizers forming long-living triplet excited states via the spin-orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) process have recently attracted attention due to their potential to replace costly transition metal complexes in photonic applications. The efficiency of SOCT-ISC in BODIPY donor-acceptor dyads, so far the most thoroughly investigated class of such sensitizers, can be finely tuned by structural modification. However, predicting the triplet state yields and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation quantum yields for such compounds in a particular solvent is still very challenging due to a lack of established quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) models. In this work, the available data on singlet oxygen generation quantum yields (ΦΔ ) for a dataset containing >70 heavy-atom-free BODIPY in three different solvents (toluene, acetonitrile, and tetrahydrofuran) were analyzed. In order to build reliable QSPR model, a series of new BODIPYs were synthesized that bear different electron donating aryl groups in the meso position, their optical and structural properties were studied along with the solvent dependence of singlet oxygen generation, which confirmed the formation of triplet states via the SOCT-ISC mechanism. For the combined dataset of BODIPY structures, a total of more than 5000 quantum-chemical descriptors was calculated including quantum-chemical descriptors using density functional theory (DFT), namely M06-2X functional. QSPR models predicting ΦΔ values were developed using multiple linear regression (MLR), which perform significantly better than other machine learning methods and show sufficient statistical parameters (R=0.88-0.91 and q2 =0.62-0.69) for all three solvents. A small root mean squared error of 8.2 % was obtained for ΦΔ values predicted using MLR model in toluene. As a result, we proved that QSPR and machine learning techniques can be useful for predicting ΦΔ values in different media and virtual screening of new heavy-atom-free BODIPYs with improved photosensitizing ability.

Design of BODIPY dyes as triplet photosensitizers: electronic properties tailored for solar energy conversion, photoredox catalysis and photodynamic therapy

BODIPYs are renowned fluorescent dyes with strong and tunable absorption in the visible region, high thermal and photo-stability and exceptional fluorescence quantum yields. Transition metal complexes are the most commonly used triplet photosensitisers, but, recently, the use of organic dyes has emerged as a viable and more sustainable alternative. By proper design, BODIPY dyes have been turned from highly fluorescent labels into efficient triplet photosensitizers with strong absorption in the visible region (from green to orange). In this perspective, we report three design strategies: (i) halogenation of the dye skeleton, (ii) donor-acceptor dyads and (iii) BODIPY dimers. We compare pros and cons of these approaches in terms of optical and electrochemical properties and synthetic viability. The potential applications of these systems span from energy conversion to medicine and key examples are presented.

Determination of Upconversion Quantum Yields Using Charge-Transfer State Fluorescence of Heavy-Atom-Free Sensitizer as a Self-Reference

The efficiency of photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation is characterized by an upconversion quantum yield (Φ_UC); however, uncertainties remain for its determination. Here, we present a new approach for the relative measurement of Φ_UC for green-to-blue upconversion using BODIPY-pyrene donor-acceptor dyad (BD1) as a heavy-atom-free triplet sensitizer. This new approach exploits broad fluorescence from a charge-transfer (CT) state of BD1, which possesses (i) a significant Stokes shift of 181 nm in dichloromethane and (ii) a comparably high CT-fluorescence quantum yield (Φ_ref = 7.0 ± 0.2%), which is independent from oxygen presence and emitter (perylene) concentration while also exhibiting a linear intensity dependence. On the basis of this, we developed an upconversion reference using the BD1 sensitizer mixed with perylene (1 × 10^-5 M/1 × 10^-4 M) in dichloromethane. With this reference system, we investigated the performance of three BODIPY donor-acceptor dyads in the upconversion process and achieved one of the highest Φ_UC of 6.9 ± 0.2% observed for heavy-atom-free sensitizers to date.

Lanthanide Sensitizers for Large Anti-Stokes Shift Near-Infrared-to-Visible Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Photon Upconversion

The upconversion of near-infrared (NIR) to visible (vis) photons is of interest for display technologies and energy conversion. Although triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) offers a mechanism for upconversion that works efficiently at low incident irradiance flux densities, current strategies for NIR-vis upconversion based on TTA have fundamental limitations. Herein, we report a strategy for NIR-vis TTA based on lanthanide-containing complexes to sensitize the upconversion. We demonstrate a β-diketonate complex of Yb³⁺ paired with rubrene that emits yellow (λ_em = 559 nm) under NIR excitation (λ_exc = 980 nm). This corresponds to an exceptional anti-Stokes shift of just less than 1 eV. Thus, lanthanide complexes could unlock high-performance NIR-vis upconversion, with lanthanide sensitizers overcoming the energy loss, reabsorption, and short triplet lifetime that fundamentally limit porphyrin, nanocrystals, and direct S₀-T₁ sensitizers.

Heavy-atom-free BODIPY photosensitizers with intersystem crossing mediated by intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer

Organic photosensitizers possessing efficient intersystem crossing (ISC) and forming long-living triplet excited states, play a crucial role in a number of applications. A common approach in the design of such dyes relies on the introduction of heavy atoms (e.g. transition metals or halogens) into the structure, which promote ISC via spin-orbit coupling interaction. In recent years, alternative methods to enhance ISC have been actively studied. Among those, the generation of triplet excited states through photoinduced electron transfer (PET) in heavy-atom-free molecules has attracted particular attention because it allows for the development of photosensitizers with programmed triplet state and fluorescence quantum yields. Due to their synthetic accessibility and tunability of optical properties, boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) are so far the most perspective class of photosensitizers operating via this mechanism. This article reviews recently reported heavy-atom-free BODIPY donor-acceptor dyads and dimers which produce long-living triplet excited states and generate singlet oxygen. Structural factors which affect PET and concomitant triplet state formation in these molecules are discussed and the reported data on triplet state yields and singlet oxygen generation quantum yields in various solvents are summarized. Finally, examples of recent applications of these systems are highlighted.

Highly regioselective α-formylation and α-acylation of BODIPY dyes via tandem cross-dehydrogenative coupling with in situ deprotection

A metal-free C-H formylation and acylation of BODIPY dyes using a variety of dioxolane derivatives as aldehyde equivalents is reported, providing a postfunctionalization method for controllable synthesis of BODIPYs with carbonyl groups at 3,5-positions via a radical process. The photophysical properties of resultant dyes from this efficient one-pot, chemo- and site-selective transformation have been studied.

β-AlkenylBODIPY Dyes: Regioselective Synthesis via Oxidative C-H Olefination, Photophysical Properties, and Bioimaging Studies

A series of 2-alkenyl- and 2,6-dialkenylboron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives were synthesized through Pd(II)-catalyzed regioselective and stereoselective oxidative C-H olefination in one step. The 2-alkenyl BODIPY derivative further reacted with various amines regioselectively at the 5-position through direct oxidative nucleophilic substitution. The photophysical properties of the 2-alkenyl- and 2,6-dialkenyl-substituted BODIPYs were investigated, which showed great potential in fluorescent bioimaging.

Transition-metal-free regioselective cross-coupling of BODIPYs with thiols

Transition-metal-free, regioselective C–H/S–H cross-couplings of BODIPYs with thiols provides structurally diverse thiolated BODIPYs via a radical pathway.

Development of BODIPY dyes with versatile functional groups at 3,5-positions from diacyl peroxides via Cu(ii)-catalyzed radical alkylation

A Cu(ii)-catalyzed, α-regioselective C–H alkylation of BODIPY with alkyl diacyl peroxides provides structurally diverse alkylated BODIPYs via a radical pathway.

In vitro cytotoxicity of a library of BODIPY-anthracene and -pyrene dyads for application in photodynamic therapy

A library of heavy atom-free BODIPY-anthracene and -pyrene dyads capable of generating singlet oxygen via a PeT mechanism have been synthesized and their in vitro activity has been demonstrated.

The good, the bad, and the ugly - controlling singlet oxygen through design of photosensitizers and delivery systems for photodynamic therapy

Singlet oxygen, although integral to photodynamic therapy, is notoriously uncontrollable, suffers from poor selectivity and has fast decomposition rates in biological media. Across the scientific community, there is a conscious effort to refine singlet oxygen interactions and initiate selective and controlled release to produce a consistent and reproducible therapeutic effect in target tissue. This perspective aims to provide an insight into the contemporary design principles behind photosensitizers and drug delivery systems that depend on a singlet oxygen response or controlled release. The discussion will be accompanied by in vitro and in vivo examples, in an attempt to highlight advancements in the field and future prospects for the more widespread application of photodynamic therapy.

Control of triplet state generation in heavy atom-free BODIPY–anthracene dyads by media polarity and structural factors

Heavy atom-free BODIPY–anthracene dyads show triplet excited state formation via PeT, controlled by molecular rotation and environmental polarity.