Photoregulation of alpha-chymotrypsin activity in organic media: effects of bioimprinting

Preparation of photochromic liquid core nanocapsules based on theoretical design

Photochromic materials have attracted considerable attention for their practical applications in optoelectronic devices. In this study, we developed the photochromic liquid core nanocapsules by polymerization of oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion monomer droplets on the basis of Hansen solubility parameters. The thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers (POEGMA_m-b-PSt_n and POEGMA_m-b-PMMA_n) were synthesized by sequential reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and hydrophobic styrene or MMA. The O/W nanoemulsion methyl methacrylate (MMA) droplets, dissolving dipropylene glycol methyl-n-propyl ether (DPMNP) and (E)-3-(adamantan-2-ylidene)-4-[1-(2,5-dimethyl-3-furyl) ethylidene]dihydro-2,5furandione (Aberchrome 670) as a core liquid and a photochromic dye, respectively, were obtained through the phase inversion temperature emulsification technique using POEGMA_m-b-PSt_n as a surfactant. As theoretically predicted in terms of the spreading coefficients, the DPMNP solution of Aberchrome 670 was successfully encapsulated by coacervation of the crosslinked PMMA condensed phase. Aberchrome 670 dissolved in a liquid core was found to photoisomerize twice as fast as that dispersed in the solid polymer matrices.

Photochromic histone deacetylase inhibitors based on dithienylethenes and fulgimides

The synthesis, photochromic properties, inhibition of different HDACs and corresponding molecular dockings of photochromic inhibitors are described.

Photo-controlled deactivation of immobilised lipase

Immobilization of lipase on a quartz surface using a photoswitchable linker permits to control the deactivation of the enzyme by irradiation with light.

Tuning the optical properties of fluorinated indolylfulgimides

Photochromic fluorinated indolylfulgides have been identified as potential candidates for a wide range of applications including optical switches, photoregulators of biological processes, and optical memory media. In humid environments or biological systems, hydrolytic stability is essential. In an effort to improve hydrolytic stability, a series of indolylfulgimides has been synthesized from a parent trifluoromethyl-substituted indolylfulgide. The nitrogen of the succinimide moiety is linked to either a dimethyl amino or one of seven substituted phenyl groups. The phenyl groups feature substituents with increasing electron-withdrawing ability. The spectral characteristics of each compound have been examined, revealing that the wavelength absorption maxima of each form increases with increasing electron-withdrawing ability of the substituted N-phenyl ring. The quantum yields of the photoreactions have been determined with the N-(phenyl)fulgimide showing a ring closure value of nearly 0.30 in toluene. In addition, the hydrolytic, thermal, and photochemical stabilities of each compound have been measured. The fulgimides exhibit at least a 200-fold enhancement of hydrolytic stability for the Z-form and over a 1000-fold enhancement for the C-form in comparison to the same form of the parent fulgide. The N-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)fulgimide can undergo up to 3000 photochemical cycles (coloration followed by bleaching) before losing 20% of its initial absorbance at photostationary state.

Kinetic analysis of a photosensitive chelator and its complex with Zn(II)

The reversible sequestration and release of metal ions is an important objective in biological and environmental research. Unfortunately, although there have been dramatic examples of metal ion activity control, there are very few quantitative investigations of stoichiometry, equilibria and kinetics. A significant contributor to this lack of quantitative work is the complexity of many photochromic systems. Therefore, we have attempted to create a simple, reversible photochromic metal-ion chelator that can be analyzed quantitatively. The chelator should have certain other attributes as well, namely, that it binds to divalent metal ions (because of their extreme biological importance) and that it binds metal ions in the dark so that light is used to release metal ions rather than sequester them. The photochromic chelator (1) binds to divalent metal ions [Zn(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Hg(II), Fe(II), Co(II) and Cd(II); other metal ions have not yet been tested] in the dark with a significant binding strength. In both methanol (by spectrophotometry) and methanol-water (by voltammetry), the stoichiometry of the 1-Zn(II) complex is 2:1. The binding constant (K1K2) is on the order of 10(12)-10(14) M(-2) in methanol and 5.0 x 10(8) M(-2) in 50% aqueous methanol. The chelator 1 is photolabile, yielding 2 with a quantum efficiency of 0.91. In a solution containing excess Zn(II), so that over 99% of the ligand exists as the monodentate complex, photolysis produces 2 with a quantum efficiency of 0.15. A kinetic analysis leads to the conclusion that the complex itself is photolabile.