Influence of DPPC Liposome Concentration on the Fluorescence Properties of PRODAN and LAURDAN

Fluorescence spectral features of PRODAN and LAURDAN in phospholipid vesicles of different phase states were investigated. The results indicate that in the liquid crystalline phase the dominant emission results from the charge transfer (CT) excited state, whereas in the gel state of the membrane the emission from the locally excited (LE) state dominates. The fluorescence time studies point out that there are two radiation modes, one starting from only vibrationally relaxed excited states S1(LE)ν ((S1(CT)ν) and the other from a totally thermally equilibrated state S1(LE)EQ (S1(CT)EQ). In accordance with the obtained decay time dependencies, the fluorescence emission from total nonequilibrated excited states consists of a dominant or minor radiation process in the LE or CT band emission

Concentration and Temperature Dependence of Laurdan Fluorescence in Glycerol

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements have been performed on Laurdan, dissolved in viscous glycerol, as functions of temperature and concentration. The results indicate spectral heterogeneity of the Laurdan solution. The fluorescence decay time distribution is attributed to radiative deexcitation of spatial conformational forms of locally excited (LE) and charge transfer (CT) states, the S1(CT)EQ state being in thermodynamic and vibrational equilibrium. The lifetimes and contributions of the different fluorescence modes depend on concentration and temperature. The excitation and emission spectra show discontinuous changes with increase of the Laurdan concentration.We suppose that the observed changes are caused by the formation of Laurdan micelle aggregates.

Fluorescence Quenching and Solvation Processes of Fluorenone and 4-hydroxyfluorenone in Binary Solvents

Steady state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements of fluorenone and 4-hydroxyfluorenone dissolved in binary nonpolar, polar and polar protic mixed solvents have been performed at room temperature. The absorption and emission spectra show that, apart from the free molecules, hydrogen bond complexes exist in the ground and excited states in the mixed solvents used. The data obtained were used to determine the stoichiometric equilibrium constants. The fluorescence decay data point that in the binary used solutions the radiation appears from an assembly of luminescence centers emitting fluorescence light of different wavelengths and decay times. Molecules forming simple hydrogen bond complexes (with fluorenone) show different photophysical properties from those where a proton-relay complex (with 4-hydroxyfluorenone) is established.

Quantum-chemical calculations of the electronic structure of 2-amino-1,3-dicyano-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives

The UV-Visible absorption spectra of six, newly synthesized donor-substituted 2-amino-1,3-dicyano-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene have been measured in methylcyclohexane (MCH) and assigned with the help of quantum-chemical calculations. Our calculations have been performed to assess information regarding the electronic state energy values, corresponding oscillator strengths, x-, y-, z-components of the transition dipole moments and molecular orbitals involved in the main electronic transitions of the studied compounds. Additionally, the experimental absorption transition dipole moments were calculated, on the basis of spectroscopic data, and compared with results of our quantum-chemical calculations. On the basis of the experimental results and quantum-chemical calculations, it was shown that the long-wavelength absorption band involves an overlap of three electronic transitions of different character. For all studied donor-acceptor (D-A) compounds in vapour-phase, the long-wavelength transition (S0→S1) does not possess charge transfer character, whereas the S0→S2 transition possesses electron transfer character e.g., π-electrons of the acceptor moiety are moved to the donor part. Moreover, it is found that the electronic structure of the studied biphenyl derivatives can be approximately described within composite-model of decoupled moieties: donor and acceptor.

Influence of prototropic reactions on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate and its two ortho derivatives

The influence of prototropic reactions on the spectral characteristics of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate (I) and its o-methoxy (II) and o-hydroxy (III) derivatives has been studied using steady-state spectroscopic technique and quantum-chemical calculations. This study concerns the solvent-induced shift of the absorption, locally excited (LE) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence bands in the neat tetrahydrofuran (THF) and its hydrochloric acid solutions at different HCl concentrations. On the basis of the experimental results and quantum-chemical calculations, it was shown that in a hydrochloric acid solution the studied molecules exist as a mixture of neutral, mono-, and dicationic forms. Additionally, the results of spectroscopic measurements were used to calculate, according to the Benesi-Hildebrand method, the equilibrium constants of protopropic reactions in the ground, S(0), and excited, S(1), states. Our findings predestine molecules I and II to be used as acid fluorescence probes in a region of 0-2.5 M of [H(+)] concentrations.

Influence of spectral heterogeneity of prodan and laurdan solutions on the transfer of electronic energy to octadecyl rhodamine B

Fluorescence quenching and resonance energy transfer have been studied by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The experimental and theoretical values for the rate constants of the electronic energy transfer (kET) and critical radius (R0) were determined for prodan and laurdan as donors and octadecyl rhodamine B as acceptor. The spectroscopic data show, that prodan and laurdan in solution create an inhomogeneous spectroscopic medium in which multi-channel luminescence phenomena take place. This finding indicated that the modified form of the Stern-Volmer relation should be used for analyzing fluorescence quenching data. Results of performed studies point out, that dipole-dipole interaction is responsible for the resonance energy transfer from prodan and laurdan to octadecyl rhodamine B. The relative quenching efficiencies of both dyes depend on polarity of the medium and are higher for more polar solvent (AcN).

Phase transition affects energy transfer efficiency in phospholipid vesicles

The fluorescence quenching of 6-propionyl-2-dimethylaminonaphtalene (PRODAN) and 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphtalene (LAURDAN) by octadecyl rhodamine B (ORB) in a model system of small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) of dipalmitoylphosphatidyl-choline (DPPC) was investigated. Non-linear Stern-Volmer behaviour was observed in both systems in the gel phase (25 degrees C) and in the fluid phase (50 degrees C), resulting from association processes and from static quenching. The relative quenching efficiencies of both dyes depend on the phase state of the bilayer and indicate a deeper incorporation of PRODAN and LAURDAN into the membrane in its fluid phase than in its gel phase.

Influence of Conformational Effects on Spectroscopic Properties of 2-Dimethylamino-9(4′-dimethylamino) phenyl-9-fluorenol

Absorption and fluorescence spectra of 2-dimethylamino-9(4'-dimethylamino)phenyl-9-fluorenol have been studied in different solvents. The fluorescence spectra at various temperatures show the excitation wavelength dependence. The spectroscopic data are compared with the results of the quantum chemical calculation obtained using PM3 and INDO/S methods. The fluorescence decay curves of the molecule under study can be only satisfactorily fitted by a biexponential function. The steady state and time resolved spectroscopy studies as well as the theoretical calculation confirm that in methylcyclohexane and ethyl acetate solutions always two absorbing and emitting species exist, namely rotamers alpha and beta in the ground and excited states.

Experimental and Theoretical Determination of Electronic State Energies of Naphthanilides

Experimental absorption spectra of a -and β-naphthanilide derivatives in the vapour phase and in MCH solution are interpreted on basis of calculations performed using the INDO/S-CI method. The ground state geometries have been optimised with the PM3 parameterisation method. The calculated values of the lowest triplet state T1 as well as energy differences of the T1 → Tn transitions have been compared with measured data determined from the phosphorescence and picosecond transient absorption spectra. For SO → Sn and T1 → Tn transitions, a good agreement is noticed between the experimental and calculated energy values. An additional band observed in the total luminescence spectrum at 77 K, is interpreted as due to the emission of the double H-bonded imidol dimer formed in the excited state. -PACS: 31.70 Dk, 33.50 Dg