El objetivo principal de esta tesis es contrastar el papel de dichos compuestos 1,3-dicarbonilicos como agentes que dañan el ADN con respecto a su potencial fotoprotector. Primero, 5,6-dihidropirimidinas han sido derivatizadas utilizando el grupo fotolábil t-Bu cetona con el fin de estudiar la generación de radicales en C5 en un medio no acuoso. Después, el estudio por fotólisis de destello láser en ACN de los derivados 1,3-dicarbonilicos diseñados da lugar a la detección de los supuestos radicales 5,6-dihidropirimidin-5-ilo. Su caracterización muestra especies transitorias de vida larga y están centrados a 400-420 nm o 350-400 nm para los derivados 5,6-dihidrouridina o 5,6-dihidrotimidina, respectivamente. Además, la generación de radicales también se ha evidenciado mediante experimentos de fluorescencia en estado estacionario mediante el uso de una sonda profluorescente (AAA-TEMPO) que atrapa el radical. Por lo tanto, la irradiación de los derivados fotolábiles del ácido nucleico en presencia de AAA-TEMPO produce un aumento de la emisión, de acuerdo con la captura del radical C5 por la sonda paramagnética. La formación del aducto se ha confirmado mediante UPLC-HRMS. Los datos experimentales se han corroborado con cálculos teóricos ab initio CASPT2 // CASSCF. Segundo, otro derivado 1,3-dicarbonílico de la pirimidina se ha investigado. De hecho, el daño 5-formiluracilo (ForU) presenta características interesantes como potencial agente fotosensibilizador intrínseco del ADN. Por lo tanto, los estudios espectroscópicos revelan que ForU tiene una absorción en el rango UVA/UVB y también presenta un estado triplete excitado (3ForU *) con un tiempo de vida algunos micros y con una ET suficientemente alta como para fotosensibilizar la formación de los conocidos dímeros de pirimidina de tipo ciclobutano (CPDs) a través de una transferencia de energía triplete-triplete. Este proceso ha sido confirmado por medio de la síntesis de díadas modelo Thy-Thy y Cyt-Cyt, ya que su irradiación en presencia de ForU ha demostrado que producen CPDs. Asimismo, el estudio en ADN plasmídico permitió establecer la capacidad de ForU para inducir roturas de cadena simple y CPDs. A continuación, se ha desarrollo una nueva estrategia para la fotoprotección de moléculas bioactivas aprovechando la reactividad fotoquímica del tautómero 1,3-dicetona de la avobenzona (AB), un filtro del UVA. Los compuestos seleccionados son dos fármacos antiinflamatorios no esteroideos de uso tópico con propiedades fotosensibilizantes, (S)-ketoprofeno (KP) y diclofenaco (DF). El tautómero dicetona de la AB contiene dos restos fenacilo, que es un grupo protector fotolábil muy establecido. Por lo tanto, un diseño juicioso de una díada profármaco/profiltro permite la fotoliberación del fármaco y de su protector, la AB. La viabilidad de esta liberación controlada de los ingredientes se verificó en diferentes disolventes con carácter dador de H y viscosidad para simular la formulación tópica. Además, los estudios de fotólisis de destello láser en EtOH permiten la caracterización de una especie transitoria a 400-420 nm, la cual ha sido asignada al estado excitado triplete de AB-KP. Finalmente, se ha evaluado la fotoseguridad de la díada fotoactivable AB-KP. Los espectros de absorción transitoria de la díada AB-KP en ciclohexano muestra que la especie observada es el estado excitado triplete del KP y no el de la AB en su forma dicetona. El impacto de la díada sobre la membrana celular se ha abordado mediante irradiación UVA de soluciones de ácido linoleico en presencia de AB-KP y su potencial fototóxico se ha evidenciado mediante espectrofotometría UV-Vis revelando la formación de derivados hidroperóxidos diénicos conjugados del ácido linoleico. Sin embargo, la diada AB-KP no exhibe un potencial fotogenotóxico como lo demuestran los experimentos del ensayo comet, donde a diferencia del KP, la forma redonda no / The main objective of this thesis is to contrast the role of these 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds as DNA damaging agents to their photoprotective potential. Firstly, 5,6-dihydropyrimidines have been derivatized using a tert-butyl ketone photolabile group in order to study the generation of C5-centered radicals in non aqueous media. Then, laser flash photolysis study in acetonitrile of the designed 1,3-dicarbonyl derivatives yields the formation of the purported 5,6-dihydropyrimidin-5-yl radicals. Their characterization shows long lived transient species, which do not decay in the µs range and are centered at 400-420 nm or 350-400 nm for the 5,6-dihydrouridine or 5,6-dihydrothymidine derivatives, respectively. Moreover, radical generation has also been evidenced by steady state fluorescence experiments by using a profluorescent radical trap (AAA-TEMPO). Thus, irradiation of the photolabile nucleic acid derivatives in the presence of AAA-TEMPO results in an increased emission, in agreement with the trapping of C5 radical by the paramagnetic probe. Formation of the resulting adduct has been confirmed by UPLC-HRMS. Experimental data have been corroborated with ab initio CASPT2//CASSCF theoretical calculations. In a second chapter, another 1,3-dicarbonyl derivative of pyrimidine has been investigated. Indeed, 5-formyluracil (ForU) presents interesting features as a potential intrinsic DNA photosensitizing agent. Thus, spectroscopic studies reveal that ForU has not only an absorption in the UVA/UVB range, but also a triplet excited state (3ForU*) with a lifetime of some micros and with an energy high enough to photosensitize the well-known cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) through triplet-triplet energy transfer. This process has been confirmed by means of the synthesis of model Thy-Thy and Cyt-Cyt dyads, which after irradiation in the presence of ForU have been demonstrated to produce CPDs. Finally, the study extended to plasmid DNA allows establishing the ability of ForU to produce single strand breaks and CPDs. Next, the attention has been focused on the development of a new strategy for photoprotection of bioactive molecules taking advantage of the photochemical reactivity of the 1,3-diketo tautomer of the UVA filter avobenzone (AB). The selected bioactive compounds are two photosensitive topical non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (S)-ketoprofen (KP) and diclofenac (DF). In this context, the diketo tautomer of avobenzone contains two phenacyl moieties, which are well-known photoremovable protecting groups. Thus, a judicious design of a pro-drug/pro-filter dyad allows the photorelease of the drug and its protecting shield, avobenzone. The viability of this controlled release of the active ingredients was checked in different solvents of different H donating properties and viscosity to simulate topical formulation.Plus, laser flash photolysis studies in ethanol allow characterization of a transient absorption band at 400-420 nm assigned to the triplet excited state of the dyad by comparison with that of the diketo form of AB. Finally, the photosafety of the photoactivatable AB-KP dyad has been assessed. The transient absorption spectra obtained for AB-KP dyad in cyclohexane showed the triplet excited state of KP and not that of the AB in its diketo form. The impact on the cellular membrane has been addressed by UVA irradiation of linoleic acid solutions in the presence of the dyad. Phototoxic potential of the dyad has been evidenced by UV-Vis spectrophotometry through the formation of the conjugated dienic hydroperoxides derived from linoleic acid. However, AB-KP does not exhibit a photogenotoxic potential as demonstrated by comet assay experiments, where by contrast with KP, the non damaged round shape of the cell is still observed after UVA irradiation. / L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi és contrastar el paper d'aquests compostos 1,3-dicarbonil com a agents que danyen l'ADN respecte al seu potencial fotoprotector. En primer lloc, 5,6-dihidropirimidines han sigut derivatitzades utilitzant el grup fotolàbil t-Bu cetona amb la finalitat d'estudiar la generació de radicals centrats en C5 en un mitjà no aquós. Després, l'estudi de fotòlisi de flaix làser en acetonitril dels derivats 1,3-dicarbonil dissenyats produeix la formació dels suposats radicals 5,6-dihidropirimidin-5-il. La seua caracterització mostra espècies transitòries de vida llarga i estan centrats a 400-420 nm o 350-400 nm per als derivats 5,6-dihidrouridina o 5,6-dihidrotimidina, respectivament. Per tant, la irradiació dels derivats fotolàbils d'àcid nucleic en presència de AAA-TEMPO dóna com resultat un augment de l'emissió, d'acord amb la captura del radical C5 per la sonda paramagnètica. La formació del adducte resultant s'ha confirmat mitjançant UPLC-HRMS. Així mateix, les dades experimentals s'han corroborat amb càlculs teòrics ab initio CASPT2 // CASSCF. En un segon capítol, un altre derivat 1,3-dicarbonil de la pirimidina ha sigut investigat. De fet, el dany 5-formiluracil (ForU), presenta característiques interessants com a potencial fotosensibilitzador intrínsec de l'ADN. Per tant, els estudis espectroscòpics revelen que ForU té una absorció en el rang UVA/UVB i també presenta un estat triplet excitat (3ForU*) amb un temps de vida d'alguns micros i amb una ET prou alta com per a fotosensibilitzar la formació dels coneguts dímers de pirimidina de tipus ciclobutà (CPDs) a través d'una transferència d'energia triplet-triplet. Aquest procés ha sigut confirmat per mitjà de la síntesi de diades model Thy-Thy i Cyt-Cyt, que després de la irradiació en presència de ForU s'ha demostrat que produeixen CPDs. Finalment, l'estudi en ADN plasmídic ha permès establir la capacitat de ForU per a produir trencaments de cadena simple i CPDs. A continuació, s'ha desenvolupat una nova estratègia per a la fotoprotecció de molècules bioactives aprofitant la reactivitat fotoquímica del tautòmer 1,3-dicetona del filtre de l'UVA Avobenzone (AB). Els compostos seleccionats són dos fàrmacs antiinflamatoris no esteroïdals d'ús tòpic amb propietats fotosensibilizants, (S)-ketoprofè (KP) i diclofenac (DF). En aquest context, el tautòmer dicetona de l'AB conté dues fraccions fenacil, que es un grup protector fotolàbil ben conegut. Per tant, un disseny judiciós d'una diada profàrmac / profiltre permet el fotoalliberament del fàrmac i del seu escut protector, l'AB. La viabilitat d'aquest alliberament controlat dels ingredients actius s'ha verificat en diferents dissolvents de diferent caràcter dador d'hidrogen i viscositat per a simular la formulació tòpica. A més, els estudis de fotòlisi de flaix làser en EtOH permeten la caracterització d'una banda d'absorció transitòria a 400-420 nm, la qual ha sigut assignada a l'estat excitat triplet de AB-KP. Finalment, s'ha avaluat la fotoseguretat de la diada fotoactivable AB-KP. Els espectres d'absorció transitòria de la diada AB-KP en ciclohexà mostres que l'espècie observada és l'estat excitat triplet del KP i no el de la AB en la seua forma dicetònica. L'impacte sobre la membrana cel·lular s'ha abordat mitjançant la irradiació UVA de solucions d'àcid linoleic en presència de AB-KP. El potencial fototòxic de la diada s'ha evidenciat mitjançant espectrofotometria UV-Vis revelant la formació de derivats hidroperòxids diènics conjugats de l'àcid linoleic. No obstant açò, la diada AB-KP no exhibeix un potencial fotogenotòxic com ho demostren els experiments de l'assaig comet, on a diferència del KP, la forma redona no danyada de la cèl·lula encara s'observa després de la irradiació UVA. / Aparici Espert, MI. (2018). Photochemistry of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds: DNA Photodamage vs. Photoprotection [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/105782 / TESIS

This thesis is dedicated to studies of the excited-state dynamics in organic molecular systems for solar energy conversion by employing time-resolved experimental techniques. Organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices have received significant attention in the past decade and reaching record high power conversion efficiencies (PCE) above 17%. An essential step towards reaching the predicted PCE limit of 25.5% is to develop a comprehensive picture of the photophysical processes, specifically the loss processes, in OPV devices. It is the aim of this thesis to investigate and understand the fate of excited-states in organic electron donor/acceptor systems by ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, specifically, to reveal the interplay between energy and charge transfer processes. The first part deals with the identification of different polymorphs in a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based (DPP) polymer. Applying time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements to the polymer dissolved in different solvent mixtures and using multivariate curve resolution (MCR) to deconvolute the ground-state absorption spectra reveals the co-existence of an amorphous (α) and two semi-crystalline (β1 and β2) polymer phases. The OPV device performance is shown to increase by the additional absorption of the β2 phase. The second part compares the efficiency of direct and energy transfer-mediated charge generation in prototypical donor-acceptor dyads that use as the electron donor triangulene derivatives chemically linked to the electron acceptor perylenediimide (PDI) block via oligophenylene spacers of different lengths. Charge generation efficiencies are found to be similar and increase with the donor-acceptor spatial separation. A combination of transient absorption (TA) measurements and computation of the dyad’s excited-state landscape revealed the presence of “optically-dark” excited-states that are populated by ultrafast donor-acceptor energy transfer prior to hole (back) transfer. The last part of the dissertation uses TRPL, TA, and time-delayed collection field (TDCF) measurements alongside MCR analysis to provide a comprehensive analysis of the yield of individual photophysical processes in OPV devices. A systematic methodology is proposed and tested on two all-polymer BHJ devices used as model systems. The experimental findings are supported by successful simulation of the solar cells’ JV characteristics using the spectroscopically-determined kinetic parameters. More generally, this approach can be used to quantify efficiency-limiting processes in other donor-acceptor BHJs.

No description available.

The synthesis and comprehensive characterization of diamine and diimine derivatives of thioindigo are reported. X-ray crystal structures demonstrate a planar structure for the diimine derivatives and a twisted conformation for the diamines. The diamine compounds absorb in the UV (λmax 324 nm - 328 nm), and exhibit moderate fluorescence (ΦF = 0.25, 0.045). A transient triplet state is observed in laser flash photolysis (LFP) experiments, with lifetimes an order of magnitude longer than those of the triplet state of thioindigo. The diimine compounds absorb at longer wavelengths than the diamines (λmax 495 nm - 510 nm), but are still slightly blue-shifted from thioindigo. The diimines have molar extinction coefficients 17 – 70% higher than thioindigo. The diimine compounds are not emissive, and LFP studies show transient species with microsecond lifetimes. The transient absorption spectra and quenching experiments of the diimines are consistent with trans-cis isomerisation about the central double bond. Mono- and diruthenium hexafluoroacetylacetonate (hfac) complexes of thioindigo-N,Nʹ-diphenyldiimine have been prepared. The monoruthenium complex was isolated as a racemic mixture and the diruthenium complexes were isolated as the meso (ΔΛ) and rac (ΔΔ and ΛΛ) diastereomers. Extensive structural characterization of the compounds revealed intrinsic diastereomeric differences in the X-ray crystal structures, cyclic voltammograms, and NMR spectra. Variable temperature NMR experiments demonstrated that the rac diastereomer undergoes conformational exchange with a rate constant of 8700 sec-1 at 298 K, a behavior that is not observed in the meso diastereomer. Ground state optical properties of the complexes were examined, showing that all the complexes possess metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption bands in the near-infrared (λmax 689 nm – 783 nm). The compounds do not display photoluminescence in room temperature solution-phase experiments or in experiments at 77 K. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed excited states with picosecond lifetimes. Unexpectedly, the transient absorption measurements revealed differences in the transient spectra and disparate time constants for the excited state decay of the diastereomers, which are linked to the conformational changes observed in the NMR experiments. Investigations into the synthesis of azaDIMEs and azaDicarbazolyls are described. Examination of the Buchwald-Hartwig amination produced reaction conditions that enabled preparation of amino-diindoles. Oxidation of the amino-diindoles to azaDIMEs was complicated by concomitant oligomerization of the substrates. Substitution of the reactive positions of the amino-diindole afforded increased stability towards oxidative oligomerization. Scalable synthetic routes to azaDicarbazolyl precursors were identified and optimized, and preparation of amino and azaDicarbazolyl compounds was explored. / Graduate / 2021-04-18

Metal halide perovskites have emerged as photoactive materials in solution-processed devices thanks to their unique properties such as high absorption coefficient, sharp absorption edge, long carrier diffusion lengths, and tunable bandgap, together with ease of fabrication. The single-junction perovskite solar cells have reached power conversion efficiencies of more than 25%. Although the efficiency of perovskite devices has increased tremendously in a very short time, the efficiency is still limited by carrier recombination at defects and interfaces. Thus, understanding these losses and how to reduce them is the way forward towards the Shockley-Queisser limit. This thesis aims to apply ultrafast optical spectroscopy techniques to investigate the recombination pathways in halide perovskites, and understand the charge extraction from perovskite to transport layers and nonradiative losses at the interface. The first part focuses on perovskite solar cells with planar n–i–p device architecture which offers significant advantages in terms of large scale processing, the potential use of flexible substrates, and applicability to tandems. In addition to the optimization of MAPbI3 solar cell fabrication using a modified sequential interdiffusion protocol, the photophysics of perovskites exposed to humid air and illumination are discussed. The MAPbI3 film processed with the addition of glycol ethers to the methylammonium iodide solution results in the control of PbI2 to perovskite conversion dynamics, thus enhanced morphology and crystallinity. For samples exposed to humid air and illumination, the formation of sub-bandgap states and increased trap-assisted recombination are observed, using highly-sensitive absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, respectively. It appears that such exposure primarily affects the perovskite surface. The second part discusses the hole extraction from Cs0.07Rb0.03FA0.765MA0.135PbI2.55Br0.45 to the polymeric hole transport layer and interfacial recombination using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy technique. To illustrate this, PDPP-3T was used as HTL, since its ground state absorption is red-shifted compared to the perovskite’s photobleach, thereby allowing direct probing of the interfacial hole extraction and recombination. Moreover, carrier diffusion is investigated by varying the perovskite film thickness, and carrier mobility is found to be 39 cm2V-1s-1. Finally, hole extraction is found to be one order of magnitude faster than the recombination at the interface.

Nucleases are integral to all DNA processing pathways. The exact nature of substrate recognition and enzymatic specificity in structure-specific nucleases that are involved in DNA replication, repair and recombination has been under intensive debate. The nucleases that rely on the contours of their substrates, such as 5’ nucleases, hold a distinctive place in this debate. How this seemingly blind recognition takes place with immense discrimination is a thought-provoking question. Pertinent to this question is the observation that even minor variations in the substrate provoke extreme catalytic variance. Increasing structural evidence from 5’ nucleases and other structure-specific nuclease families suggest a common theme of substrate recognition involving distortion of the substrate to orient it for catalysis and protein ordering to assemble active sites. Using three single-molecule (sm)FRET approaches of temporal resolution from milliseconds to sub-milliseconds, along with various supporting techniques, I decoded a highly sophisticated mechanism that show how DNA bending and protein ordering control the catalytic selectivity in the prototypic system human Flap Endonuclease 1 (FEN1). Our results are consistent with a mutual induced-fit mechanism, with the protein bending the DNA and the DNA inducing a protein-conformational change, as opposed to functional or conformational selection mechanism. Furthermore, we show that FEN1 incision on the cognate substrate occurs with high efficiency and without missed opportunity. However, when FEN1 encounters substrates that vary in their physical attributes to the cognate substrate, cleavage happens after multiple trials During the course of my work on FEN1, I found a novel photophysical phenomena of protein-induced fluorescence quenching (PIFQ) of cyanine dyes, which is the opposite phenomenon of the well-known protein-induced fluorescence enhancement (PIFE). Our observation and characterization of PIFQ led us to further investigate the general mechanism of fluorescence modulation and how the initial fluorescence state of the DNA-dye complex plays a fundamental role in setting up the stage for the subsequent modulation by protein binding. Within this paradigm, we propose that enhancement and quenching of fluorescence upon protein binding are simply two different faces of the same process. Our observations and correlations eliminate the current inconvenient arbitrary nature of fluorescence modulation experimental design.

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