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In this dissertation, we investigate two emerging strategies for enhancing the performance of organic photovoltaics. The first takes advantage of a process called singlet exciton fission, and the second embodies an exodus from the fullerene electron acceptors prominent in organic solar cells. Indeed, this versatile class of tunable small molecules are aptly termed nonfullerene acceptors. However, both strategies would benefit from a greater understanding of underlying principles. Singlet exciton fission is a photon-multiplying process in which a singlet exciton from a high-energy absorbed photon splits into two triplet excitons. The process could significantly reduce energy lost to heat in photovoltaic devices, but its mechanisms are still misunderstood. One model involves direct coupling between the singlet and triplet states, and another model involves an intermediate charge transfer state. Transient absorption spectroscopy allowed us to examine singlet fission in films of pentacene, fluorinated pentacene, and coevaporated blends of various mixing ratios. We directly observe an intermolecular charge transfer state during singlet fission in solid films of coevaporated pentacene and peruoropentacene, which supports the model of charge transfer state-mediated singlet fission. Furthermore, we successfully induced singlet fission in one blend by directly exciting the charge transfer state below the bandgap. We use various types of steady state and time-resolved spectroscopy to characterize two types of nonfullerene electron acceptors. The first type is a group of tetraazabenzodiuoranthene diimide (BFI) dimers and a BFI monomer. The BFI dimers were designed to have twisted, nonplanar 3-dimensional structures and have helped achieve power conversion efficiencies of over 8% in organic solar cells. The other type of nonfullerene acceptor is a calamitic small molecule, and we consider the BAF-4CN electron acceptor, which has also been used in a solar cell whose efficiency exceeded 8%. Spectroscopic studies give insight into the performances of these nonfullerene devices in relation to fullerene-derivative counterparts. We find that the nonfullerene blends suffer from more geminate charge recombination. However, despite this drawback, in some cases, slower rates of nongeminate recombination may lead to successful power conversion efficiencies in nonfullerene solar cells.

In dieser Arbeit wurden Ergebnisse einer Analyse der elektronischen Struktur in Sr2CuO2Cl2 mittels winkelaufgelöster Photoemission dargelegt. Sie betreffen i) Sr2CuO2Cl2 als Untersuchungsgegenstand für die Grundlagenforschung an Hochtemperatursupraleitern (HTSL), ii) winkelaufgelöste Photoemission als Untersuchungsmethode zur Messung der elektronischen Struktur von HTSL und deren Muttersubstanzen, iii) Eigenschaften der elektronische Anregungen in Sr2CuO2Cl2 in unmittelbarer Nähe des chemischen Potenzials, sowie iv) das durch Korrelationen stark beeinflusste Dotierungsverhalten der Kuprate. 1. Sr2CuO2Cl2 eignet sich Dank seiner exakten Stöchiometrie und der strukturell perfekten Kupfer-Sauerstoff Ebenen hervorragend als Untersuchungssubstanz für die isolierende Phase der HTSL. 2. Mittels winkelaufgelöster Photoemission ist es möglich, die k-Raum- und Energieverteilung (Dispersion) von Anregungen nahe des chemischen Potenzials in Sr2CuO2Cl2 auszumessen. Dabei wurde eine starke Abhängigkeit der Intensität des Photoemissionssignales in Abhängigkeit von der Photonenenergie beobachtet. Es konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass sich diese Intensitätsoszillationen mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit durch eine Bragg-Interferenz der Photoelektronenewelle an der Schichtstruktur von Sr2CuO2Cl2 erklären und weiterhin, dass die gemessenen Dispersionskurven, von einer willkürlichen Normierung der Intensität abgesehen, unabhängig von der verwendeten Photoenenenergie sind. 3. Die Photoemissionsspektren von Sr2CuO2Cl2 zeigen die für Ladungstransfer-Isolatoren charakteristische Aufteilung des spektralen Gewichts (der besetzten Elektronenstruktur) in ein unteres Hubbardband, bindende und nichtbindende Sauerstoffbänder und der ZR-Singlet Struktur. Dabei konnte das untere Hubbardband identifiziert werden durch seine durch Resonanz hervorgerufene Intensitätsverstärkung (und dem daraus resultierenden d8-Charakter dieser Struktur), die Sauerstoffbänder und die ZR-Singlet Struktur durch eine Analyse ihres Symmetrieverhaltens unter Berücksichtigung der Polarisationsabhängigkeit des Photoemissionssignales. Das ZR-Singlet besitzt eine a1g-Symmetrie was sowohl die Konstruktion des ZR-Singlets nach Zhang und Rice als auch die Ergebnisse der Diagonalisierung der isolierten, mit zwei Löchern besetzten Plakette bestätigt. 4. Die Dispersion des ZR-Singlets ist parabolisch entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi) mit einem absoluten Bindungsenergieminimum bei (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) und parabolisch entlang Gamma-(Pi,0) mit einem lokalen Bindungsenergieminimum bei (0.7Pi,0). Die Bandbreite entlang dieser beiden Richtungen beträgt etwa 300 meV beziehungsweise 200 meV, der Abstand der beiden minimalen Bindungsenergien entlang dieser Richtungen ist 72 meV. Das Spektralgewicht des ZR-Singlets ist keilförmig verteilt mit einem Maximum bei (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) und (0.7Pi,0), also jeweils in unmittelbarer Nähe der minimalen Bindungsenergien dieser Struktur. Es verschwindet bei Gamma und (Pi,Pi), hat jedoch einen endlichen Wert bei (Pi,0). Der Vergleich dieser Resultate favorisiert das erweiterte t-J-Modell zur Beschreibung der Dynamik des ZR-Singlets. Insbesondere i) die parabolische Dispersion des ZR-Singlets entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi), ii) der geringe aber endliche energetische Abstand der Bindungsenergie-Minima entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi) und Gamma-(Pi,0) und iii) die keilförmige Verteilung des Spektralen Gewichts entlang Gamma-(Pi,0) sind die experimentellen Indizien dafür. / A detailed ARPES study of the low binding-energy occupied electronic structure of Sr2CuO2Cl2 has been done. It corresponds to an investigation of the first electron-removal states of an undoped CuO2-plane: 1. The photoemission signal of the first electron-removal states at both (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) and (0.7Pi,0) exhibits a marked photon-energy dependence. The intensity profile shows strong oscillations with maxima near 16, 25, 35 and 49 eV, corresponding to final state crystal momenta kperp=0.82, 1.63, 2.40 and 3.12 A-1. 2. Along the high-symmetry directions Gamma-(Pi,Pi) and Gamma-(Pi,0) the first electron-removal states shows a strong polarization dependence. This can be linked to the strongly polarization-dependent matrix element, which in turn allows the determination of the symmetry of the first electron-removal state itself. For both high-symmetry directions we observe a polarization dependence in keeping with that expected for a Zhang-Rice singlet state in the framework of either a three-band or one-band model Hamiltonian. 3. Our data show that the dispersion of the first electron-removal states along both high symmetry directions (Gamma-(Pi,Pi) and Gamma-(Pi,0)) is parabolic-like and independent of the excitation energy. This, and the rather large difference in lowest binding energy of the first electron-removal state along these directions, shows the validity of the extended t-J model for describing the disperion relation of a single hole in an antiferromagnetic CuO2 plane. Thus, the inclusion of second (t2) and third (t3) neighbor hopping terms with realistic values of t2=-0.08 and t3=0.15 in units of the next neighbor hopping t=t1 are required. 4. Upon application of a simple fit procedure, we infer the momentum distribution of the spectral weight of the coherent and incoherent part of the first electron-removal state to have its maximum along Gamma-(Pi,Pi) at (0.5Pi,0.5Pi), being symmetrically suppressed away from this point. Along Gamma-(Pi,0) the spectral weights of both parts reach their maximum at (0.7Pi,0) and then drop fast. The ratio between the coherent and incoherent spectral weight is strongly photon-energy dependent, which, at first sight would appear to violate the physics of the spectral function: (i) the necessity for a more sophisticated framework in which to analyse the weight of the coherent and incoherent contributions to the spectral weight (ii) significant (hn-dependent) intensity due to extrinsic processes (iii) intensity in this energy region due to intrinsic electronic states other than the Zhang-Rice singlet.

In dieser Arbeit wurden Ergebnisse einer Analyse der elektronischen Struktur in Sr2CuO2Cl2 mittels winkelaufgelöster Photoemission dargelegt. Sie betreffen i) Sr2CuO2Cl2 als Untersuchungsgegenstand für die Grundlagenforschung an Hochtemperatursupraleitern (HTSL), ii) winkelaufgelöste Photoemission als Untersuchungsmethode zur Messung der elektronischen Struktur von HTSL und deren Muttersubstanzen, iii) Eigenschaften der elektronische Anregungen in Sr2CuO2Cl2 in unmittelbarer Nähe des chemischen Potenzials, sowie iv) das durch Korrelationen stark beeinflusste Dotierungsverhalten der Kuprate. 1. Sr2CuO2Cl2 eignet sich Dank seiner exakten Stöchiometrie und der strukturell perfekten Kupfer-Sauerstoff Ebenen hervorragend als Untersuchungssubstanz für die isolierende Phase der HTSL. 2. Mittels winkelaufgelöster Photoemission ist es möglich, die k-Raum- und Energieverteilung (Dispersion) von Anregungen nahe des chemischen Potenzials in Sr2CuO2Cl2 auszumessen. Dabei wurde eine starke Abhängigkeit der Intensität des Photoemissionssignales in Abhängigkeit von der Photonenenergie beobachtet. Es konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass sich diese Intensitätsoszillationen mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit durch eine Bragg-Interferenz der Photoelektronenewelle an der Schichtstruktur von Sr2CuO2Cl2 erklären und weiterhin, dass die gemessenen Dispersionskurven, von einer willkürlichen Normierung der Intensität abgesehen, unabhängig von der verwendeten Photoenenenergie sind. 3. Die Photoemissionsspektren von Sr2CuO2Cl2 zeigen die für Ladungstransfer-Isolatoren charakteristische Aufteilung des spektralen Gewichts (der besetzten Elektronenstruktur) in ein unteres Hubbardband, bindende und nichtbindende Sauerstoffbänder und der ZR-Singlet Struktur. Dabei konnte das untere Hubbardband identifiziert werden durch seine durch Resonanz hervorgerufene Intensitätsverstärkung (und dem daraus resultierenden d8-Charakter dieser Struktur), die Sauerstoffbänder und die ZR-Singlet Struktur durch eine Analyse ihres Symmetrieverhaltens unter Berücksichtigung der Polarisationsabhängigkeit des Photoemissionssignales. Das ZR-Singlet besitzt eine a1g-Symmetrie was sowohl die Konstruktion des ZR-Singlets nach Zhang und Rice als auch die Ergebnisse der Diagonalisierung der isolierten, mit zwei Löchern besetzten Plakette bestätigt. 4. Die Dispersion des ZR-Singlets ist parabolisch entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi) mit einem absoluten Bindungsenergieminimum bei (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) und parabolisch entlang Gamma-(Pi,0) mit einem lokalen Bindungsenergieminimum bei (0.7Pi,0). Die Bandbreite entlang dieser beiden Richtungen beträgt etwa 300 meV beziehungsweise 200 meV, der Abstand der beiden minimalen Bindungsenergien entlang dieser Richtungen ist 72 meV. Das Spektralgewicht des ZR-Singlets ist keilförmig verteilt mit einem Maximum bei (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) und (0.7Pi,0), also jeweils in unmittelbarer Nähe der minimalen Bindungsenergien dieser Struktur. Es verschwindet bei Gamma und (Pi,Pi), hat jedoch einen endlichen Wert bei (Pi,0). Der Vergleich dieser Resultate favorisiert das erweiterte t-J-Modell zur Beschreibung der Dynamik des ZR-Singlets. Insbesondere i) die parabolische Dispersion des ZR-Singlets entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi), ii) der geringe aber endliche energetische Abstand der Bindungsenergie-Minima entlang Gamma-(Pi,Pi) und Gamma-(Pi,0) und iii) die keilförmige Verteilung des Spektralen Gewichts entlang Gamma-(Pi,0) sind die experimentellen Indizien dafür. / A detailed ARPES study of the low binding-energy occupied electronic structure of Sr2CuO2Cl2 has been done. It corresponds to an investigation of the first electron-removal states of an undoped CuO2-plane: 1. The photoemission signal of the first electron-removal states at both (0.5Pi,0.5Pi) and (0.7Pi,0) exhibits a marked photon-energy dependence. The intensity profile shows strong oscillations with maxima near 16, 25, 35 and 49 eV, corresponding to final state crystal momenta kperp=0.82, 1.63, 2.40 and 3.12 A-1. 2. Along the high-symmetry directions Gamma-(Pi,Pi) and Gamma-(Pi,0) the first electron-removal states shows a strong polarization dependence. This can be linked to the strongly polarization-dependent matrix element, which in turn allows the determination of the symmetry of the first electron-removal state itself. For both high-symmetry directions we observe a polarization dependence in keeping with that expected for a Zhang-Rice singlet state in the framework of either a three-band or one-band model Hamiltonian. 3. Our data show that the dispersion of the first electron-removal states along both high symmetry directions (Gamma-(Pi,Pi) and Gamma-(Pi,0)) is parabolic-like and independent of the excitation energy. This, and the rather large difference in lowest binding energy of the first electron-removal state along these directions, shows the validity of the extended t-J model for describing the disperion relation of a single hole in an antiferromagnetic CuO2 plane. Thus, the inclusion of second (t2) and third (t3) neighbor hopping terms with realistic values of t2=-0.08 and t3=0.15 in units of the next neighbor hopping t=t1 are required. 4. Upon application of a simple fit procedure, we infer the momentum distribution of the spectral weight of the coherent and incoherent part of the first electron-removal state to have its maximum along Gamma-(Pi,Pi) at (0.5Pi,0.5Pi), being symmetrically suppressed away from this point. Along Gamma-(Pi,0) the spectral weights of both parts reach their maximum at (0.7Pi,0) and then drop fast. The ratio between the coherent and incoherent spectral weight is strongly photon-energy dependent, which, at first sight would appear to violate the physics of the spectral function: (i) the necessity for a more sophisticated framework in which to analyse the weight of the coherent and incoherent contributions to the spectral weight (ii) significant (hn-dependent) intensity due to extrinsic processes (iii) intensity in this energy region due to intrinsic electronic states other than the Zhang-Rice singlet.

Acenes have been explored by a number of research groups in the field of organic electronics with a particular emphasis on transistor materials. This group has been actively studying acene‐based organic semiconductors for more than a decade using a crystal engineering approach and has developed acene derivatives for applications in field‐effect transistors, light‐emitting diodes, and photovoltaics. In addition to organic electronics, crystal engineering has important applications in a number of other fields, quite notably in the design of metal‐organic frameworks. Chapters 2 and 3 of this dissertation focus on applying crystal engineering to the synthesis of acene derivatives for use as solid‐state, long‐wavelength fluorescent organic dyes in the field of biomedical imaging. More specifically, this work studied the synthesis and properties of dioxolane‐functionalized pentacenes and hexacenes. One of these pentacene derivatives has already been demonstrated in biomedical imaging which may lead to improved treatment of tuberculosis. The dioxolane‐functionalized hexacene is still under evaluation for bioimaging applications. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on crystal engineering in relation to organic electronics. Chapter 4 deals with fine‐tuning of crystal packing and demonstrated that small differences in molecular structure can result in significant changes to the solid‐state structure which affects semiconductor properties. Finally, chapter 5 studies the use of singlet fission in photovoltaics and demonstrated that this process does occur in a solar cell incorporating a hexacene derivative. Pentadithiophenes were also synthesized for singlet fission photovoltaics, but they have yet to be studied further.

<p>Highly correlated quantum chemical methods have been appliedto study the photophysical properties of substituted benzenes.With the inclusion of spin-orbit coupling, the phosphorescencesof these molecules have been calculated usingMulti-CongurationalSelf- Consistent Field (MCSCF) quadraticresponse theory. The Herzberg-Teller approximation has beenadopted to evaluate the vibronic contributions tophosphorescence.</p><p>The performance of hybrid density functional theory (DFT) atthe B3LYP level is examined in comparison to the MP2, CCSD andCCSD(T) methods for the geometry and permanent dipole moment ofp-aminobenzoic acid. The time-dependent DFT/B3LYP method isapplied to calculate the two-photon absorption of a series ofZinc-porphyrin derivatives in combination with a two-statemodel. The transitions between excited singlet and tripletstates of Zinc and Platinum based organometallic compounds havebeen computed using DFT quadratic response theory. The resultsare used to simulate the non-linear propagation of laser pulsesthrough these materials utilizing a dynamical wave propagationmethod.</p>

<p>There are two fundamental limitations in magnetic resonance: the poor signal amplitude and the short duration before the system return to equilibrium. Hyperpolarization methods solve the problem of signal amplitude, however, the duration of the hyperpolarized signal is still limited by the spin-lattice relaxation time, T1. Disconnected eigenstates provide a mechanism by which hyperpolarization can be stored for several times T1. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of these states in four important ways. First, the decay of hyperpolarized magnetization of gas is simulated in lung tissue with a contrast agent, yielding insights about the optimal field strength for imaging. Second, I show that it is possible to rapidly discover and characterize disconnected eigenstates by showing that they can be measured without synthesizing the isotopically labeled compound. Third, I extend the spin systems that can support disconnected eigenstates by expanding the theory to include spin-1 nuclei. Finally, I show that disconnected states with long lifetimes can be populated in conjunction with hyperpolarization techniques to simultaneously yield large signal amplitudes for long durations. </p><p>Applications of hyperpolarized spin order are likely to be in complex geophysical or biological structures. Understanding the effect of the inhomogeneous fields created when such structures are placed in a magnetic field on hyperpolarized spin order is a necessity to characterize the experimental signal. An example case of hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe diffusing through lung tissue is examined. In particular a Monte Carlo simulation tool, combined with a magnetic field map of the inhomogeneous field created by mouse lung tissue, is used to determine the dephasing rate of hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe in the presence of SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPION). Contributions to the dephasing rate include the inhomogeneous field, the SPION magnetic field, and dephasing caused by collisions with the confining geometry. The sensitivity of either gas to SPION increases with increasing SPION concentration and decreasing field strength.</p><p>There are some general rules about what makes for a disconnected eigenstate (or singlet state) with a long lifetime. However, no systematic experimental study has been undertaken due to the cost and time-constraints of synthesizing the labeled species for study. I show that synthesis is not a barrier for characterizing the long-lived states. Instead the lifetimes may be determined by using the naturally occurring doubly-labeled isotopomer. I verified this method with two compounds, diphenyl acetylene (DPA) and diethyl oxylate (DEO). The former was determined to have a singlet lifetime TS = 251.40 ±3.16 s from the synthesized species, while the naturally occurring isotopomer yielded a lifetime TS = 202 ±55.30 s, both substantially longer than the spin-lattice relaxation time, T1 = 1.63 ±0.01s. In DEO, the lifetime from the disconnected eigenstate was determined to be TS = 14.62 ±0.76 s (synthesized), TS = 19.32 ±3.16 s (naturally occurring). This method is applied to a range of compounds ranging from simple four-spin systems, such as diacetylene (TS = 48.80 ±22.74 s, T1 = 18.66 ±1.16 s) to eight spin systems in dimethylmaleic anhydride (TS = 27.25 ±3.39 s, T1 = 9.38 ±0.43 s). Additionally, a family of compounds including naphthalene (TS = 4.37 ±0.34 s, T1 = 11.33 ±4.89 s), biphenyl (TS = 3.09 ±0.66 s, T1 = 4.69 ±0.10 s), and DPA show that the rotation of the phenyl rings and intermolecular dipole-dipole relaxation can be critical to the relaxation dynamics.</p><p>One particular method of accessing the disconnected eigenstate involves coupling a chemically equivalent spin-1/2 pair asymmetrically to an auxiliary spin-1/2 pair. I demonstrate that the disconnected state may still be accessed when the auxiliary nuclei are spin-1. This has two distinct advantages. When the auxiliary nuclei change from proton to deuterium, the couplings are reduced by a factor of ~6.5 which prevents the disconnected state from relaxing as rapidly back to equilibrium. This is demonstrated in diacetylene-d2 and DPA-d10, where the singlet lifetime was extended by a factor of ~1.7 via deuteration (TS,1H = 49 ±23 s, TS,2H = 83 ±30 s for diacetylene and TS,1H = 274 ±6.1 s, TS,2H = 479 ±83 s for DPA). Additionally, by reducing the coupling strength, deuteration allows additional structural moieties to be explored, such as RDC=CDR. One such structure is explored in trans-ethylene-d2, where the singlet character of the protons can be accessed by the reduced coupling to the deuterium. Additionally, this allows for a relatively strong deuterium-deuterium scalar coupling, requiring modification to the theory. This is carried out analytically, and implications for the relaxation properties are performed using a spin-dynamics numerical simulation. The lifetime of the disconnected state was determined to be TS = 30.2 ±12.3 s, compared to the T1 = 1.1 ±0.2 s at high concentration (270 mM), and increasing to TS = 117. ±9.80 s at low concentration (52 mM). The variation in long lifetime is attributed to intermolecular dipole-dipole relaxation.</p><p>Ultimately, the gains in lifetime from using disconnected eigenstates provide a means to the practical implementation of hyperpolarization in a wider range of experiments. A recent hyperpolarization method, Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange in Shield Enables Alignment Transfer to Heteronuclei (SABRE-SHEATH) is shown to directly hyperpolarize long lived spin order in a diazirine containing molecule. Diazirine rings are three member N=N-C groups that can replace a methylene group and serve as a versatile MR and optical molecular tag. Hyperpolarization is accomplished by bubbling parahydrogen through a solution containing the diazirine and an iridium catalyst. Due to the chemical inequivalence of the 15N of the diazirine, hyperpolarization of longitudinal magnetization and singlet character could be observed by transfer to the high field spectrometer. Signal enhancements of over 14,000 were observed. The magnetic field strength required for buildup of magnetization and singlet character was derived and is in agreement with the experiment. The magnetization lifetime was observed to be T1 = 5.75 ±0.18 minutes and independent of field strength, while the lifetime of the singlet character was observed to be as long as TS = 30.1 ±13.4 minutes at low field (3 Gauss).</p><p>The combination of these experiments – understanding lifetimes in inhomogeneous magnetic fields that will be encountered in experiment, identification of disconnected eigenstates with long lifetimes via the naturally occurring isotopomer and extending these lifetimes even further with deuteration, and finally, the direct generation of long-lived hyperpolarized spin order – allows a measurement that required hyperpolarized spin order for the enhanced signal amplitude, to be carried out.</p> / Dissertation

Title: Methods of Study of Photosensitizer-photophysics with Application on Thiazolyl-porphyrins Author: Marek Scholz Department: Department of Chemical Physics and Optics Supervisor: RNDr. Roman Dědic, Ph.D. Supervisor's e-mail address: Roman.Dedic@mff.cuni.cz Abstract: Photodynamic therapy for oncologic and various chronic diseases is a rapidly emerging method of treatment. It is based on the production of highly reactive singlet oxygen and free radicals by excitation energy transfer from the molecules of photosensitizers. Photosensitizers are preferentially accumulated in the target tissues and locally illuminated. This way produced reactive species cause apoptosis or necrosis of the cells leading to the desired therapeutic effect. Synthesis and subsequent photophysical characterization of photosensitizing dyes is a fundamental part of the development of photodynamic methods. The main aim of the work is to explain the most widely used methods of photophysical study of photosensitizers and apply them to new synthesized photosensitizers: thiazolyl-porphyrins. Methods of absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, flash- photolysis, time- and spectral-resolved detection of luminescence, optoacoustic spectroscopy and other spectroscopic methods were used. Thiazolyl-porphyrins proved to be promising new...

Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department: Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry Candidate: Pavel Cermak Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Veronika Novakova, PhD. Title of Thesis: Preparation and photophysical evaluation of tetra-3,4- pyridoporphyrazines suitable for the photodynamic therapy Tetra-3,4-pyridoporphyrazines (TPyPz) are aza-analogues of phthalocyanines. Their large system of conjugated bonds enables them to absorb light in the red part of the absorption spectrum. Due to their ability to produce singlet oxygen, they can be potentially used as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Its mechanism is based on co-functioning of three elements - photosensitizer, light and oxygen. Photosensitizer excited by light absorption transfers its energy into tissue oxygen, thus, creating cytotoxic singlet oxygen. This method is beneficial for its high selectivity, low toxicity, minimal invasion and fast effect. The aim of this work was to synthetize and study water-soluble TPyPz suitable for PDT. Water solubility was achieved by quarternized amines, forming of salts or using suitable delivery systems (hydrophilic emulsion). Hydrophilicity was also increased by introduction of hydrophilic non-charged substituents (OH). At first, appropriate precursors for...

<p>N-Heterocycles are ubiquitous in biologically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. Yet, new syntheses and modifications of N-heterocycles are continually of interest for the purposes of expanding chemical space, finding quicker synthetic routes, better pharmaceuticals, and even new handles for molecular labeling. There are several iterations of molecular labeling; the decision of where to place the label is as important as of which visualization technique to emphasize. </p><p>Piperidine and indole are two of the most widely distributed N-heterocycles and thus were targeted for synthesis, functionalization, and labeling. The major functionalization of these scaffolds should include a nitrogen atom, while the inclusion of other groups will expand the utility of the method. Towards this goal, ease of synthesis and elimination of step-wise transformations are of the utmost concern. Here, the concept of electrophilic amination can be utilized as a way of introducing complex secondary and tertiary amines with minimal operations.</p><p>Molecular tags should be on or adjacent to an N-heterocycle as they are normally the motifs implicated at the binding site of enzymes and receptors. The labeling techniques should be useful to a chemical biologist, but should also in theory be useful to the medical community. The two types of labeling that are of interest to a chemist and a physician would be positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). </p><p>Coincidentally, the 3-positions of both piperidine and indole are historically difficult to access and modify. However, using electrophilic amination techniques, 3-functionalized piperidines can be synthesized in good yields from unsaturated amines. In the same manner, 3-labeled piperidines can be obtained; the piperidines can either be labeled with an azide for biochemical research or an 18F for PET imaging research. The novel electrophiles, N-benzenesulfonyloxyamides, can be reacted with indole in one of two ways: 3-amidation or 1-amidomethylation, depending on the exact reaction conditions. Lastly, a novel, hyperpolarizable 15N2-labeled diazirine has been developed as an exogenous and versatile tag for use in magnetic resonance imaging.</p> / Dissertation