Research in fluorescence microscopy presents new challenges, especially with respect to the development of new metal-based fluorophores. In this work, the news fac-[Re(CO) 3 (bpy)L]PF 6 (C3) and fac-[Re(CO) 3 (dmb)L]PF 6 (C4) complexes, where L is an ancillary ligand E-2-((3-amino-pyridin-4-ylimino)-methyl)-4,6-diterbutylphenol, both exhibiting an intramolecular hydrogen bond, have been synthesized for its use as preliminary probes for fluorescence microscopy. The complexes were characterized using chemical techniques such as UV-Vis, 1 H-NMR, TOCSY, FT-IR, cyclic voltammetry, mass spectra (EI-MS 752.22 M + for C3 and 780.26 M + for C4) and DFT calculations including spin-orbit effects. The electron withdrawing nature of the ancillary ligand L in C3 and C4 explains their electrochemical behavior, which shows the oxidation of Re I at 1.84 V for C3 and at 1.88 V for C4. The UV-vis absorption and emission properties have been studied at room temperature in acetonitrile solution. The complexes show luminescent emission with a large Stokes shift (λ ex = 366 nm; λ em = 610 nm for C3 and λ ex = 361 nm; λ em = 560 nm for C4). The TDDFT calculations suggest that an experimental mixed absorption band at 360 nm could be assigned to MLCT (d(Re) →π*(dmb))and LLCT (π(L)→π*(dmb)) transitions. We also assessed the cytotoxicity of C3 and C4 in an epithelial cell line (T84). We found that 12.5 µg/ml of C3 or C4 is the minimum concentration needed to kill the 80% of cell population, as determined by neutral red uptake. Finally, the potential of C3 and C4 as biological dyes for use in fluorescent microscopy was assessed in bacteria (Salmonella enterica) and yeasts (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus spp.), and in an ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3). We found that, in all cases, both C3 and C4 are suitable compounds to be used as fluorescent dyes for biological purposes. In addition, we present evidence suggesting that these rhenium (I) tricarbonyl complexes may be also useful as differential fluorescent dyes in yeasts (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus spp.), without the need of antibodies.

A theoretical procedure, via quantum chemical computations, to elucidate the detection principle of the turn‐off luminescence mechanism of an Eu‐based Metal‐Organic Framework sensor (Eu‐MOF) selective to aniline, is accomplished. The energy transfer channels that take place in the Eu‐MOF, as well as understanding the luminescence quenching by aniline, were investigated using the well‐known and accurate multiconfigurational ab initio methods along with sTD‐DFT. Based on multireference calculations, the sensitization pathway from the ligand (antenna) to the lanthanide was assessed in detail, that is, intersystem crossing (ISC) from the S1 to the T1 state of the ligand, with subsequent energy transfer to the 5D0 state of Eu3+. Finally, emission from the 5D0 state to the 7FJ state is clearly evidenced. Otherwise, the interaction of Eu‐MOF with aniline produces a mixture of the electronic states of both systems, where molecular orbitals on aniline now appear in the active space. Consequently, a stabilization of the T1 state of the antenna is observed, blocking the energy transfer to the 5D0 state of Eu3+, leading to a non‐emissive deactivation. Finally, in this paper, it was demonstrated that the host‐guest interactions, which are not taken frequently into account by previous reports, and the employment of high‐level theoretical approaches are imperative to raise new concepts that explain the sensing mechanism associated to chemical sensors.

Imidazopyridine showed fluorescence properties suitable for imaging with both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

A methodology that allows us to explain the experimental behavior of a turn-on luminescent chemosensor is proposed and verified in 1-[(1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-ylimino)-methyl]-naphthalene-2-ol] (L1), selective to Al 3+ cations. This sensor increases its emission when interacting with ions upon excitation at 442 nm, which is denoted as the chelation-enhanced fluorescence effect. Photoinduced electron transfer is responsible for the fluorescence quenching in L1 at 335 nm, in Ni 2+ /L1 at 385 nm, and in Zn 2+ / L1 at 378 nm. In Ni 2+ /L, ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT), from the molecular orbital of the ligand to the Ni 3d x 2 − y 2 orbital, can contribute to the quenching of fluorescence. Based on oscillator strength, the highest luminescence intensity of L1 at 401 nm and that of Al 3+ /L1 at 494 nm in relation to the others is evidenced. The consideration of the relative energies of the excited states and the calculation of the rate and lifetime of the electron transfer deactivation are necessary to get a good description of the sensor.

We present a close-coupling study of the bending relaxation of H 2 O by collision with He, taking explicitly into account the bending-rotation coupling within the Rigid-Bender close-coupling (RB-CC) method. A 4D potential energy surface is developed based on a large grid of ab initio points calculated at the CCSD(T) level of theory. The bound states energies of the He-H 2 O complex are computed and found to be in excellent agreement with previous theoretical calculations. The dynamics results also compare very well with the rigid rotor results available in the Basecol database and with experimental data for both rotational transitions and bending relaxation. The bending rotation coupling is also demonstrated to be very efficient in increasing bending relaxation when the rotational excitation of H 2 O increases.