The free radical scavenging activity of Trolox was studied for aqueous and lipid environments using the Density Functional Theory. Several reaction mechanisms and free radicals of different chemical nature have been included in this study, as well as the influence of the pH. Trolox was found to be a powerful ˙OH and alkoxy scavenger, regardless of the conditions under which the reaction takes place. It was also found to be very efficient as a peroxy radical scavenger in aqueous solution, while its protective effects against this particular kind of free radicals are significantly reduced in lipid solution. Four reaction mechanisms were found to significantly contribute to the ˙OH scavenging activity of Trolox in aqueous solution: hydrogen transfer (HT), radical adduct formation (RAF), single electron transfer (SET), and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), while in lipid media two of them are relevant: HT and RAF. The ˙OCH3, ˙OOH, and ˙OOCHCH2 scavenging processes are predicted to take place almost exclusively by HT from the phenolic OH group in lipid media, and in aqueous solution at pH < 11, while at higher pH values the SPLET mechanism is proposed as the main one. This is also the case for other non-halogenated alkyl or alkenyl peroxy (and alkoxy) radicals. The agreement with the available experimental data supports the reliability of the presented calculations.

Hypoxia presents a two-fold challenge in the treatment of cancer, as low oxygen conditions induce biological changes that make malignant tissues simultaneously more aggressive and less susceptible to standard chemotherapy....

Ru­(II) complexes that undergo photosubstitution reactions from triplet metal-centered (3MC) excited states are of interest in photochemotherapy (PCT) due to their potential to produce cytotoxic effects in hypoxia. Dual-action systems that incorporate this stoichiometric mode to complement the oxygen-dependent photosensitization pathways that define photodynamic therapy (PDT) are poised to maintain antitumor activity regardless of the oxygenation status. Herein, we examine the way in which these two pathways influence photocytotoxicity in normoxia and in hypoxia using the [Ru­(dmp)2(IP-nT)]2+ series (where dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and IP-nT = imidazo­[4,5-f]­[1,10]­phenanthroline tethered to n = 0–4 thiophene rings) to switch the dominant excited state from the metal-based 3MC state in the case of Ru-phen–Ru-1T to the ligand-based 3ILCT state for Ru-3T and Ru-4T. Ru-phen–Ru-1T, having dominant 3MC states and the largest photosubstitution quantum yields, are inactive in both normoxia and hypoxia. Ru-3T and Ru-4T, with dominant 3IL/3ILCT states and long triplet lifetimes (τTA = 20–25 μs), have the poorest photosubstitution quantum yields, yet are extremely active. In the best instances, Ru-4T exhibit attomolar phototoxicity toward SKMEL28 cells in normoxia and picomolar in hypoxia, with phototherapeutic index values in normoxia of 105–1012 and 103–106 in hypoxia. While maximizing excited-state deactivation through photodissociative 3MC states did not result in bonafide dual-action PDT/PCT agents, the study has produced the most potent photosensitizer we know of to date. The extraordinary photosensitizing capacity of Ru-3T and Ru-4T may stem from a combination of very efficient 1O2 production and possibly complementary type I pathways via 3ILCT excited states.

Ru(II) dyads are a class of bioactive molecules of interest as anticancer agents obtained incorporating an organic chromophore in the light-absorbing metallic scaffold. A careful DFT and TDDFT investigation of the photophysical properties of a series of Ru(II)-polypiridyl dyads containing polythiophene chains of different lengths bound to a coordinating imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline ligand is herein reported. The modulation of the crucial chemical and physical properties of the photosensitizer with increasing number of thiophene units has been accurately described by investigating the UV-vis spectra and type I and type II photoreactions, also including spin-orbit coupling values (SOC). Results show that the low-lying IL states afforded as the number of thiophene ligands increases (n = 3, 4) are energetically high enough to ensure singlet oxygen production and can be also involved in electron transfer reaction, showing a dual type I/type II photeoreactivity.