A series of polymethylene-linked 1,8-naphthalimide/viologen diads has been synthesized. The number of intervening methylenes was varied from 2 to 6. For comparison, a series of N-alkylpyridiniumyl-1,8-naphthalimide “parent” compounds was prepared and photophysically characterized. Relative to the parent compounds, the electronically excited singlet state of the 1,8-naphthalimide was found to be quenched by the covalently attached viologen. From Stern−Volmer analyses of the steady-state fluorescence spectra, along with the singlet-state lifetime of the pyridinium-substituted 1,8-naphthalimide, the rate constants for intramolecular quenching were calculated to range from 1.5 × 1010 s-1 (2 intervening methylenes) to 8.3 × 107 s-1 (6 intervening methylenes) in aqueous buffered solution. For comparison, the intermolecular reactivity of the excited singlet state of N-alkylpyridiniumyl-1,8-naphthalimides with methylviologen was assessed. In 0.5 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), the bimolecular rate constant was found to be 3.2 × 109 M-1 s-1. Nanosecond laser flash photolysis studies were carried out to identify the quenching products. From these studies, reduced methylviologen was identified as a singlet-state quenching product. From these results, we attribute both the intra- and intermolecular quenching process to electron transfer from the singlet excited state of 1,8-naphthalimide to methylviologen. Within the covalently linked series, the rate constant for intramolecular electron transfer was found to vary exponentially with the number of intervening methylenes. Linear least-squares analysis of the results yielded an apparent β value of 1.04 Å-1 for electron transfer through the polymethylene bridge.

The ground- and excited-state interactions of polymethylene-linked 1,8-naphthalimide-viologen dyads with calf-thymus DNA have been investigated. By virtue of the covalently attached viologen, the compounds represent the first example of linked chromophore/cosensitizer systems in the photooxidation of duplex DNA. The compounds associate strongly with DNA. Analysis of ground-state spectral changes yield binding constants of 0.7-2.5 x 10(6) M-1. Upon 355 nm pulsed irradiation of the compounds in the presence of calf-thymus DNA, reduced viologen is observed within the laser pulse. Photoproducts are not observed on this time scale in the absence of DNA. Since ground-state bleaching of the naphthalimide was not observed, the results suggest that DNA nucleobases are the species being oxidized. The quantum efficiency of radical production increases with the extent of binding to DNA. Under conditions where the compounds are bound predominantly to DNA, the quantum efficiencies were found to range from 0.02 to 0.03. Although small, the values represent a substantial increase in charge-separation yield compared to 1,8-naphthalimide compounds that lack the covalently attached viologen. The mechanism of radical production and effect of number of intervening methylenes are discussed.

The ground-and excited-state interactions of polymethylene-linked 1,8-naphthalimide-viologen dyads with calfthymus DNA have been investigated. By virtue of the covalently attached viologen, the compounds represent the first example of linked chromophore/cosensitizer systems in the photooxidation of duplex DNA. The compounds associate strongly with DNA. Analysis of groundstate spectral changes yield binding constants of 0.7-2.5 ؋ 10 6 M Ϫ1 . Upon 355 nm pulsed irradiation of the compounds in the presence of calf-thymus DNA, reduced viologen is observed within the laser pulse. Photoproducts are not observed on this time scale in the absence of DNA. Since ground-state bleaching of the naphthalimide was not observed, the results suggest that DNA nucleobases are the species being oxidized. The quantum efficiency of radical production increases with the extent of binding to DNA. Under conditions where the compounds are bound predominantly to DNA, the quantum efficiencies were found to range from 0.02 to 0.03. Although small, the values represent a substantial increase in charge-separation yield compared to 1,8-naphthalimide compounds that lack the covalently attached viologen. The mechanism of radical production and effect of number of intervening methylenes are discussed. †Abbreviations: BP, benzophenone; NHE, normal hydrogen electrode.