Special Issue "Tetrapyrroles, Porphyrins and Phthalocyanine"
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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2012)
Special Issue Editor
Guest Editor
Dr. Giuseppe Mele
Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Via Arnesano 73100 Lecce, Italy
E-Mail: giuseppe.mele@unisalento.it
Interests: phthalocyanines; porphyrins; fullerenes; catalysis; photocatalysis; environmental chemistry; green chemistry
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue on “Tetrapyrroles, Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines” will offer an attractive forum to present recent results concerning the synthesis and characterization of these classes of macrocyclic compounds devoted to the preparation of novel functional materials and their utilization to perform innovative processes.
Dr. Giuseppe Mele
Guest Editor
Submission
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs) and starting from 1 July 2012, it is 1600 CHF.
Keywords
- tetrapyrroles
- porphyrins
- phthalocyanines dyes
- catalysis
- photocatalysis
- photoxidation
- photoreduction
- degradation of pollutants
- electrophotocatalysis
- metals
- lanthanides
- liquid phase processes
- vapour phase processes
- photocatalysis
- sensitizers
- UV-light
- visible light
Published Papers (16 papers)
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Received: 17 May 2011; in revised form: 24 June 2011 / Accepted: 1 July 2011 / Published: 7 July 2011
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Abstract: Cardanol, a well known hazardous byproduct of the cashew industry, has been used as starting material for the synthesis of useful differently substituted “cardanol-based” porphyrins and their zinc(II), copper(II), cobalt(II) and Fe(III) complexes. Novel composites prepared by impregnation of polycrystalline TiO2 powder with an opportune amount of “cardanol-based” porphyrins, which act as sensitizers for the improvement of the photo-catalytic activity of the bare TiO2, have been used in the photodegradation in water of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), which is a toxic and bio-refractory pollutant, dangerous for ecosystems and human health.
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Received: 9 June 2011; in revised form: 3 August 2011 / Accepted: 5 August 2011 / Published: 15 August 2011
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Abstract: Dendrons of pyrene derivatives were attached to a porphyrin core. A marked effect in solution for the dendrimers was observed in the absorption spectra. All the compounds obtained were characterized by 1H-, 13C-NMR, FTIR, UV-vis, MALDI-TOF or FAB+ mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The cubic nonlinear optical behavior of some the synthesized compounds was tested via Z-Scan measurements in spin-coated film samples.
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Received: 2 November 2011; in revised form: 22 November 2011 / Accepted: 22 November 2011 / Published: 1 December 2011
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Abstract: Structural parameters of a range of over 100 meso-substituted zinc porphyrins were reviewed and compared to show how far the nature of the functional group may affect the interatomic distances and bond angles within the porphyrin core. It was proved that even despite evident deformations of the molecular structure, involving twisting of the porphyrin's central plane, the coupled π-bonding system remains flexible and stable. DFT calculations were applied to a number of selected porphyrins representative for the reviewed compounds to emphasize the relevance of theoretical methods in structural investigations of complex macrocyclic molecular systems. Experimental and DFT-simulated IR spectral data were reported and analyzed in context of the individual molecular features introduced by the meso substituents into the porphyrin moiety base. Raw experimental spectral data, including 1H- and 13C-NMR, UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, and other relevant physicochemical details have been provided for a specially chosen reference zinc porphyrin functionalized by tert-butylphenyl groups.
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Received: 29 November 2011; in revised form: 17 December 2011 / Accepted: 19 December 2011 / Published: 22 December 2011
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Abstract: The influence of halogen substituents on the catalytic oxidation of 2,4,6-trihalogenated phenols (TrXPs) by iron(III)-porphyrin/KHSO5 catalytic systems was investigated. Iron(III)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (FeTHP) and its supported variants were employed, where the supported catalysts were synthesized by introducing FeTHP into hydroquinone-derived humic acids via formaldehyde poly-condensation. F (TrFP), Cl (TrCP), Br (TrBP) and I (TrIP) were examined as halogen substituents for TrXPs. Although the supported catalysts significantly enhanced the degradation and dehalogenation of TrFP and TrCP, the oxidation of TrBP and TrIP was not enhanced, compared to the FeTHP catalytic system. These results indicate that the degree of oxidation of TrXPs is strongly dependent on the types of halogen substituent. The order of dehalogenation levels for halogen substituents in TrXPs was F > Cl > Br > I, consistent with their order of electronegativity. The electronegativity of a halogen substituent affects the nucleophilicity of the carbon to which it is attached. The levels of oxidation products in the reaction mixtures were analyzed by GC/MS after extraction with n-hexane. The most abundant dimer product from TrFP via 2,6-difluoroquinone is consistent with a scenario where TrXP, with a more electronegative halogen substituent, is readily oxidized, while less electronegative halogen substituents are oxidized less readily by iron(III)-porphyrin/KHSO5 catalytic systems.
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Received: 21 November 2011; in revised form: 11 January 2012 / Accepted: 16 January 2012 / Published: 25 January 2012
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Abstract: The photocatalytic activity of meso-tetraphenylporphyrins with different metal centers (Fe, Co, Mn and Cu) adsorbed on TiO2 (Degussa P25) surface has been investigated by carrying out the photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible and ultraviolet light irradiation. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance UV (DRS-UV-vis) and infrared spectra. Copper porphyrin-sensitized TiO2 photocatalyst (CuP-TiO2) showed excellent activity for the photodegradation of MO whether under visible or ultraviolet light irradiation. Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) charges analysis showed that methyl orange ion is adsorbed easier by CuP-TiO2 catalyst due to the increase of induced interactions.
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Received: 13 March 2012; in revised form: 5 April 2012 / Accepted: 6 April 2012 / Published: 13 April 2012
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Abstract: Natural-chlorophyll-related porphyrins, including (2H, Zn, Cu)-protoporphyrin IX (Por-1) and Zn-mesoporphyrin IX (Por-2), and chlorins, including chlorin e6 (Chl-1), chlorin e4 (Chl-2), and rhodin G7 (Chl-3), have been used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). For porphyrin sensitizers that have vinyl groups at the β-positions, zinc coordinated Por-1 gives the highest solar-energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency (h) of up to 2.9%. Replacing the vinyl groups of ZnPor-1 with ethyl groups increases the open-circuit voltage (Voc) from 0.61 V to 0.66 V, but decreases the short-circuit current (Jsc) from 7.0 mA·cm−2 to 6.1 mA·cm−2 and the value of h to 2.8%. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations suggest that the higher Jsc values of Zn-based porphyrin sensitizers result from the favorable electron injection from the LUMO at higher energy levels. In the case of the chlorin sensitizers, the number of carboxyl protons has a large effect on the photovoltaic performance. Chl-2 with two carboxyl protons gives much higher values of Jsc, Voc, and h than does Chl-1 with three carboxyl protons. Replacing the protons of Chl-1 with sodium ions can substantially improve the photovoltaic performance of Chl-1-based solar cells. Furthermore, the sodium salt of Chl-3 with an aldehyde group at the C7 position shows poorer photovoltaic performance than does the sodium salt of Chl-1 with methyl groups at the C7 position. This is due to the low light-harvesting capability of Chl-3.
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Received: 27 April 2012; in revised form: 16 May 2012 / Accepted: 17 May 2012 / Published: 25 May 2012
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Abstract: Zinc phthalocyanine labelled polyethylene glycol was prepared to track and monitor the in vivo fate of polyethylene glycol. The chemical structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy. Their light stability and fluorescence quantum yield were evaluated by UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy methods. The interaction of zinc phthalocyanine labelled polyethylene glycol with bovine serum albumin was evaluated by fluorescence titration and isothermal titration calorimetry methods. Optical imaging in vivo, organ aggregation as well as distribution of fluorescence experiments for tracking polyethylene glycol were performed with zinc phthalocyanine labelled polyethylene glycol as fluorescent agent. Results show that zinc phthalocyanine labelled polyethylene glycol has good optical stability and high emission ability in the near infrared region. Imaging results demonstrate that zinc phthalocyanine labelled polyethylene glycol can track and monitor the in vivo process by near infrared fluorescence imaging, which implies its potential in biomaterials evaluation in vivo by a real-time noninvasive method.
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Received: 28 April 2012; in revised form: 8 June 2012 / Accepted: 12 June 2012 / Published: 26 June 2012
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Abstract: Self-assembled molecular films of two cobalt porphyrins with amine groups at different positions—(5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(2-aminophenyl) porphyrin-cobalt(II), [Co(II) (T(o-NH2)PP)] and (5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-aminophenyl) porphyrin-cobalt(II), [Co(II)(T(p-NH2)PP)]—were formed on a gold substrate. The functionalized surfaces were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical methods. Both modified gold surfaces completely mask the charge transfer of a [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox couple in solution, indicating the layer is highly resistive in behavior. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses revealed that the porphyrin film with amine groups at ortho positions shows a higher charge-transfer resistance with a better protective behavior compared to the para position modified surface. Raman, AFM and EIS data suggests that an ortho amine positioned molecule forms a more compact layer compared to the para-positioned molecule. This can be explained in terms of their orientation on the gold surface. [Co(II)(T(o-NH2)PP)] adopted a saddle shape orientation whereas [Co(II)(T(p-NH2)PP)] adopted a flat orientation on the gold surface. The porphyrin modified gold electrode catalyzes the oxygen reduction at lower potentials compared to the bare gold electrode. The shift in the overvoltage was higher in case of molecules with flat orientation compared to the saddle shaped oriented porphyrin molecules on the surface.
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Received: 10 April 2012; in revised form: 3 August 2012 / Accepted: 6 August 2012 / Published: 8 August 2012
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Abstract: In this work, lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) and ZnO/InN inorganic semiconductor films prepared by oblique-angle deposition (OAD) were layered to form heterojunction organic/inorganic hybrid photovoltaic solar cells. Among the available organic materials, phthalocyanines, particularly the non-planar ones such as PbPc, are notable for their absorption in the visible and near infrared regions. The organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells fabricated on ZnO/OAD-InN/PbPc showed short-circuit current density (JSC), open-circuit voltage (VOC), and power conversion efficiencies (η) of 1.2 mA/cm2, 0.6 V and 0.144%, respectively.
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Received: 1 April 2012; in revised form: 4 August 2012 / Accepted: 5 August 2012 / Published: 24 August 2012
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Abstract: Semiconducting thin films were grown on quartz substrates and crystalline silicon wafers, using dilithium phthalocyanine and the organic ligands 2,6-dihydroxyanthraquinone and 2,6-diaminoanthraquinone as the starting compounds. The films, thus obtained, were characterized by Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), fast atomic bombardment (FAB+) mass and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopies. The surface morphology of these films was analyzed by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the temperature-dependent electric current in all cases showed a semiconductor behavior with conductivities on the order of 10−6·S cm−1, whereas the highest value corresponded to the thin film based upon the bidentate amine. The Tauc and Cody optical band gap values of thin films were calculated from the absorption coefficients and were found to be around 1.5 eV, with another strong band between 2.3 and 2.43 eV, arising from non-direct transitions. The curvature in the Tauc plot influencing the determination of the optical gap, the Tauc optical gap corresponding to the thicker film is smaller. The dependence of the Cody optical gap on the film thickness was negligible.
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Received: 16 July 2012; in revised form: 16 August 2012 / Accepted: 20 August 2012 / Published: 24 August 2012
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Abstract: We investigate the evolution of copper phthalocyanine thin films as they are etched with argon plasma. Significant morphological changes occur as a result of the ion bombardment; a planar surface quickly becomes an array of nanopillars which are less than 20 nm in diameter. The changes in morphology are independent of plasma power, which controls the etch rate only. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that surface concentrations of copper and oxygen increase with etch time, while carbon and nitrogen are depleted. Despite these changes in surface stoichiometry, we observe no effect on the work function. The absorbance and X-ray diffraction spectra show no changes other than the peaks diminishing with etch time. These findings have important implications for organic photovoltaic devices which seek nanopillar thin films of metal phthalocyanine materials as an optimal structure.
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Received: 31 July 2012; in revised form: 27 August 2012 / Accepted: 29 August 2012 / Published: 5 September 2012
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Abstract: The G-quadruplex, a four-stranded DNA structure with stacked guanine tetrads (G-quartets), has recently been attracting attention because of its critical roles in vitro and in vivo. In particular, the G-quadruplex functions as ligands for metal ions and aptamers for various molecules. Interestingly, the G-quadruplex can show peroxidase-like activity with an anionic porphyrin, iron (III) protoporphyrin IX (hemin). Importantly, hemin binds to G-quadruplexes with high selectivity over single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), which is attributable to an electrostatic repulsion of phosphate groups in ssDNA and dsDNA. The G-quadruplex and hemin-G-quadruplex complex allow development of sensing techniques to detect DNA, metal ions and proteins. In addition to hemin, anionic phthalocyanines also bind to the G-quadruplex formed by human telomere DNA, specifically over ssDNA and dsDNA. Since the binding of anionic phthalocyanines to the G-quadruplex causes an inhibition of telomerase activity, which plays a role in the immortal growth of cancer cells, anionic phthalocyanines are promising as novel anticancer drug candidates. This review focuses on the specific binding of hemin and anionic phthalocyanines to G-quadruplexes and the applications in vitro and in vivo of this binding property.
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Received: 3 August 2012; in revised form: 10 August 2012 / Accepted: 3 September 2012 / Published: 7 September 2012
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Abstract: Novel sandwich-type phthalocyanines containing a rare earth metal core (Pr, Nd, Eu–Lu) and macrocycles peripherally substituted by pentadecylphenoxy groups were synthesized using a cardanol-based phthalonitrile precursor and the respective lanthanide acetate. Additionally, the metal free-base analog compound was studied for comparison. The purified reaction products were all found to be thick and viscous substances at room temperature, showing liquid crystalline behavior with a distinct increase in fluidity at ca. 40 °C. The complexes are readily soluble in chloroalkyl solvents and dissolve fairly well in DMF with some tendency to form aggregates. Besides they are strongly hydrophobic and reveal a peculiar affinity for lipophilic media. The compounds have been characterized by UV-Vis (absorption and emission), FTIR, MS and DSC methods. Photochemical activity in the liquid phase (dimethylformamide, dichloromethane, mineral oil) and the degree of photodegradation demonstrated under constant UV-irradiation (λ = 352 nm) have been analyzed and discussed in terms of photostability.
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Received: 1 August 2012; in revised form: 8 September 2012 / Accepted: 11 September 2012 / Published: 9 October 2012
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Abstract: Metalloporphyrins which form the core of many bioenzymes and natural light harvesting or electron transport systems, exhibit a variety of selective functional properties depending on the state and surroundings with which they exist in biological systems. The specificity and ease with which they function in each of their bio-functions appear to be largely governed by the nature and disposition of the protein globule around the porphyrin reaction center. Synthetic porphyrin frameworks confined within or around a pre-organized molecular entity like the protein network in natural systems have attracted considerable attraction, especially in the field of biomimetic reactions. At the same time a large number of macrocyclic oligomers such as calixarenes, resorcinarenes, spherands, cyclodextrins and crown ethers have been investigated in detail as efficient molecular receptors. These molecular receptors are synthetic host molecules with enclosed interiors, which are designed three dimensionally to ensure strong and precise molecular encapsulation/recognition. Due to their complex structures, enclosed guest molecules reside in an environment isolated from the outside and as a consequence, physical properties and chemical reactions specific to that environment in these guest species can be identified. The facile incorporation of such molecular receptors into the highly photoactive and catalytically efficient porphyrin framework allows for convenient design of useful molecular systems with unique structural and functional properties. Such systems have provided over the years attractive model systems for the study of various biological and chemical processes, and the design of new materials and molecular devices. This review focuses on the recent developments in the synthesis of porphyrin assemblies associated with cyclodextrins, calixarenes and resorcinarenes and their potential applications in the fields of molecular encapsulation/recognition, and chemical catalysis.
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Received: 27 August 2012; in revised form: 15 October 2012 / Accepted: 16 October 2012 / Published: 18 October 2012
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Abstract: Cardanol is a natural and renewable organic raw material obtained as the major chemical component by vacuum distillation of cashew nut shell liquid. In this work a new sustainable procedure for producing cardanol-based micellar nanodispersions having an embedded lipophilic porphyrin itself peripherally functionalized with cardanol substituents (porphyrin-cardanol hybrid) has been described for the first time. In particular, cardanol acts as the solvent of the cardanol hybrid porphyrin and cholesterol as well as being the main component of the nanodispersions. In this way a “green” micellar nanodispersion, in which a high percentage of the micellar system is derived from renewable “functional” molecules, has been produced.
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Received: 26 October 2012; in revised form: 20 December 2012 / Accepted: 25 December 2012 / Published: 4 January 2013
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Abstract: The crossed and linked histories of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, interwoven with new research discoveries, suggest that Nature has found in these structures a way to ensure the continuity of life. For diverse applications porphyrins or phthalocyanines must be trapped inside solid networks, but due to their nature, these compounds cannot be introduced by thermal diffusion; the sol-gel method makes possible this insertion through a soft chemical process. The methodologies for trapping or bonding macrocycles inside pristine or organo-modified silica or inside ZrO2 xerogels were developed by using phthalocyanines and porphyrins as molecular probes. The sizes of the pores formed depend on the structure, the cation nature, and the identities and positions of peripheral substituents of the macrocycle. The interactions of the macrocyclic molecule and surface Si-OH groups inhibit the efficient displaying of the macrocycle properties and to avoid this undesirable event, strategies such as situating the macrocycle far from the pore walls or to exchange the Si-OH species by alkyl or aryl groups have been proposed. Spectroscopic properties are better preserved when long unions are established between the macrocycle and the pore walls, or when oligomeric macrocyclic species are trapped inside each pore. When macrocycles are trapped inside organo-modified silica, their properties result similar to those displayed in solution and their intensities depend on the length of the alkyl chain attached to the matrix. These results support the prospect of tuning up the pore size, surface area, and polarity inside the pore cavities in order to prepare efficient catalytic, optical, sensoring, and medical systems. The most important feature is that research would confirm again that tetrapyrrolic macrocycles can help in the development of the authentic pore engineering in materials science.
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Last update: 26 September 2012
