Academic literature on the topic 'Photochemistry; Benzophenones'

A number of α-hydroxy-3-benzylbenzophenones 7–11 have been synthesized for the purpose of studying the effect of a phenyl substituent on the intramolecular photoredox reaction of 3-(hydroxymethyl)benzophenone (5) discovered in our laboratory. This latter compound was found to undergo a unimolecular (formal) intramolecular redox reaction upon photolysis in aqueous acid that results in clean reduction of the benzophenone ketone (to secondary alcohol) and oxidation of the alcohol to aldehyde. Three of the phenyl-substituted compounds with simple phenyl (7), p-methylphenyl (8), and p-methoxyphenyl (9) were found to undergo the acid-catalyzed intramolecular photoredox reaction with the observation that 9 also undergoes a residual photoredox reaction that is not acid-mediated and may involve initial photoinduced electron transfer, which is supported by LFP data. The m-methoxyphenyl (10) compound did not undergo the reaction. The trend in observed relative reactivity may be partially rationalized by examining changes in molecular orbital coefficients observed in the calculated HOMOs and LUMOs. The photoredox reaction has also been applied twice in succession in a single compound 11, demonstrating that the photoredox reaction may be useful for sequential photoredox reactions in a multifunctional compound.Key words: intramolecular photoredox, acid catalysis, meta effect, benzophenone photochemistry.

We designed a novel tri-functional platform and facilely constructed dual-functional surfaces in one pot by combining the “sulfur(vi)-fluoride exchange” (SuFEx) click reaction, photoinitiated polymerization and benzophenone photochemistry.

This work reports the use of benzophenone, a very well characterized probe, to study new hosts (i.e., modified celluloses grafted with alkyl chains bearing 12 carbon atoms) by surface esterification. Laser-induced room temperature luminescence of air-equilibrated or argon-purged solid powdered samples of benzophenone adsorbed onto the two modified celluloses, which will be named C12-1500 and C12-1700, revealed the existence of a vibrationally structured phosphorescence emission of benzophenone in the case where ethanol was used for sample preparation, while a nonstructured emission of benzophenone exists when water was used instead of ethanol. The decay times of the benzophenone emission vary greatly with the solvent used for sample preparation and do not change with the alkylation degree in the range of 1500–1700 micromoles of alkyl chains per gram of cellulose. When water was used as a solvent for sample preparation, the shortest lifetime for the benzophenone emission was observed; this result is similar to the case of benzophenone adsorbed onto the “normal” microcrystalline cellulose surface, with this latter case previously reported by Vieira Ferreira et al. in 1995. This is due to the more efficient hydrogen abstraction reaction from the glycoside rings of cellulose when compared with hydrogen abstraction from the alkyl chains of the modified celluloses. Triplet-triplet transient absorption of benzophenone was obtained in both cases and is the predominant absorption immediately after laser pulse, while benzophenone ketyl radical formation occurs in a microsecond time scale both for normal and modified celluloses.

Nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy (ns-TR3), nanosecond transient absorption (ns-TA) and femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) were utilized to investigate the photochemistry of ketoprofen (KP), ketoprofen-purine dyads, fenofebric acid (FA) in different solutions. For KP, the rate constant and reaction mechanism of KP are strongly dependent on the concentration of water. In neat acetonitrile and acetonitrile-rich solutions (water:acetonitrile?1:1, v:v), KP exhibits mostly benzophenone-like photochemistry to give rise to triplet state which in turn transforms to ketyl radical intermediate by hydrogen abstraction reaction. However, in aqueous solutions with higher water ratios (water:acetonitrile?80%) or acidic solutions, fs-TA studies found that after the irradiation of KP the singlet state will transform into the triplet state with a high efficiency through an intersystem crossing and a triplet state mediated decarboxylation reaction of KP is confirmed in water-rich and acidic solutions as well as the triplet state KP- anion generating a KP carbanion through a decarboxylation reaction. Triplet state ketoprofen (3KP) is firstly observed by ns-TR3 experiments and then excited triplet state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) induces 3KP to facilely undergo the decarboxylation reaction to generate a triplet protonated carbanion biradical (3BCH) species, this observation is also confirmed by the results from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For solutions with higher water concentrations (such as between 50% and 90% water by volume), the hydrogen abstraction and decarboxylation processes are two competitive pathways with different rate constants. For KP-purine dyads, intramolecular hydrogen abstraction has been proposed to form ketyl-C1 biradical in acetonitrile solvent. Fs-TA study on KP-purine nucleoside dyads reveals that 3KP of cisoid dyads decays faster than 3KP of transoid dyads obtained in acetonitrile-water mixtures. Ns-TR3 experiments and DFT calculations suggest that ketyl-C1 biradical intermediate is generated with a higher efficiency for the 5-KP-dG dyad than for the 5-KP-dA and 5-KPGly-dA dyads. There is no ketyl-C1 biradical observed in ns-TR3 experiments for the 3-KP-dA dyad with transoid structure due to a steric effect. For FA, a solvent dependent photochemistry is observed. A typical nπ* triplet state FA (3FA) is evolved by a high efficient intersystem crossing in acetonitrile-rich solutions and subsequently 3FA promptly abstracts a hydrogen from water molecule to generate a ketyl radical intermediate. In contrast, an inversion of the hydrogen abstraction and decarboxylation reactions of nπ* 3FA is rationalized with the assistance of water molecules when going from acetonitrile-rich to water-rich mixtures. However, in 50% PBS solution, FA carbanion is observed from the picosecond to nanosecond times and the cleavage of FA carbanion gives rise to the enolate 3- anion at later nanosecond delay times.
published_or_final_version
Chemistry
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

Femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption (fs-TA), nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption (ns-TA), and nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy (ns-TR3) methods were used to study the behaviors of the transient intermediates involved in the photophysical and photochemical processes of 3-methylbenzophenone (3-MeBP), 3-(hydroxymethyl)benzophenone (m-BPOH), and 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) 9,10-anthraquinone (2-HEAQ). A particular focus of this work was to study the unusual meta methyl activation reactions of these compounds in water-containing solutions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to help make assignments of the observed experimental transient species and to better understand the reaction mechanisms. First, the photophysical and photochemical reactions of m-BPOH were investigated in selected solvents. In acetonitrile (MeCN) the formation of the triplet state of m-BPOH, (denoted as (m-BPOH)3 ), was detected via an intersystem crossing (ISC). In 2-propanol (IPA), (m-BPOH)3 abstracted a hydrogen atom from the solvent molecule to form an aryl ketyl radical. In an acidic mixed aqueous solution at pH 2, the photoredox reaction appeared to be the predominant reaction. In a more acidic aqueous solution with [H+] =1.0 M, the photoredox reaction faced some competition from the overall photohydration reaction. Second, the photophysical and photochemical reactions of 2-HEAQ in MeCN, IPA, and neutral, acid and basic aqueous solutions were studied. The ISC process of 2-HEAQ took place in MeCN with generation of the triplet excited state species of 2-HEAQ, (2-HEAQ)3. In IPA solvent, (2-HEAQ)3 underwent a hydrogen abstraction with the solvent. A photoredox reaction takes place via an initial protonation process of the AQ group that is followed by deprotonation of the methylene C-H bond in aqueous solutions within a pH range from 2 to 10. Under a stronger acidic aqueous condition with [H+] =1.0 M, the photohydration reaction becomes the major reaction. In strong basic solutions (pH=12) only ISC was observed to take place. The unusual photoredox reaction takes place via protonation of the carbonyl oxygen first followed by deprotonation of the C-H bond in the side chain for both m-BPOH and 2-HEAQ. The protonation of the excited carbonyl oxygen group has been widely studied. On the other hand, the deprotonation of methylene C-H bond is unusual. Therefore, this photoredox reaction for m-BPOH and 2-HEAQ is termed as a meta methyl activation reaction. Third, the photophysical and photochemical reactions of 3-MeBP were explored and compared to those of 4-methylbenzophenone (4-MeBP). This work found that 3-MeBP and 4-MeBP exhibit similar behaviors with m-BPOH and 2-HEAQ in MeCN and IPA. In MeCN, both 3-MeBP and 4-MeBP undergo an efficient ISC process producing triplet excited state species, (3-MeBP)3 and (4-MeBP)3, respectively. In IPA, the (3-MeBP)3 and (4-MeBP)3 intermediates were quenched by the hydrogen abstraction reaction with the solvent. In acidic aqueous solutions (pH  2), the protonated carbonyl oxygen species (3-MeBPH+)3 and (4-(MeBPH+)3 are directly observed by fs-TA spectra. In the case of 4-MeBP, a photohydration is detected and the m-(4-MeBPH2O)3 and o-(4-MeBPH2O)1 species are observed. In contrast, an unusual meta methyl activation reaction is observed for 3-MeBP. In a stronger acid aqueous solution ([H+] =1.0 M) the meta methyl activation reaction becomes the predominant reaction.
published_or_final_version
Chemistry
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

The discovery and mechanistic investigation of a new class of photochemical reactions of benzophenones and related compounds is documented in this Thesis. Their photobehaviour in aqueous solvent media varied dramatically from their well-known behaviour in organic solvents and suggests unique and unprecedented mechanistic pathways. The aqueous photoredox chemistry of various substituted benzophenones was initially explored. Particular attention was paid to 3-(hydroxymethyl)benzophenone (47), which upon photolysis in acidic aqueous media undergoes an intramolecular photoredox reaction to produce 3-formylbenzhydrol (61). Extensive investigation into the mechanistic behaviour of 3-(hydroxymethyl)benzophenone (47) produced evidence of a unique solvent-mediated, acid catalysed photoreaction. A mechanism has been proposed for the intramolecular photoredox reaction that proceeds via the protonated triplet state. This protonated triplet state subsequently promotes the deprotonation of the benzylic carbon before rearranging to form the redox product. The modification of the benzylic carbon with an alkyl group or with a phenyl group resulted in only slight changes in the photobehaviour. In both cases intramolecular photoredox reactions were observed although significantly more oligomeric side products were observed in some cases. To more fully elucidate the photobehaviour and to test the generality of the photoredox reaction, a variety of structurally related hydroxyalkyl aromatic carbonyls were synthesized and studied. Alternative chromophores were explored using xanthone and fluorenone derivatives. Both types of derivative compounds underwent an intramolecular photoredox reaction, supporting the assertion that the intramolecular photoredox reaction could be considered a general feature of aromatic carbonyls under aqueous conditions. However, significant differences in photoreactivity were also observed. It was found that 2-(hydroxymethyl)xanthone (53) exhibited sufficient photoactivity that the intramolecular photoredox reaction was observable even under neutral conditions whereas 2-(hydroxymethyl)fluorenone (54) was nearly photoinert. The last topic focuses on the extension of the electronic transmission from the carbonyl functional group to the benzylic alcohol by insertion of an additional phenyl group. The addition of the phenyl group also provided a bichromophoric molecule, rather than the monochromophoric substrates studied to this point. The substituent’s position played an important role in the photobehaviour, in that both of the meta- and ortho- substituted compounds underwent intramolecular photoredox reaction, while the para- substituted compound primarily exhibited photobehaviour indicative of hydrogen abstraction.

This dissertation aims to both deepen and broaden our understanding of copolymers with pendent benzophenone (BP) in relation to both established applications and novel directions in materials science. Photo-reaction of these BP copolymers is explored in attempts to achieve three distinct goals: (1) robust and efficiently photo-crosslinkable solid polymer films, (2) photo-reacted polymer blends with disordered bicontinuous nanostructures, and (3) photo-patterned hydrogel materials with environmental UV stability. We begin by investigating the fundamental gelation behavior of solid polymer films, finding BP copolymers to be particularly effective crosslinkable materials. Gelation efficiency can be tuned according to comonomer chemistry, as BP hydrogen abstraction on the main polymer chain increases chain scission, reducing crosslinking efficiency. This knowledge is then applied in Chapter 3, wherein we discuss two potential methods for preparing nanostructured polymer blends from these copolymers, namely spinodal decomposition of a photo-crosslinked polymer blend and solution-state photografting to create interfacially active species. While each technique shows promise, the ultimate goal of a disordered bicontinuous morphology will require further tuning of materials systems and protocols. Finally, chemical deactivation of BP photo-crosslinker in copolymers for use as photo-patternable and environmentally stable hydrogel materials is investigated. Reduction of BP by sodium borohydride proves a feasible route toward deactivating residual photo-crosslinker in patterned hydrogel films. These results confirm the utility of copolymers with pendent benzophenone photo-crosslinkers as useful tools for complex material systems.

The topical application of sunscreens is widely practised to protect healthy and photosensitive skins from the sun. The benzophenone-derived sunscreens, e.g. 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone-5-sulphonic acid (or benzophenone-4) and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone (or benzophenone-3), were ranked as the second and third most frequently used sunscreens, respectively, by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996. These sunscreens are categorised as being 'safe' and 'effective'. However, it is well known that the parent compound, benzophenone, undergoes rapid hydrogen abstraction reactions on irradiation and is an extremely powerful radical generator. In addition, benzophenone has been shown to be a potent photosensitizer of thymine dimers in deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA). More astounding to the sunscreen industry is the recent discovery that a group of non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) having the benzophenone backbone, e.g. ketoprofen, not only form thymine dimers when irradiated with DNA in vitro, but also photosensitize double stranded supercoiled DNA making it prone to single-strand break formation. Both these lesions, if unrepaired, may contribute to mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, inherited disease and eventually cell death. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a group of benzophenone-derived sunscreen agents has the ability to photosensitize the cleavage of DNA, whereby supercoiled DNA is converted to the relaxed circular and linear forms. The group of UV absorbers investigated in this study included benzophenone-4, benzophenone-3 , 2,4 dihydroxybenzophenone (or benzophenone-l), 2,2'-dihydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxy benzophenone sulphonic acid (or trade name Uvinul DS49) and 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulphonic acid (or trade name Eusolex 232). For comparison the parent compound benzophenone and the NSAID ketoprofen, a well-known photocleaver, were also studied. Buffered aqueous solutions of the benzophenones were irradiated in the presence of DNA at wavelengths greater than 300 nm with an Osram 500 W/2 high-pressure mercury lamp in conjunction with a 10 mm thick Pyrex filter. The irradiated samples were analysed for DNA cleavage by agarose gel electrophoresis and for DNA binding by fluorescence spectroscopy. The photostability of the UV absorbers was also investigated. In addition, computational studies were conducted to obtain the lowest energy geometrical structures of these UV absorbers and hence determine if intercalation of these UV absorbers with DNA was possible. From the photostability experiments conducted, it is apparent that the benzophenone-based UV absorbers were stable to photodecomposition when irradiated with UV light. They behaved in a manner different from their parent compound benzophenone, and from ketoprofen, where substantial photodegradation occurred upon UV irradiation. This is indicative of the rapid photoreactivity of the benzophenone backbone. The relative photostability of the UV absorbers was not anticipated and was attributed to the substituents present on the benzophenone backbone. The agarose gel electrophoresis experiments however clearly showed that benzophenone, ketoprofen, benzophenone-l, Uvinul DS49 and Eusolex 232 cleave ?X174 DNA when irradiated with UV light at wavelengths greater than 300 nm, while benzophenone-3 and benzophenone-4 did not. For these UV absorbers with the exception of benzophenone-3 and benzophenone-4, the number of single strand breaks in the DNA increased compared to when it was irradiated in their absence. In addition, the supercoiled DNA was converted to the relaxed circular and linear forms, the latter of which was undetected in the absence of the UV absorbers. Binding of benzophenone, ketoprofen, benzophenone-l and Uvinul DS49 to calf thymus DNA was also detected by the fluorescence spectroscopy technique. However, this was not observed for Eusolex 232, benzophenone-3 and benzophenone-4, since they did not compete with ethidium bromide for DNA binding sites. Where DNA cleavage did occur, the mechanism of this interaction had to be determined hence the motivation for the computational studies. From computational studies using PM3 semi- empirical calculations, it was determined that the benzophenone-based UV absorbers investigated, apart from Eusolex 232, displayed non-planar geometrical structures. This indicated that DNA intercalation of these sunscreen agents with DNA would at best be very limited, since only one half of the molecule could possibly interact with the bases of DNA. For benzophenone, ketoprofen, benzophenone-l and Uvinul DS49, photosensitised type I and type II processes involving triplet energy transfer reactions has been identified in literature as being responsible for DNA cleavage. It was determined by ab initio calculations that Eusolex 232 exists in a planar structure unlike the other UV absorbers mentioned above that were non- planar. It was concluded that although Eusolex 232 has the ability to intercalate with the base pairs of DNA, it does not do so, as shown by its lack of binding to calf thymus DNA by the fluorescence spectroscopy study. Literature alludes to photooxidation by singlet oxygen in single stranded DNA via the type II reaction and type I electron transfer reactions in double stranded DNA as the mechanism responsible for DNA cleavage induced by Eusolex 232.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.