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Jean-Claude G Bünzli

Publications and source records attributed to Jean-Claude G Bünzli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

A novel strategy for the design of 8-hydroxyquinolinate-based lanthanide bioprobes that emit in the near infrared range.

A new polydentate tripodal ligand T2soxMe was synthesized to take advantage of the chelating effect of tridentate 8-hydroxyquinolinate subunits. Potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations reveal seven pK(a) values of between 3.7 and 10.2. In water, the use of T2soxMe leads to thermodynamically stable and soluble Ln(III) complexes at physiological pH, with conditional stability constants in the range log beta(11)=7.8-8.6. The chelates are resistant toward hydrolysis and show interesting photophysical properties, particularly in the near infrared (NIR) range. The emission lifetimes of the Nd(III) and Yb(III) complexes recorded in D(2)O and H(2)O suggest the absence of water molecules in the first coordination sphere of the metal ions. Moreover, the low energy of the triplet state allows efficient energy transfer from the ligand to the metal ions: in water at pH 7.4, the sensitization efficacy of the NIR luminescence reaches 75 and approximately 100 % for Nd(III) and Yb(III), respectively, leading to overall quantum yields of 0.027 and 0.13 %; Er(III) luminescence is also detected. According to the WST-1 test, the Yb(III) podate at concentrations of up to 250 microM does not display sizeable cytotoxicity for Jurkat cells after 24 h of incubation. Finally, the same podate is shown to couple to human serum albumin, leading to an increase of 50 % in the NIR-luminescence intensity.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMed2006

Lanthanide triple-stranded helicates: controlling the yield of the heterobimetallic species.

Two unsymmetrical ditopic hexadentate ligands designed for the simultaneous recognition of two different trivalent lanthanide ions have been synthesized, L(AB2) and L(AB3), where A represents a tridentate benzimidazole-pyridine-benzimidazole coordination unit, B2 a diethylamine-substituted benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide one, and B3 a chlorine-substituted benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide moiety. Under stoichiometric 2:3 (Ln/L) conditions, these ligands self-assemble with lanthanide ions to yield triple-stranded bimetallic helicates. The crystal structures of four helicates with L(AB3) of composition [LnLn'(L(AB3))3](ClO4)6.solv (CeCe, PrPr, PrLu, NdLu) show the metal ions embedded into a helical structure with a pitch of about 13.2-13.4 A. The metal ions lie at a distance of 9.1-9.2 A and are nine-coordinated by the three ligand strands, which are oriented in a HHH (head-head-head) fashion, where all ligand strands are oriented in the same direction. In the presence of a pair of different lanthanide ions in acetonitrile solution, the ligand L(AB3) shows selectivity and gives high yields of heterobimetallic complexes. L(AB2) displays less selectivity, and this is shown to be directly related to the tendency of this ligand to form high yields of HHT (head-head-tail) isomer. A fine-tuning of the HHH left arrow over right arrow HHT equilibrium and of the selectivity for heteropairs of Ln(III) ions is therefore at hand.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Use of dipicolinate-based complexes for producing ion-imprinted polystyrene resins for the extraction of yttrium-90 and heavy lanthanide cations.

Highly selective separation of yttrium (and lanthanides) is of interest for the design of radiopharmaceuticals, and an efficient method based on the ion-imprinting concept is proposed here. The synthesis and structural, thermodynamic and photophysical characterization of complexes of trivalent yttrium and lanthanides with two new vinyl derivatives of dipicolinic acid, HL1 and L2, are described. The feasibility of using ion-imprinted resins for yttrium and lanthanide separation is demonstrated. The resins were obtained by copolymerization with styrene and divinylbenzene and subsequent acid treatment to remove the metal ion. High-resolution Eu luminescence experiments revealed that the geometry of the complexation sites is well preserved in the imprinted polymers. The ion-imprinted polymer based on HL1 proved to be particularly well adapted for yttrium extraction, having a sizeable capacity (8.9+/-0.2 mg g(-1) resin) and a fast rate of extraction (t(1/2)=1.7 min). In addition, lighter and heavier lanthanide ions are separated. Finally, the resin displays high selectivity for yttrium and lanthanide cations against alkali and alkaline earth metals. For instance, in a typical experiment, 10 mg of yttrium was extracted from 5 g of milk ash sample by 2 g of the resin. The good separation properties displayed by the resin based on HL1 open interesting perspectives for the production of highly pure (90)Y and radiolanthanides for medical applications, and for trace analysis of these radiochemicals in food and in the environment.

Cations↗
PubMed2006

Thermotropic lanthanidomesogens.

Due to their high and variable coordination numbers leading to poorly predictable three-dimensional coordination spheres, the trivalent lanthanide metal ions are challenging molecular objects for introduction into thermotropic liquid crystals. Conversely, their predictive electronic, optical and magnetic metal-centred properties make them particularly attractive for being incorporated into switchable macroscopic materials responding to external electric and magnetic stimuli. We briefly describe here some of the important concepts and strategies leading to the recent successful preparation of luminescent thermotropic lanthanide-containing mesophases, for which the generic term lanthanidomesogens is proposed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

NIR lanthanide luminescence by energy transfer from appended terpyridine-boradiazaindacene dyes.

Mononuclear trivalent lanthanide complexes with formula [Ln(L)(NO(3))(3)] [in which L=4,4-difluoro-8-(2':2'';6'':2'''-terpyridin-4''-yl)-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-diethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (Boditerpy)] are reported for Ln=Yb, Nd, Er, La and Gd. According to the crystal structure of the Yb complex, the lanthanide ion is bound to the terdentate terpyridine and the inner coordination sphere of the nine-coordinate lanthanide ion is completed by three bidentate nitrate anions. The coordination polyhedron can be described as a distorted tricapped antiprism. The terpyridine chelate is almost planar and tilted by nearly 60 degrees from the indacene subunit. FT-IR spectra confirm the bidentate binding mode of the nitrate anions for the other complexes. NMR and ES-MS spectra (through characteristic isotopic patterns) confirm the chemical formulation. The complexes have high molar absorption coefficients in the visible spectral region (65,000 M(-1) cm(-1) at 529 nm) and display sizeable NIR luminescence (900 to 1600 nm, for Ln=Yb, Nd and Er), upon irradiation through the electronic state of the indacene moiety at 514 nm. Crystal-field splitting was analysed at low temperature. The quantum yield of the Yb solution (10(-4) M) in dichloromethane amounts to 0.31 %, corresponding to a sensitisation efficacy of the ligand of ca. 63 %.

2,2'-Dipyridyl↗
PubMed2006

Dual emission from luminescent nonalanthanide clusters.

Clusters containing nine lanthanide and six sodium ions are crystallized with the help of a tridentate ligand bearing a phosphonic acid group; the structure of the Eu(III) compound reveals a host-guest assembly Eu [symbol: see text] Na6Eu8L16 with a substantial quantum yield (32%). A similar Eu(III)-Yb(III) structure displays dual luminescence in the visible (Eu(III)) and NIR (Yb(III)) ranges.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Encapsulation of labile trivalent lanthanides into a homobimetallic chromium(III)-containing triple-stranded helicate. Synthesis, characterization, and divergent intramolecular energy transfers.

The segmental bidentate-tridentate-bidentate ligand L2 reacts with M(II) (M = Cr, Zn) and Ln(III) (Ln = La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Lu) to give the heterotrimetallic triple-stranded helicates [MLnM(L2)3]7+. For M = Zn(II), the isolated complexes [ZnLnZn(L2)3](CF3SO3)7 (Ln = Eu, Tb) display only lanthanide-centred luminescence arising from the pseudo-tricapped trigonal prismatic LnN9 coordination site. For M = Cr(II), rapid air oxidation provides Cr(III) and leads to the isolation of inert [CrLnCr(L2)3](CF3SO3)9 (Ln = Eu, Tb) complexes, in which divergent intramolecular Ln --> Cr energy transfers can be evidenced. Taking [ZnEuZn(L2)3]7+ as a luminescent standard for Eu-centred emission, a quantitative treatment of the energy migration processes indicates that the rate constant characterizing the Eu --> Cr energy transfer is more efficient in the trimetallic system, than in the analogous simple bimetallic edifice. Particular attention is focused on potential control of directional energy transfer processes in Cr-Ln pairs.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Stable 8-hydroxyquinolinate-based podates as efficient sensitizers of lanthanide near-infrared luminescence.

New polydentate ligands (e.g., Tsox and TsoxMe) have been synthesized to take advantage of the chelating effect of bidentate 8-hydroxyquinolinate subunits connected to a N,N,N',N'-tetraaminopropyl-1,2-ethylenediamine framework and with the aim of sensitizing the NIR luminescence of Nd(III) and Yb(III) ions. Ten pK(a)'s have been determined and the interaction between the ligands and Ln(III) ions in dilute aqueous solution has been probed both by potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations. These studies have been mostly performed with the Eu(III) ion, which is in the middle of the lanthanide series, and extended to other ions (La(III), Er(III), Lu(IIII)). Stable complexes with Ln(III) ions are formed (pLn in the range of 14-16), the four chromophoric units being coordinated to the metal center, exploiting the entropic effect generated by the anchor. The monometallic complexes [Ln(H(2)L)](3)(-) exist as the major species at physiological pH regardless of the lanthanide used. Lifetime determinations of the Nd((4)F(3/2)) and Yb((2)F(5/2)) excited levels in both H(2)O and D(2)O at buffered pH point to the absence of water molecules bound in the inner coordination sphere of the Ln(III). Photophysical properties of the free ligands and of their lanthanide complexes have been investigated in buffered aqueous solutions both at room temperature and 77 K. The low-energy triplet state makes energy transfers from the ligand to the metal ions possible; this leads to a sizable sensitization of the Nd(III)- or Yb(III)-centered luminescence ( = 0.02% and = 0.18%) for Tsox chelates. Methylation of the amide functions removes the quenching mechanism induced by the proximate N-H vibrations and increases both the lifetimes and quantum yields of the TsoxMe chelates ( = 0.04% and = 0.37%). In fact, TsoxMe yields one of the most luminescent Yb(III) compounds known in water, and this ligand appears to be suitable for the development of NIR probes for bioanalyses.

Infrared Rays↗
PubMed2006

Benefiting from the unique properties of lanthanide ions.

The recent upsurge of interest in contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, of luminescent chemosensors for medical diagnostic, and lately, for optical imaging of cells has generated an impressive momentum for the coordination and supramolecular chemistry of trivalent lanthanide ions. We shortly review the synthetic methods allowing the introduction of these spherical ions with fascinating optical and magnetic properties into elaborate mono- and polymetallic edifices. We then illustrate these methods by selected examples describing the use of (i) a coronand to produce luminescent liquid crystals, (ii) derivatized calixarenes for 4f-5f element separation, (iii) podates for the production of nanoparticles with high relaxivity and for sensitizing the near-infrared (NIR) emission, and (iv) self-assembly processes for producing functional bimetallic edifices.

Ions↗
PubMed2005

Taking advantage of luminescent lanthanide ions.

Lanthanide ions possess fascinating optical properties and their discovery, first industrial uses and present high technological applications are largely governed by their interaction with light. Lighting devices (economical luminescent lamps, light emitting diodes), television and computer displays, optical fibres, optical amplifiers, lasers, as well as responsive luminescent stains for biomedical analysis, medical diagnosis, and cell imaging rely heavily on lanthanide ions. This critical review has been tailored for a broad audience of chemists, biochemists and materials scientists; the basics of lanthanide photophysics are highlighted together with the synthetic strategies used to insert these ions into mono- and polymetallic molecular edifices. Recent advances in NIR-emitting materials, including liquid crystals, and in the control of luminescent properties in polymetallic assemblies are also presented. (210 references.).

Cations↗
PubMed2005

Tuning the decay time of lanthanide-based near infrared luminescence from micro- to milliseconds through d-->f energy transfer in discrete heterobimetallic complexes.

Inert and optically active pseudo-octahedral Cr(III)N6 and Ru(II)N6 chromophores have been incorporated by self-assembly into heterobimetallic triple-stranded helicates HHH-[CrLnL3]6+ and HHH-[RuLnL3]5+. The crystal structures of [CrLnL(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(6) (Ln=Nd, Eu, Yb, Lu) and [RuLnL3](CF3SO3)5 (Ln=Eu, Lu) demonstrate that the helical structure can accommodate metal ions of different sizes, without sizeable change in the intermetallic MLn distances. These systems are ideally suited for unravelling the molecular factors affecting the intermetallic nd-->4f communication. Visible irradiation of the Cr(III)N6 and Ru(II)N6 chromophores in HHH-[MLnL3]5/6+ (Ln=Nd, Yb, Er; M=Cr, Ru) eventually produces lanthanide-based near infrared (NIR) emission, after directional energy migration within the complexes. Depending on the kinetic regime associated with each specific d-f pair, the NIR luminescence decay times can be tuned from micro- to milliseconds. The origin of this effect, together with its rational control for programming optical functions in discrete heterobimetallic entities, are discussed.

Amides↗
PubMed2005

Molecular control of macroscopic cubic, columnar, and lamellar organizations in luminescent lanthanide-containing thermotropic liquid crystals.

The connection of lipophilic gallic acid derivatives at the 5,5'- or 6,6'-positions of the rigid 2,6-bis(1-ethyl-benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine core provides two pro-mesogenic tridentate ligands L10 and L12, whose molecular shapes, anisometries, and directional intermolecular pi-stacking can be tuned. X-ray diffraction data in the crystalline state, combined with solution 1H NMR measurements, show that complexation with trivalent lanthanides, Ln(III), produces the neutral hemi-disklike complexes [Ln(Li)(NO3)3] (i = 10, 12), which dimerize to give the rodlike bimetallic complexes [Ln2(Li)2(NO3)6] at lower temperature. The relevant thermodynamic parameters for the latter process depend on the nature of the ligand, the size of the metal ion, and the strength of the intermolecular interactions involved in the condensed phase. These three-dimensional models obtained for the complexes in the crystals and in solution are eventually confronted with small-angle XRD profiles recorded in the intermediate thermotropic liquid crystalline phase, in which the rigidity of the packed polyaromatic cores is maintained, while the alkyl chains are molten. According to the specific geometries and nuclearities of the molecular complexes, three types of mesophases (lamellar, columnar, and cubic) can be induced, which provides a direct correlation between the microscopic arrangements and the macroscopic ordering in lanthanide-containing metallomesogens.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Influence of anionic functions on the coordination and photophysical properties of lanthanide(III) complexes with tridentate bipyridines.

A series of four ligands based on a 5'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridyl framework substituted in the 6 position by a carboxylic acid, a phosphonic acid, a monoethyl ester phosphonic acid, or a diethyl ester phosphonic acid are described. The pK(a) values of all ligands and their assignments are determined by a combination of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. The ability of the tridentate ligands to form complexes with trivalent lanthanide cations (Ln = La, Nd, Eu, and Lu) in buffered water solutions (Tris-HCl, pH = 7.4) is studied by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and (1)H NMR. While the two ester ligands display a weak coordination ability toward lanthanide cations, the acid ligands form stable complexes with 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 Ln/L ratios. A weak selectivity is observed for the middle of the lanthanide series, and the complexes of the phosphonic acid derivative are up to 2 orders of magnitude more stable than those of the carboxylic acid ligand. Photophysical properties of the free phosphonic and carboxylic acid ligands and of their complexes with La, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Lu are investigated in buffered aqueous solutions both at room temperature and 77 K. An efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer is observed for both the Eu and Tb complexes. Despite a relatively large energy gap between the ligand-centered (3)pipi* and the Eu((5)D(0)) or Tb((5)D(4)) emitting states, the metal-centered luminescence is well sensitized with quantum yields reaching up to 45.5 and 42.2% for the Tb 1:3 complexes with carboxylic and phosphonic acid ligands, respectively.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Programming heteropolymetallic lanthanide helicates: thermodynamic recognition of different metal ions along the strands.

Under stoichiometric conditions, the segmental tris-tridentate ligand L9 assembles with two different lanthanide metal ions Ln(1) and Ln(2) (Ln(1), Ln(2)=La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Y) to give mixtures of the heterotrimetallic triple-stranded helicates [(Ln(1))(x)(Ln(2))(3-x)(L9)(3)](9+) (x=0-3) in acetonitrile. The combination of qualitative (ESI-MS) and quantitative ((1)H NMR) speciations provides a set of thermodynamic data that were analysed with various statistical chemical models. A satisfying description requires the consideration of different affinities for the terminal N(6)O(3) sites (k(t)(Ln) and for the central N(9) site (k(c)(Ln) for each specific lanthanide. The nontrivial dependence of these parameters on the ionic radius provides size-discriminating effects that favour the formation of heterotrimetallic helicates in which the central site is occupied by the larger metal of the pair. Combining the latter enthalpic driving forces with entropic contributions due to specific stoichiometric conditions allows partial selection (i.e., programming) of a specific heterotrimetallic species in solution, which can be isolated by crystallisation, as demonstrated for [Eu(2.04)La(0.96)(L9)(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(9)(CH(3)NO(2))(9) (1, Eu(2.04)La(0.96)C(207)H(222)N(48)O(51)S(9)F(27), monoclinic, P2(1)/c, Z=4) in which the cation [EuLaEu(L9)(3)](9+) is the major component in the crystal. The scope and limitation of this approach is discussed together with the conditions for explicitly considering intermetallic interaction parameters u(Ln1Ln2) in more sophisticated chemical models.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Tuning facial-meridional isomerisation in monometallic nine-co-ordinate lanthanide complexes with unsymmetrical tridentate ligands.

The unsymmetrical tridentate benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide units in ligands L1-L4 react with trivalent lanthanides, Ln(III), to give the nine-co-ordinate triple-helical complexes [Ln(Li)3]3+ (i = 1-4) existing as mixtures of C3-symmetrical facial and C1-symmetrical meridional isomers. Although the beta13 formation constants are 3-4 orders of magnitude smaller for these complexes than those found for the D3-symmetrical analogues [Ln(Li)3]3+ (i = 5-6) with symmetrical ligands, their formation at the millimolar scale is quantitative and the emission quantum yield of [Eu(L2)3]3+ is significantly larger. The fac-[Ln(Li)3]3+ <--> mer-[Ln(Li)3]3+ (i = 1-4) isomerisation process in acetonitrile is slow enough for Ln = Lu(III) to be quantified by 1H NMR below room temperature. The separation of enthalpic and entropic contributions shows that the distribution of the facial and meridional isomers can be tuned by the judicious peripheral substitution of the ligands affecting the interstrand interactions. Molecular mechanics (MM) calculations suggest that one supplementary interstrand pi-stacking interaction stabilises the meridional isomers, while the facial isomers benefit from more favourable electrostatic contributions. As a result of the mixture of facial and meridional isomers in solution, we were unable to obtain single crystals of 1:3 complexes, but the X-ray crystal structures of their nine-co-ordinate precursors [Eu(L1)2(CF3SO3)2(H2O)](CF3SO3)(C3H5N)2(H2O) (6, C45H54EuF9N10O13S3, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, Z = 4) and [Eu(L4)2(CF3SO3)2(H2O)](CF3SO3)(C4H4O)(1.5) (7, C51H66EuF9N8O(15.5)S3, triclinic, P1, Z = 2) provide crucial structural information on the binding mode of the unsymmetrical tridentate ligands.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Supramolecular recognition of heteropairs of lanthanide ions: a step toward self-assembled bifunctional probes.

Three unsymmetrical ditopic hexadentate ligands coded for the recognition of trivalent lanthanide ions have been synthesized, L(AB), L(AC), and L(BC), where A represents a benzimidazole-pyridine-benzimidazole coordination unit, B a benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide one, and C a benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxylic acid moiety. Under stoichiometric 2:3 (Ln:L) conditions, these ligands self-assemble with lanthanide ions to yield triple-stranded bimetallic helicates having a sizable stability in acetonitrile: log beta(23) values for Eu are equal to 23.9 +/- 0.5 (L(AB)), 23.3 +/- 0.7 (deprotonated L(AC)), and 29.8 +/- 0.5 (deprotonated L(BC)). The crystal structure of the EuEu helicate with L(AB) shows 9-coordinate metal ions and an HHH (H stands for head) configuration of the helically wrapped ligand strands. In the presence of equimolar quantities of Ln and Ln' ions, L(AB) displays a remarkable predisposition to form HHH-heterobimetallic edifices, as proved both in the solid state by the crystal structures of the LaEu, LaTb, PrEr, and PrLu helicates and in solution by NMR spectroscopy. In all cases, the benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide units of the three ligands are bound to the smaller lanthanide ion, a fact further ascertained by high-resolution luminescence data on LaEu and by (1)H NMR. Analysis of the lanthanide-induced (1)H NMR shifts and of the spin-lattice relaxation times of the [LnLu(L(AB))(3)](6+) series (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu) demonstrates the isostructural nature of the complexes in solution and that the crystal structure of LaTb is a good model for the solution structure. The selectivity of L(AB) for heteropairs of Ln(III) ions increases with increasing difference in ionic radius, resulting in 70% of the heterobimetallic species for deltar(i) = 0.1 A and up to 90% for LaLu (deltar(i) = 0.18 A), and corresponding to delta(deltaG) in the range 3-10 kJ.mol(-)(1). The origins of this stabilization are discussed in terms of the donor properties of the coordinating units and of the preferential formation of HHH isomers.

Journal Article↗