Fluorescence modulation, chemical

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Burst Analysis. Several nanoscopic chemical imaging approaches work very well for measurements of chemical kinetics, interactions, and mobility in solution. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measures the temporal fluctuations of fluorescent markers as molecules diffuse or flow in solution through a femtoliter focal volume.54 Their average diffusive dwell times reveal their diffusion coefficients, and additional faster fluctuations can reveal chemical reactions and their kinetics if the reaction provides fluorescence modulation. Cross-correlation of the fluorescence of two distinguishable fluorophore types can very effectively reveal chemical binding kinetics and equilibria at nanomolar concentrations. 

Chemical Mechanisms for Fluorescence Modulation. While UV/visible signalling almost always results from the ionization of a conjugated substituent, there exists a plethora of mechanisms by which fluorescence signal transduction may be engendered. It is useful to categorize the mechanisms for fluorescence modulation described to date via the type of measurement that is made. These are intensity, intensity-ratio, and lifetime. A pictoral summary of each is found in Figure 1 of the chapter by Szmacinski and Lakowicz. 

Selective binding of a chemical species upon molecular recognition can lead to large perturbation of the host environment, especially when the guest is ionic. These perturbations can be exploited in a variety of ways in order to provide the first or second chemical commands that we require for fluorescence modulation. Conversely, the sensitivity of the host fluorescence to the guest occupancy endows the host molecules with chemosensory function. Our pet approach to such sensor molecules... 

Gormin D, Kasha M (1988) Triple fluorescence in aminosalicylates. Modulation of normal, proton-transfer, and twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) fluorescence by physical and chemical perturbations. Chem Phys Lett 153 574-576... 

The behavior of practically all luminescent materials is sensitive to various parameters of physical and chemical origin. The excited state lifetimes and average intensities of the fluorescence and/or phosphorescence of these materials are modulated, for example, by temperature, oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide, voltage, pressure, and ionic strength. Consequently, the luminescence of various materials could be used, in principle, to monitor parameters of interest in medicine, industry, research, and the environment. 

Module 1, Determination of Chemical and Structural Information on the Sample. The task of Module 1 is to provide non-chromato-graphic data for analytes prior to specification of the chromatographic method. Data bases have been developed for pK values of organic molecules, isoelectric points of proteins, and fluorescence spectral properties of organic molecules. 

Ferrocene has been widely investigated as an electron donor and its electron donating ability can be tuned by redox reactions. As anticipated, when a ferrocene unit is covalently connected to an electron acceptor moiety that shows intrinsic fluorescence, the fluorescence of the acceptor moiety would be largely quenched because of the photoinduced electron transfer between ferrocene and the fluorescent acceptor. For instance, triad 15 that contains perylene diimide flanked by two ferrocene moieties, shows rather weak fluorescence due to the photoinduced electron transfer between perylene diimide and ferrocene units. Either chemical or electrochemical oxidation of ferrocene unit lead to fluorescence enhancement. This is simply because the electron donating ability of ferrocene is reduced after oxidation and accordingly the photoinduced electron transfer is prohibited. In this way, the fluorescence intensity of 15 can be reversibly modulated by sequential electrochemical oxidation and reduction. Therefore, a new redox fluorescence switch can be established with triad 15.25... 

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