@article{KoleKošćakAmaretal.2022,
  author    = {Kole, Goutam Kumar and Košćak, Marta and Amar, Anissa and Majhen, Dragomira and Božinović, Ksenija and Brkljaca, Zlatko and Ferger, Matthias and Michail, Evripidis and Lorenzen, Sabine and Friedrich, Alexandra and Krummenacher, Ivo and Moos, Michael and Braunschweig, Holger and Boucekkine, Abdou and Lambert, Christoph and Halet, Jean-Fran{\c{c}}ois and Piantanida, Ivo and M{\"u}ller-Buschbaum, Klaus and Marder, Todd B.},
  title     = {Methyl Viologens of Bis-(4'-Pyridylethynyl)Arenes - Structures, Photophysical and Electrochemical Studies, and their Potential Application in Biology},
  series = {Chemistry - A European Journal},
  volume    = {28},
  journal   = {Chemistry - A European Journal},
  number    = {40},
  doi       = {10.1002/chem.202200753},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-287126},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {A series of bis-(4'-pyridylethynyl)arenes (arene=benzene, tetrafluorobenzene, and anthracene) were synthesized and their bis-N-methylpyridinium compounds were investigated as a class of π-extended methyl viologens. Their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, and their photophysical and electrochemical properties (cyclic voltammetry), as well as their interactions with DNA/RNA were investigated. The dications showed bathochromic shifts in emission compared to the neutral compounds. The neutral compounds showed very small Stokes shifts, which are a little larger for the dications. All of the compounds showed very short fluorescence lifetimes (<4 ns). The neutral compound with an anthracene core has a quantum yield of almost unity. With stronger acceptors, the analogous bis-N-methylpyridinium compound showed a larger two-photon absorption cross-section than its neutral precursor. All of the dicationic compounds interact with DNA/RNA; while the compounds with benzene and tetrafluorobenzene cores bind in the grooves, the one with an anthracene core intercalates as a consequence of its large, condensed aromatic linker moiety, and it aggregates within the polynucleotide when in excess over DNA/RNA. Moreover, all cationic compounds showed highly specific CD spectra upon binding to ds-DNA/RNA, attributed to the rare case of forcing the planar, achiral molecule into a chiral rotamer, and negligible toxicity toward human cell lines at ≤10 μM concentrations. The anthracene-analogue exhibited intracellular accumulation within lysosomes, preventing its interaction with cellular DNA/RNA. However, cytotoxicity was evident at 1 μM concentration upon exposure to light, due to singlet oxygen generation within cells. These multi-faceted features, in combination with its two-photon absorption properties, suggest it to be a promising lead compound for development of novel light-activated theranostic agents.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{FergerRogerKoesteretal.2022,
  author    = {Ferger, Matthias and Roger, Chantal and K{\"o}ster, Eva and Rauch, Florian and Lorenzen, Sabine and Krummenacher, Ivo and Friedrich, Alexandra and Košćak, Marta and Nestić, Davor and Braunschweig, Holger and Lambert, Christoph and Piantanida, Ivo and Marder, Todd B.},
  title     = {Electron-Rich EDOT Linkers in Tetracationic bis-Triarylborane Chromophores: Influence on Water Stability, Biomacromolecule Sensing, and Photoinduced Cytotoxicity},
  series = {Chemistry - A European Journal},
  volume    = {28},
  journal   = {Chemistry - A European Journal},
  number    = {48},
  doi       = {10.1002/chem.202201130},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-287241},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Three novel tetracationic bis-triarylboranes with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) linkers, and their neutral precursors, showed significant red-shifted absorption and emission compared to their thiophene-containing analogues, with one of the EDOT-derivatives emitting in the NIR region. Only the EDOT-linked trixylylborane tetracation was stable in aqueous solution, indicating that direct attachment of a thiophene or even 3-methylthiophene to the boron atom is insufficient to provide hydrolytic stability in aqueous solution. Further comparative analysis of the EDOT-linked trixylylborane tetracation and its bis-thiophene analogue revealed efficient photo-induced singlet oxygen production, with the consequent biological implications. Thus, both analogues bind strongly to ds-DNA and BSA, very efficiently enter living human cells, accumulate in several different cytoplasmic organelles with no toxic effect but, under intense visible light irradiation, they exhibit almost instantaneous and very strong cytotoxic effects, presumably attributed to singlet oxygen production. Thus, both compounds are intriguing theranostic agents, whose intracellular and probably intra-tissue location can be monitored by strong fluorescence, allowing switching on of the strong bioactivity by well-focused visible light.},
  language  = {en}
}