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In this computational study, density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT methods (TD-DFT) were employed to study the optical properties of six families of molecules with donor (D), bridge (B), and acceptor (A) fragments that have potential for use as fluorescent molecular probes for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. After validating our computational method against experimental data, using X-ray and absorption data, the equilibrium geometries and wave functions of the ground and first singlet excited states were systematically studied. Our simulations demonstrate that the S 1 states of these rod-like D-B-A fluorescent probes are twisted intramolecular charge transfer states with a predominant highest occupied molecular orbital-least unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) character, the former localized primarily at the donor, whereas the latter at the acceptor site. Moreover, the influence of the bridge, donor, and acceptor fragments on molecules' absorption energies is explored, highlighting the influence of double and triple bonds and some specific modifications on the acceptor side, including the addition of electronegative atoms, pyranone derivatives, and their functionalization. By having the absorption energies of 324 probes in hand, machine learning models were trained to predict the absorption energies of molecules. The models were found to be predictive, which suggests a potential that predictive models for other crucial properties, such as emission and quantum yield, can also be trained if suitable training data sets are made available.

Fluorescent probes are a powerful tool for imaging amyloid β (Aβ) plaques, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, we report the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of 21 novel probes as well as their optical properties and binding affinities to Aβ fibrils. One of these dyes, 1Ae, exhibited several improvements over FDDNP, an established biomarker for Aβ- and Tau-aggregates. First, 1Ae had large Stokes shifts (138-213 nm) in various solvents, thereby reducing self-absorption. With a high quantum yield ratio (φ(dichloromethane/methanol) = 104), 1Ae also ensures minimal background emission in aqueous environments and high sensitivity. In addition, compound 1Ae exhibited low micromolar binding affinity to Aβ fibrils in vitro (K d = 1.603 µM), while increasing fluorescence emission (106-fold) compared to emission in buffer alone. Importantly, the selective binding of 1Ae to Aβ 1-42 fibrils was confirmed by an in cellulo assay, supported by ex vivo fluorescence microscopy of 1Ae on postmortem AD brain sections, allowing unequivocal identification of Aβ plaques. The intermolecular interactions of fluorophores with Aβ were elucidated by docking studies and molecular dynamics simulations. Density functional theory calculations revealed the unique photophysics of these rod-shaped fluorophores, with a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) excited state. These results provide valuable insights into the future application of such probes as potential diagnostic tools for AD in vitro and ex vivo such as determination of Aβ 1-42 in cerebrospinal fluid or blood., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

To reveal, quantify, and rationalize the effect of backbone π-extension on ligand redox activity, we studied the ground- and excited-state reduction potentials of eight ruthenium photoredox catalysts with the formula Ru(ppy) 2 L (L is the redox-active ligand of the bipyridine family) using density functional theory. Our research underlines the profound importance of the fusion position of backbone aromatic C 6 rings on the redox activity of ligands in transition metal photoredox catalysts. Namely, certain fusion positions lead to the dearomatization of C 6 rings in ligand-centered electron transfer events, resulting in a thermodynamic penalty equivalent to a half-volt negative shift in the reduction potential. Contrarily, the extent of backbone delocalization shows a minimal impact on redox energetics, which can be explained by the charge concentration at the nitrogen contact atoms in ligand-centered reductions. Grounded in Caulton's conceptual framework, we reaffirm the predictive potency of Lewis structures in ligand-centered redox energetics with qualitative and quantitative data. Our hypothesis regarding the effect of backbone ring dearomatization on redox energetics is further corroborated using magnetic and structure-based aromaticity indicators. Highlighting fusion-dependent dearomatization as a determining factor of ligand-centered electron transfer energetics, our findings hold implications for molecular-level design in advanced electroactive materials and catalysts.

The mechanism of the gas-phase halogen-exchange reaction between boron- and aluminum-halides (i.e., BX 3 + BX 3 and AlX 3 + AlX 3 , X = F, Cl, or Br) was discovered using density functional theory. The reaction takes place via a two-step mechanism with the intermediacy of a diamond-core structure analogous to diborane. Good agreement was found between the simulated reaction features and experimental observations, which demonstrate slow kinetics and an equilibrium process for boron species and dimer formation in the case of aluminum-halides. This computational and theoretical study also reveals and quantifies the effect of resonance on the thermodynamic stability of the central intermediate and conceptualizes the extreme stability difference (∼50 kcal mol -1 ) between boron and aluminum diamond-core bridge structures. Through an interaction energy decomposition analysis in combination with electronic structure analyses, we revealed that, beyond the resonance stabilization in free boron-halides, superior electrostatics in aluminum-halides results in the different reactivities, i.e., dimer formation for the latter species whereas substituent exchange for the former ones.