Efficient Quenching of Oligomeric Fluorophores on a DNA Backbone (original) (raw)

The quenching properties of a series of oligodeoxyribosides bearing fluorophore 'bases' is described. Sequences of adjacent, π-stacked pyrenes exhibit stronger electronic interactions visible in both absorbance and emission spectra than pyrenes that are insulated by intervening adenines. Quenching by N, N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride is efficient for excimer-and exciplex-forming oligomers, with Stern-Volmer constants comparable to conjugated polymer "superquenching" schemes. We have recently studied these DNA-like fluorophores (oligodeoxyfluorosides (ODFs)) as a new class of reporters and sensors. 10 They display highly diverse and tunable properties