To develop a new family of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of charge-transfer (CT) complexes, a long alkyl chain is attached to N, N' dicyanoquinodiimine (DCNQI). Although no reaction in mixed solutions of the obtained alkylDCNQ1 and CuI were detected, it has been found that the alkylDCNQI is reduced by CuI when mixed solutions are spread on to the water surface. The optical characterization of LB films of pure alkylDCNQI and those of alkylDCNQI-CuI mixtures indicates the formation of CT complexes in the latter case.

New electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry probes were identified in the class of carbon black materials. These compounds exhibit very high oxygen sensitivity and favorable EPR characteristics for biological applications. At low pO2, the linewidth is particularly sensitive to changes in oxygen tension (sensitivity of 750 mG/mmHg). The application of the probes for oximetry was demonstrated in vivo: the pO2 was measured in muscle in which the blood flow was temporarily restricted as well as in tumor-bearing mice during a carbogen breathing challenge. The responsiveness to pO2 was stable in muscle for at least 3 months. No toxicity was observed using these materials in cellular experiments and in histological studies performed 2, 7, and 28 days after implantation. In view of their EPR characteristics (high sensitivity) as well as the well-characterized production procedure that make them available on a large scale, these probes can be considered as very promising tools for future developments in EPR oximetry. Magn Reson Med 51:1272-1278, 2004.

J-aggregates in Langmuir
Blodgett (LB). films of mutually mixed merocyanine dyes were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR).spectroscopy. Two merocyanine dyes, one which forms and one which does not form J-aggregates in their LB films with fatty acids and divalent metals, so-called 6MeDS and DO, respectively, were used in this study. In LB films of DO-6MeDS mutual mixtures, most DO molecules are included in J-aggregates. The IR spectra of these films were measured and compared with linear combinations of the spectra for DO and 6MeDS films. The difference between the measured and the calculated IR spectra reflects the difference between the electronic state of J-aggregated DO and that of monomeric DO. The results suggest an enhancement of the intramolecular charge transfer induced by the formation of J-aggregates.

Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of mixtures of 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI), merocyanine dye (DO) and arachidic acid(C20) with different molecular ratios, were prepared on Cd2+-containing and pure-water subphases. The characterization of mixed Langmuir and LB films were performed by using, respectively, surface pressure-molecular area isothermetry and UV-Vis-IR absorption spectroscopy. The analysis indicates that interaction between the two dyes modifies their arrangements and electronic states in their mixed Langmuir films spread upon the Cd2+-containing subphase. However, the mixed LB films with the pure-water subphase are showed to be simple physical mixtures. The difference in the mixing effect observed for the Langmuir films upon the Cd-containing and pure-water subphases may be caused by the formation of metal chelation with the former subphase.

A new tetrathiafulvalene(TTF) derivative-4,5-bismethylthio-4',5'-bis(3-picolylthio)-tetrathiafulvalene(BMP-TTF) bearing pyridine groups was found to form stable monolayers at the air/water interface with or without the presence of AgNO3. The monolayers can be transferred onto solid substrates with LB technique. Surface pressure-area isotherms, UV-vis spectrum, FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the monolayer formation and the transferred LB films. The room temperature conductivities of the LB films are about-10-7 Scm-1 and after iodine doping. they are incerased to-10-3 Scm-1