Multiparametric probing of microenvironment with solvatochromic fluorescent dyes

We describe new methodology for multiparametric probing of weak non-covalent interactions in the medium based on response of environment-sensitive fluorescent dyes. The commonly used approach is based on correlation of one spectroscopic parameter (e.g. wavelength shift) with environment polarity, which describes a superposition of universal and specific (such as hydrogen bonding) interactions. In our approach, by using several independent spectroscopic parameters of a dye, we monitor simultaneously each individual type of the interactions. For deriving these extra parameters the selected dye should exist in several excited and/or ground states. In the present work, we applied 4'-(diethylamino)-3-hydroxyflavone, which undergoes the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and thus exhibits an additional emission band belonging to an ESIPT product (tautomer) form of the dye. The spectroscopic characteristics of the excited normal and the tautomer states as well as of the ESIPT reaction of the dye are differently sensitive to the different types of interactions with microenvironment and therefore can be used for its multiparametric description. The new methodology allowed us to monitor simultaneously three fundamental physicochemical parameters of probe microenvironment: polarity, electronic polarizability and H-bond donor ability. The applications of this approach to binary solvent mixtures, reverse micelles, lipid bilayers and binding sites of proteins are presented and the limitations of this approach are discussed. We believe that the methodology of multiparametric probing will extend the capabilities of fluorescent probes as the tools in biomolecular and cellular research.