Electrochemical Fluorescence Switching in Rhodamine-Ferrocene Dyads: Spatiotemporal Control in Biomimetic Membranes
Ning Jiang1, Lorenzo Meneghelli1, Niccolo Dipace2
1Laboratoire Chimie Physique et Chimie du Vivant CPCV, UMR8228, Département de Chimie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris75005, France.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 30, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed an electrochemically controlled fluorescence switch for lipid bilayers. This novel method uses a rhodamine-ferrocene dyad for redox-controlled photoinduced electron transfer in membranes.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electrochemical control of fluorescence is well-established in homogeneous solutions.
- Its application in electrically insulating lipid bilayers is largely unexplored, presenting a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an electrochemically gated fluorescence switch within individual giant unilamellar vesicles.
- To investigate the mechanism and selectivity of redox-controlled fluorescence modulation in lipid membranes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a membrane-anchored rhodamine-ferrocene dyad.
- Employed electrochemical bias to modulate fluorescence via redox-controlled photoinduced electron transfer.
- Investigated leaflet selectivity and the influence of membrane surface charge.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated reversible fluorescence activation under electrochemical control in lipid bilayers.
- Showcased strict leaflet selectivity, with switching only occurring at the electrode interface.
- Revealed that membrane surface charge critically influences switching efficiency and kinetics.
Conclusions:
- Electrochemical fluorescence modulation in membranes is a spatially and electrostatically gated interfacial process.
- Established general principles for designing redox-responsive probes for soft interfaces like lipid membranes.
