Synthesis,Structure, Luminescent and Intramolecular Proton Transfer in Some Imidazole Derivatives

A group of novel 2-aryl imidazole derivatives were synthesized and characterized by NMR spectra, X-ray, mass and CHN analysis. An excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process in hydroxy imidazoles (dmip and dmtip) have been studied using emission spectroscopy and it was detected that the two distinct ground state rotamers of I and II are responsible for the normal and the tautomer emission respectively. In hydrocarbon solvent, the tautomer emission predominates over the normal emission for both dmip and dmtip. This reveal that rotamer II is responsible for the tautomer emission and it is stabler than rotamer I which causes the normal emission. In alcoholic solvent like ethanol, a dramatic enhancement of normal emission is observed which was due to increased solvation, the more polar rotamer I become stabler than rotamer II. In dioxane—water mixtures it is observed that the addition of water inhibits the ESIPT process due to the formation of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding involving water. DFT calculations on energy, dipole moment, charge distribution of the rotamers in the ground and excited states of the imidazole derivatives were performed and discussed. PES calculation indicates that the energy barrier for the interconversion of two rotamers is too high in the excited state than the ground state.     

瞬态吸收光谱茜素超快动力学研究

激发态质子转移是光物理学、光化学和光生物过程中最基本的化学反应之一。激发态分子内质子转移(excited-state intramolecular proton transfer, ESIPT)通常是指有机分子受到激发,到达激发态后,质子在激发态势能面上从质子供体基团转移到质子受体基团并形成含有分子内氢键多元环的过程, 一般发生在亚皮秒量级。质子转移可应用于有机发光二极管、荧光探针等领域。茜素,即1,2-二羟基蒽醌,可从茜草根部提取,具有与醌类衍生物相似的结构,常用于染料、染色剂和药物等。近年来,发现茜素分子具有质子转移特性,可用来制备新型“绿色”染料敏化电池。利用稳态吸收、稳态荧光和飞秒瞬态吸收光谱技术以及第一性原理理论计算对溶于乙醇溶液的茜素分子的质子转移过程进行了研究和分析。稳态吸收和稳态荧光研究结果表明: 在基态时,茜素分子的正常构型9,10-酮处于稳定状态,容易发生跃迁;在激发态时,茜素分子的互变异构体构型1,10-酮处于稳定状态,容易产生荧光发射。飞秒瞬态吸收光谱测量使用的激光的激发波长为370 nm。测得的瞬态吸收光谱在430 nm附近存在茜素的基态漂白信号。通过使用全局拟合方法对瞬态吸收光谱进行分析研究发现：茜素正常构型9,10-酮的激发态分子内质子转移时间为110.5 fs,茜素互变异构体构型1,10-酮分子内振动弛豫时间为30.7 ps,茜素互变异构体构型1,10-酮荧光寿命为131.7 ps。通过使用单波长动力学拟合的方法对瞬态吸收光谱进行分析发现：发生质子转移的时间尺度与运用全局拟合方法得出的结果基本一致;茜素分子的正常构型9,10-酮分子在110.5 fs的时间尺度内处于快速减少的趋势,而茜素分子的互变异构体构型1,10-酮分子在这一时间尺度内处于快速上升的趋势。当延迟时间增大时,茜素分子的互变异构体构型1,10-酮分子又呈现缓慢衰减的趋势。     

Elaborating the excited state behavior of 2‐(4′‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl)‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridine coupling with methanol solvent

We present a theoretical investigation about the excited state dynamical mechanism of 2‐(4′‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl)‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridine (DMAPIP‐c). Within the framework of density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory methods, we reasonably repeat the experimental electronic spectra, which further confirm the theoretical level used in this work is feasible. Given the best complex model, 3 methanol (MeOH) solvent molecules should be connected with DMAPIP‐c forming DMAPIP‐c‐MeOH complex in both ground state and excited state. Exploring the changes about bond lengths and bond angles involved in hydrogen bond wires, we find the O7‐H8···N9 one should be largely strengthened in the S₁ state, which plays an important role in facilitating the excited state intermolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. In addition, the analyses about infrared vibrational spectra also confirm this conclusion. The redistribution about charges distinguished via frontier molecular orbitals based on the photoexcitation, we do find tendency of ESIPT reaction due to the most charges located around N9 atom in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Based on constructing the potential energy curves of both S₀ and S₁ states, we not only confirm that the ESIPT process should firstly occur along with hydrogen bond wire O7‐H8···N9, but also find a low potential energy barrier 8.898 kcal/mol supports the ESIPT reaction in the S₁ state forming DMAPIP‐c‐MeOH‐PT configuration. Subsequently, DMAPIP‐c‐MeOH‐PT could twist its dimethylamino moiety with a lower barrier 3.475 kcal/mol forming DMAPIP‐c‐MeOH‐PT‐TICT structure. Our work not only successfully explains previous experimental work but also paves the way for the further applications about DMAPIP‐c sensor in future.     

2-(2''''-羟基苯基)间氮杂氧茚放大的自发辐射效应的实验和理论研究

报道了在氮分子激光泵浦下，激发态分子内质子转移分子2－（2＇－羟基苯基）间氮杂氧茚（HBO）环乙烷溶液放大的自发辐射（ASE）实验和理论研究。在环己烷溶液中，HBO的增益系数α（510um）约为1．2cm-1。在建立了HBO激发态分子内质子转移（ESIPT）的放大的自发辐射动态模型基础上，通过数值模拟得到了HBO的增益光谱和放大的自发辐射光谱，计算结果与实验很好相符，证实了HBO的酮式异构体的基态寿命更接近于260ns而非亚纳秒级。     

Photodynamics of intramolecular proton transfer in polar and nonpolar biflavonoid solutions

Using methods of steady state luminescence and femtosecond spectroscopy, we have studied the mechanism of intramolecular proton transfer in synthesized 3,7-dihydroxy-2,8-di(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H,6H-pyrano[3,2-g]chromen-4,6-dion in polar and nonpolar solutions, films, and polycrystals at 293 and 77 K. In an excited singlet state, intramolecular proton transfer occurs in two stages. At the first stage, a tautomer with one transferred proton (OTP tautomer) is formed from the Franck-Condon state within ??₁ = 0.6 ps. At the second stage, the second proton is transferred within ??₂ = 3.1 ps and a tautomer with two transferred protons (TTP tautomer) is formed, which fluoresces in toluene at 293 K with a high quantum yield, ?? _f = 0.66, and the fluorescence spectrum of which is characterized by a large Stokes shift, 9900 cm^?1. At 293 K, polar solvents (dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethanol, etc.) solvate the BFV molecule in the ground state, while, in the excited state, an OTP tautomer is mainly formed. In polar ethanol at 77 K, a dual fluorescence spectrum is observed, which is caused by the fluorescence emission of polysolvates with ?? _max ^f = 460 nm and TTP phototautomers at ?? _max ^f = 610 nm.     

Time-dependent density functional theory study on excited state intramolecular proton transfer of 3-hydroxy-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one

The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method was carried out to investigate the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process of 3-hydroxy-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one (1a). 1a has two tautomeric forms: one is 1a(O), which is induced by intramolecular hydrogen bond O-H?O=C, and the other one is 1a(N), which is caused by intramolecular hydrogen bond O-H?N. From excited state to tautomer excited state coming from ESIPT, the hydroxyl hydrogen breaks away and the dissociated hydrogen adsorbed on pyridinic nitrogen or carbonyl oxygen formed new intramolecular HB and the corresponding bond length and bond angle varied greatly. In comparison, a similar process of proton transfer for 1a(N)H⁺ protonated 1a(N) from ground state to excited state was obtained. This detailed proton transfer mechanism was provided by molecular orbitals analysis and it may be applied to molecular switch and organic Lewis acid/base. We investigated the excited state proton transfer mechanism of the four molecules through the theoretical method for the first time and gave unambiguous geometry of excited state.     

Excited state proton transfer and internal conversion in o-hydroxybenzaldehyde: new insights from non-adiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics

A recently developed non-adiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics method coupling the S₁ excited electronic state to the ground state by a surface hopping technique has been applied to study photoexcited o-hydroxybenzaldehyde. Vertical excitation of the enol tautomer to the π π* state leads to spontaneous proton transfer (PT) and thus formation of the keto tautomer. The PT process has been found to be entirely driven by the breathing mode of the H-chelate ring. In fact, there exists no barrier for PT in the S₁ state. Non-radiative decay of the π π* excited keto tautomer through internal conversion (IC) is observed on a picosecond time scale. The probability for a non-adiabatic surface hop from the S₁ state back to the ground state is seen to be correlated to the chelate ring breathing mode and to the temporal changes in the methoxy OH bond length. There are indications of an increased IC rate associated with the initial PT event.     

Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer and Electronic Coupling Interactions in π- Expanded Imidazole Derivatives

An intramolecular excited charge transfer (CT) analysis of imidazole derivatives has been made. The determined electronic transition dipole moments has been used to estimate the electronic coupling interactions between the excited charge transfer singlet state (¹CT) and the ground state (S₀) or the locally excited state (¹LE). The properties of excited ¹CT state imidazole derivatives have been exploited by the significant contribution of the electronic coupling interactions. The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) analysis has also been discussed.     

取代基对2-(2-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑分子内氢键及质子转移的影响:密度泛函理论研究

运用密度泛函(DFT)和含时密度泛函(TD DFT)理论方法研究了在2-(2-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑(HBT)苯环羟基的邻位或对位分别引入羟基和醛基后的衍生物分子内质子转移过程,考察了取代基的电子效应及取代位置对分子内氢键和质子转移反应的影响,模拟计算了各分子的IR振动光谱和电子光谱.研究发现,HBT及其衍生物分子可以形成分子内氢键,且激发态时氢键增强.基态时以醇式构型稳定存在,激发态时酮式结构为优势构象.分子的最大吸收峰和发射峰主要源于电子从前线分子轨道HOMO到LUMO之间的跃迁.基态分子内质子转移需要越过较高的能垒因而难以发生,而激发态时只需越过较低能垒就很容易发生激发态分子内质子转移.取代基的电子效应和取代位置对HBT分子氢键强度、互变异构体的相对稳定性、电子光谱及质子转移反应的能垒均有一定影响.     

An Intramolecular Charge Transfer Fluorescent Probe: Synthesis,Structure and Selective Fluorescent Sensing of Cu<Superscript>+2</Superscript>

A series of substituted imidazoles have been synthesized in very good yield under solvent free condition by grinding 1,2-diketone, aromatic aldehyde and ammonium acetate in the presence of molecular iodine as the catalyst. The short reaction time, good yield and easy workup make this protocol practically and economically attractive and characterized by NMR spectra, X-ray, mass and CHN analysis. An excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process in hydroxy imidazoles (dpip and dptip) have been studied using emission spectroscopy and it was detected that the two distinct ground state rotamers are responsible for the normal and the tautomer emissions. DFT calculations on energy, dipole moment, charge distribution of the rotamers in the ground and excited states of the imidazole derivatives were performed and discussed. DFT analysis about HOMO, HOMO-1, LUMO and LUMO + 1 were carried out and discussed. PES calculation indicates that the energy barrier for the interconversion of two rotamers is too high in the excited state than the ground state.     

Structural,Electronic and Charge Transfer Studies of Highly Sensitive Fluorescent Probe 2-((E)-2-(1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)vinyl)phenol: Quantum Chemical Investigations

This article presents a facile synthesis of novel class of bluish-green fluorescent 2-((E)-2-(1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)vinyl)phenol [PPIVP] and their optical, electrochemical and thermal properties. Detailed photophysical and quantum chemical studies have been performed to elucidate the origin of the dual emission shifts. PPIVP undergo excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction leading a large Stoke’s shifted fluorescence emission from the phototautomer. The results of quantum chemical investigations not only confirmed the intramolecular charge transfer characteristics of the ESIPT tautomers but also provided a rational for the observed high fluorescence quantum efficiency in the solid state. The high photoluminescence quantum yield in the solid state is ascribed to twisted chromophores due to phenyl substituents at 1,2-position of the phenanthroimidazole ring which restricted intramolecular motion, leading to an optically allowed lowest optical transition without self quenching.     

氢键效应对2,3-二氢-3-酮基-1H-吡啶并[3,2,1-kl]吩噻嗪光物理性质的影响

利用含时密度泛函理论(TDDFT)方法和飞秒时间分辨的瞬态吸收光谱技术对2,3-二氢-3-酮基-1H-吡啶并[3,2,1-kl]吩噻嗪(PTZ4)和3-酮基-1H-吡啶并[3,2,1-kl]吩噻嗪(PTZ5)这两种荧光探针分子的光物理性质进行了研究. TDDFT结果表明PTZ4和PTZ5在甲醇溶液形成了氢键络合物导致它们吸收峰的红移. PTZ4分子在基态有四种稳定构型,其在四氢呋喃溶液中的双荧光峰正是来自于四种构型下的内部电荷转移态. PTZ4分子在四氢呋喃和甲醇溶液中的瞬态吸收光谱表明,从局域态到转移态的弛豫时间常数在四氢呋喃中为16.0 ps,在甲醇中为7.5 ps;PTZ4分子在甲醇中的激发态寿命为53.8 ps,而这种超短的寿命可能是由于PTZ4分子在激发态时形成的面外型氢键络合物导致的.     

黄芩素激发态分子内质子转移耦合电荷转移反应的实验和理论研究

通过稳态光谱实验和量子化学计算相结合,研究了黄芩素激发态质子转移耦合电荷转移的反应. 实验和计算中S₁态吸收峰的缺失表明S₁态是暗态. S₁暗态导致在实验中观察不到黄芩素在乙醇溶液中的荧光峰,且固体的荧光峰很弱. 黄芩素分子的前线分子轨道和电荷差异密度表明S₁态是电荷转移态,然而S₂态是局域激发态. 计算的黄芩素分子的势能曲线在激发态只有一个稳定点,这表明了黄芩素激发态分子内质子转移的过程是一个无     

Studies on Molecular Structure of Ethanol-Water Clusters by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

It was found that ethanol and water molecules mixed together can form new clusters. Based on the steady state spectral characteristic and the mole ratio method, three possible bonding constants of ethanol-water clusters were deduced. To confirm the structure of these clusters, the fluorescence lifetimes of different emission bands were investigated, and the average lifetime of the entire decay process was found to vary as the volume percent of ethanol changed. Furthermore, the possible bonding constant n of molecular clusters was determined to be 2 based on the time-resolved spectra, and the cluster was concluded to be a chain structure formed by one ethanol molecule and two water molecules with hydrogen bonds.     

A theoretical assignment on excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer mechanism for quercetin

In the present work, we investigate a new chromophore (ie, quercetin) (Simkovitch et al J Phys Chem B 119 [2015] 10244) about its complex excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process based on density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory methods. On the basis of the calculation of electron density ρ( r ) and Laplacian ?²ρ( r ) at the bond critical point using atoms‐in‐molecule theory, the intramolecular hydrogen bonds (O₁‐H₂?O₅ and O₃‐H₄?O₅) have been supported to be formed in the S₀ state. Comparing the prime structural variations of quercetin involved in its 2 intramolecular hydrogen bonds, we find that these 2 hydrogen bonds should be strengthened in the S₁ state, which is a fundamental precondition for facilitating the ESIPT process. Concomitantly, infrared vibrational spectra analysis further verifies this viewpoint. In good agreement with previous experimental spectra results, we find that quercetin reveals 2 kinds of excited‐state structures (quercetin* and quercetin‐PT1*) in the S₁ state. Frontier molecular orbitals depict the nature of electronically excited state and support the ESIPT reaction. Our scanned potential energy curves according to variational O₁‐H₂ and O₃‐H₄ coordinates demonstrate that the proton transfer process should be more likely to occur in the S₁ state via hydrogen bond wire O₁‐H₂?O₅ rather than O₃‐H₄?O₅ because of the lower potential energy barrier 2.3 kcal/mol. Our present work explains previous experimental result and makes up the deficiency of mechanism in previous experiment. In the end, we make a reasonable assignment for ESIPT process of quercetin.     

Tautomer contributions to the near UV spectrum of guanine: towards a refined picture for the spectroscopy of purine molecules

By using depopulation laser techniques, like IR-UV population labeling coupled to mass-selected R2PI detection, we confirm that four tautomers are responsible for the near UV spectroscopy (310-280 nm) of guanine: two enol and two keto forms, each pair having a 7NH and a 9NH form. Besides the UV spectroscopy of each tautomer, additional information on the excited state nature and dynamics is obtained from fluorescence studies. In particular, the quenching of fluorescence beyond 285 nm, the existence of a background absorption, as well as the existence of a strongly red-shifted component in the fluorescence emission provides evidence for a strong electronic mixing in the excited state together with an efficient non-radiative process. The details of these features are found to be tautomer-dependent. Comparison of the present results with literature data on other purine molecules, like adenine or 9-substituted guanines, enables us to propose a new insight on the spectroscopy and dynamics of the purine molecules. First, a large variability of the tautomer distribution in the gas phase is found within the purine family, in particular a molecular change, as simple as a 9-methylation on guanine, can reduce the tautomer distribution to a single species (enol form). Since the absorption spectrum is tautomer-dependent as well as substituent-dependent, it turns out that the tautomer population is one of the major parameters that control the overall shape of the UV spectrum. Second, the excited state model, often evoked in the literature, which involves electronic coupling between excited states of different natures, namely ππ^* and nπ^* states, might account for the present fluorescence measurements on guanine, providing an extensive excited state electronic mixing is assumed for these systems. Received 24 June 2002 Published online 13 September 2002     

藻蓝蛋白(C-Pc)的三阶光学非线性和激发态弛豫

随着对生物体系的深入研究,特别是对光合作用原初光物理过程的研究,使人们认识到对光合器官中生物大分子的光学性质进行研究的必要性,这对理解它们结构与功能的关系有重要的参考价值.藻蓝蛋白(C-Pc)是藻类光合作用中重要的捕光色素分子之一,它在光合原初反应能量传递等过程中起着重要的作用.     

Ultrafast dynamics and temperature effects on the quantum efficiency of the ring-opening reaction of a photochromic indolylfulgide

The ultrafast ring-opening reaction of the molecular switch 1,2-Dimethyl-3-indolylfulgide dissolved in acetonitrile is investigated by temperature dependent quantum efficiency measurements and time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and visible spectral range. The photoreaction is found to be thermally activated with an activation energy of about 1640 cm^− 1. The transient absorption signal is bi-exponential with the time constants τ₁ = 0.7 ps and τ₂ = 12 ps. The fast time constant is due to solvation dynamics, while the main component τ₂ is attributed to the excited state lifetime and product formation. A long-lived intermediate state in the photoreaction can be excluded.     

Formation mechanism of ethanol-water excimer

The fluorescent spectrum and the excitation spectrum were used to present the cluster molecular structure feature in ethanol-water solutions.Through analyzing the fluorescent characteristics of an excimer,it is proposed that the excimers are formed between the ethanol-water cluster molecules in the excited state and in the ground state.The fluorescent lifetime and the fluorescent intensity decay process give information about the photo-physical and photo-chemical processes of the formation and the dissociation of an excimer.The theoretical calculation and physical analysis coincide with the experimental results.The preliminary conclusion about the structure feature of ethanol-water cluster molecule is that it has a planar one like a sandwich.     

Dual-Fluorescence Probe of Environment Basicity (Hydrogen Bond Accepting Ability) Displaying no Sensitivity to Polarity

3-Hydroxyquinolones (3HQs) are a new class of water soluble dual fluorescence probes that can monitor both polarity and basicity (H-bond accepting ability) parameters. Both parameters play an important role in proteins and lipid membranes. Nevertheless, no method exists actually to measure the basicity parameter separately from the polarity. To achieve this aim, we synthesized 2-benzofuryl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone (3HQ-Bf) and characterized its photophysical properties by UV, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Due to its extended conjugation and totally planar conformation, 3HQ-Bf is characterized by a high fluorescence quantum yield. In solution, this dye shows an excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction resulting in two tautomer bands in the emission spectra. The ESIPT reaction can be considered as irreversible and is governed by rate constants from 0.6 to 8 × 10⁹ s⁻¹, depending on the solvent. The analysis of the spectral properties of 3HQ-Bf in a series of organic solvents revealed a marginal sensitivity to the solvent polarity, but an exquisite sensitivity to solvent basicity, as shown by the linear dependence of the logarithm of the emission bands intensity ratio, log(I_N*/I_T*), as well as the absorption or emission maxima wavenumbers as a function of the solvent basicity parameter. This probe may find useful applications through coupling to a protein ligand, for characterizing the H-bond acceptor ability at the ligand binding site as well as for studying the basicity changes of lipid membranes during their chemo- and thermotropic conversions.