Photophysics and photochemical studies of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

The absorption and fluorescence properties of nifedipine (NPDHP), felodipine (CPDHP) and a series of structurally related 1,4-dihydropyridines were studied in aqueous solution and organic solvents of different properties. The absorption and fluorescence spectra were found to depend on the chemical nature of the substituents at the position 4 of the 1,4-dihydropyridine ring (DHP) and on solvent properties. In aqueous solution, the fluorescence spectra of 4-phenyl substituted compounds are blue-shifted with respect to the alkyl substituted compounds. The more fluorescent compound is CPDHP. Nifedipine is not fluorescent. All compounds, with the exception of CPDHP, present monoexponential fluorescence decay with very short lifetime (0.2-0.4 ns). CPDHP showed a biexponential emission decay with a long-lived component of 1.7 ns; this behavior is explained in terms of different conformers because of the hindered rotation of the phenyl group by the ortho-substitution. Analysis of the solvent effect on the maximum of the absorption spectrum by using the linear solvent-energy relation solvato-chromic equation indicates the redshifts are influenced by the polarizability, hydrogen bonding ability and the hydrogen bond acceptance of the solvent. Whereas, the fluorescence characteristics (spectra, quantum yields and lifetimes) are sensitive to the polarizabilty and hydrogen bond ability of the solvents. Photo-decomposition of nifedipine is dependent on the solvent properties. Faster decomposition rates were obtained in nonprotic solvents. The 4-carboxylic derivative goes to decarboxylation. Under similar conditions, the other DHP compounds did not show appreciable photodecomposition.     

Controlling the mechanism of fulvene S(1)/S(0) decay: switching off the stepwise population transfer

Direct quantum dynamics simulations were performed to model the radiationless decay of the first excited state S(1) of fulvene. The full space of thirty normal mode nuclear coordinates was explicitly considered. By default, ultrafast internal conversion takes place centred on the higher-energy planar region of the S(1)/S(0) conical intersection seam, giving the stepwise population transfer characteristic of a sloped surface crossing, and leading back to the ground state reactant. Two possible schemes for controlling whether stepwise population transfer occurs or not-either altering the initial geometry distribution or the initial momentum composition of the photo-excited wavepacket-were explored. In both cases, decay was successfully induced to occur in the lower-energy twisted/peaked region of the crossing seam, switching off the stepwise population transfer. This absence of re-crossing is a direct consequence of the change in the position on the intersection at which decay occurs (our target for control), and its consequences should provide an experimentally observable fingerprint of this system.     

Ab initio molecular dynamics and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of electronically excited uracil and thymine

The reaction dynamics of excited electronic states in nucleic acid bases is a key process in DNA photodamage. Recent ultrafast spectroscopy experiments have shown multicomponent decays of excited uracil and thymine, tentatively assigned to nonadiabatic transitions involving multiple electronic states. Using both quantum chemistry and first principles quantum molecular dynamics methods we show that a true minimum on the bright S2 electronic state is responsible for the first step that occurs on a femtosecond time scale. Thus the observed femtosecond decay does not correspond to surface crossing as previously thought. We suggest that subsequent barrier crossing to the minimal energy S2/S1 conical intersection is responsible for the picosecond decay.     

Quenching of tryptophan (1)(pi,pi*) fluorescence induced by intramolecular hydrogen abstraction via an aborted decarboxylation mechanism

CASSCF computations show that the hydrogen-transfer-induced fluorescence quenching of the (1)(pi,pi*) excited state of zwitterionic tryptophan occurs in three steps: (1) formation of an intramolecular excited-state complex, (2) hydrogen transfer from the amino acid side chain to the indole chromophore, and (3) radiationless decay through a conical intersection, where the reaction path bifurcates to a photodecarboxylation and a phototautomerization route. We present a general model for fluorescence quenching by hydrogen donors, where the radiationless decay occurs at a conical intersection (real state crossing). At the intersection, the reaction responsible for the quenching is aborted, because the reaction path bifurcates and can proceed forward to the products or backward to the reactants. The position of the intersection along the quenching coordinate depends on the nature of the states and, in turn, affects the formation of photoproducts during the quenching. For a (1)(n,pi*) model system reported earlier (Sinicropi, A.; Pogni, R.; Basosi, R.; Robb, M. A.; Gramlich, G.; Nau, W. M.; Olivucci, M. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 4185-4189), the ground and the excited state of the chromophore are hydrogen acceptors, and the excited-state hydrogen transfer is nonadiabatic and leads directly to the intersection point. There, the hydrogen transfer is aborted, and the reaction can return to the reactant pair or proceed further to the hydrogen-transfer products. In the tryptophan case, the ground state is not a hydrogen acceptor, and the excited-state hydrogen transfer is an adiabatic, sequential proton and electron transfer. The decay to the ground state occurs along a second reaction coordinate associated with decarboxylation of the amino acid side chain and the corresponding aborted conical intersection. The results show that, for (1)(pi,pi*) states, the hydrogen transfer alone is not sufficient to induce the quenching, and explain why fluorescence quenching induced by hydrogen donors is less general for (1)(pi,pi*) than for (1)(n,pi*) states.     

Ultrafast dynamics through conical intersections and intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution in styrene

We report a femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) investigation of internal conversion in the first two excited singlet electronic states of styrene. We find that radiationless decay through an S(1)/S(0) conical intersection occurs on a timescale of ～4 ps following direct excitation to S(1) with 0.6 eV excess energy, but that the same process is significantly slower (～20 ps) if it follows internal conversion from S(2) to S(1) after excitation to S(2) with 0.3 eV excess energy (0.9 eV excess energy in S(1)).     

Ultrafast nonradiative decay of electronically excited States of malachite green: ab initio calculations

We have investigated the nonradiative deactivation process of malachite green in the singlet excited states, S(1) and S(2), by high-level ab initio quantum chemical calculations using the CASPT2//CASCF approach. The deactivation pathways connecting the Franck-Condon region and conical intersection regions are identified. The initial population in the S(1) state is on a flat surface and the relaxation involves a rotation of phenyl rings, which leads the molecule to reach the conical intersection between the S(1) and S(0) states, where it efficiently decays back to the ground state. There exists a small barrier connecting the Franck-Condon and conical intersection regions on the S(1) potential energy surface. The decay mechanism from the S(2) state also involves the twisting motion of phenyl rings. In contrast to the excitation to the S(1) state, the initial population is on a downhill ramp potential and the barrierless relaxation through the rotation of substituted phenyl rings is expected. During the course of relaxation, the molecule switches to the S(1) state at the conical intersection between S(2) and S(1), and then it decays back to the ground state through the intersection between S(1) and S(0). In relaxation from both S(1) and S(2), large distortion of phenyl rings is required for the ultrafast nonradiative decay to the ground state.     

Excited-state behavior of N-phenyl-substituted trans-3-aminostilbenes: where the "m-amino effect" meets the "amino-conjugation effect"

The electronic spectroscopy and photochemistry of the trans isomers of 3-(N-phenylamino)stilbene (m1c), 3-(N-methyl-N-phenylamino)stilbene (m1d), 3-(N,N-diphenylamino)stilbene (m1e), and 3-(N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)amino)stilbene (m1f) and their double-bond constrained analogues m2a-m2c and m2e are reported. When compared with trans-3-aminostilbene (m1a), m1c-m1e display a red shift of the S0 --> S1 absorption and fluorescence spectra, lower oscillator strength and fluorescence rate constants, and more efficient S1 --> T1 intersystem crossing. Consequently, the N-phenyl derivatives m1c-m1e have lower fluorescence quantum yields and higher photoisomerization quantum yields. The corresponding N-phenyl substituent effect in m2a-m2e is similar in cyclohexane but smaller in acetonitrile. This is attributed to the weaker intramolecular charge transfer character for the S1 state of m2 so that the rates for intersystem crossing are less sensitive to solvent polarity. It is also concluded that N-phenyl substitutions do not change the triplet mechanism of photoisomerization for m1 in both nonpolar and polar solvents. Therefore, the "m-amino conjugation effect" reinforces the "m-amino effect" on fluorescence by further reducing its rate constants and highlights the N-phenyl-enhanced intersystem crossing from the "amino-conjugation effect" by making S1 --> T1 the predominant nonradiative decay pathway.     

Ultrafast S1 to S0 internal conversion dynamics for dimethylnitramine through a conical intersection

Electronically nonadiabatic processes such as ultrafast internal conversion (IC) from an upper electronic state (S(1)) to the ground electronic state (S(0)) though a conical intersection (CI), can play an essential role in the initial steps of the decomposition of energetic materials. Such nonradiative processes following electronic excitation can quench emission and store the excitation energy in the vibrational degrees of freedom of the ground electronic state. This excess vibrational energy in the ground electronic state can dissociate most of the chemical bonds of the molecule and can generate stable, small molecule products. The present study determines ultrafast IC dynamics of a model nitramine energetic material, dimethylnitramine (DMNA). Femtosecond (fs) pump-probe spectroscopy, for which a pump pulse at 271 nm and a probe pulse at 405.6 nm are used, is employed to elucidate the IC dynamics of this molecule from its S(1) excited state. A very short lifetime of the S(1) excited state (～50 ± 16 fs) is determined for DMNA. Complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations show that an (S(1)/S(0))(CI) CI is responsible for this ultrafast decay from S(1) to S(0). This decay occurs through a reaction coordinate involving an out-of-plane bending mode of the DMNA NO(2) moiety. The 271 nm excitation of DMNA is not sufficient to dissociate the molecule on the S(1) potential energy surface (PES) through an adiabatic NO(2) elimination pathway.     

Theoretical study on the photochemical behavior of 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile

Ab initio calculations have been performed to examine the photochemical behavior of 4-(dimethylamino)benzenzonitrile (DMABN). The conical intersection between S2 and S1 (S2/S1-CIX), where the internal conversion takes place after the main transition of S0-S2 at the equilibrium geometry in S0, is characterized by a dimethylamino-twisted quinoid structure where aromaticity of the benzene ring is lost. The optimized geometry of the charge transfer (CT) state in S1 has a feature similar to that of S2/S1-CIX but is not energetically stabilized so much. Consequently, electronically excited DMABN with CT character relaxes into the most stable locally excited (LE) state in S1 through a recrossing at S2/S1-CIX in gas phase or nonpolar solvent. In polar solvent, in contrast, the equilibration between LE and CT takes place in S1 so that the CT state is more stable because of electrostatic interaction. The excited states of DMABN derivatives have been also examined. On the basis of the present computational results, a new and simple guiding principle of the emission properties is proposed, where conventional twisted intramolecular CT (TICT) and planar intramolecular CT (PICT) models are properly incorporated.     

Dynamics of ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer with 1-tert-butyl-6-cyano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (NTC6) in n-hexane and acetonitrile

The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) reaction of 1-tert-butyl-6-cyano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (NTC6) in n-hexane and acetonitrile (MeCN) is investigated by picosecond fluorescence experiments as a function of temperature and by femtosecond transient absorption measurements at room temperature. NTC6 in n-hexane is dual fluorescent from a locally excited (LE) and an ICT state, with a quantum yield ratio Phi'(ICT)/Phi(LE) of 0.35 at +25 degrees C and 0.67 at -95 degrees C, whereas in MeCN mainly an ICT emission is observed. From the temperature dependence of Phi'(ICT)/Phi(LE) for NTC6 in n-hexane, an LE/ICT enthalpy difference DeltaH of -2.4 kJ/mol is determined. For comparison, 1-isopropyl-6-cyano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (NIC6) is also investigated. This molecule does not undergo an ICT reaction, because of its larger energy gap DeltaE(S1,S2). From the molar absorption coefficient epsilonmax of NTC6 as compared with other aminobenzonitriles, a ground-state amino twist angle theta of approximately 22 degrees is deduced. The increase of epsilonmax between n-hexane and MeCN indicates that theta decreases when the solvent polarity becomes larger. Whereas single-exponential LE fluorescence decays are obtained for NIC6 in n-hexane and MeCN, the LE and ICT decays of NTC6 in these solvents are double exponential. For NTC6 in n-hexane at -95 degrees C, with a shortest decay time of 20 ps, the forward (ka=2.5x10(10) s(-1)) and backward (kd=2.7x10(10) s(-1)) rate constants for the LE<-->ICT reaction are determined from the time-resolved LE and ICT fluorescence spectra. For NTC6 in n-hexane and MeCN, the excited-state absorption (ESA) spectrum at 200 fs after excitation is similar to the LE(ESA) spectra of NIC6 and 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN), showing that LE is the initially excited state for NTC6. These results indicate that the LE states of NTC6, NIC6, and DMABN have a comparable molecular structure. The ICT(ESA) spectrum of NTC6 in n-hexane and MeCN resembles that of DMABN in MeCN, likewise indicating a similar ICT structure for NTC6 and DMABN. From the decay of the LE absorption and the corresponding growing-in for the ICT state of NTC6, it is concluded that the ICT state originates from the LE precursor and is not formed by direct excitation from S0, nor via an S2/ICT conical intersection. The same conclusion was made from the time-resolved (picosecond) fluorescence spectra, where there is no ICT emission at time zero. The decay of the LE(ESA) band of NTC6 in n-hexane occurs with a shortest time tau2 of 2.2 ps. The ICT reaction is much faster (tau2 = 0.82 ps) in the strongly polar MeCN. The absence of excitation wavelength dependence (290 and 266 nm) for the ESA spectra in MeCN also shows that LE is the ICT precursor. With NIC6 in n-hexane and MeCN, a decay or growing-in of the femtosecond ESA spectra is not observed, in line with the absence of an ICT reaction involving an S2/ICT conical intersection.     

Photoisomerization dynamics of azobenzene in solution with S1 excitation: a femtosecond fluorescence anisotropy study

Measurements of anisotropy of femtosecond fluorescence after direct excitation of the S1(n,pi*) state of azobenzene in hexane and ethylene glycol solutions have been carried out to address the controversy about inversion and rotation in the mechanism of photoisomerization. The observed anisotropies in hexane decay to a nonzero asymptotic level with a relaxation period the same as that for slow decay of the corresponding biexponential transient; this effect is attributed to involvement of the out-of-plane CNNC-torsional motion on approach to a twisted conical intersection along the "rotation channel" that depolarizes the original in-plane transition moment. In contrast, when the rotational channel becomes substantially hindered in ethylene glycol, the anisotropies show no discernible decay feature, but the corresponding transients show prominent decays attributed to involvement of in-plane symmetric motions; the latter approach a planar-sloped conical intersection along a "concerted inversion channel" for efficient internal conversion through vibronic coupling. The proposed mechanism is consistent with theoretical calculations and rationalizes both results on quantum yields and ultrafast observations.     

Nonadiabatic dynamics of uracil: population split among different decay mechanisms

Nonadiabatic dynamics simulations performed at the state-averaged CASSCF method are reported for uracil. Supporting calculations on stationary points and minima on the crossing seams have been performed at the MR-CISD and CASPT2 levels. The dominant mechanism is characterized by relaxation into the S(2) minimum of ππ* character followed by the relaxation to the S(1) minimum of nπ* character. This mechanism contributes to the slower relaxation with a decay constant larger than 1.5 ps, in good agreement with the long time constants experimentally observed. A minor fraction of trajectories decay to the ground state with a time constant of about 0.7 ps, which should be compared to the experimentally observed short constant. The major part of trajectories decaying with this time constant follows the ππ* channel and hops to the ground state via an ethylenic conical intersection. A contribution of the relaxation proceeding via a ring-opening conical intersection was also observed. The existence of these two latter channels together with a reduced long time constant is responsible for a significantly shorter lifetime of uracil compared to that of thymine.     

Electronic spectroscopy and photochromic mechanism of bis-Schiff bases, N, N''''-bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylidene)-1,4-phenyldiamine

The steady state and transient state absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra of N,N'-bis(2-hy-droxy-1-napbthylidcne)-1,4-phenyldiamme ( BNP ) in cyclohexane and acetonitrile were determined.The pho-tochromic mechanism was discussed In nonpolar solvents,BNP exists mainly in the enol form and has the absorption maximum in the UV region In polar solvents,however,both the enol and proton transfer tautomer are formed,but the farmer is the main one Fluorescence emissions result from the excited state of proton transfer product.     

Mechanism of the N-cyclopropylimine-1-pyrroline photorearrangement

We present here a combined experimental and computational investigation into the photorearrangement of N-cyclopropylimines to yield pyrrolines. We show that the photochemistry, regiochemistry, and stereochemistry of the reaction can be understood in terms of a mechanism involving barrierless evolution in three different (S(2), S(1), S(0)) singlet states and sequential decay through two different (S(2)/S(1), and S(1)/S(0)) conical intersection funnels. We provide evidence that the reaction mechanism involves the generation of a nonequilibrated (i.e., transient) excited state diradical, whose decay can lead not only to pyrrolines but also to cyclopropylimine isomers. It is concluded that the reaction outcome depends on the details of the structure of such transient diradical and on the nature of the dynamics of its decay through the S(1)/S(0) conical intersection.     

Ultrafast nonradiative dynamics in electronically excited hexafluorobenzene by femtosecond time-resolved mass spectrometry

The fast nonradiative decay dynamics of the lowest two excited pipi(*) electronic states (S(2) and S(3)) of hexafluorobenzene have been investigated by using femtosecond time-resolved time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The molecules were excited at wavelengths between 265 nm > or = lambda(pump) > or = 217 nm and probed by four- and three-photon ionization at lambda(probe)=775 nm. The observed temporal profiles exhibit two exponential decay times (tau(1)=0.54-0.1 ps and tau(2)=493-4.67 ps, depending on the excitation wavelength) and a superimposed coherent oscillation with vibrational frequency nu(osc)=97 cm(-1) and damping time tau(D) that is two to three times longer than the respective tau(1). The first decay component (tau(1)) is assigned to rapid radiationless transfer from the excited optically bright pipi(*) electronic state (S(2) or S(3), respectively) through a conical intersection (CI) to the lower-lying optically dark pisigma(*) state (S(1)) of the molecule; the second component (tau(2)) is attributed to the subsequent slower relaxation from the S(1) state back to the electronic ground state (S(0)). tau(2) dramatically decreases with increasing vibronic excitation energy up to the CI connecting the pisigma(*) with the S(0) state. The coherent oscillation is identified as nuclear motion along the out-of-plane vibration nu(16a) (notation as for benzene), which has e(2u) symmetry and acts as coupling mode between the pipi(*) and pisigma(*) states.     

Quadratic description of conical intersections: characterization of critical points on the extended seam

In this paper, we present a practical approach for the characterization of critical points on conical intersection seams as either local minima or saddle points using second-derivative technology. The utility of this methodology is illustrated by the analysis of seven S0/S1 (2Ag/1Ag) conical intersection points involved in the photochemistry of butadiene. The characterization of critical points on the crossing seam requires second derivatives computed in curvilinear coordinates. Using such coordinates, we can represent the branching space and the intersection space to second order. Although these curvilinear coordinates are conceptually important, they also give rise to two additional practical applications. First, such coordinates yield information on the nature of vibrational modes that are stimulated following radiationless decay at a crossing point. Second, the second-order force field is directly comparable to experimental spectroscopic data for Jahn-Teller systems. We will illustrate the latter idea for the cyclopentadienyl radical.     

Early excited state dynamics of 6-styryl-substituted pyrylium salts exhibiting dual fluorescence

A series of 6-styryl-2,4-diphenylpyrylium salts exhibiting dual fluorescence has been investigated by fluorescence up-conversion in conjunction with quantum chemical calculations. The short-wavelength emission is due to an excited state localized on the pyrylium fragment and the long-wavelength emission arises from a charge-transfer state delocalized over the whole molecule. The two fluorescing states do not exhibit a precursor-successor relationship. The rise time of the short-wavelength fluorescence is smaller than 200 fs, and that of the long-wavelength emission depends on the electron-donating property of the styryl group substituent. The rise is almost prompt with the weaker donors but is slower, wavelength and viscosity dependent with the strongest electron-donating group. A model involving a S(2)/S(1) conical intersection is proposed to account for these observations.     

Comparative studies of the trans-cis photoisomerizations of azobenzene and a bridged azobenzene

Using density-functional-based molecular dynamics simulations, we have performed comparative studies of the trans-cis isomerizations of azobenzene and bridged azobenzene (B-Ab) 5,6-dihydrodibenzo[c,g][1,2]diazocine induced by nπ* electronic excitation. The quantum yields found in our calculations, 45% for the bridged azobenzene versus 25% for azobenzene, are consistent with the experiment. Both isomerization processes involve two steps: (1) Starting from the trans structure, each molecule moves on its S(1) excited-state potential energy surface, via rotation around the NN bond, to an avoided crossing near the S(1)/S(0) conical intersection, where de-excitation occurs. (2) Subsequently, in the electronic ground state, there is further rotation around the NN bond, accompanied by twisting of the phenyl rings around their CN bonds, until the cis geometry is achieved. Because of its lower symmetry and smaller initial CNNC dihedral angle, the bridged azobenzene has a much shorter lifetime for the S(1) excited state, about 30 fs, as compared to about 400 fs for azobenzene. However, we find that the complete isomerizations have approximately the same time scales. Although the bridging feature in trans-B-Ab does not hinder rotation around the NN bond in step 1, it makes twisting of the two phenyl rings around the CN bonds much slower in step 2.     

Photophysics of organic photostabilizers. Ab initio study of the excited-state deactivation mechanisms of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazole

Excited-state reaction paths and the corresponding energy profiles of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazole (TIN-H) have been determined with the CC2 (simplified singles-and-doubles coupled-cluster) ab initio method. Hydrogen transfer along the intramolecular hydrogen bond, torsion of the aromatic rings and pyramidization of the central nitrogen atom are identified as the most relevant photochemical reaction coordinates. The keto-type planar S(1) state reached by barrierless intramolecular hydrogen transfer is found to be unstable with respect to torsion. The latter mode, together with a moderate pyramidization of the central nitrogen atom, provides barrierless access to a S(1)-S(0) conical intersection. Only the pi-type orbitals of the aromatic rings are involved in the open-shell structures. The S(1)-S(0) conical intersection, which occurs for perpendicular geometry of the aromatic rings, is a pure biradical. From the conical intersection, a barrierless reaction path steers the system back to the enol-type minimum of the S(0) potential-energy surface, thus closing the photocycle. This photophysical pathway accounts for the remarkable photostability of the molecule.     

A three-state model for the photophysics of guanine

The nonadiabatic photochemistry of the guanine molecule (2-amino-6-oxopurine) and some of its tautomers has been studied by means of the high-level theoretical ab initio quantum chemistry methods CASSCF and CASPT2. Accurate computations, based by the first time on minimum energy reaction paths, states minima, transition states, reaction barriers, and conical intersections on the potential energy hypersurfaces of the molecules lead to interpret the photochemistry of guanine and derivatives within a three-state model. As in the other purine DNA nucleobase, adenine, the ultrafast subpicosecond fluorescence decay measured in guanine is attributed to the barrierless character of the path leading from the initially populated 1(pi pi* L(a)) spectroscopic state of the molecule toward the low-lying methanamine-like conical intersection (gs/pi pi* L(a))CI. On the contrary, other tautomers are shown to have a reaction energy barrier along the main relaxation profile. A second, slower decay is attributed to a path involving switches toward two other states, 1(pi pi* L(b)) and, in particular, 1(n(O) pi*), ultimately leading to conical intersections with the ground state. A common framework for the ultrafast relaxation of the natural nucleobases is obtained in which the predominant role of a pi pi*-type state is confirmed.