Photoactivity and UV absorption spectroscopy of RCo(CO)4 (R = H, CH3) organometallic complexes

The photoactivity of RCo(CO)4 (R = H, CH3) complexes has been investigated and compared by means of state correlation diagrams connecting the low-lying singlet (1)E (d(Co) --> sigma*(Co-R) and d(Co) --> pi*(CO)) and (1)A1 (d(Co) --> pi*(CO)) electronic states accessible through UV irradiation, and the low-lying triplet states ((3)E and (3)A1), to the corresponding states of the primary products R + Co(CO)4 and CO(ax) + RCo(CO)3. The electronic absorption spectra have been calculated by time-dependent wave packet propagations on two-dimensional potential energy surfaces describing both channels of dissociation, namely the homolysis of the R-Co and the CO(ax)-Co bonds. It is shown that the absorption spectrum of HCo(CO)4 is characterized by two peaks; the most intense peaks for each set are located respectively at 42,659 and 45,001 cm(-1). The CH(3)Co(CO)4 absorption spectrum also gives two sets of signals with maximum intensities found at 42,581 and 51,515 cm(-1). These bands for both molecules are assigned to the two metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer (MLCT; d(Co) --> pi*(CO)) states. Three photoactive states have been determined in both molecules, namely the singlet metal-to-sigma-bond-charge-transfer (MSBCT) states (a(1)E and b(1)E), simultaneously dissociative for both the homolysis of CO and the R-Co bond, and the (3)A1 (sigma(Co-R) --> sigma*(Co-R)), dissociative along the R-Co bond.     

Photodissociation and electronic spectroscopy of [Re(H)(CO)(3)(H-dab)] (H-dab=1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene): quantum wavepacket dynamics based on ab initio potentials

The photodissociation dynamics of [Re(H)(CO)(3)(H-dab)] (H-dab=1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene) were studied by means of wavepacket propagations on CASSCF/MR-CCI potentials calculated for the electronic ground state and low-lying excited states as a function of two coordinates, q(a) and q(b), that correspond to the Re-H bond homolysis and to the axial CO loss, respectively. The theoretical absorption spectrum is characterized by two bands, one intense peak centered at lambda=500 nm (21,000 cm(-1)) and one broad band centered at 310 nm (32,500 cm(-1)). The visible band was assigned to the low-lying metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) states with a main contribution of the a(1)A'-->c(1)A' transition corresponding to the 3d(xz)-->pi*(dab) excitation. The second band calculated in the UV energy domain was assigned to the d(1)A' (sigma(Mn-H)-->pi*(dab)) state corresponding to a sigma-bond-to-ligand charge-transfer (SBLCT) state. The photodissociation dynamics of the low-lying (1)MLCT and (3)SBLCT states following irradiation in the visible energy domain was simulated by wavepacket propagation on the two-dimensional diabatic potentials V(q(a), q(b)) coupled by the spin-orbit. In contrast to what was found for the manganese analogue, the (1)MLCT state is nonreactive and a rather slow (beyond the ps time scale), nontotal and indirect homolysis of the Re-H bond occurs through (1)MLCT-->(3)SBLCT intersystem crossing.     

Theoretical investigation of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide vertical singlet and triplet excitation spectra

The electronic absorption spectrum of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide (APO) has been investigated by means of multiconfigurational multi-state second order perturbation theory on complete active space self-consistent field wavefunctions (MS-CASPT2/CASSCF) and two single reference methods: time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and coupled cluster of second order (CC2). After testing several active spaces and basis sets, a CAS (14,12) active space together with an ANO-S basis set was found an appropriate choice to describe the vertical singlet and triplet electronic states of APO. Unfortunately, TD-DFT and CC2 methods cannot reproduce the MS-CASPT2 and experimental spectrum. Our MS-CASPT2//CASSCF(14,12)/ANO-S calculations predict a predominant pi*(OO)sigma*(OO) character for the lowest singlet excited state S(1) at 3.85 eV. Accordingly, the lowest singlet state of APO should be responsible for homolysis of the endoperoxide group. The next two absorbing excited states, experimentally proposed to be responsible for singlet oxygen production and therefore connected to the biological interest of APO, have been computed vertically at 4.34 and 4.59 eV and assigned to pi(CC)pi*(CC) and pi*(OO)pi*(CC) transitions, respectively. The vertical triplet electronic spectrum follows the singlet vertical spectrum ordering. The high density of triplet and singlet excited states of different nature within few eV points to the possibility of intersystem crossings between potential energy surfaces of different multiplicity.     

Electroswitchable photoluminescence activity: synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, photophysics, and X-ray crystal and electronic structures of [Re(bpy)(CO)3(C[triple bond]C[bond]C6H4[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C5Me5)(dppe)][PF6](n) (n = 0, 1)

A novel heterobimetallic alkynyl-bridged complex, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)], 1, and its oxidized species, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)][PF(6)], 2, have been synthesized and their X-ray crystal structures determined. A related vinylidene complex, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond](H)C[double bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)][PF(6)], 3, has also been synthesized and characterized. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 shows a quasireversible reduction couple at -1.49 V (vs SCE), a fully reversible oxidation at -0.19 V, and a quasireversible oxidation at +0.88 V. In accord with the electrochemical results, density-functional theory calculations on the hydrogen-substituted model complex Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)H(5))(dHpe) (Cp = C(5)H(5), dHpe = H(2)P[bond](CH(2))(2)[bond]PH(2)) (1-H) show that the LUMO is mainly bipyridine ligand pi* in character while the HOMO is largely iron(II) d orbital in character. The electronic absorption spectrum of 1 shows low-energy absorption at 390 nm with a 420 nm shoulder in CH(2)Cl(2), while that of 2 exhibits less intense low-energy bands at 432 and 474 nm and additional low-energy bands in the NIR at ca. 830, 1389, and 1773 nm. Unlike the related luminescent rhenium(I)-alkynyl complex [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C[bond]H)], 4, complex 1 is found to be nonemissive, and such a phenomenon is attributed to an intramolecular quenching of the emissive d pi(Re) --> pi*(bpy) (3)MLCT state by the low-lying MLCT and LF excited states of the iron moiety. Interestingly, switching on of the luminescence property derived from the d pi(Re) --> pi*(bpy) (3)MLCT state can be demonstrated in the oxidized species 2 and the related vinylidene analogue 3 due to the absence of the quenching pathway.     

Theoretical studies on structures and spectroscopic properties of a series of novel mixed-ligand Ir(III) complexes [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)X

The series of novel mixed-ligand iridium(III) complexes Ir(Mebib)(ppy)X (Mebib = bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)benzene and ppy = phenylpyridine; X = Cl, 1; X = -C[triple band]CH, 2; X = CN, 3) have been investigated theoretically to explore their electronic structures and spectroscopic properties. The ground and excited state geometries have been fully optimized at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ and CIS/LANL2DZ levels, respectively. The optimized geometry structural parameters agree well with the corresponding experimental results. The HOMO of 1 and 3 are mainly localized on the Ir atom, Mebib, and ppy ligand, but that of 2 has significant X ligand composition. Absorptions and phosphorescences in CH2 Cl2 media have been calculated using the TD-DFT level of theory with the PCM model based on the optimized ground and excited state geometries, respectively. The lowest lying absorptions of 1 and 3 at 444 and 416 nm are attributed to a {[d(yz)(Ir) + pi(Mebib) + pi(ppy)] --> [pi*(Mebib)]} transition with metal-to-ligand, ligand-to-ligand, and intra-ligand charge transfer (MLCT/LLCT/ILCT) character, whereas that of 2 at 458 nm is related to a {[d(yz)(Ir) + pi(Mebib) + pi(ppy) + pi(C[triple band]CH)] --> [pi*(Mebib)]} transition with MLCT/LLCT/ILCT and X ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (XLCT) transition character. The phosphorescence of 1 and 3 at 565 and 543 nm originates from the 3{[dy(yz)(Ir) + pi(Mebib) + pi(ppy)] [pi*(Mebib)]} excited state, while that of 2 at 576 nm originates from the 3{[d(yz)(Ir) + pi(Mebib) + pi(ppy) + pi(C[triple band]CH)] [pi*(Mebib)]} excited state. The calculation results show that the absorption and emission transition character can be changed by altering the pi electron-withdrawing ability of the X ligand and the phosphorescent color can be tuned by adjusting the X ligand.     

Theoretical study of the electronic gas-phase spectrum of glycine, alanine, and related amines and carboxylic acids

A theoretical study on the origin of the common electronic excitations in amino acids is presented, focusing on the excited states of glycine, alanine and the related substructures formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, ammonia, methylamine, and ethylamine. Special attention is given to the valence excitation from the nonbonding lone-pair on the carboxylic oxygen atom to the antibonding pi-orbital (n(O) --> pi*(CO)) and the first Rydberg excitation from the nonbonding lone-pair on the nitrogen atom (n(N) --> 3s). From extensive calculations on formic acid and methylamine, different basis sets and electron correlation treatments are benchmarked using a hierarchy of coupled cluster (CC) methods, consisting of CCS, CC2, CCSD, CCSDR(3), and CC3, in combination with augmented correlation consistent basis sets. The dependence of the excitation energies on the size of the backbone structure in the two groups of molecules is investigated, and 0-0 transition energies for the n(O) --> pi*(CO) and n(N) --> 3s transitions are calculated for the smallest molecules. Excellent agreement with experimental values is found where secure experimental assignments are available. A few outstanding problems in the experimental assignments found in the literature are described for both the carboxylic acids and the amines. Final predictions for vertical excitation energies are given for all molecules, including glycine and alanine where no gas-phase experimental results are available. Finally, calculations on protonated amino acids are presented showing an isolation of the n(O) --> pi*(CO) from higher lying states by as much as 1.9 eV for alanine.     

Cymantrene radical cation family: spectral and structural characterization of the half-sandwich analogues of ferrocenium ion

The anodic one-electron oxidation of three members of the half-sandwich family of piano-stool compounds MnCp (gamma)(CO) 3, where Cp (gamma) is a generic cyclopentadienyl ligand, has been studied in a CH 2Cl 2/[NBu 4][TFAB] electrolyte (TFAB = [B(C6F5) 4] (-)). The long-sought 17 e (-) radical cation of the parent complex MnCp(CO) 3 (cymantrene, 1, E 1/2 = 0.92 V vs ferrocene) has been shown to be persistent in solutions that use weakly coordinating anions in place of more nucleophilic traditional electrolyte anions. Spectroscopically characterized for the first time, 1 (+) was shown to absorb in the visible (530 nm), near-IR (2066 nm), and IR (2118, 1934 cm (-1)) regions. It was ESR-active at low temperatures (g parallel = 2.213, g perpendicular = 2.079, A parallel (Mn) = 79.2 G, A perpendicular (Mn) = 50 G) and NMR active at room temperature (delta = 22.4 vs TMS). The radical cations of the Cp-functionalized analogues, Mn(eta (5)-C5H 4NH2)(CO) 3, 2, E 1/2 = 0.62 V, and MnCp*(CO) 3 (Cp*= eta (5)-C 5Me 5, 3), E 1/2 = 0.64 V, were generated electrochemically as well by the chemical oxidant [ReCp(CO) 3] (+). The structures of 2 (+) and 3 (+) were determined by X-ray crystallographic studies of their TFAB salts. Compared to the structures of the corresponding neutral compounds, the cations showed elongated Mn-C(O) bonds and shortened C-O bonds, displaying the effect of diminished metal-to-CO backbonding. The bond-length changes in the Mn(CO) 3 moiety were much larger in 3 (+) (avg changes, Mn-C(O) = + 0.142 A, C-O = -0.063 A) than in 2 (+) (avg changes, Mn-C(O) = + 0.006 A, C-O = -0.003 A). Although there were only minor changes in the metal-to-center ring distances upon oxidation of either 2 or 3, there was decidedly less bending of the C(N) atom out of the cyclopentadienyl plane in 2 (+) compared to 2. The optical, vibrational, and magnetic resonance spectra of radicals 2 (+) and 3 (+) were also observed. The spectral data argue for the SOMOs of the 17-electron species being largely located on the Mn(CO) 3 moiety, having 40-50% Mn d-orbital character, with the ground states of the radicals, most likely (2)A', lying close in energy (within about 6000 cm (-1)) to excited states that are responsible for their rapid electronic relaxations. The cymantrenyl moiety is proposed as an anodic redox tag (or label) having physical and chemical properties that are significantly different from those of its ferrocenyl analogue.     

Theoretical investigation on o-, m-, and p-chlorotoluene photodissociations at 193 and 266 nm

Photodissociations of the o-, m-, and p-chlorotoluene at 193 and 266 nm were investigated by ab initio calculations with and without spin-orbit interaction. The experimentally observed photodissociation channels were clearly assigned by multistate second order multiconfigurational perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2) calculated potential energy curves. The dissociation products with spin-orbit-coupled states of Cl*(2P1/2) and Cl(2P3/2) were identified by MS-CASPT2 in conjunction with spin-orbit interaction through complete active space state interaction (MS-CASPT2/CASSI-SO) calculations. The effects of methyl rotation and substituent on the photodissociation mechanism were discussed in detail.     

Electronic structure of the two isomers of the anionic form of p-coumaric acid chromophore

A theoretical study of the electronic structure of the photoactive yellow protein (PYP) model chromophore, para-coumaric acid (p-CA), is presented. Electronically excited states of the phenolate and carboxylate isomers of the deprotonated p-CA are characterized by high-level ab initio methods including state-specific and multistate multireference pertrubation theory (SS-CASPT2, and MS-CASPT2), equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods with single and double substitutions (EOM-CCSD) and with an approximate account of triple excitations (CC3). We found that the two isomers have distinctly different patterns of ionization and excitation energies. Their excitation energies differ by more than 1 eV, in contradiction to the experimental report [Rocha-Rinza et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 113, 9442 (2009)]. The calculations confirm metastable (autoionizing) character of the valence excited states of both phenolate and carboxylate isomers of p-CA(-) in the gas phase. The type of resonance is different in the two forms. In the phenolate, the excited state lies above the detachment continuum (a shape resonance), whereas in the carboxylate the excited π→π(*) state lies below the π-orbital ionization continuum, but is above the states derived from ionization from three other orbitals (Feshbach resonance). The computed oscillator strength of the bright electronic state in the phenolate is higher than in the carboxylate, in agreement with Hu?ckel's model predictions. The analysis of photofragmentation channels shows that the most probable products for the methylated derivatives of the phenolate and carboxylate forms of p-CA(-) are CH(3), CH(2)O and CH(3), CH(2)O, CO(2), respectively, thus suggesting an experimental probe that may discriminate between the two isomers.     

Ab initio study of the spectroscopy of CH3N and CH3CH2N

Complete active space (CAS) calculations with 6-311++g(3df,3pd) basis sets were performed for a large number of electronic states of the nitrate free radical (CH3N/CH3CH2N) and their positive and negative ions. All calculated states are valence states, and their characters are discussed in detail. To investigate the Jahn-Teller effect on the CH3N radical, Cs symmetry was used for both CH3N and CH3CH2N in calculations. The results (CASPT2 adiabatic excitation energies and CASSI oscillator strengths) suggest that the calculated transitions of CH3N at 32172 and 32139 cm(-1) are attributed to the 2(3)A' ' --> 1(3)A' ' and 1(3)A' --> 1(3)A' ', respectively, which is in accordance with the A3E --> X3A2 emission spectrum at T0 = 31 817 cm(-1). The calculated transitions of CH3CH2N at 334 nm are attributed to the 1(3)A' ' --> 2(3)A' ' and 1(3)A' ' --> 1(3)A', respectively, which is in accordance with the UV absorption spectrum of a series of 11 bands beginning at 335 nm. The vertical and adiabatic ionization energies were obtained to compare with the PES data. These results are in agreement with previous experimental data, which is discussed in detail.     

Calculation of the vibrationally resolved electronic absorption spectrum of the propargyl radical (H2CCCH)

The absorption spectrum of the propargyl radical in the region from 180 to 400 nm is investigated in detail by means of theory. Vertical excitation energies and potential energy surfaces are determined by highly accurate multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations. The vibrational dynamics of several electronic states is studied, and line intensities and positions are calculated with respect to the electronic and vibrational ground state. Four electronic states absorb in the region of interest: 1 2B2, 2 2B1, 2 2B2, and 3 2B1. However, electronic excitations into the 2B2 states are dipole-forbidden from the X 2B1 ground state and corresponding vibronically allowed transitions are shown to be weak. The spectrum is dominated by the strong 2 2B1 <-- 1 2B1 band which is computed in overall good agreement with available experiments. A strong absorption at 242 nm, which has been assigned to propargyl, is not confirmed by the calculations, and only very weak absorptions are found at wavelengths shorter than 280 nm. The present results strongly suggest that the 242 nm feature must be due to a different species.     

Ligand-field excited states of metal hexacarbonyls

Over 35 years ago, the low-lying bands in the absorption spectra of metal hexacarbonyls were assigned to ligand-field (LF) excitations. Recent time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations on M(CO)6 (M = Cr, Mo, W) are not in accord with this interpretation. Here we extend TDDFT calculations to the isoelectronic series V(CO)6-, Cr(CO)6, and Mn(CO)6+. By analyzing the trends in the energies of the various electronic excitations, we are able to fully assign the spectra of the complexes. In particular, we demonstrate that the LF excitation 1A1g -->1T1g is observed at 4.12 eV in the Mn(CO)6+ spectrum, but all LF features in the spectra of V(CO)6- and Cr(CO)6 are obscured by intense metal-to-ligand charge-transfer absorptions. Our results suggest that use of B3LYP as the exchange-correlation functional and inclusion of solvation effects through a continuum solvation model lead to the most accurate calculated transition energies.     

Visible absorption spectrum of the CH3CO radical

The visible absorption spectrum of the acetyl radical, CH(3)CO, was measured between 490 and 660 nm at 298 K using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. Gas-phase CH(3)CO radicals were produced using several methods including: (1) 248 nm pulsed laser photolysis of acetone (CH(3)C(O)CH(3)), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK, CH(3)C(O)CH(2)CH(3)), and biacetyl (CH(3)C(O)C(O)CH(3)), (2) Cl + CH(3)C(O)H --> CH(3)C(O) + HCl with Cl atoms produced via pulsed laser photolysis or in a discharge flow tube, and (3) OH + CH(3)C(O)H --> CH(3)CO + H(2)O with two different pulsed laser photolysis sources of OH radicals. The CH(3)CO absorption spectrum was assigned on the basis of the consistency of the spectra obtained from the different CH(3)CO sources and agreement of the measured rate coefficients for the reaction of the absorbing species with O(2) and O(3) with literature values for the CH(3)CO + O(2) + M and CH(3)CO + O(3) reactions. The CH(3)CO absorption spectrum between 490 and 660 nm has a broad peak centered near 535 nm and shows no discernible structure. The absorption cross section of CH(3)CO at 532 nm was measured to be (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(-19) cm(2) molecule(-1) (base e).     

A two-dimensional wavepacket study of the nonadiabatic dynamics of CH2BrCl

The nonadiabatic photodissociation dynamics of CH2BrCl into CH2Br + Cl or CH2Cl + Br is studied using two-dimensional wavepacket propagations on ab initio multiconfigurational MS-CASPT2 potential energy surfaces. Using a three-state diabatic model, we investigate the electronic states responsible for the two competing fragmentation channels and how the conical intersection present between the two lowest excited states affects the dissociation rate. Within this model, we find that the Br/Cl branching ratio depends on the irradiation wavelength. Predominant C-Br fragmentation occurs for wavelengths longer than 200 nm, while nonadiabatic C-Cl dissociation with a constant branching ratio of 0.4 is predicted upon absorption of photons in the range of 170-180 nm. Additionally, we observe complete nonadiabatic population transfer in less than 100 fs, that is, before the wavepacket can reach the conical intersection. As a consequence, there is no three-body CH2 + Br + Cl dissociation.     

trans-cis Photoisomerization of the styrylpyridine Ligand in [Re(CO)3(2,2'-bipyridine)(t-4-styrylpyridine)]+: role of the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states

The trans-cis isomerization of the styrylpyridine carbon-carbon double bond induced by visible light irradiation in fac-[Re(CO)(3)(bpy)(stpy)](+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; stpy = t-4-styrylpyridine) has been investigated by means of quantum-chemical methods. The structures of the various cis and trans conformers of [Re(CO)(3)(bpy)(stpy)](+) have been optimized at the density functional theory (DFT) level. Three rotational conformers for the most stable trans isomer lie within 2.3 kJ mol(-1) each other. The energy difference between the cis and trans isomers is 27.0 kJ mol(-1). The electronic spectroscopy of the most stable conformers has been investigated by time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) and complete active space self-consistent field/CAS second order perturbation theory (CASSCF/CASPT2) calculations. The lowest absorption bands are dominated by metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT, d(Re)-->pi*(bpy)) transitions calculated at about 25,000 cm(-1) and by a strong intraligand (1)IL (pi(stpy)-->pi*(stpy)) transition in the near UV region. On the basis of CASSCF potential energy curves (PECs) calculated as a function of the torsion angle of the C=C bond of the styrylpyridine ligand, it is shown that the role of the low-lying MLCT states is important in the photoisomerization mechanism. In contrast to the free organic ligand, in which the singlet mechanism is operational via the (1)IL (S(1)) and electronic ground (S(0)) states, coordination to the rhenium steers the isomerization to the triplet PEC corresponding to the (3)IL state. From the (3)IL(t) (t = trans) the system evolves to the perpendicular intermediate (3)IL(p) (p = perpendicular) following a 90 degrees rotation around the styrylpyridine C=C bond. The metal center acts as a photosensitizer because of the presence of photoactive MLCT states under visible irradiation. The position of the crossing between the (3)IL and electronic ground state PEC determines the quantum yield of the isomerization process.     

Mechanism of Ir(ppy)2(N--N)+ (N--N = 2-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) sensor for F-, CF3COOH, and CH3COO-: density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory studies

The geometries, electronic structures, and spectroscopic properties of Ir(ppy)2(N--N)(+) (1) (N--N = 2-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, ppy = 2-phenylpyridine), Ir(ppy)2(N--N)(+) x F(-) (2), Ir(ppy)2(N--N)(+) x CF3COOH (3/3a), and Ir(ppy)2(N--N)(+) x CH3COO(-) (4) were investigated theoretically. The ground and the excited state geometries of 1-4 were optimized at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ and UB3LYP/LANL2DZ levels, respectively. The optimized geometries agree well with the corresponding experimental results. The HOMOs of 1-4 and 3a are composed of pi(ppy) and d(Ir), and the LUMOs of 1, 2, 3a, and 4 are contributed by pi*(N--N), whereas the LUMO of 3 is composed of pi*(N--N) and pi*(CF3COOH). Under the time-dependent density functional theory level with polarized continuum model model, the absorption and phosphorescence in CH2Cl2 media were calculated on the basis of the optimized ground and excited state geometries, respectively. The lowest-lying absorptions of 1 (412 nm) and 3/3a (409/419 nm) have MLCT/LLCT transition characters, and those of 2 (448 nm) and 4 (427 nm) are contributed by ILCT character. The calculated lowest-energy triplet excited states responsible for phosphorescence of 1 (519 nm) and 3/3a (661/702 nm) have mixing (3)MLCT/(3)LLCT/(3)ILCT characters, but those of 2 and 4 only have (3)ILCT but without (3)MLCT character, which is the reason for the no-emissive character of 2 and 4. Moreover, the phosphorescence character of 3 is hardly changed by different addition sites of CF3COOH group (3a). The calculated results also showed that complex 1 is more suitable for an F(-) sensor than for CF3COOH and CH3COO(-) sensors.     

Dynamics of harpooning studied by transition state spectroscopy. Part III. Li...FCH3

The Van der Waals complex Li...FCH3 has been formed in a crossed molecular beam apparatus. The transition state (TS) for the reaction Li*(2p 2P) + FCH3-->LiF + CH3 was accessed at various configurations by laser-excitation of the Li...FCH3 complex by tunable visible radiation, lambda 1. Photoinduced depletion of the complex by excitation to this TS was found to occur across a broad range of lambda 1 from 570 to 850 nm. This 'action spectrum' consisted of two broad regions located to either side of the atomic transition line of Li (2p 2P<--2s 2S). The first region, between 700 and 850 nm, was dominated by sharp maxima in the depletion intensity. A broad peak with weakly-resolved structure characterized the second region, between 570 and 680 nm. These findings were interpreted by means of high-level ab initio calculations of the potential-energy surfaces in the TS region. The peaks in the photodepletion spectrum were assigned to specific electronic transitions, their shapes and intensities being explained in terms of calculated transition-dipole moments and rovibrational wavefunctions.     

Enhancement of metal-metal coupling at a considerable distance by using 4-pyridinealdazine as a bridging ligand in polynuclear complexes of rhenium and ruthenium

Novel polynuclear complexes of rhenium and ruthenium containing PCA (PCA = 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde azine or 4-pyridinealdazine or 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadiene) as a bridging ligand have been synthesized as PF(6-) salts and characterized by spectroscopic, electrochemical, and photophysical techniques. The precursor mononuclear complex, of formula [Re(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)(PCA)](+) (Me(2)bpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine), does not emit at room temperature in CH(3)CN, and the transient spectrum found by flash photolysis at lambda(exc) = 355 nm can be assigned to a MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) excited state [(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)Re(II)(PCA(-))](+), with lambda(max) = 460 nm and tau < 10 ns. The spectral properties of the related complexes [[Re(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)}(2)(PCA)](2+), [Re(CO)(3)(PCA)(2)Cl], and [Re(CO)(3)Cl](3)(PCA)(4) confirm the existence of this low-energy MLCT state. The dinuclear complex, of formula [(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)Re(I)(PCA)Ru(II)(NH(3))(5)](3+), presents an intense absorption in the visible spectrum that can be assigned to a MLCT d(pi)(Ru) --> pi(PCA); in CH(3)CN, the value of lambda (max) = 560 nm is intermediate between those determined for [Ru(NH(3))(5)(PCA)](2+) (lambda(max) = 536 nm) and [(NH(3))(5)Ru(PCA)Ru(NH(3))(5)](4+) (lambda(max) = 574 nm), indicating a significant decrease in the energy of the pi-orbital of PCA. The mixed-valent species, of formula [(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)Re(I)(PCA)Ru(III)(NH(3))(5)](4+), was obtained in CH(3)CN solution, by bromine oxidation or by controlled-potential electrolysis at 0.8 V in a OTTLE cell of the [Re(I),Ru(II)] precursor; the band at lambda(max) = 560 nm disappears completely, and a new band appears at lambda(max) = 483 nm, assignable to a MMCT band (metal-to-metal charge transfer) Re(I) --> Ru(III). By using the Marcus-Hush formalism, both the electronic coupling (H(AB)) and the reorganization energy (lambda) for the metal-to-metal intramolecular electron transfer have been calculated. Despite the considerable distance between both metal centers (approximately 15.0 Angstroms), there is a moderate coupling that, together with the comproportionation constant of the mixed-valent species [(NH(3))(5)Ru(PCA)Ru(NH(3))(5)](5+) (K(c) approximately 10(2), in CH(3)CN), puts into evidence an unusual enhancement of the metal-metal coupling in the bridged PCA complexes. This effect can be accounted for by the large extent of "metal-ligand interface", as shown by DFT calculations on free PCA. Moreover, lambda is lower than the driving force -DeltaG degrees for the recombination charge reaction [Re(II),Ru(II)] --> [Re(I),Ru(III)] that follows light excitation of the mixed-valent species. It is then predicted that this reverse reaction falls in the Marcus inverted region, making the heterodinuclear [Re(I),Ru(III)] complex a promising model for controlling the efficiency of charge-separation processes.     

Photochemical reactions of fac-[Mn(CO)3(phen)imidazole]+: evidence for long-lived radical species intermediates

The electronic absorption spectrum of fac-[Mn(CO)(3)(phen)imH](+), fac-1 in CH(2)Cl(2) is characterized by a strong absorption band at 378 nm (epsilon(max) = 3200 mol(-1) L cm(-1)). On the basis of quantum mechanical calculations, the visible absorption band has been assigned to ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (LLCT, im-->phen) and metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT, Mn-->phen) charge transfer transition. When fac-1 in CH(2)Cl(2) is irradiated with 350 nm continuous light, the absorption features are gradually shifted to represent those of the meridional complex mer-[Mn(CO)(3)(phen)imH](+), mer-1 (lambda(max) = 556 nm). The net photoreaction under these conditions is a photoisomerization, although, the presence of the long-lived radical species was also detected by (1)H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. 355 nm continuous photolysis of fac-1 in CH(3)CN solution also gives the long-lived intermediate which is readily trapped by metylviologen (MV(2+)) giving rise to the formation of the one-electron reduced methyl viologen (MV(*+)). The UV-vis spectra monitored during the slow (45 min) thermal back reaction exhibited isosbestic conversion at 426 nm. On the basis of spectroscopic techniques and quantum mechanical calculations, the role of the radicals produced is analyzed.     

Electronic properties of multifurcated bent hydrogen bonds CH3...Y and CH2...Y

H-bonding angle angleYHX has an important effect on the electronic properties of the H-bond Y...HX, such as intra- and intermolecular hyperconjugations and rehybridization, and topological properties of electron density. We studied the multifurcated bent H-bonds of the proton donors H3CZ (Z = F, Cl, Br), H2CO and H2CF2 with the proton acceptors Cl(-) and Br(-) at the four high levels of theory: MP2/6-311++G(d,p), MP2/6-311++G(2df,2p), MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) and QCISD/6-311++G(d,p), and found that they are all blue-shifted. These complexes have large interaction energies, 7-12 kcal mol(-1), and large blue shifts, delta r(HC) = -0.0025 --0.006 A and delta v(HC) = 30-90 cm(-1). The natural bond orbital analysis shows that the blue shifts of these H-bonds Y...HnCZ are mainly caused by three factors: rehybridization; indirect intermolecular hyperconjugation n(Y) -->sigma*(CZ), in that the electron density from n(Y) of the proton acceptor is transferred not to sigma*(CH), but to sigma*(CZ) of the donor; intramolecular hyperconjugation n(Z) -->sigma*(CH), in that the electron density in sigma*(CH) comes back to n(Z) of the donor such that the occupancy in sigma*(CH) decreases. The topological properties of the electron density of the bifurcated H-bonds Y...H2CZ are similar to those of the usual linear H-bonds, there is a bond critical point between Y and each hydrogen, and a ring critical point inside the tetragon YHCH. However, the topological properties of electron density of the trifurcated H-bonds Y...H3CZ are essentially different from those of linear H-bonds, in that the intermolecular bond critical point, which represents a closed-shell interaction, is not between Y and hydrogen, but between Y and carbon.