Intra- and intermolecular proton transfer in methyl-2-hydroxynicotinate

Spectral characteristics of methyl 2-hydroxynicotinate (MEHNA) have been studied using absorption, fluorescence excitation and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as, using single photon counting nanosecond spectrofluorimeter. MEHNA is present as enol in less polar solvents and keto in polar media. In non-polar solvents, large Stokes shifted fluorescence band is assigned to phototautomer, formed by excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), whereas fluorescence is only observed from keto form in polar solvents. In aqueous and polar solvents monocation (MC) is formed by protonating the exo carbonyl oxygen atom in the ground state (S₀) and in the first excited singlet state (S₁), MC is obtained by protonating carbonyl oxygen atom of the ester. It is formed by ESIPT from exo carbonyl proton to carbonyl oxygen atom of the ester. Dication is formed by protonating both the oxygen atoms. Two kinds of monoanions formed by deprotonating phenolic proton or >N-H proton of keto suggest the presence of enol and keto in aqueous solution. In cyclohexane MC is formed by protonating carbonyl oxygen in both S₀ and S₁ states. The electronic structure calculations were performed on each species using semi-empirical quantum mechanical AM1 method and density functional theory B3LYP with 6-31G^** basis set using Gaussian 98 program, along with potential energy mapping, to characterize the particular species.     

A Comprehensive Therotical Investigation of Intramolecular Proton Transfer in the Excited States for Some Newly-designed Diphenylethylene Derivatives Bearing 2-(2-Hydroxy-Phenyl)-Benzotriazole Part

This article presents a comprehensive therotical investigation of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) for some newly-designed diphenylethylene derivatives containing 2-(2-hydroxy-phenyl)-benzotriazole moiety with various substituted groups. The calculation shows the structural parameters and Mulliken charges of phototautomers enol (E) and keto (K) of these compounds exhibit no or tiny changes from S₀ to S₁. The calculated results suggest that HOMO and LUMO + 1 of the compounds displays excellent overlapping nature, and thus the absorption and emission could be from the electron transition of HOMO→LUMO + 1. The electron density distribution in the frontier orbital of E and K are influenced remarkably by various substituted groups in S₀ and S₁ states. Electron density distribution deficiency in 2-(2-hydroxy-phenyl)-benzotriazole part is observed in L + 1 for these derivatives. The calculation also suggests the potential energy curves of ESIPT are shown to be a strong relationship with electron donor-acceptor groups. The absorption spectra, normal emission spectra and ESIPT spectra of the derivatives were also calculated.     

1，8-二羟基-2-萘甲醛激发态双质子转移反应的MS-CASPT2//CASSCF研究

激发态双质子转移反应长期困扰着理论和实验科学家并成为了一个悬而未决的热点问题. 本文利用完全活化空间自洽场方法及其二阶微扰理论(MS-CASPT2//CASSCF)系统地研究了典型体系1,8-二羟基-2-萘甲醛(DHNA)的激发态双质子转移反应以及相关的激发态弛豫过程. 在MS-CASPT2//CASSCF水平下,本文优化了三个能量相近但结构不同的S₁态互变异构体,即S1-ENOL、S1-KETO-1和S1-KETO-2,以及两个关键的S₁/S₀锥形交叉点结构,即S1S0-KETO-1和S1S0-KETO-2. 其中,两个极小点S1-KETO-1和S1-KETO-2与实验上观测到的双荧光发射现象密切相关. 本文还利用MS-CASPT2//CASSCF方法计算了双质子转移反应的二维势能面以及从极小点到交叉点结构的线性内插路径;相应计算结果证实了DHNA体系具有分步的激发态双质子转移机制. 具体来说,从S1-ENOL到S1-KETO-1的第一个质子转移过程是无能垒的,而从S1-KETO-1到S1-KETO-2的第二个质子转移过程则需要克服一个大约6.0 kcal/mol的能垒. 此外,由于从S1-KETO-1 (S1-KETO-2)到S1S0-KETO-1 (S1S0-KETO-2)的线性内插路径显示DHNA体系需要翻越一个约为12.0 kcal/mol的能垒,因此DHNA体系将在S₁态上停留一段时间并发生双荧光发射现象. 当然,S₁/S₀锥形交叉点也会促使DHNA体系从S₁态内转换到S₀态,而这会一定程度上降低DHNA体系发射荧光的效率. 可以通过限制C5-C8-C9-O10二面角旋转来降低体系的内转换效率,进而提高DHNA体系的发光效率. 本工作不仅有助于理解激发态双质子转移机制,还有助于设计具有优异发光性能的新型分子材料.     

Excited-state inter- and intramolecular proton transfer in methyl 3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinate: effects of solvent and acid or base concentrations

Absorption, fluorescence excitation and fluorescence spectroscopy, combined with time-dependent spectroscopy and semi-empirical (AM1) and density functional theory using Gaussian 98 program calculations have been used to study the effects of solvent and acid or base concentration on the spectral characteristics of methyl 3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinate (M3HQ). M3HQ is present as enol in less polar solvents and as keto in polar media. In non-polar solvents, large Stokes shifted fluorescence band is assigned to the phototautomer, formed by the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer, whereas fluorescence is only observed from keto in the polar solvents. In aqueous and polar solvents the monocation (MC5/MC6) is formed by protonating the carbonyl oxygen atom in the ground (S₀) and the first excited singlet states (S₁). Dication is formed by protonating one of N- atom of MC5/MC6. Monoanion is formed by deprotonating the phenolic proton of enol in the basic solution. pK_a values for different prototropic equilibriums were determined in S₀ and S₁ states and discussed.     

The extended S1/S0 conical intersection seam for the photochemical 2 + 2 cycloaddition of two ethylene molecules

The extended S₁/S₀ conical intersection seam for the photochemical 2_s?+?2_s, 2_s?+?2_a and 2_a?+?2_a cycloadditions of two ethylene molecules has been documented using the methodology described by Sicilia et al. (J. Chem. Theory Comput. 4, 257 (2008)). Two additional critical points on this prototype crossing seam were found as a result, although both lie more than 100?kcal?mol^?1 above the rhomboidal crossing located previously, and are not minima in the intersection space. Using VB theory, the branching space conditions for the conical intersection can be derived analytically, in fair agreement with calculated CASSCF results. Woodward–Hoffmann symmetry forbidden and allowed reactions are associated with the same extended conical intersection seam in this case.     

Photophysical properties of substituted intramolecularly hydrogen bonded compounds: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Photophysical properties of prototype excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) system 4-methyl-2,6-diformyl phenol (MFOH) and its derivatives were studied by steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy as well as by ab-initio quantum chemical calculation. It has been found that nonradiative decay process is the most important deactivation channel in all the cases and the hydrogen bonded enol conformer is stable in the ground state whereas, the proton transferred keto form is energetically favoured in the S₁(ππ^*) state. However, the net gain in stabilization in the process of ESIPT is almost unaffected by the substitution. The reversal of stability in the excited state was explained on the basis of the nature of frontier molecular orbital in all the cases. Intrinsic reaction coordinate analysis showed that drastic change in nonbonded interoxygen distance R(O-O) in the proton transfer pathway causes the switch over from the enol to keto configuration. A close comparison of several properties like molecular geometry, hydrogen bond strength and atomic charge in different derivatives of MFOH were found to be consistent and in good agreement with the experimental results obtained from time-resolved fluorescence experiments.     

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     

Excited‐state deactivation channels via internal conversions in two position isomers of hydroxy‐methyl‐pyridine: a theoretical study

Two position isomers of hydroxy‐methyl‐pyridine (3‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐pyridine and 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐pyridine) were studied theoretically at the BLYP level of theory in order to find mechanisms explaining the excited‐state deactivations of isomers through ring puckering and “ethylene‐like” conical intersections. The study aims also to clarify the mechanisms of the ground‐state proton transfers. Three conical intersections S₀/S₁ for each isomer were found, which are accessible through the ¹ππ* excited states. In both isomers, there is a ¹ππ* excited‐state reaction path, which leads, in a completely barrierless manner, to the one of the conical intersections S₀/S₁. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical insight into the excited‐state behavior of a novel Compound 1: A TDDFT investigation

In the present work, using density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory methods, we investigated and presented the excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanisms of a novel Compound 1 theoretically. Analyses of electrostatic potential surfaces and reduced density gradient (RDG) versus sign(λ₂)ρ, we confirm the existence of intramolecular hydrogen bond O1‐H2···N3 for Compound 1 in the S₀ state. Comparing the primary structural variations of Compound 1 involved in the intramolecular hydrogen bond, we find that O1‐H2···N3 should be strengthened in the S₁ state, which may facilitate the ESIPT process. Concomitantly, infrared (IR) vibrational spectra analyses further verify the stability of hydrogen bond. In addition, the role of charge transfer interaction has been addressed under the frontier molecular orbitals, which depicts the nature of electronical excited state and supports the ESIPT reaction. The theoretically scanned and optimized potential energy curves according to variational O1‐H2 coordinate demonstrate that the proton transfer process should occur spontaneously in the S₁ state. It further explains why the emission peak of Compound 1‐enol was not reported in previous experiment. This work not only presents the ESIPT mechanism of Compound 1 but also promotes the understanding of this kind of molecules for further applications in future.     

激发态质子转移分子2-(2''-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑在不同溶剂中的光谱特性

观测了2-(2’-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑(HBT)在不同极性溶剂中的吸收光谱和荧光光谱,详细研究了溶剂极性对HBT发生激发态分子内质子转移(ESIPT)影响的机制。吸收光谱表明在常态条件下,HBT在各种溶剂中都以烯醇式构型和酮式构型共同存在,但以烯醇式构型占绝大多数。荧光光谱表明在纯环己烷溶剂中,HBT被紫外光激发时,绝大多数烯醇式构型发生ESIPT转变为酮式构型,分子的ESIPT效率最大。在含有乙醇的极性溶剂中,HBT烯醇式会形成溶剂化的烯醇式构型,阻碍分子发生ESIPT反应。溶剂中乙醇含量愈多极性愈强,溶剂化烯醇式的成份就愈多,HBT的ESIPT效率就愈低。以400 nm光激发HBT溶液时,在510 nm处发现酮式构型荧光,从而确认了400 nm处的弱吸收是酮式构型的吸收;且在436和456nm处还有新的荧光峰,分析其可能来源于酮式构型去质子化阴离子的发射。