Switchable Amplification of Vibrational Circular Dichroism as a Probe of Local Chiral Structure

A new method to detect the vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) of a localized part of a chiral molecular system is reported. A local VCD amplifier was implemented, and the distance dependence of the amplification was investigated in a series of peptides. The results indicate a characteristic distance of 2.0±0.3 bonds, which suggests that the amplification is a localized phenomenon. The amplifier can be covalently coupled to a specific part of a molecule, and can be switched ON and OFF electrochemically. By subtracting the VCD spectra obtained when the amplifier is in the ON and OFF states, the VCD of the local environment of the amplifier can be separated from the total VCD spectrum. Switchable local VCD amplification thus makes it possible to “zoom in” on a specific part of a chiral molecule.     

Elucidating the Structure of Chiral Molecules by using Amplified Vibrational Circular Dichroism: From Theory to Experimental Realization

Recent experimental observations of enhanced vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) in molecular systems with low‐lying electronically excited states suggest interesting new applications of VCD spectroscopy. The theory describing VCD enhancement through vibronic coupling schemes was derived by Nafie in 1983, but only recently experimental evidence of VCD amplification has demonstrated the extent to which this effect can be exploited as a structure elucidation tool to probe local structure. In this Concept paper, we give an overview of the physics behind vibrational circular dichroism, in particular the equations governing the VCD amplification effect, and review the latest experimental developments with a prospective view on the application of amplified VCD to locally probe biomolecular structure.     

Ab initio scf and CI study of the ground and excited states of the HN2 radical

Non-empirical SCF and CI calculations are reported for the HN₂, free radical in various low-lying electronic states. The nature of the angular and N-N and N-H stretching potential curves of each of these species is investigated, including a study of the dissociative behavior of such states. The ground state is found to be only very slightly bound with respect to NH stretch, in contrast to what is observed for isoelectronic HCO, The vertical electronic spectrum of HN₂, appears to be marked by a single long wavelength transition (1.95 eV) from the bent (124°) ‘A’ ground state to the linear ²Π excited species, but at least four other intra-valence and an additional n → 3s Rydberg species are indicated in the 5.5–8.0 eV absorbing region.     

Theoretical study of low-lying electronic states of Mn2 using a newly developed relativistic model core potential

We investigated the electronic structure of low-lying electronic states of Mn₂ using a newly developed relativistic model core potential (spdsMCP). Calculations were performed at complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and second-order multiconfiguration quasidegenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT2) levels. The MCQDPT2 calculations reveal that the 1Σg⁺ state is the ground state. Calculated spectroscopic constants are very similar to the results of recent all-electron calculations and experimental values, indicating that the spdsMCP works well for Mn₂, which requires a highly correlated calculation. The wave functions of low-lying states are also analyzed at the CASSCF level.     

Spectroscopic properties and potential energy curves of low-lying electronic states of RuC

The RuC molecule has been a challenging species due to the open-shell nature of Ru resulting in a large number of low-lying electronic states. We have carried out state-of-the-art calculations using the complete active space multiconfiguration self-consistent field followed by multireference configuration interaction methods that included up to 18 million configurations, in conjunction with relativistic effects. We have computed 29 low-lying electronic states of RuC with different spin multiplicities and spatial symmetries with energy separations less than 38,000 cm(-1). We find two very closely low-lying electronic states for RuC, viz., 1Sigma+ and 3Delta with the 1Sigma+ being stabilized at higher levels of theory. Our computed spectroscopic constants and dipole moments are in good agreement with experiment although we have reported more electronic states than those that have been observed experimentally. Our computations reveal a strongly bound 1Sigma+ state with a large dipole moment which is most likely the experimentally observed ground state and an energetically close 3Delta state with a smaller dipole moment. Overall our computed spectroscopic constants of the excited states with energy separations less than 18,000 cm(-1) agree quite well with those of the corresponding observed states.     

Ab initio calculation of the potential surfaces and the electronic transition moments for the valence and Rydberg doublet electronic states of BH2

The bending and symmetric stretching potential curves for the low-lying doublet electronic states of the BH₂ radical are calculated by means of the configuration interaction method. Special attention is paid to consideration of the interaction between valence and Rydberg-type species. The dissociation of BH₂ in its various electronic states into H + B + H is studied. The results of calculations predict a complicated structure of both, the absorption and emission spectra caused by a number of avoided crossings between the excited states of the same symmetry in the geometry region close to the equilibrium geometry of the ground state.     

He++N2 Charge Transfer Reaction: An Ab initio Analysis

An ab initio analysis on the involved potential energy surfaces is presented for the investigation of the charge transfer mechanism for the He⁺+N₂ system. At high collision energy, as many as seven low-lying electronic states are observed to be involved in the charge transfer mechanism. Potential energy surfaces for these low-lying electronic states have been computed in the Jacobi scattering coordinates, applying multireference configuration interaction level of theory and aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets. Asymptotes for the ground and various excited states are assigned to mark the entrance (He⁺+N₂) and charge transfer channels (He+N₂⁺). Nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements and quasi-diabatic potential energy surfaces have been computed for all seven states to rationalize the available experimental data on the charge transfer processes and to facilitate dynamics studies.     

A Density Matrix Renormalization Group Study of the Low-Lying Excited States of a Molybdenum Carbonyl-Nitrosyl Complex

A density matrix renormalization group-self consistent field (DMRG-SCF) study has been carried out to calculate the low-lying excited states of CpMo(CO)₂NO, a molybdenum complex containing NO and CO ligands. In order to automatically select an appropriate active space, a novel procedure employing the maximum single-orbital entropy for several states has been introduced and shown to be efficient and easy-to-implement when several electronic states are simultaneously considered. The analysis of the resulting natural transition orbitals and charge-transfer numbers shows that the lowest five excited electronic states are excitation into metal-NO antibonding orbitals, which offer the possibility for nitric oxide (NO) photorelease after excitation with visible light. Higher excited states are metal-centered excitations with contributions of metal-CO antibonding orbitals, which may serve as a gateway for carbon monoxide (CO) delivery. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations done for comparison, show that the state characters agree remarkably well with those from DMRG-SCF, while excitation energies are 0.4–1.0 eV red-shifted with respect to the DMRG-SCF ones.     

Vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy of a spin-triplet bis-(biuretato) cobaltate(III) coordination compound with low-lying electronic transitions

Vibrational absorption (VA) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy was applied in the analysis of vibrational and low lying electronic transitions of a triplet ground state cobalt(III) coordination compound. The spectroscopic measurements were performed on the tetrabutylammonium salt of (6S,7S)-1,3,5,8,10,12-hexaaza-2,4,9,11-tetraoxo-6,7-diphenyl-dodecanato(4-)cobaltate(III) in DMSO solution and in potassium bromide pellets. The chiral anion exhibits an unusual geometry for cobalt(III), being four-coordinate, planar, and paramagnetic with an intermediate spin state. The spectroscopic results were compared to measurements performed on the free ligand and to theoretical calculations using density functional theory (B3LYP/TZVP). The results of the VCD analysis of the coordination compound identified an electronic, dipole-forbidden, magnetic dipole-allowed low-lying d-d transition located in the mid infrared, as well as several amide stretch transitions located in the fingerprint region (1800-1100 cm(-1)), in both the liquid and solid phase. VCD signals were found to be 5-10 times higher than expected, indicating enhancement of the vibrational CD signals, caused by coupling of the vibrational transitions with the close-lying electronic transition.     

Pi topology and spin alignment in unique photoexcited triplet and quintet states arising from four unpaired electrons of an organic spin system

Syntheses, electronic structures in the ground state, unique photoexcited states, and spin alignment are reported for novel biradical 1, which was designed as an ideal model compound to investigate photoinduced spin alignment in the excited state. Electron spin resonance (ESR), time-resolved ESR (TRESR), and laser-excitation pulsed ESR experiments were carried out. The magnetic properties were examined with a SQUID magnetometer. In the electronic ground state, two radical moieties interact very weakly (almost no interaction) with each other through the closed-shell diphenylanthracene spin coupler. On photoirradiation, a novel lowest photoexcited state with the intermediate spin (S = 1) arising from four unpaired electrons with low-lying quintet (S = 2) photoexcited state was detected. The unique triplet state has an interesting electronic structure, the D value of which is reduced by antiferromagnetic spin alignment between two radical spins through the excited triplet spin coupler. The general theoretical predictions of the spin alignment and the reduction of the fine-structure splitting of the triplet bis(radical) systems are presented. The fine-structure splitting of the unique photoexcited triplet state of 1, as well as the existence of the low-lying quintet state, is interpreted well on the basis of theoretical predictions. Details of the spin alignment in the photoexcited states are discussed.     

Potential energy surfaces for low-lying electronic states of SO2

The potential energy surfaces for the nine low-lying electronic states of SO₂ have been constructed by using the multi-reference second order perturbation theory (MRPT2) with the basis set cc-pVTZ. The optimized geometries and the adiabatic excitation energies of these states are in good agreement with experiments and previous calculations. The crossings and avoided crossings displayed in the potential energy surfaces are expounded.     

AuX (X=O,S)低电子态的理论研究

通常要用多参考态方法才能合理处理需考虑旋轨耦合（SOC）效应的开壳层分子如AuO和AuS的低电子态. 事实上,通过选取合适的参考态,采用运动方程耦合簇方法（EOM-CC）也能计算这些分子的一些低电子态,而且EOM-CC方法是单参考态方法,使用起来比多参考态方法更加简单. 本文采用最近发展的含旋轨耦合的EOM-CC 计算电离能的方法（EOMIP-CC）,选取对应的负离子为参考态,在CCSD 级别上计算了AuO 和AuS低电子态的性质. 在不考虑旋轨耦合时,通过比较EOMIP-CCSD和EOMIP-CCSDT的结果考察EOMIPCCSD的精度. 此外,与EOMIP-CCSDT结果相比,如果自旋污染较为显著而且T₁的模较大时,UCCSD（T）方法对能量最低的某一特定对称性的电子态的所对应的电离能误差约为0.1-0.15 eV. 在考虑了旋轨耦合效应后,我们的方法得到的键长和振动频率与实验值吻合较好. 另一方面,虽然EOMIP-SOC-CCSD高估了能量较高的²Δ_3/2态、²Σ_1/2⁺态和²Π_1/2态的能量,但是对于其它能量更低的电子态,它们的能量与已有实验值误差在0.2 eV 左右. 这显示我们所用的含SOC的EOMIP-CCSD方法对原本需要用多参考态方法才能处理的AuO和AuS低电子态能给出可靠的结果.     

Computational insight into excited states of the ring-opening radicals from the pyrolysis of furan biofuels

The low-lying valence excited states and Rydberg states of the radical species from the ring-opening reactions in pyrolysis of furan biofuels have been determined by extensive density functional theory and sophisticated wave function theory calculations. The radicals 1-C₄H₅O-2, 2-furylCH₂, and 4-C₆H₇O with the delocalized π-type single electron are predicted to be most stable among the reactive species here for furan, 2-methyfuran, and 2,5-dimethylfuran, respectively. Predicted vertical transition energies by TD-CAM-B3LYP show good agreement with those by CASPT2. Some among the electronic excitations to low-lying states can take place in the visible light region, and they may be involved in the combustion process. Further surface hopping dynamics simulations on the excited states of the most stable ring-opening radical 1-C₄H₅O-2 of furan as an example reveal that 89.9% sampling trajectories at the initial excited state of 2²A”(π¹π*²) decay to the 1²A’(n¹π*²) state within an average of 384 fs, and then 81.2% trajectories at the 1²A’ state go to the ground state within an average of 114 fs. At the end of the simulation for 1000 fs, 18.8% trajectories still stay on the excited states of 2²A” and 1²A’, suggesting that the reactive radicals in the ground state are mainly responsible for the combustion chemistry of furan biofuels. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Electronic Structure of N-Bridged High-Valent Diiron-Oxo

Density functional theory (DFT) and an advanced ab initio technique based on density matrix renormalization group (DMRG-CASPT2) were employed to investigate a reactive N-bridged high-valent diiron-oxo species involved in H-abstraction reactions. We studied in detail two important doublet states, the ground state with two iron(IV) centers and a mixed valence Fe^V-Fe^IV excited state. We found that the latter state is low-lying. Furthermore, its electronic structure and spin density imply that it has significantly higher H-abstraction reactivity than the ground state. This low-lying excited state might be the reason behind the high oxidation reactivity of this diiron-oxo species towards methane.     

Photochemistry in Real Space: Batho- and Hypsochromism in the Water Dimer

The development of chemical intuition in photochemistry faces several difficulties that result from the inadequacy of the one-particle picture, the Born–Oppenheimer approximation, and other basic ideas used to build models. It is shown herein how real-space approaches can be efficiently used to gain valuable insights in photochemistry through a simple example of red and blue shift effects: the double hypso- and bathochromic shifts in the low-lying valence excited states of (H₂O)₂. It is demonstrated that 1) the use of these techniques allows the perturbative language used in the theory of intermolecular interactions, even in the strongly interacting short-range regime, to be maintained; 2) one and only one molecule is photoexcited in each of the addressed excited states and 3) the electrostatic interaction between the in-the-cluster molecular dipoles provides a fairly intuitive rationalisation of the observed batho- and hypsochromism. The methods exploited and illustrated herein are able to maintain the individuality and properties of the interacting entities in a molecular aggregate, and thereby they allow chemical intuition in general states, at any geometry and using a broad variety of electronic structure methods to be kept and built.     

Comparison of the Electronic and Vibrational Optical Activity of a Europium(III) Complex

The geometry and the electronic structure of chiral lanthanide(III) complexes are traditionally probed by electronic methods, such as circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy. The vibrational phenomena are much weaker. In the present study, however, significant enhancements of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and Raman optical activity (ROA) spectral intensities were observed during the formation of a chiral bipyridine–Eu^III complex. The ten‐fold enhancement of the vibrational absorption and VCD intensities was explained by a charge‐transfer process and the dominant effect of the nitrate ion on the spectra. A much larger enhancement of the ROA and Raman intensities and a hundred‐fold increase of the circular intensity difference (CID) ratio were explained by the resonance of the λ=532 nm laser light with the ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₀ transitions. This phenomenon is combined with a chirality transfer, and mixing of the Raman and luminescence effects involving low‐energy ⁷F states of europium. The results thus indicate that the vibrational optical activity (VOA) may be a very sensitive tool for chirality detection and probing of the electronic structure of Eu^III and other coordination compounds.     

Methylene excitation energies,transition probabilities,and frequency dependent polarizabilities

The electronic structure of the low-lying valence states of the polyatomic free radical methylene (CH₂) is investigated at two different geometries using multiconfigurational self-consistent field (MC SCF) and multiconfigurational random phase approximation (MC TDHF MC RPA) techniques. Oscillator strengths and polarizabilities of CH₂ are also examined with the MC TDHF MC RPA.     

The electronic structure of oxo-Mn(salen): single-reference and multireference approaches

Using single- and multireference approaches we have examined many of the low-lying electronic states of oxo-Mn(salen), several of which have not been explored previously. Large complete-active-space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) computations have been performed in pursuit of an accurate ordering for the lowest several electronic states. Basis set and relativistic effects have also been considered. For the geometry considered, our best results indicate the ground spin state to be a closed-shell singlet, followed by a pair of low-lying triplet states, with additional singlet states and the lowest quintet state lying significantly higher in energy. Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (DFT) results are obtained and are compared to the more robust CASSCF results. The Hartree-Fock results are qualitatively incorrect for the relative energies of the states considered. Popular density functionals such as BP86 and B3LYP are superior to Hartree-Fock for this problem, but they give inconsistent answers regarding the ordering of the lowest singlet and triplet states and they greatly underestimate the singlet-quintet gap. We obtained multiple Hartree-Fock and DFT solutions within a given spin multiplicity, and these solutions have been subjected to wave function stability analysis.