The principles of infrared-x-ray pump-probe spectroscopy. Applications on proton transfer in core-ionized water dimers

In this paper we derive the basic physics underlying infrared-x-ray pump-probe spectroscopy (IR, infrared). Particular features of the spectroscopy are highlighted and discussed, such as dependence on phase of the infrared pulse, duration and delay time of the x-ray pulse, and molecular orientation. Numerical applications are carried out for the water dimer using wave packet techniques. It is shown that core ionization of the donor oxygen of the water dimer results in a drastic change of the potential with the global minimum placed in the proton transfer region. The results of the modeling indicate that IR-x-ray pump-probe spectroscopy can be used to study the dynamics of proton transfer in this core-ionized state, and that, contrary to conventional core level photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray core-ionization driven by an IR field is a proper method to explore the proton transfer in a system like the water dimer. We observe that the trajectory of the nuclear wave packet in the ground state potential well is strongly affected by the absolute phase of the IR pulse.     

Theoretical study of vibration spectra of sensitizing dyes for photoelectrical converters based on ruthenium(II) and iridium(III) complexes

Quantum-chemical method of the density functional theory was employed to calculate, with the use of a B3LYP hybrid exchange-correlation functional, the IR absorption and Raman spectra of [Ru(bpy)₂(CN)₂] and [Ir(bpy)₂(CN)₂]⁺ complexes. All the normal vibrational frequencies were analyzed and new assignments of a number of bands in the IR absorption and Raman spectra were made. The role of vibrational motions of metal atoms and ligands in the vibronic deformation of electron shells in the course of electron transfer was discussed. This was done using data on surface-enhanced Raman spectra of [Fe(bpy)₂(CN)₂] and [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ complexes adsorbed on the surface of colloid silver.     

Relativistic contributions to single and double core electron ionization energies of noble gases

We have performed relativistic calculations of single and double core 1s hole states of the noble gas atoms in order to explore the relativistic corrections and their additivity to the ionization potentials. Our study unravels the interplay of progression of relaxation, dominating in the single and double ionization potentials of the light elements, versus relativistic one-electron effects and quantum electrodynamic effects, which dominate toward the heavy end. The degree of direct relative additivity of the relativistic corrections for the single electron ionization potentials to the double electron ionization potentials is found to gradually improve toward the heavy elements. The Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian is found to predict a scaling ratio of ～4 for the relaxation induced relativistic energies between double and single ionization. Z-scaling of the computed quantities were obtained by fitting to power law. The effects of nuclear size and form were also investigated and found to be small. The results indicate that accurate predictions of double core hole ionization potentials can now be made for elements across the full periodic table.     

Influence of Vertical Vibrations on the Stability of a Binary Mixture in a Horizontal Porous Layer Subjected to a Vertical Heat Flux

Macroscale three-dimensional modeling of fluid flow in a thin porous layer under unsaturated conditions is a challenging task. One major issue is that such layers do not satisfy the representative elementary volume length-scale requirement. Recently, a new approach, called reduced continua model (RCM), has been developed to describe multiphase fluid flow in a stack of thin porous layers. In that approach, flow equations are formulated in terms of thickness-averaged variables and properties. In this work, we have performed a set of experiments, where a wet \(260\hbox {-}\upmu \hbox {m}\)-thin porous layer was placed on top of a dry layer of the same material. We measured the change of average saturation with time using a single-sided low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device known as NMR-MOUSE. We have employed both RCM and the traditional Richards equation-based models to simulate our experimental results. We found that the traditional unsaturated flow model cannot simulate experimental results satisfactorily. Very close agreement was obtained by including the dynamic capillary term as postulated by Hassanizadeh and Gray in the traditional equations. The reduced continua model was found to be in good agreement with the experimental result without adding dynamic capillarity term. Moreover, the computational effort needed for RCM simulations was one order of magnitude less than that of traditional models.     

Doppler effect in resonant photoemission from SF6: correlation between Doppler profile and Auger emission anisotropy

Fragmentation of the SF6 molecule upon F 1s excitation has been studied by resonant photoemission. The F atomiclike Auger line exhibits the characteristic Doppler profile that depends on the direction of the photoelectron momentum relative to the polarization vector of the radiation as well as on the photon energy. The measured Doppler profiles are analyzed by the model simulation that takes account of the anisotropy of the Auger emission in the molecular frame. The Auger anisotropy extracted from the data decreases with an increase in the F-SF5 internuclear distance.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of local field factors

In the present work, the authors evaluate a scheme based on molecular dynamics to derive local field factors. These are given without any assumption of a cavity by fitting the Langevin functions to the order parameters obtained from the molecular dynamics simulations. The local field factors so obtained, with the detailed chromophore-solvent interactions and solvent structures taken into account, are much smaller than those calculated from the conventional Onsager and Lorentz models. A numerical demonstration is given for two typical organic chromophore molecules, p-nitroaniline and p-nitro-N,N-dimethylaniline dissolved in chloroform.     

Synthesis of high added value compounds through catalytic oxidation of 2-phenylethanol: A Kinetic study

An effective procedure was developed to produce high-value added phenolic compounds through the conversion of 2-phenylethanol (2-PhEt) by using acid-activated clays KSF for the hydrogen peroxide. Owing to KSF's ability to catalyze a variety of complex oxidations, it was likely to convert 2-PhEt to hydroxytyrosol (HTY) and tyrosol (TY) derivatives. The analyses of catalytic solution revealed that the optimum conditions, giving a higher concentration of oxidation products such as HTY, were as follows: 2-PhEt concentration 10⁻² mol/L, the hydrogen peroxide concentration 5.05 × 10⁻² and 0.6 g L^–1 of KSF clays . The yield during the conversion reaction into HTY was around 25%. All compounds in the reaction mixture were identified by mass spectrophotometry using a LC-MS apparatus. HTY, TY, meta-tyrosol and ortho-tyrosol were the major compounds. The antioxidant activity was realized by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. In fact, it is revealed that the strongest inhibition percentage (PI = 96) was detected with the increase in the concentration of HTY. The approach proposed in the present work presents an environment friendly method.     

Blue Highly Fluorescent Boranil Derived From Anil Ligand: Synthesis,Characterization, Experimental and Theoretical Evaluation of Solvent Effect on Structures and Photophysical Properties

In this study, we report the design and the synthesis of a Schiff base; Anil and its corresponding Boron Difluoride complexe; Boranil. The synthesis procedure was carried out adopting new, optimized reaction conditions. The Boranil dye presents the advantage to be emissive in solution. 1H and 19F NMR along with FTIR confirmed both compound's structure. To gain a better understanding of the solvatochromic behavior of Anil and Boranil, the dependence of the absorption spectra on the solvent's polarity was studied in depth. Thus, UV–Vis spectroscopy was performed in five selected solvents. In addition to the solvent's polarity effect, the influence of BF2 moiety introduction on the molecule's photophysical properties was also evaluated. When examining different absorption spectra, we found that the title fluorescent dye exhibited weak solvatochromic (11 nm in THF) as well as a slight redshift broader and relatively more structured absorption spectra after complexation. Besides, we investigate the obtained key structure–property relationships through DFT and TD-DFT calculations using a 6–311++ G (d, p) basis set. Quantum chemical calculations allowed confirming proposed structures and understanding their electronic structure in larger details. Theoretical results also showed good agreement with the experimental findings. Finally, the frontier molecular orbitals were investigated to illustrate the pi-conjugation and charge transfer effect.     

Demystifying the solvatochromic reversal in Brooker's merocyanine dye

Based on hybrid QM/MM simulation techniques, we rationalize the spectacular solvatochromic reversal behavior observed for a stilbazolium merocyanine (SM) called Brooker's merocyanine dye. This solvatochromic reversal is attributed to a change in the solute π-electron distribution from zwitterionic to neutral following the change in solvents from polar to non polar. Based on our calculations, we suggest that a polar solvent, like water, with larger relative permittivity is influential enough to bring the change in molecular structure from neutral to zwitterionic. Our results clearly indicate that SM exists in a neutral molecular structure in non polar solvents like trichloromethane and thereby we suggest that self-aggregation of SM may not occur in this solvent.