Revealing and comparing different excited-state intramolecular proton transfer processes for 3-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-1-(4-fluoro-2-hydroxy-phenyl)-propenone and 3-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-1-(4-fluoro-2-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-propenon

Two novel 2′-hydroxychalcone derivatives (i.e., M1 and M2) are explored in this work. We mainly focus on investigating the effects of photoexcitation on hydrogen bonds and on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. On the basis of calculations of electrostatic potential surface and intramolecular interactions, we verify the formation of hydrogen bond O1 H2···O3 in both S₀ and S₁ states. Exploring the ultraviolet–visible spectra in the liquid phase, our simulated results reappear in the experimental phenomenon. Analyzing molecular geometry and infrared stretching vibrational spectra, we confirm O1 H2···O3 is strengthened for both M1 and M2 in the S₁ state. We further confirm that charge redistribution facilitates ESIPT tendency. Constructing potential energy curves, we find the ultrafast ESIPT behavior for M1, which is because of the deficiency of side hydroxyl moiety comparing with M2. This work makes a reasonable affiliation of the ESIPT mechanism for M1 and M2. We wish this paper could facilitate understanding these two novel systems and promote their applications.     

Accurate theoretical prediction of optical properties of BODIPY dyes

Boron-dipyrromethene dyes (BODIPY) are of great interest nowadays mostly due to their valuable optical properties. Nevertheless, no systematic research of the optical property dependence on the structure of dyes has been performed yet. In this work, analysis of the available quantum-chemical methods for BODIPY optical property calculations has been carried out. The accuracy of eight DFT functionals has been studied. The solvation effects upon excitation have been considered within two schemes. The methods that predict the absorption and emission spectra of BODIPY derivatives with high accuracy have been proposed. Using the suggested methods, the influence of nature of substituents and their position in the BODIPY core on the optical spectra of the dyes has been studied. A complex pattern of red- and blue-shifts in optical spectra in dependence of nature and position of substituents has been revealed. The results of this work provide the way for efficient design of BODIPY derivatives with desired optical properties.     

Gas-phase 21Ne NMR studies and the nuclear magnetic dipole moment of neon-21

Gas-phase ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were measured at the natural abundance of ²¹Ne isotope for samples consisting of pressurized neon up to 60 bar at room temperature and applying the magnetic field of the strength B₀ = 11.7574 T. It showed that the nuclear magnetic resonance frequency is linearly dependent on the density of gaseous neon. The resonance frequency was extrapolated to the zero-density point, and it permitted the determination of the ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic moment, μ(²¹Ne) = 0.6617774(10) μ_N. The present value of μ(²¹Ne) is not influenced by the bulk magnetic susceptibility of neon and interactions between neon atoms; therefore, it is more precise and reliable than the previous result obtained for μ(²¹Ne).     

LiB6Si: An indirect band gap semiconductor

Using first-principle calculations, mechanical properties, electronic structure, and Raman spectra of LiB₆Si structure were investigated. The band structures calculated by GGA-PBE and HSE06 methods reveal that LiB₆Si is an indirect band gap semiconductor. The band gap estimated by HSE06 method is about 2.24 eV, which is in good agreement with that of experimental value 2.27 eV. The calculated tensile stress-strain curves of LiB₆Si reveal that [010] direction is the cleavage direction under tensile strains. The calculated Raman spectra of LiB₆Si are also in good agreement with that of measured. The position of the band gap may provide a basis for further photocatalysis research on LiB₆Si.     

Molecular structure,vibrational spectroscopic and chemical reactivity of nematogenic p-n-alkylbenzoic acids: A comparative computational analysis

Molecular structure and vibrational spectroscopic studies of higher homologous series nematogenic p-n-alkylbenzoic acids (nBAC) that have 6 (6BAC) and 7 (7BAC) carbon atoms in the alkyl chain have been investigated using the Density Functional Becke3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) level with the basis set 6-31++G (d.p) and Hartree Fock (HF) with the same basis set. The observed vibrational spectra has been resolved and assigned in detail for comparision with both the molecules. These results indicate that DFT and HF values are slightly different at both the levels. A comparision of chemical reactivity such as HOMO (E_H), LUMO (E_L) energies, energy gap (E_g), ionization energy (I), electron affinity (A), electro negativity (χ), chemical hardness (η), electronic chemical potential (μ), electrophilicity index (ω), and softness (S) has been made. It has been observed that the decrement has occurred in the energy band gap value of isolated molecule with increment in alkyl chain length. This provides valuable information regarding enhancing the stability of liquid crystal materials by maintaining the conductivity.     

水胁迫下典型盐生植被梭梭光谱特征分析

荒漠地区由于气候干燥，降水稀少，水分常成为制约植被生长的因素之一，水分胁迫对植物长势和产量的影响比任何其他胁迫都要大。随着高光谱技术的发展，国内外已有众多学者利用高光谱数据研究植被遭受胁迫作用，然而这些研究对象多集中于甜菜、棉花、玉米、水稻等作物，针对干旱区盐生植被遭受胁迫作用的研究较少。梭梭作为荒漠、半荒漠地区的典型盐生植被之一，具有极高的经济和生态效益。选择梭梭作为研究对象，培育一年生梭梭，并设置三个水分梯度，形成受不同水分量胁迫的梭梭。使用原始光谱、红边位置参数，结合植被指数及二维相关光谱研究其叶片光谱特征，为干旱区利用高光谱遥感监测盐生植被提供借鉴。结果表明：(1)分析梭梭叶片反射光谱曲线发现，在可见光至中红外各波段范围内，受不同水分量胁迫作用的梭梭叶片光谱反射率有显著差异。在可见光(350～610 nm)波段，各水分处理的梭梭叶片反射率依次为100 mL>500 mL>200 mL，这是由于100和200 mL水分促进梭梭内部叶绿素合成，使该波段反射率降低，而过多的水分(500 mL)对梭梭内部的叶绿素合成没有更大的促进作用。在红光区(611～738 nm)，随着水分量的增多，受不同水分量胁迫的梭梭叶片光谱反射率依次减小。在738～1 181和1 228～1 296 nm波段，受不同水分量胁迫作用的梭梭叶片光谱反射率为：200 mL>100 mL>500 mL；在1 182～1 227 nm波段，受不同水分量胁迫作用的梭梭叶片光谱反射率为：100 mL>200 mL>500 mL。这是由于植被细胞结构对近红外区域的反射率影响较大，因而受不同水分胁迫作用的梭梭叶片光谱反射率有显著差异。在1 300～1 365和1 392～1 800 nm波段，受各水分胁迫作用的梭梭叶片反射率为：100 mL>200 mL>500 mL。这表明在500 mL水分胁迫量范围内，水分越多，叶子的细胞液、细胞膜对水分的吸收能力越强，使得反射率下降。通过对原始光谱求取一阶导数并提取红边位置参数发现，各水分处理下的梭梭叶片一阶微分光谱曲线中红边位置未发生移动。这是由于梭梭在长期的干旱环境影响下，形成了特殊的适应机制，水分对其红边位置影响不敏感。(2)选取若干植被指数分析各水分处理下的梭梭光谱指数变化。当水分胁迫量由100 mL增至200 mL时，WI/NDWI，MSI和NDII指数值变化显著，可用于研究水分胁迫下梭梭的光谱特征。(3)使用二维相关光谱技术分析受各水分胁迫作用的梭梭光谱特征，得出在100 mL水分胁迫下，在536，643，1 219和1 653 nm波段处，吸收峰对水分的微扰敏感；在200 mL水分胁迫下，在846和1 083 nm波段处，吸收峰对水分的微扰敏感；在500 mL水分胁迫下，在835和1 067 nm波段处，吸收峰对水分的微扰敏感。总之，在近红外波段，与100 mL水分量相比，梭梭受200和500 mL水分量胁迫时，吸收峰对水分的微扰敏感度上升。由100 mL水分胁迫下梭梭的二维同步相关谱图可知，1 044和1 665 nm，1 072和903 nm，903和1 264 nm，1 230和1 061 nm波段处形成正交叉峰，表明这些波段处光谱强度随水分的干扰同时变化。