Time-dependent Density Functional Theory Study on the Electronically Excited States of N-Methylformamide in Aqueous Solution

Excited-state hydrogen-bonding dynamics of N-methylformamide (NMF) in water has been investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. The ground-state geometry optimizations were calculated by density functional theory (DFT) method, while the electronic transition energies and corresponding oscillation strengths of the low-lying electronically excited states of isolated NMF, water monomers and the hydrogen-bonded NMF-H 2 O were calculated by TDDFT method. According to Zhao’s rule on the excited-state hydrogen bonding dynamics, our results demonstrate that the intermolecular hydrogen bond C=O···O–H is strengthened and weakened in different electronically excited states. The hydrogen bond strengthening and weakening in the electronically excited state plays an important role in the photophysics of NMF in solutions.