The impact of vertical π-extension on redox mechanisms of aromatic diimide dyes

Aromatic diimide dyes are an attractive class of redox-active organic molecules for lithium-ion batteries, whose battery performances (stabilities, conductivities and cyclicities) are strongly dependent on the sizes of their π-systems. However, due to the different Clar’s structures possessed, three vertically π-extended aromatic diimides, namely, naphthalene diimide (two one-electron reductions), perylene diimide and terrylene diimide (two one-electron reductions), exhibit different electronic redox mechanisms when served as cathode materials in organic lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we have studied carefully the different electrochemical characteristics of the three aromatic diimides through experimental and theoretical calculations. Their battery present different shape of charge/discharge curves resulting from stability of their reduction state during charge/discharge process. Terrylene diimide shows better cycle and rate capacities than those of naphthalene diimide and perylene diimide, which could be attributed to the more energies released during terrylene diimide combining with lithium ions than those of other two diimides.     

Sterically controlled recognition of macromolecular sequence information by molecular tweezers

Sequence-specific binding is demonstrated between pyrene-based tweezer molecules and soluble, high molar mass copolyimides. The binding involves complementary pi-pi stacking interactions, polymer chain-folding, and hydrogen bonding and is extremely sensitive to the steric environment around the pyromellitimide binding-site. A detailed picture of the intermolecular interactions involved has been obtained through single-crystal X-ray studies of tweezer complexes with model diimides. Ring-current magnetic shielding of polyimide protons by the pyrene "arms" of the tweezer molecule induces large complexation shifts of the corresponding 1H NMR resonances, enabling specific triplet sequences to be identified by their complexation shifts. Extended comonomer sequences (triplets of triplets in which the monomer residues differ only by the presence or absence of a methyl group) can be "read" by a mechanism which involves multiple binding of tweezer molecules to adjacent diimide residues within the copolymer chain. The adjacent-binding model for sequence recognition has been validated by two conceptually different sets of tweezer binding experiments. One approach compares sequence-recognition events for copolyimides having either restricted or unrestricted triple-triplet sequences, and the other makes use of copolymers containing both strongly binding and completely nonbinding diimide residues. In all cases the nature and relative proportions of triple-triplet sequences predicted by the adjacent-binding model are fully consistent with the observed 1H NMR data.     

Spin control in ladderlike hexanuclear copper(II) complexes with metallacyclophane cores

Two new hexanuclear oxamatocopper(II) complexes 3 and 4 have been synthesized from the binuclear copper(II) complexes of the meta- and para-phenylenebis(oxamate) ligands, respectively. Complexes 3 and 4 possess an overall ladderlike structure made up of two oxamate-bridged linear trinuclear units ("rails") connected through two phenylenediamidate bridges ("rungs") between the central copper atoms to give metallacyclic cores of the meta- and para-cyclophane type, respectively. They show different ground spin states, S = 1 (3) or S = 0 (4), depending on the substitution pattern in the aromatic spacers. The triplet state molecule 3 containing two spin doublet Cu(II)3 units connected by two m-phenylenediamidate bridges represents a successful extension of the concept of "ferromagnetic coupling units" to metal complexes, which is a well-known approach toward high spin organic radicals.     

Design, synthesis and computational modelling of aromatic tweezer-molecules as models for chain-folding polymer blends

Novel ‘tweezer-type’ complexes that exploit the interactions between π-electron-rich pyrenyl groups and π-electron deficient diimide units have been designed and synthesised. The component molecules leading to complex formation were accessed readily from commercially available starting materials through short and efficient syntheses. Analysis of the resulting complexes, using the visible charge-transfer band, revealed association constants that increased sequentially from 130 to 11,000 M⁻¹ as increasing numbers of π-π-stacking interactions were introduced into the systems. Computational modelling was used to analyse the structures of these complexes, revealing low-energy chain-folded conformations for both components, which readily allow close, multiple π-π-stacking and hydrogen bonding to be achieved. In this paper, we give details of our initial studies of these complexes and outline how their behaviour could provide a basis for designing self-healing polymer blends for use in adaptive coating systems.     

The impact of vertical π-extension on redox mechanisms of aromatic diimide dyes

The impact of vertical π-extension on redox mechanisms of aromatic diimides in the organic lithium-ion batteries have been carefully studied by a combined experiment and theoretical analyses.     

Photoreduction of carbonyl compounds by tributyl tin hydride

The photochemical reactions of cyclohexanone, acetone, l-naphthaldehyde, 2-naphthaldehyde, and 2-acetonaphthone with tributyltin hydride are chain processes leading to the tributyltin ethers of the derived alcohols as the major products, and the analogous ethers of the corresponding pinacols as the most abundant minor products, rather than simple reductions to the alcohols themselves as previously reported. Chain termination for the reductions of those compounds that have a n,π^* triplet state occurs primarily by coupling of tributyltin radicals to form hexabutyiditin, but by coupling of the ketyl radicals to form pinacol ethers for those compounds that have a π,π^* triplet state. Ring reduction is an important process for the aromatic compounds with π, π^* triplet states that were studied. Analyses were performed using 1H, 13C and 119 Sn NMR.     

Semiconducting carbon nanotube and covalent organic polyhedron-C60 nanohybrids for light harvesting

We demonstrate noncovalent electrostatic and π-π interactions to assemble semiconducting single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-C(60)@COP nanohybrids. The C(60)@COP light harvesting complexes bind strongly to SWCNTs due to significant π-π-stacking between C(60), the aromatic dicarbazolylacetylene moieties and the nanotube surfaces.     

Cation⊗3π: cooperative interaction of a cation and three benzenes with an anomalous order in binding energy

Cation-π or cation-π-π interaction between one cation and one or two structures bearing rich π-electrons (such as benzene, aromatic rings, graphene, and carbon nanotubes) plays a ubiquitous role in various areas. Here, we analyzed a new type interaction, cation?3π, whereby one cation simultaneously binds with three separate π-electron-rich structures. Surprisingly, we found an anomalous increase in the order of the one-benzene binding strength of the cation?3π interaction, with K(+) > Na(+) > Li(+). This was at odds with the conventional ranking of the binding strength which usually increases as the radii of the cations decrease. The key to the present unexpected observations was the cooperative interaction of the cation with the three benzenes and also between the three benzenes, in which a steric-exclusion effect between the three benzenes played an important role. Moreover, the binding energy of cation?3π was comparable to cation?2π for K(+) and Na(+), showing the particular importance of cation?3π interaction in biological systems.     

Photoblinking and photobleaching of rylene diimide dyes

We investigate photoblinking and photobleaching of perylene diimide (PDI) and its higher homologue terrylene diimide (TDI). Single molecule fluorescence trajectories of the dye molecules embedded in PMMA under ambient conditions exhibit "on"-"off" blinking in the time range from ms to s. Due to the limited statistics of individual trajectories we construct ensemble distributions of "on" and "off" times which follow power laws with similar power law coefficients (m(on) ≈ 1.18, m(off) ≈ 1.31). The blinking is attributed to reversible formation of radical cations which are presumably created by electron transfer from higher excited triplet states T(n) of the molecules to acceptor levels in the PMMA host. This view is corroborated by the properties of TDI, which blinks at an excitation wavelength of 520 nm but does not at lower energy excitation (647 nm). In line with this observation, T(1)-T(n) absorption data of TDI (and PDI) indicate that above a certain illumination wavelength population of higher excited triplet states T(n) does not occur, preventing blinking. It is furthermore argued that the long-lived dark ("off") states, i.e. the radical cations, are precursors for the photobleaching process of the dye molecules. Consequently, the photobleaching quantum yield Y(bl) for TDI is very small at an excitation wavelength of 647 nm (Y(bl) = 2 × 10(-10)) but increases by two orders of magnitude at 520 nm (Y(bl) = 2 × 10(-8)), which lies in the range observed for PDI investigated with an excitation wavelength of 488 nm. Additional studies of a PDI-TDI donor-acceptor dyad give further insights into the blinking and bleaching processes. Important findings include the observation of power law blinking of TDI and PDI (after bleaching of TDI) with similar coefficients as found for the isolated chromophores. Furthermore, in the dyad the photostability of TDI decreases due to efficient population of the states T(n) by singlet-triplet annihilation, while that of PDI (after bleaching of TDI) is the same as for the isolated dye. These findings support the conclusions drawn for the isolated chromophores, in particular the involvement of the triplet manifold in the blinking (and bleaching) behavior.     

Optically detected magnetic resonance study of the phosphorescent states of thiouracils

The triplet states of 1-methyl-2-thiouracil (1-Me-s²U), 1-methyl-4-thiouracil (1-Me-s²s⁴U) and 1-methyl-2,4-dithiouracil (1-Me-s² s⁴) have been investigated by optically detected magnetic resonance in zero magnetic field. The zero field splittings (ZFS) and the individual sublevel kinetic parameters are reported. The ZFS (|D|, |E|) values (in cm^?1) are found to increase in the order: 1-Me-s² U (0.2895, 0.0728) < 1-Me-s⁴U, (0.605, 0.0500) < 1-Me-s²s⁴ U (0.870, 0.0458). The triplet state lifetimes decrease in the same order, and both effects are attributed to an internal heavy atom effect of sulfur substitution. The vibronic structure of the phosphorescence emission indicates that the thiouracil phosphorescent states are ³(π, π^*). The low phosphorescence quantum yields of 1-Me-s⁴ U and of 1-Me-s²s⁴U result from radiationless decay of the triplet state rather than from inefficient intersystem crossing from the excited singlet state. The efficient radiationless decay of the triplet state appears to be a feature of the S-substitution at the 4-position of uracil. Phosphorescence polarization measurements of the individuals triplet sublevel emissions at ca. 1.2 K are consistent with 1-Me-s²U and 1-Me-s⁴U being non-planar in the phosphorescent state; the thiouracil phosphorescence from each triplet sublevel is polarized in the average plane of the distorted molecule. In the absence of σπ separability, spin—orbit mixing of ¹(π, π^*) and ³(π, π^*) states is enhanced and the radiative properties of the triplet state may be dominated by this mechanism rather than by the mixing of ¹(n, π^*), ¹(σ, π^*), or ¹(π, σ^*) with ³(π, π^* states which generally is the dominant mechanism for planar aromatic molecules.     

Studies on [3]pseudorotaxane formation from a bis-azacrown derivative as host and imidazolium ion-derivatives as guest

A new host molecule, having two azacrown derivatives bridged by luminescent naphthalene diimide functionality, is found to form a [3]pseudorotaxane derivative with imidazolim ion-based guest molecules in non-polar solvents through hydrogen-bonded adduct formation. Depending upon the length of the covalent linker that links the imidazolium ion and the luminescent naphthalene fragment in the guests, the [3]pseudorotaxane adducts adopt different conformation or orientation with varying π-π/donor-acceptor interaction. The mechanism for the naphthalene-based luminescence quenching by NDI fragment on adduct formation was found to be a combination of static, as well as dynamic with static quenching as the dominant one.     

Description of the radiative properties of unsaturated molecules containing a triple bond based on a quasi π-nodel

In this paper we provide a model for the theoretical calculation of radiative triplet properties of aromatic molecules containing a triple bond. Such molecules have special low-lying electronic states with the symmetry properties of a σπ* -state. These states axe caused by electron promotion from an “in-plane π-system” (quasi π-system), which in highly localized at the triple bond, to the aromatic π-system and vice versa. It is shown that these states lead to one-center spin-orbit integrals and therefore are highly active in radiative triplet deny. Theoretical and spectroscopic investigations of ethynylbenzene show that the radiative properties of the lowest triplet state, such as phosphorescence yield, emission spectrum and degree of polarization can be explained not only qualitatively but also quantitatively by restriction to these states (quasi π-model). The theoretical evaluation of the radiative rate was done with respect to individual promoting modes. It is shown that the first order rate (at the equilibrium position of the molecule), though allowed by symmetry, has nearly no influence on the radiative lifetime. As a consequence the first transition in the phosphorescence emission cannot be assigned as the 0-0 transition.     

Effects of extending the computational model on DNA-protein T-shaped interactions: the case of adenine-histidine dimers

The MP2/6-31G*(0.25) π-π or π(+)-π T-shaped (edge-to-face) interactions between neutral or protonated histidine and adenine were considered using computational models of varying size to determine the effects of the protein and DNA backbones on the preferred dimer structure and binding strength. The overall consequences of the backbones are reasonably subtle for the neutral adenine-histidine T-shaped dimers. Furthermore, the minor changes in the binding strengths of these dimers upon model extension arise from additional (attractive) backbone-π (bb-π) contacts and changes in the preferred π-π orientations, which is verified by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). Since the binding strength of the extended dimer equals the sum of the individual backbone-π and π-π contributions, the π-π component is not appreciably affected by polarization of the ring upon inclusion of the biological backbone. In contrast, the larger effect of the backbone on the protonated histidine dimers cannot simply be predicted as the sum of changes in the π-π and bb-π components regardless of the dimer type or model. This suggests, and QTAIM qualitatively supports, that the magnitude of the π(+)-π contribution changes, which is likely due to alterations in the electrostatic landscape of the monomer rings upon inclusion of the biological backbone that largely affect T-shaped dimers. These findings differ from those previously reported for (neutral) π-π stacked and (metallic) cation-π interactions, which highlights the distinct properties of each (π-π, π(+)-π, and cation-π) classification of noncovalent interaction. Furthermore, these results emphasize the importance of considering backbone-π interactions when analyzing contacts that appear in experimental crystal structures and cautions the use of truncated models when evaluating the magnitude of the π(+)-π contribution present in large biological complexes.     

Steric hindrance to energy transfer from 3(n,π*) and 3(π,π*) states of aromatic ketones to dienes

Efficiencies of excitation—resonance energy transfer in n-hexane from ³(n,π^*) and ³(π,π^*) states of seven aromatic ketones to cis-1,3-pentadiene (c-P) and 3α,24-dimethoxy-Δ^7,9-choladiene (D) were measured. The sterically hindered diene D is approximately 6 times less efficient as an acceptor than is c-P, regardless of the configuration of the sensitizer triplet state. A treatment of the energy transfer efficiencies which assumes no difference between n,π^* and π,π^* states and which includes only gross aspects of individual sensitizer—acceptor orientations accounts for c-P being no more than 4 times as efficient an acceptor as D. It is concluded that excitation energy migration within the benzoyl sensitizer is sufficiently rapid to make state differences of little importance during excitation—resonance energy transfer.     

Impact of molecular flexibility on binding strength and self-sorting of chiral π-surfaces

In this work, we have explored for the first time the influence of conformational flexibility of π-core on chiral self-sorting properties of perylene bisimides (PBIs) that are currently one of the most prominent classes of functional dyes. For this purpose, two series of chiral macrocyclic PBIs 3a-c and 4a-c comprising oligoethylene glycol bridges of different lengths at the 1,7 bay positions were synthesized and their atropo-enantiomers (P and M enantiomers) were resolved. Single crystal analysis of atropo-enantiomerically pure (P)-3a not only confirmed the structural integrity of the ethylene glycol bridged macrocycle but also illustrated the formation of π-stacked dimers with left-handed supramolecular helicity. Our detailed studies with the series of highly soluble chiral PBIs 4a-c by 1- and 2-D (1)H NMR techniques, and temperature- and concentration-dependent UV/vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy revealed that in π-π-stacking dimerization of these PBIs chiral self-recognition (i.e., PP and MM homodimer formation) prevails over self-discrimination (i.e., PM heterodimer formation). Our studies clearly showed that with increasing conformational flexibility of PBI cores imparted by longer bridging units, the binding strength for the dimerization process increases, however, the efficiency for chiral self-recognition decreases. These results are rationalized in terms of an induced-fit mechanism facilitating more planarized π-scaffolds of PBIs containing longer bridging units upon π-π-stacking.     

Orbital interactions in selenomethyl-substituted pyridinium ions and carbenium ions with higher electron demand

Computational, solution phase, and crystal structure analysis of 2- and 4-organoselenylmethyl-substituted pyridinium ions (10a-c and 11a-c) provides strong evidence for C-Se hyperconjugation (σ(C-Se)-π*) between the C-Se σ-bond and the π-deficient aromatic ring and a through-space interaction (n(Se)-π*) between the selenium p-type lone pair and the π-deficient aromatic ring. There is also a weak anomeric-type interaction (n(Se)-σ*(CC)) involving the selenium p-type lone pair electrons and the polarized CH(2)-C(Ar) σ-bond. NBO analysis of calculated cations with varying electron demand (B3LYP/6-311++G**) show that C-Se hyperconjugation (σ(C-Se)-π*) is the predominant mode of stabilization in the weakly electron-demanding pyridinium ions (10d, 11d, 14, and 15); however, the through-space (n(Se)-π*) interaction becomes more important as the electron demand of the β-Se-substituted carbocation increases. The anomeric interaction (n(Se)-σ*(CC)) is relatively weak in all ions.     

π-Hole Interactions Involving Nitro Aromatic Ligands in Protein Structures

Studying noncanonical intermolecular interactions between a ligand and a protein constitutes an emerging research field. Identifying synthetically accessible molecular fragments that can engage in intermolecular interactions is a key objective in this area. Here, it is shown that so-called “π-hole interactions” are present between the nitro moiety in nitro aromatic ligands and lone pairs within protein structures (water and protein carbonyls and sulfurs). Ample structural evidence was found in a PDB analysis and computations reveal interaction energies of about −5 kcal mol⁻¹ for ligand–protein π-hole interactions. Several examples are highlighted for which a π-hole interaction is implicated in the superior binding affinity or inhibition of a nitro aromatic ligand versus a similar non-nitro analogue. The discovery that π-hole interactions with nitro aromatics are significant within protein structures parallels the finding that halogen bonds are biologically relevant. This has implications for the interpretation of ligand–protein complexation phenomena, for example, involving the more than 50 approved drugs that contain a nitro aromatic moiety.     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 53. Mitteilung [1]. Photochemische Addition von Alkylaromaten an Aryl-Carbonylverbindungen

In the preceding paper [1] a novel primary photochemical process of triplet excited α,β-conjugated cycloalkenones in toluene solution has been reported: the abstraction of a benzylic hydrogen from the solvent by the β-carbon (cf. 1 → 2 + 3 + 4 ). The reaction has been attributed to the π,π* triplet. Aromatic aldehydes and ketones ( 5–11a ), the triplet state reactivity of which is known to be mostly π,π* in nature, have now been examined under the same irradiation conditions. However, a reaction similar to that of cycloalkenones — expected to result in the addition of hydrogen to the ortho and para positions of the aryl moiety and the formation of benzylcyclohexa-1,3-and 1,4-diene derivatives — could not been found. Compounds 5 – 10 remained essentially unchanged. 4-Methoxyacetophenone ( 11a ) reacted slowly to form the same type of products [tert-carbinol 12a , pinacol 13a and dibenzyl ( 4 )] as the aromatic carbonyl compounds 11b-d , benzophenone and cyclopropylphenylketone, which exhibit typical n,π* triplet reactivity (hydrogen abstraction by the carbonyl oxygen).     

Amino-Functionalization of Vinyl-Substituted Aromatic Diimides by Quantitative and Catalyst-Free Hydroamination**

Development of facile and versatile synthetic tools for decorating π-conjugated molecules has attracted considerable interest because of their potential application in creating novel functional π-systems. Reported herein are quantitative catalyst-free hydroamination reactions of a series of aromatic diimide compounds having vinyl groups at the π-core, which have been confirmed by NMR, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, mass analysis, and single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. Kinetic studies revealed that the hydroamination reaction of a vinyl-substituted naphthalenediimide with an aliphatic amine proceeded rapidly under benign conditions. Similarly, the two vinyl groups attached to aromatic diimides reacted with amines simultaneously, resulting in the formation of amine bisadducts and macromolecules. An amino group appended perylenediimide through an ethylene spacer at the π-core exhibited distinct fluorescence switching in response to acid and base.     

DFT analysis: Fe4 cluster and Fe(110) surface interaction studies with pyrrole,furan, thiophene,and selenophene molecules

DFT studies of both the Fe₄ cluster and the Fe(110) surface interaction with pyrrole, furan, thiophene, and selenophene showed that selenophene forms a stabler adsorbate iron complex than the other heterocyclic molecules; this is consistent with the binding energy data that were calculated between the Fe cluster and the Fe(110) surface with the heterocycles. Furthermore, when the adsorption of the compounds with the iron cluster was analyzed by molecular orbital studies, the orbitals of selenophene overlapped more strongly with the Fe atom than that of the other molecules. In TD-DFT, the π → π* peak observed for the molecules disappeared when they formed complexes, and there appeared a charge transfer band (ligand to metal), thus confirming the coordination of these molecules with the cluster. The data suggest that the chemisorption is an exothermic process.