Acid-base equilibria and dynamics in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles: geminate recombination and effect of charge stabilization

The synthetic flavylium salt 4-carboxy-7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavylium chloride (CHMF) exhibits two acid-base equilibria in the range of pH 1-8 in both aqueous and micellar sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. The values of pK(a1) and pK(a2) for the cation-zwitterion (AH(2)(+) <--> Z + H(+)) and the zwitterion-base (Z <--> A(-) + H(+)) equilibria increase from 0.73 and 4.84 in water to 2.77 and 5.64 in SDS micelles, respectively. The kinetic study of the Z <--> A(-) + H(+) ground-state reactions in SDS points to the diffusion-controlled protonation of A(-) in the aqueous phase (k(p2w) = 4.2 x 10(10) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)) and in the micelle (k(p2m) = 2.3 x 10(11) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). The deprotonation rate of Z did not significantly change upon going from water (k(d2) = 6.3 x 10(5) s(-)(1)) to SDS (k(d2) = 5.2 x 10(5) s(-)(1)), in contrast with the behavior of ordinary cationic flavylium salts, for which k(d2) strongly decreases in SDS micelles. These results suggest that deprotonation of the zwitterionic acid is not substantially perturbed by the micellar charge. Electronic excitation of the Z form of CHMF induces fast adiabatic deprotonation of the hydroxyl group of Z() (2.9 x 10(10) s(-)(1) in water and 8.4 x 10(9) s(-)(1) in 0.1 M SDS), followed by geminate recombination on the picosecond time scale. Interestingly, while recombination in water (k(rec) = 1.7 x 10(9) s(-)(1)) occurs preferentially at the carboxylate group, at the SDS micelle surface, recombination (k(rec) = 9.2 x 10(9) s(-)(1)) occurs at the hydroxyl group. The important conclusion is that proton mobility at the SDS micelle surface is substantially reduced with respect to the mobility in water, which implies that geminate recombination should be a general phenomenon in SDS micelles.     

Geminate proton recombination at the surface of SDS and CTAC micelles probed with a micelle-anchored anthocyanin

The functionalized flavylium salt 6-hexyl-7-hydroxy-4-methyflavylium chloride (HHMF) was employed to probe some of the fundamental features of proton transfer reactions at the surface of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) micelles. In contrast to most ordinary flavylium salts, HHMF is insoluble in water, but readily incorporates into SDS and CTAC micelles. In the ground state, the rate constant for deprotonation of the acid form (AH+) of HHMF decreases 100-fold upon going from CTAC (kd = 3.0 x 10(6) s(-1)) to SDS (kd = 1.4 x 10(4) s(-1)), consistent with the presence of an activation barrier for proton transfer in the ground state and reflecting, respectively, stabilization or destabilization of the AH+ cation by the micelle. Reprotonation of A is diffusion-controlled in both micelles (kp(SDS) = (2.1 x 10(11))[H+]aq s(-1) and kp(CTAC) = (3.7 x 10(8))[H+]aq s(-1)), the difference reflecting the rate of proton entry into the micelles. In the excited singlet state, the rate constants for deprotonation of the AH+* form of HHMF are similar in the two micelles (2.4 x 10(10) s(-1)), consistent with activationless proton transfer. Reprotonation of the excited A is dominated by fast geminate recombination of the photogenerated (A*-H+) pair at the micelle surface (k(rec)(SDS) = 6.1 x 10(9) s(-1) and k(rec)(CTAC) = 3.4 x 10(10) s(-1)) and the net efficiencies of geminate recombination are quite similar in SDS (0.89) and CTAC (0.86).     

Formation and stability of enolates of acetamide and acetate anion: an Eigen plot for proton transfer at alpha-carbonyl carbon

Second-order rate constants were determined in D(2)O for deprotonation of acetamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and acetate anion by deuterioxide ion and for deprotonation of acetamide by quinuclidine. The values of k(B) = 4.8 x 10(-8) M(-1) s(-1) for deprotonation of acetamide by quinuclidine (pK(BH) = 11.5) and k(BH) = 2-5 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for the encounter-limited reverse protonation of the enolate by protonated quinuclidine give pK(a)(C) = 28.4 for ionization of acetamide as a carbon acid. The limiting value of k(HOH) = 1 x 10(11) s(-1) for protonation of the enolate of acetate anion by solvent water and k(HO) = 3.5 x 10(-9) M(-1) s(-1) for deprotonation of acetate anion by HO(-) give pK(a)(C) approximately 33.5 for acetate anion. The change in the rate-limiting step from chemical proton transfer to solvent reorganization results in a downward break in the slope of the plot of log k(HO) against carbon acid pK(a) for deprotonation of a wide range of neutral alpha-carbonyl carbon acids by hydroxide ion, from -0.40 to -1.0. Good estimates are reported for the stabilization of the carbonyl group relative to the enol tautomer by electron donation from alpha-SEt, alpha-OMe, alpha-NH(2), and alpha-O(-) substituents. The alpha-NH(2) and alpha-OMe groups show similar stabilizing interactions with the carbonyl group, while the interaction of alpha-O(-) is only 3.4 kcal/mol more stabilizing than for alpha-OH. We propose that destabilization of the enolate intermediates of enzymatic reactions results in an increasing recruitment of metal ions by the enzyme to provide electrophilic catalysis of enolate formation.     

Acid-Base Properties of the Ground and Excited States of Ruthenium(II) Bis(2,2'-bipyridine) 3-Carboxyl-2,2'-bipyridine

Acid-base properties for ruthenium(II) bis(2,2'-bipyridine) 3-carboxyl-2,2'-bipyridine reveal a ground state pK(a) of 0.82 +/- 0.07 and an excited state pK(a) of 2.31 +/- 0.05, a 1.5 pH unit increase from the ground state. The excited state pK(a) is temperature independent while the ground state pK(a)(0) increases with temperature and has DeltaH(0) and DeltaS(0) values of -990 +/- 149 cm(-)(1) and -4.57 +/- 0.48 cm(-)(1) K(-)(1), respectively. The acidic form of the complex emits at lower energy than the basic form at both 296 and 77 K. The emission energy maxima are solvent dependent and decrease in energy when the solvent changes from 4:1 (v/v) 2-MeTHF-CH(2)Cl(2) to water and when the pH decreases. Changes in excited state lifetimes with emission energy follow the energy gap law with an intercept of 49 +/- 1 and a slope of (2.11 +/- 0.09) x 10(-)(3). Emission quantum yields for protonated and deprotonated species in 4:1 (v/v) 2-MeTHF-CH(2)Cl(2) are 0.023 +/- 0.001 and 0.110 +/- 0.002, respectively. The temperature dependence of the emission lifetimes gives energy barriers of 270 cm(-)(1) for the complex in aqueous solution at pH -0.5, and 990 cm(-)(1) in aqueous solution at pH 4.5, and 1920 cm(-)(1) in 4:1 (v/v) 2-MeTHF-CH(2)Cl(2.)     

Ultrafast Internal Conversion in a Model Anthocyanin–Polyphenol Complex: Implications for the Biological Role of Anthocyanins in Vegetative Tissues of Plants

The red flavylium cations of anthocyanins form ground‐state charge‐transfer complexes with several naturally occurring electron‐donor copigments, such as hydroxylated flavones and hydroxycinnamic or benzoic acids. Excitation of the 7‐methoxy‐4‐methyl‐flavylium–protocatechuic acid complex results in ultrafast (240 fs) internal conversion to the ground state of the complex by way of a low‐lying charge‐transfer state. Thus, both uncomplexed anthocyanins, whose excited state decays by fast (5–20 ps) excited‐state proton transfer, and anthocyanin–copigment complexes have highly efficient mechanisms of deactivation that are consistent with the proposed protective role of anthocyanins against excess solar radiation in the vegetative tissues of plants.     

Intramolecularly sensitized precipitons: a model system for application to metal sequestration

We have investigated light-triggered or catalytically activated precipitation agents and have proposed the name "precipiton" for such molecules or molecular fragments. A phase separation is induced when the precipiton isomerizes to a low-solubility form. In this paper we describe the first intramolecularly activated precipitons. The isomerization process is induced by intramolecular triplet energy transfer from a covalently attached metal complex. As expected, intramolecular sensitization leads to a more rapid isomerization than can be achieved by intermolecular sensitization at accessible concentrations. Two isomeric bichromophoric precipiton species, each containing [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) and 1,2-bis(biphenyl)ethene units covalently linked together by an ether tether, have been synthesized and characterized, and their photochemical properties have been investigated. The rates of photoisomerization of these complexes, [((Z)-1,2-bis(biphenyl)ethene-bpy)Ru(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(2) (2Z) and [((E)-1,2-bis(biphenyl)ethene-bpy)Ru(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(2) (2E), were compared to those of their untethered analogues, (Z)-1,2-bis(biphenyl)ethene-OTBS (1Z) and (E)-1,2-bis(biphenyl)ethene-OTBS (1E), where ruthenium sensitization occurred through an intermolecular pathway. Upon irradiation with visible light (lambda > or = 400 nm) in degassed solution, 2Z/E and 1Z/E obeyed reversible first-order rate kinetics. The intramolecularly sensitized precipiton 2Z isomerized 250 times faster (k(2Z-->2E) = 1.0 x 10(-3) s(-1) with a 51% neutral density filter) than the intermolecular case 1Z (k(1Z-->1E) = 0.80 x 10(-5) s(-1)). For 1E and 2E, the isomerization rates were k(1E-->1Z) = 11.0 x 10(-5) s(-1) and k(2E-->2Z) = 1.6 x 10(-3) s(-1), respectively. The average Z/E mole ratio at the photostationary state was 62/38 for 2Z/E and 93/7 for 1Z/E. The impetus for this study was our desire to evaluate the possibility of using metal-binding precipitons that would precipitate only upon metal-to-precipiton binding and would be inert to visible light in the absence of metals.     

Structural photodynamics of camptothecin, an anticancer drug in aqueous solutions

Steady-state and time-resolved picosecond emission studies were carried out to study the role of the proton concentration in the acid-base properties of the anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT) in its ground and electronically first excited states. The results show that, under acidic conditions, the excited-state proton-transfer (ESPT) reaction is irreversible, in contrast to previous literature data. We found that the prototropic species are equilibrated at the excited state (pK(a)* = 1.85) only in a restricted range of pH (1.5 < pH < 3), whereas only one species, either the neutral form (τ(N) = 3.76 ns) or the protonated form (τ(C) = 2.83 ns), can be detected at pH > 3 and pH < 1.5, respectively. The proton motion from the acidic solution to the neutral form in the pH 1-2 domain is diffusion-controlled. Within the range of pH 1-2, the reaction rate constant for the formation (k(d)) of the encounter complex between the proton and the neutral form ranges from 1.17 × 10(10) to 7.33 × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. Under more acidic conditions (pH 0.9-0.95), the protonation of CPT does not depend on the diffusive step, because of the large amount of protons. The direct proton-transfer rate constant (k(DPT)*) increases with the proton concentration (time constants change from 24 ps to ～1 ns at pH 0.9 and 2, respectively). The number of protons involved in the proton transfer changes from approximately one, for the diffusive regime, to approximately four, for the static regime. We found good agreement between the Birks model for equilibrated flourophores and the Debye-Smoluchowski equation (DSE) to accurately explain the ESPT reaction of CPT with acidic water in the reversible range. The proton motion at pH 2 (equilibrium range) exhibits diffusion-controlled behavior and can be explained using the Smoluchowski model. Our results show that the interaction of CPT with acidic water depends on the concentration of the acid, which changes the nature of both the structure and dynamics.     

Ultrafast excitation relaxation dynamics of lutein in solution and in the light-harvesting complexes II isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana

Ultrafast excitation relaxation dynamics and energy-transfer processes in the light-harvesting complex II (LHC II) of Arabidopsis thaliana were examined at physiological temperature using femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Energy transfer from lutein to Chl a proceeded with a rate constant of k(ET) = 1.8-1.9 x 10(13) s(-1) and a yield of approximately Phi(ET) = 0.70, whereas that from neoxanthin to Chl a had a rate constant of k(ET) = 6.5 x 10(11) s(-1) and a yield at the most of Phi(ET) = 0.09. Fluorescence anisotropic decay of lutein in LHC II showed a value larger than 0.4 at the initial state and decayed to approximately 0.1 in 0.3 ps, indicating that two lutein molecules interact with each other in LHC II. In solution, anisotropy of lutein remained constant (0.38) independent of time, and thus a new excited state inferred between the S(2) (1B(u)) state and the S(1) (2A(g)) state was not applicable for lutein in solution. Energy migration processes among Chl a or Chl b molecules were clearly resolved by kinetic analysis. On the basis of these results, relaxation processes and energy-transfer kinetics in LHC II of A. thaliana are discussed.     

Dramatically enhanced carbon acidity of the nitrobenzyl fragment in a nickel(II) scorpionate complex

The -CH(2)- group of the 2-nitrobenzyl pendant arm of the scorpionate complex I deprotonates in basic aqueous solution (pK(a) = 10.6), due to the coordination of the nitronate group to the nickel(II) center. Metal coordination enhances 2-nitrobenzene acidity by 10 orders of magnitude. [reaction: see text]     

Kinetic and equilibria studies of the aquation of the trinuclear platinum phase II anticancer agent [(trans-PtCl(NH(3))(2))(2)(mu-trans-Pt(NH(3))(2)(NH(2)(CH(2))(6)NH(2))(2))](4+) (BBR3464)

The hydrolysis profile of the bifunctional trinuclear phase II clinical agent [(trans-PtCl(NH(3))(2))(2)(mu-trans-Pt(NH(3))(2)(NH(2)(CH(2))(6)NH(2))(2))](4+) (BBR3464, 1) has been examined using [(1)H,(15)N] heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) 2D NMR spectroscopy. Reported are estimates of the rate and equilibrium constants for the first and second aquation steps, together with the acid dissociation constant (pK(a1) approximately equal to pK(a2) approximately equal to pK(a3)). The equilibrium constants for the aquation determined by NMR at 298 and 310 K (I = 0.1 M, pH 5.3) are similar, pK(1) = pK(2) = 3.35 +/- 0.04 and 3.42 +/- 0.04, respectively. At lower ionic strength (I = 0.015 M, pH 5.3) the values at 288, 293, and 298 K are pK(1) = pK(2) = 3.63 +/- 0.05. This indicates that the equilibrium is not strongly ionic strength or temperature dependent. The aquation and anation rate constants for the two-step aquation model at 298 K in 0.1 M NaClO(4) (pH 5.3) are k(1) = (7.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(-5) s(-1), k(-1) = 0.158 +/- 0.013 M(-1) s(-1), k(2) = (7.1 +/- 1.5) x 10(-5) s(-1), and k(-2) = 0.16 +/- 0.05 M(-1) s(-1). The rate constants in both directions increase 2-fold with an increase in temperature of 5 K, and rate constants increase with a decrease in solution ionic strength. A pK(a) value of 5.62 plus minus 0.04 was determined for the diaqua species [(trans-Pt(NH(3))(2)(OH(2)))(2)(mu-trans-Pt(NH(3))(2)(NH(2)(CH(2))(6)-NH(2))(2))](6+) (3). The speciation profile of 1 under physiological conditions is explored and suggests that the dichloro form predominates. The aquation of 1 in 15 mM phosphate was also examined. No slowing of the initial aquation was observed, but reversible reaction between aquated species and phosphate does occur.     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies of the aquation of the dinuclear platinum complex [[trans-PtCl(NH3)2]2(mu-NH2(CH2)6NH2)]2+: pKa determinations of aqua ligands via [1H,15N] NMR spectroscopy

By the use of [1H,15N] heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) 2D NMR spectroscopy and electrochemical methods we have determined the hydrolysis profile of the bifunctional dinuclear platinum complex [[trans-PtCl(15NH3)2]2(mu-15NH2(CH2)(6)15NH2)]2+ (1,1/t,t (n = 6), 15N-1), the prototype of a novel class of potential antitumor complexes. Reported are estimates for the rate and equilibrium constants for the first and second aquation steps, together with the acid dissociation constant (pKa1 approximately pKa2 approximately pKa3). The equilibrium constants determined by NMR at 25 and 37 degrees C (I = 0.1 M) were similar, pK1 approximately pK2 = 3.9 +/- 0.2, and from a chloride release experiment at 37 degrees C the values were found to be pK1 = 4.11 +/- 0.05 and pK2 = 4.2 +/- 0.5. The forward and reverse rate constants for aquation determined from this chloride release experiment were k1 = (8.5 +/- 0.3) x 10(-5) s-1 and k-1 = 0.91 +/- 0.06 M-1 s-1, where the model assumed that all the liberated chloride came from 1. When the second aquation step was also taken into account, the rate constants were k1 = (7.9 +/- 0.2) x 10(-5) s-1, k-1 = 1.18 +/- 0.06 M-1 s-1, k2 = (10.6 +/- 3.0) x 10(-4) s-1, k-2 = 1.5 +/- 0.6 M-1 s-1. The rate constants compare favorably with other complexes with the [PtCl(am(m)ine)3]+ moiety and indicate that the equilibrium of all these species favors the chloro form. A pKa value of 5.62 was determined for the diaquated species [[trans-Pt(15NH3)2(H2O)]2(mu-15NH2(CH2)(6)15NH2)]4+ (3) using [1H,15N] HSQC NMR spectroscopy. The speciation profile of 1 and its hydrolysis products under physiological conditions is explored.     

Photoinduced electron transfer in multiporphyrinic interlocked structures: the effect of copper(I) coordination in the central site

Photoinduced processes have been determined in a [2]catenane containing a zinc(II) porphyrin, a gold(III) porphyrin, and two free phenanthroline binding sites, Zn-Au(+), and in the corresponding copper(I) phenanthroline complex, Zn-Cu(+)-Au(+). In acetonitrile solution Zn-Au(+) is present in two different conformations: an extended one, L, which accounts for 40 % of the total, and a compact one, S. In the L conformation, the electron transfer from the excited state of the Zn porphyrin to the gold-porphyrin unit (k = 1.3x10(9) s(-1)) is followed by a slow recombination (k = 8.3x10(7) s(-1)) to the ground state. The processes in the S conformation cannot be clearly resolved but a charge-separated (CS) state is rapidly formed and decays with a lifetime on the order of fifty picoseconds. In the catenate Zn-Cu(+)-Au(+), the zinc-porphyrin excited state initially transfers energy to the Cu(I)-phenantholine unit, producing a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state localized on the copper complex with a rate k = 1.4x10(9) s(-1). From this excited state the transfer of an electron to the gold-porphyrin unit takes place, producing the CS state Zn-Cu(2+)-Au(.), which decays with a lifetime of 10 ns. The results are discussed in comparison with the closely related [2]rotaxane, in which a further charge shift from the copper center to the zinc-porphyrin unit leads to the fully CS state. Even in the absence of such full charge separation, it is shown that the lifetimes of the CS states are increased by a factor of about 2-2.5 over those of the corresponding rotaxanes.     

Atmospheric chemistry of the Z and E isomers of CF3CF=CHF; kinetics, mechanisms, and products of gas-phase reactions with Cl atoms, OH radicals, and O3

Smog chamber/FTIR techniques were used to study the atmospheric chemistry of the Z and E isomers of CF3CF=CHF, which we refer to as CF3CF=CHF(Z) and CF3CF=CHF(E). The rate constants k(Cl + CF3CF=CHF(Z)) = (4.36 +/- 0.48) x 10-11, k(OH + CF3CF=CHF(Z)) = (1.22 +/- 0.14) x 10-12, and k(O3 + CF3CF=CHF(Z)) = (1.45 +/- 0.15) x 10-21 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 were determined for the Z isomer of CF3CF=CHF in 700 Torr air diluent at 296 +/- 2 K. The rate constants k(Cl + CF3CF=CHF(E)) = (5.00 +/- 0.56) x 10-11, k(OH + CF3CF=CHF(E)) = (2.15 +/- 0.23) x 10-12, and k(O3 + CF3CF=CHF(E)) = (1.98 +/- 0.15) x 10-20 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 were determined for the E isomer of CF3CF=CHF in 700 Torr air diluent at 296 +/- 2 K. Both the Cl-atom and OH-radical-initiated atmospheric oxidation of CF3CF=CHF give CF3C(O)F and HC(O)F in molar yields indistinguishable from 100% for both the Z and E isomer. CF3CF=CHF(Z) has an atmospheric lifetime of approximately 18 days and a global warming potential (100 year time horizon) of approximately 6. CF3CF=CHF(E) has an atmospheric lifetime of approximately 10 days and a global warming potential (100 year time horizon) of approximately 3. CF3CF=CHF has a negligible global warming potential and will not make any significant contribution to radiative forcing of climate change.     

Excited-state properties of Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(L)(2) (L = CH(3)OH, THF, PPh(3), py)

The photophysical properties of Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(L)(2) (L = CH(3)OH, THF = tetrahydrofuran, PPh(3) = triphenylphosphine, py = pyridine) were explored upon excitation with visible light. Time-resolved absorption shows that all the complexes possess a long-lived transient (3.5-5.0 micros) assigned as an electronic excited state of the molecules, and they exhibit an optical transition at approximately 760 nm whose position is independent of axial ligand. No emission from the Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(L)(2) (L = CH(3)OH, THF, PPh(3), py) systems was detected, but energy transfer from Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(PPh(3))(2) to the (3)pipi excited state of perylene is observed. Electron transfer from Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(PPh(3))(2) to 4,4'-dimethyl viologen (MV(2+)) and chloro-p-benzoquinone (Cl-BQ) takes place with quenching rate constants (k(q)) of 8.0 x 10(6) and 1.2 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) in methanol, respectively. A k(q) value of 2 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) was measured for the quenching of the excited state of Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)(PPh(3))(2) by O(2) in methanol. The observations are consistent with the production of an excited state with excited-state energy, E(00), between 1.34 and 1.77 eV.     

Photodecomposition of peroxides containing a 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene chromophore

The photodecomposition dynamics of 1,4-bis(2-[4-tert-butylperoxycarbonylphenyl]ethynyl)benzene (1) have been compared with those of model compounds in the picosecond and nanosecond time domains by various photophysical techniques. Ultrafast visible transient absorption spectrometry revealed the singlet excited state of 1,4-bis(4-phenylethynyl)benzene (BPB) depopulates radiatively with a rate of 1.75 x 10(9) s(-1) and 95% efficiency. Phenyl ester moieties attached to the BPB core accelerate intersystem crossing (k = 2.8 x 10(8) s(-1)) and reduce the fluorescence quantum yield (phi(FL) = 0.82). The peroxide oxygen-oxygen bond of 1 cleaves (k = 3.6 x 10(11) s(-1)) directly from the singlet excited state (60% efficiency) causing a highly reduced fluorescence yield and leading to formation of aroyloxyl radicals. The next reaction step involves decarboxylation of the aroyloxyl radicals. Transient absorption signals in the MID IR region correspond to CO2 with the formation rate (2.5 x 10(6) s(-1)) as measured by nanosecond transient IR experiments. The transient IR spectra of the excited state of BPB, as well as of the aroyloxyl radical, evidenced a red shift in the acetylene triple bond absorption indicative of a decrease in the bond order. This clearly shows that delocalization of excitation energy over the BPB chromophore induces significant structural changes. The proposed mechanism is based on the rates of photophysical and photochemical channels and involves an additional population channel of the BPB triplet excited state from the upper singlet states.     

Time-resolved optical and infrared spectral studies of intermediates generated by photolysis of trans-RhCl(CO)(PR3)2. Roles Played in the Photocatalytic Activation of Hydrocarbons

Described are picosecond and nanosecond time-resolved optical (TRO) spectral and nanosecond time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectral studies of intermediates generated when the rhodium(I) complexes trans-RhCl(CO)L2 (L = PPh3 (I), P(p-tolyl)3 (II), or PMe3 (III)) are subjected to photoexcitation. Each of these species, which are precursors in the photocatalytic activation of hydrocarbons, undergoes CO labilization to form an intermediate concluded to be the solvated complex RhCl(Sol)L2 (A(i)). The picosecond studies demonstrate that an initial transient is formed promptly (<30 ps), which decays to A(i) with lifetimes ranging from 40 to 560 ps depending upon L and the medium. This is proposed on the basis of ab initio calculations to be a metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state. Second-order rate constants (kCO) for reaction of the A(i) with CO were determined, and these depend on the nature of L and the solvent, the slowest rate being for A(I) in tetrahydrofuran (kCO = 7.1 x 10(6) M(-1) x s(-1)), the fastest being for A(III) in dichloromethane (1.3 x 10(9) M(-1) x s(-1)). Each A(i) also undergoes competitive unimolecular reaction with solvent to form long-lived transients with TRIR properties suggesting these to be Rh(III) products of oxidative addition. Although this was mostly suppressed by the presence of higher concentrations of CO (which trapped A(i) to re-form the starting complexes in each case), both TRO and TRIR experiments indicate that a fraction of the oxidative addition could not be quenched. Thus, the short-lived MLCT state or a vibrationally hot species formed during the decay of this excited state appears to participate directly in C-H activation.     

Effect of surface immobilization on intramolecular and intermolecular electron transfer in a chromophore-donor-acceptor assembly

A chromophore-donor-acceptor assembly [Ru(bpyCOOH)(bpyCH(2)MV(2+)) (bpyCH(2)PTZ)](4+)(1) (where bpyCOOH = 4-carboxylic acid-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine, bpyCH(2)MV(2+) = 1-[(4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridin-4-yl)methyl]-1'-methyl-4,4'-bipyridinediium, and bpyCH(2)PTZ = 10-[(4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridin-4-yl)methyl]phenothiazine) has been adsorbed on the surface of nanocrystalline ZrO(2) and its excited state properties studied by emission and transient absorption spectroscopy. In deaerated acetonitrile solution, the complex emits weakly with an emission quantum yield of phi(em) approximately equal to 0.01 with an excited-state lifetime of tau approximately equal to 20 ps. Emission from the surface-adsorbed complex is intense, with phi(em) approximately equal to 0.4 and tau approximately equal to 40 ns. The increase in emission on the surface is likely due to a significant inhibition to the electron-transfer quenching of the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state caused by surface adsorption-induced changes in the redox potentials. Transient (nanosecond time scale) absorption monitoring, following laser flash photolysis, reveals the presence of a transient or transients that are formed during the flash. Transient spectral changes that occur during and after the flash are consistent with the formation and decay of the intermediate ZrO(2)-[Ru(bpyCOOH)(bpyCH(2)MV(+*))(bpyCH(2)PTZ(+*))](4+). It returns to the ground state by both intramolecular and intermolecular processes. Intramolecular electron transfer occurs with k(BET) = 6.3 x 10(6) s(-1) (tau = 160 ns), which is comparable to the rate constant for back-electron transfer in solution. The back-electron transfer is a second-order process and is much slower, with k(BET) = 390 M(-1) s(-1) (tau = 2.6 ms).     

Dual fluorescence and ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer with 6-N,N-dialkylaminopurines. A two-state model

6-N,N-Dimethyl-9-methyladenine (DMPURM) and 6-N,N-dimethyladenine (DMPURH) show dual fluorescence from a locally excited (LE) and an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state in solvents of different polarity over extended temperature ranges. The fluorescence quantum yields are very small, in particular those of LE. For DMPURM in acetonitrile (MeCN) at 25 °C, for example, Φ'(ICT) = 3.2 × 10(-3) and Φ(LE) = 1.6 × 10(-4). The large value of Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE) indicates that the forward LE → ICT reaction is much faster than the back reaction. The data obtained for the intersystem crossing yield Φ(ISC) show that internal conversion (IC) is the dominant deactivation channel from LE directly to the ground state S(0). For DMPURM in MeCN with Φ(ISC) = 0.22, Φ(IC) = 1 - Φ(ISC) - Φ'(ICT) - Φ(LE) = 0.78, whereas in cyclohexane an even larger Φ(IC) of 0.97 is found. The dipole moment gradually increases upon excitation, from 2.5 D (S(0)), via 6 D (LE) to 9 D (ICT) for DMPURM and from 2.3 D (S(0)), via 7 D (LE) to 8 D (ICT) for DMPURH. From the temperature dependence of Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE), a reaction enthalpy -ΔH of 11 kJ/mol is obtained for DMPURM in n-hexane (ε(25) = 1.88), increasing to 17 kJ/mol in the more polar solvent di-n-butyl ether (ε(25) = 3.05). With DMPURM in diethyl ether, an activation energy of 8.3 kJ/mol is determined for the LE → ICT reaction (k(a)). The femtosecond excited state absorption spectra at 22 °C undergo an ultrafast decay: 1.0 ps in CHX and 0.63 ps in MeCN for DMPURM, still shorter (0.46 ps) for DMPURH in MeCN. With DMPURM in n-hexane, the LE fluorescence decay time τ(2) increases upon cooling from 2.6 ps at -45 °C to 6.9 ps at -95 °C. The decay involves ICT and IC as the two main pathways: 1/τ(2) ? k(a) + k(IC). As a model compound (no ICT) is not available, its lifetime τ(0)(LE) ～ 1/k(IC) is not known, which prevents a separate determination of k(a). The excited state reactions of DMPURM and DMPURH are treated with a two-state model: S(0) → LE ? ICT. With 6-N-methyl-9-methyladenine (MPURM) and 9-methyladenine (PURM), the fluorescence quantum yield is very low (<5 × 10(-5)) and dominated by impurities, due to enhanced IC from LE to S(0).     

Photoresponsive change of oxygen-binding affinity of a cobalt schiff-base complex with an axially coordinating stilbazole residue of a copolymer

The reversible binding reaction of oxygen to N,N'-ethylene bis(salicylideneiminato) cobalt(II) (CoS), to which a photoisomerizable stilbazole residue of copolymer 1 coordinated, was investigated. The E form of the stilbazole residues coordinating to CoS, (E)-1-CoS, showed photoisomerization into the Z form, (Z)-1-CoS, on direct ultraviolet irradiation and negligible reverse isomerization. The oxygen-binding equilibrium constant (K) values for (E)-1-CoS and (Z)-1-CoS in toluene were 3.3 x 10(-2) mmHg-1 and 4.8 x 10(-3) mmHg(-1), respectively, at 10 degrees C. Although the pK(a) values of the E and Z forms of the stilbazole residue were similar, the oxygen-binding affinity of (Z)-1-CoS was small in terms of the linear correlation of the logarithm of K (ln K) versus the pK(a). Steric hindrance of the polymer chain of 1 on the coordination of the stilbazole residue of (Z)-1 to CoS was thought to cause the small K. A photoresponsive change of apparent oxygen-binding affinity of 1-CoS along with the E/Z isomerization of the stilbazole residues was observed. The ratio of (Z)-1-CoS converted from (E)-1-CoS by the ultraviolet irradiation could be estimated from analysis of absorption spectra for the oxygen binding of a resulting mixture of (E)-1-CoS and (Z)-1-CoS.     

Pi* level tuning in a series of diimine ligands based on density functional theory: application to photonic devices

Energy- and electron-transfer processes are very important for artificial photosynthesis and a variety of other applications. [(bpy)2Ru(PAP)Os(bpy)2]4+ and its oxidized form [(bpy)2Ru(PAP)Os(bpy)2]5+ perform efficient photoinduced energy- and electron-transfer processes, respectively (k(en) = 5.2 x 10(7) s(-1), k(el) = 7.2 x 10(6) s(-1)). The introduction of appropriate donor and acceptor units on the Ru2+ center can improve the lifetime of the excited state, resulting in a much longer and efficient storage of energy. Nonempirical (density functional) calculations and experimental data are used to predict the best donor and acceptor ligands for improving electron- and energy-transfer processes. Such a result can be extended to all polynuclear complexes where electronic coupling between the metal centers is very weak.