Vibronic interactions and possible electron pairing in positively charged cyanodienes

The conditions under which the attractive electron-electron interactions are realized in the monocations of sigma-conjugated cyanodienes such as C(6)N(4)H(4), C(8)N(6)H(4), and C(10)N(8)H(4) and of pi-conjugated acenes are discussed. The total electron-phonon coupling constants for the monocations l(HOMO) of cyanodienes are much larger than those for the monocations of acenes. The strong sigma orbital interactions between two neighboring atoms in the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are the main reason for the calculated results. Furthermore, we discuss how the conditions under which the monocation crystals become good conductor are related to the molecular size. Both the l(HOMO) values and the reorganization energies between the neutral molecules and the monocations decrease with an increase in molecular size in cyanodienes. The calculated results for the sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are compared with those for the pi-conjugated acenes in order to investigate how the CH-N substitutions in cyanodienes are closely related to the l(HOMO) values and the reorganization energies. Both the l(HOMO) and the reorganization energies in the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are much larger than those in the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes. This means that in order to become good conductors, the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes need larger overlap integral between two adjacent molecules than the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes. On the other hand, since the l(HOMO) values for cyanodienes are much larger than those for acenes, the condition of attractive electron-electron interactions is more easily to be realized in the monocations of cyanodienes than in the monocations of acenes. It is suggested that the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes cannot easily become good conductors, but the conditions under which the electron-electron interactions become attractive are realized more easily in the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes than in the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes.     

Protein interactions with negatively charged inorganic surfaces

Protein adsorption on charged inorganic solid materials has recently attracted enormous interest owing to its various possible applications, including drug delivery and biomaterial design. The need to combine experimental and computational approaches to get a detailed picture of the adsorbed protein properties is increasingly recognised and emphasised in this review. We discuss the methods frequently used to study protein adsorption and the information they can provide. We focus on model systems containing a silica surface, which is negatively charged and hydrophilic at physiological pH, and two contrasting proteins: bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (LSZ) that are both water soluble. At pH 7, BSA has a net negative charge, whereas LSZ is positive. In addition, BSA is moderately sized and flexible, whereas LSZ is small and relatively rigid. These differences in charge and structural nature capture the role of electrostatics and hydrophobic interactions on the adsorption of these proteins, along with the impact of adsorption on protein orientation and function. Understanding these model systems will undoubtedly enhance the potential to extrapolate our knowledge to other systems of interest.     

A quantum chemical study of interchain hopping model of negatively charged solitons in polyacetylene

Phonon-assisted interchain hopping of negatively charged solitons in polyacetylene has been studied using a local chemical reaction model CH + CH₄ → CH₄ + CH. Quantum chemical characteristics of the electron transfer process have been analyzed in terms of the dynamic electron density and the mutual polarization moment. The CH stretching vibrational motion of CH₄, which is a local model of the sp³ defect, has been found to play a significant role for the electron transfer. The excitation of the corresponding vibrational mode of the sp³ defect would promote the interchain hopping of the charged soliton. The electron transfer process has also been studied in terms of the “regional” density functional theory. It has been shown that the driving force of the electron transfer is represented by the regional chemical potentials.     

Vibronic dressed electronic states and nonadiabatic effects in polyacetylene

Conditions for low and high T_c superconductors following from the nonadiabatic electron-vibrational theory at ab initio level have been obtained. According to the presented results, the supercurrent is realized by the motion of the ground-state electronic-charge distribution of the fully occupied band. The motion of the electronic-charge distribution is conditioned by the newly arisen, nondissipative degrees of freedom of nuclear, Jahn–Teller-like, microflows. The Meissner effect is also interpreted.     

Vibronic interactions in s-triazine spectra

The two-photon absorption spectrum of s-triazine has been measured using multiphoton ionization. A vibronic coupling scheme, comprising the first excited ¹E″ state coupled by the ν₆(e′) vibration to the ¹A₂″ and ¹A₁″ states, successfully reproduces the essential features of the absorption, fluorescence and two-photon absorption spectra.     

Vibronic interactions in metal halide molecules

Electron-vibrational (usually called “vibronic”) interactions in molecular systems with electronically degenerate, or near degenerate states produce a variety of novel properties best known as the Jahn–Teller effect, or the related Renner–Teller and pseudo-Jahn–Teller effects. These effects have been observed and described for decades by different experimental methods; however, the real renaissance in this field happened due to the ever increasing potentials of quantum chemical calculations that can reveal all the intricate details of these interactions. In this article, vibronic interactions in a specific class of systems, those of gas-phase metal halide molecules, are summarized; especially because they are ideal to study these effects; from the strongest to their more subtle appearances.     

Encapsulation of RNA by negatively charged human serum albumin via physical interactions

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein and has an inherent ability to target tumor cells. It is an excellent candidate for drug delivery. However, HSA cannot form complex with DNA or RNA, because it is negatively charged under physiological conditions. In this work, we reported a simple method to prepare HSA/RNA nanoparticles mainly by physical interaction. Firstly, the solution pH is adjusted to 4.0, under which condition HSA is positively charged. It forms complex with RNA via electrostatic interaction. The solution is then heated at 75 oC for 15 min to stabilize the structure and the size of the formed complex. The HSA/RNA nanoparticle prepared by this method has a diameter about 110 nm and a narrow distribution. It is also stable for days under physiological conditions. Cellular essays demonstrate that these particles exhibit a high cellular uptake efficiency and non-toxicity to HeLa cells.     

The effect of atomic substitution on electron-phonon interactions in negatively charged B, N-substituted acenes

Electron-phonon interactions in the monoanions of B, N-substituted acenes such as B(3)N(3)F(6) (1f) and B(5)N(5)F(8) (2f) are studied, and compared with those in the monoanions of B(3)N(3)H(6) (1h) and B(5)N(5)H(8) (2h), and B(3)N(3)D(6) (1d) and B(5)N(5)D(8) (2d). The low frequency modes around 500 cm(-1) as well as the frequency modes higher than 1000 cm(-1) strongly couple to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) in 1f and 2f. The total electron-phonon coupling constants (l(LUMO)) are estimated to be 2.710 and 2.054 eV for 1f and 2f, respectively, and those are estimated to be 0.342 and 0.235 eV for 1d and 2d, respectively, while those were estimated to be 0.340 and 0.237 eV for 1h and 2h, respectively. That is, the l(LUMO) value increases much more significantly by H-F substitution than by H-D substitution in B, N-substituted acenes. The larger displacements of B and N atoms in the vibronic active modes in 1f and 2f than those in 1d and 2d due to larger atomic mass of fluorine than that of deuterium, and the phase patterns difference between the LUMO in 1f and 2f, in which the atomic orbitals between N and its neighboring F atoms form strong sigma-antibonding interactions, and that in 1d and 2d, in which the atomic orbitals between two neighboring B and N atoms form weak pi-bonding and pi-antibonding interactions, are the main reason why the l(LUMO) value increases much more significantly by H-F substitution than by H-D substitution. The reorganization energies between the neutral molecules and the corresponding monoanions are estimated to be 0.122, 0.063, 0.733, and 0.830 eV for 1h, 2h, 1f, and 2f, respectively. Therefore, the estimated reorganization energies between the neutral molecules and the corresponding monoanions for 1f and 2f are much larger than those for 1h and 2h.     

He capture by negatively charged Buckminsterfullerene

The first observation of capture of He atoms by negatively charged Buckminsterfullerence (C₆₀) is reported. The collision energy dependence of the production of the endohedral complex is presented in the region of the energetic threshold and compared directly with results obtained using positively charged C₆₀. The threshold for capture by negative ions is shifted by ≈ 1.5 eV to higher energies. This shift can be accounted for by considering the different internal energies of the positive and negative ions.     

Charge distributions in polyacetylene chains containing a positively charged defect

We present a comparative study of the AIM, CHELPG, GAPT, MK, Mulliken, NPA, and RESP charge distributions associated with a positively charged soliton on increasingly large trans‐polyacetylene chains, at HF, MP2, and DFT levels of theory. The charge storage in the soliton‐bearing systems is explored in detail, including charge magnitude, charge separation, charge alternation, and chain length effects. The grouping of the charge distributions at a given level of theory, as well as the sensitivity of a given charge distribution to the inclusion of electron correlation in its computation, are investigated using similarity analysis. Several of the charge definitions have been applied for the first time for charged soliton‐bearing systems, and there are substantial differences between the charge distributions for the charged and neutral systems. Thus, AIM charges are no longer one of the largest charge values, the AIM charges can be in counterphase with other definitions, and the GAPT charges for neutral systems are quite different from the GAPT charges for charged systems, e.g., the magnitudes of the GAPT charges are anomalously large and increase with the size of the charged system. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Adsorption orientations and interactions of methyl orange on negatively and positively charged colloidal silver particles

Both positively and negatively charged colloidal silver particles were prepared from chemical deoxidized methods. Then UV-visible absorption, fluorescence, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering of methyl orange adsorbed onto surfaces of these two kinds of particles were observed and compared with each other. The results indicate that dye molecules may adsorb onto these two kinds of silver surface in differing adsorption orientations with different interactions, which caused the different phenomena.     

Vibronic interactions in the photodetachment spectroscopy of phenide anion

Photodetachment spectroscopy of phenide anion C6H5- is theoretically studied with the aid of electronic structure calculations and quantum dynamical simulations of nuclear motion. The theoretical results are compared with the available experimental data. The vibronic structure of the first, second, and third photoelectron bands associated with the ground X 2A1 and low-lying excited A 2B1 and B 2A2 electronic states of the phenyl radical C6H5 is examined at length. While the X state of the radical is energetically well separated and its interaction is found to be rather weak with the rest, the A and B electronic states are found to be only approximately 0.57 eV apart in energy at the vertical configuration. Low-energy conical intersections between the latter two states are discovered and their impact on the nuclear dynamics underlying the second and third photoelectron bands is delineated. The nuclear dynamics in the X state solely proceeds through the adiabatic path and the theoretically calculated vibrational level structure of this state compares well with the experimental result. Two Condon active totally symmetric (a1) vibrational modes of ring deformation type form the most dominant progression in the first photoelectron band. The existing ambiguity in the assignment of these two vibrational modes is resolved here. The A-B conical intersections drive the nuclear dynamics via nonadiabatic paths, and as a result the second and third photoelectron bands overlap and particularly the third band due to the B state of C6H5 becomes highly diffused and structureless. Experimental photodetachment spectroscopy results are not available for these bands. However, the second band has been detected in electronic absorption spectroscopy measurements. The present theoretical results are compared with these absorption spectroscopy data to establish the nonadiabatic interactions between the A and B electronic states of C6H5.     

Charge loss in gas-phase multiply negatively charged oligonucleotides

In an attempt to shed light on the mechanism by which gaseous samples of negatively charged oligonucleotides undergo extremely slow (i.e., over 1-1000 s) charge loss, we have carried out molecular dynamics simulations on an oligonucleotide anion, T(5)(3-), containing five thymine, deoxyribose, and phosphate units in which the first, third, and fifth phosphates are negatively charged. The study is aimed at determining the rate at which an electron is detached from such a trianion by way of an internal Coulomb repulsion induced event. In this process, the intrinsic 5.0-5.1 eV electron binding strength of each phosphate site is reduced by the repulsive Coulomb potentials of the other two negative sites. As geometrical fluctuations cause the distances among the three negative phosphate sites to change, this causes the Coulomb repulsion energies at these sites to fluctuate. Once the Coulomb potential at any phosphate site exceeds ca. 5 eV, the electron on that site is able to undergo autodetachment. Although such an electron must tunnel through a barrier to escape, it is shown that the tunneling rate is not the rate-limiting step in electron loss; instead, it is the rate at which geometrical fluctuations cause the Coulomb potentials to exceed 5 eV that determines the rate of electron loss. Because these rates are extremely slow, special techniques had to be introduced to allow results of dynamics simulations on more flexible models of T(5)(3-) to be extrapolated to predict the behavior of the actual T(5)(3-).     

The essential role of H-F substitution in the electron-phonon interactions and electron transfer in the negatively charged acenes

The single charge transfer through acenes, partially H-F substituted acenes, and fluoroacenes is discussed. The reorganization energies between the neutral molecules and the corresponding monoanions for partially H-F substituted acenes lie between those for acenes and fluoroacenes. The delocalization of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) by substituting hydrogen atoms by fluorine atoms with the highest electronegativity in every element is the main reason why the reorganization energy between the neutral molecule and the monoanion for partially H-F substituted acenes lies between those for acenes and fluoroacenes. This result implies that the negatively charged partially H-F substituted acenes would be better conductors with rapid electron transfer than the negatively charged fluoroacenes if we assume that the overlap of the LUMO between partially H-F substituted acenes is not significantly different from that between two neighboring fluoroacenes. The structures of the monoanions of acenes, fluoroacenes, and partially H-F substituted acenes are optimized under D2h geometry, and the Jahn-Teller effects in the monoanions of benzene and fluorobenzene are discussed. The vibration effect onto the charge transfer problem is also discussed. The C-C stretching modes around 1500 cm(-1) are the main modes converting the neutral molecules to the monoanions in acenes, fluoroacenes, and partially H-F substituted acenes. It can be confirmed from the calculational results that the C-C stretching modes around 1500 cm(-1) the most strongly couple to the LUMO in these molecules. The main reason why the total electron-phonon coupling constants (lLUMO) for the monoanions of acenes in which four outer hydrogen atoms are substituted by fluorine atoms are larger than those for the monoanions of acenes in which several inner hydrogen atoms are substituted by fluorine atoms is suggested. The relationships between the electron transfer and the electron-phonon interactions are discussed. The plot of the reorganization energies against the lLUMO values is found to be nearly linear. In view of these results, the relationships between the normal and superconducting states are briefly discussed.     

Differential thermal analysis of negatively charged polystyrene latices

To study vicinal water structure around polystyrene latex particles differential thermal analysis (DTA) has been utilized. Measurements of programmable water thermodesorption from polystyrene surfaces under dynamic and quasiisothermal conditions were made. Therefore, the adsorption potential distribution function was calculated and the hydrophobicity of polystyrene surfaces determined. DTA is presented as a useful method to study the interfacial properties of polymer colloids.     

Solutions of negatively charged graphene sheets and ribbons

Negatively charged graphene layers from a graphite intercalation compound spontaneously dissolve in N-methylpyrrolidone, without the need for any sonication, yielding stable, air-sensitive, solutions of laterally extended atom-thick graphene sheets and ribbons with dimensions over tens of micrometers. These can be deposited on a variety of substrates. Height measurements showing single-atom thickness were performed by STM, AFM, multiple beam interferometry, and optical imaging on Sarfus wafers, demonstrating deposits of graphene flakes and ribbons. AFM height measurements on mica give the actual height of graphene (ca. 0.4 nm).     

Surface sliding friction of negatively charged polyelectrolyte gels

The friction between two polyelectrolyte gels carrying the same or opposite sign of charges has been investigated using a rheometer. It is found that the friction was strongly dependent on the interfacial interaction between two gel surfaces. In the repulsive interaction case, especially, the friction was extremely low. The friction behavior is attempted to be described in terms of the hydrodynamic lubrication of the solvent layer between two like-charged gel surfaces, which is formed due to the electrostatic repulsion of the two gel surfaces. From the theoretical analysis (hydrodynamic mechanism), the friction behaviors were explained qualitatively, all of the experimental results, nevertheless, could not be understood well. The viscoelastic feature of the gel and the non-Newtonian behavior of water at the friction interface are considered to be important to elucidate the gel friction.     

Separation of negatively charged carbohydrates by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has recently emerged as a highly promising technique consuming an extremely small amount of sample and capable of the rapid, high-resolution separation, characterization, and quantitation of analytes. CE has been used for the separation of biopolymers, including acidic carbohydrates. Since CE is basically an analytical method for ions, acidic carbohydrates that give anions in weakly acid, neutral, or alkaline media are often the direct objects of this method. The scope of this review is limited to the use of CE for the analysis of carbohydrates containing carboxylate, sulfate, and phosphate groups as well as neutral carbohydrates that have been derivatized to incorporate strongly acidic functionality, such as sulfonate groups.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy of isolated multiply negatively charged oligonucleotides

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy in an ion beam was used to investigate the electronic properties of isolated DNA oligonucleotides [dA(5)-4H](4-) and [dT(5)-4H](4-), carrying four excess negative charges. We find the fourth adiabatic electron affinity to be slightly negative for [dA(5)-4H](4-), while it is positive for [dT(5)-4H](4-). This implies a significant influence of the base composition on energetics, which is in turn relevant for analytic applications and also for charge transport properties.     

Ion-pairing π-electronic systems: ordered arrangement and noncovalent interactions of negatively charged porphyrins

In this study, charged π-electronic species are observed to develop stacking structures based on electrostatic and dispersion forces. ⁱπ–ⁱπ Interaction, defined herein, functions for the stacking structures consisting of charged π-electronic species and is in contrast to conventional π–π interaction, which mainly exhibits dispersion force, for electronically neutral π-electronic species. Establishing the concept of ⁱπ–ⁱπ interaction requires the evaluation of interionic interactions for π-electronic ion pairs. Free base (metal-free) and diamagnetic metal complexes of 5-hydroxy-10,15,20-tris(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin were synthesized, producing π-electronic anions upon the deprotonation of the hydroxy unit. Coexisting cations in the ion pairs with porphyrin anions were introduced as the counter species of the hydroxy anion as a base for commercially available cations and as ion-exchanged species, via Na⁺ in the intermediate ion pairs, for synthesized π-electronic cations. Solid-state ion-pairing assemblies were constructed for the porphyrin anions in combination with aliphatic tetrabutylammonium (TBA⁺) and π-electronic 4,8,12-tripropyl-4,8,12-triazatriangulenium (TATA⁺) cations. The ordered arrangements of charged species, with the contributions of the charge-by-charge and charge-segregated modes, were observed according to the constituent charged building units. The energy decomposition analysis (EDA) of single-crystal packing structures revealed that electrostatic and dispersion forces are important factors in stabilizing the stacking of π-electronic ions. Furthermore, crystal-state absorption spectra of the ion pairs were correlated with the assembling modes. Transient absorption spectroscopy of the single crystals revealed the occurrence of photoinduced electron transfer from the π-electronic anion in the charge-segregated mode.

π-Electronic ion pairs comprising porphyrin-based π-electronic anions have exhibited characteristic assembling modes and resulting electronic properties such as solid-state absorption and photoinduced electron transfer.