Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions between Harmane and Pyridine in the Ground and Lowest Excited Singlet States

Abstract— A spectroscopic (UV-visible, Fourier transform IR, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence) study of hydrogen-bonding interactions between harmane (1-meth-yl-9H-pyrido/3,4- b /indole) and pyridine in the ground and lowest excited singlet state is reported. In low polar and weakly or nonhydrogen-bonding solvents, such as cy-clohexane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, toluene and benzene, the analysis of the spectroscopic data indicates that harmane and pyridine form 1:1 stoichiometric hydrogen-bonded complexes in both the ground and singlet excited states. The formation constants of the complexes are greater in the excited than in the ground state. Hydrogen-bonding interaction in the excited state is essential for the quenching of the fluorescence of harmane by pyridine. The stabilities of the hydrogen-bonded complexes between harmane and pyridine diminish as the polarity and hydrogen-bonding ability of the solvent increase.     

Influence of Higher Excited Singlet States on Ultrafast Exciton Motion in Pigment-Protein Complexes

Abstract— Numerical simulations of the ultrafast exciton motion in photosynthetic antenna complexes are used to reproduce measured data of optical pump-probe experiments. Emphasis is put on a chlorophyll aL/chlorophyll b dimer of the light-harvesting complex of the photosystem II of higher plants (LHC-II). To account for intramolecular excited-state absorption the standard exciton theory is extended to the inclusion of a second higher excited singlet state per chlorophyll molecule. The density matrix theory is applied to describe the dissipative dynamics of excitons. Different mechanisms for energy relaxation and dephasing including pure dephasing processes are discussed. As a result, a further refinement of earlier calculations on the one-color pump-probe spectra at the LHC-II can be presented. In particular, the presence of non-Markovian effects with respect to the exciton-vibrational interaction in the LHC-II, discovered previously in the two-color pump-probe spectrum, is demonstrated here for the one-color pump-probe case.     

Ultrafast Decay of the Excited Singlet States of Thioxanthone by Internal Conversion and Intersystem Crossing

The experimental ultrafast photophysics of thioxanthone in several aprotic organic solvents at room temperature is presented, measured using femtosecond transient absorption together with high‐level ab initio CASPT2 calculations of the singlet‐ and triplet‐state manifolds in the gas phase, including computed state minima and conical intersections, transition energies, oscillator strengths, and spin–orbit coupling terms. The initially populated singlet ππ* state is shown to decay through internal conversion and intersystem crossing processes via intermediate nπ* singlet and triplet states, respectively. Two easily accessible conical intersections explain the favorable internal conversion rates and low fluorescence quantum yields in nonpolar media. The presence of a singlet–triplet crossing near the singlet ππ* minimum and the large spin–orbit coupling terms also rationalize the high intersystem crossing rates. A phenomenological kinetic scheme is proposed that accounts for the decrease in internal conversion and intersystem crossing (i.e. the very large experimental crescendo of the fluorescence quantum yield) with the increase of solvent polarity.     

Inclusion Complexes of Styryl Dyes with Cucurbiturils: Ultrafast Relaxation of Electronically Excited States

High Energy Chemistry - Published data on the ultrafast (in the picosecond range) relaxation of electronically excited inclusion complexes between macrocyclic cavitands consisting of n glycoluril...     

Characterization of Locally Excited and Charge-Transfer States of the Anticancer Drug Lapatinib by Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Computational Studies

Lapatinib (LAP) is an anticancer drug, which is metabolized to the N- and O-dealkylated products (N-LAP and O-LAP, respectively). In view of the photosensitizing potential of related drugs, a complete experimental and theoretical study has been performed on LAP, N-LAP and O-LAP, both in solution and upon complexation with human serum albumin (HSA). In organic solvents, coplanar locally excited (LE) emissive states are generated; they rapidly evolve towards twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) states. By contrast, within HSA only LE states are detected. Accordingly, femtosecond transient absorption reveals a very fast switching (ca. 2 ps) from LE (λ_max=550 nm) to ICT states (λ_max=480 nm) in solution, whereas within HSA the LE species become stabilized and live much longer (up to the ns scale). Interestingly, molecular dynamics simulation studies confirm that the coplanar orientation is preferred for LAP (or to a lesser extent N-LAP) within HSA, explaining the experimental results.     

Ultrafast Dynamics of Water Molecules Excited to Electronic F States: A Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study

The ultrafast dynamics of water molecules excited to the two F states is studied by combining two-photon excitation and time-resolved photoelectron imaging techniques. The lifetimes of the F₁A₁ and F₁B₁ states of H₂O (D₂O) were derived to be 1.0±0.3 (1.9±0.4) and 10±3 (30±10) ps, respectively. We propose that the F₁A₁ state mainly decays through the D state, due to the nonadiabatic coupling between them, while the F₁B₁ state decays through the F₁A₁ state via Coriolis interaction.     

Metastable States of small-molecule solutions

Metastable states such as gels and glasses that are commonly seen in nanoparticle suspensions have found application in a wide range of products including toothpaste, hand cream, paints, and car tires. The equilibrium and metastable state behavior of nanoparticle suspensions are often described by simple fluid models where particles are treated as having hard cores and interacting with short-range attractions. Here we explore similar models to describe the presence of metastable states of small-molecule solutions. We have recently shown that the equilibrium solubilities of small hydrogen-bonding molecules and nanoparticles fall onto a corresponding-states solubility curve suggesting that with similar average strengths of attraction these molecules have similar solubilities. This observation implies that metastable states in small-molecule solutions may be found under conditions similar to those where metastable states are observed in nanoparticle and colloidal suspensions. Here we seek confirmation of this concept by exploring the existence of metastable states in solutions of small molecules.     

Deactivation of Excited States

Nature abhors an electronically excited state and strives to convert this energy to other forms. This article is concerned with the various pathways involved in the degradation of electronic excitation to ordinary “thermal” forms, but will primarily discuss the quenching of excited states by other molecules. The authors include as examples only those phototransformations and interactions encountered in solution.     

丙烯酸分子的激发态超快预解离动力学

利用飞秒泵浦-探测技术结合飞行时间质谱(TOF-MS),研究了丙烯酸分子被200nm泵浦光激发到第二电子激发态(S2)后的超快预解离动力学.采集了母体离子和碎片离子的时间分辨质谱信号,并利用动力学方程对时间分辨离子质谱信号进行拟合和分析,揭示了预解离通道的存在.布居在S2激发态的分子通过快速的内转换弛豫到第一电子激发态(S1),时间常数为210fs,随后再经内转换从S1态弛豫到基态(S0)的高振动态,时间常数为1.49ps.分子最终在基态高振动态势能面上发生C-C键和C-O键的断裂,分别解离生成H2C=CH和HOCO、H2C=CHCO和OH中性碎片,对应的预解离时间常数分别约为4和3ps.碎片离子的产生有两个途径,分别来自于母体离子的解离和基态高振动态势能面上中性碎片的电离.     

氯苯分子第一激发态超快动力学

利用时间分辨飞秒光电子影像技术结合时间分辨质谱技术, 研究了氯苯分子第一激发态的超快过程. 266.7 nm单光子将氯苯分子激发至第一激发态. 母体离子时间变化曲线包括了不同的双指数曲线. 一个是时间常数为(152±3) fs的快速组分, 另一个是时间常数为(749±21) ps的慢速组分. 通过时间分辨的光电子影像得到了时间分辨的光电子动能分布和角度分布. 时间常数为(152±3) fs的快速组分反映了第一激发态内部的能量转移过程, 这个过程归属为氯苯分子第一激发态耗散型振动驰豫过程. 时间常数为(749±21) ps的慢速组分反映了第一激发态的慢速内转换过程. 另外, 实验实时观察到典型的非对称陀螺分子(氯苯)激发态的非绝热准直和转动退相干现象. 并推算出第一次转动恢复时间为205.8 ps (C类型)和359.3 ps (J类型).     

Ultrafast Excited State Dynamics in a First Generation Photomolecular Motor

Efficient photomolecular motors will be critical elements in the design and development of molecular machines. Optimisation of the quantum yield for photoisomerisation requires a detailed understanding of molecular dynamics in the excited electronic state. Here we probe the primary photophysical processes in the archetypal first generation photomolecular motor, with sub-50 fs time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A bimodal relaxation is observed with a 100 fs relaxation of the Franck-Condon state to populate a red-shifted state with a reduced transition moment, which then undergoes multi-exponential decay on a picosecond timescale. Oscillations due to the excitation of vibrational coherences in the S₁ state are seen to survive the ultrafast structural relaxation. The picosecond relaxation reveals a strong solvent friction effect which is thus ascribed to torsion about the C−C axle. This behaviour is contrasted with second generation photomolecular motors; the principal differences are explained by the existence of a barrier on the excited state surface in the case of the first-generation motors which is absent in the second generation. These results will help to provide a basis for designing more efficient molecular motors in the future.     

2-甲基呋喃分子激发态超快非绝热动力学

Excited-state dynamics of 2-methyl furan has been studied by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging. The molecule 2-methyl furan was simultaneously excited to the n=3 Rydberg series of S₁[¹A(π3s)], ¹A'(π3p_x), ¹A(π3p_y) and ¹A(π3p_z) and the valence state of ¹A'(ππ^*) by two 400 nm photons and subsequently probed by two 800 nm photons. The average lifetime of the Rydberg series and the valence state was measured to be on the time scale of 50 fs by the time-dependent ion yield of the parent ion. Ultrafast internal conversions among these excited states were observed and extracted from the time-dependences of the photoelectron kinetic energy components of these excited states in the photoelectron kinetic energy spectra. Furthermore, it is identified that the ¹A'(ππ^*) state might play an important role in internal conversions among these excited states. The Rydberg-valence mixings, which result in numerous conical intersections, act as the driving force to accomplish such ultrafast internal conversions.     

Excited State Processes in 1-Deazariboflavin Studied by Ultrafast Fluorescence Kinetics

The photochemical reactions of the 1-deaza derivative of riboflavin (RF) have been studied by sub-ps time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A potential effect of the solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding capability on the excited state (ES) dynamics was tested by measuring 1-deaza RF in water and, after acetylation of the sugar moiety, also in acetonitrile. Opposite to former reports, which indicated no fluorescence after laser excitation (Spencer et al. [1977] Biochemistry 16 : 3586–3594), we find a significant fluorescence in either solvent. For both compounds, the fluorescence decays are biexponential with lifetimes in the ps time domain (1.8 and 12.5 ps for 1-deaza RF, and 3 and 87 ps for Ac₄-1-deaza RF). In addition, a third, independent fluorescence decay was observed for both compounds. The remarkably slower second decay process for the measurements of the tetra-acetyl derivative in acetonitrile points to the involvement of hydrogen bonding or changes in the protonation/tautomerization state in the ES. In contrast to the parent compound (RF), no triplet state formation can be detected for 1-deaza RF, making the internal conversion and the fluorescence the only decay processes of the ES.     

NaC分子基态及其低电子激发态

运用包含Davidson修正的多参考组态相互作用(MRCI+Q)方法结合6-311++G(3df,3pd)基组计算了NaC分子基态(X4∑)以及三个低电子激发态(a2Π, b2∑, A4Π)的势能曲线(PECs), 确定出相应态的平衡键长Re和垂直激发能Te. 然后将PECs拟合到Murrel-Sorbie(MS)解析势能函数形式, 继而获得各态的光谱数据: 谐振频率ωe、离解能De、非谐性常数ωeΧe、转动常数Be、Drot和振转耦合常数αe. 计算结果表明: X4∑、a2Π、b2∑是三个束缚电子态. 基态X4∑的平衡键长为0.2259 nm, 谐振频率为431 cm-1, 离解能为1.92 eV, 目前计算值与实验结果和其它理论值一致. a2Π和b2∑激发态的核间距、谐振频率分别为0.2447、0.2369 nm 和329、335 cm-1, Te分别为1.58 和1.75eV, De则为0.71和0.42 eV. A4Π态为排斥态, 其相对基态的垂直激发能为2.48 eV. 通过求解核运动的薛定谔方程找到了转动量子数J=0时NaC分子三个低电子态(X4∑, a2Π, b2∑)的全部振动能级和转动惯量.     

LiBe+分子基态及其低电子激发态

采用Davidson校正的多参考组态相互作用方法(MRCI+Q)和多参考平均二次耦合团簇方法(MRAQCC)结合基组ROOS-ANO-TZP得到了LiBe+分子基态(x1∑+)以及六个低电子激发态(a3Σ+,b3∏,A1∑+,B1∏,c3∑+,C1∑+)的势能曲线(PECs).计算结果表明:X1∑+,a3∑+,b3∏和...     

有机染料敏化太阳电池中激发态弛豫和电子注入的超快光谱研究

为了实现窄能隙有机光敏剂的理性设计,有必要全面理解发生在二氧化钛/染料/电解质复杂界面的激发态演化动力学。本文通过构建分别以苯并噻二唑-苯甲酸(BTBA)和吡啶并噻二唑-苯甲酸(PTBA)为电子受体的有机给受体染料,借助超快瞬态吸收光谱测量与理论模拟,我们发现在实际的二氧化钛/染料/电解质界面存在激发态多步弛豫与多态电子注入的过程。密度泛函理论及含时密度泛函理论计算表明,二氧化钛表面的光激发产生的"热"激发态染料分子会通过分子片段间的扭转运动发生显著的多步结构弛豫,最终形成共轭骨架具有醌式结构、更加平面化的平衡构型。通过对飞秒瞬态吸收光谱进行目标分析,我们发现相对于以苯并噻二唑-苯甲酸为电子受体的染料,以吡啶并噻二唑-苯甲酸为电子受体的染料呈现出较慢的电子注入速率与较短的激发态寿命,导致总的电子注入产率较低,给出了基于该染料所制备的太阳电池的外量子产率峰值低的原因。