Solvent adiabaticity effects on ultrafast electron transfer in viologen charge transfer complexes

Charge recombination (CR) kinetics following photoinduced charge transfer are measured by optical transient absorption for complexes of dimethyl viologen and diheptyl viologen with 4,4'-biphenol (MVBP and HVBP) in methanol. Exponential time constants for MVBP and HVBP are 480 and 790 fs, respectively. Kinetic differences cannot be rationalized with a standard equilibrium nonadiabatic rate formula using parameters obtained from linear absorption and resonance Raman measurements, which give nearly indistinguishable results for the two complexes. Solvent relaxation times and adiabaticities of MVBP are calculated using a full solvation correlation function approach. This analysis suggests that the smaller CR rate of HVBP is due to solvent reorganization differences, and is consistent with a greater adiabatic contribution for HVBP than MVBP. We conjecture that interactions between the diheptyl aliphatic groups of HVBP and the local solvent structure are responsible for the CR differences.     

Ultrafast charge photogeneration dynamics in ground-state charge-transfer complexes based on conjugated polymers

The charge photogeneration and early recombination in MEH-PPV-based charge-transfer complexes (CTCs) and in MEH-PPV/PCBM blend as a reference are studied by ultrafast visible-pump-IR-probe spectroscopy. After excitation of the CTC band, an immediate (<100 fs) electron transfer is observed from the polymer chain to the acceptor with the same yield as in the MEH-PPV/PCBM blend. The forward charge transfer in the CTCs is followed by an efficient (approximately 95%) and fast (<30 ps) geminate recombination. For comparison, the recombination efficiency obtained in the MEH-PPV/PCBM blend does not exceed a mere 50%. Polarization-sensitive experiments demonstrate high (approximately 0.3) values of transient anisotropy for the CTCs polaron band. In contrast, in the MEH-PPV/PCBM blend the dipole moment orientation of the charge-induced transition is less correlated with the polarization of the excitation photon. According to these data, photogeneration and recombination of charges in the CTCs take place locally (i.e., within a single pair of a polymer conjugation segment and an acceptor) while in the MEH-PPV/PCBM blend exciton migration precedes the separation of charges. Results of the ultrafast experiments are supported by photocurrent measurements on the corresponding MEH-PPV/acceptor photodiodes.     

Synthesis of polyethers containing viologen moiety and their application to electron-transfer catalyst

Polyethers containing viologen moieties were prepared by the reaction of tosylated polyethers with bipyridine. Viologen moieties of these polymers having ? ((CH₂)₂? O? )_n ? chains were reduced into the cation radicals by sodium dithionite in dichloromethane, methanol, and benzene. The reduction of vicinal dibromide, ethyl 2,3-dibromo-3-phenylpropionate using these polymers as electron-transfer catalyst (ETC) was performed in dichloromethane to obtain ethyl cinnamate in good yield.     

Vibronic coupling in excited charge-transfer states of solid-state charge-transfer complexes

Symmetry properties of CT excited states of some weak donor-acceptor complexes are discussed in the context of vibronic coupling with intermolecular vibrations. The results are applied to the analysis of electroabsorption spectra of anthracene-PMDA.     

Electronic absorption spectra of charge-transfer complexes and effects of substituents in radical cations

The effects of X substituents on the energies of charge-transfer bandshv _CT in electronic absorption spectra of charge-transfer complexes of π-, n-, or σ-donors (DX) with π- or σ-acceptors (A) as well as on the ionization potentialsI _D of individual DX molecules are described by the equationhv _CT(l _D)=a +bσ₁ +cσ _R ⁺ +dσ_α. When DX and A are fixed, the inductive (bσ₁), resonance (cσ _R ⁺ ), and polarization (dσ_α) contributions tohv _CT andI _D are virtually identical. The electronic structure of the D^.+X donor component of the compact [A^.−, D^.+X] radical-ionic pair in a solution is similar to that of the radical cation generated upon photoionization of the individual DX molecule in the gaseous phase. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1002–1006, June, 2000.     

Nano-scale metallodendritic complexes in electron-transfer processes and catalysis

Nano-sized metallodendrimers in which the equivalent metal fragments are located at the periphery can be assembled covalently, by H-bonding (supramolecular) or onto dendronized nanoparticles. They can be used as electron-reservoirs, i.e. molecular batteries, redox catalysts and sensors for the recognition of biologically relevant anions. They can also be deposited on metal surfaces or electrodes, which optimizes their use as recoverable sensors.     

Wannier spin excitons in charge-transfer complexes

Electron spin resonance in some charge-transfer complexes of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) with sulphanilamides and antibiotics has been investigated. The ESR spectra are caused by two types of paramagnetic centres: the impurity type and the thermally excited type (Wannier spin excitons).     

Positron annihilation in solid charge-transfer complexes

Positron lifetime and angular correlation measurements have been carried out on 1:1 charge-transfer complexes, on their pure donor and acceptor components and on the 1:1 M mechanical mixtures of these components. Complex formation reduced the intensity of the long-lifetime component of the donor compounds nearly to the low level of the acceptors. The angular correlation curves obtained for the pure acceptor and the complex were practically identical and were substantially broadened as compared to that of the donor.     

Semiconducting polymers based on charge-transfer complexes. III. Complexing and chemical stability of charge-transfer complexes in solution

10-Methylphenothiazine and p-(methylthio)anisole were compared to polymers which contained these donor molecules on the side chains of N-acyl-substituted polyethylenimines. Charge-transfer absorption spectra were compared for these donors with the acceptors: dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone, tetracyanoquinodimethane, tetracyanoethylene, and 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone. Benesi-Hildebrand plots show that the formation of the polymer complexes have 3 to 50 times higher equilibrium constants than those of the corresponding model complexes. This can be explained by complexing parallel to the polymer backbone. The polymer has the proper geometry for complexing (6.4 Å, repeat distance in the polymer backbone), and an acceptor molecule can therefore be inserted between two adjacent donor molecules for increased stability. Shifts of the absorption maxima to longer wavelength for some of the polymer complexes can be rationalized by the probability that in the polymer, an acceptor is sandwiched between two donors and thus forms 2:1 complexes; the extra resonance energy may shift the absorption maximum to longer wavelength. A second possible explanation is based on solvation of the complex which reduces the energy of the excited state. Polymers absorb mainly in the complex form. Model compounds absorb mainly by contact charge transfer, which is nonsolvated and thus occurs at higher energy or shorter wavelength. Extinction coefficients are higher for the model complexes than for the polymer complexes. Contact charge transfer, which can contribute in greater proportion to the model than to the polymer complexes, explains this. The amount of contact charge transfer can be calculated simply from the probability of a donor being in the solvent shell of an acceptor. Complex decomposition rates were determined based on measuring changes in the intensities of the charge-transfer absorption spectra. Dichlorodicyanoquinone complexes were unstable, while the other complexes were stable.     

Charge-transfer complexes in organic chemistry—XII : Solvent effects on charge-transfer spectra

The charge-transfer transition energies of 2,6-dimethoxynaphthalene and 9-methylanthracene with tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, and acenaphthene and anthracene with 3,5-dinitrophthalic anhydride were measured in sixty aprotic solvents. The observed effects can be interpreted in terms of various solvent parameters if the solvents are divided into the following classes: halogen-containing, aromatic and n-donor solvents.     

Semiconducting polymers based on charge-transfer complexes. IV. Electrical properties and structure of polymeric charge-transfer complexes

Model electron donor molecules, 10-methylphenothiazine and 4-(methylthio)anisole, and polymeric electron donors which contained these molecules on the side chains of N-acyl-substituted polyethylenimines, were complexed with the electron acceptors, dichlorodicyanoquinone (DDQ), tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), and tetranitrofluorenone (TNF). The model donors formed 1:1 complexes with all the acceptors except TCNE. The polymeric donors formed amorphous complexes with DDQ, TCNQ, and TCNE. Crystalline complexes were formed with TNF which had low melting points (lower than the model complexes and the pure polymer). This is apparently due to poor lateral packing of the polymer chains. Electrical resistivities were lower for all the polymer complexes than for the corresponding model complexes. Electrical resistivity also decreased with increase in complex crystallinity. In the best case the polymer complex was two hundred times as conducting as the model. The concentration of unpaired electrons measured by EPR was nearly independent of temperature. Most of the electrons seen are trapped and do not participate in conduction. Thermal activation energies for conduction were in the range of 0.5–1.8 eV and were nearly equal for the model and corresponding polymeric complexes. Elongation of polymer complex with TCNQ by rolling produces a decrease in resistivity in the roll direction, although the complex is amorphous. This reinforces the hypothesis that conduction is parallel to the polymer backbone. A polymer–tetranitrofluorenone complex was photoconducting, though the photoconductivity was smaller than the dark conductivity at the level of illumination used. Dember and Seebeck effects indicated that the major carrier in the complex was holes.     

Electronic spectral studies of solvent effects on the charge-transfer complex of ethylene thiourea-iodine system

The study of the ethylene thiourea-iodine charge-transfer complex in various solvents like CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, CHCl₃:CCl₄ solvent mixtures and 1,2-dichloroethane reveals a good correlation for the equilibrium constants and other thermodynamic quantities with the extinction coefficients in various chlorinated methane solvents.     

Ultrafast pump-probe study of excited-state charge-transfer dynamics in umecyanin from horseradish root

We have applied femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate the excited-state dynamics of umecyanin from horseradish roots, by exciting its 600-nm ligand-to-metal charge-transfer band with a 15-fs pulse and probing over a broad range in the visible region. The decay of the pump-induced ground-state bleaching is modulated by clearly visible oscillations and occurs exponentially with a time constant depending on the observed spectral component of the transmission difference signal, ranging from 270 fs up to 700 fs. The slower decaying process characterizes the spectral component corresponding to the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition. The excited-state decay rate is significantly lower than in other blue copper proteins, probably because of the larger energy gap between ligand- and metal-based orbitals in umecyanin. Wavelength dependence of the recovery times could be due to either the excitation of several transitions or the occurrence of intramolecular vibrational relaxation within the excited state. We also find evidence of a hot ground-state absorption, at 700 nm, persisting for several picoseconds. The vibrational coherence induced by the ultrashort pump pulse allows vibrational activity to be observed, mainly in the ground state, as expected in a system with fast excited-state decay. However, we find evidence of a rapidly damped oscillation, which we assign to the excited state. Finally, the Fourier transform of the oscillatory component of the signal presents additional bands in the low-frequency region which are assigned to collective motions of the protein.     

Studies on the charge-transfer complex and polymerization. Part XIII. Dilution and solvent effects in radical terpolymerization

In the terpolymerization of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether—maleic anhydride—acrylonitrile and p-dioxene—maleic anhydride—acrylonitrile systems the compositions of the terpolymers obtained from feed of the same mole fraction were found to be changed beyond the limit of error for the given amounts and kinds of solvent. This change was considered to be divided into two parts. The first part, discussed quantitatively, was due to a dilution effect on the equilibrium complex formation between donor and acceptor monomer, and the second, as tentatively proposed, was due to a solvent effect on the reactivity of the complex.     

Preferential solvation effects in the electrochemistry and charge-transfer spectra of cyanoiron(II) complexes

The energies of the charge-transfer bands and the redox potentials of substituted cyanoiron complexes are strongly influenced by preferential solvation effects in water-acetonitrile mixed solvents, exhibiting a linear dependence with respect to the acceptor number scale. The dependence increases with the number of cyanide ligands in the complexes.     

On the compositions and strengths of charge-transfer complexes

The compositions of charge-transfer complexes of urea and thiourea with some aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and biphenyl) have been established through phase diagram studies. The enthalpies and entropies of fusion of these complexes have been estimated by differential scanning calorimetry. It is observed that the relative stabilities of the solid-state charge-transfer complexes in the donor-acceptor systems studied cannot be predicted from the areas under the curves of the congruent compounds in the phase diagrams.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Zusammensetzung von Donator-Akzeptor-Komplexen von Harnstoff und Thioharnstoff mit einigen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen, nämlich Naphthalin, Anthracen, Phenanthren und Biphenyl, wurde durch Phasendiagrammuntersuchungen ermittelt. Schmelzenthalpie und -entropie dieser Komplexe wurden mittels DSC bestimmt. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die relative Stabilität der festen Donator-Akzeptor-Komplexe nicht aus der Fläche unter der Kurve im Phasendiagramm der kongruenten Verbindungen vorausgesagt werden kann.

---

() , , , . . , - , .

---

---

One of the authors (R.S.) is grateful to I.C.A.R. (India) for financial assistance.