Determination of the excited-state structure of 7-azaindole-water cluster using a Franck-Condon analysis

The change of the 7-azaindole-water cluster structure upon electronic excitation was determined by a Franck-Condon analysis of the intensities in the fluorescence emission spectra obtained via excitation of five different vibronic bands. A total of 105 emission band intensities were fitted, together with the changes of rotational constants of one isotopomer. These rotational constants have been obtained from a fit to the rovibronic contour of the cluster. The geometry change upon electronic excitation to the pi pi* state can be described by a strong and asymmetric shortening of the hydrogen bonds and a deformation of both the pyridine and the pyrrole rings of 7-azaindole. The resulting geometry changes are interpreted on the basis of ab initio calculations.     

Improved determination of structural changes of 2-pyridone-(H2O)1 upon electronic excitation

The change of the 2-pyridone-water cluster (2PYH(2)O) structure upon electronic excitation is determined by a Franck-Condon analysis of the intensities in the fluorescence emission spectra obtained via excitation of three different vibronic bands as well as a structural fit based on the rotational constants of eight isotopomers that have been reported by Held and Pratt (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1993, 115, 9708]. A total of 93 emission band intensities were fit, together with the changes of rotational constants of 8 isotopomers. The geometry change upon electronic excitation to the pipi* state can be described by a strong and unsymmetrical elongation of the hydrogen bonds, a contraction of the OH bond involved in the cyclic cluster arrangement, and an unsymmetrical ring deformation. The resulting geometry changes are interpreted on the basis of ab initio calculations.     

Torsional barriers in aromatic molecular clusters as probe of the electronic properties of the chromophore.

We present a computer program that is capable of fitting n-fold torsional barriers Vn (n = 2-6) and torsional constants F simultaneously to high- and low-resolution spectroscopic data of different isotopomeric internal rotors. The program has been utilized to fit independently barriers and torsional constants for both electronic states of several aromatic clusters. The constant F of the ammonia moiety in the phenol-ammonia cluster is shown to decrease upon electronic excitation, thus imaging the formation of a hydrogen-bonded complex between the phenoxy radical and the NH4 radical in the excited state. In contrast, for the naphthol-ammonia 1:1 clusters no change of F of ammonia could be found. For phenol-methanol cluster we found a decrease of F upon excitation which points to a stronger hydrogen bond between phenol and methanol in the excited state. A strong reduction of the torsional barrier upon excitation points to the formation of a methoxonium radical in a similar photoreaction as in phenol-ammonia cluster. For the phenol-water system we postulate the same mechanism, a photoreaction, which leads to a translocated hydrogen atom in the S1 state what can be deduced from the change of the torsional constant upon electronic excitation.     

The structure of the phenol-nitrogen cluster: a joint experimental and ab initio study

The rotationally resolved LIF spectra of four different isotopomers of the phenol--nitrogen cluster have been measured to elucidate the structural parameters of the cluster in ground and electronically excited (S1) state. The fit of the rotational constants has been performed by a genetic algorithm and by an assigned fit to the line frequencies. The results of both methods are compared. The intermolecular structures are fit to the inertial parameters and are compared to the results of ab initio calculations for both states. This fit was performed under the restriction that the geometry of the monomer moieties do not change upon complexation. Of the remaining five intermolecular parameters two dihedral angles were fixed due to the planarity of the complex, which was inferred from the inertial defects of all isotopomers. The distance of the nearest nitrogen atom to the hydrogen atom of the phenolic hydroxy group is found to decrease upon electronic excitation of the chromophore considerably more than predicted from ab initio calculations. This deviation between theory and experiment can be traced back to the absence of electron-electron correlation in the performed complete active space self-consistent field calculations. The shortening of the OH...NN "hydrogen" bond upon electronic excitation is in agreement with the increased dipole moment of phenol in the S1-state.     

Approximate SCF CI calculation of excited state geometries of phenol,aniline, para-fluorophenol and para-fluoroaniline

The CNDO/s method has been used to study the electronic structure, spectra, geometry and rotational constants in the ground and the first excited singlet states of phenol, aniline, para-fluorophenol and para-fluoroaniline. The ground state geometry has also been studied using CNDO/2 and INDO methods. Calculated bond length changes following the electronic excitation have been compared with experimental results and ambiguities present in the latter have been resolved.     

The electronic spectrum of the previously unknown HAsO transient molecule

The A?(1)A(')-X?(1)A(') electronic spectrum of the jet-cooled transient molecule HAsO and its deuterated isotopologue has been observed for the first time by pulsed discharge jet laser spectroscopy. The techniques of laser-induced fluorescence and single vibronic level emission were employed to probe the electronic properties of the species. The bending and AsO stretching frequencies have been determined in both states. A rotational analysis of the 0(0)(0) bands of both HAsO and DAsO has been completed and the following effective (r(0)) structures were derived: r(")(HAs) = 1.576(3) ?, r(")(AsO) = 1.8342(5) ?, and θ(") = 101.5(4)°; and r(')(HAs) = 1.569(4) ?, r(')(AsO) = 1.7509(9) ?, and θ(') = 93.1(10)°. In the rotational analysis, lines induced by axis-tilting were observed, and calculated spectra with an axis tilting angle of 3.0(5)° reproduced the intensity of these lines. The change in geometry on electronic excitation is similar to that observed for the molecule HPO, with an increase in the X-O bond length and a decrease in the HXO angle, but contrary to the predictions of the Walsh diagram for generic HAB triatomic molecules. Our ab initio calculations show that the correlation between orbital energy and bond angle changes upon electronic excitation, resulting in the atypical angle change.     

The ground state energy levels and molecular structure of jet-cooled HGeCl and DGeCl from single vibronic level emission spectroscopy

Single vibronic level dispersed fluorescence spectra of jet-cooled HGeCl and DGeCl have been recorded by laser excitation of selected bands of the A 1A"-X 1A' electronic transition. Twenty-six ground state vibrational levels of HGeCl and 42 of DGeCl were measured, assigned, and fitted to standard anharmonicity expressions, which allowed all the harmonic frequencies to be determined for both isotopomers. A normal coordinate least squares analysis obtained by fitting the harmonic frequencies yielded reliable values for five of the six force constants. The ground state effective rotational constants and force field data were combined to calculate average (rz) and approximate equilibrium (re z) structures, with re z(GeH)=1.586(1) A, re z(GeCl)=2.171(2) A, and the bond angle fixed at our CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ ab initio value of 93.9 degrees . Comparisons show that the derived bond lengths are consistent with those of the appropriate diatomic molecules in their ground electronic states and the bond angle is similar to that of germylene (GeH2). A Franck-Condon simulation of the vibrational intensities in the 0(0) (0) band emission spectrum of HGeCl using ab initio force field data shows good agreement with experiment, lending credence to the vibrational analysis of the observed spectra.     

Fluorescence and REMPI spectroscopy of jet-cooled isolated 2-phenylindene in the S1 state

We investigated the spectroscopy of the first excited singlet electronic state S1 of 2-phenylindene using both fluorescence excitation spectroscopy and resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. Moreover, we investigated the dynamics of the S1 state by determining state-selective fluorescence lifetimes up to an excess energy of approximately 3400 cm(-1). Ab initio calculations were performed on the torsional potential energy curve and the equilibrium and transition state geometries and normal-mode frequencies of the first excited singlet state S1 on the CIS level of theory. Numerous vibronic transitions were assigned, especially those involving the torsional normal mode. The torsional potentials of the ground and first excited electronic states were simulated by matching the observed and calculated torsional frequency spacings in a least-squares fitting procedure. The simulated S1 potential showed very good agreement with the ab initio potential calculated on the CIS/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. TDDFT energy corrections improved the match with the simulated S(1) torsional potential. The latter calculation yielded a torsional barrier of V2 = 6708 cm(-1), and the simulation a barrier of V2 = 6245 cm(-1). Ground-state normal-mode frequencies were calculated on the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory, which were used to interpret the infrared spectrum, the FDS spectrum of the transition and hot bands of the FES spectrum. The fluorescence intensities of the nu49 overtone progression could reasonably be reproduced by considering the geometry changes upon electronic excitation predicted by the ab initio calculations. On the basis of the torsional potential calculations, it could be ruled out that the uniform excess energy dependence of the fluorescence lifetimes is linked to the torsional barrier in the excited state. The rotational band contour simulation of the transition yielded rotational constants in close agreement to the ab initio values for both electronic states. Rotational coherence signals were obtained by polarization-analyzed, time-resolved measurements of the fluorescence decay of the transition. The simulation of these signals yielded corroborating evidence as to the quality of the ab initio calculated rotational constants of both states. The origin of the anomalous intensity discrepancy between the fluorescence excitation spectrum and the REMPI spectrum is discussed.     

Solvatochromism of Heteroaromatic Compounds: XXVI. Solvent Effect on the Solvatochromic Parameters of IR Bands of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Methylanilines and Related Hydrogen Bond Donors

Formation of a hydrogen bond between molecules of a proton donor (phenol, pyrrole, N-methylanilines) and a solvent decreases the sensitivity of the XH stretching frequency to the polarity/polarizability of solvents. A change in the bond configuration in the amine moiety of N-methylaniline and related compounds upon formation of a solvation H complex is manifested in that the absolute terms of the solvatochromic equations for inert and protophilic media are different. The spectroscopic effect from the geometric reorganization of molecules is determined by their structure and the capability to act as hydrogen bond donors. Multicentered hydrogen bond with π bases affects the geometry of the amine fragment of N-substituted anilines to a lesser extent than does two-centered H bond with onium bases.__________Translated from Zhurnal Obshchei Khimii, Vol. 75, No. 4, 2005, pp. 642–649.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Vokin, Oznobikhina, Shulunova, Ustinov, Bozhenkov, Levkovskaya, Turchaninov.For communication XXV, see [1].     

Ab initio quantum chemistry calculations on the electronic structure of heavier alkyne congeners: diradical character and reactivity

The electronic structure of the heavier congeners of alkynes has been studied with emphasis on characterizing their extent of diradical character. Four orbitals play a crucial role in determining the electronic structure in planar trans-bent geometries. Two are associated with an out-of-plane pi interaction, pi and pi, and two are associated with in-plane interactions and/or in-plane lone pairs, LP(n-) and LP(n+). The ordering of these orbitals can change depending upon geometry. One extreme, corresponding to the local minimum for Si-Si and Ge-Ge, is a diradicaloid multiple-bonding configuration where LP and pi are nominally occupied. Another extreme, corresponding to a local minimum for Sn-Sn, is a relatively closed-shell single-bond configuration where LP and LP are nominally occupied. This ordering leads to predicted bond shortening upon excitation from singlet to triplet state. For the heavier elements, there appears to be very little energy penalty for large geometric distortions that convert from one ordering to the other on the singlet surface. The implications of these results with respect to experimental observations are discussed.     

Infrared-optical double-resonance measurements on O-H...H-Ge dihydrogen-bonded phenol-triethylgermanium hydride complex in the gas phase

Spectroscopic investigation of a dihydrogen-bonded complex between phenol and triethylgermanium hydride is reported here. Laser-induced fluorescence excitation, fluorescence-detected infrared, and IR-UV hole-burning spectroscopic studies were carried out in supersonic jet to investigate the complex formation between phenol and triethylgermanium hydride. The lowering of the O-H stretching frequency of the phenol moiety in the complex with triethylgermanium hydride clearly establishes the role of phenol as hydrogen bond donor. The experimental results together with the ab-initio calculations unambiguously confirm formation of an O-H...H-Ge dihydrogen-bonded complex between phenol and triethylgermanium hydride.     

Regioselectivity and the nature of the reaction mechanism in nucleophilic substitution reactions of 2,4-dinitrophenyl X-substituted benzenesulfonates with primary amines

Second-order rate constants have been measured for the reaction of 2,4-dinitrophenyl X-substituted benzenesulfonates with a series of primary amines. The nucleophilic substitution reaction proceeds through competitive S-O and C-O bond fission pathways. The S-O bond fission occurs dominantly for reactions with highly basic amines or with substrates having a strong electron-withdrawing group in the sulfonyl moiety. On the other hand, the C-O bond fission occurs considerably for the reactions with low basic amines or with substrates having a strong electron-donating group in the sulfonyl moiety, emphasizing that the regioselectivity is governed by both the amine basicity and the electronic effect of the sulfonyl substituent X. The apparent second-order rate constants for the S-O bond fission have resulted in a nonlinear Br?nsted-type plot for the reaction of 2,4-dinitrophenyl benzenesulfonate with 10 different primary amines, suggesting that a change in the rate-determining step occurs upon changing the amine basicity. The microscopic rate constants (k(1) and k(2)/k(-)(1) ratio) associated with the S-O bond fission pathway support the proposed mechanism. The second-order rate constants for the S-O bond fission result in good linear Yukawa-Tsuno plots for the aminolyses of 2,4-dinitrophenyl X-substituted benzenesulfonates. However, the second-order rate constants for the C-O bond fission show no correlation with the electronic nature of the sulfonyl substituent X, indicating that the C-O bond fission proceeds through an S(N)Ar mechanism in which the leaving group departure occurs rapidly after the rate-determining step.     

Vibrational energy redistribution in catechol during ultraviolet photolysis

This article reports the striking interplay between the molecular structure and the photodissociation dynamics of catechol (a key dihydroxybenzene), identified using a combination of electronic spectroscopy, hydrogen (Rydberg) atom photofragment translational spectroscopy, density functional theory and second order approximate coupled cluster methods. We describe how the non-planar (C(1) symmetry) ← planar (C(s) symmetry) geometry change during S(1) (1(1)ππ*) ←S(0) excitation in catechol, as well as the presence of internal hydrogen bonding, can perturb the photodissociation dynamics relative to that of phenol (a monohydroxybenzene), particularly with respect to O-H bond fission via the lowest dissociative (1)πσ* state. For λ(phot) > 270 nm, O-H bond fission (of the non hydrogen bonded hydroxyl moiety) is deduced to proceed via H atom tunnelling from the photo-prepared 1(1)ππ* state into the lowest (1)πσ* state of the molecule. The vibrational energy distribution in the resulting catechoxyl product changes notably as λ(phot) is tuned on resonance with either the v' = 0, m(2)' = 1(+) or m(2)' = 2(+) torsional levels of the photo-prepared 1(1)ππ* state: the product state distribution is highly sensitive to the degree of OH torsional excitation (m(2)) prepared during photo-excitation. It is deduced that such torsional excitation can be redistributed very efficiently into ring puckering (and likely also in-plane ring stretch) vibrations as the molecule tunnels to its repulsive 1(1)πσ* state and dissociates. These observations can be rationalised by consideration of the photo-prepared nuclear wavefunctions. Analysis of the product vibrational energy distribution also reveals that the O-H bond strength of the non hydrogen bonded O-H moiety in catechol, D(0)(H-catechoxyl) ≤ 27?480 ± 50 cm(-1), ～2500 cm(-1) lower than that of the sole O-H bond in bare phenol. As a consequence, the vertical excitation energy of the 1(1)πσ* state in catechol is reduced relative to that in phenol, yielding a particularly broad distribution of product vibrations for λ(phot) < 270 nm. This study highlights the interplay between molecular geometry and redistribution of vibrational energy during ultraviolet photolysis of phenols.     

Dynamics of the CH(A2Delta) product from the reaction of C2H with O2 studied by Fourier transform visible spectroscopy

The reaction C(2)H + O(2) --> CH(A(2)Delta) + CO(2) is investigated using Fourier transform visible emission spectroscopy. C(2)H radicals, produced by 193 nm photolysis of C(2)H(2), react with O(2) molecules at low total pressures to produce electronically excited CH(A(2)Delta). Observation of the CH(A(2)Delta-X(2)Pi) electronic emission to infer nascent rotational and vibrational CH(A(2)Delta) distributions provides information about energy partitioning in the CH(A(2)Delta) fragment during the reaction. The rotational and vibrational populations of the CH(A(2)Delta) product are determined by fitting the rotationally resolved experimental spectra with simulated spectra. The CH(A(2)Delta) product is found to be rotationally and vibrationally excited with T(rot) congruent with 1150 K and T(vib) congruent with 1900 K. The mechanism for this reaction proceeds through one of two five-atom intermediates and requires a crossing between electronic potential surfaces. The rotational excitation suggests a bent geometry for the final intermediate of this reaction before dissociation to products, and the vibrational excitation involves an elongation of the C-H bond from the compressed transition state to the final CH(A) state.     

Ionization constants and fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the isomeric benzo[a]pyrene phenols

The acid dissociation constants, for the ground and lowest excited singlet states of the benzo[a]pyrene phenols, are reported, and correlated with current thought on carcinogen activation. The corrected fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of these compounds and their anions are recorded. The shifts caused by ring hydroxylation of the parent compound, and the relative spectral band intensities for each phenol are compared to those of pyrene, in a brief assessment of spectral transition polarization in the phenols.     

Franck—condon factors of the T1 ↷ S0 radiative and nonradiative transitions of naphthalene-h8 and -d8-a correlation function analysis

Franck—Condon factors for the T₁ ? S₀ transition in naphthalene-h₈ and naphthalene-d₈ are calculated employing the correlation function approach which allows us to investigate the distribution of the released electronic energy among the normal modes of the Final ground state. The relevant coupling parameters relating to geometry, frequency and anharmonicity changes due to excitation are included. Those related to geometry changes are obtained from the vibronic intensities of the phosphorescence spectrum as well as from a calculation implementing a semi-empirical relation between bond order and bond length. The calculated nonradiative rates compare well with the experimental rates in terms of absolute magnitude and deuterium effect. The semi-empirical calculations of the ribtonic intensities provide detailed information about force fields that are otherwise indistinguishable on the basis of their ability to reproduce infrared frequencies.     

Inclusion complexes of a bichromophoric diester containing anthracene and naphthalene groups with alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins: thermodynamics and molecular mechanics

Fluorescence and molecular mechanics have been used to study the inclusion complexes of the (9-anthryl)-COO-(CH2)2-OOC-(2-naphthyl) bichromophoric compound with alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins. Emission spectra upon excitation of the naphthalene group denote the presence of non-radiative energy transfer from naphthalene to anthracene, which is influenced by the type of CD. Naphthalene emission also shows two peaks whose ratio of intensities R is sensitive to the medium polarity. The stoichiometry, the formation constants and the changes of enthalpy and entropy upon inclusion of complexes formed were obtained from the change of R with CD concentration and temperature. Both complexes, in agreement with Job's plots, show 1:1 stoichiometry. Quenching, fluorescence depolarization and the analysis of R when all the guests are complexed permit us to explain the possible location of CDs in the complexes formed. Molecular mechanics calculations were also employed to study the formation of 1:1 complexes with both alpha- and betaCDs. The study was mainly performed in the presence of water as a solvent. Results seem to explain the stoichiometries and geometry for both complexes.     

Rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy of water clusters of 7-azaindole

The rotationally resolved electronic spectra of the electronic origin of the 7-azaindole-(H(2)O)(1) and of the 7-azaindole-(H(2)O)(2) clusters have been measured in a molecular beam. From the rotational constants the structures in the S(0) and S(1) electronic states were determined as cyclic with the pyrrolo NH and the pyridino N atoms being bridged by one and two water molecules, respectively. Excited state lifetimes of about 10 ns for both clusters have been found. In the spectrum of the 7-azaindole-(H(2)O)(2) cluster a splitting of the rovibronic band is observed, which can be traced back to a large amplitude motion, involving the out-of-plane hydrogen atoms of the water chain. Both the changes of the rotational constants upon electronic excitation and the orientation of the transition dipole point to a solvent induced state reversal between the L(a) and the L(b) states upon microsolvation.     

A unique NH-spacer for N-benzamidothiourea based anion sensors. Substituent effect on anion sensing of the ICT dual fluorescent N-(p-dimethylaminobenzamido)-N'-arylthioureas

A series of N-(p-dimethylaminobenzamido)-N'-(substituted-phenyl)thioureas (substituent = p-CH3, H, p-Cl, p-Br, m-Br, m-NO2, and p-NO2) were designed as anion sensors in order to better understand the -NH-spacer via a substituent effect investigation. In these molecules the dual fluorescent intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorophore p-dimethylaminobenzamide as the signal reporter was linked to the anion-binding site, the thiourea moiety, via an N-N single bond. Correlation of the NMR signals of the aromatic and -NH protons with substituents in these molecules indicated that the N-N single bond stopped the ground-state electronic communication between the signal reporter and the anion-binding site. Dual fluorescence was observed in highly polar solvents such as acetonitrile with the former five derivatives. The fact that the CT emission wavelength and the CT to LE emission intensity ratio of the sensors were independent of the substituent existing in the anion-binding moiety suggested that the substituent electronic effect could not be communicated to the CT fluorophore in the excited-state either. Yet in acetonitrile both the CT dual fluorescence and the absorption of the sensors were found to be highly sensitive toward anions. A conformation change around the N-N bond in the sensor molecules was suggested to occur upon anion binding that established the electronic communication between the signal reporter and the anion-binding site. The anion binding constants of the N-(p-dimethylaminobenzamido)thiourea sensors were found higher than those of the corresponding traditional N-phenylthiourea counterparts and the substituent effect on the anion binding constant was much higher than that in the latter. "-NH-" was shown to be a unique spacer that affords N-benzamidothiourea allosteric anion sensors.     

An examination of structural characteristics of phenylacetylene by vibronic and rovibronic simulations of ab initio data

The structural properties of phenylacetylene have been investigated in the S(0)((1)A(1)) neutral ground and S(1)((1)B(2)) and S(2)((1)A(1)) singlet excited states and the D(0)((2)B(1)) cationic state using both rovibronic and multidimensional Franck-Condon simulations from data determined via correlated ab initio methods. Results are compared to experimental and ab initio data reported in the literature. (10,10)-CASSCF and a hybrid CASSCF/SACCI frequency analysis using the cc-pVDZ Dunning basis set have been employed to produce vibronic simulations of REMPI/FES, dispersed fluorescence, TPES and MATI spectra. Calculated rotational constants are used where appropriate to compare to rotationally resolved experimental studies. Whilst the simulations are of generally good quality, it is apparent that the distortion of the ring along the long axis upon electronic excitation is underestimated, resulting in smaller predicted changes in ipso and para CCC bond angles and weaker activities in the 6a and 9a modes compared with experiment. Simulations of one-photon MATI spectra on the other hand, which do not rely on excited state methodologies, compare very well with experiment, suggesting that the neutral and cationic ground state geometries are quite accurate, as are the predicted changes in geometry accompanying ionisation. Simulated rotational and vibrational profiles, as well as other calculated physical data, show good agreement with the numerous experimental and computational studies of phenylacetylene in the literature.