Quenching excited triplet C60 fullerene by tetracyanoethylene in benzonitrile

Quenching excited triplet³C₆₀ fullerene by tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) in a benzonitrile solution proceeds with a rate constant equal to (4.2±0.3) · 10¹⁸ (M · s)^–1. The formation of a radical ion pair [C₆₀ ⁺ · · · TCNE^–] was observed.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1228–1230, July, 1993.     

Photoinitiated quenching reactions of excited triplet duroquinone by vitamin C in homogeneous and AOT (SDS) micelle solutions

Time-resolved EPR has been used to study the photoinitiated reactions of the excited triplet of duroquinone (³DQ^*) quenched by the antioxidant vitamin C (VC) in homogeneous solutions of ethylene glycol/water (EG/H₂O) and micelle solutions of aerosol OT (AOT) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). During the photolysis reactions of DQ and VC in homogeneous solutions of EG/H₂O, ³DQ^* abstracts hydrogen atoms from the solvent EG and the antioxidant VC. The rate constant for the quenching of ³DQ^* by VC is 4.90 × 10⁷ L mol^?1 s^?1, close to being diffusion-controlled. In AOT and SDS micelle solutions, rate constants for the quenching of ³DQ^* by VC are 3.28 × 10⁷ and 3.15 × 10⁷ L mol^?1 s^?1, respectively. Lipid-soluble ³DQ* and water-soluble VC need to diffuse to the w/o interface to react, which reduces the reaction rate between ³DQ* and VC. The charge repulsion interaction between the anionic shell of AOT (SDS) micelles and the VC monoanions AsH^? also slows the reaction.     

Theoretical study of photoinduced singlet and triplet excited states of 4-dimethylaminobenzonitrile and its derivatives

Singlet and triplet low-lying states of the 4-dimethylaminobenzonitrile and its derivatives have been studied by the density functional theory and ab initio methodologies. Calculations reveal that the existence of the methyl groups in the phenyl ring and the amino twisting significantly modify properties of their excited states. A twisted singlet intramolecular charge-transfer state can be accessed through decay of the second planar singlet excited state with charge-transfer character along the amino twisting coordinate or by an intramolecular charge-transfer reaction involved with a locally first excited singlet state. Plausible charge-transfer triplet states and intersystem crossing processes among singlet and triplet states have been explored by spin-orbit coupling calculations. The intersystem crossing process was predicted to be the dominant deactivation channel of the photoexcited 4-dimethylaminobenzonitrile.     

Photodissociation of 1,2-dioxetane: An excited state nonadiabatic dynamics study

Dioxetanes are a class of high energy molecules that show unique ability to dissociate thermally onto excited state products. Quite recently, it attracts much attention due to their role in what is known as “dark secondary metabolite”. The present work, presents a comprehensive investigation of the photochemical and photophysical properties of 1,2-dioxetane. Several post HF-methods were utilized. The behavior of the excited states of 1,2-dioxetane, was explored by simulating the ultra-violet photoabsorption spectrum and nonadiabatic dynamics of 1,2-dioxetane. Simulation of the photoabsorption spectrum was performed within the nuclear ensemble approximation, sampling a Wigner distribution with 500 points; whereas, the surface hopping approach was utilized to simulate the dynamics. Dynamic simulations have been started in two different spectral windows centered at 7.5 and 9.0 eV, corresponding to populations of states S₆ and S₇, respectively. The time domain for such simulations is 100 fs. The dynamics in the spectral window centered about 7.5 eV show 24% probability to originate from excited state 6 (n_O-σ*_CO) suggesting the dissociation of the C–O bonds. Whereas, dynamics in the spectral windows centered about 9.0 eV, show 67% probability to originate from state 7 (n_O-σ*_OO) predicting an O–O dissociation.     

Quenching of triplet vinylidene radicals by helium

Triplet vinylidene radicals, produced in the vacuum-ultraviolet photolysis of acetylene, are observed in absorption at 137.4 nm. The lifetime in the presence of helium, for both the protonated and deuterated species, has been determined. Expressed as a bimolecular rate constant the values are k_He^H = (1.3 ± 0.3) × 10^?14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and k_He^D = (2.4 ± 0.4 × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. An upper limit for removal by acetylene has been deduced.     

Role of steric hindrance in photoinduced proton transfer from solvent to excited molecules of 1,2-dihydroquinolines

It was shown that the photolysis of 1,2,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (126TMDHQ) in water, methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol affords the corresponding adducts of water and the alcohols, unlike the case of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinolines bearing the methyl, alkoxyl, and hydroxyl substituents in the 1-, 6-, and 8-positions, which were previously found to form adducts only in the presence of water and MeOH. The quantum yield of the 126TMDQ photolysis (Φ) in this solvent series changes as Φ_MeOH:Φ_EtOH:Φ_PrOH = 10:3:1. The results were rationalized in terms of the effect of steric hindrance caused by substituents on the heterocycle and increasing size of the alcohol alkyl group on proton transfer from the solvent to the 1,2-dihydroquinoline molecule in the excited singlet state. The existence of two adduct isomers was revealed. The preferential formation of one of the isomers was considered from the standpoint of carbocation accessibility to the solvent by nucleophilic attack.     

Quenching of triplet excitions by trapped holes in crystalline pyrene

The rate of quenching of triplet excitions by trapped holes in crystalline pyrene has been measured as a function of hole concentration. The rate constant is γ=4.5×10^?11 cm³ sec^?1 within 50%, not far below that of a diffusion limited process. The quenching by free holes is not observed in the experimental conditions used.     

Exciplexes in highly excited triplet states

A mechanism of energy transfer from highly excited triplet aromatic molecules has been developed, which involves a stage of formation of an exciplex between a highly excited energy-donor molecule and an unexcited energy-acceptor molecule. Interpretation of the experimental data on the shape and the intensity of triplet-triplet absorption bands and the energy transfer probability is presented. In this interpretation, the results of quantum-chemical calculations of the energies of highly excited triplet states of toluene and benzene molecules are used.     

Size-dependent dynamics in excited states of gold clusters: from oscillatory motion to photoinduced melting

Femtosecond time resolved photoelectron spectroscopy in combination with direct ab initio molecular dynamics "on the fly" based on density functional theory has been used to study the relaxation dynamics of optically excited states in small mass selected anionic gold clusters (Au(n) (-); n = 5-8). The nature of the dynamics strongly depends on the cluster size and structure. Oscillatory wavepacket motion (Au(5)(-)), a long lived excited state (Au(6)(-)), as well as photoinduced melting (Au(7)(-),Au(8)(-)) is observed in real time. This illustrates nonscalable properties of excited states in clusters in the size regime, in which each atom counts.     

Naphthalene in the higher triplet excited state

Naphthalene in the higher triplet excited state Np(Tn) was generated from the two-step excitation method using two-colour two-laser flash photolysis technique and the lifetime of Np(Tn) was estimated to be 4.5 ps from the triplet energy quenching by quenchers such as p-dichlorobenzene, o-dicyanobenzene and carbon tetrachloride.     

Accessing the triplet excited state in perylenediimides

Here, we present a strategy designed to permit access to the PDI triplet manifold that preserves the desirable colorfastness and visible light-absorption properties associated with these dyes. To this end, three new Pt(II) complexes each bearing two PDI moieties tethered to the metal center via acetylide linkages emanating from one of the PDI bay positions have been synthesized, structurally characterized, and thoroughly examined by nanosecond laser flash photolysis. Upon ligation, the bright singlet-state fluorescence of the PDI chromophore is quantitatively quenched, and no long wavelength photoluminescence is observed from the Pt(II)-PDI complexes in deaerated solutions. In each of the Pt-PDI chromophores, quantitatively similar transient absorption difference spectra were obtained; the only distinguishing characteristic is in their single-exponential lifetimes (tau = 246 ns, 1.0 micros, and 710 ns). Triplet-state sensitization experiments of "free" PDI-CCH using thioxanthone confirmed the PDI triplet state assignments in each of the Pt-PDI structures.     

Theoretical study of the excited singlet and triplet states of alloxan

The possibility of excited‐state protomeric shifts in the biologically important molecule, alloxan, is investigated. We have focused on the S₁ and T₁ excited states of alloxan and its hydroxy tautomers. Modifications brought in by excitation on the relative stabilities, activation barriers, and optimized geometries, computed at the MNDO, AM1, and PM3 levels of approximation, have been discussed for both excited electronic states. The absorption and fluorescence spectra for the three tautomers are also discussed. Results show significant changes in the geometries on excitation, although the changes are similar for the singlet and triplet excited states. Though the relative stability orders do not change, the 2‐hydroxy tautomer is stabilized, while the 4‐hydroxy tautomer gets destabilized on excitation. The excited states are (n,π*) states, involving the promotion of a nonbonding oxygen lone pair from the CO? CO? CO moiety, which explains why the oxygens of this group become less basic and the 4‐hydroxy tautomer gets destabilized on excitation. However, the activation barriers do not reduce significantly on excitation, and this precludes the possibility of ground‐ or excited‐state proton transfer in the gas phase. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

Time-resolved FT-EPR study of photoreduction of duroquinone by triethylamine in methanol

Using time resolved Fourier transform EPR spectroscopy the photoreduction of duroquinone by triethylamine in methanol solution was investigated. It is found that the spin-polarized (CIDEP) duroquinone triplet deactivates by electron transfer from triethylamine generating duroquinone radical anion and amine radical cation, and by hydrogen transfer from the solvent generating durosemiquinone radical and hydroxymethyl radical, respectively. All radicals are observed at different conditions and are spin-polarized by triplet mechanism and partially by ST₀ radical pair mechanism. The time dependence of FT-EPR intensities of radical cation and radical anion on the amine concentration is investigated in the range of 1 to 100 mM triethylamine. The contribution of the triplet mechanism to the spin polarization of radicals changes with different triethylamine concentrations. The durosemiquinone radical is found to be transformed into duroquinone radical anion in the presence of triethylamine in the solution. CIDNP experiments indicate that the hydrogen back transfer between the durosemiquinone radical and hydroxymethyl radical pair has a significant influence on the time behaviour of duroquinone radical anion. The intensity of triethylamine radical cation is found to be decreased with the increase of triethylamine concentration, which is interpreted that the triethylamine radical cation is deprotonated by the amine. Based on the FT-EPR results, a new complete mechanism is proposed.     

Quenching of triplet states by nitroxyl radicals in the presence of surfactants

The quenching of anthracene and sodium anthracene-2-sulfonate triplets by several nitroxyl radicals in the presence of ionic surfactants provides information on micelle-substrate interactions on a microsecond to millisecond time scale.