Excited-state structural dynamics of cytosine from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Cytosine, a nucleobase found in both DNA and RNA, is known to form photoproducts upon UV irradiation, damaging the nucleic acids and leading to cancer and other diseases. To determine the molecular mechanism by which these photoproducts occur, we have measured the resonance Raman spectra of cytosine at wavelengths throughout its 267 nm absorption band. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism yields both the excited-state structural changes and electronic parameters. From this analysis, we have been able to determine that, at most, 31% of the reorganization energy upon excitation is directed along photochemically relevant modes.     

STM observation of a ruthenium dye adsorbed on a TiO2(110) surface

Individual Ru(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)2(NCS)2 molecules, commonly known as N3, adsorbed on a TiO2 surface were visualized with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operated in ultrahigh vacuum. A TiO2(110)-(1 x 1) crystal was taken out from the vacuum vessel and immersed into an acetonitrile solution of N3. A monolayer of pivalate ((CH3)3CCOO-) ions was used to protect the (1 x 1) surface from contamination during the wetting process of the N3 adsorption. The N3 molecules adsorbed on the flat terraces protruded by 0.65 nm from the pivalate monolayer. The image height difference of the admolecules could be understood with the assumption that the N3 molecules anchor to the TiO2 surface via two carboxyl groups. The number density of the N3 molecules on the steps was higher than that on the terraces. The poorly coordinated Ti atoms exposed at the step edges form preferential sites where the carboxyl groups can approach, due to a lower steric obstacle or because the structure of the adsorbed N3 molecules suffers less distortion.     

Theoretical studies on effective metal-to-ligand charge transfer characteristics of novel ruthenium dyes for dye sensitized solar cells

The development of ruthenium dye-sensitizers with highly effective metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) characteristics and narrowed transition energy gaps are essential for the new generation of dye-sensitized solar cells. Here, we designed a novel anchoring ligand by inserting the cyanovinyl-branches inside the anchoring ligands of selected highly efficient dye-sensitizers and studied their intrinsic optical properties using theoretical methods. Our calculated results show that the designed ruthenium dyes provide good performances as sensitizers compared to the selected efficient dyes, because of their red-shift in the UV–visible absorption spectra with an increase in the absorption intensity, smaller energy gaps and thereby enhancing MLCT transitions. We found that, the designed anchoring ligand acts as an efficient “electron-acceptor” which boosts electron-transfer from a –NCS ligand to this ligand via a Ru-bridge, thus providing a way to lower the transition energy gap and enhance the MLCT transitions.     

Charge transfer dynamics of model charge transfer centers of a multicenter water splitting dye complex on rutile TiO2(110)

Charge transfer dynamics between an adsorbed molecule and a rutile TiO(2)(110) surface have been investigated in three organometallic dyes related to multicenter water splitting dye complexes: Ru 535 (cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium(II)), Ru 455 (cis-bis(2,2'-bipyridyl)-(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-ruthenium(II)), and Ru 470 (tris(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-ruthenium(II)). The adsorption of the dye molecules on the rutile TiO(2)(110) surface has been studied using core-level and valence photoemission. Dye molecules were deposited in situ using ultrahigh vacuum electrospray deposition. Core-level photoemission spectra reveal that each complex bonds to the surface via deprotonation of two carboxylic groups. All three dye complexes show evidence of ultrafast charge transfer to the TiO(2) substrate using the core-hole clock implementation of resonant photoemission spectroscopy.     

Surface enhanced raman and resonance raman spectroscopy in a non-aqueous electrochemical environment: Tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) adsorbed on silver from acetonitrile

This letter reports the first observation of both surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) from the transition metal complex tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium (II), Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, adsorbed on a silver electrode from acetonitrile (ACN). The assignment of these spectra as valid examples of SERS and SERRS in a non-aqueous environment is based on the following criteria: (1) in situ demonstration of monolayer surface coverage of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ using double potential step chronocoulometry (DPSCC); (2) the Raman signals are most intense after surface roughening by anodization; (3) the Raman spectra are potential dependent in the non-faradaic potential region; (4) the measured enhancement factors are greater ilian 10⁶; (5) the surface spectra are frequency shifted relative to their bulk counterpart; and (6) several other molecules also exhibit non-aqueous SERS and SERRS behavior. These results are highly significant in that generality of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy has been extended into the rich domain of nonaqueous electrochemistry.     

Excited-state structure and dynamics of cis- and trans-Azobenzene from resonance Raman intensity analysis

Resonance Raman intensity analysis was used to investigate the initial excited-state nuclear dynamics of cis- and trans-azobenzene following S1 (npi*) excitation, and fluorescence quantum yield measurements were used to estimate the excited-state lifetimes. trans-Azobenzene exhibits the strongest Raman intensities in its skeletal stretching and bending modes, while torsional motions dominate the nuclear relaxation of cis-azobenzene as indicated by intense Raman lines at 275, 542, 594, and 778 cm(-1). The very weak fluorescence quantum yield for cis-azobenzene is consistent with its approximately 100 fs electronic lifetime while trans-azobenzene, with a fluorescence quantum yield of 1.1 x 10(-5), has an estimated S1 lifetime of approximately 3 ps. The absorption and Raman cross-sections of both isomers were modeled to produce a harmonic displaced excited-state potential energy surface model revealing the initial nuclear motions on the reactive surface, as well as values for the homogeneous and inhomogeneous linewidths. For cis-azobenzene, this modeling predicts slopes on the S1 potential energy surface that when extrapolated to the position of the harmonic minimum give excited-state changes of approximately 6-20 degrees in the CNNC torsion angle and a < or =3 degrees change in the CNN bending angle. The relatively large excited-state displacements along these torsional degrees of freedom provide the driving force for ultrafast isomerization. In contrast, the excited-state geometry changes of trans-azobenzene are primarily focused on the CNN bend and CN and NN stretches. These results support the idea that cis-azobenzene isomerizes rapidly via rotation about the NN bond, while isomerization proceeds via inversion for trans-azobenzene.     

Three-dimensional nonlinear optical chromophores based on metal-to-ligand charge-transfer from ruthenium(II) or iron(II) centers

In this article, we describe a series of new complex salts in which electron-rich transition-metal centers are coordinated to three electron-accepting N-methyl/aryl-2,2':4,4' ':4',4' '-quaterpyridinium ligands. These complexes contain either Ru(II) or Fe(II) ions and have been characterized by using various techniques, including electronic absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Molecular quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) responses beta have been determined by using hyper-Rayleigh scattering at 800 nm and also via Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopic studies on the intense, visible d --> pi* metal-to-ligand charge-transfer bands. The latter experiments reveal that these putatively octupolar D(3) chromophores exhibit two substantial components of the beta tensor which are associated with transitions to dipolar excited states. Computations involving time-dependent density-functional theory and the finite field method serve to further illuminate the electronic structures and associated linear and NLO properties of the new chromophoric salts.     

Multiple emissions from charge transfer excited states of ruthenium(II)—polypyridine complexes

The complex cis-[(bpy)₂Ru

₂]⁴⁺ (bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine) has been prepared by methylation of (bpy)₂Ru

₂]²⁺. Electrochemical studies show that introduction of the bound pyridinium group creates a chemically attached electron acceptor site (E_1/2 = ?0.76 V in 0.1 M [N(n-C₄H₉)₄]PF₆-acetonitrile versus the SSCE). Evidence for a low-lying dπ — π^*

charge transfer (CT) state has been obtained by the appearance of a low energy emission at λ_max 680 nm in ecetonitrile (τ₀ = 104 ns) and for an upper dπ — π^* (bpy) state by a higher energy emission at 580 nm in a methanol glass at 77 K (τ₀ = 7.59 μs). Both emissions appear in a water—ethylene glycol solution containing 5% by weight polyvinyl alcohol at room temperature.     

Adsorption geometry, molecular interaction, and charge transfer of triphenylamine-based dye on rutile TiO2(110)

The fast development of new organic sensitizers leads to the need for a better understanding of the complexity and significance of their adsorption processes on TiO(2) surfaces. We have investigated a prototype of the triphenylamine-cyanoacrylic acid (donor-acceptor) on rutile TiO(2) (110) surface with special attention on the monolayer region. This molecule belongs to the type of dye, some of which so far has delivered the record efficiency of 10%-10.3% for pure organic sensitizers [W. Zeng, Y. Cao, Y. Bai, Y. Wang, Y. Shi, M. Zhang, F. Wang, C. Pan, and P. Wang, Chem. Mater. 22, 1915 (2010)]. The molecular configuration of this dye on the TiO(2) surface was found to vary with coverage and adopt gradually an upright geometry, as determined from near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Due to the molecular interaction within the increasingly dense packed layer, the molecular electronic structure changes systematically: all energy levels shift to higher binding energies, as shown by photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, the investigation of charge delocalization within the molecule was carried out by means of resonant photoelectron spectroscopy. A fast delocalization (～1.8 fs) occurs at the donor part while a competing process between delocalization and localization takes place at the acceptor part. This depicts the "push-pull" concept in donor-acceptor molecular system in time scale.     

How TiO(2) crystallographic surfaces influence charge injection rates from a chemisorbed dye sensitiser

High-energy metal oxide surfaces are considered to be promising for applications involving surface-adsorbate electron transfer, such as photocatalysis and dye-sensitised solar cells. Here, we compare the efficiency of electron injection into different TiO(2) anatase surfaces. We model the adsorption of a carboxylic acid (formic acid) on anatase (101), (001), (100), (110) and (103) surfaces using density functional theory calculations, and calculate electron injection times from a model dye into these surfaces. We find that the different positions of the conduction band edge of these surfaces determine the rate of electron injection (which is faster for the surfaces with lower-lying conduction band, among them the most stable (101) surface). However, if the dye's injection energy is enforced to be at a fixed energy deep inside each surface's conduction band, then several anatase surfaces, such as the synthetically achievable (001) surface, show rates of injection comparable or faster than the (101) surface. Moreover, because of their higher-lying conduction bands, these minority surfaces are likely to offer higher open-circuit voltages in dye-sensitised solar cells. Therefore, synthetically accessible high-energy anatase surfaces, such as (001)-oriented nanostructures, may be promising candidates for use in dye-sensitised solar cells.     

Interfacial electron transfer in FeII(CN)6 4- -sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles: a study of direct charge injection by electroabsorption spectroscopy

Electroabsorption (Stark) spectroscopy has been used to study the dye sensitized interfacial electron transfer in an Fe(II)(CN)(6)(4)(-) donor complex bound to a TiO(2) nanoparticle. The average charge-transfer distance determined from the Stark spectra is 5.3 A. This value is similar to the estimated distance between the Fe(II) center of the complex and the Ti(IV) surface site coordinated to the nitrogen end of a bridging CN ligand in (CN)(5)Fe(II)-CN-Ti(IV)(particle). This finding suggests that the electron injection is to either an individual titanium surface site or a small number of Ti centers localized around the point of ferrocyanide coordination to the particle and not into a conduction band orbital delocalized over the nanoparticle. The polarizability change, Tr(Deltaalpha), between the ground and the excited states of the Fe(II)(CN)(6)(4)(-)-TiO(2)(particle) system is approximately 3 time larger than normally observed in mixed-valence dinuclear metal complexes. It is proposed that the large polarizability of the excited state increases the dipole-moment changes measured by Stark spectroscopy.     

Charge transfer interactions of a Ru(II) dye complex and related ligand molecules adsorbed on Au(111)

The interaction of the dye molecule, N3 (cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2(')-bipyridyl-4,4(')-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium(II)), and related ligand molecules with a Au(111) surface has been studied using synchrotron radiation-based electron spectroscopy. Resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RPES) and autoionization of the adsorbed molecules have been used to probe the coupling between the molecules and the substrate. Evidence of charge transfer from the states near the Fermi level of the gold substrate into the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the molecules is found in the monolayer RPES spectra of both isonicotinic acid and bi-isonicotinic acid (a ligand of N3), but not for the N3 molecule itself. Calibrated x-ray absorption spectroscopy and valence band spectra of the monolayers reveals that the LUMO crosses the Fermi level of the surface in all cases, showing that charge transfer is energetically possible both from and to the molecule. A core-hole clock analysis of the resonant photoemission reveals a charge transfer time of around 4 fs from the LUMO of the N3 dye molecule to the surface. The lack of charge transfer in the opposite direction is understood in terms of the lack of spatial overlap between the π?-orbitals in the aromatic rings of the bi-isonicotinic acid ligands of N3 and the gold surface.     

Excited-state structure and dynamics of 1,3,5-tris(phenylethynyl)benzene as studied by Raman and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

Excited-state structure and dynamics of 1,3,5-tris(phenylethynyl)benzene (TPB) have been studied in n-hexane and n-heptane solutions. Time-resolved fluorescence spectra, fluorescence anisotropy, and lifetime of TPB were recorded with femtosecond to nanosecond time resolution. Raman depolarization ratio was also measured to elucidate a nonplanar structure of the ground state. Two fluorescence components, the short-lived component with 150 fs lifetime and the long-lived component with 10 ns lifetime, were observed. The analysis of the fluorescence anisotropy values combined with the Raman depolarization data has led to a conclusion that TPB is primarily excited to a short-lived excited singlet state with a nonplanar structure, and then it relaxes to a long-lived excited singlet state with a 3-fold axis. A rapid structural change from a nonplanar to a planar structure is suggested to take place in the process of relaxation.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of black dye and deoxycholic acid adsorbed on a rutile TiO2(110)

Trithiocyanato(4,4',4'-tricarboxy-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine)ruthenium(II), "black dye", was adsorbed on a rutile TiO(2)(110) surface and imaged by an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope. The TiO(2)(110)-(1 x 1) surface was prepared in a vacuum, covered with pivalate monolayer, and immersed in acetonitrile containing black dye. Black dyes exchanging preadsorbed pivalates were observed on the surface as protrusions with lateral dimensions from 2 to 10 nm. Protrusions with a minimum lateral dimension of 2 nm were assigned to single, isolated black dyes, and larger protrusions were attributed to aggregated dyes. When deoxycholic acid was added to the dye solution, the number ratio of the single dyes to the aggregated dyes increased, while adsorbed deoxycholic acid was not observed.     

Quantitative detection of dye labelled DNA using surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) from silver nanoparticles

The detection of dye labelled DNA by surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) is reported. The dye labels used are commercially available and have not previously been used as SERRS dyes. Detection limits using two excitation frequencies were determined for each label. This expands the range of labels which can be used for surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering with silver nanoparticles.     

Electronic and molecular surface structure of Ru(tcterpy)(NCS)3 and Ru(dcbpy)2(NCS)2 adsorbed from solution onto nanostructured TiO2: a photoelectron spectroscopy study

The element specificity of photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) has been used to compare the electronic and molecular structure of the dyes Ru(tcterpy)(NCS)3 (BD) and Ru(dcbpy)2(NCS)2 adsorbed from solution onto nanostructured TiO2. Ru(dcbpy)2(NCS)2 was investigated in its acid (N3) and in its 2-fold deprotonated form (N719) having tetrabutylammonium (TBA+) as counterions. A comparison of the O1s spectra for the dyes indicates that the interactions through the carboxylate groups with the TiO2 surface are very similar for the dyes. However, we observe that some of the dye molecules also interact through the NCS groups when adsorbed at the TiO2 surface. Comparing the N719 and the N3 molecule, the fraction of NCS groups interacting through the sulfur atoms is smaller for N719 than for N3. We also note that the counterion TBA+ is coadsorbed with the N719 and BD molecules although the amount was smaller than expected from the molecular formulas. Comparing the valence levels for the dyes adsorbed on TiO2, the position of the highest occupied electronic energy level is similar for N3 and N719, while that for BD is lower by 0.25 eV relative to that of the other complexes.     

Electroabsorption study of metal-to-ligand charge transfer in an organic complex of iridium (III)

The dipole moment and polarizability changes have been determined from electroabsorption (EA) spectroscopy of solid films of fac tris(2-(phenyl)pyridinato,N,C^2′)iridium (III) [Ir(ppy)₃]. The maximum changes in the dipole moment |Δμ|_S=(5.0±0.5) D/f (f is the local field correction factor: 1.3–1.7) accompany ground state to the lowest singlet, and |Δμ|_T=(1.7±0.5) D/f ground state to the lowest triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states formation, while the average polarizability change ų/f² follows from the fitting procedure throughout the visible absorption spectrum range. The experimental values of |Δμ| as well as energy positions of the MLCT states correlate with the literature results of time-dependent density functional theory.     

Excited-state absorption and circular dichroism of ruthenium(II) tris(phenanthroline) in the ultraviolet region

Excitation of ruthenium(II) tris(phenanthroline) in the visible region results in the tranfer of an electron from the central atom toward one of the ligands. To probe this excited state, we have performed pump-induced absorption and circular dichroism in the ultraviolet wavelengths, in the intraligand pi-pi* transition region. On top of the bleaching of the ground state transitions, new structures appear in the absorption and CD spectra. Thanks to a classical calculation based on the polarizability theory, we can interpret these features as the result of a strong reduction of the excitonic coupling due to a blue shift of the pi-pi* transition in the reduced ligand accompanied by the onset of new excited-state transitions.     

Structure and dynamics of the solvated electron in alcohols from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy is used to probe the structure and excited-state dynamics of the solvated electron in the primary liquid alcohols methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), n-propanol (n-PrOH), and n-butanol (n-BuOH). The strong resonance enhancements (>or=10(4) relative to pure solvent) of the libration, CO stretch, COH bend, CH3 bend, CH2 bend, and OH stretch reveal significant Franck-Condon coupling of the intermolecular and intramolecular vibrational modes of the solvent to the electronic excitation of the solvated electron. All enhanced bands are fully accounted for by a model of the solvated electron that is comprised of several nearby solvent molecules that are only perturbed by the presence of the electron; no new molecular species are required to explain our data. The 340 cm(-1) downshift observed for the OH stretch frequency of e-(MeOH), relative to pure solvent, strongly suggests that the methanol molecules in the first solvent shell have the hydroxyl group directed linearly toward the excess electron density. The smaller downshifts observed for e-(EtOH), e-(n-PrOH), and e-(n-BuOH) are explained in terms of a OH group that is bent 28-40 degrees from linear. The Raman cross sections and absorption spectra are modeled, lending quantitative support for the inhomogeneous origin of the broad absorption spectra, the necessity of OH local motion in all enhanced Raman modes of the alcohols, and the dominant librational response of the solvent upon photoexcitation of the electron.     

A single centre water splitting dye complex adsorbed on rutile TiO2(110): photoemission, x-ray absorption, and optical spectroscopy

A single centre water splitting dye complex (aqua(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-(2,2':6',6'-terpyridine)Ruthenium(II)), along with a related complex ((2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-(2,2':6',6'-terpyridine)chloride Ruthenium(II)), has been investigated using photoemission and compared to molecules with similar structures. Dye molecules were deposited in situ using ultra-high vacuum electrospray deposition, which allows for the deposition of thermally labile molecules, such as these dye molecules. Adsorption of the dye molecules on the rutile TiO(2)(110) surface has been studied using core-level and valence photoemission. Core-level photoemission spectra reveal that each complex bonds to the surface via deprotonation of its carboxylic acid groups. A consideration of the energy level alignments reveals that both complexes are capable of charge transfer from the adsorbed molecules to the conduction band of the rutile TiO(2) substrate.