Intra- and intermolecular proton transfer in methyl-2-hydroxynicotinate

Spectral characteristics of methyl 2-hydroxynicotinate (MEHNA) have been studied using absorption, fluorescence excitation and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as, using single photon counting nanosecond spectrofluorimeter. MEHNA is present as enol in less polar solvents and keto in polar media. In non-polar solvents, large Stokes shifted fluorescence band is assigned to phototautomer, formed by excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), whereas fluorescence is only observed from keto form in polar solvents. In aqueous and polar solvents monocation (MC) is formed by protonating the exo carbonyl oxygen atom in the ground state (S₀) and in the first excited singlet state (S₁), MC is obtained by protonating carbonyl oxygen atom of the ester. It is formed by ESIPT from exo carbonyl proton to carbonyl oxygen atom of the ester. Dication is formed by protonating both the oxygen atoms. Two kinds of monoanions formed by deprotonating phenolic proton or >N-H proton of keto suggest the presence of enol and keto in aqueous solution. In cyclohexane MC is formed by protonating carbonyl oxygen in both S₀ and S₁ states. The electronic structure calculations were performed on each species using semi-empirical quantum mechanical AM1 method and density functional theory B3LYP with 6-31G^** basis set using Gaussian 98 program, along with potential energy mapping, to characterize the particular species.     

Spectral characteristics of 2-(4′-amino-3-pyridyl)benzimidazole: Effects of solvent and acid or base concentration

Spectral characteristics of 2-(4′-amino-3-pyridyl)benzimidazole (4-A3PyBI) have been studied in different solvents, as well as at different acid or base concentrations using absorption, fluorescence excitation and fluorescence spectroscopy. Excited singlet state (S₁) lifetimes for each species were measured using nanosecond time-dependent spectrofluorimeter. AM1 semi-empirical and density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations were performed on each species for the spectral assignment. From the above results it is concluded that 4-A3PyBI exists only in the amine form. First protonation occurs at pyridineN- atom and second protonation at the benzimidazole (BI)N- atom. When dication (DC) species is excited, two emission bands are observed, having the same fluorescence excitation spectra, suggesting the same ground state (S₀) precursor. Short wavelength (SW) emission band is assigned to the π-π* transition and long wavelength (LW) emission to the charge transfer transition. First deprotonation in S₀ state occurs from >N-H moiety, whereas in S₁ state it is from -NH₂ group. Monoanion (MA) so formed in S₁ state is non-fluorescent. Dianion (DA) is formed by further deprotonating >N-H moiety in S₁ state and it is fluorescent. pK_a values were determined and discussed.     

激发态质子转移分子2-(2'-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑在不同溶剂中的光谱特性

观测了2-(2’-羟基苯基)苯并噻唑(HBT)在不同极性溶剂中的吸收光谱和荧光光谱,详细研究了溶剂极性对HBT发生激发态分子内质子转移(ESIPT)影响的机制。吸收光谱表明在常态条件下,HBT在各种溶剂中都以烯醇式构型和酮式构型共同存在,但以烯醇式构型占绝大多数。荧光光谱表明在纯环己烷溶剂中,HBT被紫外光激发时,绝大多数烯醇式构型发生ESIPT转变为酮式构型,分子的ESIPT效率最大。在含有乙醇的极性溶剂中,HBT烯醇式会形成溶剂化的烯醇式构型,阻碍分子发生ESIPT反应。溶剂中乙醇含量愈多极性愈强,溶剂化烯醇式的成份就愈多,HBT的ESIPT效率就愈低。以400 nm光激发HBT溶液时,在510 nm处发现酮式构型荧光,从而确认了400 nm处的弱吸收是酮式构型的吸收;且在436和456nm处还有新的荧光峰,分析其可能来源于酮式构型去质子化阴离子的发射。     

邻羟基绿色荧光蛋白发色团光物理机理的理论研究

Herein we have employed the MS-CASPT2//CASSCF method to study the S₁ excited-state intramolecular proton transfers (ESIPTs) of recently synthesized ortho-hydroxyl GFP core chromophores, i.e. OHIM, CHBDI, and MHBID, and their excited-state relaxation pathways. We have found that in OHIM and CHBDI, the ESIPT process is associated with small barriers of 3.4 and 4.2 kcal/mol; while, in MHBDI, it becomes essentially barrierless. Moreover, we have found two main S₁ excited-state radiationless channels. In the first one, the enol S₁ species decays to the S₀ state via the enol S₁/S₀ conical intersection after overcoming considerable barriers of 7.0 and 7.7 kcal/mol in OHIM and CHBDI (however, in MHBDI, it is nearly barrierless). In the second one, the keto S₁ species is first generated through the ESIPT event; then, it is de-excited into the S₀ state in the vicinity of the keto S₁/S₀ conical intersection. These energetically allowed excited-state decay channels rationalize experimentally observed ultralow fluorescence quantum yields. The insights gained from the present work may help to guide the design of new ortho-hydroxyl GFP core chromophores with improved fluorescence emission and brightness.     

Fluorescence and picosecond induced absorption from the lowest singlet excited states of quercetin in solutions and polymer films

The spectroscopic and photophysical properties of the biologically important plant antioxidant quercetin in organic solvents, polymer films of polyvinyl alcohol, and a buffer solution at pH 7.0 are studied by stationary luminescence and femtosecond laser spectroscopy at room temperature and 77 K. The large magnitude of the dipole moment of the quercetin molecule in the excited Franck–Condon state μ _e ^FC = 52.8 C m indicates the dipolar nature of quercetin in this excited state. The transient induced absorption spectra S ₁→S _n in all solvents are characterized by a short-wave band at λ _abs ^max = 460 nm with exponential decay times in the range of 10.0–20.0 ps. In the entire spectral range at times of >100 ps, no residual induced absorption was observed that could be attributed to the triplet–triplet transitions Т ₁ → Т _k in quercetin. In polar solvents, two-band fluorescence was also recorded at room temperature, which is due to the luminescence of the initial enol form of quercetin (~415 nm) and its keto form with a transferred proton (550 nm). The short-wave band is absent in nonpolar 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF). The spectra of fluorescence and fluorescence excitation exhibit a low dependence on the wavelength of excitation and detection, which may be related to the solvation and conformational changes in the quercetin molecule. Decreasing the temperature of a glassy-like freezing quercetin solution in ethanol and 2-MTHF to 77 K leads to a strong increase in the intensity (by a factor of ~100) of both bands. The energy circuits for the proton transfer process are proposed depending on the polarity of the medium. The main channel for the exchange of electronic excitation energy in the quercetin molecule at room temperature is the internal conversion S ₁ ? S ₀, induced by the state with a proton transfer.     

Triple Fluorescence of Substituted Benzanilides in Solution and in Solid States

The competitive triple fluorescence of benzanilide is studied by steady-state fluorescence investigations in dependence on the solvent polarity and the para-substitution of the aniline core as well as by comparison with the fluorescence behavior of 4-methoxy-N-methylbenzanilide. The normal fluorescence of benzanilide S₁(LE) S₀ appears at _max = 345 nm, whereas a superposition of proton transfer (PT) fluorescence S₁(PT) S₀(PT) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) flu-orescence S₁(ICT) S₀(FC) is responsible for the long-wavelength fluorescence in the 500-nm region. Different possibilities for the formation of the PT and ICT states are discussed. Investigations of the fluorescence behavior of benzanilides both in solution and as crystals in dependence on the para-substitution of the benzanilide moiety support the PT/ICT model.     

激发态质子转移分子2-（2′-羟基苯基）苯并噻唑在不同溶剂中的光谱特性

观测了2-（2′-羟基苯基）苯并噻唑（HBT）在不同极性溶剂中的吸收光谱和荧光光谱,详细研究了溶剂极性对HBT发生激发态分子内质子转移（ESWT）影响的机制。吸收光谱表明在常态条件下,HBT在各种溶剂中都以烯醇式构型和酮式构型共同存在,但以烯醇式构型占绝大多数。荧光光谱表明在纯环己烷溶剂中,HBT被紫外光激发时,绝大多数烯醇式构型发生ESIPPT转变为酮式构型,分子的ESIPT效率最大。在含有乙醇的极性溶剂中,HBT烯醇式会形成溶剂化的烯醇式构型,阻碍分子发生ESIPT反应。溶剂中乙醇含量愈多极性愈强,溶剂化烯醇式的成份就愈多,HBT的ESIPT效率就愈低。以400nm光激发HBT溶液时,在510nm处发现酮式构型荧光,从而确认了400nm处的弱吸收是酮式构型的吸收;且在436和456nm处还有新的荧光峰,分析其可能来源于酮式构型去质子化阴离子的发射。     

Photophysical properties of substituted intramolecularly hydrogen bonded compounds: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Photophysical properties of prototype excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) system 4-methyl-2,6-diformyl phenol (MFOH) and its derivatives were studied by steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy as well as by ab-initio quantum chemical calculation. It has been found that nonradiative decay process is the most important deactivation channel in all the cases and the hydrogen bonded enol conformer is stable in the ground state whereas, the proton transferred keto form is energetically favoured in the S₁(ππ^*) state. However, the net gain in stabilization in the process of ESIPT is almost unaffected by the substitution. The reversal of stability in the excited state was explained on the basis of the nature of frontier molecular orbital in all the cases. Intrinsic reaction coordinate analysis showed that drastic change in nonbonded interoxygen distance R(O-O) in the proton transfer pathway causes the switch over from the enol to keto configuration. A close comparison of several properties like molecular geometry, hydrogen bond strength and atomic charge in different derivatives of MFOH were found to be consistent and in good agreement with the experimental results obtained from time-resolved fluorescence experiments.     

Spectral-Luminescence Characteristics of Carbazole, Dibenzofuran, and Dinaphthofuran in the Gas Phase in Excitation by Electrons and Photons

The spectra of electron-energy loss, the excitation functions, and the fluorescence spectra in excitation of carbazole, dibenzofuran, and dinaphthofuran by monoenergetic beams of electrons of different energies are determined. The singlet-triplet transitions S ₀–T ₁ and the singlet-singlet transitions up to S ₀–S ₇ are recorded, which covers the region 2–11 eV. In the spectra of electron-energy loss, bands that refer to the n^ast and ^* transitions are identified. The replacement of the heteroatom of nitrogen by the atom of oxygen in the five-membered ring has no substantial effect on the spectra of electron-energy loss.     

Photodynamics of intramolecular proton transfer in polar and nonpolar biflavonoid solutions

Using methods of steady state luminescence and femtosecond spectroscopy, we have studied the mechanism of intramolecular proton transfer in synthesized 3,7-dihydroxy-2,8-di(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H,6H-pyrano[3,2-g]chromen-4,6-dion in polar and nonpolar solutions, films, and polycrystals at 293 and 77 K. In an excited singlet state, intramolecular proton transfer occurs in two stages. At the first stage, a tautomer with one transferred proton (OTP tautomer) is formed from the Franck-Condon state within ??₁ = 0.6 ps. At the second stage, the second proton is transferred within ??₂ = 3.1 ps and a tautomer with two transferred protons (TTP tautomer) is formed, which fluoresces in toluene at 293 K with a high quantum yield, ?? _f = 0.66, and the fluorescence spectrum of which is characterized by a large Stokes shift, 9900 cm^?1. At 293 K, polar solvents (dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethanol, etc.) solvate the BFV molecule in the ground state, while, in the excited state, an OTP tautomer is mainly formed. In polar ethanol at 77 K, a dual fluorescence spectrum is observed, which is caused by the fluorescence emission of polysolvates with ?? _max ^f = 460 nm and TTP phototautomers at ?? _max ^f = 610 nm.     

Spectroscopic Studies of Fluorescent Dye <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′- bis(2-hydroxy-5-methyl-benzylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine and its DNA Complex in Solution

Absorption and fluorescence emission properties of an N-salicylideneamine fluorescent dye molecule N, N-bis(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine (1) have been studied in three typical solvents—2-methylbutane, ethanol, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), and its DNA complex in methanol/H₂O mixed solvent. The normal absorption band of 1 is observed in both aprotic and protic solvents and has been assigned to the l a transition in the enol form of 1. The long-wavelength absorption band of 1, which is caused by the formation of a cis-keto species in the ground state, is absent in aprotic solvents, but is observable in protic ones. Normal fluorescence emission from the excited enol state of 1 is obtained only when the normal absorption band is excited, while the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) emissions from both cis- and trans-keto species are recorded in all cases, being acceptable for the variation of the relative emission intensities. A preliminary spectroscopic study of the 1–DNA complex indicates an intercalation-binding mode, the convincing supporting evidence being the enhanced ESIPT fluorescence intensity of 1 when complexed with DNA. Finally, a universal energy-state diagram is given to interpret the experimental results.     

Features of dual fluorescence of 1, 2, 3, 4- tetrahydroisoquinoline

In polar and nonpolar solvents, tetrahydroisoquinoline emits S₂ (ππ¹) → S₀ and S₁ (ππ¹) → S₀ dual fluorescence and T₁ (ππ¹) → S₀ phosphorescence on S₂ (ππ¹) ← S₀ excitation. When excited by S₁ (ππ¹) ← S₀ the molecule yields S₁ (ππ¹) → S₀ fluorescence and T₁ (ππ¹) → S₀ phosphorescence in nonpolar solvent but only fluorescence in polar solvents. Probable participation of intermediate S₁ (nπ¹), T₁(nπ¹) states in intersystem crossing and internal conversion processes and its significance in interpreting the results are discussed.     

Ground- and excited-state spectroscopic studies on [1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(amino)-2,4-(dicyano)-9,10-tetrahydrophenanthrene]

The effects of polar and nonpolar solvents on both the ground and the excited-state properties of [1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(amino)-2,4-(dicyano)-9,10-tetrahydrophenanthrene] is examined. Light absorption results in a population of a locally excited (LE) first singlet state (S₁,n^*) which shows sensitivity to the polarity of the surrounding solvent and hydrogen-bonding ability to the quencher 4-methylpyridine. Relaxation of this state leads to an intramolecular charge-transfer state (ICT) which leads to a large Stokes shift in polar solvents and an excited-state dipole moment of _e= 10D. The quenching of the fluorescence state by 4-methylpyridine studied inn-hexane and acetonitrile at room temperature is found to be efficient and a positive deviation from linearity was observed in the Stern-Volmer plots even at concentrations of 4-methylpyridine below 0.4M. This is explained as a result of the occurrence of both a dynamic and a static quenching mechanism. The static quenching constants (K _sv) along with those obtained by visible spectroscopy (K _GS) indicate that the ground-state complex is weak and relatively solvent dependent.     

Spectral‐Luminescence Characteristics of Polyphenyls and Polyacenes in the Gas Phase in Electron‐Beam Excitation

The spectra of electronenergy loss, excitation functions, and fluorescence spectra in excitation of the vapor of polyphenyls and polyacenes by electron beams of different energies are determined. The influence of successive complication of the molecules under study on these spectralluminescence characteristics is tracked. Unlike the optical absorption spectra, in the spectra of electronenergy loss of all the substances studied one observes a band which is related to the singlettriplet transition S ₀–T ₁. The transitions up to S ₀–S ₅ are recorded in excitation of the molecules by highenergy electrons, including the region of vacuum ultraviolet. From the functions of fluorescence excitation the authors have determined the excitation thresholds that correlate with the energies of the S ₁ levels, except for pyrene in which the S ₀–S ₁ transition is forbidden and does not show up not only in photon excitation but also in electronbeam excitation, although the intercombination forbiddenness in the latter case is removed and the S ₀–T ₁ band is observed.     

Experimental and theoretical studies of electronic energy states of methyl benzoate derivatives

Spectroscopic steady state studies of four monosubstituted derivatives of methyl benzoate dissolved in methylcyclohexane (McH), tetrahydrofuran (THF), ethanol (EtOH) and isopentane-diethyl ether mixture (IP-DE) have been performed at 293 and 77 K. The determined electronic energy values and oscillator strengths are compared with those obtained from quantum chemical calculations. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical energy values is noted. The average value is smaller than 5 percent. A reasonable agreement is noted between intensities of separated bands and oscillator strength of corresponding transitions. The relative ratio of fluorescence to phosphorescence intensity I_fl/I_ph of ortho-substituted compounds dissolved in non-polar, polar and protic solvents is higher than that of the para-substituted derivatives of methyl benzoate. The spectroscopic studies show that methyl ortho-hydroxy benzoate in the excited state S₁ forms H-bonded dimers in the solvents used. At 77 K the dimer fluorescence dominates the phosphorescence emission. The long wavelength absorption band (C) of amino-substituted methyl benzoates consists of two transitions in agreement with our theoretical calculations and a suggestion made by Shabestary and El-Bayoumi [N. Shabestary, M.A. El-Bayoumi, Chem. Phys. Lett. 106 (1984) 107].     

Effect of the Electron-Vibrational Interaction on the Second Electron Transition of Tetraazaporphin and Tetraazachlorin Molecules

We have traced the change in the complex structure of the intense 0–0 band of the electronic S ₂ S ₀ transition in the quasi-line absorption spectra (n-octane, 77 K) for individual types of impurity centers in the series of compounds tetraazaporphin–tetraazachlorin–di(tert-butylbenzo)barrelene-substituted tetraazachlorin. It has been concluded that the reason for the appearance of this structure is the interaction of the pure electronic S ₂ state with the vibronic S ₁ states rather than the Franck–Condon manifestation of low-frequency vibrations. Attempts to detect the short-wave S ₂ S ₀ fluorescence for all three compounds were unsuccessful. The reasons for the difference from the case of bacteriochlorin, in which such a fluorescence was observed earlier, are discussed.     

Experimental and theoretical spectroscopic studies of ortho derivatives of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate

Steady-state spectroscopic studies of two ortho (-OCH₃ and -OH) derivatives of methyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate have been performed. The absorption spectra of molecules under study are analyzed taking into consideration results of quantum chemical semiempirical calculations. The fluorescence spectra of these molecules possess in polar solvents two bands, i.e., the locally excited and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence band. Their intensity ratio as well as the fluorescence/phosphorescence intensity ratio determined at 77 K depends on the solvent polarity. Theoretical studies of the TICT phenomenon have been made in order to explain the dual emission of molecules under study. Calculated electric dipole moments of these molecules in the ground, S₀, and excited, S₁(LE) and S₁(ICT) states, have been compared with experimentally determined data. Theoretically determined transition energies, ΔE_i, oscillator strengths, f_i, and electric dipole moments μ_S0, μ_S1(LE) and μ_S1(ICT) of the planar donor-acceptor (D/A) conformer agree with experimental data. According to Marcus theory inner- and outer-solvatation sphere reorganization energies (λ_out, λ_in) are calculated using the determined spectroscopic properties of molecules under study.     

Solvatochromic effect on photophysical properties of Quinoxalin-2(1H)-one and 3-Benzylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one

Quinoxalin-2(1H)-one and its derived 3-Benzylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one were synthesized and characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy. The changes displayed by the photophysical properties of these molecules in different solvents can be explained in terms of a sum of dielectric polarity and hydrogen bonding effects taking part in the stabilisation of the structure. 3-Benzylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one exhibits two fluorescence emission bands (F _a and F _n) in very polar solvents and one band (F _n) in low polar solvents. These bands are assigned on the basis of the absorption and emission solvent effect. The abnormal fluorescence (F _a) observed in very polar solvents is attributed to an intermolecular interaction between solute and solvent molecules in the excited state (exciplex formation).     

Vibrational structure of quasiline fluorescence and absorption spectra of bisanthene molecules

The quasiline spectra of the fluorescence and absorption of bisanthene in n-hexane are obtained at 77 and 4.2 K, and their vibration analysis is carried out. Substantial violation of the mirror symmetry of the fluorescence and S₁ ← S₀-absorption bands with respect to both the frequencies and intensities is found. This allowed the conclusion that the S₂-level is localized in the region of vibronic sublevels of the S₁-state with . Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 67, No. 4, pp. 488–491, July–August, 2000.     

Steady-State Spectroscopic and Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements of New Two-Photon Absorbing Fluorene Derivatives

Steady-state excitation anisotropy, lifetimes, and time-resolved emission spectra of new 2-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives were measured in aprotic solvents at room temperature. Excitation anisotropy spectra in viscous silicon oil allowed the determination of the spectral position of three electronic transitions S₀ S₁, S₀ S₂, S₀ S₃ (S_i, i = 1, 2, 3 are the singlet electronic states) and the angles ( 30°) between absorption S₀ S₁ and emission S₁ S₀ dipole moments for the first electronic transition. Solvate relaxation processes in the first excited state of the investigated fluorene molecules affect the lifetimes of these states, ₁, so that experimental values of ₁ do not correspond to those calculated by Strickler and Berg theory. The influence of the molecular concentration on the fluorescence quantum yields and ₁ have been investigated.