Rational Design of Star-shaped Molecules with Benzene Core and Naphthalimide Derivatives End Groups as Organic Light-emitting Materials

A series of star-shaped molecules with benzene core and naphthalimides derivatives end groups have been designed to explore their optical,electronic,and charge transport properties as charge transport and/or luminescent materials for organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs). The frontier molecular orbitals(FMOs) analysis has turned out that the vertical electronic transitions of absorption and emission are characterized as intramolecular charge transfer(ICT). The calculated results show that the optical and electronic properties of star-shaped molecules are affected by the substituent groups in N-position of 1,8-naphthalimide ring. Our results suggest that star-shaped molecules with n-butyl(1),benzene(2),thiophene(3),thiophene S?,S?-dioxide(4),benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole(5),and 2,7a-dihydrobenzo[d]thiazole(6) fragments are expected to be promising candidates for luminescent and electron transport materials for OLEDs. This study should be helpful in further theoretical investigations on such kind of systems and also to the experimental study for charge transport and/or luminescent materials for OLEDs.     

Electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of 6‐aminophenanthridine and its derivatives: Insights from density functional theory

6‐Aminophenanthridine (6AP) and its derivatives show important biological activities as antiprion compounds and inhibitors of the protein folding activity of the ribosome. Both of these activities depend on the RNA binding property of these compounds, which has been recently characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy. Hence, fundamental insights into the photophysical properties of 6AP compounds are highly important to understand their biological activities. In this work, we have calculated electronic structures and optical properties of 6AP and its three derivatives 6AP8CF₃, 6AP8Cl, and 6APi by density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Our calculated spectra show a good agreement with the experimental absorption and fluorescence spectra, and thus, provide deep insights into the optical properties of the compounds. Furthermore, comparing the results obtained with four different hybrid functionals, we demonstrate that the accuracy of the functionals varies in the order B3LYP > PBE0 > M062X > M06HF. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Efficient pole‐search algorithm for dynamic polarizability: Toward alternative excited‐state calculation for large systems

This study presents an efficient algorithm to search for the poles of dynamic polarizability to obtain excited states of large systems with nonlocal excitation nature. The present algorithm adopts a homogeneous search with a constant frequency interval and a bisection search to achieve high accuracy. Furthermore, the subtraction process of the information about the detected poles from the total dynamic polarizability is used to extract the undetected pole contributions. Numerical assessments confirmed the accuracy and efficiency of the present algorithm in obtaining the excitation energies and oscillator strengths of all dipole‐allowed excited states. A combination of the present pole‐search algorithm and divide‐and‐conquer‐based dynamic polarizability calculations was found to be promising to treat nonlocal excitations of large systems. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Time-dependent density functional theory study on excited-state dihydrogen bonding O-H···H-Ge of the dihydrogen-bonded phenol-triethylgermanium complex

Intermolecular dihydrogen bond O-H···H-Ge in the electronically excited state of the dihydrogen-bonded phenol-triethylgermanium (TEGH) complex was studied theoretically using time-dependent density functional theory. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals revealed a locally excited S(1) state in which only the phenol moiety is electronically excited. In the predicted infrared spectrum of the dihydrogen-bonded phenol-TEGH complex, the O-H stretching vibrational mode shifts to a lower frequency in the S(1) state in comparison with that in ground state. The Ge-H stretching vibrational mode demonstrates a relatively smaller redshift than the O-H stretching vibrational mode. Upon electronic excitation to the S(1) state, the O-H and Ge-H bonds involved in the dihydrogen bond both get lengthened, whereas the C-O bond is shortened. With an increased binding energy, the calculated H···H distance significantly decreases in the S(1) state. Thus, the intermolecular dihydrogen bond O-H···H-Ge of the dihydrogen-bonded phenol-TEGH complex becomes stronger in the electronically excited state than that in the ground state.     

Revelation of ESIPT mechanism for the novel fluorescent system HNIBT in toluene and methanol solvents: A TDDFT study

In this work, we devote to explore excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) behavior for a novel fluorescent molecule naphthalimide‐based 2‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐benzothiazole (HNIBT) [New J. Chem. 2019, 43, 9152.] in toluene and methanol (MeOH) solvents. Exploring weak interactions, stable HNIBT‐enol, and HNIBT‐MeOH‐enol complex can be found in S₀ state via TDDFT/B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) level. Given photoexcitation, intramolecular hydrogen bond O1? H2···N3 of HNIBT‐enol and HNIBT‐MeOH‐enol is dramatically enhanced, which offers impetus for facilitates ESIPT reaction. After repeated comparisons, we verify the unavailability of intermolecular hydrogen bonding effects between HNIBT‐enol and MeOH molecules. In view of excitation, HOMO (π) → LUMO (π*) transition and the changes of electronical densities indeed impulse ESIPT tendency. Via constructing potential energy curves (PECs), for both HNIBT‐enol and HNIBT‐MeOH‐enol complex, the ESIPT could only occur along with intramolecular hydrogen bond O1? H2···N3. Through comparison, the potential barrier falls from 4.124 kcal/mol (HNIBT‐enol) to 2.132 kcal/mol (HNIBT‐MeOH‐enol). Therefore, we confirm that the ESIPT of the HNIBT system happens more easily in the MeOH solvent compared with the toluene solvent.     

A dual-level state-specific time-dependent density-functional theory

A highly efficient new algorithm for time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) calculations is presented. In this algorithm, a dual-level approach to speed up DFT calculations (Nakajima and Hirao, J Chem Phys 2006, 124, 184108) is combined with a state-specific (SS) algorithm for TDDFT (Chiba et al., Chem Phys Lett 2006, 420, 391). The dual-level SS-TDDFT algorithm was applied to excitation energy calculations of typical small molecules, the Q bands of the chlorophyll A molecule, the charge-transfer energy of the zincbacteriochlorin-bacteriochlorin model system, and the lowest-lying excitation of the circumcoronene molecule. As a result, it was found that the dual-level SS-TDDFT gave correct excitation energies with errors of 0.2-0.3 eV from the standard TDDFT approach, with much lower CPU times for various types of excitation energies of large-scale molecules.     

Effective potential energy curves of H2 molecule evolving in a strong time‐dependent magnetic field

Evolution of hydrogen molecule, starting initially from its field‐free ground state, in a time‐dependent (TD) magnetic field of order 10¹¹ G is presented in a parallel internuclear axis and magnetic field‐axis configuration. Effective potential energy curves (EPECs), in terms of exchange and correlation energy, of the hydrogen molecule as a function of TD magnetic‐field strength, are analyzed through TD density functional computations based on a quantum fluid dynamics approach. The numerical computations are performed for internuclear separation R ranging from 0.1 to 14.0 a.u. The EPECs exhibit field‐dependent significant potential‐well minima both at large internuclear separations and at short internuclear separations with a considerable increase in the exchange and correlation energy of the hydrogen molecule. The results, when compared with the time‐independent (TI) studies involving static TI magnetic fields, reveal TD behavior of field‐dependent crossovers between different spin‐states of hydrogen molecule as indicated by the TI investigations in static magnetic fields. Besides this, present work reveals interesting dynamics in the TD total‐electronic charge‐density distribution of the hydrogen molecule. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Efficient blue‐emitting Ir(III) complexes with phenyl‐methyl‐benzimidazolyl and picolinate ligands: A DFT and time‐dependent DFT study

The series of heteroleptic cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes for organic light‐emitting display application have been investigated theoretically to explore their electronic structures and spectroscopic properties. The geometries, electronic structures, and the lowest‐lying singlet absorptions and triplet emissions of Ir‐(pmb)₃ and theoretically designed models Ir‐(Rpmb)₂pic were investigated with density functional theory (DFT)‐based approaches, where pmb = phenyl‐methyl‐benzimidazolyl, pic = picolinate, and R = H/F. Their structures in the ground and excited states have been optimized at the DFT/B3LYP/LANL2DZ and TDDFT/B3LYP/LANL2DZ levels, and the lowest absorptions and emissions were evaluated at B3LYP and M062X level of theory, respectively. The mobility of holes and electrons were studied computationally based on the Marcus theory. Calculations of ionization potentials were used to evaluate the injection abilities of holes into these complexes. The reasons for the higher electroluminescence efficiency and phosphorescence quantum yields in Ir‐(Rpmb)₂pic than in Ir‐(pmb)₃ have been investigated. The designed moleculars are expected to be highly emissive in pure‐blue region. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

金镍二元团簇结构和电子性质的理论研究

在UBP86/LANL2DZ和UBP86/def2-TZVP水平下详细研究了AumNin (m＋n≤6)团簇的几何结构和电子性质. 详细地分析了团簇的结构特征, 平均结合能, 垂直电离势, 垂直电子亲和能, 电荷转移以及成键特征. 所有混合团簇中, 镍原子趋于聚集到一起, 形成最多Ni—Ni键, 金原子分布在镍原子聚集体周围以形成最多Au—Ni键. Ni原子较少团簇的电子性质与纯金团簇类似, 呈现一定奇偶振荡. 混合团簇中存在镍到金原子间的电荷转移. Ni原子较少团簇中, 自旋电子主要定域在Ni原子上, Ni原子较多团簇中, Au原子明显受到自旋极化. 混合团簇的分波态密度表明, AuNi混合团簇对小分子的反应活性要高于纯金团簇.     

A TD‐DFT study on the cyanide‐chemosensing mechanism of 8‐formyl‐7‐hydroxycoumarin

Proton transfer (PT) and excited‐state PT process are proposed to account for the fluorescent sensing mechanism of a cyanide chemosensor, 8‐formyl‐7‐hydroxycoumarin. The time‐dependent density functional theory method has been applied to investigate the ground and the first singlet excited electronic states of this chemosensor as well as its nucleophilic addition product with cyanide, with a view to monitoring their geometries and spectrophotometrical properties. The present theoretical study indicates that phenol proton of the chemosensor transfers to the formyl group along the intramolecular hydrogen bond in the first singlet excited state. Correspondingly, the nucleophilic addition product undergoes a PT process in the ground state, and shows a similar structure in the first singlet excited state. This could explain the observed strong fluorescence upon the addition of the cyanide anion in the relevant fluorescent sensing mechanism. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

[Cu6(NGuaS)6]2+ and its oxidized and reduced derivatives: Confining electrons on a torus

The hexanuclear thioguanidine mixed‐valent copper complex cation [Cu₆(NGuaS)₆]⁺² (NGuaS = o‐SC₆H₄NC(NMe₂)₂) and its oxidized/reduced states are theoretically analyzed by means of density functional theory (DFT) (TPSSh + D3BJ/def2‐TZV (p)). A detailed bonding analysis using overlap populations is performed. We find that a delocalized Cu‐based ring orbital serves as an acceptor for donated S p electrons. The formed fully delocalized orbitals give rise to a confined electron cloud within the Cu₆S₆ cage which becomes larger on reduction. The resulting strong electrostatic repulsion might prevent the fully reduced state. Experimental UV/Vis spectra are explained using time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) and analyzed with a natural transition orbital analysis. The spectra are dominated by MLCTs within the Cu₆S₆ core over a wide range but LMCTs are also found. The experimental redshift of the reduced low energy absorption band can be explained by the clustering of the frontier orbitals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Performance of time-dependent density functional and Green functions methods for calculations of excitation energies in radicals and for Rydberg electronic states

Time-dependent density functional (TD-DFT) and perturbation theory-based outer valence Green functions (OVGF) methods have been tested for calculations of excitation energies for a set of radicals, molecules, and model clusters simulating points defects in silica. The results show that the TD-DFT approach may give unreliable results not only for diffuse Rydberg states, but also for electronic states involving transitions between MOs localized in two remote from each other spatial regions, for example, for charge-transfer excitations. For the. O-SiX(3) clusters, where X is a single-valence group, TD-DFT predicts reasonable excitation energies but incorrect sequence of electronic transitions. For a number of cases where TD-DFT is shown to be unreliable, the OVGF approach can provide better estimates of excitation energies, but this method also is not expected to perform universally well. The OVGF performance is demonstrated to be satisfactory for excitations with predominantly single-determinant wave functions where the deviations of the calculated energies from experiment should not exceed 0.1-0.3 eV. However, for more complicated transitions involving multiple bonds or for excited states with multireference wave functions the OVGF approach is less reliable and error in the computed energies can reach 0.5-1 eV.     

Theoretical characterization and design of small molecule donor material containing naphthodithiophene central unit for efficient organic solar cells

To seek for high‐performance small molecule donor materials used in heterojunction solar cell, six acceptor–donor–acceptor small molecules based on naphtho[2,3‐b:6,7‐b′]dithiophene ( NDT ) units with different acceptor units were designed and characterized using density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory. Their geometries, electronic structures, photophysical, and charge transport properties have been scrutinized comparing with the reported donor material NDT(TDPP)₂ ( TDPP = thiophene‐capped diketopyrrolopyrrole). The open circuit voltage (V_oc), energetic driving force(ΔE_L‐L), and exciton binding energy (E_b) were also provided to give an elementary understanding on their cell performance. The results reveal that the frontier molecular orbitals of 3–7 match well with the acceptor material PC₆₁BM , and compounds 3–5 were found to exhibit the comparable performances to 1 and show promising potential in organic solar cells. In particular, comparing with 1 , system 7 with naphthobisthiadiazole acceptor unit displays broader absorption spectrum, higher V_oc, lower E_b, and similar carrier mobility. An in‐depth insight into the nature of the involved excited states based on transition density matrix and charge density difference indicates that all S₁ states are mainly intramolecular charge transfer states with the charge transfer from central NDT unit to bilateral acceptor units, and also imply that the exciton of 7 can be dissociated easily due to its large extent of the charge transfer. In a word, 7 maybe superior to 1 and may act as a promising donor candidate for organic solar cell. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

对一系列具有共轭发色团的有机硼喹啉配合物的基态和激发态性质的理论研究

文献合成并研究了一系列发光材料(Ph2Bq-x2) [x2=5,7-dibromo(1); 5,7-diphenyl(2); 5,7-bis(biphenyl-4-yl); 5,7-bis(9,9-dihexylfluoren); q=8-quinolinelate]。结果显示，在强吸收峰处，随着配体共轭链的增长，光谱发生明显红移。这里，用di(p-nitrostyryl) (3) 和 distyryl (4) 来分别取代bis(biphenyl-4-yl) 和 bis(9,9-dihexylfluorenyl)。用密度泛函理论和含时密度泛函理论来研究并比较了四个分子的电子结构和光谱性质。计算结果表明简单的取代基仍然可以产生从1到4的红移。此外，3和4 在吸收峰的位置具有比1和2大的振子强度，这将增加电子从基态到激发态的跃迁几率，较高的向激发态的跃迁几率意味这强的发射强度。     

Low‐pressure barrier discharge ion source using air as a carrier gas and its application to the analysis of drugs and explosives

In this work, a low‐pressure air dielectric‐barrier discharge (DBD) ion source using a capillary with the inner diameter of 0.115 and 12 mm long applicable to miniaturized mass spectrometers was developed. The analytes, trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5‐trinitroperhydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX), 1,3,5,7‐tetranitroperhydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine (HMX), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), nitroglycerine (NG), hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), caffeine, cocaine and morphine, introduced through the capillary, were ionized by a low‐pressure air DBD. The ion source pressures were changed by using various sizes of the ion sampling orifice. The signal intensities of those analytes showed marked pressure dependence. TNT was detected with higher sensitivity at lower pressure but vice versa for other analytes. For all analytes, a marked signal enhancement was observed when a grounded cylindrical mesh electrode was installed in the DBD ion source. Among nine analytes, RDX, HMX, NG and PETN could be detected as cluster ions [analyte + NO₃]^? even at low pressure and high temperature up to 180 °C. The detection indicates that these cluster ions are stable enough to survive under present experimental conditions. The unexpectedly high stabilities of these cluster ions were verified by density functional theory calculation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.