Light-induced excited spin state trapping and charge transfer in trigonal bipyramidal cyanide-bridged complexes

Three members of the family of trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) complexes of general formula [M(tmphen)(2)](3)[M'(CN)(6)](2) (tmphen = 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) or [M(3)M'(2)], which are known to exhibit thermally induced spin crossover and charge transfer, have been investigated for optical and photomagnetic properties. The light-induced excited spin-state trapping (LIESST) effect found in classical spin crossover compounds, such as [Fe(phen)(2)(NCS)(2)], was explored for the [Fe(3)Fe(2)] and [Fe(3)Co(2)] compounds. Similarly, inspired by the light-induced charge-transfer properties of K(0.2)Co(1.4)[Fe(CN)(6)]·6.9H(2)O and related Prussian blue materials, the possibility of photo-induced magnetic changes was investigated for the [Co(3)Fe(2)] TBP complex. Optical reflectivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements were used to evaluate the photoactivity of these compounds. A comparison of these data before and after light irradiation demonstrates that (i) the spin crossover of the Fe(II) centers in the [Fe(3)Fe(2)] and [Fe(3)Co(2)] analogues and the (ii) charge transfer events in the [Co(3)Fe(2)] complex occur with temperature and irradiation. In addition, photomagnetic behavior is exhibited by all three compounds. The photo-conversion efficiency has been estimated at 20% of photo-induced high spin Fe(II) centers in [Fe(3)Co(2)], 30% of paramagnetic Co(II)-Fe(III) pairs in [Co(3)Fe(2)], and less than 2% of photo-induced high spin Fe(II) centers in [Fe(3)Fe(2)].     

Effects of excited state-excited state configurational mixing on emission bandshape variations in ruthenium-bipyridine complexes

The 77 K emission spectra of 21 [Ru(L) 4bpy] ( m+ ) complexes for which the Ru/bpy metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer ( (3)MLCT) excited-state energies vary from 12 500 to 18 500 cm (-1) have vibronic contributions to their bandshapes that implicate excited-state distortions in low frequency ( lf; hnu lf < 1000 cm (-1)), largely metal-ligand vibrational modes which most likely result from configurational mixing between the (3)MLCT and a higher energy metal centered ( (3)LF) excited state. The amplitudes of the lf vibronic contributions are often comparable to, or sometimes greater than those of medium frequency ( mf; hnu mf > 1000 cm (-1)), largely bipyridine (bpy) vibrational modes, and for the [Ru(bpy) 3] (2+) and [Ru(NH 3) 4bpy] (2+) complexes they are consistent with previously reported resonance-Raman (rR) parameters. However, far smaller lf vibronic amplitudes in the rR parameters have been reported for [Os(bpy) 3 ] (2+), and this leads to a group frequency approach for interpreting the 77 K emission bandshapes of [Ru(L) 4bpy] ( m+ ) complexes with the vibronic contributions from mf vibrational modes referenced to the [Os(bpy) 3] (2+) rR parameters (OB3 model) and the envelope of lf vibronic components represented by a "progression" in an "equivalent" single vibrational mode ( lf1 model). The lf1 model is referenced to rR parameters reported for [Ru(NH 3) 4bpy] (2+). The observation of lf vibronic components indicates that the MLCT excited-state potential energy surfaces of Ru-bpy complexes are distorted by LF/MLCT excited-state/excited-state configurational mixing, but the emission spectra only probe the region near the (3)MLCT potential energy minimum, and the mixing can lead to larger distortions elsewhere with potential photochemical implications: (a) such distortions may labilize the (3)MLCT excited state; and (b) the lf vibrational modes may contribute to a temperature dependent pathway for nonradiative relaxation.     

Control over directional metal-metal charge transfer in cyanide-bridged dimanganese complexes: effects of mu-CN linkage isomerism and ancillary ligand set

Synthesis and characterisation of cyano-bridged complexes of the form [(eta-C5R4Me)L(ON)Mn(mu-XY)Mn(CO)2-L'(dppm)]z (X,Y = C,N; z = 1-3) shows that systematic variation of the orientation of the CN bridge and the nature and geometric arrangement of the ancillary ligands affords control of the direction and energy of metal-metal charge transfer in the mixed valence dications.     

The excited states of some organic charge transfer complexes studied by modulation excitation spectrophotometry

The excited states of some complexes between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chloranil dissolved in polymethylmethacrylate have been studied with a modulation excitation spectrophotometer. New bands similar to but slightly shifted in position as compared to the T₁–T₃ transition of the aromatic hydrocarbon are observed. Regressional analysis points to the new bands arising from transitions from a level in the chloranil to the T₃ level of the hydrocarbon. An enhancement of the T₁–T₃ bands of the hydrocarbon occurs in the complex. Other bands are also seen which are believed to be due to new levels of the complex which cannot be identified with local levels of the hydrocarbon or chloranil.     

Ground states, excited states, and metal-ligand bonding in rare earth hexachloro complexes: a DFT-based ligand field study

Metal (4f)-ligand (Cl 3p) bonding in LnCl(6)(3-) (Ln = Ce to Yb) complexes has been studied on the basis of 4f-->4f and Cl,3p-->4f charge-transfer spectra and on the analysis of these spectra within the valence bond configuration interaction model to show that mixing of Cl 3p into the Ln 4f ligand field orbitals does not exceed 1%. Contrary to this, Kohn-Sham formalism of density functional theory using currently available approximations to the exchange-correlation functional tends to strongly overestimate 4f-3p covalency, yielding, for YbCl(6)(3-), a much larger mixing of Cl 3p-->4f charge transfer into the f(13) ionic ground-state wave function. Thus, ligand field density functional theory, which was recently developed and applied with success to complexes of 3d metals in our group, yields anomalously large ligand field splittings for Ln, the discrepancy with experiment increasing from left to the right of the Ln 4f series. It is shown that eliminating artificial ligand-to-metal charge transfer in Kohn-Sham calculations by a procedure described in this work leads to energies of 4f-4f transitions in good agreement with experiment. We recall an earlier concept of Ballhausen and Dahl which describes ligand field in terms of a pseudopotential and give a thorough analysis of the contributions to the ligand field from electrostatics (crystal field) and exchange (Pauli) repulsion. The close relation of the present results with those obtained using the first-principles based and electron density dependent effective embedding potential is pointed out along with implications for applications to other systems.     

Rigid medium stabilization of metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited states

The salts [Ru(bpy)3](PF6)2, cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](PF6)2, trans-[Ru(bpy)2(4-Etpy)2](PF6)2, [Ru(tpy)2](PF6)2, and [Re(bpy)(CO)3(4-Etpy)](PF6) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine, py=pyridine, 4-Etpy=4-ethylpyridine, and tpy=2,2':6',2-terpyridine) have been incorporated into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films and their photophysical properties examined by both steady-state and time-resolved absorption and emission measurements. Excited-state lifetimes for the metal salts incorporated in PMMA are longer and emission energies enhanced due to a rigid medium effect when compared to fluid CH3CN solution. In PMMA part of the fluid medium reorganization energy, lambdaoo, contributes to the energy gap with lambdaoo approximately 700 cm-1 for [Ru(bpy)3](PF6)2 from emission measurements. Enhanced lifetimes can be explained by the energy gap law and the influence of the excited-to-ground state energy gap, Eo, on nonradiative decay. From the results of emission spectral fitting on [Ru(bpy)3](PF6)2* in PMMA, Eo is temperature dependent above 200 K with partial differentialEo/ partial differentialT=2.8 cm-1/deg. cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](PF6)2 and trans-[Ru(bpy)2(4-Etpy)2](PF6)2 are nonemissive in CH3CN and undergo photochemical ligand loss. Both emit in PMMA and are stable toward ligand loss even for extended photolysis periods. The lifetime of cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](PF6)2* in PMMA is temperature dependent, consistent with a contribution to excited-state decay from thermal population and decay through a low-lying dd state or states. At temperatures above 190 K, coinciding with the onset of the temperature dependence of Eo for [Ru(bpy)3](PF6)2*, lifetimes become significantly nonexponential. The nonexponential behavior is attributed to dynamic coupling between MLCT and dd states, with the lifetime of the latter greatly enhanced in PMMA with tau approximately 3 ns. On the basis of these data and data in 4:1 (v/v) EtOH/MeOH, the energy gap between the MLCT and dd states is decreased by approximately 700 cm-1 in PMMA with the dd state at higher energy by DeltaH0 approximately 1000 cm-1. The "rigid medium stabilization effect" for cis-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](PF6)2* in PMMA is attributed to inhibition of metal-ligand bond breaking and a photochemical cage effect.     

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.     

The equilibria and conversions between three excited states: the LE state and two charge transfer states, in twisted pyrene-substituted tridurylboranes

Excited-state conversions were observed from a series of twisted pyrene-substituted tridurylboranes, corresponding to a locally excited (LE) state, a more planar charge transfer (CT) state with a higher fluorescence quantum efficiency, and a more twisted CT state.     

Electron transfer activation of the Diels-Alder reaction: Quantitative relationship to charge transfer excited states

The Diels-Alder cycloaddition of anthracene to tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) is quantitatively compared to alkylmetal insertion under the same reaction conditions. In both systems, the observation of transient charge transfer (CT) absorption bands is related to the presence of 1:1 electron donor-acceptor complexes of anthracene (Ar) and alkylmetal (RM) donors with the TCNE acceptor. The activation free energies ΔG3 for anthracene cycloaddition and alkylmetal insertion are found to be equal to the energies of ion-pair formation, i.e. [Ar⁺TCNE^?] and RM⁺TCNE^?], which are evaluated from the CT transition energies hν_CT. Indeed, the differences in the rates of alkylmetal insertion and anthracene cycloaddition by a factor of more than 10⁹, are shown quantitatively to arise from the differences in ion-pair solvation ΔG^s. The same differences in ΔG^s also apply quantitatively to the free ions, [Ar⁺] and [RM⁺], independently derived from the electrochemical and iron(III) oxidations of alkylmetals and aromatic compounds, respectively, by outer- sphere electron transfer. The charge transfer formulation of the activation process but provides a unifying basis for comparing such diverse processes as Diels-Alder cycloadditions and organometal cleavages, when a common electron-deficient acceptor is employed. The relationship to the concerted mechanisms of the Diels-Alder reaction is discussed.     

Dipolar stabilization of emissive singlet charge transfer excited states in polyfluorene copolymers

The singlet excited-state dynamics in poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-(dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide)] (PFSx ) random copolymers with different contents of dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide (S) units have been studied by steady-state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopies. Emission from PFSx copolymers shows a pronounced solvatochromism in polar chloroform, relative to the less polar toluene. An excited intramolecular charge transfer state (ICT) is stabilized by dipole-dipole interactions with the polar solvent cage, and possibly accompanied by conformational rearrangement of the molecular structure, in complete analogy with their small oligomer counterparts. The spectral dynamics clearly show that the ICT stabilization is strongly affected by the surrounding medium. In the solid state, emission from PFSx copolymers depends on the content of S units, showing an increase of inhomogeneous broadening and a red shift of the optical transitions. This observation is consistent with stabilization of the emissive ICT state, by the local reorientation of the surrounding molecules at the location of the excited chromophore, which results in favorable dipole-dipole interactions driven by the increase in the dielectric constant of the bulk polymer matrix with increasing S content, in analogy to what happens in polar solvent studies. Furthermore, in clear agreement with the interpretation described above, a strong increase in the emission quantum efficiency is observed in the solid state by decreasing the temperature and freezing out the molecular torsions and dipole-dipole interactions necessary to stabilize the ICT state.     

Ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited states with unprecedented luminescence yield in fluid solution

A bridged d0 zirconocene dichloride is reported as a first group 4 metal complex possessing rare long-lived ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited states with high emission yields and excited-state lifetimes in fluid solutions (e.g., PhiLUM = 0.41 and tau = 17.6 micros in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at 20 degrees C). The basic emission parameters PhiLUM and tau are shown to be extremely solvent-dependent in fluids at room temperature. The first principle dependences of LMCT emission parameters on solvent properties are revealed with use of the target complex. For fluid solutions, the linear correlation between PhiLUM and tau is reported, thus suggesting that a solvent determines the rate constant for nonradiative decay, knr.     

Substituent effects on twisted internal charge transfer excited states of N-borylated carbazoles and (diphenylamino)boranes

N-Boryl-substituted carbazoles (carBR(2)) and (diphenylamino)boranes (Ph(2)NBR(2)) with R = Mes (mesityl) and FMes [tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] substituents on boron exhibit large UV/vis Stokes shifts. To investigate the substituent effect on the magnitude of the Stokes shifts, we studied the electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of carBR(2) and Ph(2)NBR(2) with R = H, Mes, and FMes using hybrid density functional theory (B3LYP) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-B3LYP) for ground and low-lying excited states. The lowest lying excited state with a nonvanishing oscillator strength is a twisted internal charge transfer (TICT) (1)A state in the C(2) point group, owing to a single-electron excitation from the nitrogen lone pair to the unoccupied boron p(z) AO, Nlp → Bp(z). Emission from these (1)A excited states are predicted to be much brighter than from the energetically close (1)B excited states that are not directly related to CT excitation from N to B, due to symmetry. An analysis of geometrical relaxations in the excited state and the state energies relative to the ground state energy of the equilibrium geometry reveals that (a) the carbazole skeleton induces a general red shift in UV/vis spectra, (b) bulky boryl substituents reduce the predicted Stokes shifts of TICT states, and (c) the presence of electron-withdrawing functional groups induces a further general red shift in UV/vis spectra but does not significantly alter Stokes shifts.     

Application of the energy gap law to the decay of charge transfer excited states,solvent effects

Values of non-radiative decay rate constants (k_nr) and emission energies (E_cm) have been obtained for Os(Phen₃)²⁺ in a series of solvents and the results are consistent with the energy gap law. For hydroxylic solvents like water or methanol related studies suggest the existence of strong, specific contributions to the vibrational trapping energy of the solvent.     

Chemical bonding in excited states: Energy transfer and charge redistribution from a real space perspective

This work provides a novel interpretation of elementary processes of photophysical relevance from the standpoint of the electron density using simple model reactions. These include excited states of H₂ taken as a prototype for a covalent bond, excimer formation of He₂ to analyze non‐covalent interactions, charge transfer by an avoided crossing of electronic states in LiF and conical interesections involved in the intramolecular scrambling in C₂H₄. The changes of the atomic and interaction energy components along the potential energy profiles are described by the interacting quantum atoms approach and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules. Additionally, the topological analysis of one‐ and two‐electron density functions is used to explore basic reaction mechanisms involving excited and degenerate states in connection with the virial theorem. This real space approach allows to describe these processes in a unified way, showing its versatility and utility in the study of chemical systems in excited states. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Proton-coupled electron transfer originating from excited states of luminescent transition-metal complexes

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is of fundamental importance for small-molecule activation processes, such as water splitting, CO(2)-reduction, or nitrogen fixation. Ideally, energy-rich molecules such as H(2), CH(3)OH, or NH(3) could be generated artificially using (solar) light as an energy input. In this context, PCETs originating directly from electronically excited states play a crucial role. A variety of transition-metal complexes have been used recently for fundamental investigations of this important class of reactions, and the key findings of these studies are reviewed in this article. The present minireview differs from other reviews on the subject of PCET in that it focuses specifically on reactions occurring directly from electronically excited states.     

Anthracene array-type porous coordination polymer with host-guest charge transfer interactions in excited states

Confinement of electron donor guests affords an efficient, photo-induced charge transfer (CT) with the anthracene moieties of a porous coordination polymer.     

Dynamics of bichromophoric compounds in the excited and ionic states: Conformational and configurational aspects

Absorption spectra of N-ethylcarbazole, 1,2-trans-di-N-carbazolylcyclobutane, 1,3-di-N-carbazolylpropane, rac(dd, 11)-2,4-di-N-carbazolylpentane and meso(dl)2,4-di-N-carbazolylpentane in the excited singlet, triplet, cationic and anionic states were measured with nanosecond and picosecond laser photolysis methods. The main conformations in the excited and ionic states were determined, which made it possible to establish a relation among adsorption spectrum, intersystem crossing, and relative geometrical structure of two carbazolyl groups. Fast conformational changes of these compounds were directly measured and compared with slow ones of bis[1-(1-pyrenyl)ethyl]ethers.     

Photochemistry in the charge transfer and neutral excited states of HCl in Xe and Kr matrices

HCl-doped Xe and Kr films are irradiated with wavelength dispersed synchrotron radiation in the wavelength range from 200 to 130 nm. The growth of H, Cl, Xe2H+, XeH2, HXeCl, Kr2H+, and HKrCl as well as the decomposition of HCl are recorded by a combination of UV, VIS, and IR spectroscopy. A turnover in the formation of Xe2H+ and Kr2H+ by a predominant two-step reaction on neutral surfaces at low energies to a one-step formation on ionic surfaces is determined at 172 and 155 nm in Xe and Kr, respectively. A potential energy diagram for neutral and ionic states is derived that is consistent with a DIIS calculation, with new UV fluorescence bands from Xe+HCl- centers, with the turnover energies and with a deconvolution of the absorption spectra in neutral and ionic contributions. The cage exit of charged as well as of neutral H, the latter via a harpoon reaction, is discussed for the ionic surfaces. The self-limitation of HCl decomposition on the neutral surfaces due to absorption by H and Cl fragments is treated quantatively. Dissociation efficiencies phi(e), together with absolute absorption cross sections sigma(H) and sigma(Cl) of the fragments, are derived. sigma(H) and sigma(Cl) are of the order of 10(-16) cm(2) compared to 10(-18) cm(2) for sigma(HCl). Dissociation is accompanied by many excitation cycles of the fragments, which leads to light-induced migration of H and recombination. phi(e) therefore represents a product of the cage exit probability phi that was treated theoretically and the survival probability concerning geminate and nongeminate recombination.     

Time-resolved spectroscopy of the metal-to-metal charge transfer excited state in dinuclear cyano-bridged mixed-valence complexes

Visible pump-probe spectroscopy has been used to identify and characterize short-lived metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) excited states in a group of cyano-bridged mixed-valence complexes of the formula [LCo(III)NCM(II)(CN)(5)](-), where L is a pentadentate macrocyclic pentaamine (L(14)) or triamine-dithiaether (L(14S)) and M is Fe or Ru. Nanosecond pump-probe spectroscopy on frozen solutions of [L(14)Co(III)NCFe(II)(CN)(5)](-) and [L(14S)Co(III)NCFe(II)(CN)(5)](-) at 11 K enabled the construction of difference transient absorption spectra that featured a rise in absorbance in the region of 350-400 nm consistent with the generation of the ferricyanide chromophore of the photoexcited complex. The MMCT excited state of the Ru analogue [L(14)Co(III)NCRu(II)(CN)(5)](-) was too short-lived to allow its detection. Femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy on aqueous solutions of [L(14)Co(III)NCFe(II)(CN)(5)](-) and [L(14S)Co(III)NCFe(II)(CN)(5)](-) at room temperature enabled the lifetimes of their Co(II)-Fe(III) MMCT excited states to be determined as 0.8 and 1.3 ps, respectively.