Photochemistry of 2-naphthoyl azide. An ultrafast time-resolved UV-vis and IR spectroscopic and computational study

The photochemistry of 2-naphthoyl azide was studied in various solvents by femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy with IR and UV-vis detection. The experimental findings were interpreted with the aid of computational studies. Using polar and nonpolar solvents, the formation and decay of the first singlet excited state (S(1)) was observed by both time-resolved techniques. Three processes are involved in the decay of the S(1) excited state of 2-naphthoyl azide: intersystem crossing, singlet nitrene formation, and isocyanate formation. The lifetime of the S(1) state decreases significantly as the solvent polarity increases. In all solvents studied, isocyanate formation correlates with the decay of the azide S(1) state. Nitrene formation correlates with the decay of the relaxed S(1) state only upon 350 nm excitation (S(0) → S(1) excitation). When S(n) (n ≥ 2) states are populated upon excitation (λ(ex) = 270 nm), most nitrene formation takes place within a few picoseconds through the hot S(1) and higher singlet excited states (S(n)) of 2-naphthoyl azide. The data correlate with the results of electron density difference calculations that predict nitrene formation from the higher-energy singlet excited states, in addition to the S(1) state. For all of these experiments, no recovery of the ground state was observed up to 3 ns after photolysis, which indicates that both internal conversion and fluorescence have very low efficiencies.     

Photophysical characterization of natural cis-carotenoids.

By means of steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy we explore the photophysics of two lowest lying singlet excited states in two natural 15-cis-carotenoids, namely phytoene and phytofluene, possessing three and five conjugated double bonds (N), respectively. The results are interpreted in relation to the photophysics of all-transcarotenoids with varying N. The fluorescence of phytofluene is more Stokes-shifted relative to that of phytoene, and is ascribed to the forbidden S1-->S0 transition, with its first excited singlet state (S1) lying 3340 cm-1 below the dipole allowed second excited singlet state (S2), at 77 K. For phytoene the S2 and S1 potential surfaces are closer in energy, probably giving rise to the mixed S2 and S1 fluorescence characteristics. The origin of phytoene fluorescence is discussed and is suggested to be due to the S1-->S0 transition; with the S1 state located 1100 cm-1 below S2 at 77 K. The dependence of the fluorescence quantum yield on temperature and viscosity shows that large amplitude molecular motions are involved in the radiationless relaxation process of phytoene. The transition dipole moment of absorption and emission are parallel in phytoene and nonparallel in phytofluene.     

HL-LH2中色素分子间的单重激发态能量传递

采用飞秒时间分辨吸收光谱手段观测了在500和800 nm激发下高光培养的紫色光合细菌Rhodopseu-domonas(Rps). palustris外周捕光天线LH2(HL-LH2)中不同共轭链长类胡萝卜素(Carotenoid, 简称Car)和细菌叶绿素a(Bacteriachlorophyll a, 简称BChl a)的特征吸收光谱. 光谱动力学分析结果表明, HL-LH2中不同Car分子间可能存在复杂的单重激发态能量平衡过程, Car分子同时向BChl a分子发生多途径的单重激发态能量传递, B800主要接受来自Car的S2和S1态能量; B850则主要接受来自长共轭链Car(共轭双键数目n=13)的S1态和B800的激发态能量, 整个能量传递过程在3~5 ps内完成.     

Photolysis of (3-methyl-2H-azirin-2-yl)-phenylmethanone: direct detection of a triplet vinylnitrene intermediate

The photoreactivity of (3-methyl-2H-azirin-2-yl)-phenylmethanone, 1, is wavelength-dependent (Singh et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1972, 94, 1199-1206). Irradiation at short wavelengths yields 2P, whereas longer wavelengths produce 3P. Laser flash photolysis of 1 in acetonitrile using a 355 nm laser forms its triplet ketone (T(1K), broad absorption with λ(max) ~ 390-410 nm, τ ~ 90 ns), which cleaves and yields triplet vinylnitrene 3 (broad absorption with λ(max) ~ 380-400 nm, τ = 2 μs). Calculations (B3LYP/6-31+G(d)) reveal that T(1K) of 1 is located 67 kcal/mol above its ground state (S(0)) and has a long C-N bond (1.58 ?), and the calculated transition state to form 3 is only 1 kcal/mol higher in energy than T(1K) of 1. The calculations show that 3 has significant 1,3-carbon iminyl biradical character, which explains why 3 reacts efficiently with oxygen and decays by intersystem crossing to the singlet surface. Photolysis of 1 in argon matrixes at 14 K produced ketene imine 7, which presumably is formed from 3 intersystem crossing to 7. In comparison, photolysis of 1 in methanol with a 266 nm laser produces mainly ylide 2 (λ(max) ~ 380 nm, τ ~ 6 μs, acetonitrile), which decays to form 2P. Ylide 2 is formed via singlet reactivity of 1, and calculations show that the first singlet excited state of the azirine chromophore (S(1A)) is located 113 kcal/mol above its S(0) and that the singlet excited state of the ketone (S(1K)) is 85 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the transition state for cleaving the C-C bond in 1 to form 2 is located 49 kcal/mol above the S(0) of 1. Thus, we theorize that internal conversion of S(1A) to a vibrationally hot S(0) of 1 forms 2, whereas intersystem crossing from S(1K) to T(1K) results in 3.     

Direct observation of a sulfonyl azide excited state and its decay processes by ultrafast time-resolved IR spectroscopy

The photochemistry of 2-naphthylsulfonyl azide (2-NpSO(2)N(3)) was studied by femtosecond time-resolved infrared (TR-IR) spectroscopy and with quantum chemical calculations. Photolysis of 2-NpSO(2)N(3) with 330 nm light promotes 2-NpSO(2)N(3) to its S(1) state. The S(1) excited state has a prominent azide vibrational band. This is the first direct observation of the S(1) state of a sulfonyl azide, and this vibrational feature allows a mechanistic study of its decay processes. The S(1) state decays to produce the singlet nitrene. Evidence for the formation of the pseudo-Curtius rearrangement product (2-NpNSO(2)) was inconclusive. The singlet sulfonylnitrene (1)(2-NpSO(2)N) is a short-lived species (τ ≈ 700 ± 300 ps in CCl(4)) that decays to the lower-energy and longer-lived triplet nitrene (3)(2-NpSO(2)N). Internal conversion of the S(1) excited state to the ground state S(0) is an efficient deactivation process. Intersystem crossing of the S(1) excited state to the azide triplet state contributes only modestly to deactivation of the S(1) state of 2-NpSO(2)N(3).     

S2 fluorescence and ultrafast relaxation dynamics of the S2 and S1 states of a ketocyanine dye

Dynamics of the excited singlet (both the S2 and S1) states of a ketocyanine dye, namely, 2,5-bis[(2,3-dihydroindolyl)-propylene]-cyclopentanone (KCD), have been investigated in different kinds of media using steady-state absorption and emission as well as femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic techniques. Steady-state fluorescence measurements, following photoexcitation of KCD to its second excited singlet state, reveal dual fluorescence (emission from both the S2 and S1 states) behavior. Although the intensity of the S2 --> S0 fluorescence is weaker than that of the S1 --> S0 fluorescence in solutions at room temperature (298 K), the former becomes as much as or more intense than the latter in rigid matrixes at 77 K. The lifetime of the S2 state is short and varies between 0.2 and 0.6 ps in different solvents. After its creation, the S2 state undergoes two simultaneous processes, namely, S2 --> S0 fluorescence and S2 --> S1 internal conversion. Time-resolved measurements reveal the presence of an ultrafast component in the decay dynamics of the S1 state. A good correlation between the lifetime of this component and the longitudinal relaxation times (tauL) of the solvents suggests that this component arises due to solvation in polar solvents. More significant evolution of the spectroscopic properties of the S1 state in alcoholic solvents in the ultrafast time domain has been explained by the occurrence of the repositioning of the hydrogen bonds around the carbonyl group in the excited state of KCD. In 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, a strongly hydrogen bond donating solvent, it has even been possible to establish the existence of two distinct forms of the S1 state, namely, the non-hydrogen-bonded (or free) molecule and the hydrogen-bonded complex.     

Shedding light into the detailed excited-state relaxation pathways and reaction mechanisms of thionaphthol isomers

Nanosecond laser flash photolysis employing transient detection of emission and absorption in combination with pulse radiolysis and quantum theory has been employed to shed light into the kinetics, quantum yields, and mechanisms of the deactivation of the first excited singlet state of 1- and 2-thionaphthols (NpSH(S(1))). In contrast to thiophenols (ArSH(S(1))), the results revealed that the decay of the first excited singlet state of 1- and 2-thionaphthols (NpSH(S(1))) is governed by radiationless internal conversion (Φ(IC) = 0.29-0.46; 0.016-0.190) and intersystem crossing (Φ(ISC) = 0.14-0.15; 0.4-0.6), respectively, with pronounced S-H photodissociation (Φ(D) = 0.40-0.55; 0.35-0.40). Fluorescence as a deactivation channel plays a minor role (Φ(F) = 0.001-0.010; 0.010-0.034). Quantum chemical calculations helped in understanding the formation of naphthylthiyl radicals and rationalizing the differences in the efficiency of intersystem crossing of the 1- and 2-thionaphthol systems.     

Highly sensitive detection of discrete absorption and B-type delayed fluorescence of dibenzanthracene in PMMA

High resolution S0 --> Sn and T1 --> Tn electronic absorptions and B-type delayed fluorescence of 1,2,7,8-dibenzanthracene in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were experimentally observed by flash and laser flash photolysis technique. Dibenzanthracene molecules were excited in a two-step process. In the first step, an excited singlet is created, which undergoes intersystem crossing to triplet state, then T-T absorption creates an excited triplet dibenzanthracene molecule, which returns to the first excited singlet level by intersystem crossing. The re-created first excited singlet of dibenzanthracene decays back to the ground state by emitting B-type of delayed fluorescence, which was observed at the same emission band of prompt (normal) fluorescence, and R-, E-, P-types of delayed fluorescences. For normal fluorescence, S1 state is decaying to S0 ground state. For E- and P-type of delayed fluorescences, T1 state is decaying to S0 via S1 state, and for B-type of delayed fluorescence, T2 state is decaying to S0 via S1 state.     

Ground- and excited-state aromaticity and antiaromaticity in benzene and cyclobutadiene

The aromaticity and antiaromaticity of the ground state (S 0), lowest triplet state (T 1), and first singlet excited state (S 1) of benzene, and the ground states (S 0), lowest triplet states (T 1), and the first and second singlet excited states (S 1 and S 2) of square and rectangular cyclobutadiene are assessed using various magnetic criteria including nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS), proton shieldings, and magnetic susceptibilities calculated using complete-active-space self-consistent field (CASSCF) wave functions constructed from gauge-including atomic orbitals (GIAOs). These magnetic criteria strongly suggest that, in contrast to the well-known aromaticity of the S 0 state of benzene, the T 1 and S 1 states of this molecule are antiaromatic. In square cyclobutadiene, which is shown to be considerably more antiaromatic than rectangular cyclobutadiene, the magnetic properties of the T 1 and S 1 states allow these to be classified as aromatic. According to the computed magnetic criteria, the T 1 state of rectangular cyclobutadiene is still aromatic, but the S 1 state is antiaromatic, just as the S 2 state of square cyclobutadiene; the S 2 state of rectangular cyclobutadiene is nonaromatic. The results demonstrate that the well-known "triplet aromaticity" of cyclic conjugated hydrocarbons represents a particular case of a broader concept of excited-state aromaticity and antiaromaticity. It is shown that while electronic excitation may lead to increased nuclear shieldings in certain low-lying electronic states, in general its main effect can be expected to be nuclear deshielding, which can be substantial for heavier nuclei.     

Access to an excited state via the thermal ring-opening of a cyclopropylidene

[reaction: see text] Thermal generation of singlet excited states is unusual in organic chemistry. The potential energy surface for the thermal ring-opening of 4-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene-6-ylidene (1) was calculated at the CASSCF level of theory and found to produce alpha,3-didehydrotoluene in its biradical ground state (S(0)) and/or its zwitterionic excited state (S(1)).     

Theoretical studies on the excited states, DNA photocleavage, and spectral properties of complex [Ru(phen)(2)(6-OH-dppz)](2+)

The structures and related properties of the complex [Ru(phen)2(6-OH-dppz)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; dppz = dipyrido [3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) in the ground state (S0), the first singlet excited state (S1), and the first triplet excited state (T1) have been studied using density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent (TD) DFT, Hartree-Fock (HF), and configuration interaction singles (CIS) methods. Three electronic absorption-spectral bands (1MLCT, 1LL, and 1LL) lying in the range of 250-550 nm in vacuo and in aqueous solution were theoretically calculated, simulated, and assigned with TDDFT method. In particular, the theoretical results show the following: (1) The positive charges of central Ru atom in the excited states (S1 and T1) are greatly increased relative to those in the ground state (S0), and thus the Ru atom in the excited states can be regarded as Ru(III). (2) The positive charges on the main ligand (6-OH-dppz) in the excited states are considerably reduced, and thus the interaction between the main ligand (intercalative ligand) and DNA base pairs is considerably weakened. (3) The geometric structures in excited states are also distorted, resulting in obvious increase in the coordination bond length. It is advantageous to the complex forming a high oxidizing center (i.e., Ru(III) ion). On the basis of these results, a theoretical explanation on photoinduced oxidation reduction mechanism of DNA photocleavage by [Ru(phen)2(6-OH-dppz)](2+) has been presented.     

Time-Resolved Studies of the Excited-State Dynamics of meso-Tetra(hydroxylphenyl)chlorin in Solution

Meso-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (m-THPC) is a new photosensitizer developed for potential use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer treatment. In PDT, the accepted mechanism of tumor destruction involves the formation of excited singlet oxygen via intermolecular energy transfer from the excited triplet-state dye to the ground triplet-state oxygen. Femtosecond transient absorption measurements are reported here for the excited singlet state dynamics of m-THPC in solution. The observed early time kinetics were best fit using a triple exponential function with time constants of 350 fs, 80 ps and > or = 3.3 ns. The fastest decay (350 fs) was attributed to either internal conversion from S2 to S1 or vibrational relaxation in S2. Multichannel time-resolved absorption and emission spectroscopies were also used to characterize the excited singlet and triplet states of the dye on nanosecond to microsecond time scales at varying concentrations of oxygen. The nanosecond time-resolved absorption data were fit with a double exponential with time constants of 14 ns and 250 ns in ambient air, corresponding to lifetimes of the S1 and T1 states, respectively. The decay of the T1 state varied linearly with oxygen concentration, from which the intrinsic decay rate constant, ki, of 1.5 x 10(6) s-1 and the biomolecular collisional quenching constant, kc, of 1.7 x 10(9) M-1 s-1 were determined. The lifetime of the S1 state of 10 ns was confirmed by fluorescence measurements. It was found to be independent of oxygen concentration and longer than lifetimes of other photosensitizers.     

Theoretical study on the photolysis mechanism of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene

A CASPT2/CASSCF study has been carried out to investigate the mechanism of the photolysis of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) under direct and triplet-sensitized irradiation. By exploring the detailed potential energy surfaces including intermediates, transition states, conical intersections, and singlet/triplet crossing points, for the first excited singlet (S(1)) and the low-lying triplet states (T(1), T(2), and T(3)), we provide satisfactory explanations of many experimental findings associated with the photophysical and photochemical processes of DBO. A key finding of this work is the existence of a significantly twisted S(1) minimum, which can satisfactorily explain the envelope of the broad emission band of DBO. It is demonstrated that the S(1) (n-pi*) intermediate can decay to the T(1) (n-pi*) state by undergoing intersystem crossing (rather inefficient) to the T(2) (pi-pi*) state followed by internal conversion to the T(1) state. The high fluorescence yield and the extraordinarily long lifetime of the singlet excited DBO are due to the presence of relatively high barriers, both for intersystem crossing and for C-N cleavage. The short lifetime of the triplet DBO is caused by fast radiationless decay to the ground state.     

Time-resolved spectroscopy of the excited singlet states of tirapazamine and desoxytirapazamine

Laser flash photolysis (LFP, 400 nm excitation) of the anti-cancer drug tirapazamine (TPZ) in acetonitrile produces the singlet excited-state S1 with lambda(max) = 544 nm. The lifetime of this state is 130 ps, in good agreement with the reported fluorescence lifetime. The excited state is reduced to the corresponding radical anion by KSCN or KI. The spectrum of the radical anion is in good agreement with previously reported pulse radiolysis studies and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. LFP of desoxytirapazamine (dTPZ) also produces the first excited singlet state, S1. The fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime (5.4 ns) of the dTPZ singlet excited state are both much greater than the corresponding values of TPZ. This is explained by DFT calculations that predict that cyclization of TPZ to form an oxaziridine is thermodynamically facile but that cyclization of dTPZ to form an oxadiaziridine is not. Thus, the S1 state of TPZ has a short lifetime and low fluorescence quantum yield due to ready cyclization whereas the cyclization of the S1 state of dTPZ is unimportant and does not limit either the fluorescence quantum yield or the fluorescence lifetime. This conclusion is confirmed by studies of dTPZ', an isomer of dTPZ containing the C=N-O moiety which has a low quantum yield and short fluorescence lifetime similar to that of TPZ.     

Carbene formation in its lower singlet state from photoexcited 3H-diazirine or diazomethane. A combined CASPT2 and ab initio direct dynamics trajectory study

The potential energy surfaces of the ground and valence excited states of both 3H-diazirine and diazomethane have been studied computationally by mean of the CASSCF method in conjunction with the cc-pVTZ basis set. The energies of the critical points found on such surfaces have been recomputed at the CASPT2/cc-pVTZ level. Additionally, ab initio direct dynamic trajectory calculations have been carried out on the S(1) and S(2) surfaces, starting each trajectory run at the region dominated by the conformational molecular rearrangement of diazomethane. It is found that both isomers are interconnected along a C(s)() reaction coordinate on each potential surface. Radiationless deactivation of the corresponding S(1) state of each isomer occurs through the same point on the surface, an S(1)/S(0) conical intersection. Thereafter, the system has enough energy to surmount the barrier which leads to dissociation products (CH(2) + N(2)) on S(0) state. Therefore, photoexcitation to S(1) state of either diazirine of diazomethane produces methylene in its lower singlet state on a very short time scale (ca. 100 fs). Furthermore, both isomers can generate excited singlet carbene when they are excited onto the S(2) surface; in this case, they lose the activation energy passing through another common S(2)/S(1) conical intersection and then proceed to dissociation into carbene and N(2) on the S(1) surface. For the special case of methylene, it rapidly experiences deexcitation to S(0) state.     

Photoinduced omega-bond dissociation in the higher excited singlet (S2) and lowest triplet (T1) states of a benzophenone derivative in solution

Photochemical properties of photoinduced omega-bond dissociation in p-benzoylbenzyl phenyl sulfide (BBPS) in solution were investigated by time-resolved EPR and laser flash photolysis techniques. BBPS was shown to undergo photoinduced omega-bond cleavage to yield the p-benzoylbenzyl radical (BBR) and phenyl thiyl radical (PTR) at room temperature. The quantum yield (phi(rad)) for the radical formation was found to depend on the excitation wavelength, i.e., on the excitation to the excited singlet states, S2 and S1 of BBPS; phi(rad)(S2) = 0.65 and phi(rad)(S1) = 1.0. Based on the CIDEP data, these radicals were found to be produced via the triplet state independent of excitation wavelength. By using triplet sensitization of xanthone, the efficiency (alpha(rad)) of the C-S bond fission in the lowest triplet state (T1) of BBPS was determined to be unity. The agreement between phi(rad)(S1) and alpha(rad) values indicates that the C-S bond dissociation occurs in the T1 state via the S1 state due to a fast intersystem crossing from the S1 to the T1 state. In contrast, the wavelength dependence of the radical yields was interpreted in terms of the C-S bond cleavage in the S2 state competing with internal conversion from the S2 to the S1 state. The smaller value of phi(rad)(S2) than that of phi(rad)(S1) was proposed to originate from the geminate recombination of singlet radical pairs produced by the bond dissociation via the S2 state. Considering the electronic character of the excited and dissociative states in BBPS showed a schematic energy diagram for the omega-bond dissociation of BBPS.     

Spectral image adaptation and visual experience of DBA/PMMA

High resolution S0-->Sn and T1-->Tn electronic absorptions and B-type delayed fluorescence of 1,2,7,8-dibenzanthracene in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were experimentally observed by flash and laser flash photolysis technique. Dibenzanthracene (hereafter DBA) molecules were excited in a two-step process. In the first step, an excited singlet is created, which undergoes intersystem crossing to triplet state, then T-T absorption creates an excited triplet dibenzanthracene molecule, which returns to the first excited singlet level by intersystem crossing. The re-created first excited singlet of dibenzanthracene decays back to the ground state by emitting B-type of delayed fluorescence, which was observed at the same emission band of prompt (normal) fluorescence, and R-, E-, P-types of delayed fluorescences. For normal fluorescence, S1 state is decaying to S0 ground state. For E- and P-type of delayed fluorescences, T1 state is decaying to S0 via S1 state, and for B-type of delayed fluorescence, T2 state is decaying to S0 via S1 state. The spectrum image showing the absorption/emission bands mentioned was also examined by image processing techniques in order to improve the visual experience of each band by localizing to a specific region of interest (ROI). Experimental results illustrate how the exact location of emission/absorption bands was clearly extracted from the spectral image and further improvements in the visual detection of absorption/emission bands.     

2-Naphthyl(carbomethoxy)carbene revisited: combination of ultrafast UV-vis and infrared spectroscopic study

Ultrafast laser flash photolysis (310 nm) of methyl 2-napthyldiazoacetate (2-NpCN2CO2CH3) in acetonitrile or cyclohexane produces a diazo excited state which absorbs broadly in the visible region (tau = 300 fs). The decay of the excited diazo compound is accompanied by growth of the vibrationally excited singlet 2-naphthyl(carbomethoxy)carbene ((1)NpCCO2CH3). The singlet carbene absorbs at 360 and 470 nm. In acetonitrile these bands do not decay over 3 ns, but they do decay by approximately 50% of their original intensity in cyclohexane in 3 ns. It is concluded that (1)NpCCO2CH3 has a singlet ground state in acetonitrile but a triplet ground state in cyclohexane. Related experiments reveal a singlet ground state in Freon-113 and chloroform. This interpretation is supported by ultrafast IR spectroscopy, which confirms that only (1)NpCCO2CH3 is formed within 50 ps of the laser pulse rather than a singlet-triplet equilibrium mixture of carbene. The planar singlet relaxes to the preferred perpendicular singlet over a few tens of picoseconds, as evidenced by a red shift of the carbonyl stretching vibration. Although our data agrees with previous studies, its interpretation is somewhat altered.     

Promising fast energy transfer system via an easy synthesis: Bodipy-porphyrin dyads connected via a cyanuric chloride bridge, their synthesis, and electrochemical and photophysical investigations

The boron dipyrrin (Bodipy) chromophore was combined with either a free-base or a Zn porphyrin moiety (H(2)P and ZnP respectively), via an easy synthesis involving a cyanuric chloride bridging unit, yielding dyads Bodipy-H(2)P (4) and Bodipy-ZnP (5). The photophysical properties of Bodipy-H(2)P (4) and Bodipy-ZnP (5) were investigated by UV-Vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The comparison of the absorption spectra and cyclic voltammograms of dyads Bodipy-H(2)P (4) and Bodipy-ZnP (5) with those of their model compounds Bodipy, H(2)P, and ZnP shows that the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of the constituent chromophores are essentially retained in the dyads indicating negligible interaction between them in the ground state. In addition, luminescence and transient absorption experiments show that excitation of the Bodipy unit in Bodipy-H(2)P (4) and Bodipy-ZnP (5) into its first singlet excited state results in rapid Bodipy to porphyrin energy transfer-k(4) = 2.9 × 10(10) s(-1) and k(5) = 2.2 × 10(10) s(-1) for Bodipy-H(2)P (4) and Bodipy-ZnP (5), respectively-generating the first porphyrin-based singlet excited state. The porphyrin-based singlet excited states give rise to fluorescence or undergo intersystem crossing to the corresponding triplet excited states. The title complexes could also be used as precursors for further substitution on the third chlorine atom on the cyanuric acid moiety.     

One- and two-photon photochemistry and photophysics of poly(arylenevinylene)s containing a biphenyl moiety.

Photochemical and photophysical properties were investigated for poly(arylenevinylene)s containing a flexible biphenyl "hinge" unit by applying one-photon (OP) and two-photon (TP) excitation to explore excited-state properties. The poly(arylenevinylene)s were poly[(2,5-dihexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(4,4'-dihexyloxy-3,3'-biphenylenevinylene)] (1), poly[(2,5-dihexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(2,2'-dihexyloxy-3,3'-biphenylenevinylene)] (2), and poly[(2,5-dihexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(2,2'-biphenylenevinylene)] (3). Effective emission quantum yields and related photonic properties were evaluated on a realistic per-chromophore basis using effective conjugation lengths based on the Strickler-Berg relationship. Intramolecular photocyclization was deduced to occur in the one case where the biphenyl molecular connectivity permitted the reaction, based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), heteronuclear multiple-quantum coherence (HMQC)-NMR, and gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) results. The various photoprocesses could be induced by either OP or TP excitation, though the first excited singlet state is the photoactive state. The higher excitation energy of the TP excited state favors indirect population of the S, state by electronic coupling between the TP and OP excited states [lambda(max)TPE (nm): 726; delta (GM): 1=229, 2=215, 3= 109). Photochemical processes occurring from the lowest OP excited state (S1) could therefore also be indirectly induced by TP excitation.