TD-DFT calculations of the potential energy curves for the trans-cis photo-isomerization of protonated Schiff base of retinal

One-dimensional potential energy curves for the isomerization of protonated Schiff base of retinal (PSBR) in bacteriorhodopsin (bR), i.e., isomerization from all-trans- to 13-cis-forms, have been calculated by means of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations, in order to elucidate the mechanism of initial step in photo-absorption. The transition state of the isomerization in the first excited state is located at theta(13-14)=58 degrees , where theta(13-14) means twist angle around the C(13)=C(14) double bond of PSBR The potential barrier is formed by the avoided crossing between S(1) (B(u)-like) and S(2) (A(g)-like) states. The mechanism of the isomerization was discussed on the basis of theoretical results.     

Assessment of semiempirical methods for the photoisomerisation of a protonated Schiff base

The potential energy surfaces and non-adiabatic dynamics of the C₅H₆NH ₂ ⁺ protonated Schiff base (PSB3) have been investigated using the OM2 semiempirical Hamiltonian with GUGA configuration interaction. Three approaches to selecting the GUGA-CI active space are evaluated using closed-shell and open-shell molecular orbitals. Energy minima and minimum energy crossing points (MECPs) have been compared with ab initio CASSCF and CASPT2 results. Only the open-shell calculations give a qualitatively correct MECP. Minimum energy path (MEP) calculations demonstrate that a minimal active space gives a barrierless path from the planar S₁ minimum to the ground state, whereas larger active spaces result in a small barrier to torsional motion. Surface hopping dynamics calculations indicate that this barrier induces bi-exponential dynamics. The comparable CASSCF S₁ energy surface is barrierless, but the CASPT2 surface features an energy plateau, which may also lead to more complex dynamics.     

A semiempirical study of the optimized ground and excited state potential energy surfaces of retinal and its protonated Schiff base.

The electronic ground and first excited states of retinal and its Schiff base are optimized for the first time using the semiempirical AM1 Hamiltonian. The barrier for rotation about the C(11)-C(12) double bond is characterized by variation of both the twist angle delta(C(10)-C(11)-C(12)-C(13)) and the bond length d(C(11)-C(12)). The potential energy surface is obtained by varying these two parameters. The calculated ground state rotational barrier is equal to 15.6 kcal/mol for retinal and 20.5 kcal/mol for its Schiff base. The all-trans conformation is more stable by 3.7 kcal/mol than the 11-cis geometry. For the first excited state, S(1,) the 90 degrees twisted geometry represents a saddle point for retinal with the rotational barrier of 14.6 kcal/mol. In contrast, this conformation is an energy minimum for the Schiff base. It can be easily reached at room temperature from the planar minima since it is separated from them by a barrier of only 0.6 kcal/mol. The 90 degrees minimum conformation is more stable than the all-trans by 8.6 kcal/mol. We are thus able to present a reaction path on the S(1) surface of the retinal Schiff base with an almost barrier-less geometrical relaxation into a twisted minimum geometry, as observed experimentally. The character of the ground and first excited singlet states underscores the need for the inclusion of double excitations in the calculations.     

Effect of thermal fluctuations on the electronic excitation energies of linear polyenes: A combined molecular dynamics and TD-DFT study

In the present study, thermally averaged electronic excitation energies (the so-called dynamic approach) are quantitatively assessed for a model molecular system composed of a series of increasingly longer chains of simple linear polyenes. The molecular dynamics trajectories are calculated using the semi-empirical “Geometry, Frequency, Noncovalent, eXtended Tight Binding” (GFN2-xTB) method, while TD-DFT vertical excitation energies of selected snapshots are obtained with the spin-component-scaled double hybrid density functional SCS-wPBEPP86. Boltzmann weighted average excitation energies were then calculated in order to take into account the contribution of thermal motions. Excitation energies via the dynamic approach are compared with that of the static approach in which thermal fluctuations are not considered. The differences between the dynamic and the static approaches were found to be around the range $-0.01$ to $+0.01$ eV for polyenes up to 44 carbon atoms. This range of errors is relatively small in comparison with typical errors produced by using different density functionals and/or basis sets. Therefore, the electronic excited states of small to medium lengths of linear polyenes (less than 50 carbon atoms) can be safely modeled via the static approach. However, extrapolation of the results to longer polyenes indicates that the difference between both approaches is estimated to be 0.05 eV for polyenes containing 100 carbon atoms, which suggests that considering thermal motions in the calculations of excitation energies is recommended for such long conjugated molecular systems.     

A spectroelectrochemical study of the reduction of a Schiff base cryptand

The electrochemical reduction of a bicyclic hexaimino Schiff base cryptand 1 (N[(CH2)2N-CH-meta-C6H4-CH=N(CH2)2]3N) and that of one of its strands 2 ((CH3)2CH-N=CH-meta-C6H4-CH=N-CH(CH3)2) has been studied by visible and near infrared in-situ spectroelectrochemical techniques. These results are in good agreement with those obtained using alkali metals, but in this case the effect of the formation of ion pairs is minimized through the use of tetrabutylammonium cations. It is confirmed that 1- and 1= have the same visible and near IR spectrum. The spectrum of the products of the electrochemical reduction of 2 is similar to those of 1- or 1=.     

Ruthenium(II) hydrazone Schiff base complexes: synthesis, spectral study and catalytic applications

Ruthenium(II) hydrazone Schiff base complexes of the type [RuCl(CO)(B)(L)] (were B=PPh(3), AsPh(3) or Py; L=hydrazone Schiff base ligands) were synthesized from the reactions of hydrazone Schiff base ligand (obtained from isonicotinoylhydrazide and different hydroxy aldehydes) with [RuHCl(CO)(EPh(3))(2)(B)] (where E=P or As; B=PPh(3), AsPh(3) or Py) in 1:1 molar ratio. All the new complexes have been characterized by analytical and spectral (FT-IR, electronic, (1)H, (13)C and (31)P NMR) data. They have been tentatively assigned an octahedral structure. The synthesized complexes have exhibited catalytic activity for oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone in the presence of N-methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMO) as co-oxidant. They were also found to catalyze the transfer hydrogenation of aliphatic and aromatic ketones to alcohols in KOH/Isopropanol.     

Design of end-on cyanato bridged trinuclear Cu(II) Schiff base complex with salen type Schiff base ligand: synthesis,structural investigation and DFT study

One ONNO-donor tetradentate Schiff base ligand LH₂ was derived from the condensation of salicylaldehyde and 1,3-diaminopropane and reacted with Cu(NO₃)₂·6H₂O and NaNCO to yield one trinuclear complex with molecular formula [Cu₃L₂(µ_1,1-NCO)₂]. The synthesized complex was characterized by IR, UV–vis spectroscopy, and electrochemical analysis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study explores that the two terminal copper atoms adopt square pyramidal geometry, whereas the central copper atom situated at the inversion center is surrounded by four phenoxo oxygens and two end-on cyanato anions to adopt an octahedral geometry. The ONNO-tetradentate Schiff base ligand coordinates with the copper(II) ion via two oxygen atoms of the phenoxo-group and two nitrogen atoms from the imine moiety. A theoretical density functional theory (DFT) calculation was also carried out to supplement the experimental results. All the DFT calculations were done in gas phase.     

Aluminium(III)-selective electrode based on a newly synthesized tetradentate Schiff base

A PVC membrane electrode for aluminium ion based on bis(5-phenyl azo salicylaldehyde) 2,3-naphthalene diimine (5PHAZOSALNPHN) as an ion carrier was developed. The electrode exhibits a Nernstian slope of 19.3+/-0.8 mV per decade and a linear range of 5.0x10(-6)-1.0x10(-2) M for Al(NO(3))(3). The limit of detection is 2.5x10(-6) M. It has a fast response time of about 10 s and can be used for at least 10 weeks without observing any deviation. The proposed membrane sensor revealed good selectivity for Al(3+) over a wide variety of other metal ions and could be used in pH range of 2.9-5.0. It was used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of aluminium ion.     

X-ray structure and theoretical studies on a palladium(II) Schiff base complex

Treatment of N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine (H₂L) with PdCl₂ in the presence of triethylamine afforded [Pd(N₂O₂)]. Recrystallization in chloroform and acetonitrile (1?:?1) gave suitable crystals for X-ray crystallography. The solid-state structure shows that the environment around palladium is square planar. The structural parameters of the molecule obtained by density functional theory (DFT) calculation in the gas phase and by X-ray diffraction are compared. The Pd(II) Schiff base complex adopts planar geometry by DFT calculation. The coordination site structural parameters, which are obtained from geometry optimization calculation, are close to those from X-ray crystallographic data. The spectral properties such as vibrational frequencies, chemical shifts, electronic excitation and the natural bond orbital analyses of Pd(Salen) are calculated, analyzed and compared with experimental data.     

Spin state variation in nickel(II) complexes of a redox-active Schiff base

Summary Nickel(II) complexes of a redox-active tetradentate Schiff base ligand with ethylene/propylene linkages have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic and magnetic studies. The complexes are diamagnetic in the solid state and exhibit paramagnetic behaviour in solution. Reflectance spectra of the samples indicate a shift of the main d-d band envelope to lower energies as the bridge is changed from ethylene to propylene.Author to whom all correspondence should be directed.     

Excited state properties, fluorescence energies, and lifetime of a poly(fluorene-pyridine) copolymer, based on TD-DFT investigation

The structural and electronic properties of the fluorene-pyridine copolymer (FPy)(n), (n = 1-4) were investigated theoretically by means of quantum mechanical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) using the B3LYP functional. Geometry optimizations of these oligomers were performed for the ground state and the lowest excited state. It was found that (FPy)(n) is nonplanar in its ground state, whereas a more pronounced trend toward planarity is observed in the S(1) state. Absorption and fluorescence energies have been extrapolated to infinite chain length making use of their good linearity with respect to 1/n. An extrapolated value of 2.64 eV is obtained for vertical excitation energy. The S(1)<--S(0) electronic excitation is characterized as a highest occupied molecular orbital to lowest unoccupied molecular orbital transition and is dominating in terms of oscillator strength. Fluorescence energies and radiative lifetime were calculated as well. The obtained results indicate that the fluorescence energy and radiative lifetime of (FPy)(n) are 2.16 eV and 0.38 ns, respectively. The decrease of fluorescence energy and radiative lifetime with the increase in the chain length is discussed.     

Copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of a neutral pentadentate Schiff base

A new pentadentate Schiff base 2,6,10-triaza-1,11-bis(2′-aminophenyl)-undeca-1,10-diene, abaDPT, and its complexes of general formula M(abaDPT)X₂ where M = Cu(II), Ni(II), X = Cl, Br, I, NO₃ and ClO₄, have been prepared. The complexes have been characterized by electronic and IR spectra, EPR, magnetic moments, molar conductances, and elemental analysis. IR data show an interaction between halide anion of the outer coordination sphere and the complexed amino group. EPR and spectrophotometric data of most of the copper compounds are consistent with a distorted square pyramidal geometry. Single crystal EPR studies of Cu(abaDPT)(NO₃)₂ and Cu(abaDPT)Br₂ revealed that copper atoms in the former compound occupy two magnetically inequivalent places in the lattice while copper atoms in the latter compound take identical sites. Principal g tensor axes of the two compounds have been determined.     

新型噻吩席夫碱及其酯化产物合成与性能

以噻吩为起始原料,对工艺进行了优化合成出噻吩-2-甲醛,并由噻吩-2-甲醛与4-氨基苯酚缩合反应生成未见报道的噻吩-2-甲醛缩4-氨基苯酚席夫碱,进一步由DCC/DMAP高效酯化法与十一烯酸进行酯化反应。通过用纸片法测试了该席夫碱抑菌活性,结果表明具有较好的抑制作用;并通过偏光显微镜对酯化产物进行研究,观察到了较好的液晶相织构。     

Electronic structure of alkoxychromium(0) carbene complexes: a joint TD-DFT/experimental study

The joint computational (TD-DFT) experimental study of the UV-vis spectroscopy of alkoxychromium(0) carbene complexes accurately assigns the vertical transitions responsible for the observed spectra of these compounds. Both the LF and the MLCT band have a remarkably pi-pi* character, which has been demonstrated by the strong dependence of the absorptions with the donor/acceptor nature of the substituent in p-substituted styrylchromium(0) carbene complexes. The effect of the substituent is also related with the equilibrium geometry of the complexes and the occupations of the p atomic orbital of the carbene carbon atom. Additionally, the ferrocenyl moiety behaves in chromium(0) (Fischer) carbene complexes as a pi-donor group.     

Ether formation on the tridentate Schiff base ligands of copper(II) complexes

A series of copper(II) complexes, CuL·imidazole, where L^2? are tridentate Schiff base ligands formed by condensation of salicylaldehyde with a series of amino acids, have been synthesized. Visible spectral data indicate that copper(II) in these complexes are five coordinate in the solid state and in solution. Electrospray mass spectrometry has been used to show how these complexes react in alcohol/NaOH solutions with and without the presence of d-galactose. In the absence of d-galactose where the amino acid in the ligand is serine, the alcohol group on the ligand is converted to its alkyl ether after sonication of the solution for up to 4?h. In the presence of d-galactose, an alkoxy group is added to the ligands except for the ligand containing serine after sonication of the solutions for up to 4?h. At the same time, d-galactose is oxidized to its aldehyde. Where the ligand contains methionine, oxygen is also added to the ligand, most likely to the thioether sulfur.     

Mercury(II) ion-selective polymeric membrane sensor based on a recently synthesized Schiff base

A new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane electrode that is highly selective to Hg(II) ions was prepared by using bis[5-((4-nitrophenyl)azo salicylaldehyde)] (BNAS) as a suitable neutral carrier. The sensor exhibits a Nernstian response for mercury ions over a wide concentration range (5.0×10⁻²-7.0×10⁻⁷ M) with a slope of 30±1 mV per decade. It has a response time of <10 s and can be used for at least 3 months without any measurable divergence in potential. The electrode can be used in the pH range from 1.0 to 3.5. The proposed sensor shows fairly good discriminating ability towards Hg²⁺ ion in comparison with some hard and soft metals. The electrode was used in the direct determination of Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution and as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of mercury ions.