The role of hydrogen bonding in excited state intramolecular charge transfer

Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) that occurs upon photoexcitation of molecules is a vital process in nature and it has ample applications in chemistry and biology. The ICT process of the excited molecules is affected by several environmental factors including polarity, viscosity and hydrogen bonding. The effect of polarity and viscosity on the ICT processes is well understood. But, despite the fact that hydrogen bonding significantly influences the ICT process, the specific role of hydrogen bonding in the formation and stabilization of the ICT state is not unambiguously established. Some literature reports predicted that the hydrogen bonding of the solvent with a donor promotes the formation of a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state. Some other reports stated that it inhibits the formation of the TICT state. Alternatively, it was proposed that the hydrogen bonding of the solvent with an acceptor favors the TICT state. It is also observed that a dynamic equilibrium is established between the free and the hydrogen bonded ICT states. This perspective focuses on the specific role played by hydrogen bonding of the solvent with the donor and the acceptor, and by proton transfer in the ICT process. The utility of such influence in molecular recognition and anion sensing is discussed with a few recent literature examples in the end.     

Novel fluorescent pH sensors based on intramolecular hydrogen bonding ability of naphthalimide

4-Piperidine-naphthalimide derivatives containing potential acceptors for hydrogen bonding were synthesized, and their fluorescence properties were examined. Some of the compounds with a 2-imino-oxalidin (thiazolidin) side chain at the imide moiety exhibit a strong fluorescence quench and some red shift in weakly acidic conditions, caused by the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Their pK(a) values were estimated to be about 6.4-7.5. The results showed that these compounds could serve as novel fluorescent pH sensors for further application. [structure: see text]     

Inclusion complex of 2-naphthylamine-6-sulfonate with beta-cyclodextrin: intramolecular charge transfer versus hydrogen bonding effects

The photophysical characteristics of the ground and excited states of 2-naphthylamine-6-sulfonate (2-NA-6-S) were investigated in different solvents and in beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). The spectral shifts are well correlated with Kamlet-Taft relationship. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that both non-specific dipolar interaction and specific hydrogen bonding interactions play competitive roles in determining the position of the absorption maximum, while the dipolar interaction is the dominating parameter in determining the emission maximum. For the Stokes shift, both the nonspecific interaction and the hydrogen donation property of the solvent are participating equally. The molecular encapsulation of 2-NA-6-S by beta-CD in aqueous solution has been studied by different spectroscopic techniques. Fluorescence measurements show that the dielectric constant of beta-CD experienced by the included 2-NA-6-S is intermediate between water and methanol. The changes observed in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of 2-NA-6-S upon inclusion in beta-CD allowed the association constant to be calculated and found to be 465+/-100 and 495+/-100 M-1, respectively. The changes observed for the chemical shifts of 2-NA-6-S and beta-CD 1H NMR spectra and the corresponding 1H NMR spectra of their mixture confirmed the formation of the inclusion complex and showed that 2-NA-6-S is encapsulated in beta-CD cavity in a tilted equatorial approach.     

Effects of solvent, pH and beta-cyclodextrin on the photophysical properties of 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde: intramolecular charge transfer associated with hydrogen bonding effect

The photophysical properties of 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (HDMB) in various solvents, pH and in aqueous beta-cyclodextrin (CD) have been investigated. In non-polar solvents, HDMB gives only one emission maxima; whereas, in polar solvents it shows a dual luminescence. The increase in Stokes shift with increase in polarity is much more for longer wavelength (LW) than for a shorter wavelength (SW) band. This behaviour indicates the formation of an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state through relaxation from the normal excited state. Especially in water, the ICT emission is further red shifted to 430 nm with the normal emission band at 330 nm and the relative fluorescence intensities between 330 nm and 430 nm emission bands are affected by the excitation wavelength. However, this excitation wavelength dependence is not large in aqueous beta-CD solutions. These results suggest that the ICT state in polar solvents/water is stabilized through exciplex formation by the hydrogen-bonding interaction between the carbonyl group and polar solvents/water. The ground and excited state pK(a) values for the neutral-monoanion equilibrium have been measured and discussed. HDMB forms a 1:1 inclusion complex with beta-CD. A mechanism is proposed to explain the inclusion process.     

Effect of hydrogen bonding on the intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence of 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphtalene

The effect of hydrogen bonding on the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) of 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphtalene (laurdan) in neat and binary solvent mixtures has been investigated by using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. The different features of ICT emission of laurdan in methylcyclohexane–tetrahydrofuran and methylcyclohexane–ethanol are explained by the absence and presence of hydrogen bonded ICT. The presence of isosbestic point in absorption spectra of laurdan in methylcyclohexane–ethanol confirms the formation of 1:1 complex between laurdan and ethanol. The obtained data were used to determine the stoichiometric equilibrium constants. In protic rigid (77 K) the fluorescence spectra of laurdan show excitation wavelength dependence (the red-edge effect). Moreover, we reported the decay characteristics of laurdan molecule in locally excited (LE) and ICT state in methylcyclohexane–ethanol.     

Tunable fluorescent sensing of cysteine and homocysteine by intramolecular charge transfer

An amphiphilic oligo p-phenylene derivative (DCHO) bearing electron-donating group (–NH(CH₂)₂OH) and electron-withdrawing group (–CHO) has been synthesised and characterised. The sensing characteristics of this probe (DCHO) for cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) are studied in a mixture solution of DMSO–HEPES by UV–vis and fluorescence spectra. ¹H NMR, MALDI-TOF and UV–vis titration experiments proved that thiazolidine and thiazinane derivatives were formed. The highly Cys/Hcy-selective fluorescence hypsochromic shift (>110 nm) can be observed due to the switching of intramolecular charge transfer, leading to potential fabrication of ratiometric fluorescent detection of Cys/Hcy.     

Inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding in phenol derivatives: a model system for poly-L-tyrosine

The ultrafast dynamics of solutions of phenol and two phenol derivatives--hydroquinone (1,4-benzenediol) and pyrocatechol (1,2-benzenediol)--have been studied with Optically Heterodyne-Detected Optical Kerr-Effect (OHD-OKE) spectroscopy. The solvents, methanol and acetonitrile, were selected to provide strong and weak solvent-solute hydrogen-bonding interactions, respectively, while pyrocatechol features an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Together these provide a series of model systems for polypeptides such as polytyrosine, which facilitate the direct study of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. A broad contribution to the Raman spectral density of the methanol solutions at frequencies between 150 and 300 cm(-1) has been observed that is absent in acetonitrile. This contribution has been assigned to solvent-solute hydrogen-bond stretching vibrations. The OHD-OKE response of poly-L-tyrosine has been measured and was found to contain a similar contribution. Density functional theory geometry optimizations and normal mode calculations have been performed using the B3LYP hybrid functional and 6-311++G** basis set. These have yielded a complete assignment of the low-frequency Raman and far-infrared spectra of pyrocatechol for the first time, which has provided information on the nature of the intramolecular hydrogen bond of pyrocatechol.     

Density functional theory and atoms-in-molecules investigation of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in derivatives of malonaldehyde and implications for resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding

A density functional theory (DFT) and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) analysis has been applied to the intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the enol conformers of malonaldehyde and its fluoro-, chloro-, cyano-, and nitro-substituted derivatives. With the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) method, good agreement between the DFT geometries and published experimental structures has been found. The donor-acceptor distance was also varied in a series of constrained optimizations in order to determine if energetic, structural, and topological trends associated with intermolecular hydrogen bonding remain valid in the intramolecular case. At very short donor-acceptor distances (<2.24 A), the hydrogen is symmetrically located between donor and acceptor; at distances longer than this, the hydrogen bonding is no longer symmetric. The AIM methodology has been applied to explore the topology of the electron density in the intramolecular hydrogen bonds of the chosen model systems. Most AIM properties for intramolecular hydrogen bond distances longer than 2.24 A show smooth trends, consistent with intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Integrated AIM properties have also been used to explore the phenomenon of resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding (RAHB). It is shown that as the donor-acceptor distance is varied, pi-electron density is redistributed among the carbon atoms in the intramolecular hydrogen bond ring; however, contrary to prior studies, the integrated atomic charges on the donor-acceptor atoms were found to be insensitive to variation of hydrogen-bonding distance.     

Density functional theory study of intramolecular hydrogen bonding and proton transfer in o-hydroxyaryl ketimines

The potential energy surface and the reaction pathway for the intramolecular hydrogen transfer in o-hydroxyaryl ketimines are characterized using DFT methods. Structural changes in the proton-transfer process in quasi-aromatic hydrogen bonding are described. A transition state and a state with a low proton-transfer barrier were studied in sterically compressed o-hydroxyaryl ketimines (2(N-methyl-alpha-iminoethyl)phenols) possessing two potential minimums. The potentials for proton vibration in the OH and HN tautomers of o-hydroxyaryl ketimines were investigated and anharmonic frequencies were determined. Solvent and substituent effects were analyzed. The energies of the various conformers of the OH and HN tautomers were compared with the related forms of o-hydroxyaryl aldimine.     

Fluorescence turn-on probe for biothiols: intramolecular hydrogen bonding effect on the Michael reaction

Weakly fluorescent coumarinyl enones are rapidly transformed into strongly fluorescent molecules through the Michael addition reaction of a thiol group, where an intramolecular hydrogen bond plays a critical role in the reaction rate. The molecular probe (3) with an ortho hydroxyl group to a carbonyl group exhibits a rapid response toward GSH owing to the stabilization of the possible oxyanion intermediate by a preferable intramolecular hydrogen bond. Probe 1 with an o-hydroxyl group also showed a moderately enhanced reaction rate with GSH and soluble in HEPES buffer to exhibit a highly selective and sensitive fluorescence turn-on response toward biothiols.     

Synthesis of new viologen macrocycles with intramolecular charge transfer

The syntheses of three new macrocycles composed of an acceptor (viologen) and a donor (dioxoaryl) are reported. These compounds exhibit intramolecular charge transfer and their X-ray analyses revealed that the aromatic systems are situated in parallel planes with a mean interplanar distance of 3.32 Å.     

A boronic acid based intramolecular charge transfer probe for colorimetric detection of hydrogen peroxide

Many oxidative stress related diseases and adverse health conditions have been associated with the negative effects of hydrogen peroxide and other similar reactive oxygen species in human body. Therefore, increasing attention has been attracted to the detection and monitoring of hydrogen peroxide in living organisms and food items. In this work, a simple, inexpensive colorimetric method for the quantitative determination of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous sample is described. This method utilizes the de-protection of aryl boronic acid to yield a strongly colored water-soluble dye, which is capable of absorbing and emitting in the red region of the spectrum. The mechanism is faster in alkaline condition and utilizes the intramolecular charge transfer between strong phenolate donor and TCF acceptor, thus allowing a naked eye detection of hydrogen peroxide within seconds. The method is unaffected by the presence of various salts, metal ions, and other interfering species, and it can provide a limit of detection as low as ~1 ppm in aqueous samples. This unique way of generating a fluorogenic donor-acceptor pair holds a potential of this dye and other related derivatives for understanding the role of hydrogen peroxide in physiology and pathology.     

Synthesis of new chiral organosulfur donors with hydrogen bonding functionality and their first charge transfer salts

The syntheses of a range of enantiopure organosulfur donors with hydrogen bonding groups are described including TTF related materials with two, four, six and eight hydroxyl groups and multiple stereogenic centres and a pair of chiral N-substituted BEDT-TTF acetamides. Three charge transfer salts of enantiopure poly-hydroxy-substituted donors are reported, including a 4:1 salt with the meso stereoisomer of the dinuclear [Fe₂(oxalate)₅]⁴⁻ anion in which both cation and anion have chiral components linked together by hydrogen bonding, and a semiconducting salt with triiodide.     

Antioxidant activity of o-bisphenols: the role of intramolecular hydrogen bonding

A kinetic and thermodynamic investigation on the antioxidant activity of 2,2'-methylenebis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) (2), 2,2'-ethylidenebis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (3), and 4,4'-methylenebis(2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (4) are reported. EPR studies of the equilibration between 3 or 4 and a reference phenol, and the corresponding phenoxyl radicals, allowed us to determine the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of the O-H bond as 81.2 and 81.1 kcal/mol in 3 and 4, respectively. Despite this similarity, the absolute rate constants for the reaction with peroxyl radicals, determined by autoxidation studies under controlled conditions, indicate that the o-bisphenols 2 and 3 behave as excellent antioxidants while the p-bisphenol 4 is less effective by a factor of 64 and 22, respectively. FT-IR spectroscopy and product studies suggest that the very good antioxidant activity of the o-bisphenols largely arises from both the reduced steric crowding about the hydroxyl group and the stabilization of the aroxyl radical due to the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the residual OH and the oxygen radical center.