Electron paramagnetic resonance of the excited states of the three-spins-1/2 ZnTPP-3-NOPy complex

EPR spectra of the excited quartet and doublet molecular states of (tetraphenylporphinato)zinc(II) covalently bounded to 3-(N-nitronyl-notroxide) pyridine stable radical are modeled in terms of the spin-Hamiltonian given by the sum of the contributions from the radical and triplet moieties, and the interaction between them. The later is represented by anisotropic point dipolar and isotropic exchange electron spin-spin interactions. It is shown that the high field (W-band) EPR spectra depend on energy separation between the electronic doublet (D) and quartet (Q) states. This dependence was utilized to estimate the upper limit of the intensity of exchange interaction between the radical and porphyrin moieties.     

Ultrafast intersystem crossing and spin dynamics of zinc meso-tetraphenylporphyrin covalently bound to stable radicals

tert-Butylphenylnitroxide (BPNO(?)) and α,γ-bisdiphenylene-β-phenylallyl (BDPA(?)) stable radicals are each attached to zinc meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) at a fixed distance using one of the ZnTPP phenyl groups. BPNO(?) and BDPA(?) are oriented para (1 and 3, respectively) or meta (2 and 4, respectively) relative to the porphyrin macrocycle. Following photoexcitation of 1-4, transient optical absorption spectroscopy is used to observe excited state quenching of (1)*ZnTPP by the radicals and time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy is used to monitor the spin dynamics of the paramagnetic product states. The presence of BPNO(?) or BDPA(?) accelerates the intersystem crossing rate of (1)*ZnTPP about 10- to 500-fold in 1-4 depending on the structure compared to that of (1)*ZnTPP itself. In addition, the lifetime of (3)*ZnTPP in 1 is shorter than that of (3)*ZnTPP itself as a result of enhanced intersystem crossing (EISC) from (3)*ZnTPP to the ground state. The TREPR spectra of the three unpaired spins produced within 1 and 2 show spin-polarized excited doublet (D(1)) and quartet (Q) states and subsequent formation of a spin-polarized ground state radical (D(0)). All three signals are absorptive for 1 and emissive for 2. Polarization inversion of the Q state is observed on a tens of nanoseconds time scale in 2, while no polarization inversion is observed for 1. The lack of polarization inversion in 1 is attributed to the short lifetime of the doublet-quartet manifold as a result of the very large exchange interaction. The TREPR spectra of 3 and 4 show ground state radical polarization at X-band (9.5 GHz) at room temperature, but not at 85 K, and similarly no polarization is observed at W-band (94 GHz). No evidence of excited doublet or quartet states is observed, indicating that the exchange interaction is both weak and temperature dependent. These results show that although ultrafast EISC produces (3)*ZnTPP within 1-4, the magnitude of the exchange interactions between the three relevant spins in the resulting (3)*ZnTPP-BPNO(?) and (3)*ZnTPP-BDPA(?) systems dramatically alters their spin dynamics.     

Intersystem Crossing in Naphthalenediimide–Oxoverdazyl Dyads: Synthesis and Study of the Photophysical Properties

Oxoverdazyl (Vz) radical units were covalently linked to the naphthalenediimide (NDI) chromophore to study the effect of the radical on the photophysical properties, especially the radical enhanced intersystem crossing (REISC), which is a promising approach to develop heavy-atom-free triplet photosensitizers. Rigid phenyl or ethynylphenyl linkers between the two moieties were used, thus REISC and formation of doublet (D₁, total spin quantum number S=1/2) and quartet states (Q₁, S=3/2) are anticipated. The photophysical properties of the dyads were studied with steady-state and femtosecond/nanosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopies and DFT computations. Femtosecond transient absorption spectra show a fast electron transfer (<150 fs), and ISC (ca. 1.4–1.85 ps) is induced by charge recombination (CR, in toluene). Nanosecond transient absorption spectra demonstrated a biexponential decay of the triplet state of the NDI moiety. The fast component (lifetime: 50 ns; population ratio: 80 %) is assigned to the D₁→D₀ decay, and the slow decay component (2.0 μs; 20 %) to the Q₁→D₀ ISC. DFT computations indicated ferromagnetic interactions between the radical and chromophore (J=0.07–0.13 eV). Reversible formation of the radical anion of the NDI moiety by photoreduction of the radical-NDI dyads in the presence of sacrificial electron donor triethanolamine (TEOA) is achieved. This work is useful for design of new triplet photosensitizers based on the REISC effect.     

Radical-Enhanced Intersystem Crossing in Perylene-Oxoverdazyl Radical Dyads

Attaching stable radicals to organic chromophores is an effective method to enhance the intersystem crossing (ISC) of the chromophores. Herein we prepared perylene-oxoverdazyl dyads either by directly connecting the two units or using an intervening phenyl spacer. We investigated the effect of the radical on the photophysical properties of perylene and observed strong fluorescence quenching due to radical enhanced ISC (REISC). Compared with a previously reported perylene-fused nitroxide radical compound (triplet lifetime, τ_T=0.1 μs), these new adducts show a longer-lived triplet excited state (τ_T=9.5 μs). Based on the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_Δ=7 %) and study of the triplet state, we propose that the radical enhanced internal conversion also plays a role in the relaxation of the excited state. Femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion indicates a fast decay of the excited state (<1.0 ps), suggesting a strong spin-spin exchange interaction between the two units. Femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectra confirmed direct triplet state population (within 0.5 ps). Interestingly, by fs-TA spectra, we observed the interconversion of the two states (D₁↔Q₁) at ∼80 ps time scale. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectral study confirmed the formation of the quartet sate. We observed triplet and quartet states simultaneously with weights of 0.7 and 0.3, respectively. This is attributed to two different conformations of the molecule at excited state. DFT computations showed that the interaction between the radical and the chromophore is ferromagnetic (J>0, 0.05∼0.10 eV).     

Multi-state epoxidation of ethene by cytochrome P450: a quantum chemical study.

The epoxidation of ethene by a model for Compound I of cytochrome P450, studied by the use of density functional B3LYP calculations, involves two-state reactivity (TSR) with multiple electromer species, hence "multi-state epoxidation". The reaction is found to proceed in stepwise and effectively concerted manners. Several reactive states are involved; the reactant is an (oxo)iron(IV) porphyrin cation radical complex with two closely lying spin states (quartet and doublet), both of which react with ethene to form intermediate complexes with a covalent C-O bond and a carbon-centered radical (radical intermediates). The radical intermediates exist in two electromers that differ in the oxidation state of iron; Por(+)(*)Fe(III)OCH(2)CH(2)(*) and PorFe(IV)OCH(2)CH(2)(*) (Por = porphyrin). These radical intermediates exist in both the doublet- and quartet spin states. The quartet spin intermediates have substantial barriers for transformation to the quartet spin PorFe(III)-epoxide complex (2.3 kcal mol(-)(1) for PorFe(IV)OCH(2)CH(2)(*) and 7.2 kcal mol(-)(1) for Por(+)(*)Fe(III)OCH(2)CH(2)(*)). In contrast, the doublet spin radicals collapse to the corresponding PorFe(III)-epoxide complex with virtually no barriers. Consequently, the lifetimes of the radical intermediates are much longer on the quartet- than on the doublet spin surface. The loss of isomeric identity in the epoxide and rearrangements to other products arise therefore mostly, if not only, from the quartet process, while the doublet state epoxidation is effectively concerted (Scheme 7). Experimental trends are discussed in the light of the computed mechanistic scheme, and a comparison is made with closely related mechanistic schemes deduced from experiment.     

Quantum chemical characterization of the structures, thermochemical properties, and doublet-quartet splittings of tridehydropyridinium cations

Structural and energetic properties are predicted for the six tridehydropyridinium cation isomers in their lowest-energy doublet and quartet states by using density functional, multireference second-order perturbation, and coupled-cluster theories. Doublet-quartet splittings and triradical stabilization energies are examined to gain insight into the degree of interaction between the three radical centers, with comparison being made to analogous tridehydrobenzenes.     

High-level ab initio studies of unimolecular dissociation of the ground-state N3 radical

A comprehensive study of the unimolecular dissociation of the N(3) radical on the ground doublet and excited quartet potential energy surfaces has been carried out with multireference single and double excitation configuration interaction and second-order multireference perturbation methods. Two forms of the N(3) radical have been located in the linear and cyclic region of the lowest doublet potential energy surface with an isomerization barrier of 62.2 kcal/mol above the linear N(3). Three equivalent C(2v) minima of cyclic N(3) are connected by low barrier, meaning the molecule is free to undergo pseudorotation. The cyclic N(3) is metastable with respect to ground state products, N((4)S)+N(2), and dissociation must occur via intersystem crossing to a quartet potential energy surface. Minima on the seams of crossing between the doublet and quartet potential surfaces are found to lie substantially higher in energy than the cyclic N(3) minima. This strongly suggests that cyclic N(3) possesses a long collision-free lifetime even if formed with substantial internal excitation.     

Low-temperature EPR study of radical cations of vinyl ethers in a Freon matrix

Using low-temperature EPR the transformations of radical cations of aliphatic vinyl ethers radiolytically generated in a Freon matrix have been investigated. Three-line spectra found at 77 K [hfs constants of 1.5 mT (1H) and 2.2 mT (1H)] and at 95 K [1.9–2.1 mT (2H)] were attributed to the radical cation. A quartet was observed at 130 K, usually with binomial intensities [hfs constants of 1.3 mT (3H)] and a triplet [1.7–1.9 mT (2H)] was found after cooling samples back to 95 K. The conversion of the quartet to the triplet was found to be thermally reversible and both spectra are assigned to different states of a (distonic) dimer cation.     

A contribution to the theory of OD EPR of spin-correlated radical pairs

A composite structure of OD EPR spectra is predicted. The OD EPR spectra consist of a broad component which manifests many features similar to conventional CW EPR spectra and a narrow component which appears as a hole in the broad spectrum. The width of the narrow component is estimated. The contribution of singlet-triplet dephasing to the shape of the OD EPR spectra is discussed comprehensively. It is shown that changes of the OD EPR spectra with an increase in the rate of singlet-triplet dephasing can be interpreted in terms of a redistribution of the populations of mixed (singlet and triplet) states of radical pairs and of exchange of the coherences corresponding to the EPR transitions for radical pairs.     

Theoretical study of the mechanism of valence tautomerism in cobalt complexes

Valence tautomerism is studied in the [Co(II-HS)(sq)(2)(bpy)]/[Co(III-LS)(sq)(cat)(bpy)] mononuclear cobalt complex by using DFT methods (HS, high spin; LS, low spin; cat, catecholate; sq, semiquinone; bpy, 2,2'-bipyridine). Calculations at the B3LYP* level of theory reproduce well the energy gap between the Co(II-HS) and Co(III-LS) forms giving an energy gap of 4.4 kcal/mol, which is comparable to the experimental value of 8.9 kcal/mol. Potential energy surfaces and crossing seams of the electronic states of the doublet, quartet, and sextet spin states are calculated along minimum energy paths connecting the energy minima corresponding to the different spin states. The calculated minimum energy crossing points (MECPs) are located at 8.8 kcal/mol in the doublet/sextet surfaces, at 10.2 kcal/mol in the doublet/quartet surfaces, and at 8.4 kcal/mol in the quartet/sextet surfaces relative to the doublet ground state. Considering the energy of the three spin states and the crossing points, the one-step relaxation mechanism between the Co(II-HS) and Co(III-LS) forms is the most probable. This research shows that mapping MECPs can be a useful strategy to analyze the potential energy surfaces of systems with complex deformation modes.     

para‐Phenylene‐Bridged Spirobi(triarylamine) Dimer with Four Perpendicularly Linked Redox‐Active π Systems

para‐Phenylene‐bridged spirobi(triarylamine) dimer 2 , in which π conjugation through four redox‐active triarylamine subunits is partially segregated by the unique perpendicular conformation, was prepared and characterized by structural, electrochemical, and spectroscopic methods. Quantum chemical calculations (DFT and CASSCF) predicted that the frontier molecular orbitals of 2 are virtually fourfold degenerate, so that the oxidized states of 2 can give intriguing electronic and magnetic properties. In fact, the continuous‐wave ESR spectroscopy of radical cation 2 ^.+ showed that the unpaired electron was trapped in the inner two redox‐active dianisylamine subunits, and moreover was fully delocalized over them. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and pulsed ESR spectroscopy of the isolated salts of 2 , which can be prepared by treatment with SbCl₅, revealed that the generated tetracation 2 ⁴⁺ decomposed mainly into a mixture of 1) a decomposed tetra(radical cation) consisting of a tri(radical cation) moiety and a trianisylamine radical cation moiety (≈75 %) and 2) a diamagnetic quinoid dication in a tetraanisyl‐p‐phenylendiamine moiety and two trianisylamine radical cation moieties (≈25 %). Furthermore, the spin‐quartet state of the tri(radical cation) moiety in the decomposed tetra(radical cation) was found to be in the ground state lying 30 cal mol^?1 below the competing spin‐doublet state.     

Observation of a photoexcited state of a paramagnetic transition metal complex by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

The first observation of a spin polarized excited state of a paramagnetic metal-complex using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy is reported for octaethylporphinatooxovanadium(iv). The TREPR spectra show well resolved orientation dependent hyperfine splitting to the I = 7/2 vanadium nucleus. The reduction of the hyperfine splitting by a factor of 3 compared to the ground state and the observation of a multiplet pattern of spin polarization allow the TREPR spectra to be assigned to the excited quartet state of the complex. The spin polarization patterns evolve with time and it is postulated that this is a result of the equilibration between the lowest excited quartet and doublet states.     

Electronic properties of the low‐lying spin states of dimethylnitrosamine coordinated to Fe(III) heme models: An ab initio study

The unusual O‐coordination mode of nitrosamines to Fe(III) heme models has been observed in the bis(dimethylnitrosamine)(meso‐tetraphenylporphyrinate)iron(III) cation. For the first time, this latter as well as the simpler bis(dimethylnitrosamine)(porphinate)iron(III) heme model cations have been studied through ab initio methods. The sextet, quartet, and doublet spin states of both cations have been studied through single‐point calculations based on the experimental (X‐ray) geometry. Their energies, charges, and spin densities have been analyzed. The obtained results (at the UHF/cc‐pVDZ and ROHF/cc‐pVDZ levels) indicate that the peripheral benzene rings are of secondary importance for the coordination of dimethylnitrosamine to the Fe(III) porphyrin core. The obtained energy ordering is sextet < quartet < doublet, at all computational levels. The UHF, ROHF, and UMP2 results indicate an excess of alpha spin density around the Fe atom, a low covalency for the Fe? O bond and a substantial charge transfer to the Fe atom. Our best estimates [obtained at ROMP2 level with the mixed cc‐pVDZ/cc‐pVTZ‐DK(Fe) basis set] for the energy differences (in eV) between the three spin states considered are 0.929 for the sextet‐quartet gap and 0.812 for the quartet‐doublet gap, which indicate that the spin crossover (at room temperature) is very unlikely. These results represent the substantial decrease in the uncorrelated values. The implications of spin contaminations at the UHF and UMP2 levels for subsequent geometry optimizations to be performed in the smaller cation have also been discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Ab initio calculation of the potential surfaces and the electronic transition moments for the valence and Rydberg doublet electronic states of BH2

The bending and symmetric stretching potential curves for the low-lying doublet electronic states of the BH₂ radical are calculated by means of the configuration interaction method. Special attention is paid to consideration of the interaction between valence and Rydberg-type species. The dissociation of BH₂ in its various electronic states into H + B + H is studied. The results of calculations predict a complicated structure of both, the absorption and emission spectra caused by a number of avoided crossings between the excited states of the same symmetry in the geometry region close to the equilibrium geometry of the ground state.     

Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical investigation of the mechanism of C-H hydroxylation of camphor by cytochrome P450cam: theory supports a two-state rebound mechanism

The stereospecific cytochrome P450-catalyzed hydroxylation of the C(5)-H((5-exo)) bond in camphor has been studied theoretically by a combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) approach. Density functional theory is employed to treat the electronic structure of the active site (40-100 atoms), while the protein and solvent environment (ca. 24,000 atoms) is described by the CHARMM force field. The calculated energy profile of the hydrogen-abstraction oxygen-rebound mechanism indicates that the reaction takes place in two spin states (doublet and quartet), as has been suggested earlier on the basis of calculations on simpler models ("two-state reactivity"). While the reaction on the doublet potential energy surface is nonsynchronous, yet effectively concerted, the quartet pathway is truly stepwise, including formation of a distinct intermediate substrate radical and a hydroxo-iron complex. Comparative calculations in the gas phase demonstrate the effect of the protein environment on the geometry and relative stability of intermediates (in terms of spin states and redox electromers) through steric constraints and electronic polarization.     

High-frequency (140-GHz) time domain EPR and ENDOR spectroscopy: the tyrosyl radical-diiron cofactor in ribonucleotide reductase from yeast

High-frequency pulsed EPR and ENDOR have been employed to characterize the tyrosyl radical (Y*)-diiron cofactor in the Y2-containing R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) from yeast. The present work represents the first use of 140-GHz time domain EPR and ENDOR to examine this system and demonstrates the capabilities of the method to elucidate the electronic structure and the chemical environment of protein radicals. Low-temperature spin-echo-detected EPR spectra of yeast Y* reveal an EPR line shape typical of a tyrosyl radical; however, when compared with the EPR spectra of Y* from E. coli RNR, a substantial upfield shift of the g(1)-value is observed. The origin of the shift in g(1) was investigated by 140-GHz (1)H and (2)H pulsed ENDOR experiments of the Y2-containing subunit in protonated and D(2)O-exchanged buffer. (2)H ENDOR spectra and simulations provide unambiguous evidence for one strongly coupled (2)H arising from a bond between the radical and an exchangeable proton of an adjacent residue or a water molecule. Orientation-selective 140-GHz ENDOR spectra indicate the direction of the hydrogen bond with respect to the molecular symmetry axes and the bond length (1.81 A). Finally, we have performed saturation recovery experiments and observed enhanced spin lattice relaxation rates of the Y* above 10 K. At temperatures higher than 20 K, the relaxation rates are isotropic across the EPR line, a phenomenon that we attribute to isotropic exchange interaction between Y* and the first excited paramagnetic state of the diiron cluster adjacent to it. From the activation energy of the rates, we determine the exchange interaction between the two irons of the cluster, J(exc) = -85 cm(-)(1). The relaxation mechanism and the presence of the hydrogen bond are discussed in terms of the differences in the structure of the Y*-diiron cofactor in yeast Y2 and other class I R2s.     

Theoretical study of the reaction of Ni with OCS

The reactivity of Ni⁺ with OCS on both doublet and quartet potential energy surfaces (PES) has been investigated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level. The object of this investigation was the elucidation of the reaction mechanism. The calculated results indicated that both the CS and CO bond activations proceed via an insertion–elimination mechanism. Intersystem crossing between the doublet and quartet surfaces may occur along both the CS and CO bond activation branches. The ground states of NiS⁺ and NiO⁺ were found to be quartets, whereas NiCO⁺ and NiCS⁺ have doublet ground states. The CS bond activation is energetically much more favorable than the CO bond activation. All theoretical results are in line with early experiments.     

Theoretical study of dynamic electron-spin-polarization via the doublet-quartet quantum-mixed state and time-resolved ESR spectra of the quartet high-spin state

The mechanism of the unique dynamic electron polarization of the quartet (S = 3/2) high-spin state via a doublet-quartet quantum-mixed state and detail theoretical calculations of the population transfer are reported. By the photo-induced electron transfer, the quantum-mixed charge-separate state is generated in acceptor-donor-radical triad (A-D-R). This mechanism explains well the unique dynamic electron polarization of the quartet state of A-D-R. The generation of the selectively populated quantum-mixed state and its transfer to the strongly coupled pure quartet and doublet states have been treated both by a perturbation approach and by exact numerical calculations. The analytical solutions show that generation of the quantum-mixed states with the selective populations after de-coherence and/or accompanying the (complete) dephasing during the charge-recombination are essential for the unique dynamic electron polarization. Thus, the elimination of the quantum coherence (loss of the quantum information) is the key process for the population transfer from the quantum-mixed state to the quartet state. The generation of high-field polarization on the strongly coupled quartet state by the charge-recombination process can be explained by a polarization transfer from the quantum-mixed charge-separate state. Typical time-resolved ESR patterns of the quantum-mixed state and of the strongly coupled quartet state are simulated based on the generation mechanism of the dynamic electron polarization. The dependence of the spectral pattern of the quartet high-spin state has been clarified for the fine-structure tensor and the exchange interaction of the quantum-mixed state. The spectral pattern of the quartet state is not sensitive towards the fine-structure tensor of the quantum-mixed state, because this tensor contributes only as a perturbation in the population transfer to the spin-sublevels of the quartet state. Based on the stochastic Liouville equation, it is also discussed why the selective population in the quantum-mixed state is generated for the "finite field" spin-sublevels. The numerical calculations of the elimination of the quantum coherence (de-coherence and/or dephasing) are demonstrated. A new possibility of the enhanced intersystem crossing pathway in solution is also proposed.     

New insight into the electronic structure of iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin compound I. A quantum chemical topological analysis

The electronic structure of iron‐oxo porphyrin π‐cation radical complex Por^·+Fe^IV?O (S? H) has been studied for doublet and quartet electronic states by means of two methods of the quantum chemical topology analysis: electron localization function (ELF) η(r) and electron density ρ(r). The formation of this complex leads to essential perturbation of the topological structure of the carbon–carbon bonds in porphyrin moiety. The double C?C bonds in the pyrrole anion subunits, represented by pair of bonding disynaptic basins V_i=1,2(C,C) in isolated porphyrin, are replaced by single attractor V(C,C)_i=1–20 after complexation with the Fe cation. The iron–nitrogen bonds are covalent dative bonds, N→Fe, described by the disynaptic bonding basins V(Fe,N)_i=1–4, where electron density is almost formed by the lone pairs of the N atoms. The nature of the iron–oxygen bond predicted by the ELF topological analysis, shows a main contribution of the electrostatic interaction, Fe^δ+···O^δ?, as long as no attractors between the C(Fe) and C(O) core basins were found, although there are common surfaces between the iron and oxygen basines and coupling between iron and oxygen lone pairs, that could be interpreted as a charge‐shift bond. The Fe? S bond, characterized by the disynaptic bonding basin V(Fe,S), is partially a dative bond with the lone pair donated from sulfur atom. The change of electronic state from the doublet (M = 2) to quartet (M = 4) leads to reorganization of spin polarization, which is observed only for the porphyrin skeleton (?0.43e to 0.50e) and S? H bond (?0.55e to 0.52e). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Charge-transfer controlled exchange interaction in radical-triplet encounter pairs as studied by FT-EPR spectroscopy

The exchange interaction, J, producing quartet and doublet energy separation in radical-triplet excited molecule encounter pairs, was investigated in solution by measuring chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) created through the radical-triplet pair mechanism. A time-resolved FT-EPR method was utilized to measure CIDEP of galvinoxyl radical by recording FID signals and an absolute magnitude of CIDEP, P(n), was determined for each radical-triplet system by detailed analysis of the time evolution curves of CIDEP. A transient FT-EPR signal phase remarkably depends on the triplet molecule. The signal phase is related to the sign of J value, which is responsible for the radical-triplet pair interaction. Most of galvinoxyl-triplet systems showed normal negative sign. An unusual positive sign was found in some systems characterized by a small energy gap, DeltaG, between the radical-triplet pair and intermolecular charge transfer (CT) states. A theoretical calculation of J value for radical-triplet encounter pairs was carried out by considering exchange integral and intermolecular CT interaction. According to the calculated J value and the diffusion theory for CIDEP magnitude, experimental Pn values were theoretically reproduced as a function of DeltaG. The present results confirm our previously reported CT model explaining the complicated nature of the sign of J value in the galvinoxyl-triplet encounter pairs. According to the proposed model for CT effect on J value and CIDEP results, nature of J value in radical-triplet pairs is discussed.