Biradicaloid Character of Thiophene‐Based Heterophenoquinones: The Role of Electron–Phonon Coupling

The quinoidal versus biradicaloid character of the ground state of a series of thiophene‐based heterophenoquinones is investigated with quantum‐chemical calculations. The role of the ground‐state electronic character on molecular structure and vibrational properties is emphasized. The vibrational activities are experimentally determined and their analysis is performed by taking advantage of the definition of a collective vibrational coordinate (the

     

Theoretical study of two‐dimensionally fused zinc porphyrins: DFT calculations

Electronic structures of D_4h square‐fused zinc porphyrin sheets of two types ( SA , SB ), where SA is a directly meso‐meso‐, β‐β‐, and β‐β‐linked array and SB is a directly β‐fused array, were compared using density functional theory (DFT). The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of oligomeric SA _n are characteristically delocalized at the cyclooctatetraene‐like sites composed of β‐pyrrolic carbons and their nearest‐neighbor nitrogens. Those of oligomeric SB _n remain solitary monomeric features, reflecting weakly interacting porphyrin units. These two‐dimensionally (2D) square‐fused sheets, especially for SA _n, show effective reduction of both the HOMO–LUMO energy gaps (E_g) and the lowest Q‐like excitation energies because of LUMO's greater stabilization with increasing number of porphyrins than the corresponding one‐dimensionally (1D) linear‐fused tapes. To estimate the minimum value of E_g, the electronic band structures of the infinite‐fused SA _∞ and SB _∞ were examined in detail using modern periodic DFT. Results indicate a full metal for SA _∞, with HOMO and LUMO bands crossing the Fermi level, and a semiconductor with E_g ≈ 0.5 eV for SB _∞. Furthermore, the phonon modes and the electron–phonon coupling (EPC) constant of SA _∞ were calculated throughout the Brillouin zone using density functional perturbation theory (DFPT), yielding a weak EPC constant, λ = 0.35. Within the standard phonon‐mediated BCS mechanism, the superconducting transition temperature, T_c is demonstrated using the McMillan formula, predicting ≈0.5 K. Results show that SA _∞ will become a rare synthetic metal/superconductor without a metal‐insulator transition coming from Peierls lattice instability because it has no serious imaginary phonon modes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Superconductivity in cuprates: Details of electron phonon coupling

The Bardeen‐Cooper‐Schrieffer (BCS) model explains superconductivity (SC) as due to correlation between electronic momentum and nuclear momentum (phonons) in a free electron gas. The BCS model lacks chemical specificity, however, since the coupling mechanism is left unspecified. After the discovery of high T_C superconductivity in 1986 it was concluded that electron–phonon interactions are insufficient to explain electron pairing. A large part of theoretical research has since been aiming at finding another mechanism that would allow us to consider the superconducting system as a gas of charged free bosons. However, there appears to be no reason to assume free electrons in oxides. In this article the free‐electron criterion is therefore replaced by the criterion that a pair of electrons can move freely between sites without resistance, i.e., without activation energy. Electron pair transfer is treated in a many‐electron real space approach using standard mixed‐valence theories. Mott‐Hubbard‐U is strictly defined, its dependence on breathing mode coordinates analyzed, and the connection between U and the energy gap for superconductivity clarified. d‐wave gap anisotropy is found to be consistent with the general atomic level model presented here. Softening of phonon half‐breathing modes in inelastic neutron scattering (INS) is connected to mixed‐valency. The fundamental vibronic interaction between spin density wave (SDW) and charge density wave (CDW) states leads to a new phase with energy gap and electron pair carriers that can only be the superconducting phase. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Transport properties of two‐dimensionally fused zinc porphyrins from linear‐response approach

Transport properties, temperature‐dependent phonon‐limited electrical and thermal resistivities in the normal state of two‐dimensionally (2D) infinite‐fused zinc porphyrin with a directly meso‐meso‐, β‐β‐, and β‐β‐linked array structure ZnP _∞ were theoretically calculated using linear‐response approach based on density functional theory (DFT). The calculated transport electron–phonon coupling (EPC) constant using the density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) shows almost equal to the superconducting EPC constant, which is the similar situation within a difference by ca. 10% between them for the transition metals. The calculated electrical and thermal resistivities at 300 K obtained by solving the Boltzmann equation within the lowest‐order variational approximation (LOVA) are only larger by one digit than those of the reference metal Al, expecting to become a fantastic 2D synthetic metal without an injection of conductive carriers from outside, e.g., by doping. The calculated results for the 2D infinite‐fused lithium porphyrin LiP _∞ with the same ground state as the one‐electron oxidative state of ZnP _∞ were also discussed for comparison. This simple approach using the first applied plane‐wave ultrasoft pseudopotentials (US‐PPs) is a usable technique for the prediction of the transport properties of simple metallic materials within the practical temperature range. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Single‐Molecule Spectroscopy on a Ladder‐Type Conjugated Polymer: Electron–Phonon Coupling and Spectral Diffusion

We employ low‐temperature single‐molecule spectroscopy combined with pattern recognition techniques for data analysis on a methyl‐substituted ladder‐type poly(para‐phenylene) (MeLPPP) to investigate the electron–phonon coupling to low‐energy vibrational modes as well as the origin of the strong spectral diffusion processes observed for this conjugated polymer. The results indicate weak electron–phonon coupling to low‐frequency vibrations of the surrounding matrix of the chromophores, and that low‐energy intrachain vibrations of the conjugated backbone do not couple to the electronic transitions of MeLPPP at low temperatures. Furthermore, these findings suggest that the main line‐broadening mechanism of the zero‐phonon lines of MeLPPP is fast, unresolved spectral diffusion, which arises from conformational fluctuations of the side groups attached to the MeLPPP backbone as well as of the surrounding host material.     

A Theoretical Investigation into the Luminescent Properties of d8‐Transition‐Metal Complexes with Tetradentate Schiff Base Ligands

A theoretical investigation on the luminescence efficiency of a series of d⁸ transition‐metal Schiff base complexes was undertaken. The aim was to understand the different photophysics of [M‐salen]ⁿ complexes (salen=N,N′‐bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine; M=Pt, Pd (n=0); Au (n=+1)) in acetonitrile solutions at room temperature: [Pt‐salen] is phosphorescent and [Au‐salen]⁺ is fluorescent, but [Pd‐salen] is nonemissive. Based on the calculation results, it was proposed that incorporation of electron‐withdrawing groups at the 4‐position of the Schiff base ligand should widen the ³MLCT–³MC gap (MLCT=metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer and MC=metal centered, that is, the dd excited state); thus permitting phosphorescence of the corresponding Pd^II Schiff base complex. Although it is experimentally proven that [Pd‐salph‐4E] (salph=N,N′‐bis(salicylidene)‐1,2‐phenylenediamine; 4E means an electron‐withdrawing substituent at the 4‐position of the salicylidene) displays triplet emission, its quantum yield is low at room temperature. The corresponding Pt^II Schiff base complex, [Pt‐salph‐4E], is also much less emissive than the unsubstituted analogue, [Pt‐salph]. Thus, a detailed theoretical analysis of how the substituent and central metal affected the photophysics of [M‐salph‐X] (X is a substituent on the salph ligand, M=Pt or Pd) was performed. Temperature effects were also investigated. The simple energy gap law underestimated the nonradiative decay rates and was insufficient to account for the temperature dependence of the nonradiative decay rates of the complexes studied herein. On the other hand, the present analysis demonstrates that inclusions of low‐frequency modes and the associated frequency shifts are decisive in providing better quantitative estimates of the nonradiative decay rates and the experimentally observed temperature effects. Moreover, spin–orbit coupling, which is often considered only in the context of radiative decay rate, has a significant role in determining the nonradiative rate as well.     

Nonadiabatic sudden increase of the cooperative kinetic effect at lattice energy stabilization—Microscopic mechanism of superconducting state transition: Model study of MgB2

The theory of the nonadiabatic electron–vibration interactions has been applied to the study of MgB₂ superconducting state transition. It has been shown that at nonadiabatic conditions in which the Born–Oppenheimer approximation is not valid and electronic motion is dependent not only on the nuclear coordinates but also on the nuclear momenta, the fermionic ground‐state energy of the studied system can be stabilized by nonadiabatic electron–phonon interactions at broken translation symmetry. Moreover, the new arising state is geometrically degenerate; i.e., there are an infinite number of different nuclear configurations with the same fermionic ground‐state energy. The model study of MgB₂ yields results that are in a good agreement with the experimental data. For distorted lattice, with 0.016 Å/atom of in‐plane out‐of‐phase B? B atoms displacements out of the equilibrium (E_2g phonon mode) when the nonadiabatic interactions are most effective, it has been calculated that the new arising state is 87 meV/unit cell more stable than the equilibrium–high symmetry clumped nuclear structure at the level of the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. The calculated T_c is 39.5 K. The resulting density of states exhibits two‐peak character, in full agreement with the tunneling spectra. The peaks are at ±4 meV, corresponding to the change of the π band density of states, and at ±7.6 meV, corresponding to the σ band. The superconducting state transition can be characterized as a nonadiabatic sudden increase of the cooperative kinetic effect at lattice energy stabilization (NASICKELES). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

A theoretical study of the sulfenate–sulfoxide rearrangement. Effect of the hydrogen bond complexation

A DFT study of the thermal and radical sulfenate–sulfoxide rearrangement of derivatives of 3‐propenyl sulfoxide has been carried out. The effect of the substitution and hydrogen bond complexation has been analyzed. The results show that without external factors the radical breakdown path is the one preferred by the alkyl and aromatic derivatives while the unsubstituted system proceeds preferentially through a two‐step series of [1,3]‐ and [2,3]‐sigmatropic shifts. The inclusion of a hydrogen bond donor interacting with the oxygen atom increases the stability of all the species except the radical and the final products. Thus, in the dimethyl derivative the radical and two‐step processes present similar limiting steps. The analysis of the electron density of the systems provides some relationships between the properties at the bond critical point and the interatomic distances for the S···C and H···O cases. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 110:2391–2397, 2010     

Quantum Mechanical and Experimental Validation that Cyclobis(paraquat‐p‐phenylene) Forms a 1:1 Inclusion Complex with Tetrathiafulvalene

The promiscuous encapsulation of π‐electron‐rich guests by the π‐electron‐deficient host, cyclobis(paraquat‐p‐phenylene) (CBPQT⁴⁺), involves the formation of 1:1 inclusion complexes. One of the most intensely investigated charge‐transfer (CT) bands, assumed to result from inclusion of a guest molecule inside the cavity of CBPQT⁴⁺, is an emerald‐green band associated with the complexation of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and its derivatives. This interpretation was called into question recently in this journal based on theoretical gas‐phase calculations that reinterpreted this CT band in terms of an intermolecular side‐on interaction of TTF with one of the bipyridinium (BIPY²⁺) units of CBPQT⁴⁺, rather than the encapsulation of TTF inside the cavity of CBPQT⁴⁺. We carried out DFT calculations, including solvation, that reveal conclusively that the CT band emerging upon mixing TTF with CBPQT⁴⁺ arises from the formation of a 1:1 inclusion complex. In support of this conclusion, we have performed additional experiments on a [2]rotaxane in which a TTF unit, located in the middle of its short dumbbell, is prevented sterically from interacting with either one of the two BIPY²⁺ units of a CBPQT⁴⁺ ring residing on a separate [2]rotaxane in a side‐on fashion. This [2]rotaxane has similar UV/Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopic properties with those of 1:1 inclusion complexes of TTF and its derivatives with CBPQT⁴⁺. The [2]rotaxane exists as an equimolar mixture of cis‐ and trans‐isomers associated with the disubstituted TTF unit in its dumbbell component. Solid‐state structures were obtained for both isomers, validating the conclusion that the TTF unit, which gives rise to the CT band, resides inside CBPQT⁴⁺.     

Structural studies on aryl‐substituted enaminoketones and their thio analogues. Part II. Experimental and DFT calculated carbon–carbon coupling constants,nJ(CC)'s (n = 1–3)

Spin–spin carbon–carbon coupling constants across one, two and three bonds, J(CC), have been measured for a series of aryl‐substituted Z‐s‐Z‐s‐E enaminoketones and their thio analogues. As a result, a large set, altogether 178, of J(CC)s has been obtained. It consists of 82 couplings across one bond, 31 couplings across two bonds and 65 couplings across three bonds. Independently, the DFT calculations at the B3PW91/6‐311++G(d,p)//B3PW91/6‐311++G(d,p) level yielded a set of theoretical J(CC) values. A comparison of these two sets of data gave an excellent linear correlation with parameters a and b close to ideal; a = 0.9978 which is not far from unity and b = 0.22 Hz which is close to zero. The ¹J(CC) couplings determined for the crucial fragment of the molecules, i.e. ? C?C? C?O (or ? C?C? C?S), are: ¹J(C?C) ≈ 68 Hz (67 Hz) and ¹J(C? C) = 60.5 Hz (60.0 Hz). The corresponding couplings found for the Z‐s‐Z‐s‐E isomer of the parent enaminoketone, 4‐methylamino‐but‐3‐en‐2‐one are 64.1 and 59.3 Hz, respectively. The most sensitive towards substitution of the oxygen atom by sulfur are two‐bond couplings between the α‐vinylic and aromatic C_ipso carbon atoms, which attain 12 Hz in the enaminoketone derivatives and decrease to 5 Hz in their thio analogues. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Photochemical Reaction of Vinylaziridines and Vinylazetidines with Chromium(0) and Molybdenum(0) (Fischer) Carbene Complexes

The [5+2] and [6+2] cycloaddition reactions of vinylaziridines and vinylazetidines with ketenes generated photochemically from chromium(0) and molybdenum(0) Fischer carbene complexes have been investigated. These processes constitute a straightforward and efficient route to azepanones and azocinones, respectively. The peculiar electronic properties of the metalated ketenes allow for the introduction of electron‐rich substituents in the final cycloadducts, a difficult task using conventional organic chemistry procedures. The versatility of the process is demonstrated by using Cr⁰ Fischer bis(carbene) complexes as metalated bis(ketene) precursors. These species produce tethered bis(azepanone)s in a single step under mild reaction conditions. Density functional theory calculations point to a stepwise reaction pathway through the initial nucleophilic attack of the nitrogen atom of the aziridine on the metalated ketene, followed by ring closure of the zwitterionic intermediate formed.     

Unusual Metal–Metal Bonding in a Dinuclear Pt–Au Complex: Snapshot of a Transmetalation Process

The dinuclear Pt–Au complex [(CNC)(PPh₃)Pt Au(PPh₃)](ClO₄) ( 2 ) (CNC=2,6‐diphenylpyridinate) was prepared. Its crystal structure shows a rare metal–metal bonding situation, with very short Pt–Au and Au–C_ipso(CNC) distances and dissimilar Pt–C_ipso(CNC) bonds. Multinuclear NMR spectra of 2 show the persistence of the Pt–Au bond in solution and the occurrence of unusual fluxional behavior involving the [Pt^II] and [Au^I] metal fragments. The [Pt^II]??? [Au^I] interaction has been thoroughly studied by means of DFT calculations. The observed bonding situation in 2 can be regarded as a model for an intermediate in a transmetalation process.