Geometrical effects on the intramolecular quenching of pi,pi* aromatic ketones by phenols and indoles

Laser flash photolysis of a series of bichromophoric compounds 1-12 containing the 2-benzoylthiophene (BT) and phenol (PhOH) or indole (InH) moieties has been used to determine the possible geometrical effects in the intramolecular quenching of triplet excited ketones, resulting in formal hydrogen abstraction. The results are compared with those obtained in the intermolecular process. In both cases, substitution either at the thienyl or the phenyl moiety has a marked influence on the photoreactivity. Time-resolved experiments showed that the rate constants for bimolecular quenching by phenol and indole of 2-benzoylthiophene substituted at the thienyl 5-position were lower than those for BT substituted at the phenyl p-position, which agrees with the higher energy found for the excited triplet state of the latter compounds. However, the rate constant for hydrogen abstraction in the bichromophoric compounds by the pi,pi* triplet state of the derivatives with the spacer linked to the thienyl 5-position are higher than those of their regioisomers. These results indicate a possible geometry-dependence in the intramolecular quenching process. Theoretical DFT studies have been carried out in order to estimate the optimum conformation for hydrogen abstraction in two pairs of phenolic and indolic bichromophoric regioisomers. The energy profile for photoactivation/deactivation of the aromatic ketone and the structures of the triplet states and biradicals involved in the process have been determined. The observed regiodifferentiation in the experimental studies is consistent with a dependence of the rate constant on orbital overlap between the carbonyl oxygen and the X-H bonds.     

On the triplet state of poly(N-vinylcarbazole)

Triplet state properties including transient triplet absorption spectrum, intersystem crossing yields in solution at room temperature and phosphorescence spectra, quantum yields and lifetimes at low temperature as well as singlet oxygen yields were obtained for poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) in 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF), cyclohexane or benzene. The results allow the determination of the energy value for the lowest lying triplet state and also show that triplet formation and deactivation is a minor route for relaxation of the lowest excited singlet state of PVK. In addition, they show the triplet state is at higher energy than reported heavy metal dopants used for electrophosphorescent devices, such that if this is used as a host it will not quench their luminescence.     

Excited state properties of a new photoinitiating system for laser imaging applications

The design of an efficient photosenzitizer/photoinitiator combination is partly governed by a better understanding of the excited state processes involved. In the present paper, the photochemistry of a thiopyrylium salt (TP) as photosensitizer and of a tetraperester of benzophenone, tetra t-butyl peroxycarbonylbenzophenone (BTTB) as initiator, used in laser imaging applications has been investigated. The reactivity of the triplet states of both compounds BTTB and TP was studied by time-resolved laser absorption spectroscopy. The laser excitation of TP leads to a long-lived triplet state (lifetime 20–25 μsec) and a second species arising from the triplet state which cannot yet be characterized. Under laser excitation, BTTB gives a longlived transient arising from the cleavage of the peroxy bond. The short-lived triplet state cannot be observed on the nanosecond timescale. The triplet state lifetime has been evaluated from quenching experiments and found to be about 1 ns in acetonitrile. The deactivation of the TP triplet state by BTTP was considered, the deactivation constant was found to be equal to 6.6 × 10⁷ m^?1/sec in acetonitrile. The initiation mechanism is discussed.     

Catalysis of radiationless transitions in anthracene by coordination compounds of cobalt

Complexes of Co²⁺ with EDTA, cyclohexanediamine tetraacetate (CHDTA), and diethylenetriamine pentaacetate(DTPA)have been used with the triplet state of anthracene at 25 C in ethylene glycol. The deactivation rate increases with the concentration of the addend. Kinetic spectrophotometry has been used to determine the rate constants for deactivation; the results are compared with those for analogous compounds of nickel [1]. The deactivation rate is dependent on the central atom and on the addend. It is supposed that deactivation occurs by formation of a charge-transfer complex between the molecule in the triplet state and the metal ion by interaction between vacant or partly filled d-orbitals on the metal ion and a molecular orbital of the anthracene. The nominal stability constants of the cobalt complexes are deduced from the deactivation rate constants.We are indebted to L. I. Budarin for valuable advice and for discussions.     

Preparation, photophysics, and electrochemistry of segmented comonomers consisting of thiophene and pyrimidine units: new monomers for hybrid copolymers

An efficient coupling route to novel pi-conjugated comonomers consisting of pyrimidine, thiophene, and bithiophene units was developed. The novel pi-donor-acceptor-donor and pi-donor-acceptor-acceptor-donor conjugated compounds were prepared by Suzuki heterocoupling and Ni(0)-mediated Ullman homocoupling reactions. Photophysical investigation of these alternating pi-donor and acceptor compounds indicated that the deactivation of their singlet excited state proceeds predominately by fluorescence and results in high fluorescence quantum yields. Intersystem crossing to the triplet state was also present in ca. 10%. Quantification of the triplet manifold by laser flash photolysis further revealed that bithiophene produced its triplet state in only 31%. Cyclic voltammetry studies showed that the comonomers undergo both oxidation and reduction leading to their radical cations and radical anions, respectively. The radical cations are highly reactive and undergo anodic polymerization resulting in mutual p- and n-type dopable polymers. The extended conjugation resulting from polymer formation was confirmed by both absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy and by GPC. Ruthenium binding with the conjugated homocoupled ligand was also found resulting in a hybrid alternating copolymer with significantly different spectroscopic and electrochemical properties relative to its metal-free counterpart.     

QUENCHING OF OXONINE EXCITED STATES BY EDTA VIA ELECTRON TRANSFER AND DEACTIVATION PROCESSES. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EXCITED SINGLET AND TRIPLET STATE REACTIVITY

The quenching of excited singlet oxonine by EDTA in aqueous solution leads mainly to deactivation of the dye to the ground state and, to a lesser extent, to electron abstraction. The rate constants for these processes have been measured and compared to those for the same reactions involving the oxonine triplet state. The rate constant of electron abstraction is about ten times greater via the singlet state than via the triplet state. However, the rate constant of deactivation to the ground state is 10³-10⁴ times greater for the excited singlet state than for the triplet state, so that the efficiency of electron transfer is much smaller for the singlet state.     

Characterization of the Excited States of Indigo Derivatives in their Reduced Forms

A comprehensive characterization of the electronic spectral and photophysical properties of the leuco (reduced) form of several indigo derivatives, including indigo and Tyrian Purple, with di‐, tetra‐, and hexa‐substitution, was obtained in solution. The characterization involves absorption, fluorescence, and triplet–triplet absorption spectra, together with quantitative measurements of quantum yields of fluorescence, ?_F (0.46–0.04), intersystem crossing, ?_T (0.013–0.034), internal conversion, ?_IC, and the corresponding lifetimes. The position and degree of substitution promote differences in the spectral and photophysical properties displayed by the investigated leuco derivatives. The ?_F values are about two orders of magnitude higher than those previously obtained for the corresponding keto forms. Also in contrast with the behavior found for the keto forms, the S₁～～→T₁ intersystem crossing is an efficient route for the excited‐state deactivation channel. These findings strengthen the fact that, in contrast to keto indigo where the internal conversion dominates the deactivation of the excited‐state, with leuco indigo (and derivatives), the excited state deactivation involves competition between internal conversion, triplet state formation, and fluorescence. A time‐resolved investigation of one of the compounds in glycerol showed the presence of a photoisomerization process.     

Dimers of and tautomerism between 2-pyrimidinethiol and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione: a density functional theory (DFT) study

Density functional theory (BLYP, B3LYP, B3P86, B3PW91) with the 6-31+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), and cc-pVTZ basis sets has been used to calculate structural parameters, relative energies, and vibrational spectra of 2-pyrimidinethiol (1) and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione (2) and their hydrogen-bonded homodimers (C(2) 3, C(2h) [4](double dagger), C(2h) 5), monohydrates, and dihydrates and a heterodimer (6). Several transition state structures proposed for the tautomerization process have also been examined. At the B3PW91/6-311+G(d,p)//B3PW91/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory 2-pyrimidinethiol (1) is predicted to be 3.41 kcal/mol more stable (E(rel)) than 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione (2) in the gas phase and 2 is predicted to be 6.47 kcal/mol more stable than 1 in aqueous medium. An unfavorable planar intramolecular strained four center transition state (TS1) for the tautomerization of 1 and 2 in the gas-phase lies 29.07 kcal/mol higher in energy than 2-pyrimidinethiol (1). The C(2) 2-pyrimidinethiol dimer (3) is 6.84 kcal/mol lower in energy than the C(2) homodimer transition state structure ([11](double dagger)) that connects dimers 3 and 4. Transition state [11](double dagger) provides a facile pathway for tautomerization between 1 and 2 in the gas phase (monomer-dimer promoted tautomerization). The hydrogen bonded 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -H(2)O and 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -2H(2)O structures are predicted to be 1.27 and 1.55 kcal/mol, respectively, higher in energy than 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione- - -H(2)O and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione- - -2H(2)O. Water promoted tautomerization via cyclic transition states involving one water molecule (TS- - -H(2)O, [12](double dagger)) and two water molecules (TS- - -2H(2)O, [13](double dagger)) lie 11.42 and 11.44 kcal/mol, respectively, higher in energy than 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -H(2)O and 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -2H(2)O. Thus, the hydrated transition states [12](double dagger) and [13](double dagger) are involved in the tautomerism between 1 and 2 in aqueous medium.     

Singlet and Triplet Excited States and Intersystem Crossing in Free‐Base Porphyrin: TDDFT and DFT/MRCI Study

Extensive time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) and DFT/multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations are performed on the singlet and triplet excited states of free-base porphyrin, with emphasis on intersystem crossing processes. The equilibrium geometries, as well as the vertical and adiabatic excitation energies of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states are determined. Single and double proton-transfer reactions in the first excited singlet state are explored. Harmonic vibrational frequencies are calculated at the equilibrium geometries of the ground state and of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states. Furthermore, spin–orbit coupling matrix elements of the lowest singlet and triplet states and their numerical derivatives with respect to nuclear displacements are computed. It is shown that opening of an unprotonated pyrrole ring as well as excited-state single and double proton transfer inside the porphyrin cavity lead to crossings of the potential energy curves of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states. It is also found that displacements along out-of-plane normal modes of the first excited singlet state cause a significant increase of the 2|H_so|S₁>, 1|H_so|S₁>, and 1|H_so|S₀> spin–orbit coupling matrix elements. These phenomena lead to efficient radiationless deactivation of the lowest excited states of free-base porphyrin via intercombination conversion. In particular, the S₁→T₁ population transfer is found to proceed at a rate of ≈10⁷ s⁻¹ in the isolated molecule.     

Ultrafast Deactivation Mechanism of the Excited Singlet in the Light‐Induced Spin Crossover of [Fe(2,2′‐bipyridine)3]2+

The mechanism of the light‐induced spin crossover of the [Fe(bpy)₃]²⁺ complex (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) has been studied by combining accurate electronic‐structure calculations and time‐dependent approaches to calculate intersystem‐crossing rates. We investigate how the initially excited metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) singlet state deactivates to the final metastable high‐spin state. Although ultrafast X‐ray free‐electron spectroscopy has established that the total timescale of this process is on the order of a few tenths of a picosecond, the details of the mechanisms still remain unclear. We determine all the intermediate electronic states along the pathway from low spin to high spin and give estimates for the deactivation times of the different stages. The calculations result in a total deactivation time on the same order of magnitude as the experimentally determined rate and indicate that the complex can reach the final high‐spin state by means of different deactivation channels. The optically populated excited singlet state rapidly decays to a triplet state with an Fe d⁶(${{\rm t}{{5\hfill \atop {\rm 2g}\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm e}{{1\hfill \atop {\rm g}\hfill}}}$ ) configuration either directly or by means of a triplet MLCT state. This triplet ligand‐field state could in principle decay directly to the final quintet state, but a much faster channel is provided by internal conversion to a lower‐lying triplet state and subsequent intersystem crossing to the high‐spin state. The deactivation rate to the low‐spin ground state is much smaller, which is in line with the large quantum yield reported for the process.     

Stereodifferentiation in the decay of triplets and biradicals involved in intramolecular hydrogen transfer from phenols or indoles to pi,pi aromatic ketones

Laser flash photolysis studies on (R,S) and (S,S) diastereoisomers of the bichromophoric compounds 1-6 have been used to investigate the possible chiral discrimination in the quenching of triplet excited ketones, resulting in formal hydrogen abstraction. Deuterium isotopic effects show that triplet deactivation in these bichromophores is dominated by hydrogen atom transfer. A remarkable stereodifferentiation is found in the intramolecular quenching of the ketone triplets of 1-3 and 5 by the phenolic or indolic moieties, either in methanol or acetonitrile as solvents. This indicates the existence of specific structural requirements for hydrogen transfer. On the other hand, the lifetimes of the generated biradicals show large solvent dependence; solvation appears to slow their reversion to the starting ketone. The considerable stereodifferentiation observed for the biradical lifetimes suggests that the kinetics of biradical decay is faster when the approach of the two radical termini becomes easier.     

Diels-Alder reaction between indoles and cyclohexadienes photocatalyzed by pi,pi aromatic ketones

[structure: see text] Diels-Alder reactions between indoles and cyclohexadienes can be photocatalyzed by benzoylthiophenes. Both experimental and theoretical studies show that the reactions occur through ternary excited triplet state complexes (triplet triplexes).     

KINETIC STUDIES OF THE TRYPTOPHAN TRIPLET STATE IN SOLID FILM AND IN WOOL KERATIN

Abstract— The triplet state of tryptophan in the solid environments of a polyvinyl alcohol) (PVA) film and the protein wool keratin has been studied by emission and absorption spectroscopy at room temperature. The decay kinetics of the triplet state vary depending on the conditions under which the study is made. The observation of second order kinetics suggests triplet-triplet interactions play a major role in the deactivation of the tryptophan triplet state in PVA films plasticised by the presence of water vapour. For wool keratin in the presence of air the major mechanism appears to be a first order reaction between tryptophan residues and oxygen. The actual effects of moisture and oxygen on the tryptophan triplet state are discussed.     

Triplet acetylenes as synthetic equivalents of 1,2-bicarbenes: phantom n,pi state controls reactivity in triplet photocycloaddition

Diaryl acetylenes, in which one of the aryl groups is either a pyridine or a pyrazine, undergo efficient triplet state photocycloaddition to 1,4-cyclohexadiene with formation of 1,5-diaryl substituted tetracyclo[3.3.0.0(2,8).0(4,6)]octanes (homoquadricyclanes). In the case of pyrazinyl acetylenes, the primary homoquadricyclane products undergo a secondary photochemical rearangement leading to diaryl substituted tricyclo[3.2.1.0(4,6)]oct-2-enes. Mechanistic and photophysical studies suggest that photocycloaddition proceeds through an electrophilic triplet excited state whereas the subsequent rearrangement to the tricyclooctenes proceeds through a singlet excited state. Chemical and quantum yields for the cycloaddition, in general, correlate with the electron acceptor character of aryl substituents but are attenuated by photophysical factors, such as the competition between the conversion of acetylene singlet excited state into the reactive triplet excited states (intersystem crossing: ISC) and/or to the radical-anion (photoelectron transfer from the diene to the excited acetylene: PET). Dramatically enhanced ISC between pi-pi S(1) state and "phantom" n,pi triplet excited state is likely to be important in directing reactivity to the triplet pathway. The role of PET can be minimized by the judicious choice of reaction conditions (solvent, concentration, etc.). From a practical perspective, such reactions are interesting because "capping" of the triple bond with the polycyclic framework orients the terminal aryl (4-pyridyl, 4-tetrafluoropyridyl, phenyl, etc.) groups in an almost perfect 60 degrees angle and renders such molecules promising supramolecular building blocks, especially in the design of metal coordination polymers.     

Femtosecond time-resolved photophysics of 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimides

The photophysical properties of a tetrahedral molecule with naphthalene diimide (NDI) moieties and of two model compounds were investigated. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of dialkyl-substituted NDI are in agreement with literature. While the absorption spectra of phenyl-substituted molecules are similar to all other NDIs, their fluorescence showed a broad band between 500 and 650 nm. This band is sensitive to the polarity of the solvent and is attributed to a CT state. The absorption spectra and lifetime (10+/-2 ps) of the electronically excited singlet state of a dialkyl-substituted NDI was determined by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and the latter was confirmed by picosecond fluorescence spectroscopy. Nanosecond flash photolysis showed the subsequent formation of the triplet state. The presence of a phenyl substituent on the imide nitrogen of NDI resulted in faster deactivation of the singlet state (lifetime 0.5-1 ps). This is attributed to the formation of a short-lived CT state, which decays to the local triplet state. The faster deactivation was confirmed by fluorescence lifetime measurements in solution and in a low-temperature methyl-tetrahydrofuran glass.     

Theoretical studies of the photochemical dynamics of acetylacetone: isomerzation, dissociation, and dehydration reactions

The potential energy surfaces of the C-O cleavage, rotational isomerization, keto-enolic tautomerization, and dehydration reactions of acetylacetone in the lowest triplet and ground states have been determined using the complete active space self-consistent field and density functional theory methods. The main photochemical mechanism obtained indicates that the acetylacetone molecule in the S(2)((1)pipi*) state can relax to the T(1)((3)pipi*) state via the S(2)-S(1) vibronic interaction and an S(1)/T(1)/T(2) intersection. The C-O fission pathway is the predominant dissociation process in the T(1)((3)pipi) state. Rotational isomerization reactions proceed difficultly in the ground state but very easily in the T(1)((3)pipi*) state. Keto-enolic tautomerization takes place with little probability for acetylacetone in the gas phase.     

A theory of nonvertical triplet energy transfer in terms of accurate potential energy surfaces: the transfer reaction from pi,pi* triplet donors to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene

Triplet energy transfer (TET) from aromatic donors to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) is an extreme case of "nonvertical" behavior, where the transfer rate for low-energy donors is considerably faster than that predicted for a thermally activated (Arrhenius) process. To explain the anomalous TET of COT and other molecules, a new theoretical model based on transition state theory for nonadiabatic processes is proposed here, which makes use of the adiabatic potential energy surfaces (PES) of reactants and products, as computed from high-level quantum mechanical methods, and a nonadiabatic transfer rate constant. It is shown that the rate of transfer depends on a geometrical distortion parameter gamma=(2g(2)/kappa(1))(1/2) in which g stands for the norm of the energy gradient in the PES of the acceptor triplet state and kappa(1) is a combination of vibrational force constants of the ground-state acceptor in the gradient direction. The application of the model to existing experimental data for the triplet energy transfer reaction to COT from a series of pi,pi(*) triplet donors, provides a detailed interpretation of the parameters that determine the transfer rate constant. In addition, the model shows that the observed decrease of the acceptor electronic excitation energy is due to thermal activation of C=C bond stretchings and C-C bond torsions, which collectively change the ground-state COT bent conformation (D(2d)) toward a planar triplet state (D(8h)).     

Mapping the triplet potential energy surface of 1-methyl-8-nitronaphthalene

Spin-unrestricted calculations and time-dependent DFT were used to characterize structure and reactivity of 1-methyl-8-nitronaphthalene (1) in the triplet state. Four hybrid models (B3LYP, PBE0, MPW1K, BHLYP) with significantly different amount of the exact exchange were employed. The triplet potential energy surface of 1 was mapped by using the UB3LYP and UMPW1K techniques. Both hybrid models provided qualitatively consistent pictures for the potential energy landscape. Thirty-one stationary points, of which 15 were minima, were found at the UB3LYP level of theory. Three minima corresponding to the nitro form of 1 were located on the triplet surface; just one was found for the singlet ground state. Two reaction paths leading from 1 either to a nitrite-type intermediate (2) or to the aci-form (3) were characterized. For both paths, reaction products were of diradical nature. The lower activation energy was obtained for the triplet-state tautomerization affording 3. The ground state of triplet multiplicity was predicted for two isomers of the aci-form. The triplet diradical 3 is expected to react through the thermal population of a close-lying singlet excited state. The results are discussed in relation to mechanisms of photoinduced rearrangements of peri-substituted nitronaphthalenes that can be used to develop novel photolabile protecting groups.     

Photophysical properties of 2,5-diphenyl-1,6,6a-trithiapentalene revealed by time-resolved spectroscopy

The fluorescence decay from S2(pi, pi*) state of 2,5-diphenyl-1,6,6a-trithiapentalene (DP-TTP) in cyclohexane, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile solutions of a quantum yield of approximately 0.02-0.04 were measured. The results indicate that, the dominant process of radiationless deactivation of the S2 state, is internal conversion to the S1 state. Upon laser pulse excitation (lambda(ex) = 532 nm) from the S1(pi, pi*) state, DP-TTP in deoxygenated benzonitrile, acetonitrile, ethanol and tetrahydrofuran solutions give rise to transient triplet triplet absorption (lambdaTmax = 700-720 nm). Kinetic data are presented for intrinsic triplet lifetimes, self-quenching and quenching by oxygen.     

On the influence of silver perchlorate on the lowest triplet state properties of N-vinylcarbazole

N-vinylcarbazole is non-phosphorescent due to effective radiationless deactivation of the triplet state but forms a ground state complex with silver ions which is phosphorescent. Two different complexes are observed. From their phosphorescence spectra the T₁ state energy of N-vinylcarbazole is estimated to be 24000 cm⁻¹.