In search of the dark state of 5-methyl-2-hydroxypyrimidine using a numerical DFT/MRCI gradient

In a recent publication, Lobsiger et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 12, 5032 (2010)] presented infrared and electronic absorption spectra of supersonic jet-cooled 5-methyl-2-hydroxypyrimidine (5M2HP), the enol form of deoxythymine. In addition, they reported on the fast nonradiative decay of the S₁ population to a dark state. In the present paper, we have investigated the mechanism and rate constants of this nonradiative decay by means of quantum chemical multi-configuration methods. To this end, minima of the lowest excited singlet and triplet states as well as the minimum-energy crossing point of singlet and triplet potential energy hypersurfaces (PEHs) have been determined employing a numerical DFT/MRCI gradient where DFT/MRCI stands for a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and a semi-empirical multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) approach. Rate constants have been calculated in the Condon approximation using a time-dependent approach based on harmonic oscillator functions and electronic spin–orbit coupling matrix elements evaluated at the DFT/MRCI level. It is shown that the first excited triplet state possesses ³(n?→?π*) character in the gas phase. Fast intersystem crossing is mediated by the low-lying ³(π?→?π*) state whose PEH crosses both, the S₁ ¹(n?→?π*) and T₁ ³(n?→?π*) PEHs.     

The lowest metal-to-bipyridine charge-transfer excited state of [Cr(2,2′-bipyridine)(CO)4]

The DV-Xα molecular-orbital calculations have been carried out on [Crbpy(CO)₄](bpy,2,2′-bipyridine) and its electron attachment and detachment products. The one-electron attachment of [Crbpy(CO)₄] yields a complex of bipyridine anion radical, while the one-electron detachment results in ionization of the central metal atom. The lowest excited state of [Crbpy(CO)₄] is the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state which consists of the bipyridine anion radical and the central metal ionized. The transition-state calculation predicts the lowest MLCT excited states at around 23～30×10³ cm^?1 and the lowest bipyridine (π,π^*) excitations at 36×10³ cm^?1 and 42～45×10³ cm^?1. The calculation also concludes that the MLCT excitation induces a counter migration of the other electrons not directly involved in the charge-transfer excitation. The configuration-interaction calculations predict the lowest MLCT excited singlet states at around 21～35×10³ cm^?1 and the lowest bipyridine (π, π^*) excited singlet states at 42～62×10³ cm^?1, while the emissive lowest MLCT triplet state is at 17×10³ cm^?1. The transition moments evaluated with the transition-state wavefunctions can reproduce qualitatively the observed absorption spectral profile. The intensity of the MLCT transitions is obtained from the allowed (π, π^*) transitions of coordinated bipyridine but is not due to the intrinsic transition moments of MLCT excitations.     

Ab initio MRCI+Q study on the low-lying excited states of the PBr radical including spin–orbit coupling†

High-level ab initio calculations have been performed on the PBr radical by using multi-reference configuration interaction method plus Davidson correction (+Q) with correlation-consistent quadruple-ζ quality basis set. The potential energy curves (PECs) of the 22 Λ–S states of PBr have been obtained, most of which are reported for the first time. From the PECs of the bound states, the spectroscopic constants have been determined, in good agreement with the experimental results where available. Due to the large state density, there exhibits complicated interactions in the electronic excited states of PBr. The possible interactions by the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) effect have been discussed based on the evaluated R-dependent spin–orbit matrix elements. The 51 Ω states, generating from the 22 Λ–S states after taking SOC into account, have been computed. The Λ–S component analysis of the wavefunctions for the Ω states indicates the strong interaction of the Λ–S states especially at the avoided crossing points and near the dissociation limits. Finally, the transition dipole moments of several transitions arising from upper Ω states to the X₁0⁺ and X₂1 states and the corresponding radiative lifetimes have been studied. Our calculation results provide new information that should be valuable for further experimental studies on the electronic excited states of the PBr radical.     

Excited state geometry optimisation using Fock-space multi-reference coupled cluster method

The Fock-space multi-reference coupled cluster method is used for the geometry optimisation of the low-lying excited states of the molecules. Molecular geometries of the carbon monohydride cation (CH)⁺, water (H₂O), ozone (O₃) and formaldehyde (HCHO) in their low-lying excited states are optimised. Excited state gradients are calculated using finite field multi-reference coupled cluster method. We compare our results with other theoretical and/or experimental results, wherever available.     

Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer and Electronic Coupling Interactions in π- Expanded Imidazole Derivatives

An intramolecular excited charge transfer (CT) analysis of imidazole derivatives has been made. The determined electronic transition dipole moments has been used to estimate the electronic coupling interactions between the excited charge transfer singlet state (¹CT) and the ground state (S₀) or the locally excited state (¹LE). The properties of excited ¹CT state imidazole derivatives have been exploited by the significant contribution of the electronic coupling interactions. The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) analysis has also been discussed.     

Absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy of the 1Bu state of trans‐1,3,5‐hexatriene including vibronic coupling

The vibronic coupling between the first excited S₁ (2¹A_g) and the second excited S₂ (1¹B_u) singlet electronic states in spectroscopy of trans‐1,3,5‐hexatriene molecule is investigated on the basis of a model consisting of two electronic states coupled by two vibrational modes. Employing a perturbation theory that treats the intramolecular couplings in a perturbative manner, the absorption and resonance Raman cross sections and excitation profiles of this molecule are calculated using the time‐correlation function formalism. The non‐Condon corrections are included in evaluation of cross sections. The multidimensional time‐domain integrals that arise in these calculations have been evaluated for the case in which S₀ (1¹A_g) S₂ (1¹B_u) electronic transition takes place between displaced and distorted harmonic potential energy surfaces. The calculated spectra are in good agreement with the experimental ones. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics of Prompt Fluorescence Decay in Rubrene Films. Manifestations of the Migration of T Excitons

The kinetics of fast fluorescence decay in organic semiconductors due to the splitting of the excited singlet state S₁ into a pair of triplet (T) excitons is significantly influenced by the process of reverse TT annihilation. It is shown that a correct interpretation of this effect requires taking into account the stochastic migration of T excitons. A two-state model (TSM) is proposed for describing the effect of migration on the kinetics of TT annihilation and, thus, on the kinetics of the fission of the S₁ state. In the TSM, the migration effect is interpreted in terms of transitions between the [TT] state of the interacting excitons (at small T?T distances) and the [T + T] state of freely diffusing excitons (at large T?T distances). Within the framework of the TSM, an analytical expression for the fluorescence decay kinetics (FDK) \(I_{S_1 } (t)\) from the S₁ state is derived. This expression is used to describe the FDK measured in amorphous rubrene films in the absence of the magnetic field (B = 0) and in the magnetic field B = 8.1 kG. Adjusting the parameters of the model makes it possible to reproduce the experimentally measured FDK with good accuracy. An analysis of the theoretical FDK obtained revealed a significant contribution of T migration to \(I_{S_1 } (t)\), which manifests itself, in particular, in the characteristic dependence \(I_{S_1 } (t) \sim t^{ - 3/2}\) at long times.     

飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱用于研究β-胡萝卜素单重激发态内转换和振动弛豫过程

搭建了飞秒时间分辨受激拉曼光谱(FSRS)装置,并用于研究全反式β-胡萝卜素单重电子激发态超快内转换和振动弛豫过程.基于三脉冲“抽运-探测”方案搭建的时间分辨受激拉曼光谱装置同时实现了150fs的时间分辨率和23.7cm^-1的光谱分辨率,光谱检测范围为300—4000cm^-1.对全反式β-胡萝卜素电子激发态的飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱研究表明,β-胡萝卜素被激发到S₂态后,经由寿命约为0.3ps的中间态S_X态实 关键词： 飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱 β-胡萝卜素 激发态内转换 振动弛豫     

Multi-reference coupled-cluster study of the ionic-neutral curve crossing LiF

The recently developed exponential multi-reference wavefunction ansatz [J. Chem. Phys. 123 (2005) 84102] and the single-reference formalism multi-reference coupled cluster ansatz [J. Chem. Phys. 94 (1991) 1229] are applied to calculate the potential energy surface of LiF. The avoided crossing region for the ionic and the covalent ¹Σ⁺ states are analysed using plain self-consistent field and state averaged complete active space orbitals. Additionally, dipole moments are reported. All results are discussed and compared with full and multi-reference configuration interaction calculations.     

Electronic states and spectroscopic properties of MgH in absence and presence of spin–orbit coupling − a configuration interaction study

Electronic spectrum of astrophysically important molecule magnesium hydride (MgH) has been studied using configuration interaction methodology excluding and including spin–orbit coupling. Potential energy curves of several spin-independent (Λ?S) electronic states have been constructed and spectroscopic constants of low-lying bound Λ?S states within 8.2 eV of term energy are reported in the first stage of calculations. The X²Σ⁺ is identified as the ground state in the Λ?S level. In the subsequent stage, the spin–orbit interaction has been incorporated and its effects on the potential energy curves and spectroscopic features of different electronic states of the species have been investigated. The X²Σ⁺_1/2 is identified as the spin–orbit (Ω) ground state of the species. Transition moments of several dipole-allowed transitions are computed in both the stages and radiative lifetimes of the corresponding excited states are computed. Electric dipole moments (µ) for a number of low-lying bound Λ?S states as well as several low-lying Ω-states are also calculated in the present study.     

黄芩素激发态分子内质子转移耦合电荷转移反应的实验和理论研究

通过稳态光谱实验和量子化学计算相结合,研究了黄芩素激发态质子转移耦合电荷转移的反应. 实验和计算中S₁态吸收峰的缺失表明S₁态是暗态. S₁暗态导致在实验中观察不到黄芩素在乙醇溶液中的荧光峰,且固体的荧光峰很弱. 黄芩素分子的前线分子轨道和电荷差异密度表明S₁态是电荷转移态,然而S₂态是局域激发态. 计算的黄芩素分子的势能曲线在激发态只有一个稳定点,这表明了黄芩素激发态分子内质子转移的过程是一个无     

Role of charge-transfer complexes in oxygen quenching of excited states of anthracene derivatives in the gas phase

Oxygen quenching of excited triplet and singlet states of gas-phase anthracene and its derivatives that have similar energies of the lower triplet levels but widely different oxidation potentials (0.44 < E_ox < 1.89 V) was studied. Quenching rate constants for singlet (k_S^O2) and triplet (k_T^O2) states in addition to the fraction of oxygen-quenched singlet and triplet states q_{S 1}(T₁^O2 were determined from the decay rates, fluorescence intensities, and delayed fluorescence as functions of oxygen pressure. It was found that k_S^O2 values vary from 2·10⁴ (9,10-dicyanoanthracene) to 1.2·10⁷ sec⁻¹·torr⁻¹ (anthracene, 9-methylanthracene, 2-aminoanthracene) and k_S^O2 values from 5·10² to 1·10⁵ sec⁻¹·torr⁻¹. The k_S^O2 values for anthracene, 9-methylanthracene, and 2-aminoanthracene, which have fast rates of interconversion from S₁ to T₁, are close to the rate constants for gas-kinetic collisions and are independent of the oxidation potentials (E_ox). The quenching rate constants k_S^O2 for the other anthracene derivatives and k_T^O2 for all studied compounds decrease with increasing free energy of electron transfer ΔG_ET, which indicates the important role of charge-transfer interactions in the oxygen quenching of singlet S_1- and triplet T₁ states. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 1, pp. 36–42, January–February, 2008.     

从头计算研究BCl+基态和激发态的势能曲线和光谱性质

基于相关一致极化4zeta(aug-cc-pVQZ)基组, 应用量子化学从头计算中高水平的多参考组态相互作用方法计算了BCl⁺ 两个离解极限B⁺(¹S_g)+Cl(²P_u)和B (²P_u)+Cl⁺ (³P_g)的14个Λ-S态势能曲线. 在计算中考虑了Davidson修正(+Q)和标量相对论效应, 并首次在计算中考虑了BCl⁺ 的旋轨耦合效应, 获得了由能量最低的4个Λ-S态分裂出的7个Ω 态. 计算结果表明相同对称性的Ω 态的势能曲线存在着非常明显的避免交叉. 通过分析Λ-S态的电子结构, 得到了各态的电子跃迁特性, 并确认了电子态的多组态性质. 使用LEVEL程序通过求解径向的Schrödinger方程得到了束缚Λ-S 和Ω态的光谱参数D_e, R_e, T_e, ω_e, ω_eχ_e和B_e. 通过和已有的Λ-S态X²∑⁺ 的实验数据进行对比发现, 本文所得的计算结果与实验结果非常一致. 而文中其他电子态的光谱参数均为首次报道. 关键词： 势能曲线 光谱参数 多参考组态相互作用方法 旋轨耦合     

Quasi-relativistic treatment of the low-lying KCs states

The potential energy curves, permanent and transition dipole moments as well as spin-orbit and angular coupling matrix elements between the KCs electronic states converging to the lowest three dissociation limits were evaluated in the basis of the spin-averaged wavefunctions corresponding to pure Hund’s coupling case (a). The quasi-relativistic matrix elements have been obtained for a wide range of internuclear distance by using of small (9-electrons) effective core pseudopotentials of both atoms. The core-valence correlation has been accounted for a large scale multi-reference configuration interaction method combined with semi-empirical core polarization potentials. The static dipole polarizabilities of the ground X¹Σ⁺ and a³Σ⁺ states were extracted from the closed-shell coupled-cluster energies by the finite-field method. Among the singlet and triplet Σ⁺ states manifold the pronounced avoided crossing effect between repulsive walls of the (2,3)³Σ⁺ states has been discovered and analyzed by finite-difference calculation of radial coupling matrix elements. The resulting transition dipole moments and potentials were used to predict radiative lifetimes and emission branching ratios of excited vibronic states while the calculated angular coupling matrix elements were transformed to Λ-doubling constants of the (1,2)¹Π states and magnetic g-factor of the ground state. The accuracies of the present results are discussed by comparing with experimental data and preceding calculations.     

Pseudo-Jahn–Teller effect in Si4X4 (X = F,Cl, Br,I) molecules: a theoretical investigation

ABSTRACT

The variability of planar rings in Si₄X₄ (X?=?F, Cl, Br, I) molecules caused by the pseudo-Jahn–Teller impact (PJTE) was evaluated as an original PJTE work. Optimisation and the following frequency calculations in these molecules illustrated that in high-symmetry planar (with D_4h symmetry) geometry, all of these compounds were unstable and their structures were puckered to lower C_2h symmetry stable geometry. Furthermore, the vibronic coupling interaction between ¹A_1g ground and the first ¹E_g excited states through (¹A_1g?+?¹E_g) ? e_g PJTE problem was the cause of non-planarity of the four-member ring and the symmetry breaking phenomenon in those series. The calculated gaps (Δ) between the ground state and the E_g excited state, the vibronic coupling (F) and ground state primary force constant values (k₁) were obtained from the numerical fitting of the ground state adiabatic potential energy surface with the analytical expressions of these molecules. Finally, natural bond analysis (NBO) was used for the design of the strongest interaction and natural atomic charges of these structures.     

Ab initio SCF CI study of the electronic spectrum of s-tetrazine

Configuration interaction (CI) studies of ground, n→ π* and π→ π* electronically excited states are reported for s-tetrazine. The first n→ π* singlet excited state (¹ B _3u ), which is responsible for the purple-red colour of the molecule, is calculated at 2·80 eV, compared to the experimental transition energy of 2·22–2·70 eV. The singlet-triplet split of the first n→ π* states (¹ B _3u and ³ B _3u states) is calculated to be 0·76 eV.

The interaction of nitrogen lone pair orbitals (n-orbitals) is studied in terms of the ordering of the n π* excited states and found that the SCF orbital ordering is qualitatively in accord with the ordering of the n π* excited states in the CI level.

The first π→ π* excited state (¹ B _2u ) is calculated at 5·99 eV, slightly above the observed range of absorption. Numerous other high-lying singlet states as well as the triplet states have been calculated and they are used to verify several proposals relating to the excited state dynamics in the photo-physical studies of s-tetrazine.     

Investigation of reactions from the highest excited states of molecules by fluorescent spectroscopy methods

The effect of the highest excited states on the yield of photoproducts that are usually formed upon excitation of the first singlet electronic state of polyatomic molecules is discussed. It is shown that the excitation of molecular objects through the highest singlet states can, in some cases, increase the yield of reaction products. This allows one to estimate the probabilities of reactions from the corresponding states. The consideration concerns a wide range of primary photoreactions, including the electronic density redistribution (the intramolecular electron transfer) in the excited state, the protolytic reactions, the intramolecular proton transfer (the phototautomerization), the hydrogen bond formation, and the formation of excimers and exciplexes. The relations obtained are used to analyze the experimental fluorescence spectra of 3-hydroxyflavone solutions, excited by electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths in the region of the S ₁, S ₂, and S ₃ absorption bands. The analysis fulfilled shows that the highest singlet states play an important role in the formation of tautomers in 3-hydroxyflavone due to the intramolecular proton transfer.     

Structure and bonding of the (C6H6)+ 2 radical

To elucidate the relative stability of various structures of the benzene dimer cation radical, (C₆H₆)⁺ ₂ in its ground and low-lying excited states, ab initio complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF), multi-reference singly and doubly excited configuration interaction (MRSDCI), and multi-reference coupled pair approximation (MRCPA) calculations were performed. Full optimization was performed at the CASSCF level for various structures of the dimer cation, followed by MRSDCI and MRCPA calculations. It was found that the global minimum of the cation is at a slipped C_2h sandwich structure but there are some other sandwich structures with almost the same stability, being within about kcal mol^?1. T-shape structures are less stable than the sandwich structures, by more than 5 kcal mol^?1 by MRCPA calculations. Low lying electronic excited states in various structures are also discussed.     

Structure and magnetism of iron-sulfur clusters in proteins

Iron-sulfur clusters are mixed-valence systems exhibiting both localized and delocalized valence states. We discuss here spin-coupling models for two types of oxidized [3Fe-4S] clusters with localized Fe³⁺ valence states; a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with isotropic antiferromagnetic exchange fits the data well. Reduced [3Fe-4S] clusters, on the other hand, contain a trapped Fe³⁺ site and a delocalized Fe³⁺-Fe²⁺ pair. The pair has spin S₁₂=9/2 (formally ferromagnetic coupling) and is antiferromagnetically coupled to the Fe³⁺ S₃=5/2 spin to yield a system spin S=2. We discuss also recent results for [4Fe-4S] clusters such as [3Fe-4S]→[4Fe-4S] conversions, incorporation of other metals into the iron-sulfur core, and the observation of novel spin states.