Spectroscopic (FTIR and FT Raman) analysis and vibrational study on 2,3-dimethyl naphthalene using ab-initio HF and DFT calculations

A combined experimental and theoretical study on molecular and vibrational structure of 2,3-dimethyl naphthalene (2,3-DMN) has been undertaken in the present work. The FTIR and FT Raman spectra of 2,3-DMN were recorded in the region 4000-100 cm(-1). The optimized geometries were calculated by HF and DFT (B3LYP) methods with 6-31++G (d, p), 6-311G (d, p) and 6-311++G (d, p) basis sets. The harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman activities of the 2,3-DMN were evaluated with these methods. After scaling the computational wave numbers are in very good agreement with the experimental values. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra of 2,3-DMN is presented. The effects of substitution of methyl group on the molecule have also been discussed.     

Matrix-induced Linear Stark Effect of Single Dibenzoterrylene Molecules in 2,3-Dibromonaphthalene Crystal

Absorption and fluorescence from single molecules can be tuned by applying an external electric field – a phenomenon known as the Stark effect. A linear Stark effect is associated to a lack of centrosymmetry of the guest in the host matrix. Centrosymmetric guests can display a linear Stark effect in disordered matrices, but the response of individual guest molecules is often relatively weak and non-uniform, with a broad distribution of the Stark coefficients. Here we introduce a novel single-molecule host-guest system, dibenzoterrylene (DBT) in 2,3-dibromonaphthalene (DBN) crystal. Fluorescent DBT molecules show excellent spectral stability with a large linear Stark effect, of the order of 1.5 GHz/kVcm⁻¹, corresponding to an electric dipole moment change of around 2 D. Remarkably, when the electric field is aligned with the a crystal axis, nearly all DBT molecules show either positive or negative Stark shifts with similar absolute values. These results are consistent with quantum chemistry calculations. Those indicate that DBT substitutes three DBN molecules along the a-axis, giving rise to eight equivalent embedding sites, related by the three glide planes of the orthorhombic crystal. The static dipole moment of DBT molecules is created by host-induced breaking of the inversion symmetry. This new host–guest system is promising for applications that require a high sensitivity of fluorescent emitters to electric fields, for example to probe weak electric fields.     

“Proximity effects” in radiative transitions: a model study of the role of vibronic coupling and static crystal field interactions

We report the results of a model study of the influence of vibronic coupling involving non-totally symmetric vibrations and static crystal field interactions on the spectral properties of molecules with close-lying excited electronic states. The presented results suggests that “proximity effects” brought about by solvent perturbation arise from two sources: (i) alterations in the energy separation between vibronically coupled electronic states and (ii) crystal field mixing of the isolated molecular electronic states. It is shown that crystal field mixing leads to the breakdown of the vibronic coupling scheme for non-totally symmetric vibrations in isolated molecules. This breakdown is shown to have a very pronounced effect on the spectral properties of molecules with close-lying excited electronic states. The effect of environmental perturbations on excited state frequencies, the breakdown of symmetry and polarization selection rules, and vibrational intensity distributions is discussed.     

Vibronic spectra of the perylene crystal

The theory of vibronic coupling in the perylene-type molecular crystals containing four molecules in a unit cell is presented. The vibronic absorption spectra computed theoretically for the perylene crystal are in good agreement with the experimental ones in both the frequency and intensity distributions of two different crystal polarizations.     

Closed-pore crystal capable of adsorbing CO2 onto isolated cavities generated by disorderly mixing of substituents on host skeleton

A single crystal adsorbent, [Rh(II)(2)(bza)(4)(2,3-empyz)](n) (2,3-empyz = 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine) (1), was synthesized by self-assembly reaction of a Rh(2) benzoate complex and substituted pyrazine linker. The compound consists of one-dimensional zigzag chains, which generated a closed-pore structure without channels. The cavities were statistically generated by the static disorder of substituents on pyrazine and are separated by long intervals within the crystal. The property of CO(2) absorption was characterized in this closed-pore system. The CO(2) inclusion structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. These studies suggest that CO(2) molecules were adsorbed and diffused in the nonporous crystal with the isolated cavities.     

The vibronic structure of crystalline ethylene

The absorption spectrum of polycrystalline ethylene was studied in the region of 250–150 nm.The Rydberg π → 3s lines disappeared in the solid and the band structure of the N → V transition extended beyond the maximum. This supports the assignment of the N → V transition in ethylene to an intravalence transition. The observed structure of the transition in the crystal was studied theoretically. The calculations showed that the equilibrium geometry of excited ethylene in the solid is the same as in the free molecule. That is the planes of the two methylene groups are perpendicular to each other despite the crystal forces. It was found that the vibronic progression is due to the torsional mode and to the combinations of torsion and stretching modes. It is suggested that the rigid lattice approximations, which were used in this study are suitable for the evaluation of the vibronic structure in case of large conformational change upon excitation of molecular crystals.     

Vibronic coupling in molecules and in solids

We utilize the experience gained in our previous studies on the "chemistry of vibronic coupling" in simple homonuclear and heteronuclear molecules to begin assembling theoretical guidelines for the construction of potentially superconducting solids exhibiting large electron-phonon coupling. For this purpose we analyze similarities between vibronic coupling in isolated molecules and in extended solids. In particular, we study vibronic coupling along the antisymmetric stretch coordinate (Q(as)) in linear symmetric AAA molecules, and along the optical phonon "pairing" mode coordinate (Q(opt)) in corresponding one-dimensional [A]( infinity ) chains built of equidistant A atoms. This is done for a broad range of chemical elements (A). The following similarities between vibronic coupling in molecules and phonon coupling in solids emerge from our calculations: 1) The HOMO/LUMO electronic energy gap in an AAA molecule increases along Q(as), and the highest occupied crystal orbital/lowest unoccupied crystal orbital gap in [A]( infinity ) chain increases along Q(opt). 2) The maximum vibronic instability is invariably obtained for a half-filled, singly occupied molecular orbital in AAA molecules, and for a corresponding half-filled band in [A]( infinity ) chains. 3) The vibronic stability of an AAA molecule increases with a decrease of the AA bond length, as does the vibronic stability of [A]( infinity ) chains (external pressure may lead to a reversal of a Peierls distortion). 4) The high degree of s-p mixing and ionic/covalent forbidden curve crossing dramatically enhance the vibronic instability of both AAA molecules and [A]( infinity ) chains. We also introduce one quantitative relationship: The parameter log(R) (where R is molar refractivity, a parameter used by Herzfeld to prescribe the conditions for the metallization of the elements) correlates with a parameter f(AA) (defined as twice the electronegativity of A, divided by the equilibrium AA bond length), used by two of us previously to describe vibronic coupling in AAA molecules for a broad range of elements (A=halogen, H, or an alkali metal). We hope to illustrate that key chemical aspects of vibronic coupling in simple molecules may thus be profitably transferred to corresponding materials in the solid state.     

Phosphorescence excitation spectra of methylbenzaldehydes in durene single crystals: Site structure and effects of deuterium substition

The low-temperature (15 K) laser phosphorescene excitation spectra of 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde-1h₁ and -1d₁, and 2,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde-1h₁ and -1d₁, each isolated in durene single crystals are presented. Spectra of molecules in each of two different durene crystal sites were obtained. The red shift of the T₁(0.0) bands upon deuteration, is consistent with these bands arising from φφ1 excitations. The red shift of the TMB T₂(0.0) and the blue shift of the DMB T₂(0.0) may reflect the differing electronic configurations of these states (φφ1 or nφ1 respectively) or may be determined by the details of the coupling of T₂ to the underlying T₁ vibronic levels. A broad continuum-like features was observed in the region of T₂. Changes in this feature brought about by deuteration or a change in crystal environment suggest the involvement of both vibronic and crystal-field-induced coupling of T₂ to the underlying T₁ vibronic levels     

Variation in molecular stacking resulting from the different polarity of liquid crystalline molecules: synthesis and study of azo dye compounds

To investigate the effect of molecular polarity on the packing of liquid crystalline molecules, two liquid crystals, N , N -disubstituted aminophenylazo-4-alkylbenzenes, were synthesized and studied by single crystal structure determination. A comparison of the resulting molecular stacking with that of N , N -disubstituted aminophenylazo-4-butylbenzoate was made.     

Vibronic spectra and normal coordinate analysis of substituted anilines—I. 2,3-, 2,4-, and 2,5-dimethylanilines

Vibronic spectra of 2,3-, 2,4-, and 2,5-dimethylanilines (DMA) have been recorded in the vapor phase and analysed primarily for ascertaining the frequencies of certain low lying fundamentals (< 1000 cm⁻¹) which were observed earlier in infrared and Raman spectra with rather poor intensities. In most cases, the investigation of vibronic spectra has supported the data observed in infrared and Raman spectra. However, a new frequency has been observed at ∼120 cm⁻¹ in each molecule and has been assigned to the CNH₂ out-of-plane wag. A detailed analysis of the vibronic spectra of these three molecules revealed that an interaction-induced blue-shift of nearly 1700 cm⁻¹ is caused in the (0, 0) band of all the three DMAs due to an electrostatic interaction between the NH₂ and CH₃ groups.The normal coordinate analyses (NCA) of the above three molecules have been carried out using a general valence force field (GVFF) with 21 principal and 30 interaction force constants, assuming an averaged structure, a planar geometry, and a C_s symmetry in each case. The fundamental frequencies were mostly taken from an earlier work reported from this laboratory. Some frequencies were also picked up from the investigation of the vibronic spectra reported herein. The force field calculations were carried out using the least-squares iterative technique. During final calculations, all the 51 force constants were allowed to iterate simultaneously, which reproduced the 52 experimentally observed fundamentals out of the 54 (35a′+ 19a″) expected ones within an average error of ± 1.0% with a reasonable potential energy distribution (PED) among the various normal modes.     

Polarization IR spectra of the hydrogen bond in phenylacetic acid crystals: H/D isotopic effects temperature and polarization effects

This paper deals with experimental studies and with quantitative interpretation of the polarized IR crystalline spectra of phenylacetic acid and of its deuterium isotopomers d2 and d7. The spectra were measured in the v(O-H) and in the v(O-D) band frequency ranges at temperatures of 298 and 77 K. The intensity distribution in the bands was quantitatively reproduced on the basis of the strong-coupling model, when assuming that the isolated (COOH)2 and (COOD)2 cycles were the source of the spectral properties of the crystals. Such approach appeared to be sufficient for explaining most of the isotopic and the temperature effects in the spectra. A vibronic mechanism, promoting the symmetry forbidden transition in the IR for the totally symmetric proton stretching vibrations in centrosymmetric hydrogen bond dimers, was found to be of a considerably minor importance, when compared with analogous properties of arylcarboxylic acid crystals. The spectra of phenylacetic acid crystals, unlike the spectra of arylacetic acid crystals do not exhibit the so-called H/D long-range isotopic effects, depending on an influence of the aromatic ring hydrogen atoms on the v(O-H) band fine structure patterns. Also no Fermi resonance impact on the v(O-H) band shape was identified in the phenylacetic acid crystal spectra. These effects were ascribed to weakening of electronic couplings between the hydrogen bonds and the phenyl rings, due to the separation of these groups in phenylacetic acid molecules by methylene groups.     

The structure of dimers and the nature of azulene chromaticity

The structure of supramolecular azulene dimers responsible for the blue coloration of its crystals and solutions has been discussed on the basis of result of optical spectroscopy and literature data. It is established that two types of these dimers (I and II) absorb the light in the red region of the visible (VIS) spectrum and differ by the mutual orientation of the molecules. Dimers I have a VIS band with a vibronic structure; the azulene molecules in dimers I match their own seven-membered rings in type (stacking structure), and five-membered rings of the molecules are separated so that the molecular C _2v axes form an obtuse angle. The spectra of dimers II do not have a vibronic structure in the VIS band. The dipole moments of the molecules in these dimers are oriented antiparallel (five-membered rings are located over (or under) seven-membered rings, forming a structure with a center of inversion). It is concluded that due to their structure, dimers I should have a certain dipole moment, while dimers II have no dipole moment.     

Microsolvation effects on the optical properties of crystal violet

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of the photoabsorption and photodissociation behavior of crystal violet, that is, the tris[p-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methyl cation. The photodissociation spectra of isolated and microsolvated crystal violet have been measured. A single band is observed for the bare cation. This is in good agreement with the calculated vibronic absorption spectrum based on time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The interaction of crystal violet with a single water molecule shifts and broadens the photodissociation spectrum, so that it approaches the spectrum obtained in solution. Theoretical calculations of the structure of the complex suggest that the shift in the absorption spectrum originates from a water molecule bonding with the central carbon atom of crystal violet.     

Structures of crystalline mixed peganole-brompeganole systems

The structures of mixed crystals — solid solutions in the peganole-brompeganole system with molar ratios 0.72:0.28, 0.32:0.68, 0.10:0.90 and of pure peganole are determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It is shown that the solid solutions (mixed crystals) exist as three different phases. These crystal structures tend to form closed centrosymmetric dimers involving two molecules (probably different) joined by “anti-parallel” centrosymmetric hydrogen O-H...N(1) bonds. The development of this dimer is the cause of forming mixed crystals in the peganole–brompeganole system.     

Excimer fluorescence and structures of the inclusion complexes of β-cyclodextrin with naphthalene and its derivatives

Fluorescence of the inclusion complexes with different compositions formed by naphthalene-h₈, naphthalene-d₈, 2,7-dimethylnaphthalene (DMN), and 2-benzylnaphthalene (BN) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in water was studied. Two types of fluorescence are observed, monomer (MF) and excimer (EF_ fluorescence. The excimer fluorescence of the 2∶2 complex emitted by aggregated light-dispersing crystals forming a precipitate, whereas is the MF is concentrations, EF predominates for the resulting complexes. A proposed structure of the inclusion complexes was derived from MNDO/PM3 semiempirical quantum-chemical calculations. The EF is caused by the structure of the complex, in which both naphthalene molecules are separated by a distance of 4.7 Å: they lie in parallel orientation to each other, whereby one ring is displaced from the other by one-fourth of the length of the naphthalene ring. The complexes of 2,7-DMN and 2-benzylnaphthalene with β-CD do not exhibit EF. For the 2∶2 complex of 2,7-DMN with β-CD, this is due to the fact that the aromatic fragments are removed too far from one another 2-Benzylnaphthalene is unable to form an inclusion complex with β-CD, in whose structure the aromatic fragments inside the cavity could be arranged in parallel planes; instead, it forms a 1∶2 complex with β-CD.     

Two-dimensional networks of ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene derivatives with the hydrogen-bonded functionality of uracil, and channel structure of its tetracyanoquinodimethane complex

Ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene (EDT-TTF) derivatives with N1-butyluracil or N1-phenyluracil moiety were designed and synthesized as new hydrogen-bonded electron-donor molecules with the aim of introducing multiple S...S interactions into the hydrogen-bonded structures composed of the TTF-nucleobase systems. In the crystals of the EDT-TTF derivatives, two-dimensional sheet and layer structures were formed through pi...pi, multiple S...S interactions, and complementary double hydrogen bonds. In the tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) charge-transfer complex of the EDT-TTF-N1-butyluracil dyad with a segregated column, a layer structure of the electron-donor molecules was constructed through the noncovalent interactions. The n-butyl group of the uracil moiety served to separate the space between the donor layers, resulting in construction of a channel structure. Disordered TCNQ molecules were located in the microporous space of the channel. The TCNQ complex exhibited high electric conductivity (sigmart= 2.1 S cm(-1)) in a single crystal.     

Jumping Crystal of a Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Framework Induced by the Collective Molecular Motion of a Twisted π System

There is a limited number of reports on mechanically responsive molecular crystals, including thermo‐responsive and light‐responsive crystals. Rigid ordered molecular crystals with a close‐packing structure are less able to accept distortion, which hampers the development of such molecular crystals. The thermosalient effect, or “crystal jumping”, refers to a thermo‐responsive system that converts heat into mechanical force by thermally induced phase transition. While they have recently attracted attention as potential highly efficient molecular actuators, less than two dozens of thermosalient molecular crystals have been reported to date, and the design of such molecules as well as how they assemble to express a thermosalient effect are unknown. Herein, we demonstrate how the cooperative molecular motion of twisted π units could serve to develop a thermo‐responsive jumping molecular crystal with a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (HOF) of tetra[2,3]thienylene tetracarboxylic acid ( 1 ). The cooperative change in the molecular structure triggered by the desolvation of THF in the channel of the HOF structure induced not only a change in the structure of HOF but also mechanical force. Hydrogen bonding interactions contributed significant thermal stability to maintain the HOF assembly even with a dynamic structural change.     

Crystal-to-crystal transformations of a microporous metal-organic laminated framework triggered by guest exchange, dehydration and readsorption

Single crystals of a neutral, microporous, laminated metal-organic framework (MOF)[Fe(pydc)(4,4'-bipy)]xH(2)O (1xH(2)O)(H(2)pydc = 2,5-dicarboxypyridine, 4,4'-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine) were generated by hydrothermal synthesis, and its crystal structure was determined. 1xH(2)O retains the framework robustness to ca. 370 degrees C and is insoluble in common organic solvents. By soaking in MeOH and EtOH solutions, 1xH(2)O was transformed directly from the parent single crystals into single crystals of 1xMeOH or 1xEtOH, respectively. Meanwhile, 1xH(2)O shrank to the guest-free framework (h) or (v), respectively, under appropriate heating (up to 160 degrees C in N(2)) or vacuum treatment (10 mmHg) at room temperature. Compared to that of 1xH(2)O, the unit-cell volume of 1xEtOH slightly increases by 2.9%, whereas those of (h) or (v) are reduced by 8.2 and 6.6%, respectively. The anhydrous (v) was found to be highly chemically reactive, taking up ethanol vapor to furnish the solvated crystal structure of an 'expanded' framework 1xEtOH. In a mixture of ethanol-DMF or ethanol-benzene, a selective exchange process was observed, with only ethanol molecules exchanged into the structure due to the limited free size of the channels in the framework of. All the transformed crystals have also been characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction to understand the crystal-to-crystal transformation, which have different free volumes (6.5-20.4%).     

Synthesis and structure of 6-bromo-4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline and its mixed crystal with 4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline

Bromination of the alkaloid 2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline by N-bromosuccinimide was studied. It was shown that either 4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline or 6-bromo-4-hydroxy-2,3tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline was formed depending on the ratio of reagents. Oxidation of 2,3tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline by KMnO₄ produced 4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4dihydroquinazoline. The crystal structures of 6-bromo-4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline and its mixed crystal with 4-hydroxy-2,3-tetramethylene-3,4-dihydroquinazoline were studied by x-ray structure analysis. The enantiomeric molecules in all crystal structures formed associates owing to two opposing OH...N1 H-bonds.