Comparative study of charge division in substituted benzene cations

A recently proposed phenomenon of charge division in a molecular cation [K. T. Lee et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 2588 (2007)] was examined in a number of molecules by experiment and theory. We investigated the spatial distribution of electrostatic charge in the cation of the following benzene derivatives: n-propylbenzene (PB), 3-phenylpropionic acid (PPA), 2-phenylethyl alcohol (PEAL), and 2-phenylethylamine (PEA). A density functional theory calculation indicated that the positive charge was divided into two cationic charge cores in both conformers of PEA+, while it is localized mainly on the phenyl group in PB+, PPA+, and PEAL+. This finding was experimentally verified by the characteristic range of electronic transition of these species reflected in the fragmentation pattern of the mass spectra. The degree of charge division in PEA+ was slightly less than in the cationic conformers of L-phenylalanine in its subgroup II. The charge distribution in a phenyl-containing cation is suggested to depend on whether there exists a functional group that can act as a competing charge core against the phenyl ring.     

A systematic shift in the electronic spectra of substituted benzene molecules trapped in helium nanodroplets

Electronic spectra (S1<--S0) have been recorded from five separate substituted benzene derivatives trapped in helium nanodroplets. Each member of the series is found to exhibit a blueshift with respect to the equivalent transition in the gas phase. Taken together with previous results for benzene, the observed shifts show a remarkably good correlation with changes in electron density that occur within each of the aromatic rings as a result of electronic excitation.     

Gas-phase electronic spectra of C18 and C22 rings

The electronic spectra of C(18) and C(22) in the 15 150-36 900 cm(-1) range have been detected in the gas phase by a mass-selective resonant two-color two-photon ionization technique coupled to a laser ablation source. The spectra were assigned to several electronic systems of monocyclic cumulenic isomers with a D(9 h) symmetry for C(18) and D(11 h) for C(22), based on time-dependent-density-functional calculations and reactivity with respect to H(2). The best cooling conditions were achieved with Kr as the buffer gas, and the origin of the A(1)A(2) (")<--X(1)A(1) (') transition of C(18) at 592.89 nm shows a pair of 1 cm(-1) broadbands spaced by 1.5 cm(-1). The next electronic transitions exhibited much broader, approximately 30 (in the visible) to 200 cm(-1) (in ultraviolet range), features. The spectrum of C(22) exhibits an absorption pattern similar to C(18), except that the narrow features to the red are missing; the oscillator strength of the A<--X transition is predicted to be low.     

Free-electron model for electronic spectra of benzene

Using a three dimensional free-electron model for the π-electron system the energies of the various singly and doubly excited configurations of benzene have been calculated. It has been found that the energies of the various singly excited configurations are in good agreement with the values obtained by Craig; whereas the energies of the doubly excited configurations are higher than those obtained by Craig. Therefore the configurational mixing for the doubly excited configurations is not necessary in this kind of model.     

Synthesis and electronic absorption spectra of substituted tetrabenzoporphins

Zinc complexes of tetrabenzoporphins with substituents in the benzene fragments of the molecule were synthesized by the template tetramerization of substituted 3-carboxymethylphthalimidines or phthalimides with malonic or phenylacetic acid in the presence of zinc acetate, as well as by substitution reactions in the tetrabenzoporphin molecule. The metal-free compounds were obtained from the corresponding zinc complexes by the action of a stream of hydrogen chloride in chloroform. The electronic absorption spectra of the synthesized compounds were investigated.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 773–779, June, 1988.     

Water complexes of styrene and 4-fluorostyrene: a combined electronic, vibrational spectroscopic and ab-initio investigation

The binary complexes of water with styrene and fluorostyrene were investigated using LIF and FDIR spectroscopic techniques. The difference in the shifts of S 1 <-- S 0 electronic transitions clearly points out the disparity in the intermolecular structures of these two binary complexes. The FDIR spectra in the O-H stretching region indicate that water is a hydrogen bond donor in both complexes. The formation of a single O-H...pi hydrogen-bonded complex with styrene and an in-plane complex with fluorostyrene was inferred based on the analysis of the FDIR spectra in combination with ab initio calculations. The in-plane complex with fluorostyrene is characterized by the presence of O-H...F and C-H...O hydrogen bonds, leading to formation of a stable six-membered ring. The synergistic effect of O-H...F and C-H...O hydrogen bonds overwhelms the O-H...pi interaction in fluorostyrene-water complexes.     

Gas-phase nitrosation of benzene: Theoretical investigations

The structures and energetics involved in the nitrosation of benzene are explored by means of ab initio molecular orbital computations. The effects of polarization functions and electron correlation are included in these calculations. Good agreement is obtained in cases where experimental energies are available. The nitrosation of ethylene is considered as a model system to simulate the behavior of the larger nitrosyl cation (NO)⁺/benzene system. Detailed comparison reveals that careful use of such model systems can yield useful information.     

The electronic absorption spectra of nine substituted phenols

A new technique—photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS)—is used for the first time to record the u.v.-vis spectra of nine substituted phenols. The π-π* electronic transitions analogous to benzene first primary and secondary transitions could be detected from the PAS spectra in comparison with the u.v. solution and vapour phase spectra recorded by conventional methods. Detection of singlet → triplet absorptions from the PAS spectra, with significant intensity, is considered to be an important feature which transitions are in general either not observed or observed with weak intensity, by conventional methods. The analyses show that a few excited state combinations observed in the u.v.-vis PAS spectra compare well with such combinations in the ground state observed in the near i.r. PAS spectra of the molecules.     

Gas-phase polar [4+ + 2] cycloaddition with ethyl vinyl ether: a structurally diagnostic ion-molecule reaction for 2-azabutadienyl cations

The intrinsic reactivity of eight gaseous, mass-selected 2-azabutadienyl cations toward polar [4(+) + 2] cycloaddition with ethyl vinyl ether has been investigated by pentaquadrupole mass spectrometric experiments. Cycloaddition occurs readily for all the ions and, with the only exception of those from the N-acyl 2-azabutadienyl cations (N-acyliminium ions), the cycloadducts are found to dissociate readily upon collision activation (CID) both by retro-Diels-Alder reaction and by a characteristic loss of an ethanol (46u) neutral molecule. Ethanol loss from the intact polar [4(+) + 2] cycloadduct functions therefore as a structurally diagnostic test: 72 u neutral gain followed by 46 u neutral loss, i.e., as a combined ion-molecule reaction plus CID 'signature' for N-H, N-alkyl and N-aryl 2-azabutadienyl cations. The two N-acyliminium ions tested are exceptional as they form intact cycloadducts with ethyl vinyl ether which dissociate exclusively by the retro-Diels-Alder pathway.     

Gas-phase reactions of chromium and chromium fluoride cations CrFn+ (n = 0-4) with phosphane

The reactions of chromium and chromium fluoride monocations CrFn+ (n = 0-4) with phosphane are investigated by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Besides condensing slowly with phosphane, Cr+ is unreactive. The ionic products of the chromium fluoride cations are as follows: (i) CrF+ yields CrPH2+ and subsequently CrPH3+; (ii) from CrF2+, the ions PH3+, Cr+, and CrF2H+ are generated; and (iii) both CrF3+ and CrF4+ yield PH3+. The structure and formation of [Cr,P,H3]+ are investigated by collision-induced dissociation and isotopic labeling experiments. For the neutral species [P,H3,F2] formed by reaction of CrF2+ with phosphane, the structures are interrogated by quantum-mechanical calculations at the MP2/6-31++G** level of theory.     

The structures and electronic absorption spectra of substituted phenyldiacetylenes: experimental and theoretical studies

The results of experimental and theoretical investigation of the electronic absorption spectra of substituted phenyldiacethylenes are presented. The bands in the experimental spectra were assigned in detail using quantum chemical calculations of the electronic structures and spectra of the molecules. The influence of the interaction of the substituents on the spectral parameters of the systems under study was analyzed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1947–1953, October, 2007.     

Electronic spectra of gas-phase polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycle cations: isoquinoline+ and quinoline+

Electronic spectra of the gas-phase isoquinoline(+)-Ar and quinoline(+)-Ar complexes are recorded using photodissociation spectroscopy by monitoring the Ar loss channel. The D(3)←D(0) and D(4)←D(0) band origins for isoquinoline(+)-Ar are observed at 15245 ± 15 cm(-1) and 21960 ± 15 cm(-1), respectively, whereas for quinoline(+)-Ar they appear at 16050 ± 15 cm(-1) and 21955 ± 15 cm(-1), respectively. Strong vibronic progressions for the D(3)←D(0) band systems of both isoquinoline(+)-Ar and quinoline(+)-Ar are modeled and assigned in terms of ring deformation and carbon-carbon stretch vibrational modes using time-dependent density functional theory calculations in conjunction with Franck-Condon simulations. The properties of the isoquinoline(+) and quinoline(+) molecules are compared with those of the isoelectronic naphthalene(+) molecule. The existence of strong progressions in the visible spectra of isoquinoline(+)-Ar and quinoline(+)-Ar suggests that the corresponding isoquinoline(+) and quinoline(+) molecular cations are unlikely to be responsible for diffuse interstellar bands.     

The electronic spectra of the anion radicals of substituted benzenes

The nitrosobenzene, benzonitrile, nitrobenzene, phthalonitrile, isophthalonitrile, terephthalonitrile and pyromellitonitrile anions were prepared by the alkali metal reduction method. Their electronic absorption spectra were measured in parallel with the ESR spectra. Furthermore, the electronic structures of these anion radicals were studied theoretically by combining the open shell SCF procedure with configuration interaction calculation. The observed transition energies and relative intensities were well explained by the present theoretical studies.

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Zusammenfassung Die Anionen von Nitrosobenzol, Benzonitril, Nitrobenzol, Phthalodinitril, Isophthalodinitril, Terephthalodinitril und Pyromellithotetranitril wurden durch Reduktion mit Alkalimetall dargestellt und ihre Elektronenanregungs- und Elektronenresonanz-Spektren (nebeneinander) gemessen. Ferner wurden die Elektronenstrukturen der genannten Anionenradikale mittels der Kombination eines SCF-Verfahrens für offene Schalen mit Konfigurationswechselwirkung ermittelt, wobei sich die beobachteten übergangsenergien sowie deren relative IntensitÄten recht gut ergaben.

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Résumé Les anions de nitrosobenzène, benzonitrile, nitrobenzène, phthalodinitrile, isophthalodinitrile, terephthalodinitrile et pyromellitotétranitrile ont été préparés par réduction aux métaux alcalins et leurs spectres électroniques et de résonance paramagnétique ont été mesurés. En outre, les structures électroniques de ces radicaux anioniques ont été étudiées théoriquement en combinant la méthode SCF pour les couches ouvertes avec un calcul d'interactions de configurations. Les résultats théoriques expliquent bien les énergies de transitions observées et leurs intensités relatives.

     

SCF CI calculation of the electronic spectra of nitroso and nitro benzene

SCF calculation with CI has been found to give a reasonable value for the longest wavelength - ^* transition in nitroso and nitro benzene if a sufficient number of configurations are taken into considerations. The applicability of this method to the case of n- ^* transition is, however, of doubtful validity. For the electron density approximation of chemical reactivity simple Hückel calculation may be good enough if the parameters are carefully chosen.

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Zusammenfassung Eine SCF-CI-Berechnung ergab brauchbare Werte für die langwelligsten - ^*-Übergänge von Nitro- und Nitrosobenzol, wenn genügend Konfigurationen in die Rechnung einbezogen werden. Jedoch ist der Wert der Methode für die Berechnung von n- ^*-Übergängen zweifelhaft. Die Elektronendichte ist nicht wesentlich von der der Hückel-Theorie verschieden, so daß letztere für Fragen der chemischen Reaktivität ausreichend erscheint, wenn die Parameter sorgfältig gewählt werden.

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Résumé Un calcul SCF donne des énergies raisonnables pour les premières transitions - ^* de nitroso- et de nitrobenzène, quand on considère un nombre suffisant de configurations. Mais l'application de ce procédé aux transitions n- ^* est douteuse. Si l'on croisit soigneusement les paramètres, la méthode simple de Hückel semble suffir pour le calcul des densités électroniques dans des problèmes de réactivité chimique.

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Sincere thanks are due to Prof. P. 0. Löwdin, Uppsala, Sweden, for laboratory facilities, where a part of the work was done and to Mr Klaus Appel for Machine Computation on Alwac-III at Uppsala.     

The electronic origin of the dual fluorescence in donor-acceptor substituted benzene derivatives

The origin of the dual fluorescence of DMABN (dimethylaminobenzonitrile) and other benzene derivatives is explained by a charge transfer model based on the properties of the benzene anion radical. It is shown that, in general, three low-lying electronically excited states are expected for these molecules, two of which are of charge transfer (CT) character, whereas the third is a locally excited (LE) state. Dual fluorescence may arise from any two of these states, as each has a different geometry at which it attains a minimum. The Jahn-Teller induced distortion of the benzene anion radical ground state helps to classify the CT states as having quinoid (Q) and antiquinoid (AQ) forms. The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state is formed by the transfer of an electron from a covalently linked donor group to an anti-bonding orbital of the pi-electron system of benzene. The change in charge distribution of the molecule in the CT states leads to the most significant geometry change undergone by the molecule which is the distortion of the benzene ring to a Q or AQ structure. As the dipole moment is larger in the perpendicular geometry than in the planar one, this geometry is preferred in polar solvents, supporting the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) model. However, in many cases the planar conformation of CT excited states is lower in energy than that of the LE state, and dual fluorescence can be observed also from planar structures.     

Theoretical studies on the electronic spectra of substituted aromatic molecules

A simple Pariser-Parr-Pople-electron SCF method (i.e. one in which parameter variation with charge densities and bond orders is neglected) is used to predict the first three electronic transitions and the ionization potentials of polysubstituted benzenes and five-membered ring heterocyclics containing nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. The parameters were chosen to fit results for the monosubstituted benzenes and then tested on the polysubstituted compounds, using charge transfer data and oxidation potentials to estimate the ionization potentials. No serious deviations other than those which could be ascribed to steric effects for the ortho disubstituted compounds were found, indicating that penetration integrals and non-nearest-neighbor effects can be absorbed into the semi-empirical parameters. For the five-membered ring heterocyclics it is shown that it is unsatisfactory to use the simple parent compounds, pyrrole, furan, and thiophene as reference molecules in choosing parameters, since satisfactory choices for these molecules often give quite unrealistic results for the corresponding benzo and dibenzo derivatives. Sets of parameters which give consistent results for the parent and the benzo and dibenzo derivatives are given for the nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur heterocyclics.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels eines PPP-SCF-Verfahrens (mit von der Dichtematrix unabhängigen Parametern) werden die drei ersten Elektronenübergänge und Ionisationspotentiale von mehrfach-substituierten Benzolen sowie von heterocyclischen Fünfringen mit N, O und S berechnet. Die Parameter wurden an den einfach-substituierten Benzolen adjustiert. Bei Übertragung auf polysubstituierte Verbindungen ergaben sich nur bei den ortho-disubstituierten Abweichungen, die auf den spezifischen sterischen Verhältnissen beruhen dürften. Daraus wird der Schluß gezogen, daß Durchdringungsintegrale und Effekte übernächster Nachbarn in die Parameter eingeschlossen werden können. Im Fall der Fünfringe zeigt sich, daß man besser nicht die einfachen und unsubstituierten Ringe für die Parameterwahl benützt, weil man sonst oft für Benzo- und Dibenzoabkömmlinge unrealistische Resultate erhält. Dagegen lassen sich Parametersätze finden, die für alle drei Typen befriedigende Ergebnisse liefern.

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Résumé Une méthode SCF Pariser-Parr-Pople pour électrons, sans variation des paramètres avec les charges et les indices de liaison, est utilisée pour prédire les trois premières transitions électroniques et les potentiels d'ionisation des benzènes polysubstitués et des hétérocycles pentagonaux contenant de l'azote de l'oxygène et du soufre. Les paramètres ont été ajustés sur les benzènes mono-substitués et testés sur les composés polysubstitués, en utilisant les données du transfert de charge et les potentiels d'oxydation pour évaluer les potentiels d'ionisation. Peu d'écarts importants ont été obtenus, en dehors de ceux que l'on peut attribuer à des effets stériques dans les composés di substitués en ortho; ceci indique que les intégrales de pénétration et les effets des voisins lointains peuvent être introduits dans les paramètres semi-empiriques. En ce qui concerne les hétérocycles à cinq atomes, on montre qu'il n'est pas satisfaisant d'utiliser les composés parents simples: pyrrole, furane et thiophène, comme molécules de référence pour le choix des paramètres, car on obtient ainsi des résultats souvent non réalistes pour les dérivés benzo et di benzo correspondants. On donne des paramètres permettant d'obtenir des résultats satisfaisants dans ces cas.

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NASA Research Trainee 1967.     

On the electronic structure of transition-metal oxide cations:DFTCalculations for VO+ and MoO+

Two transition-metal oxide diatomic cations, VO⁺ and MoO⁺ are considered in this article. Ground- and excited-state properties of the cations are derived from spin-polarized DF calculations, including spectroscopic constants and metal–oxygen bonding features. A set of ionization potentials are calculated and, for vanadium oxide, compared with photoelectron spectroscopy data and a few available ab initio calculations. All calculated properties are close to experiment, the agreement being much better than for other traditional quantum chemical calculations. Present results together with our earlier findings for neutral molecules provide an excellent confirmation of the good performance of DFT in the case of transition-metal systems. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A theoretical study of electronic spectra of radical cations of some dihydroxynaphthalenes

Electronic transition energies of radical cations of 1.2-, 1.3-, 1.6-, and 1.7?dihydroxynaphthalenes are calculated using an open-shell SCF method with configuration interaction. The results are critically analyzed and a correlation diagram is given that shows the energy-shift and intensity variation in the electronic transitions when moving from one system to another, thus revealing the characteristic behavior of the transitions depending on the positions of the hydroxyl substituents. An interesting relation connecting the electronic spectroscopy with the UV photoelectron spectroscopy is suggested on the basis of which the first ionization potentials (IPS ) of the substituted aromatic systems can be inferred from the calculated energy of the A-type (HOMO → LUMO ) transitions for their radical cations. Furthermore, the predictability of the IP s is found to be considerably increased with the incorporation of “molecular size” in the regression.     

Substituent and solvent effects on electronic spectra of some substituted phenoxyacetic acids

The effects of substituents and solvents have been studied through the absorption spectra of nearly 19 para- and ortho-substituted phenoxyacetic acids in the range of 200-400 nm. The effects of substituent on the absorption spectra of compounds under present investigation are interpreted by correlation of absorption frequencies with simple and extended Hammett equations. Effect of solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding on the absorption spectra are interpreted by means of Kamlet equation and the results are discussed.