Singlet biradical character of phenalenyl-based Kekulé hydrocarbon with naphthoquinoid structure

[reaction: see text] A new Kekulé polycyclic hydrocarbon with a singlet biradical index of 50% was synthesized. The singlet biradical character was assessed with UV and 1H-NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, SQUID magnetic susceptibility measurement, and quantum chemical calculations.     

Aromaticity and π-bond covalency: prominent intermolecular covalent bonding interaction of a Kekulé hydrocarbon with very significant singlet biradical character

An anthracene-linked bisphenalenyl Kekulé molecule with very significant singlet biradical character has shown a prominent covalent bonding interaction between molecules in a molecular aggregate. High aromatic stabilization energy in the anthracene linker is responsible for the significant singlet biradical character.     

Unicyclic Graphs Possessing Kekulé Structures with Minimal Energy

Unicyclic graphs possessing Kekulé structures with minimal energy are considered. Let n and l be the numbers of vertices of graph and cycle C _l contained in the graph, respectively; r and j positive integers. It is mathematically verified that for and l = 2r + 1 or has the minimal energy in the graphs exclusive of , where is a graph obtained by attaching one pendant edge to each of any two adjacent vertices of C ₄ and then by attaching n/2 − 3 paths of length 2 to one of the two vertices; is a graph obtained by attaching one pendant edge and n/2 − 2 paths of length 2 to one vertex of C ₃. In addition, we claim that for has the minimal energy among all the graphs considered while for has the minimal energy.      

Does bimolecular charge recombination in highly exergonic electron transfer afford the triplet excited state or the ground state of a photosensitizer?

The investigations were made on photoinduced electron transfer (ET) from the singlet excited state of rubrene (1RU*) to p-benzoquinone derivatives (duroquinone, 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, p-benzoquinone, 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone, and p-chloranil) in benzonitrile (PhCN) by using the steady state and time-resolved spectroscopies. The photoinduced ET produces solvent-separated type charge-separated (CS) species and the charge-recombination (CR) process between RU radical cation and semiquinone radical anions obeys second-order kinetics. Not only the CS species but also the triplet excited state of RU (3RU*) is seen in the transient absorption spectra upon laser excitation of a PhCN solution of RU and p-benzoquinone derivatives. The comparison of their time profiles clearly suggests that the CR process between RU radical cation and semiquinone radical anions to the ground state is independent from the deactivation of 3RU*. This indicates that the CR in a highly exergonic ET occurs at a longer distance with a large solvent reorganization energy, which results in faster ET to the ground state than to the triplet excited state that is lower in energy than the CS state. Photoinduced ET from 3RU* in addition from 1RU* also occurs when p-benzoquinone derivatives with electron-withdrawing substituents were employed as electron acceptors.     

Nanotubes: number of Kekulé structures and aromaticity

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are composed of cylindrical graphite sheets consisting of sp(2) carbons. Due to their structure CNTs are considered to be aromatic systems. In this work the number of Kekulé structures (K) in "armchair" CNTs was estimated by using the transfer matrix technique. All Kekulé structures of the cyclic variants of naphthalene and benzo[c]phenanthrene have been generated and the basic patterns have been obtained. From this information the elements of the transfer matrix were derived. The results obtained indicate that K (and the resonance energy) is greater if tubulenes are extended in the vertical than in the horizontal direction. Tubulenes are therefore more stabile than cyclic strips. An illustration, obtained by using scanning probe microscope, has been attached to affirm the existence of thin CNTs.     

Spectroscopy and reactivity of Kekulé hydrocarbons with very small singlet-triplet gaps.

Two Kekulé hydrocarbons, 2,2-dimethyl-2H-benzo[cd]fluoranthene (1) and its benzannellated analogue 2,2-dimethyl-2H-dibenzo[cd,k]fluoranthene (2), were generated photochemically from two different photoprecursors each and investigated spectroscopically in cryogenic matrices by UV-vis, fluorescence, and EPR and in solution using ns flash photolysis and chemical trapping experiments. Hydrocarbon 1 is a ground-state singlet species, whereas compound 2 has a triplet ground state, the first such neutral Kekulé hydrocarbon. This difference, which is supported by density functional calculations, has profound influence on the spectroscopy and reactivity of the two compounds. Using the results of the spectroscopic measurements, trapping experiments, and density functional calculations, the singlet-triplet gap for 1 is estimated to be 2.3-2.8 kcal mol(-1), with the singlet the ground state, and 0.8-1.3 kcal mol(-1) for 2, in favor of the triplet.     

Investigation of β-cyclodextrin complex formation with 2,2′-dipyridine in ground and excited triplet states

An exfoliation/restacking synthesis route has been developed for the fabrication of Ni–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) intercalated Cu(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (CuPcs) hybrid by using exfoliated LDH nanosheets and guest molecules as building blocks. The structural and morphological features of the resulting hybrid have been investigated by varieties of analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM, UV–Vis and thermal analysis. Interlayer spacings determined from XRD patterns reveal a perpendicular orientation of the CuPcs macrocycles to the Ni–Al LDH layer. Then the obtained nanohybrid was utilized as photocatalyst for the decolorization of Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) aqueous solutions. The effects of H₂O₂, time, substrate concentration, catalyst dose, were studied as a function of percentage of decolorization under irradiation and the corresponding dark controls were also carried out for comparison. The decolorization percentage of Rh6G increases with irradiation time and can reach to 70% at 6 h as against to 18% in dark control.     

Cis—trans isomerization of styrenes via the triplet pathway: the perpendicular triplet state observed by laser flash photolysis

The kinetics of the cis—trans photoisomerization of 1-phenylcyclohexene via the triplet state, studied by either nanosecond pulse radiolysis or laser flash photolysis in the presence of sensitizers, reveal that the triplet species involved in the isomerization mechanism has a lifetime of 55 ns in fluid solution at room temperature. A transient absorption decaying with the same 55 ns lifetime, and therefore assigned to this triplet species, was observed in the 320 – 345 nm region. Quite similar triplet—triplet absorptions were observed with 1-phenylcycloheptene, 1-phenylpropene and styrene itself. From the experimental results and from considerations of the energy surfaces of the excited states of styrene, the observed triplet species is identified as the perpendicular (or “phantom”) triplet state of the styrene moiety.     

Potential surface topology of a butene—gold atom system in the ground state

Quantum chemical modeling of but-1-ene isomerization to cis-but-2-ene and trans-but-2-ene in the presence of a gold atom has been carried out in the framework of the density functional theory with an extended basis set, the PBE functional, and a pseudopotential with relativistic corrections included. Two possible mechanisms have been considered, viz., with the formation of an intermediate σ-complex with one C(sp²)—Au bond and with gold insertion into the C—H bond. In the former case, the calculated energy barriers to two isomerization stages are higher than 30 kcal mol⁻¹. In the latter case, the reaction involves three stages and proceeds via a metal hydride complex with low barriers. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1330–1337, July, 2008.     

Access to a stable Si2N2 four-membered ring with non-Kekulé singlet biradical character from a disilyne

The reactions of 1,1,4,4-tetrakis[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]-1,4-diisopropyltetrasila-2-yne 1 with an equivalent amount of trans- and cis-3,3',5,5'-tetramethylazobenzenes produced a Si(2)N(2) four-membered ring biradicaloid [RSi(μ-NAr)(2)SiR] 2 (R = Si(i)Pr[CH(SiMe(3))(2)](2), Ar = 3,5-Me(2)C(6)H(3)), which was isolated as air- and moisture-sensitive dark purple crystals. Compound 2 displays no EPR signal, and the molecular structure of 2 was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, revealing that 2 has a planar centrosymmetric Si(2)N(2) four-membered ring. The Si1-Si1' distance is 2.63380(9) ?, and there is no bond interaction between the Si1 and Si1' atoms of 2. The reactions of 2 with methanol and carbon tetrachloride show that 2 has both closed-shell and radical-type reactivity.     

Molecular orbitals of the oxocarbons (CO)n, n = 2-6. Why does (CO)4 have a triplet ground state?

Cyclobutane-1,2,3,4-tetrone has been both predicted and found to have a triplet ground state, in which a b(2g) σ MO and an a(2u) π MO are each singly occupied. The nearly identical energies of these two orbitals of (CO)(4) can be attributed to the fact that both of these MOs are formed from a bonding combination of C-O π* orbitals in four CO molecules. The intrinsically stronger bonding between neighboring carbons in the b(2g) σ MO compared to the a(2u) π MO is balanced by the fact that the non-nearest-neighbor, C-C interactions in (CO)(4) are antibonding in b(2g), but bonding in a(2u). Crossing between an antibonding, b(1g) combination of carbon lone-pair orbitals in four CO molecules and the b(2g) and a(2u) bonding combinations of π* MOs is responsible for the occupation of the b(2g) and a(2u) MOs in (CO)(4). A similar orbital crossing occurs on going from two CO molecules to (CO)(2), and this crossing is responsible for the triplet ground state that is predicted for (CO)(2). However, such an orbital crossing does not occur on formation of (CO)(2n+1) from 2n + 1 CO molecules, which is why (CO)(3) and (CO)(5) are both calculated to have singlet ground states. Orbital crossings, involving an antibonding, b(1), combination of lone-pair MOs, occur in forming all (CO)(2n) molecules from 2n CO molecules. Nevertheless, (CO)(6) is predicted to have a singlet ground state, in which the b(2u) σ MO is doubly occupied and the a(2u) π MO is left empty. The main reason for the difference between the ground states of (CO)(4) and (CO)(6) is that interactions between 2p AOs on non-nearest-neighbor carbons, which stabilize the a(2u) π MO in (CO)(4), are much weaker in (CO)(6), due to the much larger distances between non-nearest-neighbor carbons in (CO)(6) than in (CO)(4).     

Crystal structure of a cyanide-bridged heptanuclear manganese(III)–chromium(III) complex with a ground state S = 21/2

K₃[Cr(CN)₆] reacts with the mononuclear Mn^III complex Mn(salen)ClO₄ · 2H₂O [salen: N,N-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminato)dianion] to give a bimetallic heptanuclear complex cation salt [Cr{(CN)Mn(salen · H₂O)}₆][Cr(CN)₆]6H₂O. In the complex anion, [Cr{(CN)Mn(salen · H₂O)}₆]³⁺, six Mn^III ions coordinate to a Cr^III center via cyano bridges, forming a spherical species with 3 symmetry. A study of magnetic properties shows the presence of antiferromagnetic interaction through the cyanide bridge between Cr^III (S = 3/2) and Mn^III (S = 4/2) and results in a ground state S = 21/2.     

Desymmetric ring-opening of meso-epoxides with anilines: a simple way to chiral β-amino alcohols

Chiral β-amino alcohols were afforded by desymmetric ring-opening of meso-epoxides with anilines catalyzed by chiral Yb triflate complex in up to 80.1% ee.     

Unexpected photoinduced phenomena in chiral–photochromic cholesteric copolymers with a triplet sensitizer.

For the first time the possibility of energy transfer from a triplet photosensitizer to chiral–photochromic fragments in photoactive cholesteric systems was demonstrated. For this purpose we prepared mixtures containing chiral–photochromic cholesteric copolymers with a triplet sensitizer—acrydine orange (AO). Chiral–photochromic groups in copolymers contain a C=C bond capable for undergoing E–Z isomerization during UV irradiation. All polymer mixtures form a chiral nematic phase displaying selective light reflection with _max~650–1,000 nm depending on the structure and concentration of the chiral groups. Irradiation of mixtures by visible light (>450 nm) leads to a shift of the selective light reflection peak to a long-wavelength spectral region. This effect is associated with a decrease of anisometry of chiral–photochromic fragments in copolymers during their E–Z isomerization. It is important to emphasize, that chiral–photochromic side groups of copolymers do not absorb visible light themselves; therefore, the previously mentioned changes can be explained by the energy transfer from photoexcited AO molecules in the triplet state to isomerizable fragments. The study of the kinetics of this process revealed a rather unexpected phenomenon: after the first 60–80-min irradiation, the helix pitch of the supramolecular structure of the mixtures increases, but after successive irradiation the helix pitch decreases. The possible explanations of this phenomenon were suggested. It was demonstrated that these mixtures may be used for irreversible recording of optical information.     

Pressure–volume–temperature measurements of phosphonium-based ionic liquids and analysis with simple equations of state

In spite of the great importance of the (P, V, T) data of phosphonium–based ionic liquids, only limited information on these data seems to be available in the open literature. In this work, we present the results for the density measurements of the trihexyltetradecylphosphonium chloride, [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Cl] and trihexyltetradecylphosphonium dicyanamide, [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][N(CN₂)] with an estimated uncertainty of ±0.5 kg · m^?3. The ranges of temperature and pressure are T = (273.15 to 318.15) K and p = (0.1 to 25) MPa for [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Cl] and T = (273.15 to 318.15) K and p = (0.1 to 35) MPa for [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][N(CN₂)]. The high consistency of our data for [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Cl] compared with those measured by other authors allowed all the experimental data for this IL to be combined and correlated using the Goharshadi–Morsali–Abbaspour equation of state over a wide range of temperature and pressure. From this equation, thermomechanical coefficients as the isothermal compressibility, thermal expansivity, thermal pressure, and internal pressure were calculated for the two ILs. The Sanchez–Lacombe equation of state was used also for (P, V, T) correlation and the estimation of the free volume in these phosphonium ionic liquids. Finally ionic volumes for trihexyltetradecylphosphonium cation and several anions available in the literature made possible the calculation of the free (hole) volume.     

Kinetically blocked stable heptazethrene and octazethrene: closed-shell or open-shell in the ground state?

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with an open-shell singlet biradical ground state are of fundamental interest and have potential applications in materials science. However, the inherent high reactivity makes their synthesis and characterization very challenging. In this work, a convenient synthetic route was developed to synthesize two kinetically blocked heptazethrene (HZ-TIPS) and octazethrene (OZ-TIPS) compounds with good stability. Their ground-state electronic structures were systematically investigated by a combination of different experimental methods, including steady-state and transient absorption spectroscopy, variable temperature NMR, electron spin resonance (ESR), superconducting quantum interfering device (SQUID), FT Raman, and X-ray crystallographic analysis, assisted by unrestricted symmetry-broken density functional theory (DFT) calculations. All these demonstrated that the heptazethrene derivative HZ-TIPS has a closed-shell ground state while its octazethrene analogue OZ-TIPS with a smaller energy gap exists as an open-shell singlet biradical with a large measured biradical character (y = 0.56). Large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross sections (σ((2))) were determined for HZ-TIPS (σ((2))(max) = 920 GM at 1250 nm) and OZ-TIPS (σ((2))(max) = 1200 GM at 1250 nm). In addition, HZ-TIPS and OZ-TIPS show a closely stacked 1D polymer chain in single crystals.     

Ab initio potential energy curves and transition dipole moments for the interaction of a ground state He with Na(3s–3p)

Potential energy curves of the states X ²Σ⁺, B (1)²Σ⁺ and A (1)²Π of the NaHe molecule have been calculated accurately in a large range of internuclear distances R from SA-CASSCF-MRCI calculations, using molecular orbitals expanded in cc-pV5Z basis sets. Transition dipole moments have also been calculated for the X–B, X–A and A–B transitions, in the same range of R. Their long-range behaviour have been considered.