Thiapyrylocyanines

The reaction of thiaflavones with methylmagnesium iodide has yielded 4-methylthiaflavylium salts, from which a number of symmetrical and unsymmetrical polymethine dyes have been obtained. The thiaflavylocyanines have considerably deeper colors than the flavylocyanines. The thiaflavylium styryl dyes, like the flavylium analogs, have negative deviations. It follows from the results on the deviations that in the polymethine dyes the thiaflavylium nucleus behaves as less basic than the flavylium nucleus.     

Photodynamics of polyene-polymethine transformations and spectral fluorescent properties of merocyanine dyes

Absorption and fluorescence spectrum band moments (center of gravity, width, asymmetry, excess, and fine structure) have been determined in a wide range of solvents with different polarities for inverse solvatochromic di-, tetra-, and hexamethinemerocyanines derived from 1,3-diphenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazole. Juxtaposition of the quantum-chemically calculated (by the semiempirical AM1 method) charges, bond orders, and dipole moments of the merocyanine molecules in the ground and excited singlet states with the experimentally observed spectral fluorescent characteristics suggests that the molecular electronic structure in the two states can vary from a nonpolar polyene via a polymethine to a charge-separated polyene, depending on the length of the polymethine chain and the medium polarity. As shown, solvatofluorochromism gives rise to smaller spectral band shifts than those of solvatochromism. This effect is attributable to weaker intermolecular solute-solvent interactions in the fluorescent excited state due to the more equalized charges as compared to those of the ground state. A lack of mirror symmetry of the absorption and fluorescence spectra has been revealed for di- and tetramethinemerocyanines (broadened fluorescence bands) as well as for hexamethinemerocyanines (narrowed fluorescence bands); the two cases are accounted for by the different behavior of vibronic and intermolecular interactions in the course of absorption and emission. As found for merocyanines, the electronic structure of their fluorescent state approaches the cyanine limit and the ground state becomes increasingly polyene-like with lengthening of the polymethine chain. A close vicinity of the excited state to the cyanine limit causes a dramatic increase in fluorescence quantum yields and a decrease in Stokes shifts observed for higher merocyanine vinylogues.     

Flavylium Polymethine Fluorophores for Near‐ and Shortwave Infrared Imaging

Bright fluorophores in the near‐infrared and shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are essential for optical imaging in vivo. In this work, we utilized a 7‐dimethylamino flavylium heterocycle to construct a panel of novel red‐shifted polymethine dyes, with emission wavelengths from 680 to 1045 nm. Photophysical characterization revealed that the 1‐ and 3‐methine dyes display enhanced photostability and the 5‐ and 7‐methine dyes exhibit exceptional brightness for their respective spectral regions. A micelle formulation of the 7‐methine facilitated SWIR imaging in mice. This report presents the first polymethine dye designed and synthesized for SWIR in vivo imaging.     

Structure and fluorescence properties of merocyanine dyes derived from dimethylbarbituric acid

The fluorescence properties of positively and negatively solvatochromic di-, tetra-, and hexamethinemerocyanines derived from 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid in solvents of various polarities were studied. The range of solvatofluorochromic effect for these compounds is narrower than the range of solvatochromic effect. Extension of the polymethine chain of these compounds causes in the fluorescence spectra, in contrast to the absorption spectra, an increase in vinylene shifts, a decrease in deviations, and band narrowing. The electronic structure of the merocyanines was analyzed by the AM1 method. Transitions between the ideal states (neutral polyene, polymethine, and charged polyene) were examined. The electronic structure of the merocyanines in the excited state was found to approach the cyanine limit. Its attainment accounts for a sharp increase in the quantum yields of the fluorescence and a decrease in the Stokes shifts in going to higher vinylogs, and also with an increase in the solvent polarity for positively solvatochromic merocyanines and with its decrease for the negatively solvatochromic derivatives.     

The effects of substituents and solvents on the ground-state π-electronic structure and electronic absorption spectra of a series of model merocyanine dyes and their theoretical interpretation

Two series of new merocyanine dyes have been synthesised and the dependence of their electronic structure on substituents and solvents has been studied by NMR spectroscopy, by using both the NMR (13)C chemical shifts between adjacent C atoms in the polymethine chain and the (3)J(H,H) coupling constants for trans-vicinal protons. The widely used valence bond (VB) model based on two contributing structures cannot account theoretically for the observed alternating π-electron density in the polymethine chain. In addition, the prediction of zero-π-bond order alternation (or zero-bond length alternation) by this model is also incorrect. However, the results are consistent with the predictions of a qualitative VB model which considers the resonance of a positive charge throughout the whole polymethine chain. Based on this model and the Franck-Condon principle the effect of substituents and solvents on the fine structure of the electronic spectra of these dyes can be explained as vibronic transitions from the vibrational state v = 0 to v', where v is the vibrational quantum number of the totally symmetric C=C valence vibration of the polymethine chain in the electronic ground state and v' is that in the electronic excited state. In contrast, neither the effects of substituents or solvents on the electronic structure of merocyanines and their electronic spectra can be accounted for by the simple two state VB model.     

The Effects of Substituents and Solvents on the Ground‐State π‐Electronic Structure and Electronic Absorption Spectra of a Series of Model Merocyanine Dyes and Their Theoretical Interpretation

Two series of new merocyanine dyes have been synthesised and the dependence of their electronic structure on substituents and solvents has been studied by NMR spectroscopy, by using both the NMR ¹³C chemical shifts between adjacent C atoms in the polymethine chain and the ³J(H,H) coupling constants for trans‐vicinal protons. The widely used valence bond (VB) model based on two contributing structures cannot account theoretically for the observed alternating π‐electron density in the polymethine chain. In addition, the prediction of zero‐π‐bond order alternation (or zero‐bond length alternation) by this model is also incorrect. However, the results are consistent with the predictions of a qualitative VB model which considers the resonance of a positive charge throughout the whole polymethine chain. Based on this model and the Franck‐Condon principle the effect of substituents and solvents on the fine structure of the electronic spectra of these dyes can be explained as vibronic transitions from the vibrational state v=0 to v′, where v is the vibrational quantum number of the totally symmetric C?C valence vibration of the polymethine chain in the electronic ground state and v′ is that in the electronic excited state. In contrast, neither the effects of substituents or solvents on the electronic structure of merocyanines and their electronic spectra can be accounted for by the simple two state VB model.     

Shape and localization of soliton waves in the triplet excited state of polymethine dyes

A quantum-chemical study was carried out on the shape and localization of solitons in polymethine dyes in the triplet excited state. The transition of ions of polymethine dyes to this state was shown to give rise to two-component electron density waves of opposite spin being in the opposite phase and, as a result, waves of alternating spin density appear as well as bond length waves with three minima. Two of these minima are linked to separate components of electron density soliton waves, while the third minimum localized in the center of the conjugation chain corresponds to a soliton wave of the total charge. It was established that the soliton waves are asymmetric due to a different number of electrons with spin and spin , especially in ions with a short chain. The introduction of terminal groups enhances the asymmetry and this effect depends significantly on the type of terminal group.     

Barriers to conformational transformations in symmetrical linear conjugated systems

A quantum-chemical study has been carried out on conformational transformations in the ground and first excited states of symmetrical polymethine dyes and related α, ω-disubstituted polyenes. The magnitude of the trans-cis isomerization barriers depends on the length of the conjugation chain, position of the rotated bond, electron-donor capacity of the terminal groups, and occupancy of the electron shell. The rotation of molecular fragments in the excited state may lead to a change in the nature of the first electronic transition. Institute of Organic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 5 Murmanskaya ul., Kiev 02094, Ukraine. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 162–168, May–June, 2000.     

Pyrylocyanines

Unsymmetrical selenaflavylocyanines containing flavylium, thiaflavylium, 1,3,3-trimethylindoleninium, or 1-ethylbenzothiazolium rings were synthesized. The deviations for the dyes obtained, which were calculated from the absorption maxima and by the band moment method, were compared with the same values obtained for similar dyes with flavylium or thiaflavylium rings in place of the selenaflavylium ring. The results indicate that the basicity of the heterorings in the polymethine dyes increases in the order selenaflavylium < thiaflavylium < flavylium. This is confirmed by a comparison of the deviations in hemicyanines and styryls.See [1] for communication II.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1177–1181, September, 1971.     

Condensed heterocycles with a thiazole ring. 15. Dyes based on thiazolo[3,4-b][1,2,4]triazine

Unsymmetrical tri- and pentamethinecyanine dyes with a thiazolo[3,4-b][1,2,4]triazine ring were synthesized. The electron-density distribution on the atoms of the dyes in the ground, first, and second excited states was calculated by a quantum-chemical method. It was established that the first two electron transitions are localized on the same atoms of the dyes and that charge transfer to the triazine fragment of the molecule is realized upon excitation. The degree of participation of the heterocyclic ring in the first electron transition, which is responsible for the color of the dye, decreases with an increase in the length of the polymethine chain.See [1] for Communication 14.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 7, pp. 985–991, July, 1988.     

Quasidegenerate scaled opposite spin second order perturbation corrections to single excitation configuration interaction

Scaled opposite spin (SOS) second order perturbative corrections to single excitation configuration interaction (CIS) are extended to correctly treat quasidegeneracies between excited states. Two viable methods, termed as SOS-CIS(D(0)) and SOS-CIS(D(1)), are defined, implemented, and tested. Each involves one empirical parameter (plus a second for the SOS-MP2 ground state), has computational cost that scales with the fourth power of molecule size, and has storage requirements that are cubic, with only quantities of the rank of single excitations produced and stored during iterations. Tests on a set of low-lying adiabatic valence excitation energies and vertical Rydberg excitations of organic and inorganic molecules show that the empirical parameter can be acceptably transferred from the corresponding nondegenerate perturbation theories without any further fitting. Further tests on higher excited states show that the new methods correctly perform for surface crossings for which nondegenerate approaches fail. Numerical results show that SOS-CIS(D(0)) appears to treat Rydberg excitations in a more balanced way than SOS-CIS(D(1)) and is, therefore, likely to be the preferred approach. It should be useful for exploring excited state geometries, transition structures, and conical intersections for states of medium to large organic molecules that are dominated by single excitations.     

Spin-adapted open-shell time-dependent density functional theory. III. An even better and simpler formulation

The recently proposed spin-adapted time-dependent density functional theory (S-TD-DFT) [Z. Li and W. Liu, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 064106 (2010)] resolves the spin-contamination problem in describing singly excited states of high spin open-shell systems. It is an extension of the standard restricted open-shell Kohn-Sham-based TD-DFT which can only access those excited states due to singlet-coupled single excitations. It is also far superior over the unrestricted Kohn-Sham-based TD-DFT (U-TD-DFT) which suffers from severe spin contamination for those excited states due to triplet-coupled single excitations. Nonetheless, the accuracy of S-TD-DFT for high spin open-shell systems is still inferior to TD-DFT for well-behaved closed-shell systems. The reason can be traced back to the violation of the spin degeneracy conditions (SDC) by approximate exchange-correlation (XC) functionals. Noticing that spin-adapted random phase approximation (S-RPA) can indeed maintain the SDC by virtue of the Wigner-Eckart theorem, a hybrid ansatz combining the good of S-TD-DFT and S-RPA can immediately be envisaged. The resulting formalism, dubbed as X-TD-DFT, is free of spin contamination and can also be viewed as a S-RPA correction to the XC kernel of U-TD-DFT. Compared with S-TD-DFT, X-TD-DFT leads to much improved results for the low-lying excited states of, e.g., N(2)(+), yet with much reduced computational cost. Therefore, X-TD-DFT can be recommended for routine calculations of excited states of high spin open-shell systems.     

Condensed heterocycles with a thiazole ring. 14 Nature of the electronic spectra of symmetrical polymethine dyes of the thiazolo[3,4-b][1,2,4]triazine series

Symmetrical mono-, tri-, and pentamethinecyanine dyes with a thiazolo[3,4-b][1,2,4]triazine ring were synthesized. The electron-density distributions in the dye molecules in the ground and first and second excited states were obtained by quantum-chemical calculations. It was established that the first two electron transitions are localized on the same atoms and that charge transfer to the triazine fragment of the molecule is realized in the case of excitation. The degree of participation of the heterocyclic ring in the first electron transition, which is responsible for the color of the dye, decreases with lengthening of the polymethine chain.See [1] for communication 13.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 418–423, March, 1988.     

Electron dynamics in charge-transfer-to-solvent states of aqueous chloride revealed by Cl- 2p resonant Auger-electron spectroscopy

Charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) excited states of aqueous chloride are studied by a novel experimental approach based on resonant inner-shell photoexcitation, Cl(-)aq 2p --> e(i), i = 1-4, which denotes a series of excitations to lowest and higher CTTS states. These states are clearly identified through the occurrence of characteristic spectator Auger decays to double Cl 3p valence-hole states, where the CTTS states can be more stabilized as compared to single Cl(-)aq 2p core excitations and optical valence excitations. Furthermore, we have found for the first time that the CTTS electron e(i) bound by a single Cl 2p hole not only behaves as a spectator e(i) --> e'(i), bound by a double valence-hole state before relaxation of the excited electron (i) itself, but also shows electron dynamics to the relaxed lowest state, e(i) --> e'(1*). This interpretation is supported by ab initio calculations. The key to performing photoelectron and Auger-electron spectroscopy studies from aqueous solutions is the use of a liquid microjet in ultrahigh vacuum in conjunction with synchrotron radiation.     

Theoretical analysis of excited states and energy transfer mechanism in conjugated dendrimers

The excited states of the phenylene ethynylene dendrimer are investigated comprehensively by various electronic‐structure methods. Several computational methods, including SCS‐ADC(2), TDHF, TDDFT with different functionals (B3LYP, BH&HLYP, CAM‐B3LYP), and DFT/MRCI, are applied in systematic calculations. The theoretical approach based on the one‐electron transition density matrix is used to understand the electronic characters of excited states, particularly the contributions of local excitations and charge‐transfer excitations within all interacting conjugated branches. Furthermore, the potential energy curves of low‐lying electronic states as the functions of ethynylene bonds are constructed at different theoretical levels. This work provides us theoretical insights on the intramolecular excited‐state energy transfer mechanism of the dendrimers at the state‐of‐the‐art electronic‐structure theories. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The low-lying electronic excited states of NiCO

Highly correlated coupled cluster methods with single and double excitations (CSSD) and CCSD with perturbative triple excitations were used to predict molecular structures and harmonic vibrational frequencies for the electronic ground state X 1Sigma+, and for the 3Delta, 3Sigma+, 3Phi, 1 3Pi, 2 3Pi, 1Sigma+, 1Delta, and 1Pi excited states of NiCO. The X 1Sigma+ ground state's geometry is for the first time compared with the recently determined experimental structure. The adiabatic excitation energies, vertical excitation energies, and dissociation energies of these excited states are predicted. The importance of pi and sigma bonding for the Ni-C bond is discussed based on the structures of excited states.     

Conical and glancing Jahn-Teller intersections in the cyclic trinitrogen cation

The ground and electronically excited states of cyclic N(3) (+) are characterized at the equilibrium D(3h) geometry and along the Jahn-Teller distortions. Lowest excited states are derived from single excitations from the doubly degenerate highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) to the doubly degenerate lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs), which give rise to two exactly and two nearly degenerate states. The interaction of two degenerate states with two other states eliminates linear terms and results in a glancing rather than conical Jahn-Teller intersection. HOMO-2-->LUMOs excitations give rise to two regular Jahn-Teller states. Optimized structures, vertical and adiabatic excitation energies, frequencies, and ionization potential (IP) are presented. IP is estimated to be 10.595 eV, in agreement with recent experiments.     

Subnanosecond Emission Dynamics of AT DNA Oligonucleotides

UV radiation creates excited electronic states in DNA that can decay to mutagenic photoproducts. When excited states return to the electronic ground state, photochemical injury is avoided. Understanding of the available relaxation pathways has advanced rapidly during the past decade, but there has been persistent uncertainty, and even controversy, over how to compare results from transient absorption and time‐resolved emission experiments. Here, emission from single‐ and double‐stranded AT DNA compounds excited at 265 nm was studied in aqueous solution using the time‐correlated single photon counting technique. There is quantitative agreement between the emission lifetimes ranging from 50 to 200 ps and ones measured in transient absorption experiments, demonstrating that both techniques probe the same excited states. The results indicate that excitations with lifetimes of more than a few picoseconds are weakly emissive excimer and charge transfer states. Only a minute fraction of excitations persist beyond 1 ns in AT DNA strands at room temperature.