Laser-induced fluorescence and single vibronic level emission spectroscopy of chiral (R)-1-aminoindan and some of its clusters in a supersonic jet

Two low energy conformers of the chiral (R)-1-aminoindan molecule are identified in supersonic jet and their ground and excited states vibrational spectroscopy has been investigated by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) excitation and single vibronic level (SVL) emission spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations confirm the existence of two lowest-energy structures, where the amino group is in equatorial position with its lone pair directed opposite to the aromatic electron cloud. Harmonic frequencies have been calculated for these two conformers at the DFT level with B3LYP functional. A low-frequency progression of 118 cm(-1) and 114 cm(-1), respectively, appears in the fluorescence excitation spectrum of the two conformers, with its ground state counterpart at approximately 147 cm(-1). It has been assigned to the puckering motion coupled with the ring flapping mode. The other calculated low-frequency mode corresponds to the puckering motion coupled with the ring twisting mode and its ground state frequency has been observed at 119 cm(-1) and 111 cm(-1) from SVL spectra. Both conformers form similar 1 : 1 water clusters, whose 0-0 transitions are shifted to the blue by 41 cm(-1) and 44 cm(-1), respectively, and whose SVL spectra are similar. Interestingly, one of the conformers seems to preferentially make complexes with (S)-methyllactate, while the other one shows selective complexation to (R)-methyllactate.     

Fluorescence spectroscopy of jet-cooled chiral (+/-)-indan-1-ol and its cluster with (+/-)-methyl- and ethyl-lactate

The laser-induced fluorescence excitation, dispersed fluorescence, and IR-UV double resonance spectra of chiral (+/-)-indan-1-ol have been measured in a supersonic expansion. Three low energy conformers of the molecule have been identified, and the ground state vibrational modes of each conformer are tentatively assigned with the aid of quantum chemistry calculations. The frequencies of the nu(OH) and nu(CH) stretch modes of the two most abundant conformers have been measured by fluorescence dip IR spectroscopy and have been used for their assignment. The dispersed fluorescence spectra clearly indicate the coupling of low-frequency modes, as was seen in other substituted indanes such as 1-aminoindan and 1-amino-2-indanol. (R)- and (S)-indan-1-ol distinctly form different types of clusters with (R)- and (S)- methyl- and ethyl-lactate. Both hetero- and homochiral clusters are characterized by complex spectra which exhibit a progression built on low-frequency intermolecular modes.     

Resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy of 2-indanol conformers

We report studies of a supersonically cooled 2-indanol using two-color resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and two-color zero kinetic energy (ZEKE) photoelectron spectroscopy. In the REMPI experiment, we have identified three conformers of 2-indanol and assigned the vibrational structures of the first electronically excited state for the two major conformers. Conformer Ia contains an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the -OH group and the phenyl ring, while conformer IIb has the -OH group in the equatorial position. We have further investigated the vibrational spectroscopy of the cation for the two major conformers using the ZEKE spectroscopy. The two conformers display dramatically different vibrational distributions. The ZEKE spectrum of conformer Ia shows an extensive progression in the puckering mode of the five member ring, indicating a significant geometry change upon ionization. The ZEKE spectra of conformer IIb are dominated by single vibronic transitions, and the intensity of the ZEKE signal is much stronger than that of conformer Ia. These results indicate an invariance of the molecular frame during ionization for conformer IIb. We have performed ab initio and density functional theory calculations to obtain potential energy surfaces along the dihedral angle involving the -OH group for all three electronic states. In addition, we have also calculated the vibrational distribution of the ZEKE spectrum for the puckering mode of the five member ring. Not only the vibrational frequencies but also the intensity distributions for both conformers have been reproduced satisfactorily. The adiabatic ionization energies have been determined to be 68 593+/-5 cm(-1) for conformer Ia and 68 981+/-5 cm(-1) for conformer IIb.     

Shape of 4S- and 4R-hydroxyproline in gas phase

The alpha-amino acids 4(S)-hydroxyproline and 4(R)-hydroxyproline have been studied under isolation conditions in gas phase using laser-ablation molecular-beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Two conformers of each molecule have been detected in the jet-cooled rotational spectrum. The most stable conformer in both molecules exhibits an intramolecular N...H-O hydrogen bond (configuration 1) between the hydrogen atom of the carboxylic group and the nitrogen atom. The second conformer is characterized by an intramolecular N-H...O=C hydrogen bond (configuration 2). The conformers of 4(R)-hydroxyproline adopt a C(gamma)-exo puckering, while those of 4(S)-hydroxyproline present a C(gamma)-endo ring conformation. These ring conformations, which show the same propensity observed in collagen-like peptides, are stabilized by additional intramolecular hydrogen bonds involving the 4-hydroxyl group, with the exception of the most stable form of 4(S)-hydroxyproline for which a n-pi interaction between the oxygen atom of the 4-hydroxyl group and the carboxyl group carbon seems to be established. A gauche effect could be also contributing to stabilize the observed conformers.     

Double resonance spectroscopy of different conformers of the neurotransmitter amphetamine and its clusters with water

In this paper the conformational landscape of amphetamine in the neutral ground state is examined by both spectroscopy and theory. Several spectroscopic methods are used: laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization (R2PI), dispersed fluorescence and IR/R2PI hole burning spectroscopy. The latter two methods provide for the first time vibrationally resolved spectra of the neutral ground state of dl-amphetamine and the amphetamine–(H₂O)_1,2 complexes. Nine stable conformers of the monomer were found by DFT (B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)) and ab initio (MP2/6-311++G(d,p)) calculations. For conformer analysis the vibrations observed in the IR/R2PI hole burning and dispersed fluorescence spectra obtained from single vibronic levels (SVLF) of a selected conformer were compared with the results of an ab initio normal mode analysis. By this procedure three S₀ → S₁ transitions in the R2PI spectrum were assigned to three different conformer structures. Another weak transition earlier attributed to another conformer could be assigned to a vibronic band of one of the three conformers. Furthermore spectra of amphetamine–(H₂O)_1,2 are tentatively assigned.     

Large amplitude out-of-plane vibrations of 1,3-benzodioxole in the S0 and S1 states: an analysis of fluorescence and excitation spectra by ab initio calculations

We report the analytical expressions of the two-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PES) spanned by the puckering and flapping vibrations in the S0 and S1 states of 1,3-benzodioxole (BDO). Both PES are obtained from S0 and S1 energies computed on a grid of 2500 molecular geometries at the CASPT2 level. Both the S0 and S1 PES are anharmonic, and the planar geometry corresponds to a barrier that separates two minima at nonplanar geometries along the puckering/flapping deformations. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the mixed puckering/flapping modes are calculated by the Meyer flexible model. Improved vibronic levels, in better agreement with the observed spectra, are obtained by suitably optimized CASPT2 surfaces. To assign the lower-energy (0-500 cm(-1)) portion of emission and absorption spectra, we evaluate the band intensities by estimating the Franck-Condon factors between the puckering/flapping eigenvectors of the S0 and S1 states. From these calculations, we obtain a satisfactory assignment of the ground state IR spectra and of the fluorescence excitation spectrum. Both assignments are supported by the analysis of the vibrational structures of several single vibronic level (SVL) fluorescence spectra. The successful interpretation of these spectra shows that the S0 and S1 PES that we derive for BDO are substantially correct. The barrier heights in the two states are similar: 125.7 and 190.4 cm(-1) in S0 and in S1, respectively. In S0, the barrier is associated essentially with the puckering motion. In S1, it involves to a considerable extent also the flapping coordinate, whose vibrational frequency is much lower in S1 than in S0. This fact introduces a substantial Duschinsky effect in the S0-S1 transitions of BDO.     

Effect of noncovalent interactions on conformers of the n-butylbenzene monomer studied by mass analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy and basis-set convergent ab initio computations

Two conformational isomers of the aromatic hydrocarbon n-butylbenzene have been studied using two-color MATI (mass analyzed threshold ionization) spectroscopy to explore the effect of conformation on ionization dynamics. Cationic states of g auche-conformer III and anti- conformers IV were selectively produced by two-color excitation via the respective S 1 origins. Adiabatic ionization potentials of the gauche- and anti-conformations were determined to be 70146 and 69872 +/- 5 cm (-1) respectively. Spectral features and vibrational modes are interpreted with the aid of MP2/cc-pVDZ ab initio calculations, and ionization-induced changes in the molecular conformations are discussed. Complete basis set (CBS) ab initio studies at MP2 level reveal reliable energetics for all four n-butylbenzene conformers observed in earlier two-color REMPI (resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization) spectra. For the S 0 state, the energies of conformer III, IV and V are above conformer I by 130, 289, 73 cm (-1), respectively. Furthermore, the combination of the CBS calculations with the measured REMPI, MATI spectra allowed the determination of the energetics of all four conformers in the S 1 and D 0 states.     

Conformations of 2-aminoindan in a supersonic jet: the role of intramolecular N-H...pi hydrogen bonding

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), dispersed fluorescence (DF), mass-resolved one-color resonance enhanced two-photon ionization (RE2PI) and UV-UV hole-burning spectra of 2-aminoindan (2-AI) were measured in a supersonic jet. The hole-burning spectra demonstrated that the congested vibronic structures observed in the LIF excitation spectrum were responsible for three conformers of 2-AI. The origins of the conformers were observed at 36931, 36934, and 36955 cm(-1). The DF spectra obtained by exciting the band origins of the three conformers showed quite similar vibrational structures, with the exception of the bands around 600-900 cm(-1). The molecular structures of the three conformers were assigned with the aid of ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) level. An amino hydrogen of the most stable conformer points toward the benzene ring. The stability of the most stable conformer was attributed to an intramolecular N-H...pi hydrogen bonding between the hydrogen atom and the pi-electron of the benzene ring. The other two conformers, devoid of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, were also identified for 2-AI. This suggests weak hydrogen bonding in the most stable conformer. The intramolecular N-H...pi hydrogen bonding in 2-AI was discussed in comparison with other weak hydrogen-bonding systems.     

Spectroscopy of the A(1B2)-X(1A1) transition of jet-cooled fluorobenzene: laser-induced fluorescence, dispersed fluorescence, and pathological Fermi resonances

A detailed study of the S1((1)B2)-S0((1)A1) electronic transition of jet-cooled fluorobenzene has been carried out using laser-induced fluorescence and dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopies. Analysis of over 40 single vibronic level DF spectra resulted in the assignment of 16 fundamental frequencies in the excited electronic state. Progressions in totally symmetric modes, particularly in the ring-breathing mode nu9, feature in both types of fluorescence spectrum. There is also significant activity in non-totally-symmetric modes, with activity in Franck-Condon (FC)-allowed overtones, FC-forbidden combinations induced by Duschinsky mixing, and symmetry-forbidden transitions induced by the same Herzberg-Teller vibronic coupling mechanism that induces the benzene S1-S0 transition. Fermi resonances (FRs) are extensive throughout the spectrum, especially in the important FC-active a1 modes. A consequence of these extensive FRs is that several important previous assignments are shown to be incorrect and have been reassigned here. Ab initio and density functional theory calculations have also been performed to support the experimental assignments.     

Conformers of gaseous proline

Accurate geometries, relative energies, rotational and quartic centrifugal distortion constants, dipole moments, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and infrared intensities were determined from ab initio electronic structure calculations for eighteen conformers of the neutral form of the amino acid L-proline. Only four conformers have notable population at low and moderate temperature. The second most stable conformer is only 2+/-2 kJ mol(-1) above the global minimum, while the third and fourth conformers are nearly degenerate and have an excess energy of 7+/-2 kJ mol(-1) relative to the global minimum. All four conformers have one hydrogen bond: N.HO in the lower energy pair of conformers, and NH.O in the higher energy pair of conformers. The conformer pairs differ only in their ring puckering. The relative energies of the conformers include corrections for valence electron correlation, extrapolated to the complete basis set limit, as well as core correlation and relativistic effects. Structural features of the pyrrolidine ring of proline are discussed by using the concept of pseudorotation. The accurate rotational and quartic centrifugal distortion constants as well as the vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities should aid identification and characterization of the conformers of L-proline by rotational and vibrational spectroscopy, respectively. Bonding features of L-proline, especially intramolecular hydrogen bonds, were investigated by the atoms-in-molecules (AIM) technique.     

单嘧磺隆除草剂的晶体构象-活性构象转换的密度泛函理论研究

应用密度泛函理论在B3LYP/6-31G(d)水平上对新型除草剂单嘧磺隆绕脲桥部分两个C—N键的内旋转势能面进行计算, 然后对势能面上的驻点进行构型优化和过渡态搜索, 得到单嘧磺隆4种稳定构象和构象转换过程所涉及的8个过渡态结构. 研究结果表明, 单嘧磺隆晶体构象-活性构象转换过程中涉及4种稳定构象和8条转换途径, 脲桥部分NH基团与嘧啶环上N原子所形成的分子内氢键对于构象的稳定性及转换过程起着十分重要的作用. 应用极化连续介质溶剂模型(PCM)在B3LYP/6-31＋＋G(d, p)水平下进行溶剂化效应计算, 结果表明单嘧磺隆从晶体构象转换成活性构象主要是在水相中进行的.     

Evidence of conformational equilibrium of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium in its ionic liquid salts: Raman spectroscopic study and quantum chemical calculations

Raman spectra of liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI+) salts, EMI(+)BF4-, EMI(+)PF6-, EMI(+)CF3SO3-, and EMI(+)N(CF3SO2)2-, were measured over the frequency range 200-1600 cm(-1). In the range 200-500 cm(-1), we found five bands originating from the EMI+ ion at 241, 297, 387, 430, and 448 cm(-1). However, the 448 cm(-1) band could hardly be reproduced by theoretical calculations in terms of a given EMI+ conformer, implying that the band originates from another conformer. This is expected because the EMI+ involves an ethyl group bound to the N atom of the imidazolium ring, and the ethyl group can rotate along the C-N bond to yield conformers. The torsion energy for the rotation was then theoretically calculated. Two local minima with an energy difference of ca. 2 kJ mol(-1) were found, suggesting that two conformers are present in equilibrium. Full geometry optimizations followed by normal frequency analyses indicate that the two conformers are those with planar and nonplanar ethyl groups against the imidazolium ring plane, and the nonplanar conformer is favorable. It elucidates that bands at 241, 297, 387, and 430 cm(-1) mainly originate from the nonplanar conformer, whereas the 448 cm(-1) band does originate from the planar conformer. Indeed, the enthalpy for conformational change from nonplanar to planar EMI+ experimentally obtained by analyzing band intensities of the conformers at varying temperatures is practically the same as that evaluated by theoretical calculations. We thus conclude that the EMI+ ion exists as either a nonplanar or planar conformer in equilibrium in its liquid salts.     

Molecular Structure, Vibrational Spectrum and Ionization Energy of m-Dimethoxybenzene

The optimized molecular geometries of the three rotamers of m-dimethoxybenzene in the ground So and electronically excited Sl states were predicted by ab initio and density functional theory （DFF） calculations. Their vibrational spectra in the St state were studied by one color resonant two photon ionization （1C-R2PI） method, and their ionization energies were measured by two color resonant two photon ionization （2C-R2PI） experiment. The optimized molecular geometries showed that the total energy of conformer a was the lowest in the So state. Most of the active vibrations assigned from the 1C-R2PI spectrum were found to be of the in-plane ring modes. The ionization energies （IE） of conformers a, b and c were determined to be 63521, 64487 and 63755 cm^-1, respectively.     

Conformational isomers from rotation of diacetylenic bond in an ethynylpyrene-substituted molecular hinge

The first example of isolation and X-ray crystallographic structural characterization of two conformers arising from rotation along a diacetylenic bond is reported. In both the conformers extensive pi-pi interactions are observed in the solid state. VT-NMR and fluorescence spectroscopic studies in solution suggest that the closed and open conformers are in equilibrium and that the closed conformer is the predominant species at room temperature.     

Spectra and structure of small ring compounds: XXIX. Microwave spectrum of γ-butyrolactone

The microwave spectrum of γ-butyrolactone has been recorded from 12.4 to 40.0 GHz. Both A-type and B-type transitions were observed. The R-branch assignments have been made for the ground state and the first two excited states of the ring-puckering and the first excited state of the ring twisting modes. It is shown that the ring skeleton is non-planar from the magnitude of the μ_c component of the dipole moment as well as from the value of I_c?(I_a+I_b). From the relative intensity measurements of the ground and the excited state, the ring twisting mode appears to be governed by a double minimum potential. The dipole moment was determined to be 4.27±0.03 D with components of μ_a = 4.04±0.03 D, μ_b = 1.42±0.03 D, μ_c = 0.33±0.02 D. From an investigation of the Raman spectrum of the gas, the ring puckering vibration was found to have a frequency of 148 cm^?1, whereas the ring twisting mode was found at 225 cm^?1.     

PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CONFORMATIONAL EQUILIBRIUM OF trans-6-STYRYLQUINOXALINE

The wavelength dependent fluorescence spectra and bi-exponential fluorescence decays of trans-6-styrylquinoxaline (6-StQx) indicate that two conformers exist in equilibrium in solution. When comparing the conformationally restricted analogues (5Me-6-StQx and 7Me-6-StQx) with 6-StQx, the short-wavelength absorbing conformer of 6-StQx can be assigned to conformer(A) and the long-wavelength absorbing component to conformer(B). The temperature effects on the fluorescence lifetime indicate that the short-lived conformer(A) is the more stable conformer in non-polar solvents, while the long-lived conformer(B) is the stable component in polar solvents. The results of semiempir-ical AMI and CNDO/S CI calculations on both the ground and excited states are consistent with the conclusions drawn from the spectral data.