Molecular structure and dynamics of off-center Cu(2+) ions and strongly coupled Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs in BaF(2) crystals: electron paramagnetic resonance and electron spin relaxation studies

X-band and Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of Cu(2+) in BaF(2) crystal were recorded in the temperature range of 4.2-200 K. Spin-Hamiltonian parameters of single Cu(2+) complexes and of Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs were derived and discussed. A special attention was paid to the dimeric species. Their molecular ground state configuration was found as having antiferromagnetic intradimer coupling with the singlet-triplet splitting J=-35 cm(-1). The zero-field splitting being D=0.0365 cm(-1) at 4.2 K increases with temperature as an effect of thermal population of excited dimer configurations. Electron spin echo (ESE) method was used for measurements of electron spin lattice and phase relaxation. The spin-lattice relaxation data show that except for coupling to the host lattice phonons the Cu(2+) ions are involved in local mode motions with energy of 82 cm(-1). Phase relaxation (ESE dephasing) of single Cu(2+) ions is due to spin diffusion at low temperatures. This relaxation is hampered for temperatures higher than 30 K due to the triplet state population of neighboring Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) dimers, which disturb dipolar coupling between Cu(2+) ions. For higher temperatures the relaxation is dominated by Raman T(1) processes. Fourier transform ESE spectrum displays dipolar Cu-F splitting which allowed determination of the off-center shift of Cu(2+) as delta(s)=0.132 nm. The dynamical effects observed in EPR spectra and in electron spin relaxation both for single Cu(2+) ions and Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs are discussed as due to jumps between six off-center positions in the crystal unit cell and jumps between various dimer configurations.     

Anisotropic pseudorotation of the photoexcited triplet state of fullerene C60 in molecular glasses studied by pulse EPR

Spin-polarized echo-detected electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra and the transversal relaxation rate T2(-1) of the photoexcited triplet state of fullerene C60 molecules were studied in o-terphenyl, 1-methylnaphthalene, and decalin glassy matrices. The model is composed of a fast (correlation time approximately 10(-12) s) pseudorotation of (3)C60 in a local anisotropic potential created by interaction of the fullerene molecule with the surrounding matrix molecules. In simulations, this potential is assumed to be axially symmetric around some axis of a preferable orientation in a matrix cage. The fitted value of the potential was found to depend on the type of glass and to decrease monotonically with a temperature increase. A sharp increase of the T2(-1) temperature dependence was found near 240 K in glassy o-terphenyl and near 100 K in glassy 1-methylnaphthalene and decalin. This increase probably is related to the influence on the pseudorotation of the onset of large-amplitude vibrational molecular motions (dynamical transition in glass) that are known for glasses from neutron scattering and molecular dynamics studies. The obtained results suggest that molecular and spin dynamics of the triplet fullerene are extremely sensitive to molecular motions in glassy materials.     

Effects of spin transitions degeneracy in pulsed EPR of the fullerene C70 triplet state produced by continuous light illumination

X-band echo-detected electron paramagnetic resonance (ED EPR) spectra of triplet state of fullerene C(70) generated by continuous light illumination were found to correspond below 30K to a non-equilibrium electron spin polarization. Above 30K spectra are characteristic of Boltzmann equilibrium. Spectra were simulated fairly well with zero-field splitting parameters D=153 MHz and E and distributed within the range of 6-42 MHz. The origin of E distribution is attributed to the Jahn-Teller effect, which in glassy matrix is expected to depend on the local surrounding of a fullerene molecule (a so-called E-strain). In the center of ED EPR spectra a narrow hole was observed. With increase of the microwave pulse turning angle this hole transforms into a single narrow absorptive line. Numerical simulations by density matrix formalism confirm that central hole originates from a simultaneous excitation of both allowed electron spin transitions of the triplet (T(0)?T(+) and T(0)?T(-)), because of their degeneracy at this spectral position. Also explanations are given why this hole has not been observed in the previously reported experiments on continuous wave EPR and on ED EPR under laser pulse excitation.     

Triplet-EPR spectroscopy on the Diels-Alder adduct of C60 and 4,5-dimethoxy-o-quinodimethane in frozen solution

Pulsed-EPR spectroscopy was used to study a modified C₆₀ molecule (1) in its photoexcited triplet state. The analysis of the triplet EPR lineshape shows a break of the high symmetry of the lowest populated triplet state of C₆₀ due to the modification of the C₆₀ unity. The reported temperature dependence of the spectra is influenced by relaxation effects. Lineshape simulations based on a triplet Hamiltonian including anisotropic T₁/T₂ relaxation were performed. The results are discussed in relation to the behaviour of pure ³C₆₀.     

EPR SPECTROSCOPY OF ETHIDIUM NITRENE AND PROFLAVINE NITRENE COORDINATED TO SELF-COMPLEMENTARY DINUCLEOTIDE MINI-DUPLEXES

Abstract— Photolysis of ethidium azide ( lb ) and proflavine azide ( 2b ) immobilized in glassy media at 77 K produces triplet EPR spectra of the corresponding triplet nitrenes lc and 2c . The resonance field positions of the nitrenes are shifted by the presence of self-complementary dinucleotides. Control experiments indicated that the interaction of lc and 2c with C_PG mini-duplexes is consistent with intercalation.     

Structure and dynamics of the triplet state of oligothiophenes in isotropic and partially oriented matrices

The photoexcited triplet states of 4,4'-dipentoxy-2,2'-dithiophene (4-T2), 3,3'-dipentoxy-2,2'-dithiophene (3-T2), and 4,4'-dipentoxy-2,2':5',2':5',2'-tetrathiophene (4-T4) have been investigated by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance in glassy toluene and in a frozen oriented liquid crystal, which provides a partially ordered medium. The preferential orientation of the rod-like 4-T2 and 4-T4 is compared to that of the disk-like 3-T2. The use of an oriented matrix coupled to simple semiempirical calculations allowed us to determine the orientation of the principal axes of the fine interaction with respect to the molecular axes. The motional behavior of the molecules in the isotropic and anisotropic matrices has been studied by comparing the spectral profiles of the Echo detected EPR (Echo-EPR) spectra with those of the continuous wave time resolved EPR (TR-EPR). A model considering the modulation of the zero-field splitting (ZFS) by molecular libration accounts for the Echo-EPR lineshape, on the basis of motions around preferential axes depending on the embedding matrix. The differences in the ZFS parameters of the two isomers 4-T2 and 3-T2 are attributed to a mesomeric effect due to the substituents.     

THE ELECTRON SPIN POLARIZATION OF THE DONOR-TRIPLET STATE IN NATIVE and MODIFIED PHOTOSYNTHETIC REACTION CENTERS FROM

The electron spin polarization (ESP) pattern of the donor-triplet state (P^R) of reaction centers (RC's) of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter (formerly Rhodopseudomonas) sphaeroides R-26 was investigated. δm =±1 triplet EPR spectra were recorded of unmodified RC's as well as of RC's from which Fe²⁺ or ubiquinone was removed, or ubiquinone was substituted by menaquinone.
The relative amplitude of the Y peaks in the triplet EPR powder spectrum of P^R decreases when the temperature is increased from 8 K to 100 K in RC's with an intact quinone-iron complex. This decrease is more pronounced when the primary ubiquinone is substituted by menaquinone. These observations provide further support for the hypothesis that the observed lineshape of the P^R triplet state EPR spectrum reflects the presence of a third electron spin, magnetically coupled to I^- in the P⁺I^- radical pair, as suggested by Van Wijk et al. (1986) (Photobiochem. Photobiophys . 11, 95–100). Our observations suggest that this phenomenon may be general in purple bacteria.     

Photoinduced electron transfer between C70 fullerene and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine studied by electron paramagnetic resonance

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in situ spectroscopy was applied in the study of photoinduced electron transfer between 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and C70 in different solvent systems. The changes found in UV-vis spectra pointed at ground state charge transfer complex formation [C70-TMB] in benzonitrile. Upon selective excitation of C70 using steady-state monochromatic irradiation with a wavelength of 546 nm, two EPR singlets were observed, which were assigned to C70 mono- and di-anion. In the photochemical and cathodic in situ reductions, identical EPR spectra of anion radicals were obtained. C70 mono-anion was investigated also in frozen 1,2-dichlorobenzene solutions within the temperature range from 110 to 210 K, and at 110 K the anisotropic EPR spectrum of C70 mono-anion was simulated assuming an axially symmetric g-matrix with gparallel - gperpendicular = 0.00165.     

CHLOROPHYLL PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN CONDENSED MEDIA—I. TRIPLET STATE QUENCHING AND ELECTRON TRANSFER TO QUINONE IN CELLULOSE ACETATE FILMS*

Chlorophyll-a was incorporated into cellulose acetate films and the triplet state decay kinetics and electron transfer from triplet to p-benzoquinone in aqueous solution was studied using laser flash photolysis and EPR. The triplet was found to decay by first order kinetics with a rate constant which was independent of Chl concentration. The triplet yield, however, was concentration dependent. These properties are due to quenching which occurs only at the singlet state level. In the presence of quinone, the triplet is quenched and, when the quinone is in an aqueous solution in contact with the film, Chl cation radical (C^±) as well as the semiquinone anion radical (Q^±) can be observed. The C decays by second order kinetics with a rate constant of 1.5 × 10⁶M^-1 s^-1. Although triplet conversion to radicals is slightly lower in the films as compared to fluid solutions (? 3 times), the lifetimes of the radicals are greatly increased (? 10³ times).     

Photochemistry of furyl- and thienyldiazomethanes: spectroscopic characterization of triplet 3-thienylcarbene

Photolysis (λ > 543 nm) of 3-thienyldiazomethane (1), matrix isolated in Ar or N(2) at 10 K, yields triplet 3-thienylcarbene (13) and α-thial-methylenecyclopropene (9). Carbene 13 was characterized by IR, UV/vis, and EPR spectroscopy. The conformational isomers of 3-thienylcarbene (s-E and s-Z) exhibit an unusually large difference in zero-field splitting parameters in the triplet EPR spectrum (|D/hc| = 0.508 cm(-1), |E/hc| = 0.0554 cm(-1); |D/hc| = 0.579 cm(-1), |E/hc| = 0.0315 cm(-1)). Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) calculations reveal substantially differing spin densities in the 3-thienyl ring at the positions adjacent to the carbene center, which is one factor contributing to the large difference in D values. NBO calculations also reveal a stabilizing interaction between the sp orbital of the carbene carbon in the s-Z rotamer of 13 and the antibonding σ orbital between sulfur and the neighboring carbon-an interaction that is not observed in the s-E rotamer of 13. In contrast to the EPR spectra, the electronic absorption spectra of the rotamers of triplet 3-thienylcarbene (13) are indistinguishable under our experimental conditions. The carbene exhibits a weak electronic absorption in the visible spectrum (λ(max) = 467 nm) that is characteristic of triplet arylcarbenes. Although studies of 2-thienyldiazomethane (2), 3-furyldiazomethane (3), or 2-furyldiazomethane (4) provided further insight into the photochemical interconversions among C(5)H(4)S or C(5)H(4)O isomers, these studies did not lead to the spectroscopic detection of the corresponding triplet carbenes (2-thienylcarbene (11), 3-furylcarbene (23), or 2-furylcarbene (22), respectively).     

Environmental effects on the absorption and luminescence properties of aromatic amines: Aniline

Emission and absorption spectra of aniline have been studied in different solvents at 300 K and 77 K. This molecule exhibits broad and structureless fluorescence and poorly resolved phosphorescence in glassy polar ethanol and non-polar methylcyclohexane and n-hexane matrices at 77 K. Unlike the behaviour in a polar medium, fluorescence is found to be more intense than phosphorescence in non-polar media. In contrast to the case of glassy matrices, aniline shows highly stuctured emission and excitation spectra in crystalline cyclohexane and benzene matrices at 77 K. Excited state dipole moment calculation shows that both the singlet states contain charge transfer character, which is responsible for the strong phosphorescence in polar glassy medium. Spectral analysis indicates that the aniline molecule is slightly distorted in both the singlet and triplet states. The marked reduction in phosphorescence intensity of this molecule observed in non-polar matrices, particularly in a benzene crystalline matrix, relative to that in an ethanol matrix, is attributable to the decreased intersystem crossing rate and increased non-radiative rate from the emitting triplet state.     

Radical-Enhanced Intersystem Crossing in Perylene-Oxoverdazyl Radical Dyads

Attaching stable radicals to organic chromophores is an effective method to enhance the intersystem crossing (ISC) of the chromophores. Herein we prepared perylene-oxoverdazyl dyads either by directly connecting the two units or using an intervening phenyl spacer. We investigated the effect of the radical on the photophysical properties of perylene and observed strong fluorescence quenching due to radical enhanced ISC (REISC). Compared with a previously reported perylene-fused nitroxide radical compound (triplet lifetime, τ_T=0.1 μs), these new adducts show a longer-lived triplet excited state (τ_T=9.5 μs). Based on the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_Δ=7 %) and study of the triplet state, we propose that the radical enhanced internal conversion also plays a role in the relaxation of the excited state. Femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion indicates a fast decay of the excited state (<1.0 ps), suggesting a strong spin-spin exchange interaction between the two units. Femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectra confirmed direct triplet state population (within 0.5 ps). Interestingly, by fs-TA spectra, we observed the interconversion of the two states (D₁↔Q₁) at ∼80 ps time scale. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectral study confirmed the formation of the quartet sate. We observed triplet and quartet states simultaneously with weights of 0.7 and 0.3, respectively. This is attributed to two different conformations of the molecule at excited state. DFT computations showed that the interaction between the radical and the chromophore is ferromagnetic (J>0, 0.05∼0.10 eV).     

Simulation of EPR and time resolved EPR lineshapes in partially ordered glasses

Simulation of magnetic resonance spectra of probes in partially ordered glasses requires in principle a numerical integration on the full set of three Euler angles omega=(alpha beta gamma) from a laboratory fixed to a molecule fixed reference frame. It is shown that it is possible to manage efficiently this problem by using the algebraic properties of the Wigner matrix elements. This analysis is applied to time resolved EPR (TREPR) spectra of a series of bis-adducts of C60 in the ordered glass of a nematic liquid crystal solvent. A paramagnetic triplet state is created by light excitation and TREPR spectra are obtained with the external magnetic field set parallel or perpendicular to the director n of the mesophase. The preferred orientation in the mesophase of the triplet state zero field tensor is determined.     

Forbidden matrix proton spin flip satellites in trapped electron EPR spectra

Observation of the 35 GHz EPR spectrum of γ-irradiated 10 M NaOH/H₂O and 10 M NaOD/D₂O glassy ices at 77°K has revealed proton spin flip satellites associated with the trapped elctron EPR line. This suggests that forbidden satellite transitions contribute to the lineshape of the trapped electron line in the 9 GHz spectrum which has commonly been studied.     

H-C-SiH3: direct generation and spectroscopic identification of ethylidene's cousin

Ground-state triplet silaethylidene, generated directly by the reaction of 3P carbon atoms with silane under matrix isolation conditions in solid Ar (10-12 K), has been thoroughly characterized by the EPR and IR spectra of both the parent and perdeuterated isotopologs. A theoretical anharmonic vibrational analysis based on a CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ complete quartic force field gave remarkable agreement with the experimental IR fundamentals, generally within 10 cm-1 and without any empirical scaling of the ab initio frequencies. Silaethylidene exhibits a Cs minimum with a H-C-Si angle near 153 degrees , but the barrier to H-C-Si linearity (C3v symmetry) is only 0.24 kcal mol-1. This minuscule barrier can be surmounted by zero-point vibrations, as evident from the EPR data. The triplet stabilizing effect of the electropositive SiH3 group amounts to about 15 kcal mol-1.     

A SURVEY OF EPR INVESTIGATIONS OF BACTERIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Abstract— Investigations in which EPR has been used as a probe of the mechanism of the primary quantum conversion reaction and/or electron transport reactions in bacterial photosynthesis are surveyed. These investigations include studies of whole cell organisms and simpler sub-cellular preparations, chromatophores and bacteriochlorophyll-protein complexes. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies have successfully demonstrated that the primary donor of the photosynthetic, photochemical reaction involves a dimer of bacteriochlorophyll, generally referred to as P870. P870 is photochemically oxidized to a cation radical which exhibits a g= 2.0025 EPR signal. Comparative studies of the time behaviour of this signal in whole cells and in sub-cellular preparations show that electron flow in the whole cells is substantially different than in the cell-free systems. The primary acceptor molecule of the photochemical reaction has not been conclusively identified. When it is photochemically reduced, it exhibits a broad EPR absorbance centered at g= 1.8 observable only at low temperatures. This signal involves an iron atom and a quinone molecule. Two possible identifications of the species responsible for the g= 1.8 signal are an iron-quinone complex and an iron-sulfur protein. The latter identification would require that one primary acceptor function for two primary donors and that the removal of a tightly held quinone alter the integrity of the system so as to inhibit the photochemistry. When the primary acceptor is chemically reduced, a photo-induced, polarized triplet EPR spectrum is detected. Both absorption and emission lines are, observed as if only one substate (m= 0) of the triplet manifold is populated. The zero field parameters of the triplet spectrum suggest that the triplet is formed through a decay of a biradical, not through an optical singlet to triplet transition. Low temperature EPR studies of photosynthetic preparations which had been poised at room temperature by subjecting the preparations to different redox potentials and/or dark adaptation and illumination show the presence of a number of light-influenced, EPR active components. The spectral characteristics of these components are indicative of iron-heme (both low and high-spin forms) and iron-sulfur (both oxidized and reduced) proteins and at least one other organic free radical distinct from P870⁺. The spectra varied for different strains of bacteria. Also, some of the signals detected in the whole cell organism were not detected in cell free preparations and the kinetics of the light influenced signal amplitudes were different in the whole cells than in chromatophores.     

Effect of water on glass transition in starch/sucrose matrices investigated through positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy: a new approach

Glass transition is studied through positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) in maize starch matrices containing 10 (batch STS10) and 20 (STS20) w/w% sucrose, as a function of temperature (T) and water content (c(w)). To circumvent important losses of water upon heating while recording the PALS spectra, a new method is developed: instead of a series of measurements of τ(3), the triplet positronium lifetime, at different T, the latter is kept constant and the series relates to c(w), which is left to decrease at a constant rate. Similarly to the changes in τ(3) with T, the τ(3)vs. c(w) plots obtained show a smooth linear increase until a break, denoting the occurrence of glass transition, followed by a sharper increase. The gradients appear to be independent of T. The variation of the glass transition temperature, T(g), with c(w) shows a broad sigmoid with a large linear central part; as expected from the plasticising effect of sucrose, the plot for STS20 lies some 10 K below that for STS10. Results from differential scanning calorimetry for STS20 yield T(g) values some 15 K higher than from PALS. On the basis of the general shape of the τ(3)vs. T variations, a general equation is set for τ(3)(T, c(w)), leading one to expect a similar shape for τ(3)vs. c(w), as experimentally observed.     

二（2,6-二甲基-4-甲氧基）苯基卡宾的产生和反应

为了考察卡宾稳定性的电子效应,合成了对位具有强推电性甲氧基的二（2, 6-二甲基-4-甲氧基）苯基重氮甲烷(1c),通过光分解而产生了二（2,6-二甲基- 4-甲氧基）苯基卡宾(2c)。分别用电子顺磁共振（EPR）光谱,紫外可见(UV/vis) 光谱及激光闪光光分解法对二（2,6-二甲基-4-甲氧基）苯基卡宾(2c)的产生和衰 减过程进行了详细的观察。由于甲氧基的强推电子作用使二苯基卡宾的稳定性大大 降低,其二次动力学衰减速度常数为130s~(-1),是对位非取代二苯基卡宾(2b) (14s~(-1))的约9倍,且室温苯溶液中的寿命为20ms,仅为2b(180ms)的1/9。且通过 产物分析对二（2,6-二甲基-4-甲氧基）苯基卡宾(2c)的反应及甲氧基的取代基效 应进行了详细探讨。     

Generation and decay dynamics of triplet excitons in Alq3 thin films under high-density excitation conditions

We studied the generation and decay dynamics of triplet excitons in tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) thin films by using transient absorption spectroscopy. Absorption spectra of both singlet and triplet excitons in the film were identified by comparison with transient absorption spectra of the ligand molecule (8-hydroxyquinoline) itself and the excited triplet state in solution previously reported. By measuring the excitation light intensity dependence of the absorption, we found that exciton annihilation dominated under high-density excitation conditions. Annihilation rate constants were estimated to be gammaSS = (6 +/- 3) x 10(-11) cm3 s(-1) for single excitons and gammaTT = (4 +/- 2) x 10(-13) cm3 s(-1) for triplet excitons. From detailed analysis of the light intensity dependence of the quantum yield of triplet excitons under high-density conditions, triplet excitons were mainly generated through fission from highly excited singlet states populated by singlet-singlet exciton annihilation. We estimated that 30% of the highly excited states underwent fission.     

High resolution electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of quintet pyridyl-2,6-dinitrene in solid argon: magnetic properties and molecular structure

The high resolution X-band electron para magnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of quintet pyridyl-2,6-dinitrene was recorded after the photolysis of 4-amino-2,6-diazido-3,5-dichloropyridine in solid argon matrix at 15 K. This spectrum represents a new type of powder EPR spectra that are characteristic for quintet spin states with zero-field splitting parameters |E(q)/D(q)| approximately 1/4. All EPR lines of the quintet dinitrene were unambiguously assigned based on the eigenfield calculations of the Zeeman energy levels and angular dependencies of resonance magnetic fields. Owing to the high resolution of the experimental EPR spectrum, zero-field splitting parameters of the quintet dinitrene were determined with a high accuracy: D(q)=0.2100+/-0.0005 cm(-1) and E(q)=-0.0560+/-0.0002 cm(-1). These parameters provide correct information regarding the molecular angle Theta and distance r between two triplet sites in the molecule of quintet dinitrene. The measured molecular angle Theta=114.2 degrees+/-0.2 degrees is in excellent agreement with results of the density functional theory calculations. The analysis of the magnetic parameters shows that the spin population on the nitrene units in the quintet dinitrene is greater than that on the nitrene unit in the triplet nitrene.