Spectroscopic Investigation of the Ultrafast Photoinduced Dynamics in π‐Conjugated Terpyridines

Ultrafast light‐induced processes in a series of π‐conjugated mono‐, bis‐, tris‐ and tetrakis(terpyridine) derivatives are investigated by femtosecond time‐resolved spectroscopy. Non‐exponential excited‐state dynamics involving singlet–triplet intersystem crossing are observed which span from picoseconds to nanoseconds (see figure).

     

Hot Branching Dynamics in a Light‐Harvesting Iron Carbene Complex Revealed by Ultrafast X‐ray Emission Spectroscopy

Iron N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes have received a great deal of attention recently because of their growing potential as light sensitizers or photocatalysts. We present a sub‐ps X‐ray spectroscopy study of an Fe^IINHC complex that identifies and quantifies the states involved in the deactivation cascade after light absorption. Excited molecules relax back to the ground state along two pathways: After population of a hot ³MLCT state, from the initially excited ¹MLCT state, 30 % of the molecules undergo ultrafast (150 fs) relaxation to the ³MC state, in competition with vibrational relaxation and cooling to the relaxed ³MLCT state. The relaxed ³MLCT state then decays much more slowly (7.6 ps) to the ³MC state. The ³MC state is rapidly (2.2 ps) deactivated to the ground state. The ⁵MC state is not involved in the deactivation pathway. The ultrafast partial deactivation of the ³MLCT state constitutes a loss channel from the point of view of photochemical efficiency and highlights the necessity to screen transition‐metal complexes for similar ultrafast decays to optimize photochemical performance.     

β‐Cyclodextrin‐Platinum Nanoparticles/Graphene Nanohybrids: Enhanced Sensitivity for Electrochemical Detection of Naphthol Isomers

Naphthol isomers, including α‐naphthol (α‐NAP) and β‐naphthol (β‐NAP), are used widely in various fields and are harmful to the environment and human health. The qualitative and quantitative determination of naphthol isomers is therefore of great significance. Herein, β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD)‐platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs)/graphene nanosheets (GNs) nanohybrids (β‐CD‐PtNPs/GNs) were prepared for the first time using a simple wet chemical method and characterized by atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods, and then applied successfully in the ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of naphthol isomers. The results show that the oxidation peak currents of naphthol isomers obtained at the glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified with β‐CD‐PtNPs/GNs are much higher than those at the β‐CD/GNs/GC, PtNPs/GNs/GC, GNs/GC, and bare GC electrodes. Additionally, compared with other electrochemical sensors developed previously, the proposed electrode results in improved detection limits of about one order of magnitude for α‐NAP (0.23 nM ) and three orders of magnitude for β ‐NAP (0.37 nM ).     

The Strained Sesquiterpene β‐Caryophyllene as a Probe for the Solvent‐Assisted Epoxidation Mechanism

In our attempt to synthesize β‐caryophyllene oxide in food‐compatible conditions, we observed the uncatalyzed and highly selective epoxidation of β‐caryophyllene, a strained bicyclic sesquiterpene, in ethanol with aqueous H₂O₂ under radical‐suppressing conditions without the addition of a catalyst. The unusual reactivity of β‐caryophyllene allowed us to use it as a probe for the mechanism of the solvent‐assisted epoxidation in a wide range of organic solvents. A kinetic study was performed to investigate the epoxidation mechanism; an excellent correlation was found between the observed epoxidation rates in different solvents and the Abraham’s hydrogen bond formation parameters of these solvents. By means of computational analysis, it was found that the main role of the solvent consists of the stabilization of the elongated O?O bond of H₂O₂ in the transition state through hydrogen‐bond donation to the leaving OH moiety of H₂O₂. α‐Humulene was found to possess similar reactivity as β‐caryophyllene whereas isocaryophyllene—the unstrained isomer of β‐caryophyllene—was unreactive.     

A Novel Domino Reaction of 1, 1'‐bi‐2‐Naphthol Catalyzed by Copper (II)‐amine Complexes

1,1′‐Bi‐2‐naphthol (1) was oxidized into q‐oxo‐13c‐alkyloxy‐l,13c‐dihydro‐dibenzo [a,kl]‐xanthenes (2–11) with high isolated yields (58–94%) in alcohol solvents under the catalysis of copper(II)‐amine complexes in the presence of oxygen. The conversion of 1 to 2–11 belongs to Domino‐reaction.     

Redox Chemistry of Molybdenum Trioxide for Ultrafast Hydrogen‐Ion Storage

Hydrogen ions are ideal charge carriers for rechargeable batteries due to their small ionic radius and wide availability. However, little attention has been paid to hydrogen‐ion storage devices because they generally deliver relatively low Coulombic efficiency as a result of the hydrogen evolution reaction that occurs in an aqueous electrolyte. Herein, we successfully demonstrate that hydrogen ions can be electrochemically stored in an inorganic molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) electrode with high Coulombic efficiency and stability. The as‐obtained electrode exhibits ultrafast hydrogen‐ion storage properties with a specific capacity of 88 mA hg^?1 at an ultrahigh rate of 100 C. The redox reaction mechanism of the MoO₃ electrode in the hydrogen‐ion cell was investigated in detail. The results reveal a conversion reaction of the MoO₃ electrode into H_0.88MoO₃ during the first hydrogen‐ion insertion process and reversible intercalation/deintercalation of hydrogen ions between H_0.88MoO₃ and H_0.12MoO₃ during the following cycles. This study reveals new opportunities for the development of high‐power energy storage devices with lightweight elements.     

An Efficient Synthesis of 5,6‐Dimethoxy 1‐ and 2‐Naphthols via Teuber Reaction

Based on the oxidation of 1,5‐naphthalenediol ( 4 ) and 6‐bromo‐2‐naphthol ( 9 ) via Teuber reaction, an efficient synthesis of 5,6‐dimethoxy‐1‐naphthol ( 1 ) and 5,6‐dimethoxy‐2‐naphthol ( 2 ) was achieved with high overall yield (16% for 1 and 25% for 2 ). The key steps of the synthetic strategy involved the oxidation of naphthols ( 4 and 9 ) to the corresponding naphthoquinones ( 5 and 10 ) and the conversion of 5,6‐dimethoxy‐2‐naphthaldehyde to 5,6‐dimethoxy‐2‐naphthol formate through Baeyer‐Villiger oxidation‐rearrangement.     

Microhydration Effects on the Ultrafast Photodynamics of Cytosine: Evidences for a Possible Hydration‐Site Dependence

Ultrafast excited‐state deactivation dynamics of small cytosine (Cy) and 1‐methylcytosine (1mCy) microhydrates, Cy?(H₂O)_1‐3 and 1mCy?(H₂O)_1,2, produced in a supersonic expansion have been studied by mass‐selected femtosecond pump–probe photoionization spectroscopy at about 267 nm excitation. The seeded supersonic expansion of Ar/H₂O gas mixtures allowed an extensive structural relaxation of Cy and 1mCy microhydrates to low‐energy isomers. With the aid of electronic structure calculations, we assigned the observed ultrafast dynamics to the dominant microhydrate isomers of the amino‐keto tautomer of Cy and 1mCy. Excited‐state lifetimes of Cy?(H₂O)_1‐3 measured here are 0.2–0.5 ps. Comparisons of the Cy?H₂O and 1mCy?H₂O transients suggest that monohydration at the amino Watson–Crick site induces a substantially stronger effect than at the sugar‐edge site in accelerating excited‐state deactivation of Cy.     

Investigation of the Removal of Lead by Adsorption onto 1‐(2‐Thiazolylazo)‐2‐Naphthol (TAN) Imbedded Polyurethane Foam from Aqueous Solution

A new preconcentration method is presented for lead on TAN‐loaded polyurethane foam (PUF) and its measurement by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The optimum sorption conditions of 1.29 × 10^?5 M solution of Pb(II) ions on TAN‐loaded PUF were investigated. The maximum sorption was observed at pH 7 with 20 minutes equilibrated time on 7.25 mg mL^?1 of TAN‐loaded foam. The kinetic study indicates that the overall sorption process was controlled by the intra‐particle diffusion process. The validity of Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin ‐ Radushkevich adsorption isotherms were tested. The Freundlich constants 1/n and K_F are evaluated to be 0.45 ±0.04 and (1.03 +0.61) × 10^?3 mol g^?1, respectively. The monolayer sorption capacity and adsorption constant related to the Langmuir isotherm are (1.38 ± 0.08) × 10^?5 mol g^?1 and (1.46 ± 0.27) × 10⁵ L mol^?1, respectively. The mean free energy of Pb(II) ions sorption on‐TAN loaded PUF is 11.04 ± 0.28 kJ mol^?1 indicating chemisorption phenomena. The effect of temperature on the sorption yields thermodynamics parameters of ΔH, ΔS and ΔG at 298 K that are 15.0 ± 1.4 kJ mol^?1, 74 ±5 J mol^?1 K^?1 and ‐7.37 ± 0.28 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The positive values of enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) indicate the endothermic sorption and stability of the sorbed complexes are entropy driven. However, the negative value of Gibb's free energy (ΔG) indicates the spontaneous nature of sorption. On the basis of these data, the sorption mechanism has been postulated. The effect of different foreign ions on the sorption and desorption studies were also carried out. The method was successfully applied for the determination of lead from different water samples at ng levels.     

Ultrafast Structural Fluctuations of Myoglobin‐Bound Thiocyanate and Selenocyanate Ions Measured with Two‐Dimensional Infrared Photon Echo Spectroscopy

Structural dynamics within the distal cavity of myoglobin protein is investigated using 2D‐IR and IR pump–probe spectroscopy of the N≡C stretch modes of heme‐bound thiocyanate and selenocyanate ions. Although myoglobin‐bound thiocyanate group shows a doublet in its IR absorption spectrum, no cross peaks originating from chemical exchange between the two components are observed in the time‐resolved 2D IR spectra within the experimental time window. Frequency–frequency correlation functions of the two studied anionic ligands are obtained by means of a few different analysis approaches; these functions were then used to elucidate the differences in structural fluctuation around ligand, ligand–protein interactions, and the degree of structural heterogeneity within the hydrophobic pocket of these myoglobin complexes.     

Novel Electrochemically Treated Graphite Pencil Electrode Surfaces for the Determination of Trace α‐Naphthol in Water Samples

An electrochemically treated graphite pencil electrode (PGPE) has been simply prepared for trace level determination of α‐naphthol. The pretreatment of GPE surfaces is conducted in 0.8 M NaOH by cycling the potential between +1.3 and +1.9 V for 50 CV segments at a scan rate of 100 mV s^?1. The influence of the pretreatment is studied extensively, and optimum conditions are obtained. Linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry (LSASV) is used for the determination of α‐naphthol. Based on the constructed calibration curve, a linear range of 0.01 μM to 2.0 μM with a detection limit of 1.5 nM (S/N=3) is obtained. The results reveal that the electrochemical treatment of the GPE surface improves its electrochemical catalytic activity with reference to surfaces of the non‐treated GPE. The present method is applied for the determination of trace α‐naphthol in real water samples.     

Ultrafast Heme Dynamics of Ferric Cytochrome c in Different Environments: Electronic,Vibrational, and Conformational Relaxation

The excited‐state dynamics of ferric cytochrome c (Cyt c), an important electron‐transfer heme protein, in acidic to alkaline medium and in its unfolded form are investigated by using femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy, exciting the heme and Tryptophan (Trp) to understand the electronic, vibrational, and conformational relaxation of the heme. At 390 nm excitation, the electronic relaxation of heme is found to be ≈150 fs at different pH values, increasing to 480 fs in the unfolded form. Multistep vibrational relaxation dynamics of the heme, including fast and slow processes, are observed at pH 7. However, in the unfolded form and at pH 2 and 11, fast phases of vibrational relaxation dominate, revealing the energy dissipation occurring through the covalent bond interaction between the heme and the nearest amino acids. A significant shortening of the excited‐state lifetime of Trp is observed at various pH values at 280 nm excitation due to resonance energy transfer to the heme. The longer time constant (25 ps) observed in the unfolded form is attributed to a complete global conformational relaxation of Cyt c.     

A Combined Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed and Photopromoted Process: Synthesis of 2,3‐Fused 4‐Phenylnaphthalen‐1‐yl Carboxylates from 1,7‐Diaryl‐1,6‐diynes

2,3‐Fused 4‐phenylnaphthalen‐1‐yl carboxylates were synthesized in a step‐ and atom‐economical manner using a ruthenium‐catalyzed hydrocarboxylative cyclization of 1,7‐diaryl‐1,6‐diynes and subsequent oxidative photocyclization. The scope of this novel two‐step process was demonstrated by the construction of diverse structures from substrates with various tethers and terminal aryl groups. Late‐stage C?H functionalizations of the arylnaphthalene product further enhance the synthetic potential of the developed process.     

Impact of Metal Ions in Porphyrin‐Based Applied Materials for Visible‐Light Photocatalysis: Key Information from Ultrafast Electronic Spectroscopy

Protoporphyrin IX‐zinc oxide (PP‐ZnO) nanohybrids have been synthesized for applications in photocatalytic devices. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and steady‐state infrared, absorption, and emission spectroscopies have been used to analyze the structural details and optical properties of these nanohybrids. Time‐resolved fluorescence and transient absorption techniques have been applied to study the ultrafast dynamic events that are key to photocatalytic activities. The photocatalytic efficiency under visible‐light irradiation in the presence of naturally abundant iron(III) and copper(II) ions has been found to be significantly retarded in the former case, but enhanced in the latter case. More importantly, femtosecond (fs) transient absorption data have clearly demonstrated that the residence of photoexcited electrons from the sensitizer PP in the centrally located iron moiety hinders ground‐state bleach recovery of the sensitizer, affecting the overall photocatalytic rate of the nanohybrid. The presence of copper(II) ions, on the other hand, offers additional stability against photobleaching and eventually enhances the efficiency of photocatalysis. In addition, we have also explored the role of UV light in the efficiency of photocatalysis and have rationalized our observations from femtosecond‐ to picosecond‐resolved studies.     

Ultrafast Relaxation Dynamics of the Excited States of 1‐Amino‐ and 1‐(N,N‐Dimethylamino)‐fluoren‐9‐ones

The dynamics of the excited states of 1‐aminofluoren‐9‐one (1AF) and 1‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)‐fluoren‐9‐one (1DMAF) are investigated by using steady‐state absorption and fluorescence as well as subpicosecond time‐resolved absorption spectroscopic techniques. Following photoexcitation of 1AF, which exists in the intramolecular hydrogen‐bonded form in aprotic solvents, the excited‐state intramolecular proton‐transfer reaction is the only relaxation process observed in the excited singlet (S₁) state. However, in protic solvents, the intramolecular hydrogen bond is disrupted in the excited state and an intermolecular hydrogen bond is formed with the solvent leading to reorganization of the hydrogen‐bond network structure of the solvent. The latter takes place in the timescale of the process of solvation dynamics. In the case of 1DMAF, the main relaxation pathway for the locally excited singlet, S₁(LE), or S₁(ICT) state is the configurational relaxation, via nearly barrierless twisting of the dimethylamino group to form the twisted intramolecular charge‐transfer, S₁(TICT), state. A crossing between the excited‐state and ground‐state potential energy curves is responsible for the fast, radiationless deactivation and nonemissive character of the S₁(TICT) state in polar solvents, both aprotic and protic. However, in viscous but strong hydrogen‐bond‐donating solvents, such as ethylene glycol and glycerol, crossing between the potential energy surfaces for the ground electronic state and the hydrogen‐bonded complex formed between the S₁(TICT) state and the solvent is possibly avoided and the hydrogen‐bonded complex is weakly emissive.