Possible mechanisms of intermolecular charge transfer and electron transfer processes in the excited electronic state

Mechanisms of intermolecular charge transfer and electron transfer processes in the electronically excited states of solute molecules have been discussed in relation to the exciplex formation and fluorescence quenching reactions in solution. A new model for the electron transfer process has been proposed and studied by the quantum mechanical method. Some naive and intuitive concepts of the electron transfer process have been given a more rigorous theoretical basis. An experiment which can test this model has been suggested. Furthermore, the possible connections among the very weak CT complex formation, exciplex formation and the electron transfer reaction have been discussed in general on the basis of the theoretical considerations.

---

Zusammenfassung Mechanismen für den intermolekularen Ladungs- und Elektronenübergang bei gelösten Molekülen in elektronisch angeregten Zuständen werden im Zusammenhang mit der Bildung von Exiplexen und der Fluoreszenzlöschung diskutiert. Für den Elektronenübergang wird ein neues Modell vorgeschlagen, das quantenmechanisch untersucht wird. Dadurch wird einigen einfachen und intuitiven Vorstellungen zum Elektronenübergang eine breitere theoretische Grundlage gegeben. Zur Überprüfung des Modells wird ein Experiment vorgeschlagen. Ferner werden auf der Grundlage theoretischer Überlegungen mögliche Zusammenhänge zwischen der Bildung eines sehr schwachen charge transfef-Komplexes, der Bildung eines Exiplexes und dem Elektronenübergang diskutiert.

---

Résumé Les mécanismes de transfert de charge intermoléculaire et de transfert d'électrons dans les états électroniques excités de molécules solutées sont discutés en relation avec la formation d'exciplex et les réactions d'extinction de fluorescence en solution. On propose et on étudie quantiquement un nouveau modèle pour les processus de transfert d'électrons. Il donne une base théorique plus rigoureuse à certains représentations naïves et intuitives du transfert d'électron. On suggère une expérience pour étudier la validité de ce modèle. Enfin les rapports possibles entre la formation de complexes CT très faibles, la formation d'exciplex et la réaction de transfert d'électrons a été discutée de façon générale sur la base de considérations théoriques.

     

Estimation of electronic coupling for intermolecular electron transfer from cross-reaction data

Sixty-five electron-transfer reactions including 27 new 0, +1 couples have been added to our data set of cross-reactions between 0 and +1 couples, bringing it to 206 reactions involving 72 couples that have been studied by stopped-flow kinetics in acetonitrile containing supporting electrolyte at 25 degrees C, formal potentials determined by cyclic voltammetry, and analyzed using Marcus cross-rate theory. Perhaps surprisingly, a least-squares analysis demonstrates that intrinsic rate constants exist that predict the cross-rate constants to within a factor of 2 of the observed ones for 93% of the reactions studied, and only three of the reactions have a cross-rate constant that lies outside of the factor of 3, that corresponds to a factor of 10 uncertainty in the rate constant for an unknown couple. Many triarylamines, which have very high intrinsic reactivity, are included among the newly studied couples. The enthalpy contribution to the Marcus reorganization energy, lambda'v, has been calculated for 46 of the couples studied, at the (U)B3LYP/6-31+G (or for the larger and lower barrier compounds, at the less time-consuming (U)B3LYP/6-31G) level. In combination with a modified Levich and Dogodnadze treatment that assumes that the rate constant is proportional to (KeHab2/lambda1/2) exp[-DeltaG/RT], this allows estimation of the electronic coupling (Hab) at the transition state for intermolecular electron transfer, (more properly H'ab, the product of the square root of the encounter complex formation constant times Hab) for these couples. Although the principal factor affecting intermolecular electron-transfer rate constants is clearly lambda, H'ab effects are easily detectable, and the dynamic range in our estimates of them is over a factor of 600.     

Donor-acceptor (electronic) coupling in the precursor complex to organic electron transfer: intermolecular and intramolecular self-exchange between phenothiazine redox centers

Intermolecular electron transfer (ET) between the free phenothiazine donor (PH) and its cation radical (PH*+) proceeds via the [1:1] precursor complex (PH)(2)*+ which is transiently observed for the first time by its diagnostic (charge-resonance) absorption band in the near-IR region. Similar intervalence (optical) transitions are also observed in mixed-valence cation radicals with the generic representation: P(br)P*+, in which two phenothiazine redox centers are interlinked by p-phenylene, o-xylylene, and o-phenylene (br) bridges. Mulliken-Hush analysis of the intervalence (charge-resonance) bands afford reliable values of the electronic coupling element H(IV) based on the separation parameters for (P/P*+) centers estimated from some X-ray structures of the intermolecular (PH)(2)*+ and the intramolecular P(br)P*+ systems. The values of H(IV), together with the reorganization energies lambda derived from the intervalence transitions, yield activation barriers DeltaG(ET)() and first-order rate constants k(ET) for electron-transfer based on the Marcus-Hush (two-state) formalism. Such theoretically based values of the intrinsic barrier and ET rate constants agree with the experimental activation barrier (E(a)) and the self-exchange rate constant (k(SE)) independently determined by ESR line broadening measurements. This convergence validates the use of the two-state model to adequately evaluate the critical electronic coupling elements between (P/P*+) redox centers in both (a) intermolecular ET via the precursor complex and (b) intramolecular ET within bridged mixed-valence cation radicals. Important to intermolecular ET mechanism is the intervention of the strongly coupled precursor complex since it leads to electron-transfer rates of self-exchange that are 2 orders of magnitude faster (and activation barrier that is substantially lower) than otherwise predicted solely on the basis of Marcus reorganization energy.     

Proton-coupled electron transfer in ruthenium(II)-pterin complexes: formation of ruthenium-coordinated pterin radicals and their electronic structures

Ruthenium(II)-pterin complexes were prepared using tetradentate and tripodal tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) and tris(5-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (5-Me3-TPA) as auxiliary ligands together with 2-(N,N-dimethyl)-6,7-dimethylpterin (Hdmdmp) and 6,7-dimethylpterin (Hdmp) as pterin derivatives for ligands. Characterization was made by spectroscopic methods, X-ray crystallography, and electrochemical measurements. The pterin ligands coordinated to the ruthenium centers as monoanionic bidentate ligands via the 4-oxygen of the pyrimidinone moiety and the 5-nitrogen of the pyrazine parts. The striking feature is that the coordinated dmp- ligand exhibits a quinonoid structure rather than a deprotonated biopterin structure, showing a short C-N bond length for the 2-amino group. Those complexes exhibit reversible two-step protonation for both pterin derivatives coordinated to the ruthenium centers to give a drastic spectral change in the UV-vis spectroscopy. Doubly protonated Ru(II)-pterin complexes were stabilized by pi-back-bonding interaction and exhibited clear and reversible proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) to give ruthenium-coordinated neutral monohydropterin radicals as intermediates of PCET processes. Those ESR spectra indicate that the unpaired electron delocalizes onto the PCET region (N5-C6-C7-N8) of the pyrazine moiety.     

Photochemistry and spectroscopy of "stable organic radicals": steric and electronic effects in intermolecular photoinduced electron transfer

The intermolecular reactivities of amino-substituted perchlorotriphenylmethyl radicals 1-3 were studied, with particular emphasis on electron transfer (ET) reactions. The natural fluorescence lifetimes and the rates of the electron-transfer quenching were studied with several electron donors and acceptors. Fluorescence quenching studies demonstrate the importance of the redox potentials of the ET pair on the observed steric and electronic properties.     

Efficient synthesis of brominated tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives: solid-state structure and electrochemical behaviour

An efficient synthesis is reported for 4,5-dibromo-[1,3]dithiole-2-thione (1) and 4-bromo-1,3-dithiole-2-thione (7) by bromination of lithiated vinylene trithiocarbonate. Compound 1 acts as a convenient precursor to a number of asymmetric electron donors. This is exemplified by the formation of 4,5-dibromo-4′,5′-bis(2′-cyanoethylsulfanyl)TTF (3) by cross-coupling methodology and subsequent conversion into 4,5-dibromo-4′,5′-ethylenedithioTTF (4) by reaction with caesium hydroxide and 1,2-dibromoethane. The new donor 4,5-dibromo-4′,5′-ethylenedithiodiselenadithiafulvalene (5) was prepared by cross-coupling of 1 and 4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-diselenol-2-one (6). The X-ray structures of 3 and 5 are reported.     

Locking down the electronic structure of (monopyrrolo)tetrathiafulvalene in [2]rotaxanes

[reaction: see text] The redox potentials of a highly constrained [2]rotaxane have been measured and used to model the energy of the HOMO of tetrathiafulvalene-based bistable [2]rotaxanes in their two co-conformationally isomeric states. Restrained from co-conformational movements, the measured oxidation and reduction potentials provide insights into the orbital energies and electronic structure of a (monopyrrolo)tetrathiafulvalene unit when encircled by a tetracationic cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) ring.     

Positronium formation affected by intermolecular electron transfer in concentrated solutions of electron acceptors

The positronium yield has been measured in mixtures of electron acceptors (inhibitors and anti-inhibitors of positronium formation) diluted with a neutral solvent. The data obtained confirm the idea, based on the spur reaction model of positronium formation, that the charge transfer reaction between electron acceptors in the positron spur is of importance for positronium formation.     

New electron donor — Bis(3-oxy-1,5-dithiapentano)tetrathiafulvalene

The reactions of bis(tetrabutylammonium)bis(1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolato)zincate with dichlorinated ethers and thioethers gave derivatives of the 1,3-dithiole-2-thione that were used for the synthesis of the corresponding 1,3-dithiole-2-ones and 1,3-dithiole-2-selenones. A new electron donor, bis-(3-oxy-1,5-dithiapentano)tetrathiafulvalene, was obtained from 4,5-(3-oxa-1,5-dithiapentane)-1,3-dithiole-2-one.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1483–1485, November, 1987.     

A theoretical study of electronic structures and intermolecular magnetic interactions for spiro-biphenalenyls

In order to inquire into the mechanism of the change in the magnetism of spiro-biphenalnyls, intermolecular magnetic interaction has been investigated in terms of the effective exchange integral of the Heisenberg model for dimeric pairs of diethyl-substituted spiro-biphenalenyl. Variation of the magnetic interaction with respect to temperature has been evaluated for X-ray crystallographic structures at several temperature points by Kohn–Sham hybrid-DFT. The intermolecular magnetic interactions have been calculated for the π-dimers to be antiferromagnetic at each temperature, which has decreased by approximately 30% in the magnitude from 100 to 173 K. In addition, the interactions have been almost none at 100 and 173 K except for one pair and the remaining pair had ferromagnetic interaction. Therefore, it has been found that the change in their magnetism is understood by the formation of a ferromagnetic dimer-pair at 173 K. Moreover, the natural orbital analysis for the electronic structure of diethyl-substituted spiro-biphenelenyl has shown our solutions are essentially identified to Haddon’s proposal in terms of the valence bond picture.     

Photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer process of fullerene (C60) and amine-substituted fluorenes studied by laser flash photolysis

Photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer process of fullerene (C60) with 9,9-bis(4-triphenylamino)fluorene (BTAF) and 9,9-dimethoxyethyl-2-diphenylaminofluorene (DAF) in toluene and benzonitrile has been investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis technique in the visible/near-IR regions. By the selective excitation of C60 using 532 laser light, it has been proved that the electron transfer takes place from the ground states BTAF and DAF to the triplet excited state of C60 ((3)C60*) by observing the radical anion of C60 and radical cation of BTAF and DAF. It was observed that the electron transfer of BTAF/(3)C60* is more efficient than DAF/(3)C60* reflecting the effect of amine-substitutents of the fluorene moiety on the efficiency of the electron transfer process. On addition of a viologen dication (OV(2+)), the electron of the anion radical of C60 mediates to OV(2+) yielding the OV(+). These results proved that the photosensitized electron-transfer/electron-mediating processes have been confirmed by the transient absorption spectral method.     

Synthetic procedure for various selenium-containing electron donors of the bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) type

Six selenium variants of BEDT-TTF have been successfully synthesized by a newly developed synthetic method that involves a combination of two key reactions for the construction of two kinds of heterocyclic rings: the first is a one-pot formation of 1,3-dichalcogenole-2-chalcogenones from a common starting material, THP-protected 2-(ethynylthio)ethanol, leading to the inner five-membered rings, and the other is the annelation of the outer six-membered heterocyclic ring onto the inner ring by an intramolecular transalkylation reaction on a chalcogen atom. This method turned out to be widely applicable to the syntheses of the electron donors of bis(ethylenedithio)- and bis(ethyleneselenothio)-substituted types. However, synthetic attempts to form analogous donors of the bis(ethylenediseleno)-substituted type from THP-protected 2-(ethynylseleno)ethanol were unsuccessful. This is attributable to the predominance of side-reactions via a seleniranium (episelenonium) salt over the desired six-membered ring formation by transalkylation via a seleninium salt.     

Examination of intermolecular electronic interactions in the crystal structure of C60(CF3)12 by experimental electron density determination

From a high resolution X-ray data set measured at 20 K the experimental electron density of the fullerene C(60)(CF(3))(12) was derived and topologically analyzed to yield, in addition to bond topological and atomic properties, information about the density distribution in the region where hexagons of adjacent molecules approach closely at only 3.3 A.     

Synthesis,electronic structure,and electron transfer dynamics of (Aryl)ethynyl-bridged donor-acceptor systems

The ET dynamics of a series of donor-spacer-acceptor (D-Sp-A) systems featuring (porphinato)zinc(II), (aryl)ethynyl bridge, and arene diimide units were investigated by pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy. Analysis of these data within the context of the Marcus-Levich-Jortner equation suggests that the pi-conjugated (aryl)ethynyl bridge plays an active role in the charge recombination (CR) reactions of these species by augmenting the extent of (porphinato)zinc(II) cation radical electronic delocalization; this increase in cation radical size decreases the reorganization energy associated with the CR reaction and thereby attenuates the extent to which the magnitudes of the CR rate constants are solvent dependent. The symmetries of porphyrin-localized HOMO and HOMO-1, the energy gap between these two orbitals, and D-A distance appear to play key roles in determining whether the (aryl)ethynyl bridge simply mediates electronic superexchange or functions as an integral component of the D and A units.     

The solution structures and dynamics and the solid-state structures of substituted cyclopentadienyltitanium(IV) trifluorides

Organotitanium fluorides (C5Me4R)TiF3 (R = H, Me, Et) sublimate with formation of crystalline dimers. From solution, we obtained crystals of dimers and tetramers. The tetramer [{(C5Me5)TiF3}4] irreversibly dissociates in the solid state to dimers (DeltaH = 8.33 kcal mol(-1)). The variable-temperature (1)H and (19)F NMR spectroscopy measurements of the toluene-d(8) solution of [{(C5Me5)TiF3}2] revealed at 202 K one monomeric, two dimeric (with C2h and Cs symmetry), two tetrameric (with D2 and C2v symmetry), and two trimeric (both C2 symmetry) molecules. With the increase in temperature and dilution of the solution, the composition of the solution shifts to the smaller molecules. The thermodynamic and activation parameters for the reversible dissociation of dimers to monomers in the solution are DeltaH = 9.2 kcal mol(-1), DeltaS = 24.2 cal mol(-1) K(-1), DeltaH(double dagger) = 12.2 kcal mol(-1), DeltaS(double dagger) = 9.7 cal mol(-1) K(-1). The dissociation path with a weakly double-bridged transition-state dimer was proposed. The thermodynamic parameters for the reversible dissociation of the C2v tetramer to the dimers in solution are DeltaH = 7.9 kcal mol(-1) and DeltaS = 26.8 cal mol(-1) K(-1). From both tetramers, the D2 molecule is 0.34(5) kcal mol(-1) lower in enthalpy and 6.5(5) cal mol(-1) K(-1) lower in entropy than the C2v molecule. The structures of both trimers were proposed. The low-temperature 19F NMR spectra of the CDCl3 solution of [{(C5Me5)TiF3}2] are consistent with equilibria of a monomer, two dimers (with C2h and Cs symmetry), and a trimer. The vapor pressure osmometric molecular mass determination of CDCl3 solution of [{(C5Me5)TiF3}2] at 302 K is consistent with the equilibrium of the dimer and the monomer.     

Influence of redoxinert counterions on photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer rates in dichloromethane

Rate constants k_q of the fluorescence quenching of 9,10-dicyanoanthracene by bromide and chloride ions and of 9-cyanoanthracene by bromide ions were determined in the low polar solvent dichloromethane with a series of tetra-alkylammonium counterions. Cation size dependent electron transfer rate constants k_et were derived from k_q, and were fitted to a nonadiabatic electron transfer model equation. Because of ion pair formation in dichloromethane electrostatic interactions of the redoxinert countercations during electron transfer were considered. Accordingly, the position of the countercation within the precursor complex had to be described.

The electronic coupling matrix element derived by fitting of the experimental data is in satisfactory agreement with results of simple quantum chemical calculations.     

Photo-induced intermolecular electron transfer from electron donating solvents to Coumarin dyes in bile salt aggregates: role of diffusion in electron transfer reaction

The photo-induced electron transfer between Coumarin dyes and aromatic amines has been investigated using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching studies. We have observed a Marcus type inversion in the electron transfer rate in correlation of quenching constant to the free energy change occurred during reaction. To justify the "inverted region" obtained in the correlation of quenching constant versus free energy curve, we have performed anisotropy measurement and estimated the several diffusional parameters. The translational diffusion coefficients exhibit a similar picture like electron transfer rate constant when it is plotted against free energy. Thus we argued that the diffusion has played an important role in the electron transfer kinetics.     

Photoinduced intra- and intermolecular electron transfer in solutions and in solid organized molecular assemblies

The present paper highlights results of a systematic study of photoinduced electron transfer, where the fundamental aspects of the photochemistry occurring in solutions and in artificially or self-assembled molecular systems are combined and compared. In photochemical electron transfer (ET) reactions in solutions the electron donor, D, and acceptor, A, have to be or to diffuse to a short distance, which requires a high concentration of quencher molecules and/or long lifetimes of the excited donor or acceptor, which cannot always be arranged. The problem can partly be avoided by linking the donor and acceptor moieties covalently by a single bond, molecular chain or chains, or rigid bridge, forming D-A dyads. The covalent combination of porphyrin or phthalocyanine donors with an efficient electron acceptor, e.g. fullerene, has a two-fold effect on the electron transfer properties. Firstly, the electronic systems of the D-A pair result in a formation of an exciplex intermediate upon excitation both in solutions and in solid phases. The formation of the exciplex accelerates the ET rate, which was found to be as fast as >10(12) s(-1). Secondly, the total reorganization energy can be as small as 0.3 eV, even in polar solvents, which allows nanosecond lifetimes for the charge separated (CS) state. Molecular assemblies can form solid heterogeneous, but organized systems, e.g. molecular layers. This results in more complex charge separation and recombination dynamics. A distinct feature of the ET in organized assemblies is intermolecular interactions, which open a possibility for a charge migration both in the acceptor and in the donor layers, after the primary intramolecular exciplex formation and charge separation in the D-A dyad. The intramolecular ET is fast (35 ps) and efficient, but the formed interlayer CS states have lifetimes in microsecond or even second time domain. This is an important result considering possible applications.