Photoinduced Ru-Yb energy transfer and sensitised near-IR luminescence in a coordination polymer containing co-crystallised [Ru(bipy)(CN)4]2- and Yb(III) units

Co-crystallisation of the anionic cyanometallate chromophore [Ru(bipy)(CN)4]2- with Yb(III) provides coordination polymers or oligomers containing Ru-CN-Yb bridges; in [K(H2O)4][Yb(H2O)6][Ru(bipy)(CN)4]2.5H2O Ru-->Yb energy-transfer (k > 5 x 10(6) s(-1)) results in partial quenching of the Ru-based luminescence and sensitised near-IR luminescence from the Yb(III) unit.     

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa nickel(II) azurin

We show that X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) can be employed to probe the oxidation states and other electronic structural features of nickel active sites in proteins. As a calibration standard, we have measured XMCD and X-ray absorption (XAS) spectra for the nickel(II) derivative of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin (NiAz). Our analysis of these spectra confirms that the electronic ground state of NiAz is high-spin (S = 1); we also find that the L(3)-centroid energy is 853.1(1) eV, the branching ratio is 0.722(4), and the magnetic moment is 1.9(4) mu(B). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on model NiAz structures establish that orbitals 3d(x2-y2) and 3d(z2) are the two valence holes in the high-spin Ni(II) ground state, and in accord with the experimentally determined orbital magnetic moment, the DFT results also demonstrate that both holes are highly delocalized, with 3d(x2-y2) having much greater ligand character.     

A determination of antioxidant efficiencies using ESR and computational methods

Using Transition-State Theory, experimental rate constants, determined over a range of temperatures, for reactions of Vitamin E type antioxidants are analysed in terms of their enthalpies and entropies of activation. It is further shown that computational methods may be employed to calculate enthalpies and entropies, and hence Gibbs free energies, for the overall reactions. Within the linear free energy relationship (LFER) assumption, that the Gibbs free energy of activation is proportional to the overall Gibbs free energy change for the reaction, it is possible to rationalise, and even to predict, the relative contributions of enthalpy and entropy for reactions of interest, involving potential antioxidants. A method is devised, involving a competitive reaction between *CH3 radicals and both the spin-trap PBN and the antioxidant, which enables the relatively rapid determination of a relative ordering of activities for a series of potential antioxidant compounds, and also of their rate constants for scavenging *CH3 radicals (relative to the rate constant for addition of *CH3 to PBN).     

Oxidation of an organic adlayer: a bird's eye view

The reaction of O(2) with an adlayer of the oligopyridine 2-phenyl-4,6-bis(6-(pyridine-2-yl)-4-(pyridine-4-yl)-pyridine-2-yl)pyrimidine (2,4'-BTP), adsorbed on the (111) surfaces of silver and gold and on HOPG--which can be considered as a model system for inorganic|organic contacts--was investigated by fast scanning tunneling microscopy (video STM) and dispersion corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) calculations. Only on Ag(111), oxidation of the 2,4'-BTP adlayer was observed, which is related to the fact that under the experimental conditions O(2) adsorbs dissociatively on this surface leading to reactive O adatoms, but not on Au(111) or HOPG . There is a distinct regiospecifity of the oxidation reaction caused by intermolecular interactions. In addition, the oxidation leads to a chiral ordering. The relevance of these findings for reactions involving organic monolayers is discussed.     

Accessibility and Selective Stabilization of the Principal Spin States of Iron by Pyridyl versus Phenolic Ketimines: Modulation of the (6)A(1) ↔ (2)T(2) Ground-State Transformation of the [FeN(4)O(2)](+) Chromophore

Several potentially tridentate pyridyl and phenolic Schiff bases (apRen and HhapRen, respectively) were derived from the condensation reactions of 2-acetylpyridine (ap) and 2'-hydroxyacetophenone (Hhap), respectively, with N-R-ethylenediamine (RNHCH(2)CH(2)NH(2), Ren; R = H, Me or Et) and complexed in situ with iron(II) or iron(III), as dictated by the nature of the ligand donor set, to generate the six-coordinate iron compounds [Fe(II)(apRen)(2)]X(2) (R = H, Me; X(-) = ClO(4)(-), BPh(4)(-), PF(6)(-)) and [Fe(III)(hapRen)(2)]X (R = Me, Et; X(-) = ClO(4)(-), BPh(4)(-)). Single-crystal X-ray analyses of [Fe(II)(apRen)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (R = H, Me) revealed a pseudo-octahedral geometry about the ferrous ion with the Fe(II)-N bond distances (1.896-2.041 ?) pointing to the (1)A(1) (d(π)(6)) ground state; the existence of this spin state was corroborated by magnetic susceptibility measurements and M?ssbauer spectroscopy. In contrast, the X-ray structure of the phenolate complex [Fe(III)(hapMen)(2)]ClO(4), determined at 100 K, demonstrated stabilization of the ferric state; the compression of the coordinate bonds at the metal center is in accord with the (2)T(2) (d(π)(5)) ground state. Magnetic susceptibility measurements along with EPR and M?ssbauer spectroscopic techniques have shown that the iron(III) complexes are spin-crossover (SCO) materials. The spin transition within the [Fe(III)N(4)O(2)](+) chromophore was modulated with alkyl substituents to afford two-step and one-step (6)A(1) ? (2)T(2) transformations in [Fe(III)(hapMen)(2)]ClO(4) and [Fe(III)(hapEen)(2)]ClO(4), respectively. Previously, none of the X-salRen- and X-sal(2)trien-based ferric spin-crossover compounds exhibited a stepwise transition. The optical spectra of the LS iron(II) and SCO iron(III) complexes display intense d(π) → p(π)* and p(π) → d(π) CT visible absorptions, respectively, which account for the spectacular color differences. All the complexes are redox-active; as expected, the one-electron oxidative process in the divalent compounds occurs at higher redox potentials than does the reverse process in the trivalent compounds. The cyclic voltammograms of the latter compounds reveal irreversible electrochemical generation of the phenoxyl radical. Finally, the H(2)salen-type quadridentate ketimine H(2)hapen complexed with an equivalent amount of iron(III) to afford the μ-oxo-monobridged dinuclear complex [{Fe(III)(hapen)}(2)(μ-O)] exhibiting a distorted square-pyramidal geometry at the metal centers and considerable antiferromagnetic coupling of spins (J ≈ -99 cm(-1)).     

THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF INORGANIC RING CHEMISTRY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW POLYMERS

The field of phosphazene high polymers has developed into a large area of more than 700 different types of macromolecules with novel combinations of properties and diverse applications. Small-molecule phosphazene rings have played a major role in these developments, first as starting materials for polymer synthesis, second as synthetic and structural models for the high polymers, and third as components of hybrid inorganic-organic macromolecules. These three aspects are reviewed, with examples taken from our recent work, together with some thoughts on the development of this and related fields in the future.     

Second-order nonlinear optical properties of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers studied by second harmonic generation from thin films

The two independent elements of the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor of a range of contact poled, donor–acceptor substitued side-chain polymers are reported. The susceptibilities were measured by second harmonic generation from thin films, typically less than 0.5 μm thick, at a fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm. The largest value was χ = 2.64 pm/V which is three times greater than the χ value of KDP and was measured in a nitrobenzylidene side chain, polyhydroxystyrene polymer with an eleven unit alkyl chain spacer attaching the side group to the backbone. Typical susceptibility values obtained were χ～0.3 pm/V and X⁽²⁾₃₃～1 pm/V. The coherence lengths of the materials, which lay in the range 4–12 μm, were measured at 1064 nm by the maker fringe technique using thick, wedge-shaped samples.     

Model Reactions for Photosynthesis—Photoinduced Charge and Energy Transfer between Covalently Linked Porphyrin and Quinone Units

Photosynthesis is one of the fascinating fields of current interdisciplinary research. It seems miraculous that nature, in the process of evolution, has managed to bring about the process of photosynthesis. The first step involves a charge separation at the reaction centers, which proceeds with 100% quantum yield from the photoexcited singlet state of the bacteriochlorophyll donor, despite the fact that the wasteful deactivation of the electron into the ground state should be highly favored. Biomimetic model compounds (that is, those which resemble the pigments nature has developed) have been constructed from porphyrins and quinones. These model systems have allowed the study of the factors contributing to the highly efficient charge separation. This report focuses on recent developments in the study of electron transfer in porphyrinoquinones. Some of the results of these investigations may not be not fully understood and are often the subject of controversial discussions.