Theoretical study of new ruthenium-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Two relevant, recently reported, ruthenium-based complexes to be used as sensitizers in Gra?tzel photovoltaic cells are theoretically studied. The UV/vis absorption spectra have been computed within the time-dependent density functional theory formalism. The obtained excitation energies are compared with the experimental results, and the nature of the transition is analyzed in terms of the electronic density. A preliminary study on the performance of different functionals against the equation of motion coupled cluster is performed on a smaller model system.     

Influence of the solvent on the charge distribution of anomeric compounds

Conformational preferences of methanediol, dimethoxymethane, methanediamine, and fluoromethanol in the presence of solvents of diverse polarity (water, acetone, and chloroform), modeled with the polarizable continuum model, were analyzed within the framework of the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules. The results indicate that the hydrogens bonded to the anomeric carbon experience the largest reorganization of electron density upon conformational change, as was obtained from previous calculations in the gas phase. When the water solvation is simulated by explicit inclusion of water molecules, the electron density reorganization involved in the cluster formation is significantly different for each conformer of methanediol. As a consequence, similar depletions of electron population are displayed by the hydrogens of hydroxyl and methylene groups in the cluster obtained for the most stable conformer of methanediol, with regard to that built for the completely antiperiplanar conformer.     

Molecular recognition of ADP over ATP in aqueous solution by a polyammonium receptor containing a pyrimidine residue

The synergistic action of the different binding groups of the polyfunctional HL receptor leads to the recognition of ADP over ATP in water, with a selectivity coefficient of up to 116, a phenomenon which is unprecedented in the context of synthetic receptors in water. The recognition is mostly due to the good matching between H(3)L(2+) and the protonated forms of ADP.     

Crystal structures, EPR and magnetic properties of 2-ClC6H4CNSSN˙ and 2,5-Cl2C6H3CNSSN˙

The β-sheet structure associated with chlorinated aromatics (d(Cl···Cl)≈ 4.0 ?) has been implemented to drive formation of π-stacked structures of dithiadiazolyl radicals. Both title compounds exhibit an increase in paramagnetism above 150 K but solid-state EPR studies indicate that the origin of the paramagnetism in these two systems is different.     

RNAs' uracil quartet model with a non-essential metal ion

We have recently communicated the resemblance of 1-hexyluracil in the crystal state with a lipid bilayer (CrystEngComm, 2010, 12, 362-365). Treatment of this molecule with silver nitrate yields a model, using a non-essential metal ion, of a uracil quartet with geometric parameters comparable to those previously found in RNA strands.     

A multipurpose gold(I) precatalyst

[Au(tmbn)(2)](SbF(6)) is the first gold(I) complex supported by two nitrile ligands that is indefinitely stable at room temperature. This is a highly versatile precatalyst that can be used for the preparation of active and robust solid-supported gold(I) catalysts.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of two tetrasubstituted cationic porphyrin derivatives

An imidazolium tetrasubstituted cationic porphyrin derivative (the free base and its Zn(II) complex) with five-membered heterocyclic groups in the meso-positions were synthesized using microwave irradiation, and the compounds obtained characterized by (1)H-NMR and mass spectrometry. We observed that under microwave irradiation the yield is similar to when the synthesis is performed under conventional heating, however, the time required to prepare the porphyrins decreases enormously. In order to investigate the electronic state of these compounds, we employed UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations. The results reveal the presence, in both compounds, of a large number of electronic states involving the association between the Soret and a blue-shifted band. The Soret band in both compounds also shows a considerable solvent dependence. As for emission, these compounds present low quantum yield at room temperature and no solvent influence on the fluorescence spectra was observed.     

Study on the thermal behavior of the complexes of the type [PdX<Subscript>2</Subscript>(tdmPz)] (X = Cl<Superscript>−</Superscript>, Br<Superscript>−</Superscript>, I<Superscript>−</Superscript>, SCN<Superscript>−</Superscript>)

Four new mononuclear Pd(II) complexes of the type [PdX₂(tdmPz)] {X = Cl⁻ (1); Br⁻ (2); I⁻ (3); SCN⁻ (4); tdmPz = 1-thiocarbamoyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole} have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, ¹H and ¹³C{¹H}-NMR experiments. The thermal behavior of the complexes 1–4 has been investigated by means of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). From the initial decomposition temperatures, the thermal stability of the complexes can be ordered in the sequence: 3 < 4 ≡ 2 < 1. The final products of the thermal decompositions were characterized as metallic palladium by X-ray powder diffraction.     

Basicity of bisperhalophenyl aurates toward closed-shell metal ions: metallophilicity and additional interactions

The interaction of bisperhalophenyl aurates [AuR₂]^? (R?=?C₆F₅, C₆F₃Cl₂, and C₆Cl₅) with the closed-shell Ag⁺, Cu⁺, and Tl⁺ ions has been studied theoretically and compared with the experimentally known X-ray diffraction crystal structures. Initially, the aurates have been fully optimized at MP2 level of theory in a D _2h symmetry. The analysis of the basicity of the three aurates [AuR₂]^? (R?=?C₆F₅, C₆F₃Cl₂ and C₆Cl₅) against Ag⁺ ions in a C _2v symmetry has been calculated in point-by-point bsse-corrected interaction energy analysis at HF and MP2 levels of theory. Taking into account the experimental observation of additional interactions between the heterometals and C _ipso atoms at the perhalophenyl rings or halogen atoms at the ortho position of the perhalophenyl rings, dinuclear models of the type [AuR₂]^?···Ag⁺ (R?=?C₆Cl₅, and C₆F₅); [AuR₂]^?···Cu⁺ (R?=?C₆F₅, and C₆Cl₅) and [AuR₂]^?···Tl⁺ (R?=?C₆F₅, and C₆Cl₅) with a C _2v , C ₂ , and C _s symmetries have been optimized at DFT-B3LYP level. The interaction energies have been computed through bsse-corrected single point HF and MP2 calculations. The energy stabilization provided and the heterometal preference have been analyzed and compared with the experimental results.     

Relativistic four-component calculations of Buckingham birefringence using London atomic orbitals

We present the first relativistic study of the electric-field-gradient induced birefringence (Buckingham birefringence), with application to the series of molecules CX₂ (X?=?O, S, Se, Te). A recently developed atomic-orbital-driven scheme for the calculation of time-dependent molecular properties using one-, two- and four-component relativistic wave functions (Bast et?al. in Chem Phys 356:177, 2009) is extended to first-order frequency-dependent magnetic-field perturbations, using London atomic orbitals to ensure gauge-origin independent results and to improve basis-set convergence. Calculations are presented at the Hartree?CFock and Kohn?CSham levels of theory and results for CO₂ and CS₂ are compared with previous high-level coupled-cluster calculations. Except for the heaviest member of the series, relativistic effects are small??in particular for the temperature-independent contribution to the birefringence. By contrast, the effects of electron correlation are significant. However, the reliability of standard exchange-correlation functionals in describing Buckingham birefringence remains unclear based on the comparison with high-level coupled-cluster singles-and-doubles calculations.