Exploring the Franck–Condon region of a photoexcited charge transfer complex in solution to interpret femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy: excited state electronic structure methods to unveil non-radiative pathways

We present electronic structure methods to unveil the non-radiative pathways of photoinduced charge transfer (CT) reactions that play a main role in photophysics and light harvesting technologies. A prototypical π-stacked molecular complex consisting of an electron donor (1-chloronaphthalene, 1ClN) and an electron acceptor (tetracyanoethylene, TCNE) was investigated in dichloromethane solution for this purpose. The characterization of TCNE:π:1ClN in both its equilibrium ground and photoinduced low-lying CT electronic states was performed by using a reliable and accurate theoretical–computational methodology exploiting ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The structural and vibrational time evolution of key vibrational modes is found to be in excellent agreement with femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy experiments [R. A. Mathies et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 2018, 122, 14, 3594], unveiling a correlation between vibrational fingerprints and electronic properties. The evaluation of nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements along generalized normal modes has made possible the interpretation on the molecular scale of the activation of nonradiative relaxation pathways towards the ground electronic state. In particular, two low frequency vibrational modes such as the out of plane bending and dimer breathing and the TCNE central C C stretching play a prominent role in relaxation phenomena from the electronic CT state to the ground state one.

We present electronic structure methods to unveil the non-radiative pathways of photoinduced charge transfer (CT) reactions that play a main role in photophysics and light harvesting technologies.     

Photofragmentation of Halogenated Pyrimidine Molecules in the VUV Range

In the present work, we studied the photoinduced ion chemistry of the halogenated pyrimidines, a class of prototype radiosensitizing molecules, in the energy region 9–15 eV. The work was stimulated by previous studies on inner shell site-selective fragmentation of the pyrimidine molecule, which have shown that the fragmentation is governed by the population/formation of specific ionic states with a hole in valence orbitals, which in turn correlate to accessible dissociation limits. The combined experimental and theoretical study of the appearance energies of the main fragments provides information on the geometric structure of the products and on the role played by the specific halogen atom and the site of halogenation in the dissociation process. This information can be used to gain new insights on the elementary mechanisms that could possibly explain the enhanced radiation damage to the DNA bases or to the medium in which the bases are embedded, thereby contributing to their radiosensitizing effect.

Physico-Chemical Investigation on the Interaction Between Ochratoxin A and Heptakis-2,6-di-O-Methyl-β-Cyclodextrin

Journal of Solution Chemistry - The interaction of ochratoxin A (OTA) with heptakis-2,6-di-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (DIMEB) in aqueous solutions at two different pHs (3.5 and 9.5) was studied...     

Kinetic control in the formation of meso-dithia[3.3]-paracyclophane S,S′-dioxide

meso-(R,S)-Dithia[3.3]-paracyclophane S,S′-dioxide is formed with complete stereoselection by the thermolysis of 3,3′-[1,4-phenylene-bis(methylenesulfinyl)]-dipropanoate—that generates in situ two transient sulfenic acid functions—in the presence of p-diethynylbenzene. By employing an improved procedure that we have recently optimized, the title compound has been prepared in a 70% yield as a single diastereoisomer. A density functional B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) study demonstrates that the final syn-addition cyclization step takes place under kinetic control, through a five-membered transition state that defines the stereochemistry of the resulting cyclophane.     

Conformational sensitivity of conjugated poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(amidoamine) molecules to cations adducted upon electrospray ionization – A mass spectrometry,ion mobility and molecular modeling study

Tandem mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry experiments were performed on multiply charged molecules formed upon conjugation of a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer with a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) linear polymer to evidence any conformational modification as a function of their charge state (2+ to 4+) and of the adducted cation (H⁺vs Li⁺). Experimental findings were rationalized by molecular dynamics simulations. The G0 PAMAM head-group could accommodate up to three protons, with protonated terminal amine group enclosed in a pseudo 18-crown-6 ring formed by the PEO segment. This particular conformation enabled a hydrogen bond network which allowed long-range proton transfer to occur during collisionally activated dissociation. In contrast, lithium adduction was found to mainly occur onto oxygen atoms of the polyether, each Li⁺ cation being coordinated by a 12-crown-4 pseudo structure. As a result, for the studied polymeric segment (M_n = 1500 g mol⁻¹), PEO-PAMAM hybrid molecules exhibited a more expanded shape when adducted to lithium as compared to proton.     

Effect of simultaneous cooling on microwave-assisted wet digestion of biological samples with diluted nitric acid and O2 pressure

The present work evaluates the influence of vessel cooling simultaneously to microwave-assisted digestion performed in a closed system with diluted HNO₃ under O₂ pressure. The effect of outside air flow-rates (60–190 m³ h⁻¹) used for cooling of digestion vessels was evaluated. An improvement in digestion efficiency caused by the reduction of HNO₃ partial pressure was observed when using higher air flow-rate (190 m³ h⁻¹), decreasing the residual carbon content for whole milk powder from 21.7 to 9.3% (lowest and highest air flow-rate, respectively). The use of high air flow-rate outside the digestion vessel resulted in a higher temperature gradient between liquid and gas phases inside the digestion vessel and improved the efficiency of sample digestion. Since a more pronounced temperature gradient was obtained, it contributed for increasing the condensation rate and thus allowed a reduction in the HNO₃ partial pressure of the digestion vessel, which improved the regeneration of HNO₃. An air flow-rate of 190 m³ h⁻¹ was selected for digestion of animal fat, bovine liver, ground soybean, non fat milk powder, oregano leaves, potato starch and whole milk powder samples, and a standard reference material of apple leaves (NIST 1515), bovine liver (NIST 1577) and whole milk powder (NIST 8435) for further metals determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results were in agreement with certified values and no interferences caused by matrix effects during the determination step were observed.     

Hybrid magnetic materials (Fe3O4–κ-carrageenan) as catalysts for the Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroalkenes

Two hybrid magnetic materials have been prepared from κ-carrageenan and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and tested as catalysts for the Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroalkenes. Remarkably, the material prepared from unmodified κ-carrageenan showed catalytic activity in the reaction of choice, while the individual components were inactive. This points out to a synergistic effect between the MNPs and κ-carrageenan. The second catalyst, bearing a diphenylprolinol silyl ether moiety, was also shown to promote the reaction, giving rise to the corresponding adducts in excellent ees. After the reaction is complete, the catalysts can be conveniently retrieved by simple magnetic decantation.