Substituent-controlled photoisomerization in retinal chromophore models: Fluorinated and methoxy-substituted protonated Schiff bases

The effect of substitution on the intrinsic (i.e. in vacuo) photoisomerization ability of retinal chromophore models has been explored using CASPT2//CASSCF minimum energy path computations to map the S₁ photoisomerization paths of two substituted minimal models of the retinal chromophore: the 2-cis-penta-2,4-dieniminium and the all-trans-epta-2,4,6-trieniminium cations, which have been modified using fluorine or methoxyl substituents as representative examples of electron-withdrawing and electron-releasing groups, respectively. A systematic analysis has been performed involving substitutions in all the possible positions along the chain. It is shown that the photochemical reactivity and photoisomerization efficiency of these systems may be tuned or indeed changed, although this effect strongly depends on the position of the substituent. In particular, we have shown that (i) most of the systems preserves qualitatively the reactivity of the parent (i.e. unsubstituted) compound; (ii) substitution at positions C4 or C6 leads to a different relaxed excited state structure of the chromophore and in general to a very flat photoisomerization path (or to a tiny S₁ energy barrier in some cases); (iii) the nature of the TICT state (i.e. the S₁ → S₀ decay funnel) may be turned from a conical intersection into an excited state minimum; (iv) for the C4 methoxy-substituted system the isomerization path as well as the S₁/S₀ decay funnel involve an unusual torsional angle. Thus, substitution turns out to be a good tool not only to tune the optical properties (i.e. the absorption and emission features) of the chromophore (as we have already shown in a previous work: I. Conti, F. Bernardi, G. Orlandi, M. Garavelli, Mol. Phys. 104 (2006) 915–924), but it may also play a crucial role in tuning and controlling photoisomerization selectivity and efficiency, affecting excited state lifetime and reaction rate. A rationale for these effects is presented, which provides a basis for understanding reactivity properties and the intrinsic photochemical behavior of substituted retinal chromophores.     

The Reaction of Maleic and Phthalic Anhydrides with 2-Methylimidazole

The reaction of maleic anhydride with 2-methylimidazole in acetonitrile and DMF is accompanied by the appearance of strong absorption bands in the visible part of the spectrum due to the formation of molecular complexes. In acetonitrile the reaction proceeds by two routes via the formation of an amide and the molecular complex. Phthalic anhydride reacts with 2-methylimidazole to give amide but not to form molecular complexes.     

Crown-containing styryl dyes

Styryl dyes containing a crown ether group and a heteroaromatic moiety with a sulfoalkylN-substituent (1a,b) undergo photocyclodimerization in acetonitrile in the presence of Mg(ClO₄)₂ to give only the typeA isomer of cyclobutane derivative (2a,b). The photochemical regio- and stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition is explained by self-organization of thetrans-isomers of the styryl dyes upon complexation with the Mg²⁺ cations into dimers with a fixed mutual arrangement of multiple bonds.For part 7, see ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1449–1452, August, 1993.     

Reactions of β-aroylacrylic acids with 2-aminophenols

3,4-Dihydrobenzo-1,4-oxazin-2-ones were obtained from the corresponding β-aroylacrylic acids and 2-aminophenols. With 2-amino-4(5)-nitrophenols, stable intermediate β-amino adducts (4-aryl-4-oxobutyric acid derivatives) were isolated. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1018–1021, June, 2006.     

Nucleophilic substitution in 1-alkyl-4,5-dichloro-3-nitropyridazin-6-ones

Treatment of 1-alkyl-4,5-dichloro-3-nitropyridazin-6-one with C-nucleophiles and with ambident nucleophiles (2-azahetarylacetonitriles) leads to a selective substitution of a chorine atom by the quaternary carbon atom of the carbanion formed from a substituted acetonitrile. The pK_a of the CH-acid 2-(1-alkyl-5-chloro-3-nitro-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-4-pyridazinyl)malononitrile was determined by potentiometric titration. Reaction of 2-(1-alkyl-5-chloro-3-nitro-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-4-pyridazinyl)-2-hetarylacetonitriles with primary amines gives 6,7-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazin-7-ones. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 556–564, April, 2006.     

One-step synthesis of N-alkyl-2-aryl-2-oxoacetamides and N,N-dialkyl-2-aryl-4H-1,3-benzodioxine-2,4-dicarboxamides

Alkyl isocyanides react with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde or 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde to afford N-alkyl-2-aryl-2-oxoacetamides and N²,N⁴-dialkyl-2-aryl-4H-1,3-benzodioxine-2,4-dicarboxamides in nearly 1:1 ratios. Treatment of 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde affords only the 2-oxoacetamide derivative.     

Electrochemical properties and synthesis of LiAl0.05Mn1.95O3.95F0.05 by a solution-based gel method for lithium secondary battery

The cathode materials, LiMn₂O₄, LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O_3.95F_0.05 were firstly prepared by a simple solution-based gel method using the mixture of acetate and ethanol as the chelating agent. The synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscope and differential and thermal analysis. The as-prepared powders were used as positive materials for lithium-ion battery, whose discharge capacity and cycle voltammogram properties were examined. The results revealed that LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O_3.95F_0.05 synthesized by the solution-based gel method had higher initial capacity than LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and better capacity retention rate (92%) than that of LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and LiMn₂O₄, which revealed that Al and F dual-doped LiMn₂O₄ could gain better electrochemical properties of LiMn₂O₄ than only the Al-doped LiMn₂O₄.     

The effects of cationic and zwitterionic micelles on the keto-enol interconversion of 2-phenylacetylfuran and 2-phenylacetylthiophene

The presence of micelles from cationic and zwitterionic surfactants increases the apparent acidity of either the keto and the enol forms of 2-phenylacetylfuran (2PAF) and 2-phenylacetylthiophene (2PAT). This effect can be attributed to the affinity of the surfactant micelles for the enolate of the two substrates. Although the equilibrium constants for keto-enol tautomerism of 2PAF and 2PAT, K_T=[enol]/[ketone]=pK_a^KH−pK_a^EH, do not change much, the presence of micelles provides an efficient method for producing appreciable quantities of the enolates under mild experimental conditions and in aqueous solutions. The obtained rate-profiles for the ketonisation reactions and the consistency of the kinetic rate constants over a wide range of ‘pH’ in several overlapping buffers indicate that the pH of the aqueous pseudophase (but not that at the micellar surface) can be controlled by buffers. Moreover, the increase of the acidity and the decrease of the ‘water’ rate of ketonisation of the enols of 2PAF and 2PAT upon addition of surfactants allow the uncovery of a metal ion catalysed pathway that cannot be observed in absence of surfactants.     

Aza Diels—Alder reactions of methyl trifluoropyruvate sulfonyl- and phosphorylimines with 1,3-dienes

2-Trifluoromethyl-substituted 1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-2-pyridyl carboxylates were synthesized in one step by the aza Diels—Alder reactions of methyl trifluoropyruvate sulfonyl- and phosphorylimines with 1,3-dienes.     

Theoretical study of reaction channels for the weakly bound complex systems created with HF,CO2, and various amines

This investigation conducted reaction channels of weakly bound complexes CO₂…HF, CO₂…HF…NH₃, CO₂…HF…NH₂CH₃, CO₂…HF…NH(CH₃)₂, and CO₂…HF…N(CH₃)₃ systems, using the Gaussian 98 package at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(3df,2pd) level. The syn‐fluoroformic acid or syn‐fluoroformic acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers are more stable than the related anti‐fluoroformic acid or anti‐fluoroformic acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers. However, the above‐mentioned weakly bound complexes are more stable than both the related syn‐ and anti‐type fluoroformic acid or acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers and their related decomposed into CO₂ + HF or CO₂ + NHR₃F (R?H, CH₃) combined molecular systems. Five reaction channels of the weakly bound complexes exist. Each channel includes weakly bound complexes and their related above‐mentioned systems. Moreover, each reaction channel contains two transition states. The transition state between the weakly bound complex and anti‐fluoroformic acid type structure (T₁₃) is significantly higher than that of internal rotation (T₂₃) between syn‐ and anti‐FCO₂H (or FCO₂H…NR₃) structures. However, the above‐mentioned T₁₃ can significantly decrease its energy by adding the third molecule NH₃ or NR₃ (R?H or CH₃). The more CH₃ that is substituted in NR₃ of the reaction channel, the lower the activation energy of the transition state in the system is affected. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005