A theoretical study of the lowest electronic states of azobenzene: the role of torsion coordinate in the cis–trans photoisomerization

In the present paper we report the results of a multiconfigurational computational study on potential-energy curves of azobenzene along the NN twisting to clarify the role of this coordinate in the decay of the S₂(*) and S₁(n*) states. We have found that there is a singlet state, S₃ at the trans geometry, on the basis of the doubly excited configuration n²*², that has a deep minimum at about 90° of twisting, where it is the lowest excited singlet state. The existence of this state provides an explanation for the short lifetime of S₂(*) and for the wavelength-dependence of azobenzene photochemistry. We have characterized the S₁(n*) state by calculating its vibrational frequencies, which are found to correspond to the recently observed transient Raman spectrum. We have also computed the potential-energy curve for the triplet T₁(n*) at the density functional theory B3LYP level, which indicates that in this state the isomerization occurs along the twisting coordinate.Acknowledgement The financial support from MIUR (project Modellistica delle proprietà spettroscopiche di sistemi molecolari complessi funds ex 60% and project Dinamiche molecolari in sistemi di interesse chimico funds ex 40%), from the University of Bologna (Funds for Selected Research Topics) is gratefully acknowledged.Contribution to the Jacopo Tomasi Honorary Issue     

Theoretical study of the electronic spectrum of binuclear gold(I) complexes

The electronic structure and the spectroscopic properties of [Au₂(CS₃)₂]^?2, [Au₂(pym‐2‐S)₂] (pym = pyrimidethiolate), [Au₂(dpm)₂]⁺² (dpm = bis(diphosphino)methane) were studied using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP level. The absorption spectrum of these binuclear gold(I) complexes was calculated by single excitation time‐dependent (TD) method. All complexes showed a ¹(5dσ* → 6pσ) transition associated with a metal–metal charge transfer, which is strongly interrelated with the gold–gold distance. Furthermore, we have calculated the frequency of the gold–gold vibration (ν_Au2) on the above complexes. The values obtained are theoretically in agreement with experimental range. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Quantum-chemical study of manifestations of conjugation in molecules containing conjugated C=C and C=O bonds

Based on the MNDO calculations of the electronic structure of the molecules of acrolein, glyoxal, and butadiene, possible mechanisms of the conjugation in systems containing conjugated C=C and C=O bonds have been analyzed. In the electronic ground state ofs-trans-acrolein, the , -conjugation is very small, whereas in the first excited electronic state, the conjugation is substantial, In the ground state ofs-trans-glyoxal, the ,-conjugation should manifest itself clearly but should be weaker than in butadiene, whereas in the first excited electronic state, this conjugation should be more pronounced, Alternation of double and single bonds in the classic structural formula of a molecule does not ensure that this molecule exhibits the properties of a -conjugated system even in planar conformations.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1648–1652, July, 1996.     

Synthesis, solid-state structure, and bonding analysis of the beryllocenes [Be(C5Me4H)2], [Be(C5Me5)2], and [Be(C5Me5)(C5Me4H)

The beryllocenes [Be(C(5)Me(4)H)(2)] (1), [Be(C(5)Me(5))(2)] (2), and [Be(C(5)Me(5))(C(5)Me(4)H)] (3) have been prepared from BeCl(2) and the appropriate KCp' reagent in toluene/diethyl ether solvent mixtures. The synthesis of 1 is facile (20 degrees C, overnight), but generation of decamethylberyllocene 2 demands high temperatures (ca. 115 degrees C) and extended reaction times (3-4 days). The mixed-ring beryllocene 3 is obtained when the known [(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))BeCl] is allowed to react with K[C(5)Me(4)H], once more under somewhat forcing conditions (115 degrees C, 36 h). The structures of the three metallocenes have been determined by low-temperature X-ray studies. Both 1 and 3 present eta5/eta1 geometries of the slip-sandwich type, whereas 2 exhibits an almost regular, ferrocene-like, sandwich structure. In the mixed-ring compound 3, C(5)Me(5) is centrally bound to beryllium and the eta(1)-C(5)Me(4)H ring bonds to the metal through the unique CH carbon atom. This is also the binding mode of the eta(1)-ring of 1. To analyze the nature of the bonding in these molecules, theoretical calculations at different levels of theory have been performed on compounds 2 and 3, and a comparison with the bonding in [Be(C(5)H(5))(2)] has been made. As for the latter molecule, energy differences between the eta5/eta5 and the eta5/eta1 structures of 2 are very small, being of the order of a few kcal mol(-1). Constrained space orbital variations (CSOV) calculations show that the covalent character in the bonding is larger for [Be(C(5)Me(5))(2)] than for [Be(C(5)H(5))(2)] due to larger charge delocalization and to increased polarizability of the C(5)Me(5) fragment.     

新型四硫代富瓦烯衍生物的合成及其性质的研究

合成了3个新的含有卤素取代基的四硫代富瓦烯衍生物及6个新的相关化合物。利用溶液的电子吸收光谱对四硫代富瓦烯衍生物的性质进行了研究。研究结果表明, 四硫代富瓦烯衍生物的分子中π轨道之间的能级差较小, 因而分子具有较高的稳定性。     

Free electron model in cluster structure theory. Electronic structures of [Mo6S8(CN)6]6?, [Mo6Se8(CN)6]6?, [Re6S8(CN)6]4?, and Rh6(CO)16 clusters

The results of quantum chemical calculations of the electronic structure and geometry of octahedral clusters [Mo₆S₈(CN)₆]⁶⁻, [Mo₆Se₈(CN)₆]⁶⁻, [Re₆S₈(CN)₆]⁴⁻, and Rh₆(CO)₁₆ by the ab initio SCF (RHF) and DFT (B3LYP) methods with various basis sets are presented. The electronic states of the clusters under study in ideal spherically symmetric potential were classified in the orbital quantum number l (1s, 1p, 1d, 1f, 1g, 1h, 1i), l = 0–6. In real crystal field with O_h symmetry these states are split. The calculated new electronic states were matched to the irreducible representations of the point symmetry group O_h. The polarizabilities of the compounds considered are 55–65 ų. A new model for the electronic structure of octahedral clusters containing M₆ groups was proposed. The model is based on the idea of free electrons moving in spherically symmetric potential field. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2617–2624, December, 2005.     

On the Role Played by Dimers of Radical Cations in the Process of Electrochemical Oxidation–Reduction of Polyaniline: The Data that Were Obtained Using the Method of Cyclic Voltabsorptometry in the Presence of Counteranions of a Diverse Nature

The electrochemical oxidation–reduction of films of polyaniline is studied in the presence of various counteranions. The differential cyclic voltabsorptometric (DCVA) curves (dA/dt relative to potential, where A is the optical absorption) are recorded at characteristic wavelengths corresponding to individual spectrum components previously isolated with the Alentsev–Fok method. The DCVA curves for aqueous solutions of HCl, HClO₄, and H₂SO₄ at different potential scan rates are compared to traditional cyclic voltammograms. For the DCVA curves obtained at 665 nm discovered is one broad peak of dA/dt in the region of potentials between the first and second stages of polyaniline oxidation (0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl). An assumption is made about a chemical nature of the process of generation of absorption in this spectral region, which, more likely than not, is connected with the emergence of dimers of radical cations of polyaniline. It is discovered that the electrochemical processes in the region of potentials that correspond to the first stage of oxidation give rise to variations in the absorption inside several regions of spectrum: 435 nm (radical cations) and 755 nm (localized polarons). An assumption is made that the first peak of the current corresponds to several successive processes that occur in a polyaniline molecule in the course of oxidation as well as to the existence of heterogeneous regions where the generation of localized polarons proceeds at different rates.     

Ag/ZrO2催化剂上的1,2-丙二醇选择性气相氧化反应

采用浸渍法制备了一系列Ag/ZrO₂催化剂, 考察了Ag/ZrO₂催化剂对1,2-丙二醇选择性氧化合成丙酮醛反应的催化性能. 实验结果表明: 在原料气配比为V(N₂)∶V(O₂)＝300∶19, n(O₂)/n(alcohol)＝1.2, 反应物液时空速为3.2 g/(g•h), 反应温度为673 K时, 1,2-丙二醇选择性氧化合成丙酮醛反应的转化率为95.7%, 选择性为55.3%, 高于传统电解银催化剂. UV-Vis DRS和XPS的研究结果表明: 在Ag/ZrO₂催化剂上存在大量的Ag^＋和Ag_n^δ＋有利于促进催化活性的提高.     

Novel rhenium(III) complexes with 5,6-diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-trazine: X-ray structures and DFT calculations for [ReCl3(OPPh3)(dppt)] and [ReCl3(PPh3)(dppt)] complexes

The reaction of [ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] with 5,6-diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-trazine (dppt) has been examined and [ReCl₃(OPPh₃)(dppt)] has been obtained. The triphenylphosphine oxide can be easily replaced by PPh₃ in the reaction of [ReCl₃(OPPh₃)(dppt)] with an excess of triphenylphosphine. The [ReCl₃(OPPh₃)(dppt)] and [ReCl₃(PPh₃)(dppt)] complexes have been structurally and spectroscopically characterized. Their molecular orbital diagrams have been calculated with the density functional theory (DFT) method, and their electronic spectra have been discussed on the basis of time-dependent DFT calculations. The compound [ReCl₃(OPPh₃)(dppt)] has been studied additionally by magnetic measurement. The magnetic behavior is characteristic of mononuclear complexes with d⁴ low-spin octahedral Re(III) complexes (³T_1g ground state) and arise because of the large spin–orbit coupling (ζ = 2500 cm⁻¹), which gives diamagnetic ground state.     

荧光素及其衍生物电子结构与光谱性质的理论研究

用ZINDO、从头算和密度泛函理论方法研究荧光素及其衍生物的电子结构和光谱性质.计算结果表明母体双阴离子荧光素分子(1)与单(2)、双(3)取代形成的单阴离子荧光素分子的基态电子结构不同,而且1与2和3的基态和激发态的电子转移方向相反.体系1~3的最大吸收波长依次发生红移,与实验结果相符合.