Quantum-chemical modeling of spectroscopic and photophysical properties of ethylene-bridged octaethylporphyrin dimer

In a solution, a dimer of octaethylporphyrin meso-linked by an ethylene bridge (tbis-OEP) may adopt conformational forms the lifetimes of the S ₁ state of which are considerably different (7 ns for the P′ and ∼6–9 ps for the P and U forms). In this work, we propose new structural models for these forms based on calculations of the geometry, vibrational, and electronic states of tbis-OEP and related model systems using methods of the density functional theory. The modeling of the absorption spectra of tbis-OEP in toluene shows that they can be well described assuming that the distribution of conformers with values of the dihedral angle α (which determines the positions of the macrocycles with respect to the ethylene bridge) in the range of 10°–90° is Boltzmanian. We have found that a considerable difference between the spectral properties of tbis-OEP in toluene and chloroform is related to particular features of the structure of the corresponding solvation complexes. Interactions with chloroform molecules in solution facilitate the predominant stabilization of conformers with α ∼ 90°, while, in the case of solvation complexes with toluene molecules, conformers with α ∼ 40° are more energetically favorable. Based on the optimization of the geometry of tbis-OEP in the S ₁ state and on the calculations of the matrix elements of vibronic interaction, we propose mechanisms by which a considerable shortening of the lifetime of the excited state of tbis-OEP and experimental regularities of variation of this parameter upon variation of the solution viscosity and freezing of the solution can be explained.     

Samarium Dithiocarbamates as Precursors for Deposition of SmS Films

Samarium dithiocarbamate complexes dtc₃Sm and their adducts dtc3SmL were prepared, studied, and used as precursors for deposition of SmS films. The influence of the composition and structure of the complexes on the properties of the SmS films was examined.     

Studies of porphyrin zinc compounds intercalated into V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> xerogel

The intercalation of meso-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)porphyrin zinc, the cationic salts of meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin zinc, and zwitterionic meso-tetrakis-[N-(3-sulfonatopropyl)pyridinium-4-yl]porphyrin zinc from aqueous solutions as well as of meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyriclinium-4-yl)porphyrin zinc from pyridine solutions into V₂O₅ xerogel was studied. The intercalation complexes obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, TG analysis, IR, and UV reflectance spectroscopy.     

Photoinduced relaxation processes in self-assembling complexes from CdSe/ZnS water-soluble nanocrystals and cationic porphyrins

Particular features and quenching mechanisms of exciton luminescence of water-soluble nanocomposites that are formed as a result of the interaction of surface charged semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) CdSe/ZnS (d _CdSe = 2.8 nm) and cationic porphyrins (H₂TMPyrP⁴⁺ and ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺) have been studied theoretically and experimentally. It has been found that, in CdSe/ZnS??Porphyrin conjugates, there occurs long-range inductive resonance electronic excitation energy transfer from surface modified (with thioglycolic or mercaptoundecanoic acid) QDs to porphyrins, which is accompanied by quenching of the exciton luminescence of QDs and an increase in the fluorescence intensity of porphyrin. It has been shown that, when mercaptoundecanoic acid is used as a QD shell, the QD luminescence quenching efficiency by porphyrins follows the F?rster-Galanin theory and depends on the overlap integral between the CdSe/ZnS luminescence band and the absorption spectra of free-base porphyrin H₂TMPyrP⁴⁺ and its metal complex ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺. It has been revealed that, as the QDs ? Zn-porphyrin intercenter distance decreases from 39.1 (mercaptoundecanoic acid) to 30.1), a considerable QD luminescence quenching is observed; however, the energy transfer efficiency substantially decreases, from 55% in the former case to 23% in the latter one. Based on the spectral-luminescent data and quantum-chemical calculations, it has been found that the chemical change of H₂TMPyrP⁴⁺ in the structure of the complex with CdSe/ZnS QDs passivated by thioglycolic or mercaptoundecanoic acid is caused by the formation of a metal complex ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺. Based on calculations of the redox-potentials, it has been concluded that the low luminescence quantum yield of CdSe/ZnS QDs passivated by residues of mercaptocarboxylic acids S^?(CH₂) _n COO^? and its dependence on the number of CH₂ groups are related to the possibility of photoinduced electron transfer from the HOMO of passivating molecules to QDs (QD* ? S^?(CH₂)nCOO^? hole transfer). It has been shown that the quenching of the exciton luminescence of QDs in heterogeneous structures CdSe/ZnS(thioglycolic acid)??ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺, which is complementary to the energy transfer, can be caused by the photoinduced electron transfer that involves the participation of the LUMO of the ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺ molecule (QD* ? ZnTMPyrP⁴⁺).     

Quantum-Chemical Simulation of the Solvent Effect on Spontaneous Emission of Singlet Oxygen

A molecular simulation of the solvent effect on radiative rate constant k _r of singlet oxygen is carried out. This study included a search for the most probable conformations of the complexes of molecules of singlet oxygen and ten solvents and calculation of dipole moments M of transitions a¹Δ _g –b¹Σ _g ⁺ (M _a–b ) and a¹Δ _g –X³Σ _g ^- (M _a–X ) of the oxygen molecule for them. Averaging of M _a–b by conformations, taking into account the probability of their formation for complexes without atoms with a large atomic number (Cl, S), yields values that, as a rule, correlate well with the behavior of k _r in the experiment. Taking into account the possibility of decreasing the distance (compared to equilibrium) between molecules in a collision complex at room temperature made it possible to achieve satisfactory agreement of the calculated and experimental data also for complexes with CCl₄, C₂Cl₄, and CS₂. The obtained data indicate that a number of factors affect k _r . The correlation of k _r with molecular polarizability in a number of cases is due, on the one hand, to its effect on the strength of dispersion interactions in the complex and, on the other hand, to the fact that it to some extent reflects the position of the upper filled orbitals of the solvent molecule. Both factors affect the degree of mixing of the π orbitals of the singlet oxygen molecule with the orbitals of the solvent molecule, which, as was found earlier, facilitates the activation of the a¹Δ _g –b¹Σ _g ⁺ transition and the borrowing of its intensity by the a¹Δ _g –X³Σ _g ^- transition.     

Reactions of metallocenes during intercalation into the layered TiSe2 lattice

The intercalation of metallocenes (Cp₂Co, Cp₂Fe, and Cp₂Ni, where Cp is η⁵-C₅H₅) from the gas phase into the TiSe₂ lattice and of cobaltocene from solutions in acetonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform into TiSe₂ was studied. The insertion of metallocenes from the gas phase into the TiSe₂ lattice gives rise to the TiSe₂(Cp₂M)_0.3 compounds (M = Co or Fe) having the same stoichiometry. The reactions with the use of acetonitrile as the solvent for metallocenes, which facilitates the insertion, afford not only the intercalation complex but also the reaction product of metallocene and acetonitrile, viz., (η ⁵-C₅H₅)Co(η⁴-C₅H₅CH₂CN) (1). In the reactions of cobaltocene with chloroform or carbon tetrachloride in the presence of titanium diselenide, only the addition product, viz., (η ⁵-C₅H₅)Co(η₄-C₅H₅CCl₃) (2), was isolated. The structures of complexes 1 and 2 were studied by X-ray diffraction. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 876–880, May, 2007.     

Reactions of ferrocene with phthalonitrile on the surface of oxide powders

The reaction of ferrocene with phthalonitrile at 200°C in a vacuum in the absence of solvents forms crystals of the monoclinic phthalocyanine β phase and ferrocene polymerization products. The use of oxide powders (SiO₂, V₂O₅) as a surface for the reaction of ferrocene with phthalonitrile makes it possible to obtain iron phthalocyanines. The samples of pure compounds and deposited phthalocyanine complexes were analyzed by electronic absorption and IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction.