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.     

Forward and backward pericyclic photochemical reactions have intermediates in common, yet cyclobutenes break the rules.

Photochemical pericyclic reactions are believed to proceed via a so-called pericyclic minimum on the lowest excited potential surface (S(1)), which is common to both the forward and backward reactions. Such a common intermediate has never been directly detected. The photointerconversion of 1,3-butadiene and cyclobutene is the prevailing prototype for such reactions, yet only diene ring closure proceeds with the stereospecificity that the Woodward-Hoffmann rules predict. This contrast seems to exclude a common intermediate. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, we show that the excited states of two cyclobutene/diene isomeric pairs are linked by not one, but by two common minima, p* and ct*. Starting from the diene side (cyclohepta-1,3-diene and cycloocta-1,3-diene), electrocyclic ring closure passes via the pericyclic minimum p*, whereas ct* is mainly responsible for cis-trans isomerization. Starting from the corresponding cyclobutenes (bicyclo[3.2.0]heptene-6 and bicyclo[4.2.0]octene-7), the forbidden isomer is formed from ct*. The path branches at the first (S(2)/S(1)) conical intersection towards p* and ct*. The fact that the energetically unfavorable ct* path can compete is ascribed to a dynamic effect: the momentum in C=C twist direction, acquired--such as in other olefins--in the Franck-Condon region of the cyclobutenes.     

Water effect on the excited-state decay paths of singlet excited cytosine

Two low-energy deactivation paths for singlet excited cytosine, one through a S₁/S₀ conical intersection of the ethylene type, and one through a conical intersection that involves the (n_N, π^*) state, are calculated in the presence of water. Water is included explicitly for several cytosine monohydrates, and as a bulk solvent, and the calculations are carried out at the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and complete active space second order perturbation (CASPT2) levels of theory. The effect of water on the lowest-energy path through the ethylenic conical intersection is a lowering of the energy barrier. This is explained by stabilization of the excited state, which has zwitterionic character in the vicinity of the conical intersection due to its similarity with the conical intersection of ethylene. In contrast to this, the path that involves the (n_N, π^*) state is destabilized by hydrogen bonding, although the bulk solvent effect reduces the destabilization. Overall, this path should remain energetically accessible.     

Influence of static and dynamical structural changes on ultrafast processes mediated by conical intersections

The technological needs imposed by the exponential miniaturization trend of conventional electronic devices has drawn attention towards the development of smaller and faster devices like ultrafast molecular switches. In recent years molecular switches emerge again in the focus of active and innovative research with state-of-the-art optical tools recording their dynamics in real time. Still many questions about the underlying microscopic mechanism are left open, including potential factors that effect the switching process in either way, improve or worsen it. Due to the complexity of such molecules it is difficult to obtain a global answer from experiment alone. On the other side molecular switches are generally too large for a complete quantum chemical and quantum dynamical calculation. In our group we therefore developed an ab initio based modular model to handle the laser induced quantum dynamics in molecular switches like fulgides. It enables us to study the effect of internal molecular coupling and of the molecular response to external fields. We can investigate the related wave packet dynamics, the switching efficiency and the controllability. Our results focus on the laser induced ring opening in fulgides, which equals one direction of the switching process. Presented are the influence of a conical intersection seam and of time-dependent potentials, mimicking the mean interaction with the environment. Furthermore the relation of controllability and the wave packet's momentum is studied and the influence of potential barriers on the switching dynamics is shown.     

Exploring Potential Energy Surfaces for Aggregation‐Induced Emission—From Solution to Crystal

Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) is a phenomenon where non‐luminescent compounds in solution become strongly luminescent in aggregate and solid phase. It provides a fertile ground for luminescent applications that has rapidly developed in the last 15 years. In this review, we focus on the contributions of theory and computations to understanding the molecular mechanism behind it. Starting from initial models, such as restriction of intramolecular rotations (RIR), and the calculation of non‐radiative rates with Fermi's golden rule (FGR), we center on studies of the global excited‐state potential energy surfaces that have provided the basis for the restricted access to a conical intersection (RACI) model. In this model, which has been shown to apply for a diverse group of AIEgens, the lack of fluorescence in solution comes from radiationless decay at a CI in solution that is hindered in the aggregate state. We also highlight how intermolecular interactions modulate the photophysics in the aggregate phase, in terms of fluorescence quantum yield and emission color.     

Excited-state surfaces of ethylene from the B13 strong-correlation density functional

The energy surfaces of the ground and low-lying excited states of ethylene are challenging tests of multi-reference electronic structure methods. A variety of multi-reference wavefunction theories have been applied to this problem and the ensuing photochemistry has been well studied. Density-functional methods, however, have been less successful. In this work, the ‘B13’ strong-correlation density functional is used to generate multi-reference orbitals for the computation of the three lowest-lying singlet states. We explore the states and energies as a function of torsion angle, and as a function of the pyramidalisation angle with respect to the twisted orthogonal structure. The former features an avoided crossing at the orthogonal structure; the latter a C_s slice through a conical intersection. Both features are well reproduced by our B13 method.     

Photochemical Hydrogen Evolution at Metal Centers Probed with Hydrated Aluminium Cations,Al+(H2O)n,n=1–10

Hydrated aluminium cations have been investigated as a photochemical model system with up to ten water molecules by UV action spectroscopy in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. Intense photodissociation was observed starting at 4.5 eV for two to eight water molecules with loss of atomic hydrogen, molecular hydrogen and water molecules. Quantum chemical calculations for n=2 reveal that solvation shifts the intense 3s–3p excitations of Al⁺ into the investigated photon energy range below 5.5 eV. During the photochemical relaxation, internal conversion from S₁ to T₂ takes place, and photochemical hydrogen formation starts on the T₂ surface, which passes through a conical intersection, changing to T₁. On this triplet surface, the electron that was excited to the Al 3p orbital is transferred to a coordinated water molecule, which dissociates into a hydroxide ion and a hydrogen atom. If the system remains in the triplet state, this hydrogen radical is lost directly. If the system returns to singlet multiplicity, the reaction may be reversed, with recombination with the hydroxide moiety and electron transfer back to aluminium, resulting in water evaporation. Alternatively, the hydrogen radical can attack the intact water molecule, forming molecular hydrogen and aluminium dihydroxide. Photodissociation is observed for up to n=8. Clusters with n=9 or 10 occur exclusively as HAlOH⁺(H₂O)_n-1 and are transparent in the investigated energy range. For n=4–8, a mixture of Al⁺(H₂O)_n and HAlOH⁺(H₂O)_n-1 is present in the experiment.     

On critical values of numerical parameters characterizing intersections of embedded sets

To study intersections of embedded bounded closed sets in Banach space, a numerical parameter was introduced earlier; in a certain sense, this parameter describes the deviation of the shape of a set from that of a sphere. Critical values of this parameter for some classes of Banach spaces are determined, a new numerical parameter serving the same purpose is introduced, and the relation between the two parameters is examined. Translated fromMatematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 68, No. 2, pp. 303–310, August, 2000.     

An extension of Tanner's results on uncontrolled intersections

A delay formula is developed for the problem, analyzed by Tanner in 1962, where two streams of traffic have conflicting demands at an intersection. The situation is such that the major stream has absolute priority and the minor stream vehicles can only enter the intersection when sufficiently large gaps appear in the major stream. This paper extends Tanner's work by considering a generalised stochastic structure on the arrival streams. The paper also links Tanner's work to other papers of this author where the utilitarian value of this generalised model has been established in a wide range of traffic problems.