Spectroscopic investigations and ab initio computations of the dye Chromotrope 2R

Detailed analysis of the NIR FT-Raman, FT-IR and UV–visible spectra of the dye Chromotrope 2R (C2R) has been performed. The optimized geometry of the dye is theoretically computed with the HF and DFT levels using the standard 6-31G(d) and LANL2DZ basis sets. Optimized geometry and vibrational spectra indicate that the major species in the solid state are the trans form of hydrogen bonded hydrazone tautomer. The effect of H-bonding in stabilizing a particular type of structure is also discussed. The most preferred trans-configuration for its photochemical activity has been demonstrated on the basis of torsional potential energy surface (PES) scan studies. The optimized geometries and calculated vibrational wavenumbers are evaluated via comparison with experimental values. Electronic spectra are in accordance with the nature of the electronic transitions predicted by time-dependent B3LYP/DZ calculations.