Thermal and Mechanochemical Tuning of the Porphyrin Singlet-Triplet Gap for Selective Energy Transfer Processes: A Molecular Dynamics Approach.

Molecular dynamics simulations provide fundamental knowledge on the reaction mechanism of a given simulated molecular process. Nevertheless, other methodologies based on the "static" exploration of potential energy surfaces are usually employed to firmly provide the reaction coordinate directly related to the reaction mechanism, as is the case in for thermally activated reactions. Photoinduced processes in molecular systems can also be studied with these two strategies, as is the case in the triplet energy transfer process.

[10]annulene: Electrocyclization mechanisms.

The mechanism of 6-π electrocyclization of all-cis, mono-trans, and double-trans [10]annulene to yield 4a,8a-dihydronaphthalene has been explored at various quantum-chemical methods. The mono-trans configuration cyclizes preferentially to trans-4a,8a-dihydronaphthalene, in agreement with the experimental results. The cyclization of the all-cis configuration requires firstly a bond-shifting to the naphthalene-like conformation of double-trans [10]annulene, which is the rate-limiting step, and finally its azulene-like conformation electrocyclizes quickly to cis-4a,8a-dihydronaphthalene.

How mechanical forces can modulate the metal affinity and selectivity of metal binding sites in proteins.

Mechanical forces play a key role in essential biological processes including cell growth, division, deformation, adhesion, migration and intra-cell interactions. The effect of mechanical forces in modulating the structure and properties of metal-occupied protein binding sites has not been fully understood. Here, by employing a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and polarizable continuum model (PCM) computations applied on model metal-loaded EF-hand binding sites, we shed light on the intimate mechanism of the Mg/Ca competition impacted by the application of mechanical stimuli.

Halogen-containing thiazole orange analogues - new fluorogenic DNA stains.

Novel asymmetric monomeric monomethine cyanine dyes , which are analogues of the commercial dsDNA fluorescence binder thiazole orange (), have been synthesized. The synthesis was achieved by using a simple, efficient and environmetally benign synthetic procedure to obtain these cationic dyes in good to excellent yields. Interactions of the new derivatives of with dsDNA have been investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Synthesis, Optical Properties, and Regioselective Functionalization of 4a-Aza-10a-boraphenanthrene.

4a-Aza-10a-boraphenanthrene has been synthesized in only four steps from commercially available materials with a remarkable overall yield of 62%. In contrast to other BN-isosteres of phenathrene, this isomer is weakly fluorescent, which has been explained by means of computational studies that found a low energy conical intersection for the nonradiative deactivation of the excited state. Moreover, a completely regioselective functionalization of 4a-aza-10a-boraphenanthrene at C-1 by reaction with activated electrophiles has been achieved.

Definition and determination of the triplet-triplet energy transfer reaction coordinate.

A definition of the triplet-triplet energy transfer reaction coordinate within the very weak electronic coupling limit is proposed, and a novel theoretical formalism is developed for its quantitative determination in terms of internal coordinates The present formalism permits (i) the separation of donor and acceptor contributions to the reaction coordinate, (ii) the identification of the intrinsic role of donor and acceptor in the triplet energy transfer process, and (iii) the quantification of the effect of every internal coordinate on the transfer process. This formalism is general and can be applied to classical as well as to nonvertical triplet energy transfer processes. The utility of the novel formalism is demonstrated here by its application to the paradigm of nonvertical triplet-triplet energy transfer involving cis-stilbene as acceptor molecule.

Synthesis of charged bis-heteroaryl donor-acceptor (D-A+) NLO-phores coupling (π-deficient-π-excessive) heteroaromatic rings.

Charged chromophores based on heteroaromatic cations were prepared by reaction of alkylazinium salts with N-heteroarylstannanes under Stille conditions. This approach provides easy access to potential single donor D-A(+) chromophores in which the acceptor moiety A(+) is the pyridinium cation and the donors are different π-excessive N-heterocycles. The β hyperpolarizabilities were measured in hyper-Rayleigh scattering experiments and the experimental data are supported by a theoretical analysis that combines a variety of computational procedures, including density functional theory and correlated Hartree-Fock-based methods.

Structural Substituent Effect in the Excitation Energy of a Chromophore: Quantitative Determination and Application to S-Nitrosothiols.

A methodology for the prediction of excitation energies for substituted chromophores on the basis of ground state structures has been developed. The formalism introduces the concept of "structural substituent excitation energy effect" for the rational prediction and quantification of the substituent effect in the excitation energy of a chromophore to an excited electronic state. This effect quantifies exclusively the excitation energy variation due to the structural changes of the chromophore induced by the substituent.

Modulating nitric oxide release by S-nitrosothiol photocleavage: mechanism and substituent effects.

The photochemistry and photophysics of a series of S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) have been studied computationally. The photocleavage mechanism of the model compound CH(3)SNO to release CH(3)S· and ·NO was studied at the CASPT2 level resulting in a barrierless process when irradiating in the visible region (S(1)), in the near UV region (S(2)) and for photosensitized (T(1)) reaction. The absorption energy required to initiate photocleavage was calculated at the CASPT2 and B3P86 levels showing the possibility of the modulation of NO release by RSNO photoactivation as a function of the substituent R.

Donor-(π-bridge)-azinium as D-π-A+ one-dimensional and D-π-A(+)-π-D multidimensional V-shaped chromophores.

Heteroaromatic cations reacted with N-heteroarylacetylenes under Sonogashira conditions to allow easy access to potential single donor D-π-A(+) and V-shaped D-π-A(+)-π-D chromophores, where the acceptor moiety A is the π-deficient pyridinium cation and the donor moiety is represented by different π-excessive N-heterocycles. The β hyperpolarizabilities were measured using hyper-Rayleigh scattering experiments and the experimental data are supported by a theoretical analysis that combines a variety of computational procedures, including Density Functional Theory (DFT) and correlated Hartree-Fock-based methods (RCIS(D)).

First principles study of photostability within hydrogen-bonded amino acids.

The photochemistry and photophysics of a two-glycine minimal model is studied at the CASPT2//CASSCF level of theory. Different photoinduced processes are discussed, on the basis of the calculated minimum energy paths and the characterization of the electronic state crossings. Two main processes could provide UV-photostability to the hydrogen-bonded peptide system: (i) forward-backward photoinduced electron/proton transfer involving the H in the hydrogen bond, (ii) singlet-singlet energy transfer between two amino acids, providing ultrafast population of the low-energy n,π* state.

Trapping unstable terminal M-O multiple bonds of monocyclopentadienyl niobium and tantalum complexes with Lewis acids.

Hydrolysis of [NbCp'Cl(4)] (Cp' = η(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3)) with the water adduct H(2)O·B(C(6)F(5))(3) afforded the oxo-borane compound [NbCp'Cl(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2a). This compound reacted with [MgBz(2)(THF)(2)] giving [NbCp'Bz(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2b), whereas [NbCp'Me(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2c) was obtained from the reaction of [NbCp'Me(4)] with H(2)O·B(C(6)F(5))(3). Addition of Al(C(6)F(5))(3) to solutions containing the oxo-borane compounds [MCp(R)X(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (M = Ta, Cp(R) = η(5)-C(5)Me(5) (Cp*), X = Cl 1a, Bz 1b, Me 1c; M = Nb, Cp(R) = Cp', X = Cl 2a) afforded the oxo-alane complexes [MCp(R)X(2){O·Al(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (M = Ta, Cp(R) = Cp*, X = Cl 3a, Bz 3b, Me 3c; M = Nb, Cp(R) = Cp', X = Cl 4a), releasing B(C(6)F(5))(3).

Rearrangement of Dewar benzene derivatives studied by DFT.

Skeletal rearrangement of a series of substituted Dewar benzenes to biaryl products was studied with DFT methods. Excellent agreement of calculated free energies of activation with experimental kinetic data was achieved. Two different transition states were proposed to be involved in the rearrangement.

Olefin isomerisation versus hydrozirconation: a case of a stable beta-hydrogen-containing Zr-alkyl derivative.

Details of the olefin isomerisation mechanism followed by monohydride constrained-geometry zirconium complexes have been clarified using the allyldimethylsilylcyclopentadienyl zirconium hydride model compound. DFT calculations on the model systems agree with the experimental results.

The role of the intersection space in the photochemistry of tricyclo[3.3.0.0(2,6)]octa-3,7-diene.

CASSCF and CASPT2 methods were used to study the photochemistry of tricyclo[3.3.0.

First synthesis of biquinoliziniun salts: novel example of a chiral azonia dication.

[Structure: see text] The 1,1'-, 2,2'-, and 3,3'-biquinolizinium dications are described for the first time and were prepared using palladium-catalyzed homocoupling reactions of the corresponding isomeric bromoquinolizinium bromides. Theoretical calculations show 1,1'- and 4,4'-biquinolizinium dications to be chiral molecules, the latter of which has a high energy of formation, a factor that probably precludes its formation.

Intramolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer in oxa- and aza-di-pi-methane photosensitized systems.

Two different mechanisms are proposed for the intramolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer in oxa- and aza-di-pi-methane systems, one thermally induced and the other photoinduced. These mechanisms involve a key structure that corresponds to an avoided crossing. The triplet sensitized photochemistry of these compounds, focusing attention in the di-pi-methane rearrangement, is discussed in light of these proposed mechanisms.

Correlated MO study of the low-barrier intramolecular motions in donor-acceptor ethenes.

Correlated MP2 and MCSCF MO calculations of several model push-pull ethenes in most cases indicate no great participation of excited singlet and triplet electronic configurations in either the minima or the transition structures for the suggested facilitated intramolecular rotation about the polarized C=C bond. This situation changes significantly only in molecules with sulfur atoms in the molecule as either donors or acceptors. The outstanding contribution of sulfur atoms as either donors or acceptors is a significant increase of push-pull ethene molecular polarizabilities.

A new algorithm for predicting triplet-triplet energy-transfer activated complex coordinate in terms of accurate potential-energy surfaces.

The new algorithm presented here allows, for the first time, the determination of the optimal geometrical distortions that an acceptor molecule in the triplet-triplet energy-transfer process undergoes, as well as the dependence of the activation energy of the process on the triplet energy difference of donor and acceptor molecules. This algorithm makes use of the complete potential-energy surfaces (singlet and triplet states), and contrasts with the first-order approximation already published [L. M.

Cubane, cuneane, and their carboxylates: a calorimetric, crystallographic, calculational, and conceptual coinvestigation.

[reaction: see text] This study is a multinational, multidisciplinary contribution to the thermochemistry of dimethyl1,4-cubanedicarboxylate and the corresponding isomeric, cuneane derivative and provides both structural and thermochemical information regarding the rearrangement of dimethyl 1,4-cubanedicarboxylate to dimethyl 2,6-cuneanedicarboxylate. The enthalpies of formation in the condensed phase at T = 298.15 K of dimethyl 1,4-cubanedicarboxylate (dimethyl pentacyclo[4.

A theory of nonvertical triplet energy transfer in terms of accurate potential energy surfaces: the transfer reaction from pi,pi* triplet donors to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene.

Triplet energy transfer (TET) from aromatic donors to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) is an extreme case of "nonvertical" behavior, where the transfer rate for low-energy donors is considerably faster than that predicted for a thermally activated (Arrhenius) process. To explain the anomalous TET of COT and other molecules, a new theoretical model based on transition state theory for nonadiabatic processes is proposed here, which makes use of the adiabatic potential energy surfaces (PES) of reactants and products, as computed from high-level quantum mechanical methods, and a nonadiabatic transfer rate constant. It is shown that the rate of transfer depends on a geometrical distortion parameter gamma=(2g(2)/kappa(1))(1/2) in which g stands for the norm of the energy gradient in the PES of the acceptor triplet state and kappa(1) is a combination of vibrational force constants of the ground-state acceptor in the gradient direction.

Triplet versus singlet photoreaction mechanism in the barrelene di-pi-methane rearrangement.

A detailed study of the potential energy surfaces involved in the di-pi-methane rearrangement (singlet and triplet states) reveals the factors that modulate the mechanisms (pathways) and reactivity in strained di-pi-methane systems such as bicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5,7-triene (barrelene).

Cyclooctatetraene computational photo- and thermal chemistry: a reactivity model for conjugated hydrocarbons.

We use ab initio CASSCF and CASPT2 computations to construct the composite multistate relaxation path relevant to cycloocta-1,3,5,7-tetraene singlet photochemistry. The results show that an efficient population of the dark excited state (S(1)) takes place after ultrafast decay from the spectroscopic excited state (S(2)). A planar D(8)(h)-symmetric minimum represents the collecting point on S(1).

Role of bifurcation in the bond shifting of cyclooctatetraene.

The present study of the cyclooctatetraene potential energy surface shows the presence of a bifurcation (valley ridge inflection point) in the intrinsic reaction coordinate path between the two transition states of D(8h) and D(4h) symmetries. This result is of capital importance for the correct understanding of the bond shifting and ring inversion processes in this compound.