Conformational and Molecular Structures of α,ß-Unsaturated Acrylonitrile Derivatives: Photophysical Properties and Their Frontier Orbitals.

We report single crystal X-ray diffraction (hereafter, SCXRD) analyses of derivatives featuring the electron-donor N-ethylcarbazole or the (4-diphenylamino)phenyl moieties associated with a -CN group attached to a double bond. The compounds are (2Z)-3-(4-(diphenylamino)-phenyl)-2-(pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-enenitrile (I), (2Z)-3-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)-prop-2-enenitrile (II) and (2Z)-3-(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-2-(pyridin-2-yl)enenitrile (III). SCXRD analyses reveal that I and III crystallize in the monoclinic space groups P2/c with Z' = 2 and C2/c with Z' = 1, respectively. Compound II crystallized in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn with Z' = 1. The molecular packing analysis was conducted to examine the pyridine core effect, depending on the ortho, meta- and para-positions of the nitrogen atom, with respect to the optical properties and number of independent molecules (Z'). It is found that the double bond bearing a diphenylamino moiety introduced properties to exhibit a strong π-π-interaction in the solid state. The compounds were examined to evaluate the effects of solvent polarity, the role of the molecular structure, and the molecular interactions on their self-assembly behaviors. Compound I crystallized with a cell with two conformers, anti and syn, due to interaction with solvent. DFT calculations indicated the anti and syn structures of I are energetically stable (less than 1 eV). Also electrochemical and photophysical properties of the compounds were investigated, as well as the determination of optimization calculations in gas and different solvent (chloroform, cyclohexane, methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane and dimethyl sulfoxide) in the Gaussian09 program. The effect of solvent by PCM method was also investigated. The frontier HOMO and LUMO energies and gap energies are reported.

Theoretical and experimental spectroscopic analysis of cyano-substituted styrylpyridine compounds.

A combined theoretical and experimental study on the structure, infrared, UV-Vis and 1H NMR data of trans-2-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine, trans-2-[3-methyl-(m-cyanostyryl)]pyridine and trans-4-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine is presented. The synthesis was carried out with an efficient Knoevenagel condensation using green chemistry conditions. Theoretical geometry optimizations and their IR spectra were carried out using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) in both gas and solution phases. For theoretical UV-Vis and 1H NMR spectra, the Time-Dependent DFT (TD-DFT) and the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbital (GIAO) methods were used, respectively. The theoretical characterization matched the experimental measurements, showing a good correlation. The effect of cyano- and methyl- substituents, as well as of the N-atom position in the pyridine ring on the UV-Vis, IR and NMR spectra, was evaluated. The UV-Vis results showed no significant effect due to electron-withdrawing cyano- and electron-donating methyl-substituents. The N-atom position, however, caused a slight change in the maximum absorption wavelengths. The IR normal modes were assigned for the cyano- and methyl-groups. 1H NMR spectra showed the typical doublet signals due to protons in the trans position of a double bond. The theoretical characterization was visibly useful to assign accurately the signals in IR and 1H NMR spectra, as well as to identify the most probable conformation that could be present in the formation of the styrylpyridine-like compounds.

Comparative theoretical study of the UV/Vis absorption spectra of styrylpyridine compounds using TD-DFT calculations.

This study examined absorption properties of 2-styrylpyridine, trans-2-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine, trans-2-[3-methyl-(m-cyanostyryl)]pyridine, and trans-4-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine compounds based on theoretical UV/Vis spectra, with comparisons between time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) using B3LYP, PBE0, and LC-ωPBE functionals. Basis sets 6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p), 6-31+G(d,p), and 6-311+G(d,p) were tested to compare molecular orbital energy values, gap energies, and maxima absorption wavelengths. UV/Vis spectra were calculated from fully optimized geometry in B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) in gas phase and using the IEFPCM model. B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) provided the most stable form, a planar structure with parameters close to 2-styrylpyridine X-ray data. Isomeric structures were evaluated by full geometry optimization using the same theory level. Similar energetic values were found: ~4.5 kJ mol(-1) for 2-styrylpyridine and ~1 kJ mol(-1) for derivative compound isomers. The 2-styrylpyridine isomeric structure differed at the pyridine group N-atom position; structures considered for the other compounds had the cyano group attached to the phenyl ring m-position equivalent. The energy difference was almost negligible between m-cyano-substituted molecules, but high energy barriers existed for cyano-substituted phenyl ring torsion. TD-DFT appeared to be robust and accurate approach. The B3LYP functional with the 6-31G(d) basis set produced the most reliable λmax values, with mean errors of 0.5 and 12 nm respect to experimental values, in gas and solution, respectively. The present data describes effects on the λmax changes in the UV/Vis absorption spectra of the electron acceptor cyano substituent on the phenyl ring, the electron donor methyl substituent, and the N-atom position on the electron acceptor pyridine ring, causing slight changes respect to the 2-styrylpyridine title compound.

Synthesis, Characterization and Photophysical Properties of Pyridine-Carbazole Acrylonitrile Derivatives.

We synthesized three novel highly fluorescent compounds, 2-(2'-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile, 2-(3"-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile, and 2-(4-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile by Knoevenagel condensation. The first two were synthesized without solvent in the presence of piperidine as a catalyst; the third was synthesized without a catalyst and with N,N-dimethylformamide as a solvent. In solution, the molar absorption coefficients showed absorptions at 380, 378, and 396 nm, respectively; in solid state, absorptions were at 398, 390, and 442 nm, respectively. The fluorescence emission was at 540, 540 and 604 nm, respectively, the 2-(4-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile showed a red shift in the emission of 64 nm compared to the other two compounds. The fluorescence quantum yield for the compounds in powder form showed values of 0.05, 0.14, and 0.006, respectively; compared with the value measured for the Alq3 reference, 2-(3"-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile had a lightly higher value. The third harmonic generation measurement for 2-(2'-pyridyl)-3-(N-ethyl-(3'-carbazolyl))acrylonitrile yielded a χ(3) value of 5.5 × 10-12 esu, similar to that reported for commercial polymers.