Neutral vs Charged Luminescent Radicals: Anti-Kasha Emission and the Impact of Molecular Surrounding.

Organic luminescent materials attract growing interest as an elegant solution for sustainable and inexpensive light-emitting devices. Most of them are neutral-emitting molecules with an implicit restriction of 25% internal quantum efficiency due to a spin-forbidden nature of the T1 → S0 transition. Utilizing organic radicals allows one to overcome such limits by theoretically boosting quantum yield up to 100%. Recently, different light-emitting radicals based on carbonyl- and carboxyl-substituted benzenes were synthesized and stabilized in different polymer matrices or ionic liquids. While some of them were proved to be suitable luminescent materials, the exact theoretical explanation of the nature of their emission is missing. There are two main hypotheses proposed in the literature. The first one suggests that the origin of luminescence is D2 → D0 anti-Kasha emission from anion radicals, while the second theory is based on D1 → D0 Kasha emission from neutral protonated radicals. In this work, we investigate both hypotheses and compare their derivatives with the available experimental data. We used density functional theory and complete-active space perturbation theory to investigate the absorption and emission properties in various aromatic carbonyl radicals. We found that both emission mechanisms can coexist simultaneously, with a dominant emission contribution made by anion radicals because of better agreement between oscillator strengths and radiative rate constants. Our numerical simulations agree with the experimental data and provide theoretical foundations for the fabrication of next-generation light-emitting devices based on luminescent radicals.

Internal conversion induced by external electric and magnetic fields.

We have developed a new methodology for calculating contributions to the rate constants (kIC) of internal conversion that are induced by external electric (kIC-E) or magnetic (kIC-M) fields. The influence of the external electric and magnetic fields on the kIC was estimated for seven representative molecules. We show that the kIC-E contribution calculated at a field strength of 1011 V m-1 is generally as large as the kIC rate constant in the absence of the external field. For indocyanine green, azaoxa[8]circulene, and pyromitene 567, the kIC-E contribution is as large as kIC already at a field strength of 109 V m-1. Such electric-field strengths occur for example in plasmonic studies and in strong laser-field experiments. The induced effect on the kIC rate constant should be accounted for in calculations of photophysical properties of molecules involved in such experiments. The induced effect of an external magnetic field on kIC can be neglected in experiments on Earth because the magnetic contribution becomes significant only at very strong magnetic fields of 104-105 T that cannot be achieved on Earth. However, the magnetic effect on the rate constant of internal conversion can be important in astrophysical studies, where extremely strong magnetic fields occur near neutron stars and white dwarfs.

Intramolecular rate-constant calculations based on the correlation function using temperature dependent quantum Green's functions.

A theoretical method for calculating rate constants for internal conversion (IC), intersystem crossing (ISC) and radiative (R) electronic transitions is presented. The employed method uses temperature-dependent quantum Green's functions, which give the opportunity to consider almost any nth-order polynomial perturbation operator and the influence of external electromagnetic fields on the rate constants. The rate constants of the IC, ISC and R processes are calculated for two important indocyanine molecules namely indocyanine green (ICG) and heptamethine cyanine (IR808) at the Franck-Condon level using the temperature-dependent quantum Green's function approach. Calculations at the time-dependent density functional theory level with the MN15 functional show that ICG and IR808 have only one triplet state below the S1 state. The main deactivation channel of the S1 state is the IC process with a large (kIC(S1 → S0)) rate constant of ∼109-1011 s-1. The estimated quantum yield of fluorescence (φfl) is ∼0.001-0.24 for the two studied molecules, which agrees rather well with experimental values. Thus, the present approach enables calculations of the three kinds of rate constants and the quantum yield of fluorescence using the same computational methodology.

Targeted next-generation sequencing of 21 candidate genes in hereditary ovarian cancer patients from the Republic of Bashkortostan.

About 5-10% of all ovarian cancer cases show familial clustering, and some 15-25% of familial ovarian cancer cases are mediated by high-penetrance mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Only few other genes have been identified for familial ovarian cancer.We conducted targeted next-generation sequencing of the protein coding region of 21 candidate genes, including UTR regions, in genomic DNA samples of 48 patients with familial ovarian cancer from the Republic of Bashkortostan. We identified deleterious variants in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, MSH6 and NBN in a total of 16 patients (33%). The NBN truncating variant, p.W143X, had not previously been reported. Seven patients (15%) were carriers of the c.5266dupC variant in BRCA1, supporting a Russian origin of this founder allele. An additional 15 variants of uncertain clinical significance were observed. We conclude that our gene panel explains about one-third of familial ovarian cancer risk in the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Internal conversion rate constant calculations considering Duschinsky, anharmonic and Herzberg-Teller effects.

A novel method for calculating rate constants for internal conversion (kIC) that simultaneously accounts for Duschinsky, anharmonic and Herzberg-Teller effects has been developed and implemented. This method has been applied to robust planar molecules like tetraoxa[8]circulene (4B), free-base porphyrin (H2P) and pyrometene (PM567) with small Duschinsky rotation (i.e. with almost identical normal coordinates in the ground and excited states) and to poly[n]fluorenes (P[n]F) (n = 2-14) with a substantial Duschinsky rotation. The obtained results show that the Duschinsky effect is large in the harmonic approximation, whereas it is in general much smaller in the anharmonic approximation. The Duschinsky effect is found to be large for high frequency vibrational modes with energies of ∼3300 cm-1 such as the X-H (X = C, N and O) stretching modes that mix in the S1 → S0 electronic transition. However, even in this case, the increase in kIC due to the Duschinsky effect does not exceed one order of magnitude. The calculations show that anharmonic contributions to kIC are larger than Herzberg-Teller contributions which in turn are larger than contributions from the Duschinsky effect ANH > HT > Du. We also show that an approximation, where only X-H bonds are considered in the kIC calculation, is accurate even for P[n]F (n = 2-14).

Fast estimation of the internal conversion rate constant in photophysical applications.

An efficient method for estimating non-adiabatic coupling matrix elements (NACME) and rate constants for internal conversion (kIC) is presented. The method, based on Plotnikov's theory, requires only calculations of the electronic wave functions and the corresponding electronic excitation energies. Computationally expensive calculations of the derivatives of the electronic wave function with respect to the nuclear coordinates are avoided. When the main accepting modes of the electronic excitation energy are X-H vibrations, the present method can be used for estimating the efficiency of the energy transfer between donor and acceptor molecules. It can also be used in studies of the influence of hydrogen bonding or solvent effect on fluorescence quenching, in studies of vibronic effects of TADF (thermally activated delayed fluorescence) emitters, and for calculating kIC. Here, kIC and NACME are calculated for free-base porhyrin, magnesium porphyrin, azulene, naphthalene, pyrene and fluorenone interacting with a solvent molecule. Reverse kIC and NACME are further calculated for the T1→ T2 transition of dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide (PTZ-DBTO2), which is used in TADF applications. Finally, we estimate the efficiency of the energy transfer between two large porphyrinoid dimers.

First-principles calculations of anharmonic and deuteration effects on the photophysical properties of polyacenes and porphyrinoids.

A new method for calculating internal conversion rate constants (k[combining low line]IC), including anharmonic effects and using the Lagrangian multiplier technique, is proposed. The deuteration effect on k[combining low line]IC is investigated for naphthalene, anthracene, free-base porphyrin (H2P) and tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPP). The results show that anharmonic effects are important when calculating k[combining low line]IC for transitions between electronic states that are energetically separated (ΔE) by more than 20 000-25 000 cm-1. Anharmonic effects are also important when ΔE < 20 000-25 000 cm-1 and when the accepting modes are X-H stretching vibrations with a frequency larger than 2000 cm-1. The calculations show that there is mixing between the S1 and S2 states of naphthalene induced by non-adiabatic interactions. The non-adiabatic interaction matrix element between the S1 and S2 states is 250 cm-1 and 50 cm-1 for the normal and fully deuterated naphthalene structure and this difference significantly affects the estimated fluorescence quantum yield. Besides aromatic hydrocarbons H2P and H2TPP, the k[combining low line]IC rate constant is also calculated for pyrometene (PM567) and tetraoxa[8]circulene (4B) with a detailed analysis of the effect of the vibrational anharmonicity.

Aromaticity and photophysics of tetrasila- and tetragerma-annelated tetrathienylenes as new representatives of the hetero[8]circulene family.

The electronic structure, absorption and emission spectra, aromaticity and photophysical behavior of the recently synthesized tetrasilatetrathia[8]circulene and tetragermatetrathia[8]circulene compounds have been studied computationally. Both compounds demonstrate a specific bifacial aromaticity, which is unusual for hetero[8]circulenes; the inner eight-membered core sustains an expected strong paratropic magnetically-induced ring current, while the outer perimeter contains saturated Si(Et)2 and Ge(Et)2 moieties which break the conjugation between the thiophene rings. The overall magnetically-induced ring current for both studied circulenes is close to zero because of the strong local diatropic currents in each thiophene ring that compensate the paratropic counterpart. The electronic absorption and emission spectra of tetrasilatetrathia[8]circulene and tetragermatetrathia[8]circulene demonstrate a clear visible vibronic progression. The 0-0 band is the most active one in the absorption spectra, while in the fluorescence spectra the 0-1 band composed of several normal vibrations is more intense compared with the 0-0 band in excellent agreement with experiment. Accounting for spin-orbit coupling effects, an analysis of the photophysical constants for the two compounds demonstrates: (1) a clear manifestation of the internal heavy atom effect on the inter-system crossing efficiency; (2) one to two order domination of non-radiative rates over the fluorescence rate; and (3) that the S1-S0 internal conversion is extremely slow and can not compete with the fluorescence, while the S1-Tn inter-system crossing is a main deactivation channel of the S1 excited state. These results provide new insight into the electronic structure and photophysics of tetrasilatetrathia[8]circulene and tetragermatetrathia[8]circulene as novel standalone representatives of hetero[8]circulenes - tetraannelated derivatives of tetrathienylene.

Relations between the aromaticity and magnetic dipole transitions in the electronic spectra of hetero[8]circulenes.

Magnetically induced current densities have been calculated at the second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) level for seven hetero[8]circulenes and their dicationic and dianionic forms. Calculations of the magnetic dipole transition moments have also been carried out at the algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)) and the second-order approximate coupled-cluster (CC2) levels. The calculations show that the degree of aromaticity and the size of the magnetic dipole transition moment of the lowest magnetic-dipole allowed excited state are related. We show that neutral hetero[8]circulenes are weakly antiaromatic when the first excited state with a large magnetic dipole transition moment of 10-16 a.u. lies at high energies (∼2.8-3.5 eV). For the dications, this transition often lies at much lower energies. Hetero[8]circulene dications with large magnetic dipole transition moments are strongly antiaromatic. The lowest excited states of the hetero[8]circulene dianions have very small magnetic dipole transition moments implying that they are aromatic.

First-principles method for calculating the rate constants of internal-conversion and intersystem-crossing transitions.

A method for calculating the rate constants for internal-conversion (kIC) and intersystem-crossing (kISC) processes within the adiabatic and Franck-Condon (FC) approximations is proposed. The applicability of the method is demonstrated by calculation of kIC and kISC for a set of organic and organometallic compounds with experimentally known spectroscopic properties. The studied molecules were pyrromethene-567 dye, psoralene, hetero[8]circulenes, free-base porphyrin, naphthalene, and larger polyacenes. We also studied fac-Alq3 and fac-Ir(ppy)3, which are important molecules in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The excitation energies were calculated at the multi-configuration quasi-degenerate second-order perturbation theory (XMC-QDPT2) level, which is found to yield excitation energies in good agreement with experimental data. Spin-orbit coupling matrix elements, non-adiabatic coupling matrix elements, Huang-Rhys factors, and vibrational energies were calculated at the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) levels. The computed fluorescence quantum yields for the pyrromethene-567 dye, psoralene, hetero[8]circulenes, fac-Alq3 and fac-Ir(ppy)3 agree well with experimental data, whereas for the free-base porphyrin, naphthalene, and the polyacenes, the obtained quantum yields significantly differ from the experimental values, because the FC and adiabatic approximations are not accurate for these molecules.

Experimental and theoretical study of photo- and electroluminescence of divinyldiphenyl and divinylphenanthrene derivatives.

Electronic absorption and luminescence spectra of four new compounds of divinyldiphenyl and divinylphenanthrene derivatives are investigated experimentally in tetrahydrofuran solutions and thin films obtained by thermal vacuum deposition and by spin coating of these substances embedded into polyvinylcarbazole matrix. Molecular geometry optimizations and electronic spectra have been calculated in the framework of XMC-QDPT2/6-31G (d, p) and TDDFT/B3LYP/6-31G (d, p) levels of theory. We have fabricated and studied OLED devices with the structure ITO/PEDOT:PSS/NPD/L/Ca/Al and ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PVK+L/Ca, where L is the luminophore. It is demonstrated that the photo-and electroluminescence spectra of divinyldiphenyl are not identical and undergo strong changes depending on the method of sample preparation.

Ab initio investigation of electric and magnetic dipole electronic transitions in the complex of oxygen with benzene.

The electric dipole transitions between pure spin and mixed spin electronic states are calculated at the XMC-QDPT2 and MCSCF levels of theory, respectively, for different intermolecular distances of the C6H6 and O2 collisional complex. The magnetic dipole transition moment between the mixed-spin ground ("triplet") and the first excited ("singlet") states is calculated by quadratic response at MCSCF level of theory. The obtained results confirm the theory of intensity borrowing and increasing the intensity of electronic transitions in the C6H6 + O2 collision. The calculation of magnetically induced current density is performed for benzene molecule being in contact with O2 at the distances from 3.5 to 4.5 Å. The calculation shows that the aromaticity of benzene is rising due to the conjugation of π-MOs of both molecules. The C6H6 + O2 complex becomes nonaromatic at the short distances (r < 3.5 Å). The computation of static polarizability in the excited electronic states of the C6H6 + O2 collisional complex at various distances supports the theory of red solvatochromic shift of the a → X band. Graphical abstract The C6H6+ O2 collisional complex.

Aromaticity of the planar hetero[8]circulenes and their doubly charged ions: NICS and GIMIC characterization.

A series of planar hetero[8]circulenes and their doubly charged ions are studied by the NICS and GIMIC methods to interpret the aromatic properties of these high symmetry species. In accordance with the performed calculations all studied hetero[8]circulenes are found to be nonaromatic compounds because paratropic and diatropic ring-currents are completely canceled yielding almost zero net current. In great contrast, the dicationic and dianionic hetero[8]circulenes demonstrate the predominant contribution of diatropic ring currents resulting in the total aromatic character of the studied doubly charged ions. This fact allows us to predict the high stability of dianionic hetero[8]circulenes and explains the extremely high stability of dicationic species observed in the mass-spectra.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of photophysical properties of Zn(DFP SAMQ)2.

Theoretical calculations and experimental measurements were carried out for the investigation of spectroscopic and photophysical properties of Zn(DFP SAMQ)2 complex. The rate constant of intersystem crossing and the radiative rate constant were calculated using ab initio method. The rate constant of the internal conversion was estimated using the received calculated values and the experimental fluorescence quantum yield. It was shown that the main mechanism for the deactivation of the excited electronic energy of the first singlet excited state is the process of internal conversion.

The computational and experimental investigations of photophysical and spectroscopic properties of BF2 dipyrromethene complexes.

The electronic excited states of BF2 dipyrromethene (2BrDPM, DPMI, DPMII, PM567 and 4PhDPM) complexes were investigated using the extended multi-configuration quasi-degenerate at the second order of perturbation theory (XMCQDPT2) and the second-order approximate coupled-cluster (CC2) methods. The excitation energies calculated by CC2 are significantly overestimated by 0.42-0.59 eV because of the substantial contributions of double excitation levels to excited states (>10%). However, the calculated XMCQDPT2 excitation energies agree well with experimental ones within the accuracy 0.11-0.20eV. The very low lasing efficiency (7.8-8.4%) of 4PhDPM compound was explained by the T1→T4 and T1→T5 reabsorptions at XMCQDPT2 level of theory. The molecular photonics of pyrromethenes are studied using a combination of the first-principle and semi-empirical calculations. The main mechanism for the deactivation of the energy of the first singlet excited electronic state is the radiative electronic transition for DPMI, DPMII, PM567 and 4PhDPM compounds. Also, the main mechanism for the quenching of fluorescence in considered complexes (except DPMII compound) is the internal conversion. The processes of the internal conversion and intersystem crossing compete with each other in DPMII compound. The measured and calculated fluorescence quantum yields agree well for all considered molecules.

[Examination of structural changes in the transforming growth factor ß receptor 1 (TGFßR1) gene in patients with chronic heart failure].

We examined nine exons of transforming growth factor ß receptor type 1 (TGFßR1) gene in patients with chronic heart failure with different types of heart remodelling. We identified two missense mutations (c.457G>A (p.V1531) and c.1285A>C (p.Y229S)) and two synonym substitutions (c.1125A>C (p.Y377Y) and c.516A>G (p.S172S)), as well as polymorphisms at splicing site c.1024+24G>A (rs334354). Substitutions c.1285A>C (p.Y229S) and c.516A>G (p.S172S) were not previously described.

Theoretical investigation of fluorescence properties of EDTA and DTPA substituted tetraphenylporphyrin molecules.

The matrix elements of spin-orbit coupling operator (H(SO)) and non-adiabatic coupling operator (Ω) for the H(2)ATPP-EDTA and H(2)ATPP-DTPA molecules were calculated using INDO method. Rate constants of internal conversion and of intersystem crossing were calculated using the values of matrix elements of H(SO) and Ω operators and excitation energies both calculated with the ADC(2) and TDDFT methods and obtained from experimental data. Results of calculations show that the probability of radiationless deactivation in internal conversion channel is greater than the probability of radiationless transition in intersystem crossing channel for considered molecules. Obtained theoretical values of fluorescence quantum yield have good agreement with their experimental values.

Electronic absorption spectrum of monoamine tetraphenylporphyrin with the complexon of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as substitute.

In the framework of density functional theory the equilibrium geometry of the ground electronic state of monoamine tetraphenylporphyrin with the complexon of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was found using B3LYP functional and 6-31G(d,p) basis set. Electronic absorption spectrum of this molecule in ethanol solution was measured in the range of 300-600nm and interpreted using the PCM/TDDFT method (with the B3LYP, CAMB3LYP, M06-2X functionals) with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31++G(d,p) basis sets. The observed and calculated line positions and intensities are well agreed.

[Analysis of Alu-insertion polymorphism in three subethnic groups of Kalmyks].

Eight Alu insertions at the NBC27, TPA25, NBC148, NBC123, ACE, APOA1, NBC51, and PV92 locus were examined in three subethnic groups of Kalmyks (Torgouds, Derbets, and Buzava). In general, the pattern of allele frequencies in Kalmyks was consistent with that in Asian populations of the world, and was similar to the Alu insertion frequencies pattern in Turkic populations of the Volga--Ural region and Central Asia. Pairwise comparisons of three subpopulations of Kalmyks with respect to the frequency distributions of eight Alu insertions revealed the differences between the groups examined. The coefficient of gene differentiation, F(st), constituted 1.37%, pointing to the common origin of the groups of interest, as well as to the uniformity of the gene pools of subethnic groups of Kalmyks examined.

[The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme and apolipoprotein E in the development of intracranial aneurysms.].

The distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of the Alu-insertion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and missence mutations leading to the substitution of arginine to cysteine in positions 112 and 158 of apolipoprotein E (APOE) has been studied in 166 patients with brain intracranial aneurysms and in 192 controls of Russian origin from Ural region. Brain vascular aneurysms with hypertension were associated with the D*D* ACE genotype in men and with the e2 allele and the e2/e3 APOE genotype in women. The association was also observed between the e2 allele and the e2/e3 APOE genotype and family history of stroke, hemorrhages and aneurysms in patients. Men with the I*D* ACE genotype and the e4 APOE allele were at lower risk.