The Dichotomy of Mn-H Bond Cleavage and Kinetic Hydricity of Tricarbonyl Manganese Hydride Complexes.

Acid-base characteristics (acidity, pKa, and hydricity, ΔG°H- or kH-) of metal hydride complexes could be a helpful value for forecasting their activity in various catalytic reactions. Polarity of the M-H bond may change radically at the stage of formation of a non-covalent adduct with an acidic/basic partner. This stage is responsible for subsequent hydrogen ion (hydride or proton) transfer. Here, the reaction of tricarbonyl manganese hydrides mer,trans-[L2Mn(CO)3H] (1; L = P(OPh)3, 2; L = PPh3) and fac-[(L-L')Mn(CO)3H] (3, L-L' = Ph2PCH2PPh2 (dppm); 4, L-L' = Ph2PCH2-NHC) with organic bases and Lewis acid (B(C6F5)3) was explored by spectroscopic (IR, NMR) methods to find the conditions for the Mn-H bond repolarization. Complex 1, bearing phosphite ligands, features acidic properties (pKa 21.3) but can serve also as a hydride donor (ΔG≠298K = 19.8 kcal/mol). Complex 3 with pronounced hydride character can be deprotonated with KHMDS at the CH2-bridge position in THF and at the Mn-H position in MeCN. The kinetic hydricity of manganese complexes 1-4 increases in the order mer,trans-[(P(OPh)3)2Mn(CO)3H] (1) < mer,trans-[(PPh3)2Mn(CO)3H] (2) ≈ fac-[(dppm)Mn(CO)3H] (3) < fac-[(Ph2PCH2NHC)Mn(CO)3H] (4), corresponding to the gain of the phosphorus ligand electron-donor properties.

Substitution pattern dependent behavior of the singlet excited states in symmetrically fluorinated biphenyls.

Biphenyls are important basic chromophore systems that offer a possibility to study the effects of chemical substitution on the lower-lying excited states without complications from photoisomerization or other side processes. For several symmetric biphenyls, pristine biphenyl (bP0), 4,4'-difluorobiphenyl (bP2), 2,3,5,6,2',3',5',6'-octafluorobiphenyl (bP8), and perfluorobiphenyl (bP10), we report stationary and ultrafast solution-phase spectra rationalized with the aid of computations by means of the XMCQDPT2 multi-configuration perturbation theory and TDDFT. Polyfluorination tends to broaden the gap between the nearly degenerate S1 + S2 pair of states and the S3 state in bP8 and bP10, yet relaxation from any sheet of the S1-S3 manifold leads through a system of state crossings to the same stationary points in S1. Unlike bP0 and bP2 where the relaxed excited state is planar and non-polar, excited bP8 and bP10 exhibit sudden polarization to give a symmetry-lowered excited state via pseudo-Jahn-Teller interactions involving S1 and S2. Of particular interest is excited bP10 which reveals both sudden polarization and loss of planarity of one phenyl ring. We also demonstrate the unsatisfactory performance of the TDDFT methodology as applied to the biphenyls.

Evaluating the Solvent Stark Effect from Temperature-Dependent Solvatochromic Shifts of Anthracene.

The solvent Stark effect on the spectral shifts of anthracene is studied with temperature-dependent solvatochromic measurements. The Stark contribution ΔvStark to the absorption shift Δvp in polar solvents is measured to be ΔvStark =(53±35) cm-1 , in reasonable agreement with dielectric continuum theory estimate of 28 cm-1 , whereas the major shift Δvp ∼300 cm-1 presumably originates from the solute quadrupole. We pay attention to the accurate correction of Δvp for the nonpolar contribution that is crucial when the shifts are modest in magnitude.

Insights into Charge Transfer at an Atomically Precise Nanocluster/Semiconductor Interface.

The deposition of an atomically precise nanocluster, for example, Ag44 (SR)30 , onto a large-band-gap semiconductor such as TiO2 allows a clear interface to be obtained to study charge transfer at the interface. Changing the light source from visible light to simulated sunlight led to a three orders of magnitude enhancement in the photocatalytic H2 generation, with the H2 production rate reaching 7.4 mmol h-1 gcatalyst -1 . This is five times higher than that of TiO2 modified with Ag nanoparticles and even comparable to that of TiO2 modified with Pt nanoparticles under similar conditions. Energy band alignment and transient absorption spectroscopy reveal that the role of the metal clusters is different from that of both organometallic complexes and plasmonic nanoparticles: A type II heterojunction charge-transfer route is achieved under UV/Vis irradiation, with the cluster serving as a small-band-gap semiconductor. This results in the clusters acting as co-catalysts rather than merely photosensitizers.

Atomically Precise Bimetallic Nanoclusters as Photosensitizers in Photoelectrochemical Cells.

The atomically precise bimetallic nanocluster (NC), Au24 Ag20 (PhCC)20 (SPy)4 Cl2 (1) (Py=pyridine), was employed for the first time as a stable photosensitizer for photoelectrochemical applications. The sensitization of TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNA) with 1 greatly enhances the light-harvesting ability of the composite because 1 shows a high molar extinction coefficient (ϵ) in the UV/Vis region. Compared to a more standard Au25 (SG)18 -TNA (2-TNA; SG=glutathione) composite, 1-TNA shows a much better stability under illumination in both neutral and basic conditions. The precise composition of the photosensitizers enables a direct comparison of the sensitization ability between 1 and 2. With the same cluster loading, the photocurrent produced by 1-TNA is 15 times larger than that of 2-TNA. The superior performance of 1-TNA over 2-TNA is attributed not only to the higher light absorption ability of 1 but also to the higher charge-separation efficiency. Besides, a ligand effect on the stability of the photoelectrode and charge-transfer between the NCs and the semiconductor is revealed. This work paves the way to study the role of metal nanoclusters as photosensitizers at the atomic level, which is essential for the design of better material for light energy conversion.

Mechanism-Dependent Modulation of Ultrafast Interfacial Water Dynamics in Intrinsically Disordered Protein Complexes.

The recognition of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is highly dependent on dynamics owing to the lack of structure. Here we studied the interplay between dynamics and molecular recognition in IDPs with a combination of time-resolving tools on timescales ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds. We interrogated conformational dynamics and surface water dynamics and its attenuation upon partner binding using two IDPs, IBB and Nup153FG, both of central relevance to the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery. These proteins bind the same nuclear transport receptor (Importinß) with drastically different binding mechanisms, coupled folding-binding and fuzzy complex formation, respectively. Solvent fluctuations in the dynamic interface of the Nup153FG-Importinß fuzzy complex were largely unperturbed and slightly accelerated relative to the unbound state. In the IBB-Importinß complex, on the other hand, substantial relative slowdown of water dynamics was seen in a more rigid interface. These results show a correlation between interfacial water dynamics and the plasticity of IDP complexes, implicating functional relevance for such differential modulation in cellular processes, including nuclear transport.

Tuning Stilbene Photochemistry by Fluorination: State Reordering Leads to Sudden Polarization near the Franck-Condon Region.

Spontaneous polarization of a nonpolar molecule upon photoexcitation (the sudden polarization effect) earlier discussed for 90°-twisted alkenes is observed and calculated for planar ring-fluorinated stilbenes, trans-2,3,5,6,2',3',5',6'-octofluorostilbene (tF2356) and trans-2,3,4,5,6,2',3',4',5',6'-decafluorostilbene (tF23456). Due to the fluorination, Franck-Condon states S1FC and S2FC are dominated by the quasi-degenerate HOMO-1 → LUMO and HOMO-2 → LUMO excitations, while their interaction gives rise to a symmetry-broken zwitterionic S1 state. After optical excitation of tF2356, one observes an ultrafast (∼0.06 ps) evolution that reflects relaxation from initial nonpolar S3FC to long-lived (1.3 ns in n-hexane and 3.4 ns in acetonitrile) polar S1. The polarity of S1 is evidenced by a solvatochromic shift of its fluorescence band. The experimental results provide a sensitive test for quantum-chemical calculations. In particular, our calculations agree with the experiment, and raise concerns about the applicability of the common TDDFT approach to relatively simple stilbenic systems.

Sensitized Two-NIR-Photon Z→E Isomerization of a Visible-Light-Addressable Bistable Azobenzene Derivative.

Two-NIR-photon-triggered Z→E isomerization of an azobenzene was accomplished by covalently linking a two-photon-harvesting triarylamine antenna to a thermally stable ortho-fluorinated azobenzene derivative. The obtained photoswitch is fully addressable with visible and NIR light by using one-photon and two-photon excitation, respectively, with the latter offering enhanced penetration depth and improved spatial resolution.

ß-Carotene Revisited by Transient Absorption and Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy.

ß-Carotene in n-hexane was examined by femtosecond transient absorption and stimulated Raman spectroscopy. Electronic change is separated from vibrational relaxation with the help of band integrals. Overlaid on the decay of S1 excited-state absorption, a picosecond process is found that is absent when the C9 -methyl group is replaced by ethyl or isopropyl. It is attributed to reorganization on the S1 potential energy surface, involving dihedral angles between C6 and C9 . In Raman studies, electronic states S2 or S1 were selected through resonance conditions. We observe a broad vibrational band at 1770 cm(-1) in S2 already. With 200 fs it decays and transforms into the well-known S1 Raman line for an asymmetric C=C stretching mode. Low-frequency activity (<800 cm(-1) ) in S2 and S1 is also seen. A dependence of solvent lines on solute dynamics implies intermolecular coupling between ß-carotene and nearby n-hexane molecules.

Two-State Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) with 3,5-Dimethyl-4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (MMD) and Its Meta-Isomer mMMD. Ground State Amino Twist Not Essential for ICT.

From X-ray structure analysis, amino twist angles of 90.0° for 2,4-dimethyl-3-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (mMMD), 82.7° for 4-(di-tert-butylamino)benzonitrile (DTABN), and 88.7° for 6-cyanobenzoquinuclidine (CBQ) are determined, all considerably larger than the 57.4° of 3,5-dimethyl-4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (MMD). This large twist leads to lengthening of the amino-phenyl bond, 143.5 pm (mMMD), 144.1 pm (DTABN), 144.6 pm (CBQ), and 141.4 pm (MMD), as compared with 136.5 pm for the planar 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN). As a consequence, the electronic coupling between the amino and phenyl subgroups in mMMD, DTABN, CBQ, and MMD is much weaker than in DMABN, as seen from the strongly reduced molar absorption coefficients. The fluorescence spectrum of MMD in n-hexane at 25 °C consists of two emissions, from a locally excited (LE) and an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state, with a fluorescence quantum yield ratio Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE) of 12.8. In MeCN, a single ICT emission is found. With mMMD in n-hexane, in contrast, only LE fluorescence is observed, whereas the spectrum in MeCN originates from the ICT state. These differences are also seen from the half-widths of the overall fluorescence bands, which in n-hexane are larger for MMD than for mMMD, decreasing with solvent polarity for MMD and increasing for mMMD, reflecting the disappearance of LE and the onset of ICT in the overall spectra, respectively. From solvatochromic measurements the dipole moments µe(ICT) of MMD (16 D) and mMMD (15 D) are obtained. Femtosecond excited state absorption (ESA) spectra at 22 °C, together with the dual (LE + ICT) fluorescence, reveal that MMD in n-hexane undergoes a reversible LE ⇄ ICT reaction, with LE as the precursor, with a forward rate constant ka = 5.6 × 10(12) s(-1) and a back-reaction kd ∼ 0.05 × 10(12) s(-1). With MMD in the strongly polar solvent MeCN, ICT is faster: ka = 10 × 10(12) s(-1). In the case of mMMD in n-hexane, the ESA spectra show that ICT does not take place, contrary to MeCN, in which ka = 2.5 × 10(12) s(-1). The ICT reactions with MMD and mMMD are much faster than that of the parent compound DMABN in MeCN, with ka = 0.24 × 10(12) s(-1). Because of the very short ICT reaction times of 180 fs (MMD, n-hexane), 100 fs (MMD, MeCN), and 400 fs (mMMD, MeCN), it is clear that the picosecond fluorescence decays of these systems appear to be single exponential, due to the insufficient time resolution of 3 ps. It is concluded that the faster LE → ICT reaction of MMD as compared with DMABN (ka = 0.24 × 10(12) s(-1) in MeCN) is caused by a smaller energy gap ΔE(S1,S2) between the lowest singlet excited states and not by the large amino twist angle. Similarly, the larger ΔE(S1,S2) of mMMD as compared with MMD is held responsible for its smaller ICT efficiency (no reaction in n-hexane).

Two active species from a single metal halide precursor: a case study of highly productive Mn-catalyzed dehydrogenation of amine-boranes via intermolecular bimetallic cooperation.

Metal-metal cooperation for inert bond activation is a ubiquitous concept in coordination chemistry and catalysis. While the great majority of such transformations proceed via intramolecular mode in binuclear complexes, to date only a few examples of intermolecular small molecule activation using usually bimetallic frustrated Lewis pairs (Mδ+⋯M'δ-) have been reported. We introduce herein an alternative approach for the intermolecular bimetallic cooperativity observed in the catalytic dehydrogenation of amine-boranes, in which the concomitant activation of N-H and B-H bonds of the substrate via the synergetic action of Lewis acidic (M+) and basic hydride (M-H) metal species derived from the same mononuclear complex (M-Br). It was also demonstrated that this system generated in situ from the air-stable Mn(i) complex fac-[(CO)3(bis(NHC))MnBr] and NaBPh4 shows high activity for H2 production from several substrates (Me2NHBH3, tBuNH2BH3, MeNH2BH3, NH3BH3) at low catalyst loading (0.1% to 50 ppm), providing outstanding efficiency for Me2NHBH3 (TON up to 18 200) that is largely superior to all known 3d-, s-, p-, f-block metal derivatives and frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). These results represent a step forward towards more extensive use of intermolecular bimetallic cooperation concepts in modern homogeneous catalysis.

Fac-to-mer isomerization triggers hydride transfer from Mn(I) complex fac-[(dppm)Mn(CO)3H].

Low-temperature IR and NMR studies combined with DFT calculations revealed the mechanistic complexity of apparently simple reactions between Mn(I) complex fac-[(dppm)Mn(CO)3H] and Lewis acids (LA = Ph3C+, B(C6F5)3) involving the formation of so-far elusive meridional hydride species mer-[(dppm)Mn(CO)3H⋯LA] and unusual dearomatization of the Ph3C+ cation upon hydride transfer.

Excited state proton transfer is not involved in the ultrafast deactivation of Guanine-Cytosine pair in solution.

Different derivatives of Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C), which sterically enforce the Watson-Crick (WC) conformer, have been studied in CHCl(3) by means of broad-band transient absorption spectroscopy. Our experiments rule out the involvement of an Excited State Proton Transfer (ESPT), which dominates the excited state decay of GC in the gas phase. Instead, the ultrafast dynamics via internal conversion occurs in a polar environment mainly by relaxation in the monomer moieties. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations in solution indeed indicate that population transfer from the bright excited states toward the charge transfer state is not effective in CHCl(3) and a noticeable energy barrier is associated with the ESPT reaction. ESPT is therefore not expected to be a main deactivation route for GC pairs within DNA.

Dual photochemistry of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide studied by femtosecond spectroscopy.

The dual photochemistry of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide (APO) was investigated in a fs UV pump-supercontinuum probe experiment, along with anthracene (AC) and anthraquinone (AQ) for comparison. Excitation of APO at 282 nm leads to 100% product formation by two competing photoreaction channels. Cycloreversion generates with a ∼25% quantum yield (QY) (1)O(2) and AC vibrationally excited in the singlet electronic ground state (hot AC). 1-2% of the AC is generated in the lowest triplet state, but no AC is generated in electronically excited singlet states. Generation and cooling of hot AC are modeled using solution phase and broadened gas-phase AC absorption spectra at various temperatures. Results indicate ultrafast generation of hot AC within 3 ps, much faster than reported before for derivatives of anthracene endoperoxide, and subsequent cooling with an 18 ps time constant. The homolytic O-O cleavage pathway generates a biradical, which converts into electronically excited diepoxide (DE). Our data indicate a 1.5 ps time constant that we tentatively assign to the biradical decay and DE formation. Cooling of DE in this electronically excited state takes place with a ∼21 ps time constant. Excitation of AQ at 266 nm is followed by an ultrafast population of the T(1)(nπ*) triplet state of AQ with a time constant of (160 ± 60) fs.

Dual fluorescence and ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer with 6-N,N-dialkylaminopurines. A two-state model.

6-N,N-Dimethyl-9-methyladenine (DMPURM) and 6-N,N-dimethyladenine (DMPURH) show dual fluorescence from a locally excited (LE) and an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state in solvents of different polarity over extended temperature ranges. The fluorescence quantum yields are very small, in particular those of LE. For DMPURM in acetonitrile (MeCN) at 25 °C, for example, Φ'(ICT) = 3.2 × 10(-3) and Φ(LE) = 1.6 × 10(-4). The large value of Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE) indicates that the forward LE → ICT reaction is much faster than the back reaction. The data obtained for the intersystem crossing yield Φ(ISC) show that internal conversion (IC) is the dominant deactivation channel from LE directly to the ground state S(0). For DMPURM in MeCN with Φ(ISC) = 0.22, Φ(IC) = 1 - Φ(ISC) - Φ'(ICT) - Φ(LE) = 0.78, whereas in cyclohexane an even larger Φ(IC) of 0.97 is found. The dipole moment gradually increases upon excitation, from 2.5 D (S(0)), via 6 D (LE) to 9 D (ICT) for DMPURM and from 2.3 D (S(0)), via 7 D (LE) to 8 D (ICT) for DMPURH. From the temperature dependence of Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE), a reaction enthalpy -ΔH of 11 kJ/mol is obtained for DMPURM in n-hexane (ε(25) = 1.88), increasing to 17 kJ/mol in the more polar solvent di-n-butyl ether (ε(25) = 3.05). With DMPURM in diethyl ether, an activation energy of 8.3 kJ/mol is determined for the LE → ICT reaction (k(a)). The femtosecond excited state absorption spectra at 22 °C undergo an ultrafast decay: 1.0 ps in CHX and 0.63 ps in MeCN for DMPURM, still shorter (0.46 ps) for DMPURH in MeCN. With DMPURM in n-hexane, the LE fluorescence decay time τ(2) increases upon cooling from 2.6 ps at -45 °C to 6.9 ps at -95 °C. The decay involves ICT and IC as the two main pathways: 1/τ(2) ≅ k(a) + k(IC). As a model compound (no ICT) is not available, its lifetime τ(0)(LE) ∼ 1/k(IC) is not known, which prevents a separate determination of k(a). The excited state reactions of DMPURM and DMPURH are treated with a two-state model: S(0) → LE ⇄ ICT. With 6-N-methyl-9-methyladenine (MPURM) and 9-methyladenine (PURM), the fluorescence quantum yield is very low (<5 × 10(-5)) and dominated by impurities, due to enhanced IC from LE to S(0).

Presence and absence of excited state intramolecular charge transfer with the six isomers of dicyano-N,N-dimethylaniline and dicyano-(N-methyl-N-isopropyl)aniline.

The excited state behavior of the six m,n-dicyano-N,N-dimethylanilines (mnDCDMA) and m,n-dicyano-(N-methyl-N-isopropyl)anilines (mnDCMIA) is discussed as a function of solvent polarity and temperature. The dicyano moiety in these electron donor (D)/acceptor (A) molecules has a considerably larger electron affinity than the benzonitrile subgroup in 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN). Nevertheless, the fluorescence spectra of the mnDCDMAs and mnDCMIAs in n-hexane all consist of a single emission originating from the locally excited (LE) state, indicating that a reaction from LE to an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state does not take place. The calculated energies E(ICT), obtained by employing the reduction potential of the dicyanobenzene subgroups and the oxidation potential of the amino substituents trimethylamine (N(Me)(3)) and isopropyldimethylamine (iPrNMe(2)), are lower than E(LE). The absence of an LE → ICT reaction therefore makes clear that the D and A units in the dicyanoanilines are not electronically decoupled. In the polar solvent acetonitrile (MeCN), dual (LE + ICT) fluorescence is found with 24DCDMA and 34DCDMA, as well as with 24DCMIA, 25DCMIA, and 34DCMIA. For all other mnDCDMAs and mnDCMIAs, only LE emission is observed in MeCN. The ICT/LE fluorescence quantum yield ratio Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE) in MeCN at 25 °C is larger for 24DCDMA (1.2) than for 34DCDMA (0.35). The replacement of methyl by isopropyl in the amino substituent leads to a considerable increase of Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE), 8.8 for 24DCMIA and 1.4 for 34DCMIA, showing that the LE ⇄ ICT equilibrium has shifted further toward ICT. The appearance of an ICT reaction with the 2,4- and 3,4-dicyanoanilines is caused by a relatively small energy gap ΔE(S(1),S(2)) between the two lowest excited singlet states as compared with the other m,n-dicyanoanilines, in accordance with the PICT model. The observation that the ICT reaction is more efficient for 24DCMIA and 34DCMIA than for their mnDCDMA counterparts is mainly caused by the fact that iPrNMe(2) is a better electron donor than N(Me)(3): E(D/D(+)) = 0.84 against 1.05 V vs SCE. That ICT also occurs with 25DCMIA, notwithstanding its large ΔE(S(1),S(2)), is due to the substantial amino twist angle θ = 42.6°, which leads to partial electronic decoupling of the D and A subgroups. The dipole moments µ(e)(ICT) range between 18 D for 34DCMIA and 12 D for 25DCMIA, larger than the corresponding µ(e)(LE) of 16 and 11 D. The difference between µ(e)(ICT) and µ(e)(LE) is smaller than with DMABN (17 and 10 D) because of the noncollinear arrangement of the amino and cyano substituents (different dipole moment directions). The dicyanoanilines that do not undergo ICT, have LE dipole moments between 9 and 16 D. From plots of ln(Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE)) vs 1000/T, the (rather small) ICT reaction enthalpies ΔH could be measured in MeCN: 5.4 kJ/mol (24DCDMA), 4.7 kJ/mol (24DCMIA), and 3.9 kJ/mol (34DCMIA). With the mnDCDMAs and mnDCMIAs only showing LE emission, the fluorescence decays are single exponential, whereas for those undergoing an LE → ICT reaction the LE and ICT picosecond fluorescence decays are double exponential. In MeCN at 25 °C, the decay times τ(2) have values between 1.8 ps for 24DCMIA and 4.6 ps for 34DCMIA at 25 °C. Longer times are observed at lower temperatures. Arrhenius plots of the forward and backward ICT rate constants k(a) and k(d) of 25DCMIA in tetrahydrofuran, obtained from the LE and ICT fluorescence decays, give the activation energies E(a) = 4.5 kJ/mol and E(d) = 11.9 kJ/mol, i.e., ΔH = -7.4 kJ/mol. From femtosecond transient absorption spectra of 24DCDMA and 34DCDMA at 22 °C, ICT reaction times τ(2) = 1/(k(a) + k(d)) of 1.8 and 3.1 ps are determined. By combining these results with the data for the fluorescence decays and Φ'(ICT)/Φ(LE), the values k(a) = 49 × 10(10) s(-1) (24DCDMA) and k(a) = 23 × 10(10) s(-1) (34DCDMA) are calculated. An LE and ICT excited state absorption is present even at a pump/probe delay time of 100 ps, showing that an LE ⇄ ICT equilibrium is established.

Type-I Energy Level Alignment at the PTCDA-Monolayer MoS2 Interface Promotes Resonance Energy Transfer and Luminescence Enhancement.

Van der Waals heterostructures consisting of 2D semiconductors and conjugated molecules are of increasing interest because of the prospect of a synergistic enhancement of (opto)electronic properties. In particular, perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) on monolayer (ML)-MoS2 has been identified as promising candidate and a staggered type-II energy level alignment and excited state interfacial charge transfer have been proposed. In contrast, it is here found with inverse and direct angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy that PTCDA/ML-MoS2 supported by insulating sapphire exhibits a straddling type-I level alignment, with PTCDA having the wider energy gap. Photoluminescence (PL) and sub-picosecond transient absorption measurements reveal that resonance energy transfer, i.e., electron-hole pair (exciton) transfer, from PTCDA to ML-MoS2 occurs on a sub-picosecond time scale. This gives rise to an enhanced PL yield from ML-MoS2 in the heterostructure and an according overall modulation of the photoresponse. These results underpin the importance of a precise knowledge of the interfacial electronic structure in order to understand excited state dynamics and to devise reliable design strategies for optimized optoelectronic functionality in van der Waals heterostructures.

Intramolecular charge transfer with fluorazene and N-phenylpyrrole.

The reaction from the initially prepared locally excited (LE) precursor to the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state of the planarized fluorazene (FPP) is investigated and compared with its flexible counterpart N-phenylpyrrole (PP). The fluorescence spectra of FPP and PP at 25 degrees C in solvents of different polarity reveal that the onset of a LE --> ICT reaction occurs at lower polarity (tetrahydrofuran, epsilon = 7.39) for FPP than for PP (1,2-dichloroethane, epsilon = 10.4). In accordance with this observation, the ICT reaction enthalpy -DeltaH is larger for FPP than for PP, 16.7 versus 6.7 kJ/mol in ethyl cyanide (EtCN). The larger ICT efficiency of FPP is related to the smaller energy gap between the two lowest excited singlet states DeltaE(S(1),S(2)): 3680 cm(-1) for FPP and 4070 cm(-1) for PP in n-hexane, as would be expected in the context of the PICT model. From picosecond fluorescence decays in EtCN at -45 degrees C it is found that the LE --> ICT reaction rate constant k(a) of FPP is with 9.8 x 10(10) s(-1) considerably larger than that of PP with 3.9 x 10(10) s(-1). From femtosecond transient absorption spectra in acetonitrile (MeCN) at 22 degrees C, an ICT reaction time of 1.6 ps is obtained for FPP, shorter than the 4.0 ps determined for PP. The results show that a perpendicular twist of the pyrrole and phenyl subgroups is not required for an efficient ICT reaction with PP, the planarization of FPP even making this reaction faster. The similarity of the ESA spectra of FPP with those of PP in MeCN, with ICT absorption maxima at 365 nm (FPP) and 370 nm (PP), leads to the conclusion that both ICT states have a planar structure.

Ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer with N-(4-cyanophenyl)carbazole. Evidence for a LE precursor and dual LE + ICT fluorescence.

The photophysics of N-(4-cyanophenyl)carbazole (NP4CN) was investigated by using absorption and fluorescence spectra, picosecond fluorescence decays, and femtosecond transient absorption. In the nonpolar n-hexane as well as in the polar solvent acetonitrile (MeCN), a locally excited (LE) state is detected, as a precursor for the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state. A LE → ICT reaction time τ(2) at 22 °C of 0.95 ps in ethyl cyanide (EtCN) and 0.32 ps in MeCN is determined from the decay of the LE excited state absorption (ESA) maximum around 620 nm. In the ESA spectrum of NP4CN in n-hexane at a pump-probe delay time of 100 ps, an important contribution of the LE band remains alongside the ICT band, in contrast to what is observed in EtCN and MeCN. This shows that a LE ⇄ ICT equilibrium is established in this solvent and the ICT reaction time of 0.5 ps is equal to the reciprocal of the sum of the forward and backward ICT rate constants 1/(k(a) + k(d)). In the photostationary S(0) → S(n) absorption spectrum of NP4CN in n-hexane and MeCN, an additional CT absorption band appears, absent in the sum of the spectra of its electron donor (D) and acceptor (A) subgroups carbazole and benzonitrile. This CT band is located at an energy of ∼4000 cm(-1) lower than for N-phenylcarbazole (NPC), due to the larger electron affinity of the benzonitrile moiety of NP4CN than the phenyl subunit of NPC. The fluorescence spectrum of NP4CN in n-hexane at 25 °C mainly consists of a structured LE emission, with a small ICT admixture, indicating that a LE → ICT reaction just starts to occur under these conditions. In di-n-pentyl ether (DPeE) and di-n-butyl ether (DBE), a LE emission is found upon cooling at the high-energy edge of the ICT fluorescence band, caused by the onset of dielectric solvent relaxation. This is not the case in more polar solvents, such as diethyl ether (DEE) and MeCN, in which a structureless ICT emission band fully overlaps the strongly quenched LE fluorescence. For the series of D/A molecules NPC, N-(4-fluorophenyl)carbazole (NP4F), N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]carbazole (NP4CF), and NP4CN, with increasing electron affinity of their phenyl subgroup, an ICT emission in n-hexane 25 °C only is present for NP4CN, whereas in MeCN an ICT fluorescence is observed with NP4CF and NP4CN. The ICT fluorescence appears when for the energies E(ICT) of the ICT state and E(S(1)) of the lowest excited singlet state the condition E(ICT) ≤ E(S(1)) holds. E(ICT) is calculated from the difference E(D/D(+)) - E(A(-)/A) of the redox potentials of the D and A subgroups of the N-phenylcarbazoles. From solvatochromic measurements with NP4CN an ICT dipole moment µ(e)(ICT) = 19 D is obtained, somewhat larger than the literature values of 10-16 D, because of a different Onsager radius ρ. The carbazole/phenyl twist angle θ = 45° of NP4CN in the S(0) ground state, determined from X-ray crystal analysis, has become smaller for its ICT state, in analogy with similar conclusions for related N-phenylcarbazoles and other D/A molecules in the literature.

Pentacyano-N,N-dimethylaniline in the excited state. Only locally excited state emission, in spite of the large electron affinity of the pentacyanobenzene subgroup.

Pentacyano-N,N-dimethylaniline (PCDMA) does not undergo an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) reaction, even in the strongly polar solvent acetonitrile (MeCN), in clear contrast to 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN). Within the twisted ICT (TICT) model, this is unexpected, as the electron affinity of the pentacyanobenzene moiety of PCDMA is much larger than that of the benzonitrile subgroup in DMABN. According to the TICT model, the energy of the ICT state of PCDMA would be 2.05 eV (∼16550 cm(-1)) lower than that of DMABN, on the basis of the reduction potentials E(A(-)/A) of pentacyanobenzene (-0.29 V vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) and benzonitrile (-2.36 V vs SCE), more than enough to compensate for the decrease in energy of the locally excited (LE) state of PCDMA (E(S(1)) = 19990 cm(-1)) relative to that of DMABN (E(S(1)) = 29990 cm(-1)). This absence of a LE → ICT reaction shows that the TICT hypothesis does not hold for PCDMA in the singlet excited state, similar to what was found for DMABN, N-phenylpyrrole, and their derivatives. In this connection, the six dicyano-substituted dimethylanilines are also discussed. The energy gap ΔE(S(1),S(2)) between the two lowest singlet excited states is, at 7170 cm(-1) for PCDMA in MeCN, considerably larger than that for DMABN (2700 cm(-1) in n-hexane, smaller in MeCN). The absence of ICT is therefore in accord with the planar ICT (PICT) model, which considers a sufficiently small ΔE(S(1),S(2)) to be an important condition determining whether an ICT reaction will take place. The fluorescence quantum yield of PCDMA is very small: Φ(LE) = 0.0006 in MeCN at 25 °C, predominantly due to LE → S(0) internal conversion (IC), as the intersystem crossing yield Φ(ISC) is practically zero (<0.01). From the LE fluorescence decay time of 27 ps for PCDMA in MeCN at 25 °C, a radiative rate constant k(f)(LE) = 2 × 10(7) s(-1) results, comparable to the k(f)(LE) of DMABN (6.5 × 10(7) s(-1)) and 2,4,6-tricyano-N,N-dimethylaniline (TCDMA) (1.2 × 10(7) s(-1)) in this solvent, but clearly larger than the k'(f)(ICT) = 0.79 × 10(7) s(-1) of DMABN in MeCN. The IC reaction with PCDMA in MeCN at room temperature, with a rate constant k(IC) of 3.6 × 10(10) s(-1), is much faster than with TCDMA (25 × 10(7) s(-1)) and DMABN (1.3 × 10(7) s(-1), in n-hexane). This is connected with the nonzero (37°) amino twist angle of PCDMA, which leads to a decrease of the effective LE-S(0) energy gap. The femtosecond excited state absorption (ESA) spectra of PCDMA in MeCN at 22 °C are similar to the LE ESA spectra of TCDMA and DMABN and are therefore attributed to the LE state, confirming that an ICT reaction does not occur. The decay of the LE ESA spectra of PCDMA is single exponential, with a decay time of 22 ps, in reasonable agreement with the LE fluorescence decay time of 27 ps at 25 °C. The spectra decay to zero, showing that there is no triplet or other intermediate.