Energy landscape of perylenediimide chromophoric aggregates.

Understanding the self-assembly of conjugated organic materials at the molecular level is crucial in their potential applications as active components in electronic and optoelectronic devices. The type of aggregation significantly influences the intriguing electronic and optical characteristics differing from their constituent molecules. Perylenediimides (PDIs), electron-deficient molecules exhibiting remarkable n-type semiconducting properties, are among the most explored organic fluorescent materials due to their high fluorescence efficiency, photostability, and optoelectronic properties. PDI derivatives are reported to form well-tailored supramolecular architectures: cofacial with minor slip (H-aggregates), staggered with major slip (J-aggregates), magic angle stacking (M-aggregates), rotated (X-aggregates), rotated orthogonal ((+)-aggregates), etc. H*-aggregates are defined here as an ideal case of H-aggregate with an eclipsed configuration. Although numerous reports regarding the formation and optical properties of various PDI aggregates are known, the key driving force within the PDI units guiding the self-assembly to form distinct aggregate systems remains elusive. To unravel the molecular-level mechanisms behind the self-assembly of PDI units by probing the intermolecular interactions, symmetry-adapted perturbation theory-based energy decomposition, potential energy surface scans, and non-covalent interaction index analyses were employed on PDI dimer models. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules and frontier molecular orbital analyses were implemented on the dimer models to comprehend the effect of heteroatoms and orbital interactions in stabilising the X-aggregates over the other PDI aggregate systems. Competition between the attractive and repulsive non-covalent interactions dictates a stability order of X > H > J > M > (+) > H* for the PDI aggregate system, while in the parent perylene system, the stability order was found to be X > (+) > H > M > J > H*.

Contemporary distribution and impending mobility of arsenic, copper and zinc in a tropical (Brahmaputra) river bed sediments, Assam, India.

The present study develops a correlationship among different phases of metal for developing an understanding of metal distribution and speciation, which is seldom reported in many studies. Also, the study examines the effect of sediment texture, pH, CEC, organic content and conductivity to understand the metal distribution. Bed sediment (n = 8) samples were collected from Brahmaputra river by grab sampling method to understand the spatial distribution and speciation of Cu, As and Zn. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis strongly indicated the presence of arsenopyrite in Dhansirimukh site (BRS-5) sample as a dominating As containing mineral. It was found that distribution of As was relatively higher in downstream side due to increase in clay content of the sediment. Partition coefficient (kd) indicated higher mobility of Zn and Cu in comparison to As. The presence of organic matter and clay resulted in high metal content due to high CEC values, which is because of negative charge on clay and organic matter. The negative charge in clay and organic matter is due to isomorphous substitution and dissociation of organic acids, respectively. High clay content leads to Cu enrichment at BRS-4, while sandy nature of sediment at BRS-8 and absence highly active mineral leads to low Zn content. Sediment properties like organic matter and grain size were the main controlling parameters for metal concentration and its potential mobility as indicated by correlation and factor analysis. Factor analysis further revealed three probable processes governing metal enrichment and distribution viz. (i) Textural driven (ii) Metal solubility at sediment-water interface and (iii) Carbonate weathering. The study demonstrates that the textural assemblage governs metal mobility in the river sediments. Study developed a conceptual diagram for probable geochemical processes explaining the specific observations in this study, which is essential for environmental safety.

Symmetry-Breaking Charge Separation Mediated Triplet Population in a Perylenediimide Trimer at the Single-Molecule Level.

Herein, we demonstrate triplet excited-state population in a conformationally rigid perylenediimide trimer (PDI-T) via intramolecular symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) at the single-molecule level. The single-molecule fluorescence intensity trajectories of PDI-T in nonpolar polystyrene matrix (ε = 2.60) exhibit prolonged fluorescence with infrequent dark states, representing the triplet and/or the charge transfer states. In contrast, in a poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix (ε = 7.80), erratic blinking dynamics resulting in low photon counts were observed, corroborating the feasibility of charge separation in a polar environment. In agreement with the single-molecule measurements, transient absorption spectroscopy of PDI-T reveals ultrafast SB-CS (τCS < 5 ps) in polar tetrahydrofuran (ε = 7.58) and acetone (ε = 20.70), with the population of the triplet excited-state through charge recombination. The current investigation shows the utility of rigid and weakly coupled molecular constructs in controlling triplet generation and SB-CS for potential applications in optoelectronic devices.

Multiple calcium signaling genes play a role in the circadian period of Neurospora crassa.

The Ca2+ signaling genes cpe-1, plc-1, ncs-1, splA2, camk-1, camk-2, camk-3, camk-4, cmd, and cnb-1 are necessary for a normal circadian period length in Neurospora crassa. In addition, the Q10 values ranged between 0.8 and 1.2 for the single mutants lacking cpe-1, splA2, camk-1, camk-2, camk-3, camk-4, and cnb-1, suggesting that the circadian clock exhibits standard temperature compensation. However, the Q10 value for the ∆plc-1 mutant was 1.41 at 25 and 30 °C, 1.53 and 1.40 for the ∆ncs-1 mutant at 20 and 25 °C, and at 20 and 30 °C, respectively, suggesting a partial loss of temperature compensation in these two mutants. Moreover, expression of frq, a regulator of the circadian period, and the blue light receptor wc-1, were increased >2-fold in the Δplc-1, ∆plc-1; ∆cpe-1, and the ∆plc-1; ∆splA2 mutants at 20 °C. The frq mRNA level was increased >2-fold in the Δncs-1 mutant compared to the ras-1bd strain at 20 °C. Therefore, multiple Ca2+ signaling genes regulate the circadian period, by influencing expression of the frq and wc-1 genes that are critical for maintaining the normal circadian period length in N. crassa.