Exploiting chemistry and molecular systems for quantum information science.

The power of chemistry to prepare new molecules and materials has driven the quest for new approaches to solve problems having global societal impact, such as in renewable energy, healthcare and information science. In the latter case, the intrinsic quantum nature of the electronic, nuclear and spin degrees of freedom in molecules offers intriguing new possibilities to advance the emerging field of quantum information science. In this Perspective, which resulted from discussions by the co-authors at a US Department of Energy workshop held in November 2018, we discuss how chemical systems and reactions can impact quantum computing, communication and sensing. Hierarchical molecular design and synthesis, from small molecules to supramolecular assemblies, combined with new spectroscopic probes of quantum coherence and theoretical modelling of complex systems, offer a broad range of possibilities to realize practical quantum information science applications.

Antioxidant Sensing by Spiropyrans: Substituent Effects and NMR Spectroscopic Studies.

The development of stimuli-responsive small molecules for probing biologically active antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH) has important ramifications in the detection of oxidative stress. An ideal sensor for biological applications should exhibit sufficient sensitivity and selectivity for detection at physiological concentrations and be reversible to allow continuous and dynamic monitoring of antioxidant levels. Designing a suitable sensor thus requires a detailed understanding of activation properties and mechanism of action. In this work, we report a new set of GSH-responsive spiropyrans and demonstrate how changes in the electronic structure of spiropyrans influence GSH sensing with high specificity versus other structurally similar and biologically relevant redox-active molecules. The sensitivity, selectivity, kinetics, binding constant, and reversibility of GSH-responsive-substituted spiropyrans were investigated using UV-vis spectroscopy and laser irradiation experiments. Detailed studies of the mechanism of interaction between spiropyrans with GSH were investigated using NMR spectroscopy. Understanding how electronic effects impact the sensing ability of spiropyrans toward antioxidants and elucidating the mechanism of the spiropyran-GSH interaction will facilitate the design of more effective sensors for detection of antioxidants in vivo.

Opto-Spintronics: Photoisomerization-Induced Spin State Switching at 300 K in Photochrome Cobalt-Dioxolene Thin Films.

Controllable quantum systems are under active investigation for quantum computing, secure information processing, and nonvolatile memory. The optical manipulation of spin quantum states provides an important strategy for quantum control with both temporal and spatial resolution. Challenges in increasing the lifetime of photoinduced magnetic states at T > 200 K have hindered progress toward utilizing photomagnetic materials in quantum device architectures. Here we demonstrate reversible light-induced magnetization switching in an organic thin film at device operating temperatures of 300-330 K. By utilizing photochromic ligands that undergo structural changes in the solid state, the changes in ligand field associated with photoisomerization modulate the ligand field and in turn the oxidation and spin state of a bound metal center. Green light irradiation (λexc = 550 nm) of a spirooxazine cobalt-dioxolene complex induces photoisomerization of the ligand that in turn triggers a reversible intramolecular charge-transfer coupled spin-transition process at the cobalt center. The generation of photomagnetic states through conversion between a low-spin Co(III)-semiquinone doublet and a high-spin Co(II)-bis-semiquinone sextet state has been demonstrated in both solution and the solid state and is described as a photoisomerization-induced spin-charge excited state (PISCES) process. The high transition temperature (325 K) and long-lived photoinduced state (τ = 10 s at 300 K) are dictated by the photochromic ligand. Theory provides effective modeling of the phenomenon and long-term strategies to further modulate the lifetimes of photomagnetic states for quantum information technologies at the single molecule level.

Visible light photoswitching of conjugated polymer nanoparticle fluorescence.

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles doped with a reverse photochromic dye exhibit highly quenched fluorescence that can be reversibly activated by controlling the form of the photochrome with visible light.

Modulating short wavelength fluorescence with long wavelength light.

Two molecules in which the intensity of shorter-wavelength fluorescence from a strong fluorophore is modulated by longer-wavelength irradiation of an attached merocyanine-spirooxazine reverse photochromic moiety have been synthesized and studied. This unusual fluorescence behavior is the result of quenching of fluorophore fluorescence by the thermally stable, open, zwitterionic form of the spirooxazine, whereas the photogenerated closed, spirocyclic form has no effect on the fluorophore excited state. The population ratio of the closed and open forms of the spirooxazine is controlled by the intensity of the longer-wavelength modulated light. Both square wave and sine wave modulation were investigated. Because the merocyanine-spirooxazine is an unusual reverse photochrome with a thermally stable long-wavelength absorbing form and a short-wavelength absorbing photogenerated isomer with a very short lifetime, this phenomenon does not require irradiation of the molecules with potentially damaging ultraviolet light, and rapid modulation of fluorescence is possible. Molecules demonstrating these properties may be useful in fluorescent probes, as their use can discriminate between probe fluorescence and various types of adventitious "autofluorescence" from other molecules in the system being studied.

Determining the magnitude and direction of photoinduced ligand field switching in photochromic metal-organic complexes: molybdenum-tetracarbonyl spirooxazine complexes.

The ability to optically switch or tune the intrinsic properties of transition metals (e.g., redox potentials, emission/absorption energies, and spin states) with photochromic metal-ligand complexes is an important strategy for developing "smart" materials. We have described a methodology for using metal-carbonyl complexes as spectroscopic probes of ligand field changes associated with light-induced isomerization of photochromic ligands. Changes in ligand field between the ring-closed spirooxazine (SO) and ring-opened photomerocyanine (PMC) forms of photochromic azahomoadamantyl and indolyl phenanthroline-spirooxazine ligands are demonstrated through FT-IR, (13)C NMR, and computational studies of their molybdenum-tetracarbonyl complexes. The frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) of the SO and PMC forms differ considerably in both electron density distributions and energies. Of the multiple π* MOs in the SO and PMC forms of the ligands, the LUMO+1, a pseudo-b(1)-symmetry phenanthroline-based MO, mixes primarily with the Mo(CO)(4) fragment and provides the major pathway for Mo(d)→phen(π*) backbonding. The LUMO+1 is found to be 0.2-0.3 eV lower in energy in the SO form relative to the PMC form, suggesting that the SO form is a better π-acceptor. Light-induced isomerization of the photochromic ligands was therefore found to lead to changes in the energies of their frontier MOs, which in turn leads to changes in π-acceptor ability and ligand field strength. Ligand field changes associated with photoisomerizable ligands allow tuning of excited-state and ground-state energies that dictate energy/electron transfer, optical/electrical properties, and spin states of a metal center upon photoisomerization, positioning photochromic ligand-metal complexes as promising targets for smart materials.

Ferromagnetic spin-delocalized electron donors for multifunctional materials: π-conjugated benzotriazinyl radicals.

We have developed new synthetic methodology for benzotriazinyl radicals that exhibit spin delocalization, low oxidation potentials, and ferromagnetic interactions in the solid state via π-π interactions, making them promising candidates for multifunctional magnetic materials.

A solution- and solid-state investigation of medium effects on charge separation in metastable photomerocyanines.

The effects of solution-state dielectric and intermolecular interactions on the degree of charge separation in metastable spirooxazine photomerocyanines (PMCs) is investigated. We report the first X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of an open form, a metastable photomerocyanine, of the spirooxazine class of photochromic molecules in two derivatives: spiro[azahomoadamantane-isoquinolinoxazine] (1) and spiro[azahomoadamantane-phenanthrolinoxazine] (2). Using the results of XRD analysis of the open photomerocyanine forms, in conjunction with computation, solvatochromism, and solution NMR studies, we have investigated the effect of the medium on the ground-state structure of these photomerocyanines. Solvatochromism and NMR chemical shift studies of 1 and 2 support the assignment of a quinoidal structure in nonpolar solvents and a zwitterionic structure in high-polarity solvents. The effect of azahomoadamantyl substitution is explored by comparing 1 and 2 with the analogous indolyl derivatives, spiro[indoline-isoquinolinoxazine] (3) and spiro[indoline-phenanthrolinoxazine] (4) through XRD analysis of the closed spirooxazine (SO) forms, solution-state kinetic experiments, solvatochromism, and NMR studies. Longer C(spiro)-O bond lengths in the SO form and slower rates of thermal PMC --> SO isomerization for the azahomoadamantyl derivatives are associated with greater zwitterionic character in the PMC form, as found in the solvatochromism studies. XRD analysis of photomerocyanines 1 and 2 indicate a greater contribution from the canonical zwitterionic resonance form relative to the quinoidal form in the solid state. Structural differences observed in two pseudopolymorphs of 2-PMC suggest that the degree of charge-separated character is influenced by the crystal packing environment. These results provide direct structural evidence for the effects of the medium polarity on charge-separated states of photomerocyanines.

Incorporating optical bistability into a magnetically bistable system: a photochromic redox isomeric complex.

A photochromic cobalt-bis(dioxolene)spirooxazine metal complex has been synthesized which exhibits both photochromic and redox-active behavior, providing a potentially powerful approach to the development of optically induced changes in redox, magnetic, or optical properties of a metal center.

Synthesis of neutral spin-delocalized electron acceptors for multifunctional materials.

A new synthetic route to stable spin-delocalized radicals, annelated nitronyl nitroxides, has been developed on the basis of the condensation of benzofuroxan with aryl nitrones. The electronic structure of the resulting radicals was investigated through absorption spectroscopy, EPR, electrochemistry, and computation (DFT-UB3LYP). The annelated radicals exhibit electronic transitions in the near IR (850-900 nm) and are excellent electron acceptors (E(red) approximately 0.0 vs SCE) ideal for the development of multifunctional magnetic materials.

Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium and rhenium nucleosides.

We report the synthesis and characterization of new ruthenium and rhenium nucleosides [Ru(tolyl-acac)2(IMPy)-T] (tolyl-acac=di(p-methylbenzonatemethane), IMPy=2'-iminomethylpyridine, T=thymidine) (5) and [Re(CO)3(IMPy)-T]Cl (9), respectively. Structural analysis of 9 shows that the incorporation of this metal complex causes minimal perturbation to the sugar backbone and the nucleobase. Eletrochemical (5, E1/2=0.265 V vs NHE; 9, E1/2=1.67 V vs NHE), absorption (5, lambdamax=600, 486 nm; 9, lambdamax=388 nm), and emission (9, lambdamax=770 nm, pi=17 ns) data indicate that 5 and 9 are suitable probes for DNA-mediated ground-state electron-transfer studies. The separation and characterization of diastereoisomers of 5 and bipyridyl-based ruthenium nucleoside [Ru(bpy)2(IMPy)-T]2+ (7) are reported.

Photochromism of a spirooxazine in the single crystalline phase.

The single crystals of a closed form spirooxazine spiro[azahomoadamantane-isoquinolinoxazine] were found for the first time to undergo photocoloration processes consistent with photochromism in the single crystalline phase.

Tunable photochromism of spirooxazines via metal coordination.

Through the incorporation of a phenanthroline ligand into the oxazine moiety of photochromic spirooxazines, a series of photochromic spirooxazine-phenanthroline metal complexes have been synthesized, resulting in tunable and significantly increased photoresponsivities. Such systems are of interest for the investigation of multifunctional photochromic materials. These novel metal complexes retain their photochromic activity in the complexed state, leading to ligand binding in both the spirooxazine and the photomerocyanine forms during the photoconversion. A significant stabilization of the photomerocyanine form results from metal complexation, as indicated by the shift in thermal equilibrium values (KT = 0.06) upon metal complexation (KT = 0.6-1.2). Photoconversion occurs with first-order kinetics, suggesting the absence of an intermediate state. A third photostationary state is observed in these systems induced by visible irradiation of the thermal equilibrium state, leading to a three-state system. This new class of compounds provides the opportunity to investigate the synergy between changes in electronic structure associated with photoisomerization, and metal-centered functionality.

5' modification of duplex DNA with a ruthenium electron donor-acceptor pair using solid-phase DNA synthesis.

Incorporation of metalated nucleosides into DNA through covalent modification is crucial to measurement of thermal electron-transfer rates and the dependence of these rates with structure, distance, and position. Here, we report the first synthesis of an electron donor-acceptor pair of 5' metallonucleosides and their subsequent incorporation into oligonucleotides using solid-phase DNA synthesis techniques. Large-scale syntheses of metal-containing oligonucleotides are achieved using 5' modified phosporamidites containing [Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (acac is acetylacetonato; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (3) and [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (4). Duplexes formed with the metal-containing oligonucleotides exhibit thermal stability comparable to the corresponding unmetalated duplexes (T(m) of modified duplex = 49 degrees C vs T(m) of unmodified duplex = 47 degrees C). Electrochemical (3, E(1/2) = -0.04 V vs NHE; 4, E(1/2) = 1.12 V vs NHE), absorption (3, lambda(max) = 568, 369 nm; 4, lambda(max) = 480 nm), and emission (4, lambda(max) = 720 nm, tau = 55 ns, Phi = 1.2 x 10(-)(4)) data for the ruthenium-modified nucleosides and oligonucleotides indicate that incorporation into an oligonucleotide does not perturb the electronic properties of the ruthenium complex or the DNA significantly. In addition, the absence of any change in the emission properties upon metalated duplex formation suggests that the [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+)[Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) pair will provide a valuable probe for DNA-mediated electron-transfer studies.