Synthesis, X-ray Structures, and Optical and Magnetic Properties of Cu(II) Octafluoro-octakisperfluoro(isopropyl)phthalocyanine: The Effects of Electron Addition and Fluorine Accretion.

The stepwise reduction of copper(II) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octafluoro-2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakisperfluoro(isopropyl) phthalocyanine (CuIIF64Pc) in o-dichlorobenzene (C6H4Cl2) by potassium graphite in the presence of cryptand(K+), abbreviated L+, results in the formation of (L+)[CuII(F64Pc•3-)]-·2C6H4Cl2 (1), (L+)2[CuII(F64Pc4-)]2-·C6H4Cl2 (2), and (L+)2[CuII(F64Pc4-)]2- (3) complexes. Single-crystal X-ray structures revealed their composition and a monotonic increase with increased phthalocyanine (Pc) negative charges of the magnitude of alternative shortening and elongation of the prior equivalent Nmeso-C bonds. The complexes are separated by bulky i-C3F7 substituents, large cryptand counterions, and solvent molecules. Weak, new bands are generated in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) domains upon reductions. The one-electron reduced complex, [CuII(F64Pc•3-)]-, is a diradical, exhibiting broad electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals, with intermediate parameters between those typical to CuII and F64Pc•3-. The two-electron reduced complexes, [CuII(F64Pc4-)]2-, contain a diamagnetic F64Pc4- macrocycle and a single spin, S = 1/2, on CuII. The bulky perfluoroisopropyl groups are suppressing intermolecular π-π interactions between Pcs in the [CuII(F64Pcn-)](n-2)- (n = 3, 4) anions, 1-3, similar to the case of the nonreduced complex. However, π-π interactions between 1 and o-dichlorobenzene are observed. The d9 and Pc electrons in 1 are antiferromagnetically coupled, J = -0.56 cm-1, as revealed by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, but the coupling is at least 1 order of magnitude smaller compared with the coupling observed for CuII(F8Pc•3-) and CuII(F16Pc•3-), a testimony to the F accretion effect of rendering the Pc macrocycle progressively more electron-deficient. The data for CuII(F64Pc) provide structural, spectroscopic, and magnetochemical insights, which establish a trend of the effects of fluorine and charge variations of fluorinated Pcs within the macrocycle series CuII(FxPc), x = 8, 16, 64. Diamagnetic Pcs might be useful for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and related biomedical applications, while the solvent-processable biradicalic nature of the monoanion salts may constitute the basis for designing robust, air-stable electronic, and magnetically condensed materials.

J-modulated 19 F- and 1 H-detected dual-optimized inverted 1 JCC 1,n-ADEQUATE: A universal ADEQUATE experiment.

The recently reported 19 F-detected dual-optimized inverted 1 JCC 1,n-ADEQUATE experiment and the previously reported 1 H-detected version have been modified to incorporate J-modulation, making it feasible to acquire all 1,1- and 1,n-ADEQUATE correlations as well as 1 JCC and n JCC homonuclear scalar couplings in a single experiment. The experiments are demonstrated using N,N-dimethylamino-2,5,6-trifluoro-3,4-phthalonitrile and N,N-dimethylamino-3,4-phthalonitrile.

Photoelectrochemical Behavior of Phthalocyanine-Sensitized TiO2 in the Presence of Electron-Shuttling Mediators.

Dye-sensitized TiO2 has found many applications for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), solar-to-chemical energy conversion, water/air purification systems, and (electro)chemical sensors. We report an electrochemical system for testing dye-sensitized materials that can be utilized in photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors and energy conversion. Unlike related systems, the reported system does not require a direct electron transfer from semiconductors to electrodes. Rather, it relies on electron shuttling by redox mediators. A range of model photocatalytic materials were prepared using three different TiO2 materials (P25, P90, and PC500) and three sterically hindered phthalocyanines (Pcs) with electron-rich tert-butyl substituents (t-Bu4PcZn, t-Bu4PcAlCl, and t-Bu4PcH2). The materials were compared with previously developed TiO2 modified by electron-deficient, also sterically hindered fluorinated phthalocyanine F64PcZn, a singlet oxygen (1O2) producer, as well as its metal-free derivative, F64PcH2. The PEC activity depended on the redox mediator, as well as the type of TiO2 and Pc. By comparing the responses of one-electron shuttles, such as K4Fe(CN)4, and 1O2-reactive electron shuttles, such as phenol, it is possible to reveal the action mechanism of the supported photosensitizers, while the overall activity can be assessed using hydroquinone. t-Bu4PcAlCl showed significantly lower blank responses and higher specific responses toward chlorophenols compared to t-Bu4PcZn due to the electron-withdrawing effect of the Al3+ metal center. The combination of reactivity insights and the need for only microgram amounts of sensing materials renders the reported system advantageous for practical applications.

Solution Adsorption of Fluorinated Zinc Phthalocyanines on Titania: Combined XPS, UV-Vis, and Contact Angle Study.

The equilibrium solution adsorption of perfluorinated metal phthalocyanines FXPcZn (x = 16, 64) on titania was investigated. This method was explored as an alternative to the frequently used vapor deposition technique for the preparation of solid-supported phthalocyanines for applications such as sensitizers, catalysts, and sensors. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis, and water contact angles, the adsorption of phthalocyanines from acetone solution occurred readily at room temperature resulting in the formation of hydrophobic surfaces of the solid-supported phthalocyanines. The adsorption isotherms (298 K) were of the Langmuir-type with saturation plateau. The effective thickness of the adsorbed layers at the plateau regions was estimated at 0.17 nm (F16PcZn) and 0.47 nm (F64PcZn), which, assuming the face-down orientation of phthalocyanines, corresponded to ∼52 and ∼77% of the complete monolayers, respectively. In the case of F64PcZn, the state of the adsorbed molecules was similar to that of bulk F64PcZn, suggesting only weak adsorption interactions of dispersive type. In contrast, F16PcZn showed strong interactions with the surface of titania including the dissociation of C-F bonds, i.e., chemisorption. The difference in the adsorption interactions of F16PcZn vs F64PcZn was attributed to the presence of eight i-C3F7 groups decorating the perimeter of the F64PcZn molecule. These bulky substituents in the peripheral positions sterically protected the nonperipheral fluorine atoms, thereby preventing their substitution and any other specific interactions between the macrocycle and the surface OH groups.

19 F-detected dual-optimized inverted 1 JCC 1,n-ADEQUATE.

Modification of the recently reported 19 F-detected 1,1-ADEQUATE experiment that incorporates dual-optimization to selectively invert a wide range of 1 JCC correlations in a 1,n-ADEQUATE experiment is reported. Parameters for the dual-optimization segment of the pulse sequence were modified to accommodate the increased size of 1 JCC homonuclear coupling constants of poly- and perfluorinated molecules relative to protonated molecules to allow broadband inversion of the 1 JCC correlations. The observation and utility of isotope shifts are reported for the first time for 1,1- and 1,n-ADEQUATE correlations.

Development of 19 F-detected 1,1-ADEQUATE for the characterization of polyfluorinated and perfluorinated compounds.

Polyfluorinated and perfluorinated compounds in the environment are a growing health concern. 19 F-detected variants of commonly employed heteronuclear shift correlation experiments such as heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) and heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC) are available; 19 F-detected experiments that employ carbon-carbon homonuclear coupling, in contrast, have never been reported. Herein, we report the measurement of the 1 JCC and n JCC coupling constants of a simple perfluorinated phthalonitrile and the first demonstration of a 19 F-detected 1,1-ADEQUATE experiment.

The influence of intermolecular coupling on electron and ion transport in differently substituted phthalocyanine thin films as electrochromic materials: a chemistry application of the Goldilocks principle.

The transport of both electrons and ions in organic mixed ionic and electronic conductors such as phthalocyanines, is essential to allow redox reactions of entire films and, hence, to impart electrochromism. Thin films of a new type, tetrakis-perfluoroisopropyl-perfluoro phthalocyanine, F40PcCu of different thicknesses were obtained via vapor deposition. The extent of the intermolecular coupling within the F40PcCu films established by van der Waals interactions was investigated by in situ optical spectroscopy during film growth. The transfer of electrons and diffusion of counter cations in these films, as well as their electrochromic performance were characterized by electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical measurements with an aqueous solution of KCl as electrolyte. A moderate degree of intermolecular interaction of the F40PcCu molecules in the solid state was observed, compared to non-fluoroalkylated perfluoro phthalocyanine, F16PcCu and octakis-perfluoroisopropyl-perfluorophthalocyanine, F64PcCu, which exhibit stronger and weaker coupling, respectively. The replacement of F by perfluoroisopropyl is, thereby, established as a valuable approach to tune this coupling of chromophores and, hence, the transport coefficients of electrons and ions in the solid films. Reversible changes of the films upon reduction and intercalation of K+ counter ions and re-oxidation and expulsion of the counter ions were confirmed by simultaneously measured optical absorption spectra. Thin films of F40PcCu showed a well-balanced, equally fast transport of electrons and ions. The films provided a fast and reversible switching process over at least 200 cycles indicating the stability of these materials.