Complete Monitoring of Coherent and Incoherent Spin Flip Domains in the Recombination of Charge-Separated States of Donor-Iridium Complex-Acceptor Triads.

The spin chemistry of photoinduced charge-separated (CS) states of three triads comprising one or two triarylamine donors, a cyclometalated iridium complex sensitizer and a naphthalene diimide (NDI) acceptor, was investigated by transient absorption spectroscopy in the ns-µs time regime. Strong magnetic-field effects (MFE) were observed for two triads with a phenylene bridge between iridium complex sensitizer and NDI acceptor. For these triads, the lifetimes of the CS states increased from 0.6 µs at zero field to 40 µs at about 2 T. Substituting the phenylene by a biphenyl bridge causes the lifetime of the CS state at zero field to increase by more than 2 orders of magnitude (τ = 79 µs) and the MFE to disappear almost completely. The kinetic MFE was analyzed in the framework of a generalized Hayashi-Nagakura scheme describing coherent (S, T0 ↔ T±) as well as incoherent (S, T0 ⇌ T±) processes by a single rate constant k±. The magnetic-field dependence of k± of the triads with phenylene bridge spans 2 orders of magnitude and exhibits a biphasic behavior characterized by a superposition of two Lorentzians. This biphasic MFE is observed for the first time and is clearly attributable to the coherent (B < 10 mT) and incoherent (10 mT < B < 2 T) domains of spin motion induced by isotropic and anisotropic hyperfine coupling. The parameters of both domains are well understood in terms of the structural properties of the two triads, including the effect of electron hopping in the triad with two donor moieties. The kinetic model also accounts for the reduction of the MFE on reducing the rate constant of charge recombination in the triad with the biphenyl bridge.

A combined experimental and theoretical study on the isomers of 2,3,4,5-tetracarba-nido-hexaborane(6) derivatives and their photophysical properties.

Building upon our ongoing studies on the high-yield synthetic route to 2,3,4,5-tetracarba-1,6-nido hexaborane derivative 5, we continue to explore the chemistry of this system to isolate a range of perphenylated C4 B2 -type carborane isomers. As a result, the photolysis of 5 for an elongated period yielded 6, which exhibits an intense luminescence upon excitation with a UV lamp (λex =366 nm). In contrast, the conversion of 5 under thermal conditions (microwave heating) generated the isomer 7, which does not show any luminescence. The structural disparity among the three isomers 5-7 is the position of the butadiene moiety with respect to the C4 B2 -carborane cage as deduced from single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. In an attempt to generate the classical structural motif of 5, an equimolar amount of KOtBu was added to a THF solution of 5, which immediately provided the boratacyclopentadiene derivative 8 in good yield. The observed rearrangement reactions were further investigated by quantum chemical calculations to suggest a plausible reaction pathway. According to the DFT calculations, the energetically favored reaction mechanism most likely involves tricyclic transition states and classical intermediate structures. In addition, the fluorescence emission properties of 6 were investigated in solution as well as in the solid state.

Stepwise versus pseudo-concerted two-electron-transfer in a triarylamine-iridium dipyrrin-naphthalene diimide triad.

A triad based on triarylamine donors, an iridium dipyrrin sensitiser and a naphthalene diimide acceptor is investigated using fs-pump-probe spectroscopy at two different pump wavelengths. Excitation of the naphthalene diimide induces a stepwise electron transfer process that yields within ca. 100 ps a charge separated state with 50-60% quantum yield in which one triarylamine is oxidised and the imide is reduced. Although being in the Marcus normal region, this state has a lifetime of 580 ns in MeCN. Excitation at the dipyrrin ligand centred absorption directly produces the charge separated state within ca. 1 ns however without formation of an intermediate. This pseudo-concerted two-electron transfer step was analysed with the help of a model dyad and a modified triad and is interpreted to be caused by inverted electron transfer rates. Although being much slower the latter process has a quantum yield of practically 100%.

Multiple reduction of 2,5-bis(borolyl)thiophene: isolation of a negative bipolaron by comproportionation.

The 2,5-bis(borolyl)thiophene 2, a conjugated acceptor-π-acceptor system, can be reduced to the monoradical anion [2](.-) , the dianion [2](2-) , and the tetraanion [2](4-) . The dianion [2](2-) was also prepared by a comproportionation reaction and features an absorption maximum in the near-IR region (λmax =800 nm), which is characteristic of a bipolaron with a quinoidal structure.