2-Aryl-3H-1,3-Benzazaphosphole Oxides: Synthesis, Optical Properties, and Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer.

Inclusion of a heteroatom to the phosphole ring is a promising strategy to intrinsically modulate the optical properties of phosphole derivatives. We report on a series of 2-aryl-3H-1,3-benzazaphosphole oxides that were efficiently prepared via sequential C-P cross-coupling, dehydrative [3+2] cycloaddition, and ring-oxidation reactions. The inclusion of one nitrogen atom into the benzophosphole framework caused red shifting of the absorption and emission maxima, reflecting the greater stabilization of the LUMO level. 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)benzazaphosphole oxide underwent excited state intramolecular proton transfer and emitted a weak fluorescence from the excited state of the N-H tautomer.

Synthesis, Structure, and Redox and Optical Properties of 5,10,15,20-Tetraaryl-5-azaporphyrinium Salts.

The fundamental properties of azaporphyrins can be modulated over a wide range by changing the number of meso-nitrogen atoms. Reported herein are the first examples of 5,10,15,20-tetraaryl-5-azaporphyrinium (MTAMAP) salts, which were prepared via metal-templated cyclization of the corresponding zinc(II) and copper(II) complexes of 10-aryl-1-chloro-19-benzoyl-5,15-dimesityl-10-azabiladiene-ac. The inclusion of one meso-nitrogen atom in the 5,10,15,20-tetraarylporphyrin skeleton considerably changes the redox and optical properties as well as the degree of aromaticity of the porphyrin ring. The present findings suggest that MTAMAP salts would be promising scaffolds for the development of new azaporphyrin-based ionic fluorophores and photosensitizers.

Solvent Role of Ionic Liquids in Fundamental Chemical Reaction Dynamics Analyzed by Time-Resolved Spectroscopy.

Ionic liquids (ILs), which are used as solvents for chemical reactions, are different from conventional organic solvents owing to their designability. Physicochemical parameters of the ILs, such as polarity and viscosity, that affect chemical equilibria and reaction kinetics can be tuned by changing the combination of anions and cations or by varying the lengths of the alkyl chains present in the cations. We were interested in knowing how these physicochemical parameters affect fundamental chemical reactions in ILs. Therefore, in this personal account, we investigate our recent work on two different photochemical reactions in ILs, namely excited-state intramolecular proton transfer of hydroxyflavone and photodissociation of aminodisulfide, using time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. Interestingly, the roles of the ILs in these chemical reactions are quite different. The effect of the cationic species of the ILs (i. e., the head groups and number of alkyl carbons) on the solvation environment upon photoexcitation and reaction rate are discussed.

Synthesis and Optical Properties of 1,2,5,10-Tetraphenylanthra[2,3-b]phosphole Derivatives.

1,2,5,10-Tetraphenylanthra[2,3-b]phosphole oxides and 1-methyl-1,2,5,10-tetraphenylanthra[2,3-b]phospholium salts were prepared, and their optical properties were investigated. The substituent at the para position and the fused anthracene moiety were found to exert significant impacts on the fluorescence properties of the P-bridged 2-styrylanthracene skeleton.

Experimental observation of the unique solvation process along multiple solvation coordinates of photodissociated products.

Chemical reaction dynamics in solution are closely related to solvation dynamics, and understanding solvent responses remains a crucial issue in chemistry and chemical biology. In this study, we experimentally and computationally investigated the solvation dynamics along different solvation coordinates of the same molecule: the electronically excited state and ground state of the p-aminophenylthiyl radical generated by the photodissociation of bis(p-aminophenyl)disulfide. Time profiles of the peak shifts from the transient absorption and emission spectra after photodissociation were extracted to discuss the solvent reorganization process in various ionic liquids (ILs) with different viscosities. The absorption peak position of the radical followed common solvation dynamics, shifting to a lower energy with time due to reorganization of the surrounding solvent molecules in response to the charge redistribution and molecular volume change caused by photodissociation. On the other hand, the emission band of the radical did not show a meaningful spectral shift with time. It was also found that the solvation time in the ground state was not strongly dependent on the solvent viscosity. These experimental results deviate from the conventional dynamic Stokes shift theory. To discuss the experimental results, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were conducted. The spectral shift obtained by MD simulations indicated the existence of a large solvation energy change and solvation dynamics around the radical after the photodissociation. On the other hand, the electronic excitation of the radical brought about a relatively smaller solvation energy change, especially at the long delay time after the photodissociation. These differences might be one of the reasons for the unique experimentally observed solvation dynamics.

Experimental and theoretical study on p-aminophenylthyil radical geminate recombination in ionic liquids; analysis using the Smoluchowski-Collins-Kimball equation.

Recombination dynamics of geminate p-aminophenylthiyl (PAPT) radicals produced from the photodissociation of bis(p-aminophenyl) disulfide in ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated by transient absorption spectroscopy. ILs with various cationic species were used to examine the effect of viscosity and polarity on recombination dynamics. Experimentally obtained recombination yields and dynamics were found to be virtually independent of the cation species, despite the viscosity range of the solvent ILs being extensive, spanning from a few tens of mPa s to several hundred mPa s. We applied a theoretical analysis model based on the diffusion equation to the time profiles of the experimentally determined recombination yields of geminate PAPT radicals. The square well potential was incorporated into the diffusion equation to consider the concerted dynamics of solvent cage formation and recombination. A long-time asymptotic expression for the survival probability of the photodissociated products was derived and used to simulate the experimentally obtained time profile of the recombination yield. The time profiles in the range of 20-1000 ps and the final yield were successfully simulated by the asymptotic expression of the square well potential model. The optimized parameters used for the fit, including the mutual diffusion coefficient of the radical pairs, cage radius of the potential well, and well depth, were discussed in terms of the diffusion coefficient conventional theory and the potential mean force estimated from the molecular dynamics simulation for the photodissociation reaction in ILs.

Effect of Hydrated Ionic Liquid on Photocycle and Dynamics of Photoactive Yellow Protein.

The mechanism by which proteins are solvated in hydrated ionic liquids remains an open question. Herein, the photoexcitation dynamics of photoactive yellow protein dissolved in hydrated choline dihydrogen phosphate (Hy[ch][dhp]) were studied by transient absorption and transient grating spectroscopy. The photocyclic reaction of the protein in Hy[ch][dhp] was similar to that observed in the buffer solution, as confirmed by transient absorption spectroscopy. However, the structural change of the protein during the photocycle in Hy[ch][dhp] was found to be different from that observed in the buffer solution. The known change in the diffusion coefficient of the protein was apparently suppressed in high concentrations of [ch][dhp], plausibly due to stabilization of the secondary structure.

Role of Hydrogen-Bond Interactions in CO2 Capture by Wet Phosphonium Formate Ionic Liquid: A Raman Spectroscopic Study.

The mechanism of CO2 absorption by a formate ionic liquid, [P4444 ]HCOO, was studied by Raman spectroscopy. The band area for the symmetric CO2 stretching of the formate anion linearly decreases with the CO2 loading. From the slope of the decrease, 1 : 1 stoichiometry is proven between CO2 and the formate anion. The result favors the mechanism we proposed in a preceding work [J. Chem. Eng. Data 61, 837 (2016)]: HCOO- +CO2 +H2 O→HCOOH+HCO3- →[HCOOH…HCO3- ]. Further support for the mechanism is obtained by the observation of antisymmetric vibration of CO for the proposed hydrogen-bonded complex between HCOOH and HCO3- . The bands appeared as a doublet (1677 and 1730 cm-1 ) as this complex has two carbonyl groups. Based on DFT calculations, the [HCOOH…HCO3- ] complex is supposed to be the most abundant form of chemisorbed CO2 .

Synthesis of 3,5-Disubstituted BODIPYs Bearing N-Containing Five-Membered Heteroaryl Groups via Nucleophilic C-N Bond Formation.

Aromatic substitution reactions were applied to the divergent synthesis of a series of symmetrically and unsymmetrically 3,5-disubstituted BODIPYs bearing N-heteroaryl groups. Furthermore, the effect of N-heteroaryl substituents at the 3- and 5-positions on the optical and photophysical properties of the BODIPY π-electron system was elucidated.

Comparison of 2-Arylnaphtho[2,3-b]phospholes and 2-Arylbenzo[b]phospholes: Effects of 2-Aryl Groups and Fused Arene Moieties on Their Optical and Photophysical Properties.

Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions were used in the divergent synthesis of a series of 2-arylnaphtho[2,3-b]phosphole P-oxides and their benzo[b]phosphole counterparts. We elucidated the electronic and steric effects of the 2-aryl groups and fused arene moieties on the optical and photophysical properties of these two types of phosphole-based π-systems.

Anion Effect on the Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer of 4'-N,N-Diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone in Ionic Liquids.

The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction of 4'-N,N,-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (C2HF) was studied using time-resolved fluorescence measurements in ionic liquids (ILs) of various anions with a fixed cation (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [C2mim]+). C2HF showed an ESIPT reaction from the normal excited state (N*; keto form) to the tautomer excited state (T*; enol form) where both states are emissive. The ESIPT rate and yield were obtained by analyzing the time-resolved fluorescence spectra measured using the optical Kerr gate method. Both the ESIPT rate and yield decreased with increasing hydrogen-bond accepting ability of the anion. According to density functional theory calculations, the complex formation energy between C2HF and the anion became significantly negative with increasing the hydrogen-bond accepting ability of anion. The pseudoequilibrium constant between N* and T* ([T*]/[N*]) in the electronic excited state decreased with increasing hydrogen-bond accepting ability of the anion, while it increased with increasing the alkyl-chain length of alkyl sulfonate. The excitation wavelength dependence of the ESIPT rate and yield was studied for C2HF in [C2mim][C6H13SO3]. The ESIPT yield decreased by nearly a factor of 2 with increasing excitation wavelength from 360 to 425 nm, although the change in the ESIPT rate was small. The solvation heterogeneity due to the alkyl chain in the anion was considered to be the reason for the excitation wavelength dependence.

Relationship between the atrial-activation pattern around the triangle of Koch and successful ablation sites in slow-fast atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

Background: The precise details of atrial activation around the triangle of Koch (ToK) remain unknown. We evaluated the relationship between the atrial-activation pattern around the ToK and success sites for slow-pathway (SP) modification ablation in slow-fast atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Methods: Thirty patients with slow-fast AVNRT who underwent successful ablation were enrolled. Atrial activation around the ToK during sinus rhythm was investigated using ultra-high-density mapping pre-ablation. The relationships among features of atrial-activation pattern and success sites were examined. Results: Of 30 patients (22 cryoablation; 8 radiofrequency ablation), 26 patients had a collision site of two wavefronts of delayed atrial activation within ToK, indicating a success site. The activation-search function of Lumipoint software, which highlights only atrial activation with a spatiotemporal consistency, showed non-highlighted area on the tricuspid-annulus side of ToK. In 23 of the patients, a spiky potential was recorded at that collision site outside the Lumipoint-highlighted area. Fifteen cryoablation patients with a success site coincident with a collision site outside the Lumipoint-highlighted area had significantly more frequent disappearances of SP after initial cryoablation (46.7% vs. 0%, p = .029), fewer cryoablations (3.7 ± 1.8 vs. 5.3 ± 1.3, p = .045), and shorter procedure times (170 ± 57 vs. 228 ± 91 min, p = .082) compared to the seven cryoablation patients without such sites. Four patients had transient AV block by ablation inside the Lumipoint-highlighted area with fractionated signals, but no patient developed permanent AV block or recurrence post-procedure (median follow-up: 375 days). Conclusions: SP modification ablation at the collision site of atrial activation of the tricuspid-annulus side along with a spiky potential could provide a better outcome.

High hydrostatic pressure induces counterclockwise to clockwise reversals of the Escherichia coli flagellar motor.

The bacterial flagellar motor is a reversible rotary machine that rotates a left-handed helical filament, allowing bacteria to swim toward a more favorable environment. The direction of rotation reverses from counterclockwise (CCW) to clockwise (CW), and vice versa, in response to input from the chemotaxis signaling circuit. CW rotation is normally caused by binding of the phosphorylated response regulator CheY (CheY-P), and strains lacking CheY are typically locked in CCW rotation. The detailed mechanism of switching remains unresolved because it is technically difficult to regulate the level of CheY-P within the concentration range that produces flagellar reversals. Here, we demonstrate that high hydrostatic pressure can induce CW rotation even in the absence of CheY-P. The rotation of single flagellar motors in Escherichia coli cells with the cheY gene deleted was monitored at various pressures and temperatures. Application of >120 MPa pressure induced a reversal from CCW to CW at 20°C, although at that temperature, no motor rotated CW at ambient pressure (0.1 MPa). At lower temperatures, pressure-induced changes in direction were observed at pressures of <120 MPa. CW rotation increased with pressure in a sigmoidal fashion, as it does in response to increasing concentrations of CheY-P. Application of pressure generally promotes the formation of clusters of ordered water molecules on the surfaces of proteins. It is possible that hydration of the switch complex at high pressure induces structural changes similar to those caused by the binding of CheY-P.

Anomalous Dependence of Translational Diffusion on the Water Mole Fraction for Solute Molecules Dissolved in a 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate/Water Mixture.

Translational diffusion coefficients of carbon monoxide (CO), diphenylacetylene (DPA), and diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) were determined in mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4mim]BF4) and water using transient grating spectroscopy at different mole fractions of water (xw). While DPA exhibited a larger diffusion coefficient than DPCP at low water mole fractions (xw < 0.7), as observed for conventional liquids and ionic liquids (ILs), it was smaller at high mole fractions (xw > 0.9). The apparent molecular radius of DPA determined using the Stokes-Einstein equation at xw > 0.9 is close to the radius of an IL cluster in a water pool as determined from small-angle neutron scattering experiments (J. Bowers et al., Langmuir, 2004, 20, 2192-2198), suggesting that the DPA molecules are trapped in IL clusters in the water pool and move together. The solvation state of DPCP in the mixture was studied using Raman spectroscopy. Dramatically strong water/DPCP hydrogen bonding was observed at higher water mole fractions, suggesting that DPCP is located near the cluster interfaces. The large diffusion coefficient of DPCP suggests that hopping of DPCP between IL clusters occurs through hydrogen bonding with water.

Synthesis and structure-property relationships of 2,2'-bis(benzo[b]phosphole) and 2,2'-benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]heterole hybrid π systems.

The first comprehensive study of the synthesis and structure-property relationships of 2,2'-bis(benzo[b]phosphole)s and 2,2'-benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]heterole hybrid π systems is reported. 2-Bromobenzo[b]phosphole P-oxide underwent copper-assisted homocoupling (Ullmann coupling) and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling (Stille coupling) to give new classes of benzo[b]phosphole derivatives. The benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]thiophene and -indole derivatives were further converted to P,X-bridged terphenylenes (X = S, N) by a palladium-catalyzed oxidative cycloaddition reaction with 4-octyne through the C(ß)-H activation. X-ray analyses of three compounds showed that the benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]heterole derivatives have coplanar π planes as a result of the effective conjugation through inter-ring C-C bonds. The π-π* transition energies and redox potentials of the cis and trans isomers of bis(benzo[b]phosphole) P-oxide are very close to each other, suggesting that their optical and electrochemical properties are little affected by the relative stereochemistry at the two phosphorus atoms. The optical properties of the benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]heterole hybrids are highly dependent on the benzo[b]heterole subunits. Steady-state UV/Vis absorption/fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime measurements, and theoretical calculations of the non-fused and acetylene-fused benzo[b]phosphole-benzo[b]heterole π systems revealed that their emissive excited states consist of two different conformers in rapid equilibrium.

Free base and metal complexes of 5,15-diaza-10,20-dimesitylporphyrins: synthesis, structures, optical and electrochemical properties, and aromaticities.

The synthesis, structures, optical and electrochemical properties, and aromaticity of a series of 5,15-diaza-10,20-dimesitylporphyrins (M-DAP; M = Pb, H(2), Ni, Pd, Pt, Zn; mesityl = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) are reported. Treatment of mesityl-substituted bis(5,5'-dibromodipyrrin) with sodium azide in the presence of lead(II) acetylacetonate afforded Pb-DAP, which was quantitatively converted to H(2)-DAP by acidolysis. The free base H(2)-DAP reacted with palladium(II), platinum(II), and zinc(II) salts to give Pd-DAP, Pt-DAP, and Zn-DAP, respectively. The crystal structures, optical and electrochemical properties, and aromaticities of these ß-unsubstituted M-DAPs were comprehensively investigated by X-ray crystallography, UV-vis absorption/fluorescence spectroscopy, nanosecond flash photolysis, cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, NMR spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. The obtained data show that replacement of the 5- and 15-methine carbons with nitrogen atoms alters the intrinsic properties of the porphyrin 18π system as follows: (i) the coordination spheres at the N(4) core become contracted while keeping high planarity; (ii) the Q bands are red shifted and largely intensified; (iii) the electron-accepting ability is enhanced, whereas the electron-donating ability is reduced; (iv) the radiative decay rates from the S(1) state are enhanced; and (v) the aromaticity of the 18π circuit is slightly reduced in terms of both geometric and magnetic criteria. These optical and electrochemical properties of M-DAPs stem from their characteristic frontier orbitals; two HOMOs and two LUMOs are nondegenerate as a result of the incorporation of the electronegative nitrogen atoms at the two meso positions. In addition, the group 10 metals incorporated at the core finely tune the fundamental properties of DAP π systems through inductive effects as well as dπ-pπ antibonding orbital interactions; the HOMO-LUMO gaps of the group 10 metal complexes increase in the order Ni-DAP < Pd-DAP < Pt-DAP.

Solute-solvent hydrogen-bonding in room temperature ionic liquids studied by Raman spectroscopy.

The vibrational frequencies of the C=O + C=C band of diphenylcyclopropenone and the NH(2) stretching band of p-aminobenzonitrile were determined in various room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). The vibrational frequency shifts of the C=O + C=C stretching mode were compared with Kamlet α values, and frequency shifts of the NH(2) stretching mode were compared with Kamlet ß values. A nearly linear relationship was obtained for both parameters, although the solvatochromic parameters were more sensitive to changes of the cation species. Vibrational frequency calculations of a 1 : 1 cluster of p-aminobenzonitrile with the RTIL anions using DFT theory reproduced the observed frequency shifts of the NH(2) stretching mode fairly well. The frequency shifts of the CN stretching mode were well reproduced by the linear combination of dipolarity parameters, the hydrogen-bond donating and accepting parameters determined by the Raman shift of the solute molecule.

Local structures in ionic liquids probed and characterized by microscopic thermal diffusion monitored with picosecond time-resolved Raman spectroscopy.

Vibrational cooling rate of the first excited singlet (S(1)) state of trans-stilbene and bulk thermal diffusivity are measured for seven room temperature ionic liquids, C(2)mimTf(2)N, C(4)mimTf(2)N, C(4)mimPF(6), C(5)mimTf(2)N, C(6)mimTf(2)N, C(8)mimTf(2)N, and bmpyTf(2)N. Vibrational cooling rate measured with picosecond time-resolved Raman spectroscopy reflects solute-solvent and solvent-solvent energy transfer in a microscopic solvent environment. Thermal diffusivity measured with the transient grating method indicates macroscopic heat conduction capability. Vibrational cooling rate of S(1) trans-stilbene is known to have a good correlation with bulk thermal diffusivity in ordinary molecular liquids. In the seven ionic liquids studied, however, vibrational cooling rate shows no correlation with thermal diffusivity; the observed rates are similar (0.082 to 0.12 ps(-1) in the seven ionic liquids and 0.08 to 0.14 ps(-1) in molecular liquids) despite large differences in thermal diffusivity (5.4-7.5 × 10(-8) m(2) s(-1) in ionic liquids and 8.0-10 × 10(-8) m(2) s(-1) in molecular liquids). This finding is consistent with our working hypothesis that there are local structures characteristically formed in ionic liquids. Vibrational cooling rate is determined by energy transfer among solvent ions in a local structure, while macroscopic thermal diffusion is controlled by heat transfer over boundaries of local structures. By using "local" thermal diffusivity, we are able to simulate the vibrational cooling kinetics observed in ionic liquids with a model assuming thermal diffusion in continuous media. The lower limit of the size of local structure is estimated with vibrational cooling process observed with and without the excess energy. A quantitative discussion with a numerical simulation shows that the diameter of local structure is larger than 10 nm. If we combine this lower limit, 10 nm, with the upper limit, 100 nm, which is estimated from the transparency (no light scattering) of ionic liquids, an order of magnitude estimate of local structure is obtained as 10 nm < L < 100 nm, where L is the length or the diameter of the domain of local structure.

Origin of low melting point of ionic liquids: dominant role of entropy.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts with an extremely low melting point. Substantial efforts have been made to address their low melting point from the enthalpic standpoint (i.e. interionic interactions). However, this question is still open. In this study, we report our findings that entropic (large fusion entropy), rather than enthalpic, contributions are primarily responsible for lowering the melting point in many cases, based on a large thermodynamic dataset. We have established a computational protocol using molecular dynamics simulations to decompose fusion entropy into kinetic (translational, rotational, and intramolecular vibrational) and structural (conformational and configurational) terms and successfully applied this approach for two representatives of ILs and NaCl. It is revealed that large structural contribution, particularly configurational entropy in the liquid state, plays a deterministic role in the large fusion entropy and consequently the low melting point of the ILs.

Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer Reaction and Ground-State Hole Dynamics of 4'-N,N-Dialkylamino-3-hydroxyflavone in Ionic Liquids Studied by Transient Absorption Spectroscopy.

The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 4'-N,N-dialkylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (CnHF) having different alkyl chain lengths (ethyl, butyl, and octyl chains) was investigated in ionic liquids (ILs) by steady-state fluorescence and transient absorption spectroscopy. Upon photoexcitation, CnHF underwent ESIPT from the normal form to the tautomer form, and dual emissions from both states were detected. For C4HF and C8HF, the tautomerization yields determined from the fluorescence intensity ratios increased with the increasing number of alkyl chain carbon atoms in the cation and on reducing the excitation wavelength as reported for C2HF [K. Suda et al., J. Phys. Chem. B. 117, 12567 (2013)]. The transient absorption spectra of CnHF were measured at excitation wavelengths of 360, 400, and 450 nm. The ESIPT rate determined from the induced emission of the tautomer was correlated with the tautomerization yield for C2HF and C4HF. In addition, the recovery of the ground-state bleach was found to be strongly dependent on the excitation wavelength. This result indicates that the solvated state of the molecule before photoexcitation is dependent on the excitation wavelengths. The time constant for the ground-state relaxation was slower than that for the excited state.