Energy- and conformer-dependent excited-state relaxation of an E/Z photoswitchable thienyl-ethene.
Phys Chem Chem Phys
; 21(26): 14440-14452, 2019 Jul 14.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30920561
ABSTRACT
Bis(bithienyl)-1,2-dicyanoethene (4TCE) is a photoswitch that operates via reversible E/Z photoisomerization following absorption of visible light. cis-to-trans photoisomerization of 4TCE requires excitation below 470 nm, is relatively inefficient (quantum yield < 5%) and occurs via the lowest-lying triplet. We present excitation-wavelength dependent (565-420 nm) transient absorption (TA) studies to probe the photophysics of cis-to-trans isomerization to identify sources of switching inefficiency. TA data reveals contributions from more than one switch conformer and relaxation cascades between multiple states. Fast (â¼4 ps) and slow (â¼40 ps) components of spectral dynamics observed at low excitation energies (>470 nm) are readily attributed to deactivation of two conformers; this assignment is supported by computed thermal populations and absorption strengths of two molecular geometries (PA and PB) characterized by roughly parallel dipoles for the thiophenes on opposite sides of the ethene bond. Only the PB conformer is found to contribute to triplet population and the switching of cis-4TCE high-energy excitation (<470 nm) of PB involves direct excitation to S2, relaxation from which prepares an ISC-active S1 geometry (ISC QY 0.4-0.67, kISCâ¼ 1.6-2.6 × 10-9 s-1) that is the gateway to triplet population and isomerization. We ascribe low cis-to-trans isomerization yield to excitation of the nonreactive PA conformer (75-85% loss) as well as loses along the PB S2â S1â T1 cascade (10-20% loss). In contrast, electrocyclization is inhibited by the electronic character of the excited states, as well as a non-existent thermal population of a reactive "antiparallel" ring conformation.
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MEDLINE
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En
Ano de publicação:
2019
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Article