Photoinduced Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer of New Schiff Base Derivatives with Extended Conjugated Chromophores: A Comprehensive Theoretical Survey

Abstract

AbstractThis paper presented comprehensive theoretical investigation of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of four new large Schiff base derivatives with extended conjugated chromophores. The properties of the ground state and the excited state of phototautomers of C1 to C4 [C1: 2‐(4′‐nitro‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C2: 2‐(4′‐cyano‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C3: 2‐(4′‐methoxyl‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C4: 2‐(4′‐N,N‐diethylamino‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol], which included geometrical parameter, energy, rate constant, frontier orbit, Mulliken charge, dipole moment change, were studied by DFT (density functional theory), CIS (configuration interaction singles‐excitation), TDDFT (time‐dependent DFT) methods to analyze the effects of chromophore part on the occurrence of ESIPT and the role of substituent groups. The structural parameter calculation showed that the shorter RHN and larger ROH from enol to enol* form, and less twisted configuration in the excited state implied that these molecules could undergo ESIPT as excitation. Stable transition states and a low energy barrier were observed for C1 to C4. This suggested that chromophore part increased some difficulty to undergo ESIPT for these molecules, while the possibility of occurrence of ESIPT was quite high. The negative ΔE* (−9.808 and −9.163 kJ/mol) of C1 and C2 and positive ΔE* (0.599 and 1.029 kJ/mol) of C3 and C4 indicated that withdrawing substituent groups were favorable for the occurrence of ESIPT. The reaction rate constants of proton transfer of these compounds were calculated in the S0 and S1 states respectively, and the high rate constants of these compounds were observed at S1 state. C1 even reached at 1.45×1015 s−1 in the excited state, which is much closed to 2.05×1015 s−1 of the parent moiety (salicylidene methylamine). Electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituent groups had different effects on the electron density distribution of frontier orbits and Mulliken charges of the atoms, resulting in different dipole moment changes in enol*→keto* process. These differences in turn suggested that C1 and C2 had more ability to undergo ESIPT than C3 and C4. The ultraviolet/visible absorption spectra, normal fluorescence emission spectra and ESIPT fluorescence emission spectra of these compounds were predicted in theory.