Temperature and H/D Isotopic “Self-Organization” Effects in the IR Spectra of the Hydrogen Bond Tetramer Systems in 3,5-Diphenylpyrazole and 4-Methyl-1,2,4-triazolethione Crystals

Abstract

Polarized IR spectra of hydrogen-bonded 3,5-diphenylpyrazole and of 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolethione crystals were measured at 293 and 77 K in the νN-H and νN-D band frequency ranges. These crystals contain molecular tetramers in their lattices. The individual crystal spectral properties remain in close relation with the electronic structure of the two different molecular systems. We show that a vibronic coupling mechanism involving the hydrogen bond protons and the electrons on the π-electronic systems in the molecules determines the way in which the vibrational exciton coupling between the hydrogen bonds in the tetramers occurs. A strong coupling in 3,5-diphenylpyrazole tetramers prefers a "tail-to-head"-type Davydov coupling widespread via the π-electrons. A weak through-space exciton coupling in 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolethione tetramers involves two opposite hydrogen bonds in the cycles. The relative contributions of each exciton coupling mechanism in the tetramer spectra generation are temperature and the molecular electronic structure dependence. This explains the observed difference in the temperature-induced evolution of the compared spectra. The mechanism of the H/D isotopic ''self-organization'' processes in the crystal hydrogen bonds was also analyzed. The two types of hydrogen bond tetramers differ by the way in which the processes occur. In 3,5-diphenylpyrazole tetramers, identical hydrogen isotope atoms exist in the entire hydrogen bond system, whereas in the case of 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolethione crystals, the H/D isotopic self-organization mechanism involves the opposite hydrogen bonds in a tetramer.