Intermolecular Hydrogen Bond Strengthening Research Articles

Role of the intermolecular hydrogen bond in microsolvated of a kind of PRODAN derivative with methanol on excited state

The role of intermolecular hydrogen bond of PRODAN derivative is investigated based on density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Geometry analysis demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds are enhanced in S1 state. The red-shift phenomenon of fluorescence spectrum and IR spectrum as well as the energy of intermolecular hydrogen bond further confirm the intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in excited state. PRODAN-3a-MeOH has been electronically excited to S1 which is a local excitation. The small change of electron density occurred the interaction region of intermolecular can directly influence the intermolecular hydrogen bonding in S1 state.

Investigation of the Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding Effects on the Intramolecular Charge Transfer Process of Coumarin 340 in Tetrahydrofuran Solvent

Density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory methods were carried out to investigate the excited-state intramolecular charge transfer process (ICT) of coumarin 340 (C340) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent for the first time. The plotted electrostatic potential and optimized geometric structures vividly indicated that the intermolecular hydrogen bond can be formed between the N–H group of C340 monomer and the oxygen atom of THF solvent. The analysis of frontier molecular orbitals and the differences in electronegativity confirmed the occurrence of ICT process in hydrogen-bonded complex C340-THF upon photoexcitation. The results of calculated bond lengths and bond energies revealed that the intermolecular hydrogen bond in C340-THF is significantly strengthened in the first excited state. Furthermore, the calculated electronic spectra, non-covalent interactions and IR spectra provided strong evidence for the hydrogen bond reinforce. Based on the theoretical calculations, we demonstrated that the ICT process in C340-THF can be facilitated effectively by the excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening.

Triplet excited electronic state switching induced by hydrogen bonding: A transient absorption spectroscopy and time-dependent DFT study.

The solvent plays a decisive role in the photochemistry and photophysics of aromatic ketones. Xanthone (XT) is one such aromatic ketone and its triplet-triplet (T-T) absorption spectra show intriguing solvatochromic behavior. Also, the reactivity of XT towards H-atom abstraction shows an unprecedented decrease in protic solvents relative to aprotic solvents. Therefore, a comprehensive solvatochromic analysis of the triplet-triplet absorption spectra of XT was carried out in conjunction with time dependent density functional theory using the ad hoc explicit solvent model approach. A detailed solvatochromic analysis of the T-T absorption bands of XT suggests that the hydrogen bonding interactions are different in the corresponding triplet excited states. Furthermore, the contributions of non-specific and hydrogen bonding interactions towards differential solvation of the triplet states in protic solvents were found to be of equal magnitude. The frontier molecular orbital and electron density difference analysis of the T1 and T2 states of XT indicates that the charge redistribution in these states leads to intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening and weakening, respectively, relative to the S0 state. This is further supported by the vertical excitation energy calculations of the XT-methanol supra-molecular complex. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding potential energy curves obtained for this complex in the S0, T1, and T2 states support the model. In summary, we propose that the different hydrogen bonding mechanisms exhibited by the two lowest triplet excited states of XT result in a decreasing role of the nπ(∗) triplet state, and are thus responsible for its reduced reactivity towards H-atom abstraction in protic solvents.

New insights into the solvent-assisted excited-state double proton transfer of 2-(1H-pyrazol-5-yl)pyridine with alcoholic partners: A TDDFT investigation

Excited-state double proton transfer (ESDPT) in the hydrogen-bonded 2-(1H-pyrazol-5-yl)pyridine with propyl alcoholic partner (PPP) was theoretically investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. Great changes have taken place for the calculated geometric structures, the electron density features and vibrational spectrum of PPP system in S0 and S1 state. Our results have demonstrated that ESDPT reaction happens within the system upon photoexcitation. We also found that the ESDPT process is facilitated by the electronically excited state intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening. Particularly, after the photoexcitation from HOMO(π) to the LUMO(π∗), the rearrangement of electronic density distribution of frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) on pyridine and the pyrazol moieties exhibits a very important positive factor for the ESDPT. Furthermore, by the investigation of the stretching vibrations of NH and OH groups, the infrared (IR) spectroscopic results provide us not only a theoretical evidence of ESDPT, but also a considerable clue to characterize the nature of intermolecular reaction. In addition, efforts have also been devoted towards calculating the absorption peak, which shows good consistency with the experimental result of the studied system.

Photoinduced coupled twisted intramolecular charge transfer and excited-state proton transfer via intermolecular hydrogen bonding: A DFT/TD-DFT study

We discuss theoretically the geometric and electronic structure properties of the thiazolidinedione derivative A and its hydrogen-bonded complex in dimethylformamide (DMF) solution in the S0 and S1 states. To gain insight into the photoinduced coupled excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) and twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) associated with intermolecular hydrogen bonding, the potential energy profiles are provided along the OH bond and the twisted angle. It is predicted that TICT in S1 can facilitate ESPT initiated by intermolecular hydrogen-bond strengthening in the S1 state. The coupling of ESPT and TICT is energetically preferable.

Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding effects on photophysics and photochemistry

Intermolecular hydrogen bonding, as an important site-specific interaction between hydrogen donor and acceptor molecules both in the gas phase and in solution, plays a significant role and has a remarkable influence on the photophysics and photochemistry of chromophores in the hydrogen-bonding surroundings. In recent years, the excited-state structures and dynamics of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding have been widely investigated by using both the experimental and theoretical methods. This review article focuses on the recent research progress of the important intermolecular hydrogen-bonding effects on the non-adiabatic photophysical processes and photochemical reactions. Firstly, the corresponding relationship between electronic spectral red-shift or blue-shift and excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening or weakening has been clarified. A dynamic equilibrium induced by the intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in the electronically excited state of fluorenone chromophore was used to explain the steady-state spectral features. The stepwise mechanism of excited-state double proton transfer reaction for the 2-aminopyridine/acid systems was demonstrated. The role of intermolecular hydrogen bonding on the excited-state proton transfer in the sensing mechanism of fluorescent probes has also been discussed. Moreover, a dihydrogen-bonded complex formed by borane-trimethylamine and phenol showed interesting geometric structures and infared spectrum in electronically excited state.

Cooperative Excited-state Hydrogen Bond Strengthening and Weakening and Concerted Excited-State Proton Transfer and Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer of Thiazolidinedione Derivatives in Solution

The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method has been performed to investigate the photochemical properties of the hydrogen-bonded complexes of thiazolidinedione derivatives with dimethylformamide (DMF), water and methanol solvents. A cooperative mechanism of the excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening and weakening upon photoexcitation has been proposed for the TZD-A-2DMF trimer. Moreover, we have also first demonstrated that the excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) and twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) are coupled together in TZD-A-DMF dimer and significantly facilitated by the excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bonding. When TZD-C is dissolved in protic solvents, e.g. water and methanol, the hydrogen bond is further assessed for its specific role in understanding the photochemistry properties of TZD-C. AMS subject classifications: 65D18, 74E40, 78M50

Fluorescence Quenching of Hydrogen-Bonded Coumarin 102-Phenol Complex: Effect of Excited-State Hydrogen Bonding Strength

The fate of intermolecular hydrogen bond (H-bond) upon electronic excitation of a H-bonded complex has been debated in literature. For a model H-bonded complex, coumarin 102 (C102)-phenol in a noninteracting solvent ethylene tetrachloride, time-resolved infrared spectroscopy experiment of Nibbering and coworkers suggests that the H-bond between the C102 and phenol ruptures upon electronic excitation (C. Chudoba et al. J. Phys. Chem. A1999, 103, 5625-5628). On the contrary, Zhao and Han have demonstrated for the first time that the intermolecular hydrogen bond is significantly strengthened, while not disrupted, in the electronically excited states of the hydrogen-bonded complexes upon electronic excitation using the time-dependent density functional theory method (G. J. Zhao and K. L. Han J. Phys. Chem. A2007, 111, 2469-2474). The two excited-state hydrogen bonding dynamics mechanisms have widely different predictions of the emission or electronic relaxation of the excited H-bonded complex. The excited-state hydrogen-bond strengthening mechanism proposed by Zhao and Han anticipates a stronger intermolecular interaction, while the H-bond breaking mechanism speculates no interaction between C102 and phenol. The speculation has been tested here on the same system (H-bonded C102-phenol complex) in another noninteracting solvent cyclohexane. We found a strong quenching of the C102 emission in the H-bonded complex. Selectively excited (λex = 405 nm) H-bonded complex relaxes on a fast time scale of 400-600 ps and may be attributed to the conversion of the locally excited (LE) state to a nonfluorescent charge transfer (CT) state assisted by the strong excited-state H-bond formation. A minor component (∼10%) of 2.5 to 1.8 ns is ascribed to the LE complex without a H-bond. The findings are in accordance with the new fluorescence quenching mechanism that the excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening facilitates CT from phenol to coumarin in the excited state (G. J. Zhao et al. J. Phys. Chem. B2007, 111, 8940-8945). Fluorescence quenching was absent for anisole, where H-bond formation is not possible and was more pronounced for p-Cl-phenol, where even stronger H-bonding is expected.

“Additive” cooperativity of hydrogen bonds in complexes of catechol with proton acceptors in the gas phase: FTIR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations

Experimental study of hydrogen bond cooperativity in hetero-complexes in the gas phase was carried out by IR-spectroscopy method. Stretching vibration frequencies of OH groups in phenol and catechol molecules as well as of their complexes with nitriles and ethers were determined in the gas phase using a specially designed cell. OH groups experimental frequency shifts in the complexes of catechol induced by the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds are significantly higher than in the complexes of phenol due to the hydrogen bond cooperativity. It was shown that the cooperativity factors of hydrogen bonds in the complexes of catechol with nitriles and ethers in the gas phase are approximately the same. Quantum chemical calculations of the studied systems have been performed using density functional theory (DFT) methods. It was shown, that theoretically obtained cooperativity factors of hydrogen bonds in the complexes of catechol with proton acceptors are in good agreement with experimental values. Cooperative effects lead to a strengthening of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the complexes of catechol on about 30%, despite the significant difference in the proton acceptor ability of the bases. The analysis within quantum theory of atoms in molecules was carried out for the explanation of this fact.

Hydrogen Bonding in the Electronic Excited State

Because of its fundamental importance in many branches of science, hydrogen bonding is a subject of intense contemporary research interest. The physical and chemical properties of hydrogen bonds in the ground state have been widely studied both experimentally and theoretically by chemists, physicists, and biologists. However, hydrogen bonding in the electronic excited state, which plays an important role in many photophysical processes and photochemical reactions, has scarcely been investigated. Upon electronic excitation of hydrogen-bonded systems by light, the hydrogen donor and acceptor molecules must reorganize in the electronic excited state because of the significant charge distribution difference between the different electronic states. The electronic excited-state hydrogen-bonding dynamics, which are predominantly determined by the vibrational motions of the hydrogen donor and acceptor groups, generally occur on ultrafast time scales of hundreds of femtoseconds. As a result, state-of-the-art femtosecond time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy is used to directly monitor the ultrafast dynamical behavior of hydrogen bonds in the electronic excited state. It is important to note that the excited-state hydrogen-bonding dynamics are coupled to the electronic excitation. Fortunately, the combination of femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy and accurate quantum chemistry calculations of excited states resolves this issue in laser experiments. Through a comparison of the hydrogen-bonded complex to the separated hydrogen donor or acceptor in ground and electronic excited states, the excited-state hydrogen-bonding structure and dynamics have been obtained. Moreover, we have also demonstrated the importance of hydrogen bonding in many photophysical processes and photochemical reactions. In this Account, we review our recent advances in electronic excited-state hydrogen-bonding dynamics and the significant role of electronic excited-state hydrogen bonding on internal conversion (IC), electronic spectral shifts (ESS), photoinduced electron transfer (PET), fluorescence quenching (FQ), intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT). The combination of various spectroscopic experiments with theoretical calculations has led to tremendous progress in excited-state hydrogen-bonding research. We first demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bond in the electronic excited state is greatly strengthened for coumarin chromophores and weakened for thiocarbonyl chromophores. We have also clarified that the intermolecular hydrogen-bond strengthening and weakening correspond to red-shifts and blue-shifts, respectively, in the electronic spectra. Moreover, radiationless deactivations (via IC, PET, ICT, MLCT, and so on) can be dramatically influenced through the regulation of electronic states by hydrogen-bonding interactions. Consequently, the fluorescence of chromophores in hydrogen-bonded surroundings is quenched or enhanced by hydrogen bonds. Our research expands our understanding of the nature of hydrogen bonding by delineating the interaction between hydrogen bonds and photons, thereby providing a basis for excited-state hydrogen bonding studies in photophysics, photochemistry, and photobiology.

Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Study on the Electronic Excited State of Hydrogen-Bonded Clusters Formed by 2-Hydroxybenzonitrile (o-Cyanophenol) and Carbon Monoxide

Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method has been carried out to investigate excited-state hydrogen-bonding dynamics between 2-hydroxybenzonitrile (o-cyanophenol) and carbon monoxide. We have demonstrated that intermolecular hydrogen bond between 2-hydroxybenzonitrile (o-cyanophenol) and C=O group are significantly strengthened in the electronically excited state by theoretically monitoring the changes of the bond lengths of hydrogen bonds and hydrogen-bonding groups in different electronic states. In this study, we firstly analyze frontier molecular orbitals (MOs). Our results are consistent with the intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in the electronically excited state of Coumarin 102 in alcoholic solvents, which has been demonstrated for the first time by Zhao and Han. Moreover, the calculated electronic excitation energies of the hydrogen bonding C=O and O–H groups are markedly red-shifted upon photoexcitation, which illustrates the hydrogen bonds strengthen in the electronically excited state again. And the geometric structures in both ground state and the S1 state of this hydrogen-bonded complex are calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) and TDDFT methods, respectively.

Role of Intramolecular and Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding in Both Singlet and Triplet Excited States of Aminofluorenones on Internal Conversion, Intersystem Crossing, and Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer

Time-dependent density functional theory method was performed to investigate the intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding in both the singlet and triplet electronic excited states of aminofluorenones AF, MAF, and DMAF in alcoholic solutions as well as their important roles on the excited-state photophysical processes of these aminofluorenones, such as internal conversion, intersystem crossing (ISC), twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT), and so forth. The intramolecular hydrogen bond C=O...H-N can be formed between the carbonyl group and amino group for the isolated AF and MAF. However, no intramolecular hydrogen bond for DMAF can be formed. At the same time, the most stable conformation of DMAF is out-of-plane structure, where the two dihedral angles formed between dimethyl groups and fluorenone plane are 163.1 degrees and 41.74 degrees, respectively. The formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond for AF and MAF is tightly associated with the intersystem crossing of these aminofluorenones. Furthermore, the ISC process can be dominantly determined by the change of intramolecular hydrogen bond between S(1) and T(1) states of aminofluorenones. Since the change of hydrogen bond between S(1) and T(1) states of AF is stronger than that of MAF, the rate of ISC process for AF is faster than that for MAF. Moreover, the rate constant of the ISC process of DMAF is nearly close to zero because of the absence of intramolecular hydrogen bond. On the other hand, the intermolecular hydrogen bond C=O...H-O can be also formed between all aminofluorenones and alcoholic solvents. The internal conversion process from S(1) to S(0) state of these aminofluorenones is facilitated by the intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in the electronic excited state of aminofluorenones because of the decrease of energy gap between S(1) and S(0) states. At the same time, the change of intermolecular hydrogen bond between S(1) and T(1) states for AF is much stronger than that for MAF, which may also contribute to the faster ISC process for AF than that for MAF in the same solvents. The TICT process plays an important role in the deactivation of the photoexcited DMAF, since the TICT process along the twisted dihedral angle is nearly barrierless in the S(1) state of DMAF. However, the TICT cannot take place for AF and MAF because of the presence of the intramolecular hydrogen bond.

Revisiting the electronic excited-state hydrogen bonding dynamics of coumarin chromophore in alcohols: Undoubtedly strengthened not cleaved

In the present work, the electronic excited-state hydrogen bonding dynamics of coumarin chromophore in alcohols is revisited. The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method has been performed to investigate the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between Coumarin 151 (C151) and methanol (MeOH) solvent in the electronic excited state. Three types of intermolecular hydrogen bonds can be formed in the hydrogen-bonded C151–(MeOH) 3 complex. We have demonstrated again that intermolecular hydrogen bonds between C151 and methanol molecules can be significantly strengthened upon photoexcitation to the electronically excited state of C151 chromophore. Our results are consistent with the intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in the electronically excited state of Coumarin 102 in alcoholic solvents, which has been demonstrated for the first time by Zhao et al. At the same time, the electronic excited-state hydrogen bond cleavage mechanism of photoexcited coumarin chromophores in alcohols proposed in some other studies about the hydrogen bonding dynamics is undoubtedly excluded. Hence, we believe that the two contrary dynamic mechanisms for intermolecular hydrogen bonding in electronically excited states of coumarin chromophores in alcohols are clarified here.

Time‐dependent density functional theory study on hydrogen‐bonded intramolecular charge‐transfer excited state of 4‐dimethylamino‐benzonitrile in methanol

The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method was carried out to investigate the hydrogen-bonded intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) excited state of 4-dimethylaminobenzonitrile (DMABN) in methanol (MeOH) solvent. We demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bond C[triple bond]N...H-O formed between DMABN and MeOH can induce the C[triple bond]N stretching mode shift to the blue in both the ground state and the twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) state of DMABN. Therefore, the two components at 2091 and 2109 cm(-1) observed in the time-resolved infrared (TRIR) absorption spectra of DMABN in MeOH solvent were reassigned in this work. The hydrogen-bonded TICT state should correspond to the blue-side component at 2109 cm(-1), whereas not the red-side component at 2091 cm(-1) designated in the previous study. It was also demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bond C[triple bond]N...H-O is significantly strengthened in the TICT state. The intermolecular hydrogen bond strengthening in the TICT state can facilitate the deactivation of the excited state via internal conversion (IC), and thus account for the fluorescence quenching of DMABN in protic solvents. Furthermore, the dynamic equilibrium of these electronically excited states is explained by the hydrogen bond strengthening in the TICT state.