Pi-conjugated Systems Research Articles

Electron delocalization in cross-conjugated p-phenylenevinylidene oligomers.

The synthesis, structure, and electronic properties of a series of cross-conjugated p-phenylenevinylidene oligomers with one to four double bonds are reported. The X-ray crystal structure of the compound with two double bonds reveals a nonplanar conformation with torsion angles about the C(phenylene)-C(vinylidene) and C(phenyl)-C(vinylidene) formal single bonds of 39.5(2) degrees and 30.5(2) degrees, respectively. Admixture of quinoid character in the ground state is observed. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy do not provide a clear picture of the degree of electron delocalization in the series, since the C=C stretching mode does not adequately reflect the C=C bond order and has a local nature. In contrast, electronic spectra and electrochemical data, as well as AM1 and PPP/SCF calculations, reveal that the cross-conjugated compounds basically behave as linearly pi-conjugated systems in the sense that molecular orbitals are delocalized over the entire structure and systematically change in energy. The electronic interaction between the repeating units is, however, not very strong, which has the consequence that spatial extension of the molecular orbitals does not lead to a red shift of the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) electronic transition. This is related to the feature that the modest narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap with the chain length is accompanied by a relatively large reduction of electron repulsion. This finding implies that care should be taken in the use of electronic spectra for the evaluation of conjugation phenomena.

Competition and selectivity in the reaction of nitriles on ge(100)-2x1.

We have experimentally investigated bonding of the nitrile functional group (R-Ctbd1;N:) on the Ge(100)-2x1 surface with multiple internal reflection infrared spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculations are used to help explain trends in the data. Several probe molecules, including acetonitrile, 2-propenenitrile, 3-butenenitrile, and 4-pentenenitrile, were studied to elucidate the factors controlling selectivity and competition on this surface. It is found that acetonitrile does not react on the Ge(100)-2x1 surface at room temperature, a result that can be understood with thermodynamic and kinetic arguments. A [4+2] cycloaddition product through the conjugated pi system and a [2+2] C=C cycloaddition product through the alkene are found to be the dominant surface adducts for the multifunctional molecule 2-propenenitrile. These two surface products are evidenced, respectively, by an extremely intense nu(C=C=N), or ketenimine stretch, at 1954 cm(-)(1) and the nu(Ctbd1;N) stretch near 2210 cm(-)(1). While the non-conjugated molecules 3-butenenitrile and 4-pentenenitrile are not expected to form a [4+2] cycloaddition product, both show vibrational modes near 1954 cm(-)(1). Additional investigation suggests that 3-butenenitrile can isomerize to 2-butenenitrile, a conjugated nitrile, before introduction into the vacuum chamber, explaining the presence of the vibrational modes near 1954 cm(-)(1). Pathways directly involving only the nitrile functional group are thermodynamically unfavorable at room temperature on Ge(100)-2x1, demonstrating that this functional group may prove useful as a vacuum-compatible protecting group.

Photomechanical actuation and manipulation of the electronic properties of linear pi-conjugated systems.

A photodynamic molecular architecture has been synthesized by covalent fixation of a photoisomerizable azobenzene group at two fixed points of a conformationally flexible pi-conjugated quaterthiophene chain. The crystallographic structure shows that the two systems lie in parallel planes with a short interplane distance. Theoretical modelization and experimental analysis by 1H NMR and cyclic voltammetry unequivocally show that trans to cis photoisomerization of the azobenzene group induces dimensional and conformational changes in the underlying pi-conjugated system. These geometrical changes produce, in turn, an increase of the HOMO level and a narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap, thus providing a first example of photomechanical control of the electronic properties of the pi-conjugated system.

Investigation of Zr−C, Zr−N, and Potential Agostic Interactions in an Organozirconium Complex by Experimental Electron Density Analysis

The crystal structure and electron density (ED) distribution of an imine coupling product with an open zirconocene, Zr(2,4-C(7)H(11))[(i-Pr)NCHPhCH(2)CMe=CHCMe=CH(2)] (C(7)H(11) = dimethylpentadienyl), have been derived from accurate synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. The molecular structure reveals asymmetric coordination of Zr by the pentadienyl (2,4-C(7)H(11)) ligand (<Zr-C> = 2.56(6) A), the butadiene fragment (<Zr-C> = 2.43(5) A), and the amide nitrogen atom (Zr-N = 2.0312(5) A) of the second ligand. The study of the ED and its topological analysis affords new insight into the bonding and electronic structure of the title zirconium complex. The interactions between the metal center and the ligands are represented by a Zr-N bond path and one Zr-C bond path with each of the pentadienyl and butadiene moieties, contrary to the usually depicted global metal-ligand bonding. The butadiene and pentadienyl groups exhibit a polarization of the corresponding pi-like ED in the C-Zr directions, indicating that the whole conjugated systems are nonetheless involved. The 4d atomic orbitals of Zr exhibit unusual populations according to ligand field considerations, which reveal a high degree of sigma-donation from the conjugated pi systems of both ligands. As deduced from numerical integration over the topologically defined atomic basins, the Zr to ligand charge transfer is 1.48 e to the C(17)NH(24) ligand and 0.68 e to dimethylpentadienyl. Topological analysis of a short intramolecular Zr.(C,H) contact provides no indication of the presence of agostic interactions, despite a small Zr-N-C angle of 102.87(4) degrees. Thus, no bond path and BCP (bond critical point) of the ED are found in the Zr.(C,H) region, which would have provided evidence for such direct interactions, nor is there any evidence for charge accumulation between the Zr and H atoms, or for lengthening of the C-H bond involved in the putative interaction. These characteristics, similar to those in other distorted situations, may be common for other electron-deficient d(0) complexes.

Crown-annelated oligothiophenes as model compounds for molecular actuation.

Crown-annelated quater- (4T) and sexithiophenes (6T) with oligooxyethylene chains of various lengths attached at the 3-positions of the terminal thiophene rings have been synthesized. Analysis of the cation-binding properties of the macrocycles by (1)H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy reveals the formation of a 1:1 complex with Ba(2+), Sr(2+), or Pb(2+) and shows that cation complexation results in a conformational transition in the pi-conjugated system. Theoretical analysis of this process by density functional methods predicts that this conformational transition results in a narrowing of the highest occupied-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap of the conjugated system with a decrease of the redox potentials (E(0)(1) and E(0)(2)) associated with the formation of the 4T cation radical and dication. Cyclic voltammetry shows that, depending on the binding constant, the presence of metal cation produces a negative or a positive shift of E(0)(1) while E(0)(2) always shifts negatively. This unusual behavior is discussed in terms of interplay between electrostatic interactions and conformational changes associated with cation binding.

Electroluminescence in ruthenium(II) complexes.

We have investigated the electrochemical, spectroscopic, and electroluminescent properties of a family of diimine complexes of Ru featuring various aliphatic side chains as well as a more extended pi-conjugated system. The performance of solid-state electroluminescent devices fabricated from these complexes using indium tin oxide (ITO) and gold contacts appears to be dominated by ionic space charge effects. Their electroluminescence efficiency was limited by the photoluminescence efficiency of the Ru films and not by charge injection from the contacts. The incorporation of di-tert-butyl side chains on the dipyridyl ligand was found to be the most beneficial substitution in terms of reducing self-quenching of luminescence.

Combined QM/MM study of the opsin shift in bacteriorhodopsin.

Combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations and molecular dynamics simulations of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) in the membrane matrix have been carried out to determine the factors that make significant contributions to the opsin shift. We found that both solvation and interactions with the protein significantly shifts the absorption maximum of the retinal protonated Schiff base, but the effects are much more pronounced in polar solvents such as methanol, acetonitrile, and water than in the protein environment. The differential solvatochromic shifts of PSB in methanol and in bR leads to a bathochromic shift of about 1800 cm(-1). Because the combined QM/MM configuration interaction calculation is essentially a point charge model, this contribution is attributed to the extended point-charge model of Honig and Nakanishi. The incorporation of retinal in bR is accompanied by a change in retinal conformation from the 6-s-cis form in solution to the 6-s-trans configuration in bR. The extension of the pi-conjugated system further increases the red-shift by 2400 cm(-1). The remaining factors are due to the change in dispersion interactions. Using an estimate of about 1000 cm(-1) in the dispersion contribution by Houjou et al., we obtained a theoretical opsin shift of 5200 cm(-1) in bR, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 5100 cm(-1). Structural analysis of the PSB binding site revealed the specific interactions that make contributions to the observed opsin shift. The combined QM/MM method used in the present study provides an opportunity to accurately model the photoisomerization and proton transfer reactions in bR.

Colorimetric fluoride ion sensing by boron-containing pi-electron systems.

The boron-containing pi-conjugated systems, including tri(9-anthryl)borane (1) and tris[(10-dimesitylboryl)-9-anthryl]borane (2), have been investigated as a new type of fluoride chemosensor. Upon complexation of 1 with a fluoride ion, a significant color change from orange to colorless was observed and, in the UV-visible absorption spectra, the characteristic band of 1 at 470 nm disappeared and new bands around 360-400 nm assignable to pi-pi transitions of the anthryl moieties were observed. This change can be rationalized as a result of the interruption of the pi-conjugation extended through the vacant p-orbital of the boron atom by the formation of the corresponding fluoroborate. The binding constant of compound 1 with the fluoride ion was quite high [(2.8 +/- 0.3) x 10(5) M(-1)], whereas 1 only showed small binding constants with AcO- and OH- of around 10(3) M(-1) and no sensitivity to other halide ions such as Cl-, Br-, and I-, thus demonstrating its selective sensing ability to the fluoride ion. In contrast to the monoboron system 1, compound 2 having four boron atoms showed multistage changes in the absorption spectra by the stepwise complexation with fluoride ions.

Elongation of the pi-system of phthalocyanines by introduction of thienyl substituents at the peripheral beta positions. Synthesis and characterization.

1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxyphthalocyanines ((OBu)8Pcs) having eight 2-thienyl (1) and [2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl (2) groups at beta positions and their zinc(II) and cobalt(II) derivatives were prepared from 2-thienyl- (3) or [2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl (4)-substituted phthalonitriles in moderate to good yields. The electronic absorption spectra of the Pcs showed red-shifted Q-bands relative to beta-unsubstituted (OBu)8Pcs. The longer substituent, the [2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl group, is more effective than the 2-thienyl group in enlarging the pi-conjugated system of the Pcs. The ring oxidation potential obtained by cyclic voltammetry shifted cathodically with increasing chain length, indicating destabilization of the HOMOs. Due to the shift of the Q-band, 2-thienyl- and [2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl-substituted Pcs exhibit a remarkable color change from the original green color.

Photophysics of pi-conjugated metal-organic oligomers: aryleneethynylenes that contain the (bpy)Re(CO)(3)Cl chromophore.

A comprehensive study of a series of four monodisperse, metal-organic pi-conjugated oligomers of varying length is reported. The oligomers are based on the aryleneethynylene architecture, and they contain a 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-diyl (bpy) metal binding unit. The photophysical properties of the free oligomers and their complexes with the (L)Re(I)(CO)(3)X chromophore (where L = the bpy-oligomer and X = Cl or NCCH(3)) were explored by a variety of methods including electrochemistry, UV-visible absorption, variable temperature photoluminescence (PL), transient absorption (TA), and time-resolved electron paramagnetic spectroscopy (TREPR). The absorption of the free oligomers and the metal complexes is dominated by the pi,pi* transitions of the pi-conjugated oligomers. The free oligomers feature a strong blue fluorescence that is quenched entirely in the (L)Re(I)(CO)(3)X complexes. The metal-oligomers feature a weak, relatively long-lived red photoluminescence that is assigned to emission from both the (3)pi,pi* manifold of the pi-conjugated system and the dpi Re --> pi* bpy-oligomer metal-to-ligand charge transfer ((3)MLCT) state. On the basis of a detailed analysis of the PL, TA, and TREPR results an excited-state model is developed which indicates that the oligomer-based (3)pi,pi* state and the (3)MLCT states are in close energetic proximity. Consequently the photophysical properties reflect a composite of the properties of the two excited-state manifolds.

ATOP dyes. optimization of a multifunctional merocyanine chromophore for high refractive index modulation in photorefractive materials.

This paper reports synthesis, characterization and structural optimization of amino-thienyl-dioxocyano-pyridine (ATOP) chromophores toward a multifunctional amorphous material with unprecedented photorefractive performance. The structural (dynamic NMR, XRD) and electronic (UV/vis, electrooptical absorption, Kerr effect measurements) characterization of the ATOP chromophore revealed a cyanine-type pi-conjugated system with an intense and narrow absorption band (epsilon(max) = 140 000 L mol(-)(1) cm(-)(1)), high polarizability anisotropy (deltaalpha(0) = 55 x 10(-)(40) C V(-)(1) m(2)), and a large dipole moment (13 D). This combination of molecular electronic properties is a prerequisite for strong electrooptical response in photorefractive materials with low glass-transition temperature (T(g)). Other important materials-related properties such as compatibility with the photoconducting poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) host matrix, low melting point, low T(g), and film-forming capabilities were optimized by variation of four different alkyl substituents attached to the ATOP core. A morphologically stable PVK-based composite containing 40 wt % of ATOP-3 showed an excellent photorefractive response characterized by a refractive index modulation of Deltan approximately 0.007 and a gain coefficient of Gamma approximately 180 cm(-)(1) at a moderate electrical field strength of E = 35 V microm(-)(1). Even larger effects were observed with thin amorphous films consisting of the pure glass-forming dye ATOP-4 (T(g) = 16 degrees C) and 1 wt % of the photosensitizer 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenylidene-malononitrile (TNFM). This material showed complete internal diffraction at a field strength of only E = 10 V microm(-)(1) and Deltan reached 0.01 at only E = 22 V microm(-)(1) without addition of any specific photoconductor.

Photophysics and electron transfer in poly(3-octylthiophene) alternating with Ru(II)- and Os(II)-bipyridine complexes.

A series of soluble metal-organic polymers that contain Ru(II)- and Os(II)-polypyridine complexes interspersed within a pi-conjugated poly(3-octylthiophene) backbone are prepared. Detailed electrochemical and photophysical studies are carried out on the polymers and two model complexes to determine the extent that the metal-polypyridine units interact with the pi-conjugated system. The results indicate that there is a strong electronic interaction between the metal-based chromophores and the pi-conjugated organic segments, and consequently the photophysical properties are not simply based on the sum of the properties of the individual components. In the Ru(II) polymers, the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state is slightly higher in energy than the 3 pi,pi* state of the poly(3-octylthiophene) backbone. This state ordering results in a material that displays only a weak MLCT luminescence and a long-lived transient absorption spectrum that is dominated by the 3 pi,pi* state. In the Os(II) polymer the MLCT state is lower in energy than the polythiophene-based 3 pi,pi* state and the "unperturbed" MLCT emission is observed. Finally, all of the metal-organic polymers undergo photoinduced bimolecular electron-transfer (ET) reactions with the oxidative quencher dimethyl viologen. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that photoinduced ET to dimethyl viologen produces the oxidized polymers, and in most cases, the transient spectra are dominated by features characteristic of a poly(3-octylthiophene) polaron.

Acetylenic Coupling: A Powerful Tool in Molecular Construction

Acetylenic coupling is currently experiencing some of the most intensive study of its long history. Rigid and sterically undemanding di- and oligoacetylene moieties, which are frequently encountered in natural products, are finding increasing application as key structural elements in synthetic receptors for molecular recognition. Interesting electronic and optical properties of extensively pi-conjugated systems have spurred research into new linear oligoalkynes and acetylenic carbon allotropes. The synthetic challenges associated with these efforts have in turn spawned new methods. While classical Glaser conditions are still frequently used for homocoupling, the demand for increasingly selective heterocoupling conditions has provided the focus of research over the past decades. These efforts have undoubtedly been hampered by a relatively poor mechanistic understanding of these processes. More recently, palladium-catalyzed coupling methods have led to improvements in both the selectivity and reliability of acetylenic homo- and heterocouplings and paved the way for their application to ever more complicated systems. The variety of acetylenic coupling protocols, the current mechanistic understanding, and their application in natural product and targeted synthesis are discussed comprehensively for the first time in this review, with an emphasis on the most recently developed methods, and their application to the synthesis of complex macromolecular structures.

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde 4,5-diazafluoren-9-ylidenehydrazone

The whole molecule of the title compound, C(19)H(14)N(4)O(2), is essentially planar, with a highly conjugated pi system. In the crystal, the molecules are packed as chains along the [011] direction connected by O-H.N intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Functionalised oligoenes with unusual topologies: synthesis, electrochemistry and structural studies on redox-active

New [3]- and [4]-dendralenes bearing electron-donor 1,3-dithiole and ferrocene substituents have been synthesised. Compounds 8, 15 and 17 have been characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Two of the dithiole rings of 8 are conjugated (dihedral angle 9 degrees), while the third dithiole ring is almost orthogonal to this plane, and hence its pi-electron system is isolated. For the dendralene precursor molecule 15, the substituted cyclopentadienyl ring, two C=C bonds and fused dithiole and dithiine rings comprise an extended pi-conjugated system. In molecule 17 the potential conjugation path C(6)C(3) C(4)C(5)-C5Hs is distorted by an 8 degrees twist around the C(3)-C(4) bond and a 7 degrees twist around the C(5)-C(21) bond, and the delocalisation along the chain is insignificant. Solution electrochemical data demonstrate that the dendralenes are strong pi-electron donors, which give rise to dication, radical trication or tetracation species. Spectroelectrochemical studies on compounds 7 and 10 suggest that the radical species are situated within the linear 1,2-ethylenediylidene moieties and that a conformational change may occur at the dication redox stage. UV/Vis spectroscopic data are consistent with poor cross-conjugation in these systems.

From the Single- to the Triple-Decker Sandwich. Effect of Stacking on the Redox and UV-Visible Spectroscopic Properties of Lutetium(III) 1,2-Naphthalocyaninate Complexes.

(1,2-Naphthalocyaninato)lutetium(III), bis(1,2-naphthalocyaninato)lutetium(III), and tris(1,2-naphthalocyaninato)dilutetium(III) have been synthesized in good yields. These complexes were characterized by UV-visible, (1)H NMR, and mass spectroscopies and by electrochemical techniques. Bis(1,2-naphthalocyaninato)lutetium(III) is compared to bis(2,3-naphthalocyaninato)lutetium(III): the good correspondance between the experimental data and theoretical results obtained by others is emphasized in this work. Stacking one to three macrocyclic rings is possible in the series of the 1,2-naphthalocyanine sandwich-like complexes with lutetium(III); as shown by UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry and voltammetry, this influences greatly the pi-conjugated systems, modifying spectacularly their spectroscopic and redox properties.

Cis Effects in the Cobalt Corrins. 1. Crystal Structures of 10-Chloroaquacobalamin Perchlorate, 10-Chlorocyanocobalamin, and 10-Chloromethylcobalamin.

The crystal structures of 10-chloroaquacobalamin perchlorate hydrate (10-Cl-H(2)OCbl.ClO(4)) (Mo Kalpha, 0.710 73 Å, monoclinic system, P2(1), a = 11.922(4) Å, b = 26.592(10) Å, c = 13.511(5) Å, beta = 93.05(3) degrees, 10 535 independent reflections, R(1) = 0.0426), 10-chlorocyanocobalamin-acetone hydrate (10-Cl-CNCbl) (Mo Kalpha, 0.710 73 Å, orthorhombic system, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 16.24(3) Å, b = 21.85(5) Å, c = 26.75(8) Å, 7699 independent reflections, R(1) = 0.0698), and 10-chloromethylcobalamin-acetone hydrate (10-Cl-MeCbl) (Mo Kalpha, 0.71073 Å, orthorhombic system, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 16.041(14) Å, b = 22.13(2) Å, c = 26.75(4) Å, 6792 independent reflections, R(1) = 0.0554), in which the C10 meso H is substituted by Cl, are reported. An unusual feature of the structures is disorder in the C ring, consistent with a two-site occupancy in which the major conformation has the C46 methyl group in the usual position, "upwardly" axial, and the C47 methyl group equatorial, while in the minor conformation both are pseudoequatorial, above and below the corrin ring. (13)C NMR chemical shifts of C46, C47, C12, and C13 suggest that the C ring disorder may persist in solution as a ring flip. Since molecular dynamics simulations fail to reveal any population of the minor conformation, the effect is likely to be electronic rather than steric. The axial bond lengths in 10-Cl-MeCbl are very similar to those in MeCbl (d(Co)(-)(C) = 1.979(7) vs 1.99(2); to 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, d(Co)(-)(NB3) = 2.200(7) vs 2.19(2)), but the bonds to the four equatorial N donors, d(Co)(-)(N(eq)), are on average 0.05 Å shorter. In 10-Cl-CNCbl, d(Co)(-)(C) and d(Co)(-)(NB3) are longer (by 0.10(2) and 0.03(1) Å, respectively) than the bond lengths observed in CNCbl itself, while conversely, the C-N bond length is shorter by 0.06(2) Å, but there is little difference in d(Co)(-)(N(eq)). The Co-O bond length to coordinated water in 10-Cl-H(2)OCbl(+) is very similar to that found in H(2)OCbl(+) itself, but the d(Co)(-)(NB3) bond is longer (1.967 vs1.925(2) Å), while the average d(Co)(-)(N(eq)) is very similar. The coordinated water molecule in 10-Cl-H(2)OCbl(+) is hydrogen bonded to the c side chain carbonyl oxygen, as in H(2)OCbl(+). NMR observations indicate that the H bond between coordinated H(2)O and the c side chain amide persists in solution. The equilibrium constant, K(Co), for coordination of bzm to Co(III) is smaller in 10-Cl-MeCbl and 10-Cl-CNCbl than in their C10-unsubstituted analogs (181 vs 452; 4.57 x 10(3) vs 3.35 x 10(5)), but could not be determined for 10-Cl-H(2)OCbl because hydrolysis of the phosphodiester is competitive with the establishment of the base-off equilibrium. Substitution of H by Cl at C10 causes the bands in the electronic spectrum of 10-Cl-XCbl complexes to move to lower energy, which is consistent with an increase in electron density in the corrin pi-conjugated system. This increased electron density is not due to greater electron donation from the axial ligand as bonds between these and the metal are either longer (not shorter) or unchanged, and it most probably arises from pi-donation to the corrin by Cl at C10. As the donor power of X increases (H(2)O < CN(-) < Me), the corrin ring becomes more flexible to deformation, and the number of bond lengths and bond angles that are significantly different in XCbl and 10-Cl-XCbl increases; importantly, the C10-Cl bond length, d(C10)(-)(Cl), increases as well. Thus, despite the fact that chlorine is an inductively electron withdrawing substituent, its resonance electron donation is the more important effect on electron distribution in the corrin ring. Mulliken charges obtained from semiempirical RHF-SCF MO calculations using the ZINDO/1 model on XCbl and their 10-Cl analogs at the crystal structure geometry are shown to correlate reasonably well with (13)C NMR shifts and may be used to determine the pattern of electron distribution in these complexes. Substitution by Cl at C10 causes an increase in charge density at Co when X = H(2)O and CN(-), while the charge density on the four equatorial N donors remains virtually unchanged, but a decrease when X = Me, while the charge density on the equatorial N donors also decreases. In response, d(Co)(-)(NB3) increases in the first two complexes but the equatorial bond lengths remain virtually unchanged, while d(Co)(-)(NB3) remains unchanged and the average d(Co)(-)(N(eq)) decreases in 10-Cl-MeCbl. Furthermore, the partial charge on chlorine increases as the donor power of X increases. The small decrease in the pK(a) of coordinated H(2)O in 10-Cl-H(2)OCbl(+) compared to H(2)OCbl(+) itself (7.65 vs 8.09) is due to a decreased charge density on oxygen in 10-Cl-OHCbl compared to OHCbl. The picture that emerges, therefore, is of competitive electron donation by X and Cl toward the corrin system. In 10-Cl-CNCbl, the decrease in the C&tbd1;N bond length as Co-C increases compared to CNCbl suggests that dpi-ppi bonding between cobalt and cyanide is important. (13)C and (15)N NMR observations on 10-Cl-(13)C(15)NCbl are consistent with these effects.

Dimerization structures of metallic and semiconducting fullerene tubules

Possible dimerization patterns and electronic structures in fullerene tubules as the one-dimensional pi-conjugated systems are studied with the extended Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model. We assume various lattice geometries, including helical and nonhelical tubules. The model is solved for the half-filling case of $\pi$-electrons. (1) When the undimerized systems do not have a gap, the Kekule structures prone to occur. The energy gap is of the order of the room temperatures at most and metallic properties would be expected. (2) If the undimerized systems have a large gap (about 1eV), the most stable structures are the chain-like distortions where the direction of the arranged trans-polyacetylene chains is along almost the tubular axis. The electronic structures are ofsemiconductors due to the large gap.

Novel calixarenes in thin films for efficient second harmonic generation

Calix[4]arenes are a novel type of molecules for nonlinear optics. In a single molecule four π-conjugated systems are combined. Corona poled guest-host polymer systems [calix[4]arenes-poly(methyl-methacrylate)] with transparency into the UV and loading up to 100% show a high degree of orientation. The maximum resonant d33 nonlinear coefficient measured at a fundamental wavelength of 590 nm is 51 pm/V. The d33 values of the thin films relax after poling to 65% of their maximum value. Results indicate self-organization of the molecules upon poling.

Polaron Excitations in Fullerenes: Theory as π-Conjugated Systems

We review the recent theoretical treatment of fullerenes as pi-conjugated systems. Polaronic properties due to the Jahn-Teller type effects are mainly discussed. (1) A Su-Schrieffer-Heeger type electron-phonon model is applied to fullerenes: C_60 and C_70, and is solved with the adiabatic approximation to phonons. When the system (C_60 or C_70) is doped with one or two electrons (or holes), the additional charges accumulate along almost an equatorial line of the molecule. The dimerization becomes the weakest along the same line. Two energy levels, the occupied state and the empty state, intrude largely in the gap. The intrusion is larger in C_70 than in C_60. These are ``polarons'' in doped fullerenes. It is also found that C_60 and C_70 are related mutually with respect to electronical structures as well as lattice geometries. (2) We apply the model to the fullerene epoxide C_60O. It has the polaron-type lattice distortion around the oxygen, and also shows the energy level intrusion in the gap. (3) Optical properties of C_60 are calculated and discussed. In the absorption of the doped molecule, a new peak structure is present owing to the polaronic distortion. In the luminescence of the neutral C_60, the spacing between H_g(8)-phonon side-band peaks and the relative intensities agree well with experiments. In the dispersion of the third harmonic generation, the magnitudes of |chi^(3)| agree with those of experiments at the resonance of the lowest allowed transition as well as in the region away from the resonance.