Singlet Radical Pair Research Articles

Strongly Entangled Triplet Acyl-Alkyl Radical Pairs in Crystals of Photostable Diphenylmethyl Adamantyl Ketones.

Radical pairs generated in crystalline solids by bond cleavage reactions of triplet ketones offer the unique opportunity to explore a frontier of spin dynamics where rigid radicals are highly entangled as the result of short inter-radical distances, large singlet-triplet energy gaps (ΔEST), and limited spin-lattice relaxation mechanisms. Here we report the pulsed laser generation and detection of strongly entangled triplet acyl-alkyl radical pairs generated in nanocrystalline suspensions of 1,1-diphenylmethyl 2-ketones with various 3-admantyl substituents. The sought-after triplet acyl-alkyl radical pairs could be studied for the first time in the solid state by taking advantage of the efficient triplet excited state α-cleavage reactions of 1,1-diphenylmethyl ketones and the slow rate of CO loss from the acyl radicals, which would have to generate highly unstable phenyl and primary alkyl radicals or relatively unstable secondary and tertiary alkyl radicals. With the loss of CO prevented, the lifetime of the triplet acyl-alkyl radical pair intermediates is determined by intersystem crossing to the singlet radical pair state, which is followed by immediate bond formation to the ground state starting ketone. Experimental results revealed biexponential kinetics with long-lived components that account for ca. 87-92% of the transient population and lifetimes that extend to the range of 53-63 μs, the longest reported so far for this type of radical pair. Structural information inferred from the starting ketone will make it possible to analyze the affects of proximity and orientation of the singly occupied orbitals and potentially help set a path for the use of triplet radical pairs as qubits in quantum information technologies.

DpgC-Catalyzed Peroxidation of 3,5-Dihydroxyphenylacetyl-CoA (DPA-CoA): Insights into the Spin-Forbidden Transition and Charge Transfer Mechanisms*.

Despite being a very strong oxidizing agent, most organic molecules are not oxidized in the presence of O2 at room temperature because O2 is a diradical whereas most organic molecules are closed-shell. Oxidation then requires a change in the spin state of the system, which is forbidden according to non-relativistic quantum theory. To overcome this limitation, oxygenases usually rely on metal or redox cofactors to catalyze the incorporation of, at least, one oxygen atom into an organic substrate. However, some oxygenases do not require any cofactor, and the detailed mechanism followed by these enzymes remains elusive. To fill this gap, here the mechanism for the enzymatic cofactor-independent oxidation of 3,5-dihydroxyphenylacetyl-CoA (DPA-CoA) is studied by combining multireference calculations on a model system with QM/MM calculations. Our results reveal that intersystem crossing takes place without requiring the previous protonation of molecular oxygen. The characterization of the electronic states reveals that electron transfer is concomitant with the triplet-singlet transition. The enzyme plays a passive role in promoting the intersystem crossing, although spontaneous reorganization of the water wire connecting the active site with the bulk presets the substrate for subsequent chemical transformations. The results show that the stabilization of the singlet radical-pair between dioxygen and enolate is enough to promote spin-forbidden reaction without the need for neither metal cofactors nor basic residues in the active site.

Effective Magnetic Field Regulation of the Radical Pair Spin States in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Regulation of the radical pair spin states allows effective optimization of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction. This study for the first time reports an experimental observation of significantly boosting the catalytic activity of tin nanoparticle catalysts by an external magnetic field for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to formate/formic acid. We reveal that enhancing the amount of singlet radical pairs via magnetic field-facilitated triplet → singlet spin evolution can significantly increase the catalytic activity toward an efficient overall electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. When a common Sn nanoparticle electrode was used as an example, in a constant applied magnetic field (about 0.9 T), the yield of formic acid can be nearly doubled compared to that of zero magnetic field. This finding suggests the merits of radical pair spin states in the electron-transfer process and paves the way toward high formate production in electrocatalytic reduction of CO2.

Studies on coherent and incoherent spin dynamics that control the magnetic field effect on photogenerated radical pairs

Since 1970s, magnetic field effects (MFEs) on photogenerated radical pairs have been the centre of focus in the field of spin chemistry. The MFE attributes to quantum mechanical interconversion between the singlet and triplet radical pair states and subsequent spin-selective recombination reactions. In this New View article, the author picks up two hot topics studied during the last two decades, which are (i) so-called low field effect (LFE) and (ii) 2J-resonance MFE on fixed distance donor–acceptor linked molecules. In both of the topics, quantum mechanical explanations are given referring to recent reports, and some novel calculations have been carried out for bridging theoretical and experimental data for long-lived radical pairs. For the first topic, time domain calculations of coherent state mixing have been carried out for elucidation of hyperfine (HF) structure dependence of the LFE. For the second topic, Monte Carlo simulations of the torsional motion of polyaromatic linker unit have been carried out for the demonstration of fast decoherence in such rigid molecules. From these considerations, future possibilities of MFE studies on photo-functional materials and biomolecules have been indicated.

Large Magneto-Current Effect in the Electrochemical Detection of Oxalate in Aqueous Solution

Herein, we first report an interesting observation of a large magneto-current (MC) of nearly 30% based on the electrochemical oxidation of oxalate in aqueous solution at room temperature. The large MC is ascribed to spin-dependent oxidation of oxalate. Both singlet and triplet radical pairs are generated during the electrochemical oxidation of oxalate. An applied magnetic field could accelerate the spin evolution of a singlet radical pair into its triplet state. The triplet radical pair has a much larger dissociation probability than the singlet radical pair because of the Pauli exclusion principle. Thus, enhancing the triplet yield could largely increase the oxidation rate of oxalate and generate significant MC. The significant MC effect provides a new approach to study spin evolution of radical pairs in electrochemical cells. Furthermore, an effective analytical method for oxalate determination can be developed based on the significant MC effect.

Modulation of reactivity of singlet radical pair in continuous flow: Photo-Fries rearrangement

Photo-Fries rearrangement of phenyl benzoate is studied using continuous flow for modulating the reactivity of singlet radical pair by changing the viscosity of the solvent. The effect of flow and proximity of the reactants with the light source on the reactivity of radical pair, formed from singlet excited state was investigated in details. In non-viscous solvent, the results from flow synthesis were comparable to batch reactor. In viscous solvents, selectivity of ortho- and para-isomers (o-/p- isomer) of the product could be controlled by changing viscosity as well as the flow rate. Using flow synthesis, ortho- and para-isomer ratio was obtained as high as 8.45 which are twice as compared to batch experiment with in fraction of residence time.

Generating Huge Magnetocurrent by Using Spin-Dependent Dehydrogenation Based on Electrochemical System

Systems featuring large magnetocurrent (MC) at room temperature are attractive owing to their potential for application in magnetic field sensing. Usually, the magnetic materials are exploited to achieve large MC effect. Here, we report a huge MC of up to 150% in a nonmagnetic system based on the electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine at room temperature. The huge MC is ascribed to the spin-dependent N–H bond cleavage and reformation through dehydrogenation during the oxidation of hydrazine. Specifically, the N–H bond cleavage generates singlet radical pairs. An external magnetic field can accelerate the spin evolution from singlet to triplet in spin-correlated radical pairs by perturbing spin precessions. Increasing the amount of triplet radical pairs can largely reduce the N–H bond recovery and significantly enhance the oxidation current of hydrazine. As a consequence, the spin-dependent bond formation through dehydrogenation can provide a new approach to generate huge MC in electrochemical cells.

Photo-Fries rearrangement of aryl acetamides: regioselectivity induced by the aqueous micellar green environment.

Photochemical reactions tend to give more than one photoproduct. However, such a reaction can be a powerful synthetic tool when it is possible to conduct it in regioselective conditions yielding a single photoproduct. Water-surfactant solutions as reaction media can be considered as an approach in this context because they show products with different features than those from isotropic solutions. Here we describe results obtained from studying the effect on the prototypical photoreaction, known as the photo-Fries reaction of several substituted acetanilides and α-naphthyl acetamide within surfactant micelles (ionic and non-ionic micelles). This reaction involves homolytic cleavage of a C-N bond to yield a singlet radical pair. The surfactant micelles control the rotational and translational mobility of the radical pair, resulting in noticeable photoproduct selectivity.

Mechanism of Co-C bond photolysis in methylcobalamin: influence of axial base.

A mechanism of Co-C bond photolysis in the base-off form of the methylcobalamin cofactor (MeCbl) and the influence of its axial base on Co-C bond photodissociation has been investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). At low pH, the MeCbl cofactor adopts the base-off form in which the axial nitrogenous ligand is replaced by a water molecule. Ultrafast excited-state dynamics and photolysis studies have revealed that a new channel for rapid nonradiative decay in base-off MeCbl is opened, which competes with bond dissociation. To explain these experimental findings, the corresponding potential energy surface of the S1 state was constructed as a function of Co-C and Co-O bond distances, and the manifold of low-lying triplets was plotted as a function of Co-C bond length. In contrast to the base-on form of MeCbl in which two possible photodissociation pathways were identified on the basis of whether the Co-C bond (path A) or axial Co-N bond (path B) elongates first, only path B is active in base-off MeCbl. Specifically, path A is inactive because the energy barrier associated with direct dissociation of the methyl ligand is higher than the barrier of intersection between two different electronic states: a metal-to-ligand charge transfer state (MLCT), and a ligand field state (LF) along the Co-O coordinate of the S1 PES. Path B initially involves displacement of the water molecule, followed by the formation of an LF-type intermediate, which possesses a very shallow energy minimum with respect to the Co-C coordinate. This LF-type intermediate on path B may result in either S1/S0 internal conversion or singlet radical pair generation. In addition, intersystem crossing (ISC) resulting in generation of a triplet radical pair is also feasible.

Mechanism of Co-C bond photolysis in the base-on form of methylcobalamin.

A mechanism of Co-C bond photodissociation in the base-on form of the methylcobalamin cofactor (MeCbl) has been investigated employing time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), in which the key step involves singlet radical pair generation from the first electronically excited state (S1). The corresponding potential energy surface of the S1 state was constructed as a function of Co-C and Co-Naxial bond distances, and two possible photodissociation pathways were identified on the basis of energetic grounds. These pathways are distinguished by whether the Co-C bond (path A) or Co-Naxial bond (path B) elongates first. Although the final intermediate of both pathways is the same (namely a ligand field (LF) state responsible for Co-C dissociation), the reaction coordinates associated with paths A and B are different. The photolysis of MeCbl is wavelength-dependent, and present TD-DFT analysis indicates that excitation in the visible α/β band (520 nm) can be associated with path A, whereas excitation in the near-UV region (400 nm) is associated with path B. The possibility of intersystem crossing, and internal conversion to the ground state along path B are also discussed. The mechanism proposed in this study reconciles existing experimental data with previous theoretical calculations addressing the possible involvement of a repulsive triplet state.

Role of Free Space and Conformational Control on Photoproduct Selectivity of Optically Pure α-Alkyldeoxybenzoins within a Water-Soluble Organic Capsule

Optically pure α-alkyl deoxybenzoins resulting in products of Norrish Type I and Type II reactions upon excitation has been investigated within the octa acid (OA) capsule in water. The product distribution was different from that in an organic solvent and was also dependent on the length of the α-alkyl chain. Most importantly, a rearrangement product not formed in an organic solvent arising from the triplet radical pair generated by Norrish Type I reaction was formed, and its yield was dependent on the alkyl chain length. In an organic solvent, since the cage lifetime is shorter than the time required for intersystem crossing (ISC) of the triplet radical pair to the singlet radical pair the recombination with or without rearrangement of the primary radical pair (phenylacetyl and benzyl) does not occur. Recombination without rearrangement within the capsule as inferred from monitoring the racemization of the optically pure α-alkyl deoxybenzoins suggesting the capsule's stability for at least 10(-8) s (the time required for ISC) is consistent with our previous photophysical studies that showed partial opening and closing of the capsule in the time range of microseconds.

Generation of Phosphorescent Triplet States via Photoinduced Electron Transfer: Energy and Electron Transfer Dynamics in Pt Porphyrin–Rhodamine B Dyads

Control over generation and dynamics of excited electronic states is fundamental to their utilization in all areas of technology. We present the first example of multichromophoric systems in which emissive triplet states are generated via a pathway involving photoinduced electron transfer (ET), as opposed to local intrachromophoric processes. In model dyads, PtP-Ph(n)-pRhB(+) (1-3, n = 1-3), comprising platinum(II) meso-tetraarylporphyrin (PtP) and Rhodamine B piperazine derivative (pRhB(+)), linked by oligo-p-phenylene bridges (Ph(n)), upon selective excitation of pRhB(+) at a frequency below that of the lowest allowed transition of PtP, room-temperature T(1)→S(0) phosphorescence of PtP was observed. The pathway leading to the emissive PtP triplet state includes excitation of pRhB(+), ET with formation of the singlet radical pair, intersystem crossing within that pair, and subsequent radical recombination. Because of the close proximity of the triplet energy levels of PtP and pRhB(+), reversible triplet-triplet (TT) energy transfer between these states was observed in dyads 1 and 2. As a result, the phosphorescence of PtP was extended in time by the long decay of the pRhB(+) triplet. Observation of ET and TT in the same series of molecules enabled direct comparison of the distance attenuation factors β between these two closely related processes.

Photochemical primary process of photo-Fries rearrangement reaction of 1-naphthyl acetate as studied by MFEprobe

Photo-Fries rearrangement reactions of 1-naphthyl acetate (NA) in n-hexane and in cyclohexane were studied by the magnetic field effect probe (MFE probe) under magnetic fields (B) of 0 to 7 T. Transient absorptions of the 1-naphthoxyl radical, T-T absorption of NA, and a short-lifetime intermediate (τ = 24 ns) were observed by a nanosecond laser flash photolysis technique. In n-hexane, the yield of escaped 1-naphthoxyl radicals dropped dramatically upon application of a 3 mT field, but then the yield increased with increasing B for 3 mT < B≤ 7 T. These observed MFEs can be explained by the hyperfine coupling and the Δg mechanisms through the singlet radical pair. The fact that MFEs were observed for the present photo-Fries rearrangement reaction indicates the presence of a singlet radical pair intermediate with a lifetime as long as several tens of nanoseconds.

The chemical zeno effect in exchange-bounded radical pairs: 2. Singlet and random radical pairs

Manifestations of the chemical Zeno effect (slowing down of the quantum evolution of radical pairs as a result of spin-selective recombination of exchange-bounded radical pairs) are considered. In radical pairs created in singlet and random spin states, the chemical kinetics is described by the sum of kinetic evolution (exponential) and oscillatory functions. The kinetic function is a superposition of two exponential functions. Recombination monotonically decreases the amplitude of quantum beats in singlet radical pairs. The dependence of the amplitude of quantum beats in noncorrelated radical pairs on the recombination rate constant is not monotonic.

Time-Resolved EPR Studies of Charge Recombination and Triplet-State Formation within Donor−Bridge−Acceptor Molecules Having Wire-Like Oligofluorene Bridges

Spin-selective charge recombination of photogenerated radical ion pairs within a series of donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) molecules, where D = phenothiazine (PTZ), B = oligo(2,7-fluorenyl), and A = perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI), PTZ-FL(n)-PDI, where n = 1-4 (compounds 1-4), is studied using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy in which the microwave source is either continuous-wave or pulsed. Radical ion pair TREPR spectra are observed for 3 and 4 at 90-294 K, while the neutral triplet state of PDI ((3)*PDI) is observed at 90-294 K for 2-4 and at 90 K for 1. (3)*PDI is produced by three mechanisms, as elucidated by its zero-field splitting parameters and spin polarization pattern. The mechanisms are spin-orbit-induced intersystem crossing (SO-ISC) in PDI aggregates, direct spin-orbit charge-transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT) from the singlet radical pair within 1, and radical pair intersystem crossing (RP-ISC) as a result of S-T(0) mixing of the radical ion pair states in 2-4. The temperature dependence of the spin-spin exchange interaction (2J) shows a dramatic decrease at low temperatures, indicating that the electronic coupling between the radical ions decreases due to an increase in the average fluorene-fluorene dihedral angle at low temperatures. The charge recombination rates for 3 and 4 decrease at low temperature, but that for 2 is almost temperature-independent. These results strongly suggest that the dominant mechanism of charge recombination for n >or= 3 is incoherent thermal hopping, which results in wire-like charge transfer.

OH radical in water studied by Quantum beats on positron annihilation -the effect of water liquid structures-

Singlet radical pairs of ortho-positronium and hydroxyl (OH) radical were generated in positron radiolysis in water. Quantum beats on the energy distribution of positron annihilation γ-rays caused by the reaction of electron-spin-correlated pairs of ortho-positronium and OH radical were newly measured at 32°C by using positron annihilation age-momentum correlation (AMOC) measurement. The quantum beats can provide information of hyperfine coupling constants of the OH radical in water liquid structures, and hence can provide the information of change of the water liquid structures. The quantum beats appeared at 32°C could not be explained easily. The reason was continuous and slow change of water liquid structures at 32°C. The water liquid structures probably can be understood by using the positron annihilation quantum beat measurements.

Spin-selective reactions of radical pairs act as quantum measurements

Since the 1970s, spin-selective reactions of radical pairs have been modelled theoretically by adding phenomenological rate equations to the quantum mechanical equation of motion of the radical pair spin density matrix. Here, using a quantum measurement approach, we derive an alternative set of rate expressions which predict a faster decay of coherent superpositions of the singlet and triplet radical pair states. The difference between the two results, however, is not dramatic and would probably be difficult to distinguish experimentally from decoherence arising from other sources.

Reexamination of the Photochemical Primary Process of Photo-Fries Rearrangement Reaction as Studied by MFE Probe

Abstract A photo-Fries rearrangement reaction of 1-naphthyl acetate in n-hexane was studied by a nanosecond laser flash photolysis technique under magnetic fields of 0 to 1.65 T. The escaped yield of 1-naphthoxyl radical decreased with increasing magnetic field (B) at 0 &amp;lt; B ≤ 0.005 T, but inversely increased with increasing B at much higher fields of 0.005 T &amp;lt; B ≤ 1.65 T. Such inverted magnetic field effects (MFEs) can be interpreted with the hyperfine coupling and the Δg mechanisms through the singlet radical pair. The fact that MFEs are observed for the present photo-Fries rearrangement reaction suggests a singlet radical pair intermediacy with a lifetime as long as several ns.

Real-Time Observation of the Spin-State Mixing Process of a Micellized Radical Pair in Weak Magnetic Fields by Nanosecond Fast Field Switching

The singlet-triplet spin-state mixing process of a singlet-born radical pair confined in a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle was studied by observing the nanosecond switched external magnetic field (SEMF) effect on the transient absorption signals. A long-lived singlet radical pair is generated by the photoinduced bond cleavage reaction of tetraphenylhydrazine in an SDS micelle. Application of off-on type SEMF results in the increase of the free radical yield contrary to the decrease produced by an applied static magnetic field. The S-T mixing process in low magnetic field was observed by means of a delay-shift SEMF experiment. Observed incoherent mixing processes are explained in terms of the interplay between coherent hyperfine interaction and fast dephasing processes caused by the fluctuation of electron-spin interactions. Singlet-triplet and triplet-triplet dephasing rate constants are determined independently to be 2 x 10(8) and 0.2 x 10(8) s(-)1, respectively, by a simulation based on a modified single-site Liouville equation. This is the first direct observation of the incoherent spin-state mixing process at magnetic fields comparable to the hyperfine interactions of the radical pair.

Low-Temperature Pulsed EPR Study at 34 GHz of the Triplet States of the Primary Electron Donor P865and the Carotenoid in Native and Mutant Bacterial Reaction Centers ofRhodobacter sphaeroides

The photosynthetic charge separation in bacterial reaction centers occurs predominantly along one of two nearly symmetric branches of cofactors. Low-temperature EPR spectra of the triplet states of the chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments in the reaction center of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26.1, 2.4.1 and two double-mutants GD(M203)/AW(M260) and LH(M214)/AW(M260) have been recorded at 34 GHz to investigate the relative activities of the "A" and "B" branches. The triplet states are found to derive from radical pair and intersystem crossing mechanisms, and the rates of formation are anisotropic. The former mechanism is operative for Rb. sphaeroides R-26.1, 2.4.1, and mutant GD(M203)/AW(M260) and indicates that A-branch charge separation proceeds at temperatures down to 10 K. The latter mechanism, derived from the spin polarization and operative for mutant LH(M214)/AW(M260), indicates that no long-lived radical pairs are formed upon direct excitation of the primary donor and that virtually no charge separation at the B-branch occurs at low temperatures. When the temperature is raised above 30 K, B-branch charge separation is observed, which is at most 1% of A-branch charge separation. B-branch radical pair formation can be induced at 10 K with low yield by direct excitation of the bacteriopheophytin of the B-branch at 590 nm. The formation of a carotenoid triplet state is observed. The rate of formation depends on the orientation of the reaction center in the magnetic field and is caused by a magnetic field dependence of the oscillation frequency by which the singlet and triplet radical pair precursor states interchange. Combination of these findings with literature data provides strong evidence that the thermally activated transfer step on the B-branch occurs between the primary donor, P865, and the accessory bacteriochlorophyll, whereas this step is barrierless down to 10 K along the A-branch.