TCNE-aniline charge transfer complex: ab initio and TDDFT investigations in gas phase

Ultrafast non-adiabatic dynamics of stilbene-based plant-derived sunscreens with cis-trans isomerization structures

In this work, we investigated the potential UV protection mechanism of the natural compounds hydroxy resveratrol and pterostilbene by combining theoretical calculations and femtosecond transient absorption spectra (FTAS). The UV absorption spectra showed that the two compounds exhibited strong absorption properties and high photostability. We found two molecules will reach the S₁ state or an even higher excited state after UV exposure and molecules in S₁ will cross a lower energy barrier to reach the conical intersection. The adiabatic trans-cis isomerization process happened and finally return to the ground. Meanwhile, FTAS clarified the time scale of trans-cis isomerization of two molecules was ∼ 10 ps, which also met the requirement of fast energy relaxation. This work also provides theoretical guidance for developing new sunscreen molecules from natural stilbene.

The effects of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups on the photophysical properties and ESIPT of salicylideneaniline

The photophysical properties and excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of salicylideneaniline (1a) and its derivatives (1b-1e) with different substituents have been investigated using the DFT and TD-DFT methods. The calculated results indicate that the introduction of electron-withdrawing group CN weakens the intramolecular hydrogen bond (H···N). However, the introduction of electron-donating group N(CH₃)₂ strengthens it. When the CN and N(CH₃)₂ groups are introduced simultaneously, the intramolecular hydrogen bond (H···N) is weakened. In addition, swapping the CN and N(CH₃)₂ group positions can enhance the intramolecular hydrogen bond (H···N). Compared to 1a, the absorption and emission spectra of compounds 1b-1e are red-shifted. Frontier molecular orbital analyses prove that the more intense intramolecular charge transfer characters caused by CN and N(CH₃)₂ substituents is responsible for the red shift of spectra. Potential energy curves indicate that ESIPT in salicylideneaniline (1a) and the CN substituted derivative (1b) is a non-barrier process, while in the N(CH₃)₂ substituted derivative (1c) and the CN and N(CH₃)₂ co-substituted derivative (1d), ESIPT needs to overcome the energy barriers of 2.32 kcal/mol and 3.38 kcal/mol, respectively. Exchanging the positions of CN and N(CH₃)₂ groups (1e) makes the ESIPT into a barrier-free process. Therefore, the substitution and position of CN and N(CH₃)₂ groups can affect the ESIPT process and induce different photophysical properties.

Investigation of charge transfer complexes formed between (S, S)-bis-N,N-sulfonyl bis-L-phenylalanine dimethylester donor with tetracyanoethylene and chloranil as π-acceptors: Experimental and DFT studies

Two novel charge transfer complexes CTC ([D[Formula: see text]TCNE] and [D[Formula: see text]CHL] : D [Formula: see text] (S, S)-bis-N,N-sulfonyl bis-L-phenylalanine dimethylester; TCNE [Formula: see text] Tetracyanoethylene; CHL [Formula: see text] Chloranil) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis: Electronic absorption, spectrophotometric titration, IR. The obtained results indicate the formation of 1:1 for both complexes. The experimental studies were complemented by quantum chemical calculations at DFT/CAM-B3LYP level of theory. Optimized geometrical structures, the electronic spectroscopy, excited-state properties and the descriptions of frontier molecular orbitals were computed and discussed by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). In addition, vibrational frequency calculations, the natural population analysis (NPA) confirms the presence of intermolecular interactions and natural bonding orbitals (NBO) calculation was carried out in order to elucidate the interactions between TCNE [Formula: see text]-acceptor and donor molecule.