Theoretical analysis of an all-photonic multifunctional molecular logic device: Using TD-DFT//DFT to assess photochromic activity of multimeric photochrome

The C2-Symmetry Colorimetric Dye Based on a Thiosemicarbazone Derivative and its Cadmium Complex for Detecting Heavy Metal Cations (Ni2+, Co2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+) Collectively, in DMF

The field of chemosensing has been experiencing an exponential expansion in recent times, due to increased demands for simpler and user-friendly analytical techniques, in order to combat and confront the challenges of industrial pollutions in the twenty-first century. Metal complex-based chemosensors have received little attention while exhibiting excellent sensing properties, comparing to their organic counterparts. Thus, a thiosemicarbazone-based (H) and its cadmium complex (P) were synthesized, characterized and their photophysical and chemosensing properties were investigated in DMF solvent. The addition of molar equivalents of selected cations (of nitrates or chloride salts) to H and P, produced visually detectable colour changes as well as remarkable spectral shifts. Explicitly, the two probes (H and P) were able to collectively discriminate heavy metal cations such as Cd2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, and Ag+, both in DMF, among all other heavy metal cations tested. None of the anions could be detected by H or P, even when the tetrabutylammonium salts (TBAs) were used, the action presumably ascribed to the solvent effect. Thus, H and P can be used to selectively and sensitively detect the presence of heavy metal cations, via naked-eye detectable colour changes in an aqueous soluble solvent such as DMF.

Dye chemistry with time-dependent density functional theory

In this perspective, we present an overview of the determination of excited-state properties of "real-life" dyes, and notably of their optical absorption and emission spectra, performed during the last decade with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). We discuss the results obtained with both vertical and adiabatic (vibronic) approximations, choosing relevant examples for several series of dyes. These examples include reproducing absorption wavelengths of numerous families of coloured molecules, understanding the specific band shape of amino-anthraquinones, optimising the properties of dyes used in solar cells, mimicking the fluorescence wavelengths of fluorescent brighteners and BODIPY dyes, studying optically active biomolecules and photo-induced proton transfer, as well as improving the properties of photochromes.

Multiphotochromic molecular systems

We review molecular compounds encompassing several photochromic units with a focus on their functionalities.