Ke-Mei Pei

Resonance Raman intensity analysis of the excited state proton transfer dynamics of 2-nitrophenol in the charge-transfer band absorption

Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for 2-nitrophenol in cyclohexane solution with excitation wavelengths in resonance with the charge-transfer (CT) proton transfer band absorption. These spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodissociation dynamics have multidimensional character with motion along more than 15 normal modes: the nominal CCH bend+CC stretch nu(12) (1326 cm(-1)), the nominal CCC bend nu(23) (564 cm(-1)), the nominal CO stretch+NO stretch+CC stretch nu(14) (1250 cm(-1)), the nominal CCH bend+CC stretch+COH bend nu(15) (1190 cm(-1)); the nominal CCH bend+CC stretch nu(17) (1134 cm(-1)), the nominal CCC bend+CC stretch nu(22) (669 cm(-1)), the nominal CCN bend nu(27) (290 cm(-1)), the nominal NO(2) bend+CC stretch nu(21) (820 cm(-1)), the nominal CCO bend+CNO bend nu(25) (428 cm(-1)), the nominal CC stretch nu(7) (1590 cm(-1)), the nominal NO stretch nu(8) (1538 cm(-1)), the nominal CCC bend+NO(2) bend nu(20) (870 cm(-1)), the nominal CC stretch nu(6) (1617 cm(-1)), the nominal COH bend+CC stretch nu(11) (1382 cm(-1)), nominal CCH bend+CC stretch nu(9) (1472 cm(-1)). A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis was done and the results for 2-nitrophenol were compared to previously reported results for nitrobenzene, p-nitroaniline, and 2-hydroxyacetophenone. The authors briefly discuss the differences and similarities in the CT-band absorption excitation of 2-nitrophenol relative to those of nitrobenzene, p-nitroaniline, and 2-hydroxyacetophenone.

Resonance Raman spectroscopic and theoretical investigation of the excited state proton transfer reaction dynamics of 2-thiopyridone.

The resonance Raman spectra were obtained for both 2-thiopyridone (2TP) and its proton-transfer tautomer 2-mercaptopyridine (2MP) in water solution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to help elucidate their ultraviolet electronic transitions and vibrational assignments of the resonance Raman spectra associated with their B-band absorptions. The nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopic experiment was carried out to further confirm the assignment that the transient species was the ground state 2MP. The different short-time structural dynamics were examined for both 2TP and 2MP in terms of their resonance Raman intensity patterns. The transition barriers between 2TP and 2MP for S(0), T(1), and S(1) states are determined by using (U)B3LYP-TD and CASSCF level of theory computations, respectively. The excited state proton transfer (ESPT) reaction mechanism is proposed and briefly discussed.

Resonance Raman and theoretical investigation of the photodissociation dynamics of benzamide in S3 state

Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for benzamide in methanol and acetonitrile solutions with excitation wavelengths in resonance with the S(3) state. These spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodissociation dynamics have multidimensional character with the motions mainly along the benzene ring C[Double Bond]C stretch nu(9), the Ph-CO-NH(2) and ring benzene stretch nu(14), the CCH in plane bend nu(17), the Ph-CO-NH(2) stretch and NH(2) rock nu(19), the ring trigonal bend nu(23), and the ring deformation and Ph-CO-NH(2) stretch nu(29). A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis was done, and the results were compared to those previously reported for acetophenone to examine the substituent effect. Solvent effect on the short-time photodissociation dynamics of benzamide was also examined. A conical intersection point S(2)S(3) between S(3) and S(2) potential energy surfaces of benzamide was determined by using a complete active space self-consistent field theory computations. The structural differences and similarities between S(3)S(2) point and S(0) were examined, and the results were used to correlate to the Franck-Condon photodissociation dynamics of benzamide in S(3) state.

Excited State Structures and Decay Dynamics of 1,3-Dimethyluracils in Solutions: Resonance Raman and Quantum Mechanical Calculation Study

The resonance Raman spectroscopic study of the excited state structural dynamics of 1,3-dimethyluracil (DMU), 5-bromo-1,3-dimethyluracil (5BrDMU), uracil, and thymine in water and acetonitrile were reported. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to help elucidate the ultraviolet electronic transitions associated with the A-, and B-band absorptions and the vibrational assignments of the resonance Raman spectra. The effect of the methylation at N1, N3 and C5 sites of pyrimidine ring on the structural dynamics of uracils in different solvents were explored on the basis of the resonance Raman intensity patterns. The relative resonance Raman intensities of DMU and 5BrDMU are computed at the B3LYP-TD level. Huge discrepancies between the experimental resonance Raman intensities and the B3LYP-TD predicted ones were observed. The underlying mechanism was briefly discussed. The decay channel through the S1((1)nπ*)/S2((1)ππ*) conical intersection and the S1((1)nπ*)/T1((3)ππ*) intersystem crossing were revealed by using the CASSCF(8,7)/6-31G(d) level of theory calculations.

Resonance Raman intensity analysis of the A band short-time photochemical dynamics of 4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-dithiole-2-thione.

Resonance Raman spectra (RRs) for 4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-dithiole-2-thione (EDDT) were obtained with 397.9 and 416 nm excitation wavelengths, and density functional calculations were performed to elucidate the electronic transitions and the RRs of EDDT in chloroform solvent. The RRs indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodynamics have multidimensional character with nuclear motion predominantly along the C(4)═C(5) stretch and the C(4)═C(5) twist out-of-plane. Resonance Raman cross-sections of A-band absorption have been obtained for the vibrational modes of EDDT with its excitation frequencies spanning the 408 nm. Resonance Raman intensity analysis of the resulting RRs excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism yields mode-specific nuclear displacement and vibrational reorganizational energies. The intensity analysis results for EDDT were compared to previously reported results for dimethyl 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dicarboxylate (DDTD), which shows that the additional six-member heterocycle of EDDT strongly affects the reorganizational energy and energy participation. The authors briefly discuss the differences and similarities of the spectra in terms of molecular symmetry and electron density.

Excited-state structural dynamics of propanil in the S(2) state: resonance Raman and first-principle investigation.

Resonance Raman (RR) spectra and quantum chemical calculations were used to investigate the photodissociation dynamics of propanil in the S2 state. The RR spectra indicate that the photorelaxation dynamics for the S0 → S2 excited state of propanil is predominantly along nine motions: C═O stretch, ν51 (1659 cm(-1)), ring C═C stretch, ν50 (1590 cm(-1)), NH wag/ring C═C stretch, ν49 (1534 cm(-1)), ring CCH in-plane bend/NH wag, ν42 (1383 cm(-1)), NH wag/-CH2- rock, ν41 (1353 cm(-1)), ring C═C stretch/NH wag/-CH2- rock in-plane, ν40 (1299 cm(-1)), Ph-NH stretch/ring CCH in-plane bend, ν37 (1236 cm(-1)), ring CCH in-plane bend, ν35 (1150 cm(-1)), -CH2CH3 twist, ν33 (1080 cm(-1)), ring trigonal bend, ν31 (1029 cm(-1)), ring CCH bend out-of-plane, ν27 (899 cm(-1)), whole skeleton deformation in-plane, ν20(688 cm(-1)). Strong electron coupling between S1 and S2 of propanil is found by quantum chemistry calculations and depolarization spectra. The excited-state dynamics of the S2 state is discussed, and the results are compared with the previously reported results for formanilide to examine the Cl substitution effect.

Resonance Raman and density functional theory investigation of the photodissociation dynamics of the A-band absorption of (E)-β-nitrostyrene in cyclohexane solution

Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for (E)-beta-nitrostyrene in cyclohexane solution with excitation wavelengths in resonance with the charge transfer (CT)-band absorption spectrum. These spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodissociation dynamics have multidimensional character with motion predominantly along the nominal NO(2) symmetric stretch mode (nu(14)), the nominal C=C stretch mode (nu(8)), the nominal benzene ring stretch mode (nu(9)), accompanied by a smaller amount of motion along the nominal ONO symmetric bend/benzene ring stretch mode (nu(34)), the nominal CCH in-plane bending mode (nu(20)), the nominal HC=CH in-plane bending mode (nu(18)), the nominal NO(2) asymmetric stretch mode (nu(11)), the nominal C-N stretch/benzene ring breathing mode (nu(27)), and the nominal CCC trigonal bending mode (nu(25)). A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis was done and these results for (E)-beta-nitrostyrene were compared to results previously reported for several nitrobenzene and trans-stilbene compounds. The differences and similarities between the CT-band resonance Raman spectra and vibrational reorganizational energies for (E)-beta-nitrostyrene relative to those for nitrobenzene and trans-stilbene were briefly discussed.

Resonance Raman and density functional study of the excited state structural dynamics of 3-amino-2-cyclohexen-1-one in water and acetonitrile solvents.

FT-Raman and/or FT-IR spectra of 3-amino-2-cyclohexen-1-one (ACyO) in solid state and/or in solvents of water and acetonitrile were obtained. Density functional theory calculations were done to help elucidate the vibrational band assignments. The A-band resonance Raman spectra of ACyO were acquired in water and acetonitrile solvents to examine the excited state structural dynamics and the state-mixing or curve-crossing tuned by solvents. A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis using the time-dependent wave-packet theory and simple model was done for ACyO in acetonitrile solvent. Resonance Raman spectroscopic probing of the excited state curve-crossing or state-mixing was proposed.