Konstantin B. Petrushenko

General Route to Symmetric and Asymmetric meso-CF3-3(5)-Aryl(hetaryl)- and 3,5-Diaryl(dihetaryl)-BODIPY Dyes

A general efficient route to hitherto inaccessible symmetric and asymmetric meso-CF(3)-BODIPY dyes has been developed. The key stages include the reduction of available 2-trifluoroacetylpyrroles to the corresponding alcohols which are further condensed with pyrroles. The method allows the BODIPY with 3(5)aryl(hetaryl) and 3,5-diaryl(hetaryl) substituents to be readily assembled. The BODIPY dyes synthesized fluoresce (Φ(f) = 0.56-1.00) in the 560-680 nm region.

Synthesis and Optical Properties of 2-(Benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)pyrroles and a New BODIPY Fluorophore (BODIPY = 4,4-Difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene)

2-(Benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)-1-vinylpyrrole has been synthesized directly from 3-acetylbenzo[b]thiophene oxime and acetylene (flow system, KOH-DMSO, 120 degrees C, 5 h) in 68% yield. Devinylation of the synthesized pyrrole (Hg(OAc)(2), NaBH(4), 50 degrees C) led to the corresponding 2-(benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)pyrrole in 63% yield. Trifluoroacetylation of both the pyrroles with trifluoroacetic anhydride (80 degrees C, 1 h) gave the corresponding 5-trifluoroacetyl pyrroles in 97% and 76% yields, respectively. 2-(Benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)pyrrole was reacted subsequently with mesityl aldehyde, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), and BF(3)OEt(2) to afford 4,4-difluoro-3,5-di(benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)-8-mesityl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene, a representative of the novel BODIPY fluorophore family (BODIPY = 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene), in 34% overall yield. The synthesized pyrroles exhibit promising optical properties (absorption and emission spectra, nonlinear optical (NLO) features), superior to existing analogues. The BODIPY fluorophore displays an intense red-shifted fluorescence emission in CH(2)Cl(2) (625 nm, 0.84 fluorescence quantum yield) that is fully preserved in the solid state.

Effect of meso-substituents on the electronic transitions of BODIPY dyes: DFT and RI-CC2 study.

In this work, the influence of substituents on the electronic transitions of model 8-R-BODIPY dyes (R=NMe2, NH2, OH, CH3, H, F, SH, Cl, Br, CF3, CN, and NO2) was investigated theoretically using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and ab initio coupled-cluster doubles (CC2) quantum chemical calculations. Quantum chemical modeling shows a direct relationship between the electron donating and electron withdrawing character of substituents expressed by Hammett substituent constants (σp) and changes in energy of the HOMO-LUMO gap modulating spectral shifts of the S0→S1 transition. Good linear correlations of the calculated LUMO energies and σp as well as the shape of the HOMO and LUMO allow to obtain a reasonable explanation for the observed effects of substituents.

Fluorescence quenching and laser photolysis of dipyrrolylbenzenes in the presence of chloromethanes

Fluorescence quenching of 1,4-bis(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)benzene, 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1-(1-vinyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)benzene, and 1,4-bis(1-vinyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)benzene with chloromethanes (methylene chloride, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride) in solvents with different polarities follows electron-transfer mechanism. The occurrence of an electron-transfer step is confirmed by formation of short-lived pyrrolylbenzene radical cations. An exception is quenching of fluorescence of 1,4-bis(1-vinyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)benzene in n-hexane in the presence of CCl4 and CHCl3 and in pure CCl4. In this case, neutral 1,4-bis(1-vinyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)benzene·-Cl radical is formed via recombination of 1,4-bis(1-vinyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)benzene radical cation and chloride anion. A relation was found between the nature of the short-lived species detected by laser photolysis and stable product obtained by stationary photolysis.

Effect of methyl substituents on the electronic transitions in simple meso-aniline-BODIPY based dyes: RI-CC2 and TD-CAM-B3LYP computational investigation

The S0→Si, i=1-5 electronic transitions of four 8-(4-aniline)-BODIPY and four 8-(N,N-dimethyl)-BODIPY dyes, differ by number and position of methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame, were investigated theoretically using ab initio the coupled cluster doubles (CC2) and TD-CAM-B3LYP methods. Methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame and the aniline fragment at the meso position disturb energy of local excitations S0→S1, S0→S3, and S0→S4 weakly in comparison with the fully unsubstituted BODIPY molecule. These transitions in experimental spectra form the most long-wave absorption bands at ca. 500nm as well as absorption bands in the region of 300-400nm. At the same time, the presence of aniline fragments leads to the appearance of new S0→S2 transitions of the charge transfer character in electronic spectra of BODIPYs. We also found a linear relationship between vertical energy of these charge transfer transitions and the electron donating power of an aniline fragment and electron accepting power of the BODIPY core depending on the number and position of methyl groups. The CC2 method provides the best overall description of the excitation energies in line with the experimental observations. On average, the quality of TD-CAM-B3LYP is almost equal to that of CC2, however the TD method with the CAM-B3LYP functional slightly underestimates the CT excitation energy.

Mechanical properties of carbon, silicon carbide, and boron nitride nanotubes: effect of ionization

This paper studies the effect of ionization of finite-length single-walled carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes, and silicon carbide nanotubes on their mechanical properties. The PBE/SVP calculations show that the ionization affects the elastic properties of studied models. The nanotubes demonstrate little changes in Young’s modulus upon ionization; however, the changes in bulk and shear moduli as well as in Poisson’s ratio are more pronounced. The introduction of nanotubes into composite materials, which may undergo a radiation exposure, is a promising way to enhance their performance.Graphical abstract

A new approach to the synthesis of strained cyclic systems: II. Mass spectrometric study of 2-dialkylamino-3-phenylthiophenes and their structural isomers, iminothietanes and iminocyclobutenes

Triads of isomeric N-alkyl-N-methyl-3-phenylthiophen-2-amines, N-methyl-3-alkyl-4-methylidene-3-phenylthietan-2-imines, and N-methyl-4-alkylsulfanyl-2-phenylcyclobut-2-en-1-imines (Alk = Me, Et, Bu) were synthesized from 1,3-dilithio-3-phenylpropyne, methyl isothiocyanate, and alkyl halides, and their fragmentation under electron impact was studied. Primary decomposition of the molecular ions of 2-aminothiophenes is determined by the localization of a radical cation center on the nitrogen atom, and it follows a path typical of alkyl(aryl)amines with elimination of hydrogen atom or methyl or propyl radical from the α-carbon atom in the N-alkyl substituent. Fragmentation of the iminothietanes involves cleavage of the four-membered ring in half to give neutral MeNCS molecule and 1-alkyl-1-phenylallene radical cation. Alkylsulfanyl(imino)-cyclobutenes undergo cleavage at the sulfur-containing side chain according to general relations holding in the fragmentation of alkyl sulfides.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes functionalized by a series of dichlorocarbenes: DFT study

The structural and elastic properties of neutral and ionized dichlorocarbene (CCl2) functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were studied using density functional theory (DFT). The Young’s modulus of ionized pristine SWCNTs is found to decrease in comparison to that of neutral models. The interesting effect of increase in Young’s modulus values of ionized functionalized SWCNTs is observed. We ascribe this feature to the concurrent processes of the bond elongation on ionization and the local deformation on cycloaddition. The strong dependence of the elasticity modulus on the number of addends is also observed. However, the CCl2-attached SWCNTs in their neutral and ionized forms remain strong enough to be suitable for the reinforcement of composites. In contrast to the elastic properties, the binding energies do not change significantly, irrespective of CCl2 coverage.

N-Isopropenylazoles: II. Fragmentation of N-Isopropenylazoles under Electron Impact

Fragmentation under electron impact of all N-isopropenylazoles, except for N-isopropenyl-2- phenylpyrrole, involves elimination of propyne or allene with formation of the corresponding NH azoles. N-Isopropenylpyrrole, N-isopropenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole, and N-isopropenylindole give rise to rearrangement of the molecular ion into azepine structure, while the fragmentation of N-isopropenyl-2-phenylpyrrole is accompanied by transfromation into 5-methyl-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline. Retrodiene decom- position is the main fragmentation pathway of the molecular ions derived from N-isopropenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole and its 2-methyl-substituted analog. In the decomposition of 2,3-di- and 2,3,5-trimethyl-N-isopropenylpyrrole, the major fragment ions are formed from the [M - H]+ ion having a pyridinium structure rather than from the molecular ion. N-Isopropenyldi- and -triazoles undergo fragmentation along competing pathways involving cleavage of the heteroring.

Optical properties of bilayer quantum dot models based on coronene and its BN analogues with a BODIPY dye: Theoretical TD-CAM-B3LYP-D3 investigation

Quantum dots (QD) belong to a class of materials considered technologically important for their tunable absorption and emission properties and a huge application potential in optoelectronic technologies. To date, only simplified monolayer models of QDs and their dimers have been considered when modeling their absorption and/or emission spectra and effects of edge functionalization. Here, we analyze the optical properties of new type electron donor-acceptor bilayer quantum dot models based on coronene and its boron-nitride analogues (electron donors) with a 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene dye (Bdp, an electron acceptor) dye by using time-dependent density functional theory. To understand the nature of transition shifts in electronic spectra, we use BN models with strong modification of the HOMO and LUMO: m-BNC (middle hexagonal ring CC bonds are substituted by BN), p-BNC (all peripheral CC bonds are substituted by BN), and f-BNC (all C atoms are replaced by B and N in an alternate manner). Adiabatic ionization potentials of all coronenes were also calculated. The obtained results show that significant interlayer charge transfer (CT) on excitation of bilayer QDs in S1, S2, and S3 states from strong electron donors, coronene (6.93 eV) and m-BNC (6.52 eV), to Bdp will occur. As a result, one can observe only very weak absorption of CT-character in the low-energy spectrum region as well as strong fluorescence quenching of Bdp. On the contrary, for the weak electron donors, p-BNC (7.22 eV) and f-BNC (8.22 eV), strong Bdp-like absorption and fluorescence bands of local excitation character in the low-energy region are expected. Correlation of optical properties of bilayer QDs with ionization potentials of coronene monolayers has been founded. The obtained results can be useful for future graphene-based optoelectronic applications.