M. N. Khimich

Femtosecond dynamics of intramolecular photoinduced proton transfer in N-substituted 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones

Femtosecond dynamics of processes in the excited state of 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones has been studied by femtosecond absorption spectroscopy. The rate constants of intramolecular photoinduced proton transfer (IPPT) have been determined for the N-substituted derivatives (0.7–11 ps−1). The IPPT rate constant depends on the inductive constant of the substituent and the potential barrier height, which was calculated by a quantum-chemical method (TDDFT). The multiexponential character of the kinetics of photoinduced absorption by the compounds with a low inductive constant of the N-substituent in the spectral region of the S1 → SN absorption and the stimulated emission of the IPPT product is explained by the rapid (∼10 ps−1) relaxation process preceding the IPPT.

A fluorescence study of the excited-state dynamics of boron dipyrrin molecular rotors

Noticeable viscosity dependence has been revealed for fluorescence spectra of three phenyl derivatives of boron dipyrrin in aqueous glycerol solutions. This dependence is less pronounced for the fluorescence lifetimes. Such behavior is characteristic of molecular rotors used as media microviscosity sensors. A significant growth of the radiative deactivation constant is observed in the range 298-150 K. Quantumchemical calculation of the model fluorophore support the assumption on barrier-free relaxation of the excited state from the pretwisted to the flattened conformation. The spectral-kinetic parameters of fluorophores have been determined, and viscosity graduation curves are presented.

Femtosecond dynamics of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in o-tosylaminobenzaldehyde

Dynamics of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in o-tosylaminobenzaldehyde has been studied by femtosecond absorption spectroscopy with a time resolution of 30 fs. The characteristic time of this process is ∼100 fs. Differential absorption rate curves exhibit oscillations that are consistent with theoretically predicted ESIPT-promoting vibrational modes. Efficient nonradiative deactivation with a rate constant of 6.25 × 1010 s−1 occurs in the excited product of proton transfer, with internal rotation followed by intersystem crossing being one of the feasible deactivation pathways.

Intramolecular photoinduced proton transfer in 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones with different electron-withdrawing N-substituents

Fluorescence spectra of N-substituted 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones consist of two bands, the long-wavelength band with anomalous Stokes shift, which corresponds to the emission of the product of intramolecular photoinduced proton transfer, and the short-wavelength band belonging to the form in which proton transfer does not occur. It is assumed that there is equilibrium between two planar rotamers in the ground state: one with the N-H…N hydrogen bond in which the intramolecular photoinduced proton transfer occurs and the other with the N-H…O bond, which does not experience hydrogen transfer. According to ab initio quantum-chemical calculations, the potential energy of proton transfer in the first excited singlet state has a potential barrier of 2.1–26.8 kJ/mol depending on the electron-withdrawing ability of the substituent on the amino group.

The Dynamics of Intramolecular Excited State Relaxation of N-Anthryl Substituted Pyridinium Cations

N-(1-Anthryl)-2,4,6-trimethyl-pyridinium (I), N-(2-anthryl)-2,4,6-trimethyl-pyridinium (II) and 10-(1-anthryl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-acridinium cations (III) with anomalously high fluorescence Stokes’ shift have been investigated. Fluorescence kinetics analysis at various temperatures showed that in the range 293–77 K, the radiative deactivation rate constants (kf) increase by 5.5 to 30 times. The low-temperature time-resolved emission spectra of I–III were found to be consistent with the model: A→ A*⇚ B* where A* is the local excited twisted form and B* is the relaxed more planar, bent conformer of the molecule. The rate constants of the excited relaxed state formation (k1) and back reaction (k−1) of compounds studied were estimated.

Peculiarities of exited state intramolecular proton transfer in 2-amino-3-(2′-benzazolyl)-quinolines

It has been shown that a low fluorescence quantum yield of 2-amino-3-(2′-benzoxazolyl)-quinoline (ABO) and 2-amino-3-(2′-benzothiazolyl)-quinoline (ABT) is due to the relaxation process caused by excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Quantum-chemical calculations have revealed that ESIPT in these compounds is characterized by overcoming a potential barrier, with the lower basicity of the proton-accepting moiety in ABO resulting in a higher barrier than in ABT and, thereby, determining a substantial difference in their fluorescence quantum yields.

Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer in O-Tosylaminobenzaldehyde

Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in o-tosylaminobenzaldehyde has been investigated. According to quantum-chemical calculations ESIPT in o-tosylaminobenzaldehyde is barrierless. Product of ESIPT undergoes efficient nonradiative deactivation caused by internal rotation of C(H)OH-group. The solvent orientational relaxation in anionic form of o-tosylaminobenzaldehyde was detected. The mechanism of anionic form fluorescence quenching at the addition of the base in a protic solvent is proposed. It consists in the intermolecular proton transfer from the protonated base to oxygen atom of aldehyde group followed by the internal rotation of C(H)OH-group.

Conformational effects in excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in N-substituted 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones

The conformational effects in the ground and excited states were studied for N-substituted 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones. The structural relaxation of the excited ESIPT product was revealed, which results in the formation of a nonplanar conformer undergoing efficient nonradiative deactivation. The aggregation of fluorophore molecules was observed in saturated hydrocarbons at low temperatures for N-substituted 2-(2-aminophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones with the amido carbonyl group. Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer was not observed in this associate, and the fluorophore molecules were shown to occur in the nonplanar conformation, in which there is no intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

Femtosecond dynamics of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in o-tosylaminobenzoic and o-acetylaminobenzoic acids

The dynamics of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and of relaxation processes in o-tosylaminobenzoic acid (TAC) and o-acetylaminobenzoic acid (AAC) have been studied by femtosecond absorption spectroscopy with a time resolution of 30 fs. The ESIPT characteristic time in the TAC dimer and monomer and in AAC monomer is 50 fs. The excited product of photoinduced proton transfer in the monomer undergoes effective radiationless deactivation with a characteristic time of 30 ps, one of the channels of which is internal rotation followed by intersystem crossing and internal conversion. The product of ESIPT in the TAC dimer deactivates preferentially into the ground state via radiative transition with a time of 291 ps. ESIPT in the AAC dimer is thermodynamically unfavorable and occurs with a low yield.

Specifics of photoinduced excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in o -tosylaminobenzoic and o -acetylaminobenzoic acids

In the ground state, o-tosylaminobenzoic and o-acetylaminobenzoic acids exist in the form of two rotamers with intramolecular hydrogen bonds N-H...O=C (cis) and N-H...O(OH)-C (trans). In nonpolar solvents, the formation of dimers with hydrogen bonding between carboxyl groups takes place. Efficient barrierless excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) occurs along the N-H...O=C hydrogen bond upon excitation of o-tosylaminobenzoic acid. The efficiency of ESIPT in o-acetylaminobenzoic acid is lower because of the low acidity of the substituted amino group.