Mary T. Pryce

MHz unidirectional rotation of molecular rotary motors

A combination of cryogenic UV-vis and CD spectroscopy and transient absorption spectroscopy at ambient temperature is used to study a new class of unidirectional rotary molecular motors. Stabilization of unstable intermediates is achieved below 95 K in propane solution for the structure with the fastest rotation rate, and below this temperature measurements on the rate limiting step in the rotation cycle can be performed to obtain activation parameters. The results are compared to measurements at ambient temperature using transient absorption spectroscopy, which show that behavior of these motors is similar over the full temperature range investigated, thereby allowing a maximum rotation rate of 3 MHz at room temperature under suitable irradiation conditions.

Synthesis, photo-, and electrochemistry of ruthenium bis(bipyridine) complexes comprising a N-heterocyclic carbene ligand.

Analogues of [Ru(bpy)3](2+) were prepared in which one pyridine ligand site is substituted by a N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand, that is, either by an imidazolylidene with a variable wingtip group R (R = Me, 3a; R = Et, 3b; R = iPr, 3c), or by a benzimidazolylidene (Me wingtip group, 3d), or by a 1,2,3-triazolylidene (Me wingtip group, 3e). All complexes were characterized spectroscopically, photophysically, and electrochemically. An increase of the size of the wingtip groups from Me to Et or iPr groups distorts the octahedral geometry (NMR spectroscopy) and curtails the reversibility of the ruthenium oxidation. NHC ligands with methyl wingtip groups display reversible ruthenium oxidation at a potential that reflects the donor properties of the NHC ligand (triazolylidene > imidazolylidene > benzimidazolylidene). The most attractive properties were measured for the triazolylidene ruthenium complex 3e, featuring the smallest gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) in the series (2.41 eV), a slightly red-shifted absorption profile, and reasonable excited-state lifetime (188 ns) when compared to [Ru(bpy)3](2+). These features demonstrate the potential utility of triazolylidene ruthenium complexes as photosensitizers for solar energy conversion.

Dye sensitised solar cells with nickel oxide photocathodes prepared via scalable microwave sintering

Photoactive NiO electrodes for cathodic dye-sensitised solar cells (p-DSCs) have been prepared with thicknesses ranging between 0.4 and 3.0 μm by spray-depositing pre-formed NiO nanoparticles on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates. The larger thicknesses were obtained in sequential sintering steps using a conventional furnace (CS) and a newly developed rapid discharge sintering (RDS) method. The latter procedure is employed for the first time for the preparation of p-DSCs. In particular, RDS represents a scalable procedure that is based on microwave-assisted plasma formation that allows the production in series of mesoporous NiO electrodes with large surface areas for p-type cell photocathodes. RDS possesses the unique feature of transmitting heat from the bulk of the system towards its outer interfaces with controlled confinement of the heating zone. The use of RDS results in a drastic reduction of processing times with respect to other deposition methods that involve heating/calcination steps with associated reduced costs in terms of energy. P1-dye sensitized NiO electrodes obtained via the RDS procedure have been tested in DSC devices and their performances have been analysed and compared with those of cathodic DSCs derived from CS-deposited samples. The largest conversion efficiencies (0.12%) and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiencies, IPCEs (50%), were obtained with sintered NiO electrodes having thicknesses of ~1.5-2.0 μm. In all the devices, the photogenerated holes in NiO live significantly longer (τ(h) ~ 1 s) than have previously been reported for P1-sensitized NiO photocathodes. In addition, P1-sensitised sintered electrodes give rise to relatively high photovoltages (up to 135 mV) when the triiodide-iodide redox couple is used.

Recent progress in the development of bimetallic photocatalysts for hydrogen generation

In this contribution recent developments in the design and application of bimetallic photocatalysts for the generation of hydrogen via intramolecular processes are assessed. The basic concepts of such assemblies are discussed together with an overview of the factors and molecular issues that affect their potential as photocatalysts. Issues that so far have limited progress are discussed and suggestions for future directions are made.

Effect of Water during the Quantitation of Formate in Photocatalytic Studies on CO2 Reduction in Dimethylformamide

The effect of the water concentration on the quantitation of formate from dimethylformamide in the presence of electron-donating bases using ion chromatography is reported. This observation has important implications in the area of the photocatalytic reduction of CO(2), where formate levels are often used to calculate catalyst turnover numbers.

Novel fluorinated amino-stilbenes and their solid-state photodimerization

We synthesized a series of polyfluoro-amino-stilbenes in satisfactory yields by Wittig reaction of 4-piperazinyl-benzalhehydes with pentafluoro-benzylidene-triphenyl-phosphorane and we analyzed the photochemical behavior of these stilbenes in the solid state; thanks to arene–perfluoroarene π–π interactions, some of them have shown a good propensity to give the corresponding cyclobutane photodimers in quantitative yields. The photocyclization is reversible both in solution and in polymeric matrix, affording the corresponding stilbenes with different cis–trans stereo-selectivity.

Synthesis, Electrochemistry, and Photophysical Properties of a Series of Luminescent Pyrene-Thiophene Dyads and the Corresponding Co2(CO)6 Complexes

A series of pyrene based dyad systems together with their dicobalt hexacarbonyl complexes (1b-6b) were synthesized. The pyrene-thiophene dyads are luminescent in room temperature solution with luminescence lifetimes on the nanosecond time scale. At room temperature the dyad emission is quenched by coordination to a Co(2)(CO)(6) moiety via an acetylene bridge. However, at 77 K this emission is not fully quenched following complexation. Electrochemical studies suggest that an intraligand state is responsible for the emission. Photochemical studies in the presence of PPh(3) indicate that CO loss occurs following broadband irradiation with lambda(exc) > 400 nm, resulting in the formation of both -pentacarbonyl and -tetracarbonyl photoproducts.

Photochemistry of (η(6)-arene)Cr(CO)3 (arene = methylbenzoate, naphthalene, or phenanthrene) in n-heptane solution: population of two excited states following 400 nm excitation as detected by picosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopy.

The photochemistry of (η(6)-methylbenzoate)Cr(CO)(3), (η(6)-naphthalene)Cr(CO)(3), and (η(6)-phenanthrene)Cr(CO)(3) in n-heptane solution was investigated by picosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopy (TRIR). The observation of two transient IR features in the organic carbonyl region at 1681 and 1724 cm(-1) following 400 nm excitation of (η(6)-methylbenzoate)Cr(CO)(3) confirms formation of two excited states which are classified as metal-to-arene charge transfer (MACT) and metal-to-CO charge transfer (MCCT), respectively. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations have been used to support these assignments. Population of the MCCT excited state results in a slow (150 ps) expulsion of one CO ligand. Excitation of (η(6)-naphthalene)Cr(CO)(3) or (η(6)-phenanthrene)Cr(CO)(3) at either 400 or 345 nm produced two excited states: the MCCT state results in CO loss, while the MACT excited state results in a change to the coordination mode of the polyaromatic ligands before relaxing to the parent complex. A comparison of the infrared absorptions observed following the population of the MACT excited state with those calculated for nonplanar polyaromatic intermediates provides a model for the reduced hapticity species.

Visible light driven room temperature Pauson-Khand reaction†

Visible light driven decarbonylation of [(mu(2)-alkyne)Co(2)(CO)(6)] complexes enables the formation of cyclopentenones in good yields at ambient temperatures.

New synthetic pathways to the preparation of near-blue emitting heteroleptic Ir(III)N6 coordinated compounds with microsecond lifetimes

A high yield synthetic route for the preparation of N6 coordinated heteroleptic Ir(III) complexes using bidentate polypyridyl type ligands is described. The complexes are near-blue emitters and show microsecond emission lifetimes, high emission quantum yields and have two quasi-reversible reduction processes between -1.0 and -1.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl.