Norma Flores-Holguín

Natural Carotenoids as Nanomaterial Precursors for Molecular Photovoltaics: A Computational DFT Study

In this work several natural carotenoids were studied as potential nanomaterial precursors for molecular photovoltaics. M05-2X/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory calculations were used to obtain their molecular structures, as well as to predict the infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV-Vis) spectra, the dipole moment and polarizability, the pKa, and the chemical reactivity parameters (electronegativity, hardness, electrophilicity and Fukui functions) that arise from Conceptual DFT. The calculated values were compared with the available experimental data for these molecules and discussed in terms of their usefulness in describing photovoltaic properties.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) Study of Triphenylamine-Based Dyes for Their Use as Sensitizers in Molecular Photovoltaics

In this work we studied three dyes which are proposed for potential photovoltaic applications and named Dye7, Dye7-2t and Dye7-3t. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) was utilized, using the M05-2X hybrid meta-GGA functional and the 6–31+G(d,p) basis set. This level of calculation was used to find the optimized molecular structure and to predict the main molecular vibrations, the absorption and emission spectra, the molecular orbitals energies, dipole moment, isotropic polarizability and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from Conceptual DFT. Also, the pKa values were calculated with the semi-empirical PM6 method.

Computational molecular characterization of the flavonoid rutin

In this work, we make use of a model chemistry within Density Functional Theory (DFT) recently presented, which is called M05-2X, to calculate the molecular structure of the flavonoid Rutin, as well as to predict the infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV-Vis) spectra, the dipole moment and polarizability, the free energy of solvation in different solvents as an indication of solubility, the HOMO and LUMO orbitals, and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from Conceptual DFT. The calculated values are compared with the available experimental data for this molecule as a means of validation of the used model chemistry.

Theoretical study of electronic properties of organic photovoltaic materials

It has been proved that fullerene derivatives, in which an oligophenylenevinylene (OPV) group is attached to C60, present an interesting photophysical phenomenon and can be incorporated into photovoltaic cells. In these systems, the OPV acts as electron donor upon excitation, and then fullerene absorbs photoexcited electrons. These new organic semiconductor materials offer the prospect of lower manufacturing costs and they present several advantages: easy fabrication, large area, flexible and light weight devices when compared with inorganic counter parts. In the present theoretical study, oligomeric chains of p‐phenylenevinylene (n‐PPV, n = 3–8 units) and C60‐OPV hybrids have been studied by density functional theory (DFT). Electronic properties such as electronic absorption and emission spectra were calculated in order to determinate how the increment of spectroscopic units affects their electronic behavior. These properties were carried out with time dependent‐density functional theory (TD‐DFT) and ZINDO semiempirical method. The theoretical calculations of the structural properties of n‐PPV and fullerene‐OPV hybrids were obtained using PBE1PBE/6‐31G and ONIOM two‐layered version, respectively. All calculations were done with Gaussian 03W program package.

Computational Molecular Nanoscience Study of the Properties of Copper Complexes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this work, we studied a copper complex-based dye, which is proposed for potential photovoltaic applications and is named Cu (I) biquinoline dye. Results of electron affinities and ionization potentials have been used for the correlation between different levels of calculation used in this study, which are based on The Density Functional Theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD) DFT. Further, the maximum absorption wavelengths of our theoretical calculations were compared with the experimental data. It was found that the M06/LANL2DZ + DZVP level of calculation provides the best approximation. This level of calculation was used to find the optimized molecular structure and to predict the main molecular vibrations, the molecular orbitals energies, dipole moment, isotropic polarizability and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from Conceptual DFT.

Experimental and quantum chemical studies of a novel synthetic prenylated chalcone

BackgroundChalcones are ubiquitous natural compounds with a wide variety of reported biological activities, including antitumoral, antiviral and antimicrobial effects. Furthermore, chalcones are being studied for its potential use in organic electroluminescent devices; therefore the description of their spectroscopic properties is important to elucidate the structure of these molecules. One of the main techniques available for structure elucidation is the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR). Accordingly, the prediction of the NMR spectra in this kind of molecules is necessary to gather information about the influence of substituents on their spectra.ResultsA novel substituted chalcone has been synthetized. In order to identify the functional groups present in the new synthesized compound and confirm its chemical structure, experimental and theoretical 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra were analyzed. The theoretical molecular structure and NMR spectra were calculated at both the Hartree-Fock and Density Functional (meta: TPSS; hybrid: B3LYP and PBE1PBE; hybrid meta GGA: M05-2X and M06-2X) levels of theory in combination with a 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The structural parameters showed that the best method for geometry optimization was DFT:M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p), whereas the calculated bond angles and bond distances match experimental values of similar chalcone derivatives. The NMR calculations were carried out using the Gauge-Independent Atomic Orbital (GIAO) formalism in a DFT:M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) optimized geometry.ConclusionConsidering all HF and DFT methods with GIAO calculations, TPSS and PBE1PBE were the most accurate methods used for calculation of 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR chemical shifts, which was almost similar to the B3LYP functional, followed in order by HF, M05-2X and M06-2X methods. All calculations were done using the Gaussian 09 software package. Theoretical calculations can be used to predict and confirm the structure of substituted chalcones with good correlation with the experimental data.

Comparison of several protocols for the computational prediction of the maximum absorption wavelength of chrysanthemin

UV-Vis spectra were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory for the chrysanthemin pigment, which is used as natural dye in dye sensitized solar cells. To this end, we studied four different calculation protocols in order to obtain the best approximation according to the maximum absorption wavelength (λmax) of the experimental spectrum. Furthermore, the optimized geometry, highest occupied molecular orbitals, lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals and electron density were calculated and analyzed. Several chemical models were used with and without the presence of the chlorine atom: the chosen functionals, B3LYP, PBE0 and the M06 family, represent various approximations with different fractions of Hartree-Fock exchange energy. These functionals were combined with the 6–31 + G (d), 6–311 + G (d) and the MIDIX + basis sets. All of these calculation protocols proved a good option, though the B3LYP/MIDIX + chemistry model was the best for predicting the λmax value, using the equilibrium calculation protocol (M1a) in the presence of chlorine.

Computational molecular characterization of the flavonoid Morin and its Pt(II), Pd(II) and Zn(II) complexes

AbstractIn this work, we make use of a model chemistry within density functional theory (DFT) recently presented, which is called M05-2X, to calculate the molecular structure of the flavonoid Morin and its Pt(II), Pd(II) and Zn(II) complexes, as well to predict their IR and UV-Vis spectra, the dipole moment and polarizability, the free energy of solvation in different solvents as an indication of solubility, the HOMO and LUMO orbitals, and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from Conceptual DFT. The calculated values are compared with the available experimental data for these molecules. FigureHOMO and LUMO of the morin flavonoid calculated with the M05-2X/6-31+G(d,p) model chemistry

An introductory study of the molecular structure and properties of oligothiadiazoles

Abstract Several potentially conducting polymers, optically nonlinear polymers, and biomaterials contain heterocyclic structures. Reduction of the energy band gap of a conjugated polymer is a topic of considerable interest due to the possible elimination of doping in the preparation of highly conductive polymers. Control of the energy gap value of a polymer by molecular design could modify its optical, electronic and optoelectronic properties. Thiadiazoles and their derivatives are the structural basis of some of these polymeric materials. The results of the calculation of the HOMO–LUMO gap, the dipole moment and polarizability of thiadiazole oligomers in vacuo and in the presence of solvents are reported. The calculations are based on density functional theory using a specially tailored model chemistry. The potential utility of these materials for the development of chemical sensors is discussed.

Computational nanochemistry study of the molecular structure and properties of ethambutol

The M06 family of density functionals was employed to calculate the molecular structure and properties of the ethambutol molecule. Besides determination of molecular structures, UV–vis spectra were computed using TD-DFT in the presence of a solvent and the results compared with available experimental data. The chemical reactivity descriptors were calculated through conceptual DFT. The active sites for nucleophilic and electrophilic attacks have been chosen by relating them to Fukui function indices. A comparison between the descriptors calculated through vertical energy values and those arising from Koopmans’ theorem approximation were performed in order to check the validity of the latter procedure.