ABSTRACT
Calculated conductance through Au n -S-Bridge-S-Au n (Bridge = organic σ/π-system) constructs are compared to experimentally-determined magnetic exchange coupling parameters in a series of TpCum,MeZnSQ-Bridge-NN complexes, where TpCum,Me = hydro-tris(3-cumenyl-1-methylpyrazolyl)borate ancillary ligand, Zn = diamagnetic zinc(ii), SQ = semiquinone (S = 1/2), and NN = nitronylnitroxide radical (S = 1/2). We find that there is a nonlinear functional relationship between the biradical magnetic exchange coupling, J DâA, and the computed conductance, g mb. Although different bridge types (monomer vs. dimer) do not lie on the same J DâA vs. g mb, curve, there is a scale invariance between the monomeric and dimeric bridges which shows that the two data sets are related by a proportionate scaling of J DâA. For exchange and conductance mediated by a given bridge fragment, we find that the ratio of distance dependent decay constants for conductance (ß g) and magnetic exchange coupling (ß J) does not equal unity, indicating that inherent differences in the tunneling energy gaps, Δε, and the bridge-bridge electronic coupling, H BB, are not directly transferrable properties as they relate to exchange and conductance. The results of these observations are described in valence bond terms, with resonance structure contributions to the ground state bridge wavefunction being different for SQ-Bridge-NN and Au n -S-Bridge-S-Au n systems.
ABSTRACT
Dichalcogenolene platinum(II) diimine complexes, (LE,E')Pt(bpy), are characterized by charge-separated dichalcogenolene donor (LE,E') â diimine acceptor (bpy) ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL'CT) excited states that lead to their interesting photophysics and potential use in solar energy conversion applications. Despite the intense interest in these complexes, the chalcogen dependence on the lifetime of the triplet LL'CT excited state remains unexplained. Three new (LE,E')Pt(bpy) complexes with mixed chalcogen donors exhibit decay rates that are dominated by a spin-orbit mediated nonradiative pathway, the magnitude of which is proportional to the anisotropic covalency provided by the mixed-chalcogen donor ligand environment. This anisotropic covalency is dramatically revealed in the 13C NMR chemical shifts of the donor carbons that bear the chalcogens and is further probed by S K-edge XAS. Remarkably, the NMR chemical shift differences also correlate with the spin-orbit matrix element that connects the triplet excited state with the ground state. Consequently, triplet LL'CT excited state lifetimes are proportional to both functions, demonstrating that specific ground state NMR chemical shifts can be used to evaluate spin-orbit coupling contributions to excited state lifetimes.
ABSTRACT
The correlation of electron transfer with molecular conductance (g: electron transport through single molecules) by Nitzan and others has contributed to a fundamental understanding of single-molecule electronic materials. When an unsymmetric, dipolar molecule spans two electrodes, the possibility exists for different conductance values at equal, but opposite electrode biases. In the device configuration, these molecules serve as rectifiers of the current and the efficiency of the device is given by the rectification ratio (RR = gforward/greverse). Experimental determination of the RR is challenging since the orientation of the rectifying molecule with respect to the electrodes and with respect to the electrode bias direction is difficult to establish. Thus, while two different values of g can be measured and a RR calculated, one cannot easily assign each conductance value as being aligned with or opposed to the molecular dipole, and calculations are often required to resolve the uncertainty. Herein, we describe the properties of two isomeric, triplet ground state biradical molecules that serve as constant-bias analogs of single-molecule electronic devices. Through established theoretical relationships between g and electronic coupling, H2, and between H2 and magnetic exchange coupling, J (g â H2 â J), we use the ratio of experimental J-values for our two isomers to calculate a RR for an unsymmetric bridge molecule with known geometry relative to the two radical fragments of the molecule and at a spectroscopically-defined potential bias. Our experimental results are compared with device transport calculations.
ABSTRACT
The torsional dependence of donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) electronic coupling matrix elements (H(DA), determined from the magnetic exchange coupling, J) involving a spin SD = 1/2 metal semiquinone (Zn-SQ) donor and a spin S(A) = 1/2 nitronylnitroxide (NN) acceptor mediated by the σ/π-systems of para-phenylene and methyl-substituted para-phenylene bridges and by the σ-system of a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (BCO) bridge are presented and discussed. The positions of methyl group(s) on the phenylene bridge allow for an experimentally determined evaluation of conformationally dependent (π) and conformationally independent (σ) contributions to the electronic and magnetic exchange couplings in these D-B-A biradicals at parity of D and A. The trend in the experimental magnetic exchange couplings are well described by CASSCF calculations. The torsional dependence of the pairwise exchange interactions are further illuminated in three-dimensional, "Ramachandran-type" plots that relate D-B and B-A torsions to both electronic and exchange couplings. Analysis of the magnetic data shows large variations in magnetic exchange (J ≈ 1-175 cm(-1)) and electronic coupling (H(DA) ≈ 450-6000 cm(-1)) as a function of bridge conformation relative to the donor and acceptor. This has allowed for an experimental determination of both the σ- and π-orbital contributions to the exchange and electronic couplings.
