Intersystem Crossing Pathway in Quinoline-Pyrazole Isomerism: A Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Study on Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer.

The dynamics of the excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) reaction of quinoline-pyrazole (QP) isomers, designated as QP-I and QP-II, has been investigated by means of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). A lower barrier has been found in the potential energy curve for the lowest singlet excited state (S1) along the proton-transfer coordinate of QP-II compared with that of QP-I; however, this is at variance with a recent experimental report [J. Phys. Chem. A 2010, 114, 7886-7891], in which the authors proposed that the ESIPT reaction would only proceed in QP-I due to the absence of a PT emission for QP-II. Therefore, several deactivating pathways have been investigated to determine whether fluorescence quenching occurs in the PT form of QP-II (PT-II). The S1 state of PT-II has nπ* character, which is a well-known dark state. Moreover, the energy gap between the S1 and T2 states is only 0.29 eV, implying that an intersystem crossing (ISC) process would occur rapidly following the ESIPT reaction. Therefore, it is demonstrated that the ESIPT could successfully proceed in QP-II and that the PT emission would be quenched by the ISC process.

TDDFT study on the excited-state proton transfer of 8-hydroxyquinoline: key role of the excited-state hydrogen-bond strengthening.

Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations have been employed to study the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ). Infrared spectra of 8HQ in both the ground and the lowest singlet excited states have been calculated, revealing a red-shift of the hydroxyl group (-OH) stretching band in the excited state. Hence, the intramolecular hydrogen bond (O-H···N) in 8HQ would be significantly strengthened upon photo-excitation to the S1 state. As the intramolecular proton-transfer reaction occurs through hydrogen bonding, the ESIPT reaction of 8HQ is effectively facilitated by strengthening of the electronic excited-state hydrogen bond (O-H···N). As a result, the intramolecular proton-transfer reaction would occur on an ultrafast timescale with a negligible barrier in the calculated potential energy curve for the ESIPT reaction. Therefore, although the intramolecular proton-transfer reaction is not favorable in the ground state, the ESIPT process is feasible in the excited state. Finally, we have identified that radiationless deactivation via internal conversion (IC) becomes the main dissipative channel for 8HQ by analyzing the energy gaps between the S1 and S0 states for the enol and keto forms.

TDDFT study of the polarity controlled ion-pair separation in an excited-state proton transfer reaction.

6-Hydroxyquinoline (6HQ) is an ideal photoacid system for exploring excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) reactions. We have previously (Mahata et al. (2002)) shown that the ESPT reaction between 6HQ and trimethylamine (TMA) leads to an "unusual" emission in the 440-450 nm range, containing two decay components (∼5 ns and ∼12 ns). The observed results suggest the presence of a contact ion-pair and a solvent separated ion-pair. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) have been employed to study the nature of the contact ion-pair formed between 6HQ and TMA and to determine why the decay component ∼12 ns is absent in a non-polar solvent. Calculations of the hydrogen-bonded complexes formed between 6HQ and TMA and its ESPT reaction product, namely 6HQ-TMA and 6HQ-TMA-PT, respectively, have been carried out, both in the electronic ground and excited states. Moreover, by using the CPCM model, different dielectric constants have been introduced into the calculations. On increasing the dielectric constant, the hydrogen bond in 6HQ-TMA-PT becomes weaker and the hydrogen bond length becomes larger; this effectively facilitates the proton transfer reaction and formation of separated ion-pair. Thus, the separation and diffusion of the contact ion-pair can be controlled by changing the polarity of the surroundings.

Wagging motion of hydrogen-bonded wire in the excited-state multiple proton transfer process of 7-hydroxyquinoline·(NH3)3 cluster.

In this work, the dynamics of hydrogen bonds (as well as the hydrogen-bonded wire) in excited-state tautomerization of 7-hydroxyquinoline·(NH3)3 (7HQ·(NH3)3) cluster has been investigated by using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). It shows that upon an excitation, the hydrogen bond between -OH group in 7-hydroxyquinoline (7HQ) and NH3 moiety would extremely strengthened in S1 state, which could effectively facilitate the releasing of the proton from the phenolic group of 7HQ moiety to the hydrogen-bonded wire and the forming an Eigen-like cationic wire (NH3···NH4(+)···NH3) in the cluster. To fulfill the different optimal angles of NH4(+) in the wire, a wagging motion of hydrogen-bonded wire would occur in excited state. Moreover, the wagging motion of the hydrogen-bonded wire would effectively promote excited-state proton transfer reaction. As the results, an excited-state multiple proton transfer (ESMPT) mechanism containing two concerted and asymmetrical processes has been proposed for the proton transfer dynamics of 7HQ·(NH3)3 cluster.