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Division of Computational Chemical Physics
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Year 2021
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Radiative lifetime of a BODIPY dye as calculated by TDDFT and EOM-CCSD methods: solvent and vibronic effects
PublicationThe radiative emission lifetime and associated S1 excited state properties of a BODIPY dye are investigated with TDDFT and EOM-CCSD calculations. The effects of a solvent are described with the polarizable continuum model using the linear response (LR) approach as well as state-specific methods. The Franck–Condon (FC), Herzberg–Teller (HT) and Duschinsky vibronic effects are evaluated for the absorption and emission spectra, and...
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Sum-over-state expressions including second-order Herzberg–Teller effects for the calculation of absorption and resonance Raman intensities
PublicationThe sum-over-state expressions are derived to calculate the second-order Herzberg–Teller (HT) effects in absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopies. These effects depend on the second derivatives of the transition dipole moment with respect to the vibrational coordinates. The method is applied to the molecule of 1,3-butadiene using density functional theory calculations. It is found that the second-order HT effects are significant...
Year 2020
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Effects of Bromine Doping on the Structural Properties and Band Gap of CH3NH3Pb(I1–xBrx)3 Perovskite
PublicationAn experimental and theoretical study is reported to investigate the influence of bromine doping on CH3NH3Pb(I1−xBrx)3 perovskite for Br compositions ranging from x = 0 to x = 0.1, in which the material remains in the tetragonal phase. The experimental band gap is deduced from UV−vis absorption spectroscopy and displays a linear behavior as a function of bromine concentration. Density functional theory calculations are performed...
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Synthesis and hydrogen evolving catalysis of a panchromatic photochemical molecular device
PublicationA dinuclear hydrogen evolution photocatalyst [(tbbpy)2Os(tpphz)PtI2](PF6)2 (tbbpy = 4,4′-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine; tpphz = tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c:2′′,3′′-h:2′′′,3′′′-j]phenazine) is synthesized in order to make use of the broader range of visible light absorption mitigated by the osmium center. In a first step, the activity of the complex for hydrogen evolution is investigated by evaluating the role of different electron donors...
Year 2019
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Calculation of Vibrational Resonance Raman Spectra of Molecules Using Quantum Chemistry Methods
PublicationThe understanding and interpretation of experimental resonance Raman (RR) spectra can strongly benefit from theoretical simulations. These can be achieved by combining quantum chemistry (QC) methods to calculate the electronic and vibrational molecular properties, together with appropriate models and approximations to compute the Raman intensities. This chapter presents the main and most commonly employed approaches to calculate...
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Effect of the Catalytic Center on the Electron Transfer Dynamics in Hydrogen-Evolving Ruthenium-Based Photocatalysts Investigated by Theoretical Calculations
PublicationThe light-induced relaxation pathways in the molecular photocatalyst [(tbbpy)2Ru(tpphz)PtCl2]2+ are investigated with time-dependent density functional theory calculations together with the Marcus theory of electron transfer (ET). The calculations show that metal (Ru) to ligand (tpphz) charge transfer (MLCT) triplet states are populated following an excitation in the longer wavelength range of the absorption spectrum, but that an...
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Excited state properties of a series of molecular photocatalysts investigated by time dependent density functional theory.
PublicationTime dependent density functional theory calculations are applied on a series of molecular photocatalysts of the type [(tbbpy)2M1(tpphz)M2X2]2+ (M1 = Ru, Os; M2 = Pd, Pt; X = Cl, I) in order to provide information concerning the photochemistry occurring upon excitation of the compounds in the visible region. To this aim, the energies, oscillator strengths and orbital characters of the singlet and triplet excited states are investigated....
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Influence of orientational disorder on the optical absorption properties in hybrid metal‐halide perovskite CH3NH3PbI3. A combined DFT/TD‐DFT and experimental study.
PublicationAn experimental and theoretical investigation is reported to analyze the relation between the structural and absorption properties of CH3NH3PbI3 in the tetragonal phase. More than 3000 geometry optimizations were performed in order to reveal the structural disorder and to identify structures with the lowest energies. The electronic structure calculations provide an averaged band gap of 1.674 eV, which is in excellent agreement...
Year 2018
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The role of Herzberg-Teller effects on the resonance Raman spectrum of trans-porphycene investigated by time dependent density functional theory.
PublicationThe S1 excited state properties as well as the associated absorption and resonance Raman (RR) spectra of trans-porphycene are investigated by means of time dependent density functional theory calculations. The relative magnitude of the Franck-Condon (FC) contribution and of the Herzberg-Teller (HT) effects is evaluated for both the absorption and RR intensities. The accuracy of the calculated spectra is assessed by employing different...
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Theoretical Investigation of the Electron-Transfer Dynamics and Photodegradation Pathways in a Hydrogen-Evolving Ruthenium-Palladium Photocatalyst
PublicationTime-dependent density functional theory calcula- tions combinedwith the Marcus theory of electron transfer (ET) were app lied on the molecular photocatalys t [(tbbpy) 2 Ru(tpph z)PdC l 2 ] 2 + in order to elucidate thelight-in- duced relaxation pathways populated upon excitation in the longer wavelength range of its absorption spectrum. The computational resultsshow that after the initial excitation, metal (Ru) to ligand (tpphz)chargetransfer...
Year 2017
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Photoelectron spectroscopy of a series of acetate and propionate esters
PublicationThe electronic state and photoionization spectroscopy of a series of acetate esters: methyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, butyl acetate and pentyl acetate as well as two propionates: methyl propionate and ethyl propionate, have been determined using vacuum-ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. These experimental investigations are complemented by ab initio calculations. The measured first adiabatic and vertical ionization energies...
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Theoretical Assessment of Excited State Gradients and Resonance Raman Intensities for the Azobenzene Molecule
PublicationThe ground state geometries and vibrational frequencies as well as the excitation energies and excited state gradients of the S 1(nπ*) and S 2(ππ * ) states of trans - and cis -azobenzene are investigated by several DFT methods, namely B3LYP, PBE, M06-2X, CAM-B3LYP, and ω B97X. Excited state properties and in particular gradients are also assessed using the wave function based methods EOM-CCSD and RASPT2/RASSCF. Comparison with...
Year 2016
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CLICK 'n' Sleep: Light-Switch Behavior of Triazole-Containing Tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium Complexes
PublicationA set of RuII complexes incorporating triazole subunits are presented. They show a solvent-dependent light-switch effect. Theoretical calculations revealed the excited states involved in the emission process. The findings are highly important for future design of light-switch sensors and suggest a severe restriction for functional photomolecular devices synthesized by CLICK chemistry.
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Comparison of simplified sum-over-state expressions to calculate resonance Raman intensities including Franck-Condon and Herzberg-Teller effects
PublicationSum-over-state (SOS) expressions to simulate absorption spectroscopy and resonance Raman (RR) scattering including Franck-Condon (FC) and Herzberg-Teller (HT) effects are described. Starting from the general SOS method, several simplified SOS formulae are derived. In particular, within the so-called independent mode displaced harmonic oscillator model, it is shown that including the vibronic structure in the absorption and RR spectra...
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Electronic state spectroscopy by high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption, He(I) photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations of ethyl acetate
PublicationThe high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption spectrum of ethyl acetate, C4H8O2, is presented over the energy range 4.5−10.7 eV (275.5−116.0 nm). Valence and Rydberg transitions and their associated vibronic series observed in the photoabsorption spectrum, have been assigned in accordance with new ab initio calculations of the vertical excitation energies and oscillator strengths. Also, the photoabsorption cross sections...
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Influence of Protonation State on the Excited State Dynamics of a Photobiologically Active Ru(II) Dyad
PublicationThe influence of ligand protonation on the photophysics of a ruthenium (Ru) dyad bearing the 2-(1-pyrenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline (ippy) ligand was investigated by time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. It was found that changes in the protonation state of the imidazole group led to changes in the electronic configuration of the lowest lying excited state. Formation of the fully deprotonated imidazole...
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Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium and rhenium dyes with phosphonate anchoring groups
PublicationRe(L1)–Re(L3), a series of rhenium(I) tricarbonyl chloride complexes with bpy-R2 derivatives L1–L3 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, R represents the substitution at the 4- and 4′-positions), and their corresponding trishomoleptic Ru(L1)3–Ru(L3)3 as well as heteroleptic ruthenium(II) complexes Ru(tbbpy)2(L1) and Ru(tbbpy)2(L2) have been synthesized and characterized. Their applicability as immobilizable metal–organic chromophores in solar...
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π-Stacking attraction vs. electrostatic repulsion: competing supramolecular interactions in a tpphz-bridged Ru(ii)/Au(iii) complex
PublicationThe synthesis and characterization of a mixed metal ruthenium(II)/gold(III) complex bridged by tetrapyridophenazine (tpphz) are described. It is isostructural and isoelectronic to the well-known photocatalysts with palladium(II) or platinum(II). Concentration dependent 1H-NMR spectroscopy and XRD studies show that the electrostatic repulsion between the gold(III) moieties exceeds the attractive π-stacking interaction. Theoretical...
Year 2015
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A spectroscopic study of the cis/trans-isomers of penta-2,4-dienoic acid attached to gold nanoclusters
PublicationIn this theoretical work, we present a spectroscopic analysis of the cis/trans-isomers of a molecular switch, penta-2,4-dienoic acid, attached to gold clusters of different size (1, 2 and 20 gold atoms). We have simulated 4 different spectroscopic techniques: Infrared spectroscopy, normal Raman scattering, absorption spectra and resonance Raman scattering. We discuss how the position and the conformation of the molecule determine...
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In situ spectroelectrochemical and theoretical study on the oxidation of a 4H-imidazole-ruthenium dye adsorbed on nanocrystalline TiO2thin film electrodes
PublicationTerpyridine 4H-imidazole-ruthenium(ii) complexes are considered promising candidates for use as sensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by displaying broad absorption in the visible range, where the dominant absorption features are due to metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions. The ruthenium(iii) intermediates resulting from photoinduced MLCT transitions are essential intermediates in the photoredox-cycle...
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Optimization of Hydrogen - Evolving Photochemical Molecular Devices
PublicationA molecular photocatalyst consisting of a RuII photocenter, a tetrapyridophenazine bridging ligand, and a PtX2 (X=Cl or I) moiety as the catalytic center functions as a stable system for light-driven hydrogen production. The catalytic activity of this photochemical molecular device (PMD) is significantly enhanced by exchanging the terminal chlorides at the Pt center for iodide ligands. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy...
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Palladium versus Platinum: The Metal in the Catalytic Center of a Molecular Photocatalyst Determines the Mechanism of the Hydrogen Production with Visible Light
PublicationTo develop highly efficient molecular photocatalysts for visible light-driven hydrogen production, a thorough understanding of the photophysical and chemical processes in the photocatalyst is of vital importance. In this context, in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) investigations show that the nature of the catalytically active metal center in a (N^N)MCl2 (M=Pd or Pt) coordination sphere has a significant impact on the...
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Photophysics of a Ruthenium 4H-Imidazole Panchromatic Dye in Interaction with Titanium Dioxide
PublicationThe photophysics of bis(4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine-κ2N,N′)[2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,5-bis(p-tolylimino-κN)imidazolato]ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate is investigated, both in solution and attached to a nanocrystalline TiO2 film. The studied substitution pattern of the 4H-imidazole ligand is observed to block a photoinduced structural reorganization pathway within the 4H-imidazole ligand that has been previously investigated....
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Photophysics of Ru(II) Dyads Derived from Pyrenyl-Substitued Imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline Ligands.
PublicationThe photophysics of a series of Ru(II) dyads based on the 2-(1-pyrenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline ligand was investigated. The ability of these metal complexes to intercalate DNA and induce cell death upon photoactivation makes them attractive photosensitizers for a range of photobiological applications, including photodynamic therapy. In the present study, time-resolved transient absorption and emission spectroscopy...
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Ultrafast Intramolecular Relaxation and Wave-Packet Motion in a Ruthenium-Based Supramolecular Photocatalyst
PublicationThe hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst [(tbbpy)2 Ru(tpphz)Pd(Cl)2 ](2+) (tbbpy=4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, tpphz=tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3'',2''-h:2''',3'''-j]phenazine) shows excitation-wavelength-dependent catalytic activity, which has been correlated to the localization of the initial excitation within the coordination sphere. In this contribution the excitation-wavelength dependence of the early excited-state relaxation...
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Valence and Ionic Lowest-Lying Electronic States of Isobutyl Formate Studied by High-Resolution Vacuum Ultraviolet Photoabsorption, Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and Ab Initio Calculations
PublicationThe highest resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption spectrum of isobutyl formate, C5H10O2, yet reported is presented over the energy range 4.5−10.7 eV (275.5−118.0 nm) revealing several new spectral features. Valence and Rydberg transitions and their associated vibronic series observed in the photoabsorption spectrum have been assigned in accordance with new ab initio calculations of the vertical excitation energies and oscillator...
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Valence and ionic lowest-lying electronic states of small esters studied by high resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption, photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations
PublicationEsters are an important class of oxygenated volatile organic compounds used in food flavorings, perfumes and other cosmetic products. They are present in fruits and pheromones and are emitted to the atmosphere naturally. Esters are also formed in the atmosphere as a product of the oxidation of ethers. Some of them form poly-molecule chains and are used in plastics. Phosphoesters form DNA backbone, while nitroesters are known for...
Year 2014
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Resonance-Raman spectro-electrochemistry of intermediates in molecular artificial photosynthesis of bimetallic complexes
PublicationThe sequential order of photoinduced charge transfer processes and accompanying structure changes were analyzed by UV-vis and resonance-Raman spectroscopy of intermediates of a Ru(II) based photocatalytic hydrogen evolving system obtained by electrochemical reduction.
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Self-healing mechanism of metallopolymers investigated by QM/MM simulations and Raman spectroscopy
PublicationThe thermally induced self-healing mechanisms in metallopolymers based on bisterpyridine complexes of iron(II) sulfate and cadmium(II) bromide, respectively, were studied by means of combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations and Raman spectroscopy. Two possible healing schemes, one based on a decomplexation of the cross-linking complexes and a second one relying on the dissociation of ionic clusters,...
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Tuning of photocatalytic activity by creating a tridentate coordination sphere for palladium
PublicationThe synthesis and characterisation of an asymmetric potential bridging ligand bmptpphz (bmptpphz = 2,17-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2’,3’-c:3’’,2’’-h:2’’’,3’’’-j] phenazine) is presented. This ligand contains a 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and a 2,9-disubstituted phen sphere and possesses a strong absorbance in the visible. Facile coordination of the phen sphere to a Ru(tbbpy)2 core leads to Ru(bmptpphz) ([(tbbpy)2Ru(bmptpphz)](PF6)2;...
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Valence and ionic lowest-lying electronic states of ethyl formate as studied by high-resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption, He(I) photoelectron spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations
PublicationThe highest resolution vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption spectrum of ethyl formate, C2H5OCHO, yet reported is presented over the wavelength range 115.0–275.5 nm (10.75–4.5 eV) revealing several new spectral features. Valence and Rydberg transitions and their associated vibronic series, observed in the photoabsorption spectrum, have been assigned in accordance with new ab initio calculations of the vertical excitation energies...
Year 2013
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An Assessment of RASSCF and TDDFT Energies and Gradients on an Organic Donor−Acceptor Dye Assisted by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy
PublicationThe excitation energies and gradients in the ground and the first excited state of a novel donor−(π- bridge)−acceptor 4-methoxy-1,3-thiazole-based chromophore were investigated by means of MS-RASPT2/RASSCF and TDDFT in solution. Within both methods, the excitation energies strongly depend on the employed equilibrium structures, whose differences can be rationalized in terms of bond length alternation indexes. It is shown that functionals with...
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Redox State Sensitive Spectroscopy of the Model Compound [(H-dcbpy)(2)Ru-II(NCS)(2)](2-) (dcbpy=2,2 '-Bipyridine-4,4 '-dicarboxylato)
PublicationThe charge transfer reaction mechanism in a ruthenium polypyridine model complex with isothiocyanato ligands, i.e., [(H-dcbpy)(2)Ru(NCS)(2)](2-) 2Bu(4)N(+) (Ru2H) (dcbpy = 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylato), has been investigated by combining UV-vis absorption, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. Understanding the photophysics of light-harvesting complexes of this class is an indispensable prerequisite to...
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Theoretical study of the photoelectron spectrum of ethyl formate: Ab initio and density functional theory investigation
PublicationThe first ionization energy and associated photoelectron spectrum of ethyl formate are investigated with quantum chemistry calculations. The geometries, harmonic vibrational frequencies and first ionization energy are computed at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and at the second order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). Moreover, accurate ionization energies are obtained with the Coupled-Cluster theory including singles and doubles...
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Vibrational Sum-Frequency Generation Activity of a 2,4-Dinitrophenyl Phospholipid Hybrid Bilayer: Retrieving Orientational Parameters from a DFT Analysis of Experimental Data
PublicationThe vibrational nonlinear activity of films of 2,4-dinitrophenyl phospholipid (DNP) at the solid interface is measured by sum-frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG). Hybrid bilayers are formed by a LangmuirSchaefer approach in which the lipid layer is physisorbed on top of a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol on Pt with the polar heads pointing out from the surface. The SFG response is investigated in two vibrational frequency...
Year 2012
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A Novel Ru(II) Polypyridine Black Dye Investigated by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy and TDDFT Calculations
PublicationThe optical properties of a new(bipyridine)2Ru(4H-imidazole) complex presenting a remarkablebroad absorption in the visible range are investigated. Thestrong overlap of the absorption with the solar radiationspectrum renders the studied complex promising as a blackabsorber and hence as a starting structure for applications inthe field of dye-sensitized solar cells. The correlations betweenstructural and electronic features for...
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Analysis and characterization of coordination compounds by resonance Raman spectroscopy
PublicationResonance Raman spectroscopy has become a powerful tool to study excited-state geometries, excited-state charge distributions and photoinduced reaction dynamics in coordination compounds. Due to their rich photophysical properties coordination compounds are utilized for a variety of applications ranging from DNA sensing to photocatalysis. This review features recent applications of various resonance Raman scattering techniques...
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Structural Control of Photoinduced Dynamics in 4H-Imidazole- Ruthenium Dyes
PublicationThe photoinduced dynamics of a series ofterpyridine 4H-imidazole-ruthenium complexes, which constitutea new family of panchromatic dyes, is investigated. Thedynamics involves two excited states localized within the 4Himidazolesphere. Upon MLCT excitation, an excited state ispopulated, which is localized on the central part of the 4Himidazoleligand caused by its nonplanar conformation. Thepopulation of the second excited state is...
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Theoretical Design of the Molecular Structure of Bent-Core Mesogens with Large Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties
PublicationABSTRACT: The first hyperpolarizability of two series of moleculeswith bent-shaped structures has been calculated at the ab initio level.The two series consist of carboxyl derivatives for which somemolecules are known to exhibit banana phases and of their sulfinatehomologues that have not been synthesized yet. The final purpose isto reveal the relevance or not in synthesizing these latter molecules.The strategy is based on reporting...