Concerted Electron-Nuclear Motion in Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer-Driven Grotthuss-Type Proton Translocation
Not Available
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SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “Electronic coupling”
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On the nature of long range electronic coupling in a medium: Distance and orientational dependence for chromophores in molecular aggregates
The electronic coupling that mediates energy transfer in molecular aggregates is theoretically investigated using the principles of quantum electrodynamics (QED). In this context, both the electromagnetic tensor and rate equation relating to these couplings are re-examined with a focus on the role of the relative distance and orientation of transition dipole moment pairs, considering near-, intermediate-, and far-zone contributions to the coupling. The QED based coupling terms are investigated both analytically and numerically, and they are physically interpreted in terms of the character of the mediating (virtual) photons. The spatial dependence of the couplings for a two-dimensional molecular aggregate of ordered and isotropic transition dipole moments is numerically calculated. Further, Pauli Master Equations are employed for a one-dimensional chain of molecules and donor-acceptor pairs, to investigate the importance of intermediate- and far-zone contributions to the electronic coupling on electronic energy transfer dynamics. The results indicate that although Förster theory is often qualitatively and quantitatively correct for describing electronic energy transfer (EET) processes, intermediate- and far-zone coupling terms could sometimes be non-negligible for correctly describing EET in natural and artificial, mesoscopic, solar energy harvesting systems. In particular, the results indicate that these terms are non-negligible when using Förster resonance energy transfer spectroscopic ruler techniques for distances >10 nm.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Electronically-coupled redox centers in trimetallic cobalt complexes
Synthesis and isolation of molecular building blocks of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can provide unique opportunities for characterization that would otherwise be inaccessible due to the heterogeneous nature of MOFs. Herein, we report a series of trinuclear cobalt complexes incorporating dithiolene ligands, triphenylene-2,3,6,7,10,11-hexathiolate (THT) (1 3+ ), and benzene hexathiolate (BHT) (2 3+ ), with 1,1,1,-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane (triphos) employed as the capping ligand. Single crystal X-ray analyses of 1 3+ and 2 3+ display three five-coordinate cobalt centers bound to the triphos and dithiolene ligands in a distorted square pyramidal geometry. Cyclic voltammetry studies of 1 3+ and 2 3+ reveal three redox features associated with the formation of mixed valence states due to the sequential reduction of the redox-active metal centers (Co III/II ). Using this electrochemical data, the comproportionality values were determined for 1 and 2 (log K c = 1.4 and 1.5 for 1, and 4.7 and 5.8 for 2), suggesting strong resonance-stabilized coupling of the metal centers, with stronger electronic coupling observed for complex 2 compared to that for complex 1. Cyclic voltammetry studies were also performed in solvents of varying polarity, whereupon the difference in the standard potentials (ΔE 1/2 ) for 1 and 2 was found to shift as a function of the polarity of the solvent, indicating a negative correlation between the dielectric constant of the electrochemical medium and the stability of the mixed valence species. Spectroelectrochemical studies of in situ generated multi-valent (MV) states of complexes 1 and 2 display characteristic NIR intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands, and analysis of the IVCT transitions for complex 2 suggests a weakly coupled class II multi-valent species and relatively large electronic coupling factors (1700 cm –1 for the first multi-valent state of 2 2+ , and 1400 and 4000 cm –1 for the second multi-valent state of 2 + ). Here, density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate a significant deviation in relative energies of the frontier orbitals of complexes 1 3+ , 2 3+ , and 3 + that contrasts those calculated for the analogous trinuclear cobalt dithiolene complexes employing pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*) as the capping ligand (Co 3 Cp* 3 THT and Co 3 Cp* 3 BHT, respectively), and may be a result of the cationic nature of complexes 1 3+ , 2 3+ , and 3 + .
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Electronic couplings for singlet fission: Orbital choice and extrapolation to the complete basis set limit
Abstract For the search for promising singlet fission candidates, the calculation of the effective electronic coupling, which is required to estimate the singlet fission rate between the initially excited state (S 0 S 1 ) and the multiexcitonic state ( 1 TT, two triplets on neighboring molecules, coupled into a singlet), should be sufficiently reliable and fast enough to explore the configuration space. We propose here to modify the calculation of the effective electronic coupling using a nonorthogonal configuration interaction approach by: (a) using only one set of orbitals, optimized for the triplet state of the molecules, to describe all molecular electronic states, and (b) only taking the leading configurations into consideration. Furthermore, we also studied the basis set convergence of the electronic coupling, and we found, by comparison to the complete basis set limit obtained using the cc‐pV n Z series of basis sets, that both the aug‐cc‐pVDZ and 6–311++G** basis sets are a good compromise between accuracy and computational feasibility. The proposed approach enables future work on larger clusters of molecules than dimers.
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Solar axion flux from the axion-electron coupling
In non-hadronic axion models, where axions couple to electrons at tree level, the solar axion flux is completely dominated by the ABC reactions (Atomic recombination and deexcitation, Bremsstrahlung and Compton). In this paper the ABC flux is computed from available libraries of monochromatic photon radiative opacities (OP, LEDCOP and OPAS) by exploiting the relations between axion and photon emission cross sections. These results turn to be ∼ 30% larger than previous estimates due to atomic recombination (free-bound electron transitions) and deexcitation (bound-bound), which where not previously taken into account.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
Electronic Coupling Dependence of Ultrafast Interfacial Electron Transfer on Nanocrystalline Thin Films and Single Crystal
The long-term goal of the proposed research is to understand electron transfer dynamics in nanoparticle/liquid interface. This knowledge is essential to many semiconductor nanoparticle based devices, including photocatalytic waste degradation and dye sensitized solar cells.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
A fast scheme to calculate electronic couplings between P3HT polymer units using diabatic orbitals for charge transfer dynamics simulations
We propose a fast and accurate calculation method to compute the electronic couplings between molecular units in a thiophene-ring-based polymer chain mimicking a real organic semiconducting polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene). Through a unit block diabatization scheme, the method employed minimal number of diabatic orbitals to compute the site energies and electronic couplings, which were validated by comparing with benchmark density functional theory calculations. In addition, by using the obtained electronic couplings, a quantum dynamics simulation was carried out to propagate a hole initially localized in a thiophene-ring unit of the polymer chain. Here, this work establishes a simple, efficient, and robust means for the simulation of electron or hole transfer processes in organic semiconducting materials, an important capability for study and understanding of the class of organic optoelectronic and photovoltaic materials.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Decoding Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer with Potential–p K a Diagrams: Applications to Catalysis
The applied potential at which [Ni II (P 2 Ph N 2 Bn ) 2 ] 2+ (P 2 Ph N 2 Bn = 1,5-dibenzyl-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane) catalyzes hydrogen production is reported to vary as a function of proton source p K a in acetonitrile. Yet, most molecular catalysts exhibit catalytic onsets at p K a -independent potentials. Using experimentally determined thermochemical parameters associated with reduction and protonation, a coupled Pourbaix diagram is constructed for [Ni II (P 2 Ph N 2 Bn ) 2 ] 2+ . One layer describes proton-coupled electron transfer reactivity involving ligand-based protonation, and the second describes metal-based protonation. An overlay of this diagram with experimentally determined E cat/2 values spanning 15 p K a units, along with complementary stopped-flow rapid mixing experiments to detect reaction intermediates, supports a mechanism in which the proton-coupled electron transfer processes underpinning the p K a -dependent catalytic processes involve protonation of the ligand, not the metal center. For proton sources with p K a values in the range 6–10.6, the initial species formed is the doubly reduced, doubly protonated species [Ni 0 (P 2 Ph N 2 Bn H) 2 ] 2+ , despite a higher overpotential for this proton-coupled electron transfer reaction in comparison to forming the metal-protonated isomer. In this complex, each ligand is protonated in the exo position with the two amine moieties on each ligand binding a single proton and positioning it away from the metal center. This species undergoes very slow isomerization to form an endo-protonated hydride species [HNi II (P 2 Ph N 2 Bn )(P 2 Ph N 2 Bn H)] 2+ that can release hydrogen to close the catalytic cycle. Crucially, this slow isomerization does not perturb the initially established proton-coupled electron transfer equilibrium, placing catalysis under thermodynamic control. New details revealed about the reaction mechanism from the coupled Pourbaix diagram and the complementary stopped-flow studies lead to predictions as to how this p K a -dependent activity might be engendered in other molecular catalysts for multi-electron, multi-proton transformations.
08 HYDROGEN↗
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer at the Pu 5+/4+ Couple
Not Available
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Multisite Proton–Coupled Electron Transfer at a Keggin-Type Polyoxotungstate
Proton−coupled electron transfer (PCET) governs many redox transformations, but is thermodynamically constrained when proton and electron transfer occur at a single site. Here, we introduce a new multisite PCET (MSPCET) platform, based on the Keggin-type polyoxotungstate, [VW 12 O 40 ] 3− (VW 12 ). Pairing VW 12 with either Brønsted bases or acids yields reagent pairs with tunable effective bond dissociation free energies (BDFE eff ) over 15 kcal mol −1 , enabling both oxidative and reductive H atom transfer reactions. Kinetic studies on the oxidative pathway by using 2,4,6- t Bu 3 PhOH as a model hydrogen atom (H atom) donor reveal a product-like, entropy-dominated concerted proton−electron transfer (CPET) pathway from a preorganized hydrogen-bonded complex. By contrast, reductive H atom transfer reactions exhibit larger ΔH ‡ values, measurable kinetic isotope effects, and balanced Brønsted slope, consistent with synchronous CPET-type mechanism. Extension to N−H, O−H, and C−H substrates demonstrates the versatility of the VW 12 MS-PCET platform for tunable (de)hydrogenation.
Charge transfer↗
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in a Ruthenium(II) Bipyrimidine Complex in Its Ground and Excited Electronic States
In this work, proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) was studied for the ground and excited electronic states of a [Ru(terpy)(bpm)(OH 2 )(PF 6 ) 2 ] complex, Ru-bpm. Cyclic voltammetry measurements show that the Ru(II)-aqua moiety undergoes PCET to form a Ru(IV)-oxo moiety in the anodic region, while the bpm ligand undergoes PCET to form bpmH 2 in the cathodic region. The photophysical behavior of Ru-bpm was studied using steady-state and femtosecond transient UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The lowest-lying excited state of Ru-bpm is described as a (Ru → bpm) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) state, while the metal-centered (MC) excited state was found computationally to be close in energy to the lowest-energy bright MLCT state (MC state was 0.16 eV above the MLCT state). The excited-state kinetics of Ru-bpm were found via transient absorption spectroscopy to be short-lived and were fit well to a biexponential function with lifetimes $τ_1$ = 4 ps and $τ_2$ = 65 ps in aqueous solution. Kinetic isotope effects of 1.75 ($τ_1$) and 1.61 ($τ_2$) were observed for both decay components, indicating that the solvent plays an important role in the excited-state dynamics of Ru-bpm. Based on the pH-dependent studies and the results from prior studies of similar Ru-complexes, we hypothesize that the 3 MLCT state forms an excited-state hydrogen-bond adduct with the solvent molecules and that this process occurs with a 4 ps lifetime. The formation of such a hydrogen-bond complex is consistent with the electronic density accumulation at the peripheral N atoms of the bpm moiety in the 3 MLCT state. The hydrogen-bonded state 3 MLCT decays to the ground state with a 65 ps lifetime. Such a short lifetime is likely associated with the efficient vibrational energy transfer from the 3 MLCT state to the solvent.
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Ultrafast Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Reactions at Unit Quantum Yield
Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions mediate essential biological energy-conversion processes, yet dynamical experiments that distinguish concerted electron/proton motion from sequential electron-transfer/proton-transfer pathways are unprecedented on ultrafast time scales. Here we report a tightly coupled donor–spacer–acceptor assembly, NDI-Sp-PhOH/BI, that enables direct interrogation of light-triggered and ultrafast PCET dynamics. Photoexcitation of the naphthalene diimide chromophore drives charge separation forming NDI radical anion and benzimidazolium phenoxy radical (PhO●/BIH+) products with a 440 fs time constant, followed by thermal charge recombination on a 5 ps time scale. Transient visible/near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopies independently track electron and proton motion and reveal coincident formation and decay of the charge-separated PCET products, excluding detectable phenol radical cation or phenoxide intermediates expected for sequential electron transfer-proton transfer (ET-PT) pathways. Surface-hopping quasiclassical trajectory simulations demonstrate rapid proton relocation coupled to evolution from locally excited to charge-transfer states, congruent with a concerted mechanism. These combined spectroscopic and computational results establish NDI-Sp-PhOH/BI as an archetype for ultrafast, concerted PCET occurring with unit quantum yield; further, because this platform provides distinct electronic and vibrational spectroscopic handles in its ground, electronically excited, and charge-separated states, it provides new opportunities to characterize mechanistic crossover in biomimetic PCET systems.
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
Proton-coupled electron transfer across benzimidazole bridges in bioinspired proton wires
Designing molecular platforms for controlling proton and electron movement in artificial photosynthetic systems is crucial to efficient catalysis and solar energy conversion. The transfer of both protons and electrons during a reaction is known as proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and is used by nature in myriad ways to provide low overpotential pathways for redox reactions and redox leveling, as well as to generate bioenergetic proton currents. Herein, we describe theoretical and electrochemical studies of a series of bioinspired benzimidazole-phenol (BIP) derivatives and a series of dibenzimidazole-phenol (BI 2 P) analogs with each series bearing the same set of terminal proton-accepting (TPA) groups. The set of TPAs spans more than 6 pK a units. These compounds have been designed to explore the role of the bridging benzimidazole(s) in a one-electron oxidation process coupled to intramolecular proton translocation across either two (the BIP series) or three (the BI 2 P series) acid/base sites. These molecular constructs feature an electrochemically active phenol connected to the TPA group through a benzimidazole-based bridge, which together with the phenol and TPA group form a covalent framework supporting a Grotthuss-type hydrogen-bonded network. Infrared spectroelectrochemistry demonstrates that upon oxidation of the phenol, protons translocate across this well-defined hydrogen-bonded network to a TPA group. The experimental data show the benzimidazole bridges are non-innocent participants in the PCET process in that the addition of each benzimidazole unit lowers the redox potential of the phenoxyl radical/phenol couple by 60 mV, regardless of the nature of the TPA group. Using a series of hypothetical thermodynamic steps, density functional theory calculations correctly predicted the dependence of the redox potential of the phenoxyl radical/phenol couple on the nature of the final protonated species and provided insight into the thermodynamic role of dibenzimidazole units in the PCET process. This information is crucial for developing molecular “dry proton wires” with these moieties, which can transfer protons via a Grotthuss-type mechanism over long distances without the intervention of water molecules.
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Electronic Coupling Calculations for Bridge-Mediated Charge Transfer Using Constrained Density Functional Theory (CDFT) and Effective Hamiltonian Approaches at the Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Fragment-Orbital Density Functional Tight Binding (FODFTB) Level
In this paper, four methods to calculate charge transfer integrals in the context of bridge-mediated electron transfer are tested. These methods are based on density functional theory (DFT). We consider two perturbative Green's function effective Hamiltonian methods (first, at the DFT level of theory, using localized molecular orbitals; second, applying a tight-binding DFT approach, using fragment orbitals) and two constrained DFT implementations with either plane-wave or local basis sets. To assess the performance of the methods for through-bond (TB)-dominated or through-space (TS)-dominated transfer, different sets of molecules are considered. For through-bond electron transfer (ET), several molecules that were originally synthesized by Paddon-Row and co-workers for the deduction of electronic coupling values from photoemission and electron transmission spectroscopies, are analyzed. The tested methodologies prove to be successful in reproducing experimental data, the exponential distance decay constant and the superbridge effects arising from interference among ET pathways. For through-space ET, dedicated p-stacked systems with heterocyclopentadiene molecules were created and analyzed on the basis of electronic coupling dependence on donor-acceptor distance, structure of the bridge, and ET barrier height. The inexpensive fragment-orbital density functional tight binding (FODFTB) method gives similar results to constrained density functional theory (CDFT) and both reproduce the expected exponential decay of the coupling with donor-acceptor distances and the number of bridging units. Finally, these four approaches appear to give reliable results for both TB and TS ET and present a good alternative to expensive ab initio methodologies for large systems involving long-range charge transfers.
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Wigner Crystallization in Spin-Polarized Coupled Electron Quantum Layers: Finite Width Effects
We study the effect of finite width on Wigner crystallization in a spin-polarized coupled electron layers. Correlation among carriers are treated beyond the static mean-field theories by using the quantum version of Singwi, Tosi, Land and Sjoelander (qSTLS) theory over a wide range of layer parameters viz. density parameter r{sub sl} and interlayer spacing d. Interestingly we find that the inclusion of finite width of layers lowered the critical density for the onset of Wigner crystal (WC) as compared to the similar recent studies of spin-polarized coupled electron layers without finite width effects.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Leveraging Multiproton-Coupled Electron Transfer to Improve Ir(III) Photocatalyst Efficiency
In photoredox reactions, charge recombination (CR) limits quantum yields, hindering the efficient conversion of light energy into catalytic activity. To address this, we drew inspiration from redox relays in photosystem II (PSII) and developed a new series of iridium(III) complexes featuring covalently attached benzimidazole-phenol-pyridine (BIP-Py) groups to facilitate intramolecular multiproton-coupled electron transfer (MPCET). Herein, we evaluate the effects of MPCET through an extended and well-defined hydrogen-bond network to improve photocatalytic activity and mitigate rapid charge recombination. Infrared spectroelectrochemistry reveals pyridine protonation upon phenol oxidation, while visible spectroelectrochemistry and transient absorption spectroscopy confirm the electro- and photochemical formation of chargeseparated states (CSS) involving oxidized BIP, resulting from intramolecular proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). The application of the BIP-Py platform in a photocatalytic Nhydroxyphthalimide ester reduction reaction resulted in a ∼106-fold reduction in CR rate and a quantum yield enhancement of up to 157%. Our findings suggest that incorporating MPCET-based redox relays into photocatalyst frameworks is an effective strategy to enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic systems.
Catalysts↗
Kinetic Analysis of Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer at an Electrode-Immobilized Complex
An alkyne-terminated cobalt complex, [Co(Cp)(dppe ≡H )(Cl)] + (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; dppe ≡H = 1,2-bis-(di-(4-ethynyl-phenyl)phosphino)ethane), (Co ≡H ) was immobilized onto a glassy carbon electrode using two attachment strategies: Cu(I) catalyzed azide–alkyne click chemistry and reductive electropolymerization. The modified electrodes prepared through reductive electropolymerization exhibit current densities and peak resolutions for the electrochemical reduction of the cobalt species, which are amenable to electroanalytical quantification of coupled chemical reactions. Through peak shift analysis of cyclic voltammograms recorded in the presence of 4-chloroanilinium tetrafluoroborate, we quantified the proton transfer rate constant for the stepwise proton-coupled electron transfer reaction that reduces the electrode-immobilized [Co(Cp)(dppe ≡H )(Cl)] + to [H–Co(Cp)(dppe ≡H )] + (k PT app = (9.3 ± 1.8) × 10 5 M –1 s –1 ). In conclusion, the extraction of kinetic parameters for an elementary proton-coupled electron transfer reaction of an electrode-immobilized complex represents the first experimental measurement of its type and lays crucial groundwork for kinetic analyses of hybrid catalyst–electrode architectures.
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