Theoretical calculations of methylquinolinium tricyanoquinodimethanide (CH3Q–3CNQ) using a solvation model

A surface-enhanced Raman study of N-methylquinolinium tricyanoquinodimethanide adsorbed on Ag nanospheres: Determination of molecular orientation and order

Quinolinium tricyanoquinodimethanides are among the most promising molecules for electronic applications. Disorder can be detrimental to the desired electronic properties of a monolayer, and as such, a reliable method to characterize a monolayer without destroying or creating defects is paramount to determining potential applications. Here, the normal and surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of N-methylquinolinium tricyanoquinodimethanide (CH₃Q-3CNQ) on silver coated nanosurfaces have been obtained and analyzed. Theoretical treatment of CH₃Q-3CNQ was performed. Optimization and frequency search was conducted using the B3LYP functional with the 6-31G(d) basis set. A complete list of frequencies and assignments for the molecules are presented. The spectroscopic evidence points to the fact that a monolayer of CH₃Q-3CNQ can be formed through the self-assembly process, and the SERS data indicate that the monolayer attaches to the silver surface through the nitrile groups.

Polarization of Charge-Transfer Bands and Rectification in Hexadecylquinolinium 7,7,8-Tricyanoquinodimethanide and Its Tetrafluoro Analog

A Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) multilayer film of the unimolecular rectifier hexadecyl-gamma-quinolinium-7,7,8-tricyanoquinodimethanide (C(16)H(33)gammaQ-3CNQ) has two distinct polarized charge-transfer bands, one at lower film pressures (28 mN m(-1)) with a peak at 530 nm, due to an intramolecular charge transfer or intervalence transfer (IVT); past the collapse point (32 to 35 mN m(-1)), this band disappears, and a new intermolecular charge-transfer band appears with peak at 570 nm. An LB multilayer film of the tetrafluoro analogue, hexadecyl-gamma-quinolinium-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8-tricyanoquinodimethanide (C(16)H(33)gammaQ-3CNQF(4)) shows, for all film pressures, only one IVT band with a peak at 504 nm; when sandwiched between gold electrodes, (C(16)H(33)gammaQ-3CNQF(4) is also an LB monolayer electrical rectifier.

Tuning First Molecular Hyperpolarizabilities through the Use of Proaromatic Spacers

In this paper, we describe the second-order nonlinear optical properties of a series of 1,3-dithiole-based electron donor-acceptor systems incorporating proaromatic donor and spacer groups. Modification of the proaromaticity of the quinoid spacer gives rise to NLO-phores with mubeta values ranging from -2000 x 10(-)(48) esu to +3000 x 10(-)(48) esu. Quite surprisingly, compounds with a p-benzoquinoid spacer and a strong acceptor group show negative mubeta values, usually associated to zwitterionic ground states, and yet they are largely quinoid, as evidenced by crystallographic data and theoretical calculations. Progressive benzoannulation of the spacer and introduction of alkylsulfanyl substituents on the dithiole donor unit result in a shift to more positive mubeta values. DFT and ab initio calculations verify these empirical trends.