The Importance of Short- and Long-Range Exchange on Various Excited State Properties of DNA Monomers, Stacked Complexes, and Watson-Crick Pairs

Design and Exploration by Quantum Chemical Analysis of Photosensitizers Having [D-π-π-A]- and [D-D-triad-A]-Type Molecular Structure Models for DSSC

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed on the newly developed and designed photosensitizers having [D-D-triad-A]- and [D-π-π-A]-type structural models for near-infrared absorption dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). For this purpose, three novel molecules are designed, which are named as follows: [naphthalene-anthracene-thiophene-furan-benzonitrile] as dye S1, [coronene-anthracene-thiophene-furan-benzonitrile] as dye S2, and [fluorene-thiophene-furan-benzonitrile] as dye S3. In all three systems, benzonitrile is the acceptor moiety, while thiophene and furan are bridging moieties. Naphthalene and anthracene are donor moieties in S1, whereas coronene and anthracene are donor moieties in S2, and fluorene is the only single donor moiety used for designing the dye complex S3. All three dye complexes are optimized under the DFT framework by using the B3LYP hybrid functional with 6-31G(d,p) basis set on Gaussian 16W software. The absorption spectra are calculated utilizing time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) with the CAM-B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) basis set. The calculated absorption maxima of S1 and S2 are 749.45 and 750.04 nm, respectively, while for S3, it is reported to be at 337.35 nm, which suggests that the designed molecular structure having a double-donor moiety is suitable for high absorption wavelength. Further, the analysis of frontier molecular orbital energy gap suggests that the molecular systems S1, S2, and S3 have values 2.17, 2.13, and 3.618 eV, respectively, which lie in the semiconducting region. The other parameters calculated for the photovoltaic performance are exciton binding energy, change in free energy of charge regeneration, change in free energy of charge injection, oscillator strength, light harvesting efficiency, and open-circuit voltage.

How does theory compare to experiment for oscillator strengths in electronic spectra? Proposing range-separated hybrids with reliable accountability

As an important quantity in atomic and molecular spectroscopy, oscillator strength should be mentioned. Oscillator strength is linked to the transition dipole moment and consequently to the transition probability between two states, where its magnitude is directly connected to the intensity of the peaks in ultraviolet-visible spectra. However, accurately accounting for oscillator strengths still remains one of the greatest challenges in theory and experiment. Given previous efforts in the context of investigations into oscillator strengths, the related theoretical treatments are relatively limited and have proven to be challenging. In this work, the oscillator strengths in the electronic spectra of organic compounds have thoroughly been investigated with the help of optimally tuned range-separated hybrids (OT-RSHs). In particular, variants of the OT-RSHs combined with the polarizable continuum model (PCM), OT-RSHs-PCM, as well as their screened versions accounting for the screening effects by the electron correlation through the dielectric constant, OT-SRSHs-PCM, are proposed for reliable prediction of the oscillator strengths. The role of the involved ingredients in the proposed methods, namely the underlying density functional approximations, short-range and long-range Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange, as well as the range-separation parameter, has been examined in detail. It is shown that any combination of the parameters in the proposed approximations does not render the reliable oscillator strengths, but a particular compromise among them is needed to describe the experimental data well. Perusing all the results of our developed methods, the best ones are found to be the generalized gradient approximation-based OT-RSHs-PCM, coupled with the linear response theory in the non-equilibrium solvation regime, with the correct asymptotic behavior and incorporating no (low) HF exchange contributions in the short-range part. The best proposed approximations also reveal superior performances not only with respect to their standard counterparts with the default parameters but also as compared to earlier range-separated functionals. Finally, the applicability of the best approximation is also put into broader perspective, where it is used for predicting the oscillator strengths in other sets of compounds not included in the process of developing the approximations. Hopefully, our proposed method can function as an affordable alternative to the expensive wave function-based methods for both theoretical modeling and confirming the experimental observations in the field of electronic spectroscopy.

Effect of stacking interactions on charge transfer states in photoswitches interacting with ion channels

The activity of ion channels can be reversibly photo-controlled via the binding of molecular photoswitches, often based on an azobenzene scaffold. Those azobenzene derivatives interact with aromatic residues of the protein via stacking interactions. In the present work, the effect of face-to-face and t-shaped stacking interactions on the excited state electronic structure of azobenzene and p-diaminoazobenzene integrated into the NaV1.4 channel is computationally investigated. The formation of a charge transfer state, caused by electron transfer from the protein to the photoswitches, is observed. This state is strongly red shifted when the interaction takes place in a face-to-face orientation and electron donating groups are present on the aromatic ring of the amino acids. The low-energy charge transfer state can interfere with the photoisomerization process after excitation to the bright state by leading to the formation of radical species.

XPS and quantum chemical analysis of 4Me-BODIPY derivatives

The results of a X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and steady-state absorption spectroscopy study of the electronic structure, and cationic and excited states of a series of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-substituted BODIPYs (4Me,2R-BODIPYs) are presented. The experimental data were interpreted using high-level ab initio quantum chemical computations, including the algebraic diagrammatic construction method for the polarization propagator of the second order (ADC(2)), the outer-valence Green's function (OVGF) method, the density functional (DFT) approach, and the time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approach. Substitution effects on the XPS and absorption spectra were determined for 2,6-positions of 4Me,2R-BODIPY pyrrole nuclei (R = H, Br, Bu, benzyl). A very satisfactory performance of the DFT Koopmans theorem analogue was demonstrated with respect to the energy intervals between the electronic levels of 4Me,2R-BODIPY above 13 eV (BHHLYP functional) and the values of the HOMO-LUMO energy gap (ωB97X functional).

Structural and Spectroscopic Properties of Isoconazole and Bifonazole-Experimental and Theoretical Studies

The paper compares the experimental FT-IR, UV-vis, and ¹H NMR spectra of isoconazole and bifonazole with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations using different functionals. The results were compared with previously reported data related to their analogue, posaconazole. The analysis of calculated IR spectra with use of CAM-B3LYP (isoconazole) or B3LYP (bifonazole) functionals shows good accordance with the experimental IR spectrum. The best compatibility between the experimental and theoretical UV spectra was observed with the use of B3LYP or wB97XD functionals for isoconazole or bifonazole, respectively. The reason for the difference in the UV-vis spectra of isoconazole and bifonazole was discussed based on linear response time-dependent DFT and natural bond orbital methods. The calculated ¹H NMR spectrum shows that the DFT formalism, particularly the B3LYP functional, give an accurate description of the isoconazole and bifonazole chemical shifts.

Experimental spectra, electronic properties (liquid and gaseous phases) and activity against SARS-CoV-2 main protease of Fluphenazine dihydrochloride: DFT and MD simulations

The Gaussian 09 DFT tool is used to investigate the formational electronic behaviour, reactivity analysis and biological properties of fluphenazine dihydrochloride (FDD). The quantum computation is used to determine the spectroscopic and vibrational assignments of FDD. The NBO method explains charge transfer and molecular interactions. Energy gap values are determined using FMO analysis in different solvents and toluene is a better solvent due to higher value of solvation energy. The UV-visible spectra are investigated in various solvents using the TD-DFT method. Electrostatic potential, the wave function related properties such as LOL, NCI and RDG are determined in gaseous phase. Furthermore, the drug likeness is analyzed. At last, a docking study with MD simulation is used to investigate FDD's antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 main protease.

Toward highly efficient hyperfluorescence-based emitters through excited-states alignment using novel optimally tuned range-separated models

Hyperfluorescence has recently been introduced as a promising strategy to achieve organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with high color purity and enhanced stability. In this approach, fluorescent emitters (FEs) with strong and narrow band fluorescence are integrated in thin films containing sensitizers exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). Toward highly efficient hyperfluorescence-based emitters, the excited-states ordering of the FEs should be well-aligned. Given some recent endeavors in this context, the related theoretical explorations are relatively limited and have proven to be challenging. In this work, alignments of the corresponding excited-states, crucial for both the fast Förster resonance energy transfer and suppression of the Dexter energy transfer from TADF sensitizers to FEs, have theoretically been investigated using optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals (OT-RSHs). We have proposed and validated several variants of the models including OT-RSHs, their coupled versions with the polarizable continuum model, OT-RSHs-PCM, as well as the screened versions accounting for the screening effects by the electron correlation through the scalar dielectric constant, OT-SRSHs, for a reliable description of the excited-states ordering in the FEs of the hyperfluorescence-based materials. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the underlying density functional approximations as well as the short- and long-range Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange contributions and the range-separation parameter. Considering a series of experimentally known hyperfluorescence-based emitters as working models, it is unveiled that any combination of the ingredients in the proposed models does not render the correct order of the excited-states of the FEs, but a particular compromise among the involved parameters is needed to more accurately account for the relevant excited-states alignment. Perusing the results of our developed methods, the best ones are found to be the generalized gradient approximation-based OT-RSHs-PCM with the correct asymptotic behavior and incorporating no (low) HF exchange contribution at the short-range regime. The proposed models show superior performances not only with respect to their standard counterparts with the default parameters but also as compared to other range-separated approximations. Accountability of the best-proposed model is also put into broader perspective, where it has been employed for the computational design of several molecules as promising FE candidates prone to be utilized in hyperfluorescence-based materials. Summing up, the proposed models in this study can be recommended for both the theoretical modeling and confirming the experimental observations in the field of hyperfluorescence-based OLEDs.

Screening the Band Shape of Molecules by Optimal Tuning of Range-Separated Hybrid Functional with TD-DFT: A Molecular Designing Approach

In the present article we have demonstrated the effectiveness of optimally tuned range-separated hybrid (RSH) functional to determine the electronic transitions from two fluorophore moieties (blue and yellow/orange) within a single white light emitter (WLE). First, the optimally tuned range separation parameter (ω) is calculated for two white emitting fluorophores (W1 and W2) already reported in the literature. The success of the optimally tuned RSH functional ω*B97XD, used in the TDDFT study, encouraged the authors to design eight new single organic white light emitters with frustrated energy transfer between the two individual fluorophore moieties (blue and yellow/orange). The simulated spectra (the band shapes, to be more specific) generated by TDDFT study and outcomes through natural transition orbital (NTO) and natural bond orbital (NBO) studies clearly demonstrate that all the designed eight organic molecules are potential white light emitters and can be synthesized in future.

Aminomethylpyridine isomers functionalized cellulose microspheres for TcO4-/ReO4- uptake: Structure-properties relationship and their application in different aquatic systems

Technetium-99 (⁹⁹Tc) is a long-lived radioactive nuclide that poses great threat to environment, hence selective removal of ⁹⁹Tc from aquatic system is always an issue. Aminomethylpyridine (AMP) equipped with pyridine and amino, is a promising receptor for TcO₄^- and its surrogate ReO₄^-, thus it is of interest to explore and understand the structure-properties relationship of ReO₄^- adsorption related to n-AMP structure that differ in amino methyl position. In this work, three n-AMP functionalized cellulose microspheres (n-AMPR, n = 2, 3, 4) were synthesized and employed for TcO₄^-/ReO₄^- uptake. The effect of aminomethyl position on adsorption properties of n-AMPR for ReO₄^- were investigated and compared. Adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm showed that adsorption speed and adsorption capacity were in order of 3-AMPR > 2-AMPR > 4-AMPR. DFT calculation verified that the adsorption of ReO₄^- by n-AMPR was attributed to electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding interaction, the order of adsorption abilities of n-AMPR was due to that steric effect and hydrogen bond collaborated in stabilizing n-AMPR-ReO₄^- complexes. The column experiments demonstrated that 3-AMPR can be selectively remove ReO₄^- from simulated groundwater. More importantly, ⁹⁹Tc column experiments showed that 3-AMPR had a better ability for actual radioactive TcO₄^-.

Rational Computational Design of Systems Exhibiting Strong Halogen Bonding Involving Fluorine in Bicyclic Diamine Derivatives

Perhaps the most controversial and rare aspect of the halogen bonding interaction is the potential of fluorine in compounds to serve as a halogen bond donor. In this note, we provide clear and convincing examples of hypothetical molecules in which fluorine is strongly halogen bonding in a metastable state. Of particular note is a polycyclic system inspired by Selectfluor, which has been controversially proposed to engage in halogen bonding.

Excited-state properties of organic semiconductor dyes as electrically pumped lasing candidates from new optimally tuned range-separated models

Even though many efforts have been devoted to optical lasing in recent years, the realization of lasing by direct electrical excitation of organic semiconductors is hampered mainly due to optical losses from electrical contacts and electrical losses induced by triplets and polarons at high current densities. Hereby, accurately accounting for the electrically pumped organic semiconductor laser diodes (OSLDs) still remains one of the greatest challenges in optoelectronics. In this work, the excited-state characteristics of the organic semiconductor dyes used in the electrically pumped OSLDs have thoroughly been investigated using optimally tuned range-separated hybrids (OT-RSHs). Considering several experimentally known compounds of the electrically pumped OSLDs as working models, several variants of OT-RSHs, their combination forms with the polarizable continuum model (PCM), OT-RSH-PCM, as well as their screened versions accounting for the screening effects by the electron correlation through the scalar dielectric constant, OT-SRSHs, have been proposed for reliable prediction of their emission energies and oscillator strengths in both the gas and solvent phases. The role of involved ingredients in the models, namely, the underlying density functional approximations, short- and long-range exact-like exchange, as well as the range-separation parameter, has been examined in detail. It is shown that the newly designed OT-RSHs with the correct behavior of asymptotic exchange-correlation potential outperform the standard RSHs and other density functionals with both fixed and interelectronic distance-dependent exact-like exchange for describing the excite-state properties of compounds of the electrically pumped OSLDs. Concerning the computational cost of the models, it is unveiled that performing both the optimal tuning procedure and subsequent excited-state computations using OT-RSHs in the gas phase can be considered as a more reliable and affordable framework. Finally, the applicability of the proposed models is also put into a broader perspective for the computational design of several compounds as promising candidates to be used in the OSLD materials. Hopefully, our recommended OT-RSHs can function as efficient models for both the related theoretical modeling and confirming the experimental observations in the field of electrically pumped OSLDs.

A TbPO4-based capturer for environmental extracellular antibiotic genes by interrogating lanthanide phosphates nanoneedles

Accurate determination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environmental DNA molecules (eDNA) is challenging owing to its low abundance in the aquatic environment. Here we report a facile and cost-efficient approach to extract trace amount of eDNAs in the aquatic environment using LnPO₄ nanomaterials. Among the nanomaterials, less crystalline TbPO₄ nanoneedles was identified as the most prominent candidate for long stranded DNA and short stranded DNA with adsorption efficiency above 97%. The adsorbed DNA was washed off from TbPO₄ nanoneedles by optimized eluant (85% PBS, 15% EtOH, 4 g/L glycine, pH 10.0) with an optimal DNA recovery of 78.83%. Our approach showed a comparable or better eDNA extraction efficiency than a commercial extraction method for different environmental samples, but 89% less cost. The high purity of the extracted eDNA was demonstrated by a high A_260/280 ratio. Using qPCR experiment, the occurrence of six common ARGs in the eDNA were detected with abundance ranging from 4.06 × 10³ to 3.51 × 10⁹ copies/L in river samples. This specific DNA capturer is valuable for the evaluation of spatial and temporal dynamic of ARGs pollution to provide insight into the potential risk with regard to the human health.

Absolute configuration of a [1]rotaxane determined from vibrational and electronic circular dichroism spectra

The experimental vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra were measured for the enantiomers of [1]rotaxane 1. These experimental spectra have been analyzed using predicted VCD and ECD spectra for (S, R_mp ) or (S, S_mp ) diastereomers using density functional theory. This comparison allowed for a definitive assignment of the absolute configuration of 1.

A Theoretical and Experimental Study on the Potential Luminescent and Biological Activities of Diaminodicyanoquinodimethane Derivatives

Recently, several studies have demonstrated that diaminodicyanoquinone derivatives (DADQs) could present interesting fluorescence properties. Furthermore, some DADQs under the solid state are capable of showing quantum yields that can reach values of 90%. Besides, the diaminodiacyanoquinone core represents a versatile building block propense either to modification or integration into different systems to obtain and provide them unique photophysical features. Herein, we carried out a theoretical study on the fluorescence properties of three different diaminodicyanoquinodimethane systems. Therefore, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) was used to obtain the values associated with the dipole moments, oscillator strengths, and the conformational energies between the ground and the first excited states of each molecule. The results suggest that only two of the three studied systems possess significant luminescent properties. In a further stage, the theoretical insights were confirmed by means of experimental measurements, which not only retrieved the photoluminescence of the DADQs, but also suggest a preliminary and promising antibacterial activity of these systems.

Singlet fission relevant energetics from optimally tuned range-separated hybrids

As a promising idea to design high-efficiency organic photovoltaics, singlet fission (SF) mechanism, i.e., generating two triplet excitons out of a single photon absorption, has recently come into the spotlight. Even though much effort has been devoted to this arena, accurately accounting for the SF process from the theoretical perspective has proven to be challenging. Herein, the SF energetics have thoroughly been investigated with the help of optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals (OT-RSHs) in both gas and solvent phases. Taking a series of experimentally known SF chromophores as working models, we have proposed and validated several variants of OT-RSH approximations for the reliable prediction of the energy levels which match the crucial criteria for the SF process, namely, the negative singlet-triplet and triplet-triplet energy gaps. We scrutinize the role of the OT-RSH ingredients, i.e., the underlying density functional approximations, short- and long-range exact-like exchange, as well as the range-separation parameter, for our purpose. The newly designed OT-RSHs outperform the standard RSHs and other related schemes such as screened-exchange approximations as well as other density functionals from different rungs for describing the SF energetics. More importantly, it is unveiled that although the OT-RSH coupled with the polarizable continuum model, OT-RSH-PCM, as well as the screened versions, OT-SRSHs, which account for the screening effect by the electron correlation through the scalar dielectric constant have some advantages over gas-phase computations using OT-RSHs, the energetics criteria of the SF process may not necessarily be satisfied. This in turn corroborates the idea of performing both the optimal tuning procedure and subsequent computations of the SF relevant energetics using OT-RSHs as a more reliable and affordable framework, at least for the present purpose. The applicability of the proposed models is also put into broader perspective, where they are used for the computational design of several chromophores as promising candidates prone to utilization in the SF-based materials. Hopefully, our recommended OT-RSHs can function as efficient models for both the theoretical modeling of SF chromophores and confirming the experimental observations in the field.

Photoelectron spectra and electronic structure of boron diacetate formazanates

The electronic structure and cationic states of two 1,5-diphenylformazanes and two boron diacetate (B(OAc)₂) formazanates were modeled using the outer valence Green's function (OVGF) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. Comparison of data of the OVGF and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) methods made it possible to determine an effect of functional groups and complexing agents on energies of cationic states. Addition of NO₂-group at the γ-position of the chelate cycle causes stabilization of levels the five upper occupied molecular orbitals (MO) and destabilization of the bonding orbital π₃^Ph + π₃ level. The levels of MOs π₃^Ph-π₃ and n_- are stabilized due to influence of the complexing agent B(OAc)₂, with a difference in the shift of 0.67 eV. The ionization energies (I_n) changes for the π-orbitals of benzene rings are within the error of the OVGF method. Under methylation of phenyl groups, the differences between the calculated I_n, corresponding to the π-orbitals of aromatic substituents, are in good agreement with the experimental I_n shifts at transition from benzene to toluene. According to the OVGF method, in all the studied complexes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is localized mainly on the chelate cycle and has a strong acceptor character, which should contribute the low-lying charge-transfer electronic excitations. Moreover, an application of the DFT analog of the Koopmans' theorem with the BHHLYP and B2PLYP functionals made it possible to determine qualitatively a sequence of cationic states and energy intervals between them in the spectral range up to 10 eV. The DFT/wB97x/cc-pVTZ method data on the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and LUMO levels correlate with the OVGF/cc-pVTZ calculation results.

Unveiling the role of short-range exact-like exchange in the optimally tuned range-separated hybrids for fluorescence lifetime modeling

We propose and validate several variants of the optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals (OT-RSHs) including different density functional approximations for predicting the fluorescence lifetimes of different categories of fluorophores within the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) framework using both the polarizable continuum and state-specific solvation models. Our main idea originates from performing the optimal tuning in the presence of a contribution of the exact-like exchange at the short-range part, which, in turn, leads to the small values of the range-separation parameter, and computing the fluorescence lifetimes using the models including no or small portions of the short-range exact-like exchange. Particular attention is also paid to the influence of the geometries of emitters on fluorescence lifetime computations. It is shown that our developed OT-RSHs along with the polarizable continuum model can be considered as the promising candidates within the TD-DFT framework for the prediction of fluorescence lifetimes for various fluorophores. We find that the proposed models not only outperform their standard counterparts but also provide reliable data better than or comparable to the conventional hybrid functionals with both the fixed and interelectronic distance-dependent exact-like exchanges. Furthermore, it is also revealed that when the excited state geometries come into play, more accurate descriptions of the fluorescence lifetimes can be achieved. Hopefully, our findings can give impetus for future developments of OT-RSHs for computational modeling of other characteristics in fluorescence spectroscopy as well as for verification of the related experimental observations.

Toward photophysical characteristics of triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion: a promising protocol from the perspective of optimally tuned range-separated hybrids

The photon upconversion (UC) process assisted by the triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) mechanism has recently come into the spotlight. Given the rich collection of efforts in this area, theoretical explorations regarding TTA-UC are relatively limited and have proven to be challenging for its control in devices. In this contribution, the photophysical properties crucial for TTA-UC, such as triplet excited state energies and triplet-triplet energy transfer gaps of the essential ingredients involved in the process, namely sensitizers, annihilators and their pairs, have theoretically been investigated using optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functionals (OT-RSHs) and their screened exchange counterparts, OT-SRSHs. Taking a series of experimentally proven-to-work sensitizer/annihilator pairs as working models, we have constructed and validated several variants of OT-RSHs using both full time-dependent and Tamm-Dancoff formalisms for a reliable description of the TTA-UC photophysics. Given the bimolecular biphotonic nature of the TTA-UC process under study, particular attention is paid to the influence of the factors like the underlying density functional approximations and the tunable parameters such as short- and long-range exact-like exchanges as well as the range-separation parameter for both the sensitizers and annihilators separately. Dissecting all the aspects and relying on the appropriate choices from the tested models, we propose an OT-RSH with the correct asymptotic behavior as a cost-effective yet useful tool for this purpose. Not only against the standard RSHs but also in comparison to the conventional hybrids, the newly developed OT-RSH yields a more reliable description for the TTA-UC energetics in the gas phase and dielectric medium. Accountability of the proposed model has further been confirmed for several theoretically designed sensitizer/annihilator pairs prone to be used in the TTA-UC process. Summing up, in light of this study additional pieces of convincing evidence on the quality of OT-(S)RSHs for computational modeling and experimental verifications of the photophysics of the photon UC based on TTA and other possible technologies are showcased.

Probing effects of molecular conformation on the electronic and charge transport properties in two- and three-dimensional small molecule hole-transporting materials: a theoretical investigation

Thiophene/benzene-fused π-conjugated systems are normally employed as the core units of two- and three-dimensionally expanded small molecule hole-transporting materials (HTMs) to improve their electronic and charge transport properties, whereas comparison studies between two-dimensional and three-dimensional core conformations are less reported. To further find useful clues for the design of highly-efficient small molecule HTMs and to find new core units, in this work, four HTM molecules are designed by employing triphenylene, benzotrithiophene, triptycene, and thiophenetriptycene as the core units, and simulated with density functional theory combined with the Marcus hopping model. Our results show that all the considered HTMs display appropriate molecular energy levels, less optical absorption in the visible light region and large Stokes shifts, and high hole mobilities (9.80 × 10-2 cm2 V-1 s-1). Compared with the two-dimensional core structures, the three-dimensional cores exhibit evident superiorities with the same chemical components. Meanwhile, we also find that the quasi-degenerate HOMO energy levels will be helpful to enlarge the transfer integrals between adjacent molecules, and further to promote the hole transport in HTMs. By considering the various elements simultaneously, these investigated HTMs (S-1-S-4) with thiophene- and benzene-fused cores can be expected as potential promising candidates to help create more efficient solar cells.

Anion Sensing by Novel Triarylboranes Containing Boraanthracene: DFT Functional Assessment, Selective Interactions, and Mechanism Demonstration

Analytical methods often involve expensive instrumentation and tedious sample pretreatment for an analyte detection. Being toxic and detrimental to human health, sensing of cyanide (CN-), fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), bromide (Br-), nitrate (NO3 -), acetate (CH3COO-), and bisulfate (HSO4 -) is performed by a boron-based molecular receptor, N,N,N,3,5-pentamethyl-4-{2-thia-9-boratricyclo[8.4.0.03,8]tetradeca-1(10),3(8),4,6,11,13-hexaen-9-yl}anili-nium (1), and the three newly designed receptors from it. Thermodynamics, electronic structure, and photophysical properties are computed by employing density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) to explore selective sensing of these anions and its mechanism. Free-energy changes (ΔG) and binding energies (ΔE) suggest that among these anions, only binding of CN- and F- is thermodynamically feasible with a very strong binding affinity with the receptors. Boron atoms containing positive natural charges act as the electrophilic centers to bind the anions involving a 2p-2p orbital overlap resulting in charge transfer. In the receptor-analyte complexes with CN- and F-, fluorescence is quenched due to the intramolecular charge transfer transitions (π-π* transitions in the case of the receptors lead to fluorescence), internal conversion, and associated configurational changes. Among the six tested functionals, CAM-B3LYP/6-31G(d) is found to be the most accurate one. The designed receptors are better fluorescent probes for F- and CN-, demonstrating their importance for the practical utility.

Electronic couplings and rates of excited state charge transfer processes at poly(thiophene-co-quinoxaline)–PC71BM interfaces: two- versus multi-state treatments

Multi-state effects should be considered when calculating electronic couplings at local polymer–fullerene interfaces with the non-tuned and optimally tuned long-range corrected functionals.

Dipole moments of molecules with multi-reference character from optimally tuned range-separated density functional theory

Dipole moment is the first nonzero moment of the charge density of neutral systems. If a density functional theory (DFT) method is able to yield accurate dipole moments, it should first provide an accurate geometry and then predict a reliable charge distribution for that geometry. In this respect, recent literatures have revealed that most DFT approximations work considerably better for single-reference molecules with respect to multi-reference ones, as may be expected from this fact that DFT utilizes a single configuration state function as reference function to represent the density. Putting together, it seems that as compared to the single-reference systems, situation is slightly more involved in the case of dipole moment calculations of multi-reference molecules. Effort to address this latter issue constitutes the cornerstone of the present investigation. To this end, we rely on a different approach where the new optimally (nonempirically) tuned range-separated hybrid density functionals (OT-RSHs) without invoking any empirical fitting are proposed for predicting the dipole moments of multi-reference molecules containing both main-group elements and transition metals. We have scanned the controlling factors of OT-RSHs like short- and long-range exchange contributions and range-separation parameter with the aim of deriving the best performing models for the purpose. The obtained results unveil that, as compared to the standard range-separated density functionals, our newly developed OT-RSHs not only give an improved description on the dipole moments of the molecules with multi-reference character but also the quality of their predictions is better than other conventional and recently proposed DFT approximations. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The screened pseudo-charge repulsive potential in perturbed orbitals for band calculations by DFT+U

The conventional linear response overestimates the U in DFT+U calculations for solids with fully occupied orbitals. Here, we demonstrate that the challenge arises from the incomplete cancellation of the electron-electron Coulomb repulsion energy under external perturbation. We applied the second charge response, denoted as the "pseudo-charge" model, to offset such residue effects. Counteracting between these two charge response-induced Coulomb potentials, the U parameters are self-consistently obtained by fulfilling the conditions for minimizing the non-Koopmans energy. Moreover, the pseudo-charge-induced repulsive potential shows a screening behavior related to the orbital occupation and is potentially in compliance with the screened exact exchange-correlation of electrons. The resultant U parameters are self-consistent solutions for improved band structure calculations by the DFT+U method. This work extends the validity of the linear response method to both partially and fully occupied orbitals and gives a reference for estimating the Hubbard U parameter prior to other advanced methods. The U parameters were determined in a transferability test using both PBE and hybrid density functional methods, and the results showed that this method is independent of the functional. The electronic structures determined from the hybrid-DFT+U^hybrid approach are provided. Comparisons are also made with the recently developed self-consistent hybrid-DFT+U_w method.

Boron difluoride dibenzoylmethane derivatives: Electronic structure and luminescence

Electronic structure and optical properties of boron difluoride dibenzoylmethanate and four of its derivatives have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, absorption and luminescence spectroscopy and quantum chemistry (DFT, TDDFT). The relative quantum luminescence yields have been revealed to correlate with charge transfers of HOMO-LUMO transitions, energy barriers of aromatic substituents rotation and the lifetime of excited states in the investigated complexes. The bathochromic shift of intensive bands in the optical spectra has been observed to occur when the functional groups are introduced into p-positions of phenyl cycles due to destabilizing HOMO levels. Calculated energy intervals between electronic levels correlate well with XPS spectra structure of valence and core electrons.

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence processes for Cu(i) complexes in solid-state: a computational study using quantitative prediction

Calculated fluorescence (k_F), phosphorescence (k_P), and ISC rate constants (kvib.ISC/RISC) with the vibronic spin–orbit coupling at 300 K for Cu(dppb)(pz₂Bph₂).

Anion Complexation Studies of 3-Nitrophenyl-Substituted Tripodal Thiourea Receptor: A Naked-Eye Detection of Sulfate via Fluoride Displacement Assay

A thiourea-based tripodal receptor L substituted with 3-nitrophenyl groups has been synthesized, and the binding affinity for a variety of anions has been studied by ¹H NMR titrations and nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy experiments in dimethyl sulfoxide-d₆. As investigated by ¹H NMR titrations, the receptor binds an anion in a 1:1 binding mode, showing the highest binding and strong selectivity for sulfate anion. A competitive colorimetric assay in the presence of fluoride suggests that the sulfate is capable of displacing the bound fluoride, showing a sharp visible color change. The strong affinity of L for sulfate was further supported by UV-vis titrations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Time-dependent DFT calculations indicate that the fluoride complex possesses a different optical absorption spectrum (due to charge transfer between the fluoride and the surrounding ligand) than the sulfate complex, reflecting the observed colorimetric change in these two complexes. The receptor was further tested for its biocompatibility on primary human foreskin fibroblasts and HeLa cells, exhibiting an excellent cell viability up to 100 μM concentration.

TDDFT Study of the Optical Excitation of Nucleic Acid Bases-C60 Complexes

The potential of C₆₀ as a nucleic acid base (NAB) optical sensor is theoretically explored. We investigate the adsorption of four NABs, namely, adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, on C₆₀ in the gas phase. For the optimal NAB@C₆₀ adsorption configurations, obtained using a dispersion-corrected density functional, we calculate the vis-near-ultraviolet optical response using time-dependent density functional theory. While the isolated C₆₀ and NAB molecules do not exhibit visible optical excitation, we find that C₆₀/NAB conjugation gives rise to distinct spectral features in the visible range. These results suggest that C₆₀ conjugation can be applied for photodetection of individual NABs.

Challenges in Simulating Light-Induced Processes in DNA

In this contribution, we give a perspective on the main challenges in performing theoretical simulations of photoinduced phenomena within DNA and its molecular building blocks. We distinguish the different tasks that should be involved in the simulation of a complete DNA strand subject to UV irradiation: (i) stationary quantum chemical computations; (ii) the explicit description of the initial excitation of DNA with light; (iii) modeling the nonadiabatic excited state dynamics; (iv) simulation of the detected experimental observable; and (v) the subsequent analysis of the respective results. We succinctly describe the methods that are currently employed in each of these steps. While for each of them, there are different approaches with different degrees of accuracy, no feasible method exists to tackle all problems at once. Depending on the technique or combination of several ones, it can be problematic to describe the stacking of nucleobases, bond breaking and formation, quantum interferences and tunneling or even simply to characterize the involved wavefunctions. It is therefore argued that more method development and/or the combination of different techniques are urgently required. It is essential also to exercise these new developments in further studies on DNA and subsystems thereof, ideally comprising simulations of all of the different components that occur in the corresponding experiments.

First principles optimally tuned range-separated density functional theory for prediction of phosphorus–hydrogen spin–spin coupling constants

The novel optimally tuned range-separated approximations for predicting NMR spin–spin coupling constants are proposed and benchmarked numerically.

Exploring the mechanism of water-splitting reaction in NiOx/β-Ga2O3 photocatalysts by first-principles calculations

Loading NiO_x clusters onto the β-Ga₂O₃(100) surface reduces the free energy of photocatalytic water reduction and oxidation reaction, respectively.

Theoretical investigations of the small molecular acceptor materials based on oligothiophene – naphthalene diimide in organic solar cells

The electronic transmission paths of NDI-T3DCRD with the centroid distance from core molecule to ambient molecules marked.