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Cui K, Hammes-Schiffer S. Theory for proton-coupled energy transfer. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:034113. [PMID: 39012810 DOI: 10.1063/5.0217546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In the recently discovered proton-coupled energy transfer (PCEnT) mechanism, the transfer of electronic excitation energy between donor and acceptor chromophores is coupled to a proton transfer reaction. Herein, we develop a general theory for PCEnT and derive an analytical expression for the nonadiabatic PCEnT rate constant. This theory treats the transferring hydrogen nucleus quantum mechanically and describes the PCEnT process in terms of nonadiabatic transitions between reactant and product electron-proton vibronic states. The rate constant is expressed as a summation over these vibronic states, and the contribution of each pair of vibronic states depends on the square of the vibronic coupling as well as the spectral convolution integral, which can be viewed as a generalization of the Förster-type spectral overlap integral for vibronic rather than electronic states. The convolution integral also accounts for the common vibrational modes shared by the donor and acceptor chromophores for intramolecular PCEnT. We apply this theory to model systems to investigate the key features of PCEnT processes. The excited vibronic states can contribute significantly to the total PCEnT rate constant, and the common modes can either slow down or speed up the process. Because the pairs of vibronic states that contribute the most to the PCEnT rate constant may correspond to spectroscopically dark states, PCEnT could occur even when there is no apparent overlap between the donor emission and acceptor absorption spectra. This theory will assist in the interpretation of experimental data and will guide the design of additional PCEnT systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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Xu J, Hao J, Bu C, Meng Y, Xiao H, Zhang M, Li C. XMECP: Reaching State-of-the-Art MECP Optimization in Multiscale Complex Systems. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:3590-3600. [PMID: 38651739 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The Python-based program, XMECP, is developed for realizing robust, efficient, and state-of-the-art minimum energy crossing point (MECP) optimization in multiscale complex systems. This article introduces the basic capabilities of the XMECP program by theoretically investigating the MECP mechanism of several example systems including (1) the photosensitization mechanism of benzophenone, (2) photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer in the cytosine-guanine base pair in DNA, (3) the spin-flip process in oxygen activation catalyzed by an iron-containing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenase (Fe/2OGX), and (4) the photochemical pathway of flavoprotein adjusted by the intensity of an external electric field. MECPs related to multistate reaction and multistate reactivity in large-scale complex biochemical systems can be well-treated by workflows suggested by the XMECP program. The branching plane updating the MECP optimization algorithm is strongly recommended as it provides derivative coupling vector (DCV) with explicit calculation and can equivalently evaluate contributions from non-QM residues to DCV, which can be nonadiabatic coupling or spin-orbit coupling in different cases. In the discussed QM/MM examples, we also found that the influence on the QM region by DCV can occur through noncovalent interactions and decay with distance. In the example of DNA base pairs, the nonadiabatic coupling occurs across the π-π stacking structure formed in the double-helix system. In contrast to general intuition, in the example of Fe/2OGX, the central ferrous and oxygen part contribute little to the spin-orbit coupling; however, a nearby arginine residue, which is treated by molecular mechanics in the QM/MM method, contributes significantly via two hydrogen bonds formed with α-ketoglutarate (α-KG). This indicates that the arginine residue plays a significant role in oxygen activation, driving the initial triplet state toward the productive quintet state, which is more than the previous knowledge that the arginine residue can bind α-KG at the reaction site by hydrogen bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jian Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Caijie Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian, P. R. China
| | - Yajie Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Han Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
| | - Minyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
| | - Chunsen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, P. R. China
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Liu XM, Xia QY, Ju XH. Theoretical investigation on regulating photophysical properties and proton transfer behavior by electronegativity for near-infrared emitting styryl dyes. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2024; 23:575-585. [PMID: 38386257 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00540-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Our main focus is to explore the atomic electronegativity-dependent photoinduced behavior of styryl derivatives (HBO, HBS, and HBSe). The results of structural parameter calculation by the DFT method show that the intramolecular hydrogen bonds of normal and tautomer form are strengthened and weakened, respectively, in an excited state (S1), which is conducive to the excited intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. The enhancement of excited hydrogen bond is beneficial to the ESIPT process from the aspects of infrared vibration frequency (IR), Mulliken's charge analysis, and density gradient reduction (RDG). Additionally, by determining the bond energy with the band critical point (BCP) parameter, we found that the lower the electronegativity of the atom, the larger the hydrogen bond strength at the excited state and the more likely ESIPT reaction occurs. Meanwhile, the intramolecular H-bonds O-H…N in HBO, HBS, and HBSe are enhanced with the weakened electron-withdrawing capacity of the atom (from O to S and Se). Subsequently, frontier molecular orbital (FMOs) and charge density difference (CDD) analyses essentially revealed that electron redistribution induces the ESIPT process. Low atomic electronegativity exhibits the high chemical activity of the excited state. Furthermore, to demonstrate the electronegativity-dependent ESIPT behavior of the system, we built potential energy curves (PECs) and located the transition states (TS) of proton transfer processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials of MOE, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Ying Xia
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Linyi University, Linyi, 276005, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xue-Hai Ju
- Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials of MOE, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, People's Republic of China.
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Jankowska J, Sobolewski AL. Photo-oxidation of methanol in complexes with pyrido[2,3- b]pyrazine: a nonadiabatic molecular dynamics study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:5296-5302. [PMID: 38265828 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04148d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Excited-state Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer (PCET) constitutes a key step in the photo-oxidation of small, electron-rich systems possessing acidic hydrogen atoms, such as water or alcohols, which can play a vital role in green hydrogen production. In this contribution, we employ ab initio quantum-chemical methods and on-the-fly nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations to study the mechanism and the photodynamics of PCET in 1 : 1 pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine complexes with methanol. We find the process to be ultrafast and efficient when the intramolecular hydrogen bond is formed with one of the β-positioned nitrogen atoms. The complex exhibiting a hydrogen bond with an isolated nitrogen site, on the contrary, shows much lower reactivity. We explain this effect with the stabilization of the reactive ππ* charge-transfer electronic state in the former case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jankowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, Warsaw 02-093, Poland.
| | - Andrzej L Sobolewski
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotników 32/46, Warsaw 02-668, Poland
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Hammes-Schiffer S. Exploring Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer at Multiple Scales. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 3:291-300. [PMID: 37577057 PMCID: PMC10416817 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-023-00422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The coupling of electron and proton transfer is critical for chemical and biological processes spanning a wide range of length and time scales and often occurring in complex environments. Thus, diverse modeling strategies, including analytical theories, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, and kinetic modeling, are essential for a comprehensive understanding of such proton-coupled electron transfer reactions. Each of these computational methods provides one piece of the puzzle, and all these pieces must be viewed together to produce the full picture.
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Rimgard BP, Tao Z, Parada GA, Cotter LF, Hammes-Schiffer S, Mayer JM, Hammarström L. Proton-coupled energy transfer in molecular triads. Science 2022; 377:742-747. [PMID: 35862490 PMCID: PMC9597948 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq5173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
We experimentally discovered and theoretically analyzed a photochemical mechanism, which we term proton-coupled energy transfer (PCEnT). A series of anthracene-phenol-pyridine triads formed a local excited anthracene state after light excitation at a wavelength of ~400 nanometers (nm), which led to fluorescence around 550 nm from the phenol-pyridine unit. Direct excitation of phenol-pyridine would have required ~330-nm light, but the coupled proton transfer within the phenol-pyridine unit lowered its excited-state energy so that it could accept excitation energy from anthracene. Singlet-singlet energy transfer thus occurred despite the lack of spectral overlap between the anthracene fluorescence and the phenol-pyridine absorption. Moreover, theoretical calculations indicated negligible charge transfer between the anthracene and phenol-pyridine units. We construe PCEnT as an elementary reaction of possible relevance to biological systems and future photonic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhen Tao
- Yale University, Department of Chemistry, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Giovanny A. Parada
- Yale University, Department of Chemistry, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- The College of New Jersey, Department of Chemistry, Ewing, NJ 08628, USA
| | - Laura F. Cotter
- Yale University, Department of Chemistry, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | | | - James M. Mayer
- Yale University, Department of Chemistry, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Leif Hammarström
- Uppsala University, Department of Chemistry, Ångström laboratory, Uppsala, Box 523, SE75120, Sweden
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Dey A, Ghorai N, Das A, Ghosh HN. Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer for Photoinduced Generation of Two-Electron Reduced Species of Quinone. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:11165-11174. [PMID: 33241933 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Purpose-built molecules that follow the fundamental process of photosynthesis have significance in developing better insight into the natural photosynthesis process. Quinones have a significant role as electron acceptors in natural photosynthesis, and their reduction is assisted through H-bond donation or protonation. The major challenge in such studies is to couple the multielectron and proton-transfer process and to achieve a reasonably stable charge-separated state for the elucidation of the mechanistic pathway. We have tried to address this issue through the design of a donor-acceptor-donor molecular triad (2RuAQ) derived from two equivalent [Ru(bpy)3]2+ derivatives and a bridging anthraquinone moiety (AQ). Photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) for this molecular triad was systematically investigated in the absence and presence of hexafluoroisopropanol and p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) using time-resolved absorption spectroscopy in the ultrafast time domain. Results reveal the generation of a relatively long-lived charge-separated state in this multi-electron transfer reaction, and we could confirm the generation of AQ2- and RuIII as the transient intermediates. We could rationalize the mechanistic pathway and the dynamics associated with photoinduced processes and the role of H-bonding in stabilizing charge-separated states. Transient absorption spectroscopic studies reveal that the rates of intramolecular electron transfer and the mechanistic pathways associated with the PCET process are significantly different in different solvent compositions having different polarities. In acetonitrile, a concerted PCET mechanism prevails, whereas the stepwise PCET reaction process is observed in the presence of PTSA. The results of the present study represent a unique model for the mechanistic diversity of PCET reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananta Dey
- Analytical and Environmental Science Division and Centralized Instrument Facility, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364 002, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Nandan Ghorai
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Amitava Das
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India.,Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741 246, India
| | - Hirendra N Ghosh
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India.,Radiation and Photochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
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