Insights into Photodissociation Dynamics of Benzamide and Formanilide from ab Initio Calculations

UV Laser-Induced Photodecomposition of Matrix-Isolated Salicylhydroxamic Acid: Identification of New Isocyanate Complexes

Photochemical reactions of salicylhydroxamic acid were induced using tunable UV laser radiation followed by FTIR spectroscopy. Four pairs of co-products were experimentally found to appear in the photolysis: C6H4(OH)NCO⋯H2O (1), C6H4(OH)C(O)N⋯H2O (2), C6H4(OH)2⋯HNCO (3), and C6H4(OH)NHOH⋯CO (4). The comparison of the theoretical spectra with the experimental ones allowed us to determine the structures of the complexes formed in the matrices. The mechanisms of the reaction channels leading to the formation of the photoproducts were proposed. It was concluded that the first step in the formation of the complexes (1), (2), and (3) was the scission of the N-O bond, whereas the creation of complex (4) was due to cleavage of the C-N bond.

Excited-State Dependent Hydrogen Bond Natures and Their Critical Role in Determining the Photophysical Properties of Aromatic Thioketones

In this work, how the excited-state dependent hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions control photophysical processes have been uncovered by accurate electronic structure calculations for the five lowest-lying states (S0, S1, S2,...

Role of Multistate Intersections in Photochemistry

It has been generally accepted that the intersection of potential energy surfaces can facilitate nonadiabatic transitions and plays a crucial role in photochemistry. Although most previous studies have focused on the conical intersection of two electronic states, multistate intersections are common in polyatomic molecules, and their key roles in photochemistry have been uncovered by electronic structure calculations and nonadiabatic dynamics simulations. In this Perspective, the algorithms for searching two- or three-state intersections are first examined with an emphasis on the latest development in a general algorithm for location of multistate intersections. Then, we focus on intersystem crossing (ISC) that occurs in the region of multistate intersection, paying more attention to how the state-specific spin-orbit coupling interaction influences nonadiabatic ISC processes. Finally, the interweaving of nonadiabatic dynamics simulation and electronic structure calculation has been recognized as a correct way to ascertain the vital roles of multistate intersections in photochemical reactions.

How Does Thymine DNA Survive Ultrafast Dimerization Damage?

The photodimerization reaction between the two adjacent thymine bases within a single strand has been the subject of numerous studies due to its potential to induce DNA mutagenesis and possible tumorigenesis in human skin cells. It is well established that the cycloaddition photoreaction takes place on a picosecond time scale along barrierless or low barrier singlet/triplet pathways. However, the observed dimerization quantum yield in different thymine multimer is considerable lower than might be expected. A reasonable explanation is required to understand why thymine in DNA is able to survive ultrafast dimerization damage. In this work, accurate quantum calculations based on the combined CASPT2//CASSCF/AMBER method were conducted to map the excited state relaxation pathways of the thymine monomer in aqueous solution and of the thymine oligomer in DNA. A monomer-like decay pathway, induced by the twisting of the methyl group, is found to provide a bypass channel to ensure the photostability of thymine in single-stranded oligomers. This fast relaxation path is regulated by the conical intersection between the bright S_CT(¹ππ*) state with the intra-base charge transfer character and the ground state to remove the excess excitation energy, thereby achieving the ground-state recovery with high efficiency.

Excited state proton transfer dynamics of thioacetamide in S2(ππ*) state: resonance Raman spectroscopic and quantum mechanical calculations study

The photophysics and photochemistry of thioacetamide (CH3CSNH2) after excitation to the S2 electronic state were investigated by using resonance Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The A-band resonance Raman spectra in acetonitrile, methanol, and water were obtained at 299.1, 282.4, 266.0, 252.7, and 245.9 nm excitation wavelengths to probe the structural dynamics of thioacetamide in the S2 state. CASSCF calculations were done to determine the transition energies and structures of the lower-lying excited states, the conical intersection points CI(S2/S1) and CI(S1/S0), and intersystem crossing points. The structural dynamics of thioacetamide in the S2 state was revealed to be along eight Franck-Condon active vibrational modes ν15, ν11, ν14, ν10, ν8, ν12, ν18, and ν19, mostly in the CC/CS/CN stretches and the CNH8,9/CCH5,6,7/CCN/CCS in-plane bends as indicated by the corresponding normal mode descriptions. The S2 → S1 decay process via the S2/S1 conical intersection point as the major channel were excluded. The thione-thiol photoisomerization reaction mechanism of thioacetamide via the S2,FC → S'1,min excited state proton transfer (ESPT) reaction channel was proposed.

Water-assisted self-photoredox of 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-9,10-anthraquinone through a triplet excited state intra-molecular proton transfer pathway

A novel self-photoredox reaction for 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-9,10-anthraquinone has been theoretically rationalized to take place through two steps of triplet excited state intra-molecular proton transfer aided by water wires.

A CASSCF and CASPT2 study on the excited states of s-trans-formaldazine

The low-lying excited states of s-trans-formaldazine (H2CN-NCH2) have been investigated using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and the multiconfigurational second-order perturbation (CASPT2) methods. The vertical excitation energies have been calculated at the state-average CASSCF and multistate CASPT2 levels employing the cc-pVTZ basis set. The photodissociation mechanisms starting from the S1 state have been determined. The lowest energy points along the seams of surface intersections have been located in both the Franck-Condon region and the N-N dissociation pathway in the S1 state. Once the system populates the S1 state, in the viewpoint of energy, the radiationless decay via S1/S0(3) conical intersection followed by the N-N bond fission in the ground-state is more favorable in comparison with the N-N dissociation process in the S1 state. A three-surface crossing region (S1/T1/T2), where the S1, T1, and T2 states intersect, was also found. However, the intersystem crossing process via S1/T1/T2 is not energetically competitive with the internal conversion via S1/S0(3).