Time-dependent density functional molecular orbital and excited state calculations on bis(porphyrinyl)butadiynes in the monocationic, neutral, monoanionic, and dianionic oxidation states

Electronic Delocalization in the Radical Cations of Porphyrin Oligomer Molecular Wires

The radical cations of a family of π-conjugated porphyrin arrays have been investigated: linear chains of N = 1-6 porphyrins, a 6-porphyrin nanoring and a 12-porphyrin nanotube. The radical cations were generated in solution by chemical and electrochemical oxidation, and probed by vis-NIR-IR and EPR spectroscopies. The cations exhibit strong NIR bands at ∼1000 nm and 2000-5000 nm, which shift to longer wavelength with increasing oligomer length. Analysis of the NIR and IR spectra indicates that the polaron is delocalized over 2-3 porphyrin units in the linear oligomers. Some of the IR vibrational bands are strongly intensified on oxidation, and Fano-type antiresonances are observed when activated vibrations overlap with electronic transitions. The solution-phase EPR spectra of the radical cations have Gaussian lineshapes with linewidths proportional to N^-0.5, demonstrating that at room temperature the spin hops rapidly over the whole chain on the time scale of the hyperfine coupling (ca. 100 ns). Direct measurement of the hyperfine couplings through electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) in frozen solution (80 K) indicates distribution of the spin over 2-3 porphyrin units for all the oligomers, except the 12-porphyrin nanotube, in which the spin is spread over about 4-6 porphyrins. These experimental studies of linear and cyclic cations give a consistent picture, which is supported by DFT calculations and multiparabolic modeling with a reorganization energy of 1400-2000 cm^-1 and coupling of 2000 cm^-1 for charge transfer between neighboring sites, placing the system in the Robin-Day class III.

A systematic theoretical study of the electronic structures of porphyrin dimers: DFT and TD-DFT calculations on diporphyrins linked by ethane, ethene, ethyne, imine, and azo bridges

Theoretical calculations of the geometries, electronic structures and electronic absorption spectra of a series of covalently-linked porphyrin dimers are reported. The diporphyrins comprise 5,10,15-triphenylporphyrinatozinc(II) (ZnTriPP) units linked through the meso carbons by two-atom bridges, namely 1,2-ethanediyl (1), trans-1,2-ethenediyl (2), ethynediyl (3), 1,2-iminomethenediyl (4), and transdiazenediyl (5). The structures were optimised in toluene solvent by Density Functional Theory (DFT), using the integral equation formalism variant of the polarizable continuum model. The calculations were performed using the B3LYP functional and the 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The complete molecules were modelled, with no substitution of smaller groups on the periphery. In parallel, the compounds 2–5 were prepared by known or novel synthetic routes, to enable comparisons of experimental electronic absorption spectra with those calculated using time dependent-DFT at the same level of theory. As the ethane dimer 1 is not yet synthetically accessible, the model monomer meso-2-phenylethylZnTriPP was used for comparisons with the theoretical predictions. The results form a self-consistent set, enabling for the first time legitimate comparisons of the electronic structures of the series, especially regarding the degree to which the porphyrin p-systems interact by conjugation across the bridges. The theoretical calculations of the electronic transitions match the observed spectra in toluene to a remarkable degree, especially with respect to the peak maximum of the Q band, which represents to a large degree the energy of the HOMO–LUMO transition. The imine 4 is intrinsically polar due to the asymmetric bridge, and the HOMO is located almost exclusively on the ZnTriPP unit attached to the nitrogen of the imine, and the LUMO on the C-attached ring. Thus the Q-band transition is mapped as a comprehensive charge-transfer from the former ring to the latter. This may have consequences for the non-linear optical properties of the system. The azoporphyrin 5 exhibits the largest splittings between the interacting MOs via the conjugated bridge, vindicating a prediction by Anderson and co-workers in 2002, and confirmed experimentally by our synthesis of 5. The collected results also indicate that this level of theory is more thanadequate as a model with which to handle these large delocalised molecules.

Near-Infrared Absorbing Ligand-Oxidized Dinuclear Phthalocyanines

Ligand-oxidized annulated dinuclear phthalocyanine zinc(II) and lithium(I) complexes absorbing in the NIR region (lambda=1000-2200 nm) with high extinction coefficients are described. Analogous mononuclear Pc complexes were used for comparison. The oxidized Pcs were characterized in solution by electronic absorption, EPR and NMR spectra. The NIR transitions were explained by using MO diagrams calculated semiempirically. The reversible oxidation behavior of the phthalocyanine complexes was also estimated by cyclic voltammetry. These new extremely long wavelength absorbing phthalocyanines are interesting as materials with new electronic properties.

Tuning the Electronic Communication in Heterobimetallic Mixed-Valence Ions of (1-Ferrocenyl)- and (2-Ferrocenyl)indenyl Rhodium Isomers

A series of heterobimetallic complexes of general structure [RhL(2){eta(5)-(2-ferrocenyl)indenyl}] (L(2)=cod, nbd, L=CO; cod=cyclooctadiene; nbd=norbornadiene) has been synthesised with the aim of tuning the metal-metal interaction in their mixed-valence ions generated both by chemical and electrochemical oxidation, and the results are compared with those obtained for [RhL(2){eta(5)-(1-ferrocenyl)indenyl}] isomers. Crystallographic studies and DFT calculations provide a detailed description of the structural and electronic features of these complexes evidencing a significant difference in the extent of planarity of the flexible bridging ligand between the 1- and 2-ferrocenyl isomers. Independent experimental probes, in particular the potential splitting in the cyclic voltammograms and the IT bands in the near-IR spectra, are rationalised in the framework of Marcus-Hush theory and at quantum chemistry level by DFT and TD-DFT methods. These methods allow us to establish a trend based on the magnitude of iron-rhodium electronic coupling H(ab) ranging from valence trapped to almost delocalised ions. The quasi planar bridge and the olefin ancillary ligands make [Rh(nbd){eta(5)-(2-ferrocenyl)indenyl}](+) and [Rh(cod){eta(5)-(2-ferrocenyl)indenyl}](+) rare examples of heterobimetallic systems which can be classified as borderline Class II/Class III species.

The Heck reaction for porphyrin functionalisation: synthesis of meso-alkenyl monoporphyrins and palladium-catalysed formation of unprecedented meso–β ethene-linked diporphyrins

Palladium-catalysed coupling of the vinyl derivatives methyl acrylate, styrene and acrylonitrile with 5-bromo-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (MTriPPBr; M = 2H, Ni, Zn) and 5,15-dibromo-10,20-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)porphyrin (MDAPBr(2)) produced a series of mono- and disubstituted alkenylporphyrins, thus demonstrating the applicability of meso-haloporphyrins in Heck-type reactions. The same technique was also applied to meso-ethenylporphyrins and simple aryl halides, with mixed results. Only meso-vinyl nickel(ii) porphyrins showed any reactivity under our conditions. A mixture of 1,1- and 1,2-disubstitution across the alkene was observed for 5-vinyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrinatonickel(ii) (meso-vinylNiTriPP), whereas 5-vinyl-10,20-bis(3,5-di-t-butylphenyl)porphyrinatonickel(ii) (meso-vinylNiDAP) produced a mixture of meso-1,1-, meso-1,2- and, surprisingly, beta-1,2-disubstituted Heck products. Coupling meso-vinylNiDAP with MTriPPBr under similar Heck conditions led unexpectedly to transbeta-meso-NiDAP-ethene-MTriPP dyads, affording the first members of a new class of alkenyl-linked diporphyrins. A mechanism for the unusual meso to beta rearrangement is discussed. The electronic absorption spectra of the dyads have a red-shifted shoulder on the Soret (B) band, which is evidence of a moderate degree of electronic interaction between the porphyrins via the ethenyl bridge.

Porphyrin dimers bridged by a platinum–diacetylide unit

A series of butadiyne- and platinum diacetylide-bridged conjugated porphyrin dimers have been prepared; electrochemical and UV-vis absorption measurements on these compounds show that the butadiyne-bridge confers stronger porphyrin-porphyrin conjugation than the platinum diacetylide-bridge.

Highly conjugated multiporphyrins: synthesis, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties

A series of meso-to-meso ethynyl-bridged multiporphyrin arrays have been synthesized using Sonogoshira palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions involving the appropriate ethynylporphyrin and iodoporphyrin precursors. The absorption spectra of these multiporphyrins show splitting of the Soret bands and significant red shifts of the Q bands as compared to the combination of the corresponding components. These conjugated multiporphyrins also show red shifts in their emission spectra as the pi-conjugation is expanded. In the electrochemical measurements, the porphyrins dimer 7 shows two 1 - e- oxidations at E(1/2) = +0.63 and +0.76 V for the first electron abstraction from the two porphyrin rings, indicating electronic communication between the two porphyrin units. The porphyrin trimer 4 exhibits the first and second 1 - e- oxidations at E(1/2) = +0.68 and +0.77 V, respectively, which correspond to the two outer porphyrins. The cyclic voltammogram of pentamer 5 shows two overlapping 1 - e- couples at E(1/2) = +0.56 and +0.66 V, and one 2 - e- couple at E(1/2) = +0.86 V, for the four outer porphyrin units. These results demonstrate that in the porphyrin trimer and pentamer the individual peripheral porphyrin units are electrochemically coupled via a central porphyrin core. The UV-Vis-NIR spectra of the oxidized species of these multiporphyrins exhibit a broad intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band in the region from 1200 to 3000 nm. The present work shows that a central porphyrin unit appended with ethynyl bridges affords strong electronic interactions between the peripheral porphyrin rings over a distance of about 15 A.