Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Solvation of Coumarin 153 in a Mixture of an Alkane and an Alcohol

Reorientation-induced Stokes shifts caused by directional interactions in electronic spectroscopy: Fast dynamics of poly(methyl methacrylate)

Dynamic Stokes shift measurements report on structural relaxation, driven by a dipole created in a chromophore by its excitation from the ground electronic state to the S₁ state. Here, we demonstrate that it is also possible to have an additional contribution from orientational relaxation of the Stokes shift chromophore. This effect, called reorientation-induced Stokes shift (RISS), can be observed when the reorientation of the chromophore and the solvent structural relaxation occur on similar time scales. Through a vector interaction, the electronic transition of the chromophore couples to its environment. The orientational diffusive motions of the chromophores will have a slight bias toward reducing the transition energy (red shift) as do the solvent structural diffusive motions. RISS is manifested in the polarization-dependence of the fluorescence Stokes shift using coumarin 153 (C153) in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). A similar phenomenon, reorientation-induced spectral diffusion (RISD), has been observed and theoretically explicated in the context of two dimensional infrared (2D IR) experiments. Here, we generalize the existing RISD theory to include properties of electronic transitions that generally are not present in vibrational transitions. Expressions are derived that permit determination of the structural dynamics by accounting for the RISS contributions. Using these generalized equations, the structural dynamics of the medium can be measured for any system in which the directional interaction is well represented by a first order Stark effect and RISS or RISD is observed. The theoretical results are applied to the PMMA data, and the structural dynamics are obtained and discussed.

Evaluating excited state atomic polarizabilities of chromophores

Ground and excited state atomic polarizabilities of the chromophores N-methyl-6-oxyquinolinium betaine and coumarin 153 have been evaluated via quantum mechanics.

Ground and excited state dipoles and polarizabilities of the chromophores N-methyl-6-oxyquinolinium betaine (MQ) and coumarin 153 (C153) in solution have been evaluated using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). A method for determining the atomic polarizabilities has been developed; the molecular dipole has been decomposed into atomic charge transfer and polarizability terms, and variation in the presence of an electric field has been used to evaluate atomic polarizabilities. On excitation, MQ undergoes very site-specific changes in polarizability while C153 shows significantly less variation. We also conclude that MQ cannot be adequately described by standard atomic polarizabilities based on atomic number and hybridization state. Changes in the molecular polarizability of MQ (on excitation) are not representative of the local site-specific changes in atomic polarizability, thus the overall molecular polarizability ratio does not provide a good approximation for local atom-specific polarizability changes on excitation. Accurate excited state force fields are needed for computer simulation of solvation dynamics. The chromophores considered in this study are often used as molecular probes. The methods and data reported here can be used for the construction of polarizable ground and excited state force fields. Atomic and molecular polarizabilities (ground and excited states) have been evaluated over a range of functionals and basis sets. Different mechanisms for including solvation effects have been examined; using a polarizable continuum model, explicit solvation and via sampling of clusters extracted from a MD simulation. A range of different solvents have also been considered.

Solvation of Coumarin 480 within nano-confining environments: structure and dynamics

Equilibrium and dynamical characteristics pertaining to the solvation of the fluorescent probe Coumarin 480 within different confining environments are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Three kinds of confining systems are examined: (i) the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/isooctane/1-hexanol/water; cationic inverse micelle (IM) (ii) a CTAB/water direct micelle (DM), and (iii) a silica-surfactant nanocomposite, comprising a cylindrical silica pore (SP) containing small amounts of water and CTAB species adsorbed at the pore walls. The solvation structures in the three environments differ at a qualitative level: an exchange between bulk- and interface-like solvation states was found in the IM, whereas in the DM, the solvation states of the probe are characterized by its embedding at the interface, trapped among the surfactant heads and tails. Within the SP structure, the coumarin exhibits alternations between internal and interfacial solvation states that occur on a ∼20 ns time scale and operate via 90° rotations of its molecular plane. The solvation responses of the environment following a vertical excitation of the probe are also investigated. Solvation times resulted between 2 and 1000 times longer than those found in bulk water, with a fast-to-slow trend IM→DM→SP, which can be interpreted in terms of the solvation structures that prevail in each case.

Absorption and emission lineshapes and solvation dynamics of NO in supercritical Ar

We perform a theoretical study of electronic spectroscopy of dilute NO in supercritical Ar fluid. Absorption and emission lineshapes for the A(2)Sigma(+)<--X(2)Pi Rydberg transition of NO in argon have been previously measured and simulated, which yielded results for the NO/Ar ground- and excited-state pair potentials [Larregaray et al., Chem. Phys. 308, 13 (2005)]. Using these potentials, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical statistical mechanical calculations of absorption and emission lineshapes and nonequilibrium solvation correlation functions for a wide range of solvent densities and temperatures. Theory was shown to be in good agreement with simulation. Linear response treatment of solvation dynamics was shown to break down at near-critical temperature due to dramatic change in the solute-solvent microstructure upon solute excitation to the Rydberg state and the concomitant increase of the solute size.

Time-dependent stokes shifts of fluorescent dyes in the hydrophobic backbone region of a phospholipid bilayer: combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

We explored the time-dependent Stokes shifts of fluorescent dyes containing an anthroyloxy chromophore (2-AS, 9-AS, and 16-AP) in bilayers composed of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine. The obtained data revealed a nontrivial solvation response of these dyes, which are located in the backbone region of the bilayer with a gradually increasing depth. For comparison, steady-state emission spectra in the neat solvents of various polarities and viscosities were also recorded. The results indicate that on the short picosecond time scale the AS dyes undergo complex photophysics including formation of states with a charge-transfer character. This observation is supported by ab initio calculations of the excited states of 9-methylanthroate. The slower nanosecond part of the relaxation process can be attributed to the solvation response of the dyes. A slowdown in solvent relaxation is observed upon moving toward the center of the bilayer. A mechanism similar to preferential solvation present in the mixture of a polar and nonpolar solvent is considered to explain the obtained data.

Solvation and Solvatochromism in CO2-Expanded Liquids. 2. Experiment−Simulation Comparisons of Preferential Solvation in Three Prototypical Mixtures

Electronic absorption and emission spectra of 10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene (PEA) and coumarin 153 (C153) are measured as functions of composition along the bubble-point curve at 25 degrees C in CO2-expanded cyclohexane (c-C6H12), acetonitrile (CH3CN), and methanol (CH3OH). The nonlinear dependence of the spectral frequencies on composition suggests substantial preferential solvation of both solutes by the liquid components of these mixtures. Estimates of enrichment factors (local mole fraction of a component divided by its bulk value) based on the assumption that spectral shifts are linearly related to local composition are quite large (approximately 10) in the cases of the C153/CH3CN + CO2 and C153/CH3OH + CO2 systems at high xCO2. Computer simulations of anthracene, the chromophore of PEA, and C153 in these three CO2-expanded liquids are used to clarify the relationship between local composition and spectral shift. A semiempirical model consisting of additive electrostatic and dispersive interactions is able to capture the main features observed experimentally in all six solute/solvent combinations. The simulations show that the commonly used assumption of a linear relation between spectral shifts and local compositions grossly exaggerates the extent of preferential solvation in these mixtures. The collective nature of electrostatic solvation and the composition dependence of the solute's coordination number are shown to be responsible for the breakdown of this assumption.

Nonlinear effects on solvation dynamics in simple mixtures

The authors applied the time dependent density functional method (TDDFM) and a linear model to solvation dynamics in simple binary solvents. Changing the solute-solvent interactions at t=0, the authors calculated the time evolution of density fields for solvent particles after the change (t>0) by the TDDFM and linear model. First, the authors changed the interaction of only one component of solvents. In this case, the TDDFM showed that the solvation time decreased monotonically with a mole fraction of the solvent strongly interacting with the solute. The monotonical decreases agreed with experimental results, while the linear model did not reproduce these results. The authors also calculated the solvation time by changing the interaction of both components. The calculation showed that the mole fraction dependence had the peak. The TDDFM presented a much higher peak than the linear model. The difference between the TDDFM and the linear model was caused by a nonlinear effect on an exchange process of solvent particles.

The effects of solute-solvent electrostatic interactions on solvation dynamics in supercritical CO2

We present here the results of molecular-dynamics simulation of solvation dynamics in supercritical CO(2) at a temperature of about 1.05T(c), where T(c) is the critical temperature, and at a series of densities ranging from 0.4 to 2.0 of the critical density rho(c). We focus on electrostatic solvation dynamics, representing the electronic excitation of the chromophore as a change in its charge distribution from a quadrupolar-symmetry ground state to a dipolar excited state. Two perturbations are considered, corresponding to different magnitudes of solute excited-state dipoles, denoted as d5 and d8. The d8 solute is more attractive, leading to a larger enhancement in CO(2) clustering upon solute electronic excitation. This has a large impact on solvation dynamics, especially at densities below rho(c). At these densities, solvation dynamics is much slower for the d8 than for the d5 solute. For both solutes, solvation dynamics becomes faster at densities above rho(c) at which solvent clustering diminishes. We show that the slowest solvation time scale is associated with solvent clustering and we relate it to solute-solvent mutual translational diffusion and the extent of change in effective local density resulting from solute electronic excitation.

Bandwidth analysis of solvation dynamics in a simple liquid mixture

The time-dependent energy distribution of solvation dynamics is studied by molecular dynamics simulations of a Lennard-Jones mixture. We calculate the response functions of the average and the variance which correspond to the spectral peak shift and bandwidth. Our calculation shows that the variance relaxation is slower than that of the average. The result agrees qualitatively with the experimental results. Dividing the obtained response functions into subcomponents caused by each solvent, we find that the relaxation is dominated by that solvent which strongly interacts with the solute. Extracting the redistribution component from the response functions, we find that it causes the slower relaxation of the response function. Thus, we conclude that the difference of the slower relaxations between the average and variance is caused by the redistribution process.

Solvation dynamics in supercritical fluids: Equilibrium versus nonequilibrium solvent response functions

We present a theoretical study of solvation dynamics in supercritical fluids. Molecular dynamics simulations show a significant difference between equilibrium and nonequilibrium solvent response functions, especially pronounced at medium and low solvent densities. We propose an analytical theory for the nonequilibrium solvation function based on the generalized nonlinear Smoluchowski-Vlasov equation. The theory is shown to be in good agreement with simulation, providing an accurate description of the nonequilibrium time-dependent solvent density profile around the solute over a wide range of supercritical solvent densities. The nonequilibrium solvent response function is shown to reflect gradual solvent clustering around the excited solute.

Ion solvation dynamics in supercritical fluids

We present a theoretical study of ion solvation dynamics in a supercritical solvent. Molecular dynamics simulations show a significant difference between equilibrium and nonequilibrium solvent response functions, especially pronounced at medium and low solvent densities. We propose a simple analytical theory for the nonequilibrium solvation function based on the generalized nonlinear Smoluchowski-Vlasov equation. The theory is shown to be in excellent agreement with simulation over a wide range of supercritical solvent densities.

Solvatochromic and thermochromic shifts of electronic spectra of polar solute molecules in a mixture of polar and nonpolar solvent; the role of solvent–solvent interactions

A theoretical model is proposed to describe the influence of the concentration of a polar solvent and the temperature of a solution on the electronic spectra of a polar solute in a binary solvent mixture. It is shown that the interaction between molecules of the polar solvent in the first solvation shell makes the significant contribution to the formation of absorption and fluorescence bands of the solute. An experimental study of solvatochromic and thermochromic shifts of steady-state fluorescence spectra of 3-amino-N-methylphthalimide in decalin--propanol mixture for different values of propanol mole fraction is carried out. Good qualitative agreement between the experimental data and calculation results is observed.

Fluorescence Quenching of Dyes by Tryptophan: Interactions at Atomic Detail from Combination of Experiment and Computer Simulation

Fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are combined to characterize the interaction of two organic fluorescent dyes, rhodamine 6G (R6G) and an oxazine derivative (MR121), with the amino acid tryptophan in aqueous solution. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching experiments reveal the formation of essentially nonfluorescent ground-state dye/Trp complexes. The MD simulations are used to elucidate the molecular interaction geometries involved. The MD-derived probability distribution of the distance r between the centers of geometry of the dye and quencher ring systems, P(r), extends to higher distances for R6G than for MR121 due to population in the R6G/Trp system of fluorescent interaction geometries between Trp and the phenyl ring and ester group of the dye. The consequence of this is the experimental finding that under the conditions used in the simulations about 25% of the R6G dye is fluorescent in comparison with 10% of the MR121. Combining the above findings allows determination of the "quenching distance", r, above which no quenching occurs. r is found to be very similar (approximately 5.5 A) for both dye/Trp systems, corresponding to close to van der Waals contact. Both experimental dynamic Stern-Volmer analysis and the MD trajectories demonstrate that the main determinant of the fluorescence intensity is static quenching. The approach presented is likely to be useful in the structural interpretation of data obtained from fluorescent conjugates commonly used for monitoring the binding and dynamics of biomolecular systems.

Ultrashort-lived excited states of aminophthalimides in fluid solution

The Sn-->S0 ultraviolet fluorescence spectra (270-380 nm) of 4-aminophthalimide (4AP) and its N-methyl derivative 4-amino-N-methylphthalimide (4ANMP) are reported, following the absorption of two laser pulses. In polar but non-hydrogen-bonding solvents, both molecules exhibit a principal emission maximum near 290 nm, whereas solutions in hydrogen-bonding solvents display two prominent emission bands, near 300 and 350 nm. The relative intensities of these bands depend on solvent type and, in a pump-probe experiment, on the wavelengths and temporal spacing of two ultrashort pulses. Experiments covering the range approximately 0.1-100 ps showed evidence for at least two distinct ultrashort relaxation processes, the rates of which depend on solvent. Fluorescence upconversion experiments at < 0.2 ps resolution have shown that the longer-duration process correlates with the fluorescence Stokes shift, and provide evidence that the solvent-dependent shift of the S1-->S0 fluorescence spectrum is reflected in the fluorescence quantum efficiency of a nearby electronic state.