cis-[(η5-C5H5)Fe(η1-CO)(μ-CO)]2, the poor relative between cis and trans tautomers. A theoretical study of the gas-phase Fe L3-edge and C and O K-edge XAS of trans-/cis-[(η5-C5H5)Fe(η1-CO)(μ-CO)]2

The relative stability of trans-[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(η¹-CO)(μ-CO)]₂ (trans-I) and cis-I tautomers in a vacuum and in solvents with different dielectric constants (ε) has been investigated by exploiting density functional theory (DFT). Theoretical results indicate that, in agreement with experimental evidence, trans-I is more stable than cis-I in a vacuum (∼1.5 kcal mol^-1; ε = 1), while the opposite is true in media with ε > 7. Differently from solution, DFT outcomes pertaining to the vapor-phase cis-I ⇆ trans-I equilibrium at T = 368 K, the temperature at which the Fe L_2,3-edges and the C and O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data of I have been recorded, ultimately indicate the trans-I predominance (∼93%). Compositions, oscillator strengths (f) and excitation energy (EE) values of cis-I transitions substantially mirror those of trans-I; nevertheless, the weighted cis-If(EE) distributions negligibly contribute to the diverse simulated XA spectra of I.

Two-dimensional infrared spectral explorations into bilayer and monolayer self-assemblies of amphiphilic polypeptides

Poly(2-(3-((2-hydroxyethyl)amino)-3-oxopropyl)ethyleneamido) (PHAOE) is an amphiphilic polypeptide. The self-assembly is significant, but the ultrafast dynamic analyses of the peptide self-assembly are exiguous and worth further exploring. In this investigation, the temporal dynamic characteristics of the aggregates and unaggregated PHAOEs are mined by the two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy. The homogeneous and inhomogeneous diffusion processes of the carbonyl stretching modes of the unaggregated PHAOEs are slower than those of the self-assemblies. The inhomogeneous spectral diffusion proportion of the biopolymer PHAOE in methanol is greater than that in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The solvation shells surround the aggregates and unaggregated PHAOEs in the protic solvent methanol, but there are not any solvation shells around the aggregates or unaggregated PHAOEs in the dipolar solvent DMSO. The massive hydrogen-bonded monolayer self-assembly has merely an aggregate of PHAOEs and no solvation shell in DMSO. But the hydrogen-bonded bilayer self-assembly has a self-assembled methanol shell and an interior aggregate of PHAOEs in methanol. The self-assemblies of PHAOEs motivate the methanols to self-assemble. The large delocalized amide structure results in the fast spectral diffusion of the carbonyl stretching mode.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Ultrafast intramolecular vibrational energy transfer in carbon nitride hydrocolloid examined by femtosecond two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy

In this work, ultrafast vibrational and structural processes in a graphitic carbon nitride hydrocolloid system were studied using a combination of linear infrared and nonlinear two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopies. The experimentally observed three IR line shapes in the C=N stretching vibration frequency region were analyzed and attributed to the rigid and conjugated molecular frame of the prepared g-CN molecular species, which is believed to be a dimeric tris-s-triazine, as well as attributed to insignificant solvent influence on the delocalized C=N vibrations. Vibrational transition density cubes were also computed for the proposed g-CN dimer, confirming the heterocyclic C=N stretching nature of the three IR absorption peaks. Intramolecular vibrational energy transfer dynamics and spectral diffusion of the g-CN system were characterized by examining a series of time-dependent 2D IR spectra. A picosecond intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution process was found to occur among these delocalized C=N stretching modes, acting as an efficient vibrational energy transfer channel. This work reasonably connects the experimentally observed IR signature to a specific g-CN structure and also provides the first report on the ultrafast intramolecular processes of such carbon nitride systems. The obtained results are fundamentally important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of such carbon-nitride based functional materials.

Comparative Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Fe L2,3-Edges X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy in Three Highly Popular, Low-Spin Organoiron Complexes: [Fe(CO)5], [(η5-C5H5)Fe(CO)(μ-CO)]2, and [(η5-C5H5)2Fe]

The occupied and unoccupied electronic structures of three highly popular, closed shell organoiron complexes ([Fe(CO)₅], [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(μ-CO)]₂, and [(η⁵-C₅H₅)₂Fe]) have been theoretically investigated by taking advantage of density functional theory (DFT) calculations coupled to the isolobal analogy ( Elian et al. Inorg. Chem. 1976 , 15 , 1148 ). The adopted approach allowed us to look into the relative role played by the ligand → Fe donation and the Fe → ligand back-donation in title molecules, as well as to investigate how CO- (terminal or bridging) and [(η⁵-C₅H₅)]^--based π* orbitals compete when these two ligands are simultaneously present as in [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(μ-CO)]₂. Insights into the nature and the strength of the bonding between Fe and the C donor atoms have been gained by exploiting the Nalewajski-Mrozek bond multiplicity index ( Nalewajski et al. Int. J. Quantum Chem. 1994 , 51 , 187 ), which have been found especially sensitive even to tiny bond distance variations. The bonding picture emerging from ground state DFT results proved fruitful to guide the assignment of original, high-resolution, gas-phase L_2,3-edges X-ray absorption spectra of the title molecules, which have been modeled by the two-component relativistic time-dependent DFT including spin orbit coupling and correlation effects and taking advantage of the full use of symmetry. Assignments alternative to those reported in the literature for both [Fe(CO)₅] and [(η⁵-C₅H₅)₂Fe] are herein proposed. Despite the high popularity of the investigated molecules, the complementary use of symmetry, orbital, and spectroscopy allowed us to further look into the metal-ligand symmetry-restricted-covalency and the differential-orbital covalency, which characterize them.

Central-metal effect on intramolecular vibrational energy transfer of M(CO)5Br (M = Mn, Re) probed by two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy

Vibrational energy transfer in transition metal complexes with flexible structures in condensed phases is of central importance to catalytical chemistry processes. In this work, two molecules with different metal atoms, M(CO)₅Br (where M = Mn, Re), were used as model systems, and their axial and radial carbonyl stretching modes as infrared probes. The central-metal effect on intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) in M(CO)₅Br was investigated in polar and nonpolar solvents. The linear infrared (IR) peak splitting between carbonyl vibrations increases as the metal atom changes from Mn to Re. The waiting-time dependent two-dimensional infrared diagonal- and off-diagonal peak amplitudes reveal a faster IVR process in Re(CO)₅Br than in Mn(CO)₅Br. With the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the central-metal effect on IVR time linearly correlates with the vibrational coupling strength between the two involved modes. In addition, the polar solvent is found to accelerate the IVR process by affecting the anharmonic vibrational potentials of a solute vibration mode.

Micellar and bicontinuous microemulsion structures show different solute–solvent interactions: a case study using ultrafast nonlinear infrared spectroscopy

Using aqueous and organic probes to simultaneously explore the structural dynamics of reverse micellar and bicontinuous microemulsion structures.

Coordination Complexes of Transition Metals (M = Mo, Fe, Rh, and Ru) with Tin(II) Phthalocyanine in Neutral, Monoanionic, and Dianionic States

The ability of tin atoms to form stable Sn-M bonds with transition metals was used to prepare transition metal complexes with tin(II) phthalocyanine in neutral, monoanionic, and dianionic states. These complexes were obtained via the interactions of [Sn(IV)Cl2Pc(3-)](•-) or [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) radical anions with {Cp*Mo(CO)2}2, {CpFe(CO)2}2, {CpMo(CO)3}2, Fe3(CO)12, {Cp*RhCl2}2, or Ph5CpRu(CO)2Cl. The neutral coordination complexes of Cp*MoBr(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(2-)]·0.5C6H4Cl2 (1) and CpFe(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(2-)]·2C6H4Cl2 (2) were obtained from [Sn(IV)Cl2Pc(3-)](•-). On the other hand, the coordination of transition metals to [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) yielded anionic coordination complexes preserving the spin on [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-). However, in the case of {cryptand[2,2,2](Na(+))}{CpFe(II)(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(4-)]}(-)·C6H4Cl2 (4), charge transfer from CpFe(I)(CO)2 to [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) took place to form the diamagnetic [Sn(II)Pc(4-)](2-) dianion and {CpFe(II)(CO)2}(+). The complexes {cryptand[2,2,2](Na(+))}{Fe(CO)4[Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-)} (5), {cryptand[2,2,2](Na(+))}{CpMo(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(2-)Sn(II)Pc(3-)(•-)]} (6), and {cryptand[2,2,2](Na(+))}{Cp*RhCl2[Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-)} (7) have magnetic moments of 1.75, 2.41, and 1.75 μ(B), respectively, owing to the presence of S = 1/2 spins on [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) and CpMo(I)(CO)2 (for 6). In addition, the strong antiferromagnetic coupling of spins with Weiss temperatures of -35.5 -28.6 K was realized between the CpMo(I)(CO)2 and the [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) units in 6 and the π-stacking {Fe(CO)4[Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-)}2 dimers of 5, respectively. The [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) radical anions substituted the chloride anions in Ph5CpRu(CO)2Cl to form the formally neutral compound {Ph5CpRu(II)(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(3-)]} (8) in which the negative charge and spin are preserved on [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-). The strong antiferromagnetic coupling of spins with a magnetic exchange interaction J/k(B) = -183 K in 8 is explained by the close packing of [Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-) in the π-stacked {Ph5CpRu(II)(CO)2[Sn(II)Pc(3-)](•-)}2 dimers.