Photoelectron spectroscopy of pyrazine anion clusters

Optimizing Photocatalytic H2 Production by Introduction of Pyrazinyls to WRCs and a New tris-Rhenium Photosensitizer

The replacement of pyridyl by pyrazinyl in ligands of polypyridyl-based cobalt water reducing catalysts (WRC) shifts reduction potentials anodically. Together with a new, trinuclear ReI photosensitizer, these WRCs show strongly improved photocatalytic performances in turnover numbers (TONs) and maximal H2 evolution rate. Depending on the catalyst structure, up to 65 kTONs at 1 μM WRC concentration were reached. Under electrocatalytic conditions in both DMF and H2O, one of the reported WRCs displays remarkable stability, producing H2 steadily over 21 and 14 d, respectively.

The valence electron affinity of uracil determined by anion cluster photoelectron spectroscopy

The unoccupied π* orbitals of the nucleobases are considered to play important roles in low-energy electron attachment to DNA, inducing damage. While the lowest anionic valence state is vertically unbound in all neutral nucleobases, it remains unclear even for the simplest nucleobase, uracil (U), whether its valence anion (U-) is adiabatically bound, which has important implications on the efficacy of damage processes. Using anion photoelectron spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the valence electron affinity (EAV) of U can be accurately measured within weakly solvating clusters, U-(Ar)n and U-(N2)n. Through extrapolation to the isolated U limit, we show that EAV = -2 ± 18 meV. We discuss these findings in the context of electron attachment to U and its reorganization energy, and more generally establish guidance for the determination of molecular electron affinities from the photoelectron spectroscopy of anion clusters.

Resonant electron capture by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules: Effects of aza-substitution

Resonant electron capture by aza and diaza derivatives of phenanthrene (7,8-benzoquinoline and 1,10-phenanthroline) and anthracene (acridine and phenazine) at incident free electron energies (Ee) in the range of 0-15 eV was studied. All compounds except 7,8-benzoquinoline form long-lived molecular ions (M-) at thermal electron energies (Ee ∼ 0 eV). Acridine and phenazine also form such ions at epithermal electron energies up to Ee = 1.5-2.5 eV. The lifetimes (τa) of M- with respect to electron autodetachment are proportional to the extent of aza-substitution and increase on going from molecules with bent geometry of the fused rings (azaphenanthrenes) to linear isomers (azaanthracenes). These regularities are due to an increase in the adiabatic electron affinities (EAa) of the molecules. The EAa values of the molecules under study were comprehensively assessed based on a comparative analysis of the measured τa values using the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory, the electronic structure analysis using the molecular orbital approach, as well as the density functional calculations of the total energy differences between the molecules and anions. The only fragmentation channel of M- ions from the compounds studied is abstraction of hydrogen atoms. When studying [M-H]- ions, electron autodetachment processes were observed, the τa values were measured, and the appearance energies were determined. A comparative analysis of the gas-phase acidity of the molecules and the EAa values of the [M-H]· radicals revealed their proportionality to the EAa values of the parent molecules.

Non-Valence Anions of Pyridine and the Diazines

The dipole-bound anions of pyridine, pyridazine, and pyrimidine are characterized using equation of motion coupled cluster singles and doubles calculations. These calculations predict that the anions of pyridine, pyrimidine and pyridazine are bound in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation by 0.05, 0.8, and 19.0 meV, respectively. The binding energies of pyrimidine and pyridazine are large enough that the anions will remain bound even when allowing for corrections to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, while that of pyridine is a borderline case. We were unable to find a stable non-valence correlation-bound anion for pyrazine, which has a zero dipole moment.

Synthesis of a pentadentate, polypyrazine ligand and its application in cobalt-catalyzed hydrogen production

A molecular cobalt complex bearing an unprecedented pentadentate, polypyrazine ligand is reported for electrocatalytic H₂ evolution from pH 7 water.

The onset of electron-induced proton-transfer in hydrated azabenzene cluster anions

The prospect that protons from water may be transferred to N-heterocyclic molecules due to the presence of an excess electron is studied in hydrated azabenzene cluster anions using spectroscopy and computational chemistry.

Bioinspired design of redox-active ligands for multielectron catalysis: effects of positioning pyrazine reservoirs on cobalt for electro- and photocatalytic generation of hydrogen from water

Mononuclear metalloenzymes in nature can function in cooperation with precisely positioned redox-active organic cofactors in order to carry out multielectron catalysis. Inspired by the finely tuned redox management of these bioinorganic systems, we present the design, synthesis, and experimental and theoretical characterization of a homologous series of cobalt complexes bearing redox-active pyrazines. These donor moieties are locked into key positions within a pentadentate ligand scaffold in order to evaluate the effects of positioning redox non-innocent ligands on hydrogen evolution catalysis. Both metal- and ligand-centered redox features are observed in organic as well as aqueous solutions over a range of pH values, and comparison with analogs bearing redox-inactive zinc(ii) allows for assignments of ligand-based redox events. Varying the geometric placement of redox non-innocent pyrazine donors on isostructural pentadentate ligand platforms results in marked effects on observed cobalt-catalyzed proton reduction activity. Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution from weak acids in acetonitrile solution, under diffusion-limited conditions, reveals that the pyrazine donor of axial isomer 1-Co behaves as an unproductive electron sink, resulting in high overpotentials for proton reduction, whereas the equatorial pyrazine isomer complex 2-Co is significantly more active for hydrogen generation at lower voltages. Addition of a second equatorial pyrazine in complex 3-Co further minimizes overpotentials required for catalysis. The equatorial derivative 2-Co is also superior to its axial 1-Co congener for electrocatalytic and visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen generation in biologically relevant, neutral pH aqueous media. Density functional theory calculations (B3LYP-D2) indicate that the first reduction of catalyst isomers 1-Co, 2-Co, and 3-Co is largely metal-centered while the second reduction occurs at pyrazine. Taken together, the data establish that proper positioning of non-innocent pyrazine ligands on a single cobalt center is indeed critical for promoting efficient hydrogen catalysis in aqueous media, akin to optimally positioned redox-active cofactors in metalloenzymes. In a broader sense, these findings highlight the significance of electronic structure considerations in the design of effective electron-hole reservoirs for multielectron transformations.

STACKING INTERACTION IN PYRAZINE DIMER

The structure and stability of pyrazine dimer in different orientations have been investigated using second- and fourth-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2, MP4) and coupled-cluster singles and doubles with non-iterative perturbative triples method [CCSD(T)] with various basis sets (6-31G*, 6-311G**, 6-311++G**, cc-pVDZ, aug-cc-pVDZ, cc-pVTZ, and aug-cc-pVTZ). With the largest basis set (aug-cc-pVTZ) at the MP2 level of theory, the calculated binding energies (basis set superposition error corrected) for the sandwich, N–N axial-displaced, lateral-displaced, cross-displaced, T-shaped ( T N-ring and T H-ring ), and wedge-shaped ( W N–C and W C–C ) geometries are found to be 3.01, 4.18, 4.63, 5.92, 4.54, 2.78, 2.89, and 3.23 kcal/mol, respectively. Although MP2 calculations predict the cross-displaced geometry to be the most stable one, MP4 and CCSD(T) calculations show the most stable geometry to be T-shaped ( T N-ring ), with a center-of-mass separation of 4.2 Å. Dispersion interaction seems to be the major source of attraction in all the geometries considered, while the nature of electrostatic interaction depends on the mutual orientation of the two rings.

Nitrogen-Rich Oligoacenes: Candidates for n-Channel Organic Semiconductors

The successive replacement of CH moieties by nitrogen atoms in oligoacenes (benzene to hexacene) has been studied computationally at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//6-31G(d) level of theory, and the effects of different heteroatomic substitution patterns on structures, electron affinities, excitation, ionization, and reorganization energies are discussed. The calculated tendencies are rationalized on the basis of molecular orbital arguments. To achieve electron affinities of 3 eV, a value required to allow for efficient electron injection from common metal electrodes, at least seven nitrogen atoms have to be incorporated into tetracenes or pentacenes. The latter require rather small reorganization energies for electron transfer (<0.20 eV) making these compounds promising candidates for n-channel semiconducting materials. Particularly interesting are heptaazapentacenes 5 and 6 in which the nitrogen atoms are arranged to form self-complementary systems with a maximum number of intermolecular CH-N contacts in planar oligomers. These interactions are expected to facilitate the formation of graphite-like sheet structures with cofacial arrangements of the pi systems and short interlayer distances due to attractive N-C(H) interlayer interactions. This should not only be ideal for charge transfer but also might contribute to improved air stability of these semiconductors. Self-complementarity is maintained in azaacenes containing two cyano groups in the terminal rings. These compounds require lower reorganization energies than the unsubstituted heterocycles (0.13-0.14 eV), show high electron affinities (3.3 eV), and are thus promising candidates for materials applications.

Energetics and Volume Changes in Electron Attachment to Pyrazine in Supercritical Xenon

The attachment of electrons to pyrazine occurs reversibly over a wide range of pressures at and above room temperature in supercritical xenon. The rate constant for attachment increases with pressure at low pressures, passes through a maximum, and levels off at values of 1-3x10(12) m(-1) s(-1) at high pressure. The activation volumes for attachment (DeltaVa*) are quite small but show maxima near the compressibility maxima. In contrast, DeltaVa* is always negative for this reaction in sc-ethane and exhibits minima near the compressibility maxima. The rate constants for electron detachment change little with pressure but increase with temperature. Activation volumes for detachment are small. To explain the small volume change observed for this reaction, it is proposed that at the higher pressures clustering around the neutral pyrazine is comparable to that around the ion; i.e., the partial molar volumes are comparable. The free energy change (DeltaGr) of this reaction decreases between 40 and 60 bar and then is fairly constant at higher pressures. The dependence of DeltaGr on pressure is consistent with clustering around the neutral pyrazine at higher pressure. Also, the electron affinity of the clusters, pyrazineXen, increases with n to a few tenths of an eV.

New manganese-scaffolded organic triple-deckers based on quinoxaline, pyrazine and pyrimidine cores

The thermolytic coupling of Ph(2)CN(2) and (t-Bu)(Ph)CN(2) with doubly cyclomanganated 2,5-diphenylpyrazine and 4,6-diphenylpyrimidine afforded substantial amounts of new triple decker compounds of either C(i) and C(2) symmetry respectively containing, in both series, two eta(3)-bonded Mn(CO)(3) fragments which intervene as scaffolds sustaining the helical non-conjugated triaryl backbone. The molecular structures of two pyrazine derivatives show a typical non-parallel stacking of the aromatic rings and the encapsulation of the central pyrazyl fragment with interplanar centroid-to-centroid distances of ca. 3.5 A. The stacking of the aromatics in the triple-decker pyrimidine derivatives has been assessed by (1)H NMR experiments at low temperature. All the triple-decker-type compounds are electroactive. Pyrimidine triple-deckers can reversibly be electrochemically reduced to the corresponding anions.