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Cabrera-Tinoco H, Moreira ACL, Borja-Castro L, Valencia-Bedregal R, Barnes CHW, Santos Valladares LDL. Charge Transport in Conjugated and Saturated Hydrocarbons: Comparing Ballistic and Cotunneling Contributions. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:10828-10837. [PMID: 38100036 PMCID: PMC10911760 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c05869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The comparison between electrical transport in CnH2n+2S2 alkane and CnHn+2S2 alkene (n = 4, 6, 8, 10) is studied by using a generalized Breit-Wigner approach and considering coherent transport mechanisms and eventual changes in the state of charge (i.e., cotunneling processes) for both molecules. In general, the conductance of alkanes tends to be smaller than that of similar-sized alkenes. However, cotunneling processes have an important participation in the overall transport in the case of alkanes but not for the alkene family. The progressive changes in both the eigenenergies of the relevant frontier molecular orbitals of the charged species and their spatial localization play decisive roles in the observed differences. While the molecular orbitals of the charged species of the conjugated molecules are hardly affected by the applied voltage, their saturated counterparts are quite sensitive to the external field. With this, successive avoided-crossing events between the molecular orbitals of the single-charged alkane molecules can lead to the appearance of nonballistic conduction channels that make no negligible contributions to the molecular transport.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Augusto C. L. Moreira
- Núcleo
Interdisciplinar em Ciências Exatas e da Natureza (NICEN), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 55014-900 Caruaru − PE, Brazil
| | - Luis Borja-Castro
- Laboratorio
de Cerámicos y Nanomateriales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Ap. Postal 14-0149 Lima, Perú
| | - Renato Valencia-Bedregal
- Laboratorio
de Cerámicos y Nanomateriales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Ap. Postal 14-0149 Lima, Perú
| | - Crispin H. W. Barnes
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Department of Physics, University
of Cambridge, J. J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
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2
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Ke Y, Kaspar C, Erpenbeck A, Peskin U, Thoss M. Nonequilibrium reaction rate theory: Formulation and implementation within the hierarchical equations of motion approach. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:034103. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0098545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of chemical reactions in environments under nonequilibrium conditions has been of interest recently in a variety of contexts, including current-induced reactions in molecular junctions and scanning tunneling microscopy experiments. In this work, we outline a fully quantum mechanical, numerically exact approach to describe chemical reaction rates in such nonequilibrium situations. The approach is based on an extension of the flux correlation function formalism to nonequilibrium conditions and uses a mixed real and imaginary time hierarchical equations of motion approach for the calculation of rate constants. As a specific example, we investigate current-induced intramolecular proton transfer reactions in a molecular junction for different applied bias voltages and molecule-lead coupling strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Ke
- Institute of Physics, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Uri Peskin
- Chemistry, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - Michael Thoss
- University of Freiburg Institute of Physics, Germany
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3
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Ke Y, Erpenbeck A, Peskin U, Thoss M. Unraveling current-induced dissociation mechanisms in single-molecule junctions. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:234702. [PMID: 34241274 DOI: 10.1063/5.0053828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding current-induced bond rupture in single-molecule junctions is both of fundamental interest and a prerequisite for the design of molecular junctions, which are stable at higher-bias voltages. In this work, we use a fully quantum mechanical method based on the hierarchical quantum master equation approach to analyze the dissociation mechanisms in molecular junctions. Considering a wide range of transport regimes, from off-resonant to resonant, non-adiabatic to adiabatic transport, and weak to strong vibronic coupling, our systematic study identifies three dissociation mechanisms. In the weak and intermediate vibronic coupling regime, the dominant dissociation mechanism is stepwise vibrational ladder climbing. For strong vibronic coupling, dissociation is induced via multi-quantum vibrational excitations triggered either by a single electronic transition at high bias voltages or by multiple electronic transitions at low biases. Furthermore, the influence of vibrational relaxation on the dissociation dynamics is analyzed and strategies for improving the stability of molecular junctions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Ke
- Institute of Physics, Albert-Ludwig University Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - André Erpenbeck
- School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverley Sackler Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Uri Peskin
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Michael Thoss
- Institute of Physics, Albert-Ludwig University Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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4
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Weckbecker D, Coto PB, Thoss M. Molecular Transistor Controlled through Proton Transfer. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:413-417. [PMID: 33356318 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The potential of proton transfer reactions as a fundamental mechanism to realize a nanoscale molecular transistor is investigated. Employing density functional theory and the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism, we identify molecule-graphene nanojunctions, which exhibit high- and low-conducting states depending on the specific location of protons in the molecular bridge. In addition, we show that an electrostatic gate field can control the proton transfer process and thus allow specific conductance states to be selected. In this way, the current in the junction can be switched on and off as in a field-effect transistor. The underlying mechanism is analyzed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Weckbecker
- Lehrstuhl für theoretische Festkörperphysik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - P B Coto
- Materials Physics Center (CFM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia/San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, 20018 Donostia/San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - M Thoss
- Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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Zhang J, Borrelli R, Tanimura Y. Proton tunneling in a two-dimensional potential energy surface with a non-linear system–bath interaction: Thermal suppression of reaction rate. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:214114. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0010580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaji Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Raffaele Borrelli
- DISAFA, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Yoshitaka Tanimura
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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Shenderovich IG, Denisov GS. Adduct under Field-A Qualitative Approach to Account for Solvent Effect on Hydrogen Bonding. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25030436. [PMID: 31973045 PMCID: PMC7037398 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The location of a mobile proton in acid-base complexes in aprotic solvents can be predicted using a simplified Adduct under Field (AuF) approach, where solute–solvent effects on the geometry of hydrogen bond are simulated using a fictitious external electric field. The parameters of the field have been estimated using experimental data on acid-base complexes in CDF3/CDClF2. With some limitations, they can be applied to the chemically similar CHCl3 and CH2Cl2. The obtained data indicate that the solute–solvent effects are critically important regardless of the type of complexes. The temperature dependences of the strength and fluctuation rate of the field explain the behavior of experimentally measured parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya G. Shenderovich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitaetstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.:+49-941-9434027
| | - Gleb S. Denisov
- Department of Physics, Saint-Petersburg State University, 198504 Saint-Petersburg, Russia;
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Wang Y, Ren FD, Cao DL. A dynamic and electrostatic potential prediction of the prototropic tautomerism between imidazole 3-oxide and 1-hydroxyimidazole in external electric field. J Mol Model 2019; 25:330. [PMID: 31659461 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-019-4216-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In order to obtain an optimum scheme for separating the proton-transfer tautomer, a dynamic investigation into the effect of the external electric field on the proton-transfer tautomeric conversion in imidazole 3-oxide and 1-hydroxyimidazole was carried out at the M06-2X/6-311++G** and CCSD(T)/6-311++G(2d,p) level, accompanied by the analysis of the surface electrostatic potentials. The results show that, for both the forward reaction "imidazole 3-oxide → N-hydroxyimidazole free radical → 1-hydroxyimidazole" and its reverse reaction processes, the fields parallel to the N→O or N-OH bond axis affect the barrier heights and rate constants considerably more than those parallel to the other orientations. As the field strength is increased along the orientation from the O to N atom, the chemical equilibrium moves toward the direction for the formation of 1-hydroxyimidazole, while the amount of imidazole 3-oxide is increased with the increased field strength along the opposite orientation. In the fields along the orientation consistent with the dipole moment, the electrostatic potentials and their variances "abnormally" increase for the transition states with the N→O bond in comparison with those in no field (they decrease generally), which enhances the nucleophilicity of the coordination O atom and the electrophilicity of the activated H atom. The analyses of the AIM (atoms in molecules) and NICS (nucleus-independent chemical shift) were used to explain the above anomaly. Graphical Abstract Electrostatic potentials and their variances "abnormally" increase in the external electric field, which greatly affects tautomeric conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, North University of China, Shanxi Taiyuan, 030051, China
| | - Fu-de Ren
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, North University of China, Shanxi Taiyuan, 030051, China.
| | - Duan-Lin Cao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, North University of China, Shanxi Taiyuan, 030051, China
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Shenderovich IG, Denisov GS. Solvent effects on acid-base complexes. What is more important: A macroscopic reaction field or solute-solvent interactions? J Chem Phys 2019; 150:204505. [PMID: 31153188 DOI: 10.1063/1.5096946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Can the geometry of an acid-base complex in solution be reproduced in calculations using an implicit accounting for the solvent effect in the form of a macroscopic reaction field? The answer is, "Yes, it can." Is this field equal to the real electric field experienced by the complex in solution? The answer is, "No, it is not." How can the geometry be correct under wrong conditions? This question is answered using density functional theory modeling of geometric and NMR parameters of pyridine⋯HF⋯(HCF3)n adducts in the absence and presence of an external electric field. This adduct under field approach shows that the N⋯H distance is a function of the H-F distance whatever method is used to change the geometry of the latter. An explicit account for solute-solvent interactions is required to get a realistic value of the solvent reaction field. Besides that, this approach reveals how certain NMR parameters depend on the solvent reaction field, the solute-solvent interactions, and the geometry of the N⋯H-F hydrogen bond. For some of them, the obtained dependences are far from self-evident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya G Shenderovich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitaetstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gleb S Denisov
- Department of Physics, St.Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Dou W, Schinabeck C, Thoss M, Subotnik JE. A broadened classical master equation approach for treating electron-nuclear coupling in non-equilibrium transport. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:102317. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4992784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Dou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Christian Schinabeck
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7/B2, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Thoss
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7/B2, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Joseph E. Subotnik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Thoss M, Evers F. Perspective: Theory of quantum transport in molecular junctions. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:030901. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5003306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Thoss
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Evers
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
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Weckbecker D, Coto PB, Thoss M. Controlling the Conductance of a Graphene-Molecule Nanojunction by Proton Transfer. NANO LETTERS 2017; 17:3341-3346. [PMID: 28452493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b04813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The possibility of using single molecule junctions as components of nanoelectronic devices has motivated intensive experimental and theoretical research on the underlying transport mechanism in these systems. In this Letter, we investigate from a theoretical perspective intramolecular proton transfer reactions as a mechanism for controlling the conductance state of graphene-based molecular junctions. Employing a methodology that combines first-principles electronic structure methods with transport approaches, we show that the proton transfer reaction proceeds via a stepwise mechanism, giving rise to several tautomers with different conductance states. The analysis reveals that the relative stability of the tautomers as well as the energy barrier for their interconversion can be controlled by means of an external electrostatic field, which provides a mechanism for switching the nanojunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Weckbecker
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - P B Coto
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - M Thoss
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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12
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Evers F, Venkataraman L. Preface: Special Topic on Frontiers in Molecular Scale Electronics. J Chem Phys 2017. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4977469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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