The effect of one-atom substitution on the photophysical properties and electron spin polarization: Intersystem crossing of compact orthogonal perylene/phenoxazine electron donor/acceptor dyad

Time-resolved transient optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic studies of electron donor-acceptor thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters based on naphthalimide-phenothiazine dyads

The photophysics of naphthalimide (NI)-phenothiazine (PTZ) dyads were investigated as electron donor-acceptor (D-A) thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters. Femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectra show that the photophysical processes in non-polar solvents are in singlet localized state (1LE, τ = 0.8 ps) → Franck-Condon singlet charge separation state (1CS, τ = 7.8 ps) → 1CS state (τ = 2.2 ns) → triplet state (3LE, τ = 16 μs). The 3LE state is formed via the spin-orbit charge transfer-intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) mechanism rather than the spin-orbit (SO)-ISC mechanism. In a polar solvent, the CS state has a much lower energy than the 3LE state; thus, the 3LE state is absent from the photophysical processes and no TADF was observed. Moreover, we found that the delayed fluorescence lifetime is related to the low-lying triplet state (3LE or 3CS states). When the 3CS state is the low-lying triplet state, the TADF lifetime is shorter than that of the 3LE state as the low-lying triplet state. In the time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectra, both 3LE (zero field splitting parameter D = 2250 MHz, E = -150 MHz) and 3CS (D = 430 MHz, E = 0 MHz) states were observed. It is noteworthy that the electron spin polarization (ESP) phase pattern of the 3CS state was inverted at longer delay times as a consequence of the selective transition between the 3LE and 3CS states and a faster decay of one sublevel of the 3CS state. These results are strong and direct experimental evidence for the spin-vibronic coupling mechanism of TADF.

Molecular torsion controls the excited state relaxation pathways of multibranched tetraphenylpyrazines: effect of substitution of morpholine vs. phenoxazine

Multibranched donor-acceptor derivatives exhibiting desirable photophysical properties are efficiently used in optoelectronic devices, in which the excited state relaxation dynamics of the derivatives control the efficiency of the devices. Here, the effect of intramolecular torsion on the excited state relaxation dynamics of tetraphenylpyrazine (TPP) derivatives in non-polar (toluene) and polar (THF) solvents is investigated by substituting the electron donor of morpholine (TPP-4MOP) and phenoxazine (TPP-4PHO) leading to the planar and twisted configurations, respectively, using femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. In the steady state, TPP-4MOP showed feeble emission (ΦF ∼0.03) due to the weak donor by the delocalization of electron density supported by theoretical optimization. The TPP-4PHO exhibited strong emission (ΦF ∼0.18) in toluene compared to that in THF, in which it showed a large Stokes shift (∼9691 cm-1) with low fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF ∼0.01). The observation of large Stokes shifts, inherent nature and theoretical calculations of TPP-4PHO suggest the twisting of the dihedral angle between tetraphenylpyrazine and phenoxazine in the excited state leading to the twisted intramolecular charge transfer state (TICT). The femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption and picosecond time-resolved emission spectra of TPP-4PHO revealed the signature of the existence of both the partial TICT and TICT states in THF leading to the triplet state. Whereas in the case of TPP-4MOP, the transient absorption spectra showed the formation of the triplet state from the local excited state without the involvement of the TICT state. Aggregation studies of TPP-4PHO in a THF and water mixture reflect the elimination of the TICT state by the restriction of intramolecular torsion in the aggregates leading to an increase of 12-fold of the fluorescence intensity along with shifting of the maximum towards the blue region. These studies revealed that the excited state relaxation pathways of the derivatives are controlled by polarity-dependent torsional motion.

A long-lived charge-separated state of spiro compact electron donor-acceptor dyads based on rhodamine and naphthalenediimide chromophores

Spiro rhodamine (Rho)-naphthalenediimide (NDI) electron donor-acceptor orthogonal dyads were prepared to generate a long-lived charge separation (CS) state based on the electron spin control approach, i.e. to form the ³CS state, not the ¹CS state, to prolong the CS state lifetime by the electron spin forbidden feature of the charge recombination process of ³CS → S₀. The electron donor Rho (lactam form) is attached via three σ bonds, including two C-C and one N-N bonds (Rho-NDI), or an intervening phenylene, to the electron acceptor NDI (Rho-Ph-NDI and Rho-PhMe-NDI). Transient absorption (TA) spectra show that fast intersystem crossing (ISC) (<120 fs) occurred to generate an upper triplet state localized on the NDI moiety (³NDI*), and then to form the CS state. For Rho-NDI in both non-polar and polar solvents, a long-lived ³CS state (lifetime τ = 0.13 μs) and charge separation quantum yield (Φ _CS) up to 25% were observed, whereas for Rho-Ph-NDI (τ _T = 1.1 μs) and Rho-PhMe-NDI (τ _T = 2.0 μs), a low-lying ³NDI* state was formed by charge recombination (CR) in n-hexane (HEX). In toluene (TOL), however, CS states were observed for Rho-Ph-NDI (0.37 μs) and Rho-PhMe-NDI (0.63 μs). With electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, weak electronic coupling between the Rho and NDI moieties for Rho-NDI was proved. Time-resolved EPR (TREPR) spectra detected two transient species including NDI-localized triplets (formed via SOC-ISC) and a ³CS state. The CS state of Rho-NDI features the largest dipolar interaction (|D| = 184 MHz) compared to Rho-Ph-NDI (|D| = 39 MHz) and Rho-PhMe-NDI (|D| = 41 MHz) due to the smallest distance between Rho and NDI moieties. For Rho-NDI, the time-dependent e,a → a,e phase change of the CS state TREPR spectrum indicates that the long-lived CS state is based on the electron spin control effect.

Charge Transfer, Intersystem Crossing, and Electron Spin Dynamics in a Compact Perylenemonoimide-Phenoxazine Electron Donor-Acceptor Dyad

With phenoxazine (PXZ) as the electron donor and perylene-3,4-dicarboximide (PMI) as the electron acceptor, we prepared a compact, orthogonal electron donor-acceptor dyad (PMI-PXZ) to study the spin-orbit charge transfer-induced intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC). A weak charge transfer (CT) absorption band, due to S₀ → ¹CT transition, was observed (ε = 2840 M^-1 cm^-1 at 554 nm, FWHM: 2850 cm^-1), which is different from that of the previously reported analogue dyad with phenothiazine as the electron donor (PMI-PTZ), for which no CT absorption band was observed. A long-lived triplet state was observed (lifetime τ_T = 182 μs) with nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_Δ = 76%) is higher than that of the previously reported analogue dyad PMI-PTZ (Φ_Δ = 57%). Ultrafast charge separation (ca. 0.14 ps) and slow charge recombination (1.4 ns) were observed with femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. With time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (TREPR), we confirmed the SOCT-ISC mechanism, and the electron spin polarization phase pattern of the triplet-state TREPR spectrum is (e, e, a, e, a, a), which is dramatically different from that of PMI-PTZ (a, e, a, e, a, e), indicating that the triplet-state TREPR spectrum of a specific chromophore in the electron donor-acceptor dyads is not only dependent on the geometry of the dyads but also dependent on the structure of the electron donor (or acceptor). Even one-atom variation in the donor structure may cause significant influence on the electron spin selectivity of the ISC of the electron donor-acceptor dyads.

Chromophore Orientation-Dependent Photophysical Properties of Pyrene-Naphthalimide Compact Electron Donor-Acceptor Dyads: Electron Transfer and Intersystem Crossing

In order to study the effect of mutual orientation of the chromophores in compact electron donor-acceptor dyads on the spin-orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC), we prepared naphthalimide (NI)-pyrene (Py) compact electron donor-acceptor dyads, in which pyrene acts as an electron donor and NI is an electron acceptor. The connection of the two units is at the 4-C and 3-C positions of the NI unit and the 1-position of the pyrene moiety for dyads NI-Py-1 and NI-Py-2, respectively. A charge transfer absorption band was observed for both dyads in the UV-vis absorption spectra. Upon nanosecond pulsed laser excitation, long-lived triplet states (lifetime is 220 μs) were observed and the triplet state was confined to the pyrene moiety. The ISC efficiency is moderate to high in nonpolar to polar solvents (singlet oxygen quantum yield: Φ_Δ = 14-52%). Ultrafast charge separation (ca. 0.81 ps) and charge recombination-induced ISC (∼3.0 ns) were observed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy confirms the SOCT-ISC mechanism; interestingly, the observed electron spin polarization pattern of the triplet state is chromophore orientation-dependent; and the population rates of the triplet sublevels of NI-Py-1 (P_x:P_y:P_z = 0.2:0.8:0) are drastically different from those of NI-Py-2 (P_x:P_y:P_z = 0:0:1).

Electron spin dynamics in excited state photochemistry: recent development in the study of intersystem crossing and charge transfer in organic compounds

Electron spin dynamics are crucial to photochemical and photophysical processes. However, to a large extent, they are neglected in routine photochemistry studies. Herein, we summarized the recent developments of electron spin dynamics in organic molecular systems. The electron-spin selective intersystem crossing (ISC) as well as charge separation (CS) and charge recombination (CR) of the organic molecular system are discussed, including ISC of the compounds with twisted π-conjugation frameworks and CR-induced ISC in compact orthogonal electron donor-acceptor dyads. We found that the electron spin polarization (ESP) of the triplet state formed in these systems is highly dependent on the molecular structure and geometry. The zero-field-splitting (ZFS) D and E parameters of the triplet state of series chromophores determined with time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy are presented. Some unanswered questions in related areas are raised, which may inspire further theoretical investigations. The examples demonstrate that the study of electron spin dynamics is not only important in fundamental photochemistry to attain in-depth understanding of the ISC and the charge transfer processes, but is also useful for designing new efficient organic molecular materials for applications including photodynamic therapy, organic light-emitting diodes, and photon upconversion.

Spiro Rhodamine-Perylene Compact Electron Donor-Acceptor Dyads: Conformation Restriction, Charge Separation, and Spin-Orbit Charge Transfer Intersystem Crossing

Spiro rhodamine (Rho)-perylene (Pery) electron donor-acceptor dyads were prepared to study the spin-orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) in these rigid and sterically congested molecular systems. The electron-donor Rho (lactam form) moiety is attached via the N-C bond to the electron acceptor at either 1- or 3-position of the Pery moiety (Rho-Pery-1 and Rho-Pery-3). Severe torsion of the Pery moiety in Rho-Pery-1 was observed. The fluorescence of the two dyads is significantly quenched in polar solvents, and the singlet oxygen quantum yields (Φ_Δ) are strongly dependent on solvent polarity (4-36%). Femtosecond transient absorption spectra demonstrate that charge separation (CS) takes 0.51 ps in Rho-Pery-1 and 5.75 ps in Rho-Pery-3, and the charge recombination (CR)-induced ISC is slow (>3 ns). Nanosecond transient absorption spectra indicate that the formation of triplet states via SOCT-ISC takes 24-75 ns for Rho-Pery-1 and 6-15 ns for Rho-Pery-3, and the distorted π-framework of the Pery moiety results in a shorter triplet lifetime of 19.9 vs 291 μs for the planar analogue. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy confirms the SOCT-ISC mechanism.