Comparison of theoretical approaches for predicting the UV/Vis spectra of anthraquinones

Computer-aided drug design supporting sunscreen research: a showcase study using previously synthesized hybrid UV filter-antioxidant compounds

CONTEXT

Although quantum mechanical calculations have proven effective in accurately predicting UV absorption and assessing the antioxidant potential of compounds, the utilization of computer-aided drug design (CADD) to support sustainable synthesis research of new sunscreen active ingredients remains an area with limited exploration. Furthermore, there are ongoing concerns about the safety and effectiveness of existing sunscreens. Therefore, it remains crucial to investigate photoprotection mechanisms and develop enhanced strategies for mitigating the harmful effects of UVR exposure, improving both the safety and efficacy of sunscreen products. A previous study conducted synthesis research on eight novel hybrid compounds (I-VIII) for use in sunscreen products by molecular hybridization of trans-resveratrol (RESV), avobenzone (AVO), and octinoxate (OMC). Herein, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations performed in the gas phase on the isolated hybrid compounds (I-VIII) proved to reproduce the experimental UV absorption. Resveratrol-avobenzone structure-based hybrids (I-IV) present absorption maxima in the UVB range with slight differences between them, while resveratrol-OMC structure-based hybrids (V-VIII) showed main absorption in the UVA range. Among RESV-OMC hybrids, compounds V and VI exhibited higher UV absorption intensity, and compound VIII stood out for its broad-spectrum coverage in our simulations. Furthermore, both in silico and in vitro analyses revealed that compounds VII and VIII exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with compound I emerging as the most reactive antioxidant within RESV-AVO hybrids. The study suggests a preference for the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism over single-electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) in the gas phase. With a strong focus on sustainability, this approach reduces costs and minimizes effluent production in synthesis research, promoting the eco-friendly development of new sunscreen active ingredients.

METHODS

The SPARTAN'20 program was utilized for the geometry optimization and energy calculations of all compounds. Conformer distribution analysis was performed using the Merck molecular force field 94 (MMFF94), and geometry optimization was carried out using the parametric method 6 (PM6) followed by density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(d)). The antioxidant behavior of the hybrid compounds (I-VIII) was determined using the highest occupied molecular orbital (εHOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (εLUMO) energies, as well as the bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), and proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE) values, all calculated at the same level of structural optimization. TD-DFT study is carried out to calculate the excitation energy using the B3LYP functional with the 6-31G(d) basis set. The calculated transitions were convoluted with a Gaussian profile using the Gabedit program.

Benchmark Study on Phosphorescence Energies of Anthraquinone Compounds: Comparison between TDDFT and UDFT

Phosphorescent material is widely used in light-emitting devices and in the monitoring of cell phenomena. Anthraquinone compounds (AQs), as important phosphorescent materials, have potential applications as emitters for highly efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Therefore, the accurate calculation of the phosphorescence energy of anthraquinone compounds is particularly important. This study mainly analyzes the phosphorescence energy calculation method of anthraquinone compounds. The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and the unrestricted density functional theory (UDFT) with seven functionals are selected to calculate the phosphorescence of AQs, taking the high-precision coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CC2) method as a reference. The results showed that the mean unsigned error (MUE) of UDFT was 0.14 eV, which was much smaller than that of TDDFT at 0.29 eV. Therefore, UDFT was more suitable for calculating the phosphorescence energy of AQs. The results obtained by different functionals indicate that the minimum MUE obtained by M06-2X was 0.14 eV. More importantly, the diffuse function in the basis set played an important role in calculating the phosphorescence energy in the M06-HF functional. In the BDBT, FBDBT, and BrBDBT, when M06-HF selected the basis set containing a diffuse function, the differences with CC2 was 0.02 eV, which is much smaller than the one obtained without a diffuse function at 0.80 eV. These findings might be of great significance for the future study of the phosphorescence energy of organic molecules.

2,3-(Dibenzimidazol-2-yl)quinoxalines: Unexpected Dynamical Effect on Steady-State Electronic Absorption Spectra

We report on the electronic absorption spectra, conformational behavior, and intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds of 2,3-(dibenzimidazol-2-yl)-quinoxaline (DBIQ). The experimentally found strong solvent dependence of the absorption spectra of DBIQ solutions cannot be assigned to electronic excitations of the equilibrium ground-state DBIQ structure. Extended consideration including the nonequilibrium structures within the framework of ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) revealed the importance of torsion molecular motions not covered by the static case. The strong impact of solute-solvent hydrogen bonding on stabilization of these nonequilibrium structures and on conformational composition of DBIQ was demonstrated. A presence of twisted nonplanar geometries along the whole MD trajectory was shown to drastically influence not only energies but also characters of electronic excitations, resulting in a change of local π-π* character in a solution of 1,2-dichloroethane to charge-transfer character in polar dimethylsulfoxide.

Electronic states of Myricetin. UV-Vis polarization spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations

Myricetin (3,3',4',5,5',7'-hexahydroxyflavone) was investigated by linear dichroism spectroscopy on molecular samples partially aligned in stretched poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). At least five electronic transitions in the range 40,000-20,000cm^-1 were characterized with respect to their wavenumbers, relative intensities, and transition moment directions. The observed bands were assigned to electronic transitions predicted with TD-B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p).

Structural and optical properties of Purpurin for dye-sensitized solar cells

In this work, we reported a combined experimental and theoretical study on molecular structure, vibrational spectra and Homo-Lumo analysis of Purpurin and TiO2/Purpurin. The geometries, electronic structures, molecular orbital analysis of natural dye sensitizer Purpurin were studied based on density functional theory (DFT) using the hybrid functional B3LYP. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectra have been recorded and extensive spectroscopic investigations have been carried out on Purpurin. The optimized geometries, wave number and intensity of the vibrational bands of Purpurin have been calculated using density functional level of theory (DFT/B3LYP) employing 6-311G (d,p) basis set. Based on the comparison between calculated and experimental results, assignments of the fundamental vibrational modes are examined. Features of the electronic absorption spectrum in the visible and near-UV regions were assigned based on TD-DFT calculations. The calculated results suggest that the three excited states with the lowest excited energies in 1,2,4, trihydroxy 9-10 anthraquinone was due to photo-induced electron transfer processes. Frontier molecular orbitals (FMO), LUMO, HOMO, and energy gap, of these dyes have been analyzed to show their effect on the process of electron injection and dye regeneration. Interaction between HOMO and LUMO of Purpurin are investigated to understand the recombination process and charge transfer process involving these dyes. We also performed analysis of I-V characteristics to investigate the role of charge transfer and the stability of the dye molecule.

Dye chemistry with time-dependent density functional theory

In this perspective, we present an overview of the determination of excited-state properties of "real-life" dyes, and notably of their optical absorption and emission spectra, performed during the last decade with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). We discuss the results obtained with both vertical and adiabatic (vibronic) approximations, choosing relevant examples for several series of dyes. These examples include reproducing absorption wavelengths of numerous families of coloured molecules, understanding the specific band shape of amino-anthraquinones, optimising the properties of dyes used in solar cells, mimicking the fluorescence wavelengths of fluorescent brighteners and BODIPY dyes, studying optically active biomolecules and photo-induced proton transfer, as well as improving the properties of photochromes.

UV/Visible spectra of a series of natural and synthesised anthraquinones: experimental and quantum chemical approaches

Root decoctions of anthraquinone-containing plants are often taken as postpartum tonic and aphrodisiac. Anthraquinones are known for their diverse biological activities, especially antioxidant and anticancer. A series of 35 anthraquinones was generated by isolation from Rubiaceae plants and synthesis. Their UV/vis spectrum depends on the nature and relative positions of auxochromic substituents on the basic skeleton. To predict the maximum absorption bands for the current series of anthraquinones, excited sate calculations were performed using TD-DFT, CIS, ZINDO methods. The results showed that the use of PBE0 or its combination with B3LYP and B3P86 hybrid functionals are the most suitable to reproduce accurately the experimental λ_MAX. The structure–property relationships (SPRs) were established based on structural and electronic properties of the anthraquinones and showed (i) the importance of the number and position of OH groups and (ii) the positive contribution of the electrophilicity and hardness as electronic descriptors on position and amplitude of the maximum absorption bands.

Time-dependent density functional theory study of UV/vis spectra of natural styrylpyrones

Natural styrylpyrones isolated from fungi are known for various biological activities including antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals. UV/vis spectra play an important role in elucidating chemical structures of these compounds via identification of chromophore units. With the aim of predicting the UV/vis spectra of a series of natural styrylpyrones, we tested TD-DFT, CIS and ZINDO methods in gas and in PCM solvent. The results showed that the individual or combined B3P86 and B3LYP hybrid functionals are suitable to predict the maximum wavelength absorption bands (λmax) for styrylpyrones. The structure property relationship (SPR) study emphasized the role of (i) structural parameters (e.g., hydrogen bond and the length of conjugated double bonds) and (ii) electronic descriptors (e.g., ionization potential, electronic affinity, hardness and electrophilicity) in bathochromic and hypsochromic shifts of maximum wavelength absorption bands (λmax) of styrylpyrone derivatives.

Synchrotron radiation linear dichroism (SRLD) investigation of the electronic transitions of quinizarin, chrysazin, and anthrarufin

The electronic transitions of the three alpha,alpha'-dihydroxy derivatives of anthraquinone, 1,4-dihydroxy-, 1,8-dihydroxy-, and 1,5-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (quinizarin, chrysazin, and anthrarufin), were investigated by synchrotron radiation linear dichroism (SRLD) spectroscopy on samples aligned in stretched polyethylene. With synchrotron radiation, polarization data could be determined in the UV region up to ca. 58,000 cm(-1) (7.2 eV), which amounts to an extension by ca. 11,000 cm(-1) (1.4 eV) relative to the range accessible with a conventional light source. Throughout the investigated region (15,000-58,000 cm(-1)), essentially similar wavenumbers, intensities, and transition moment directions were determined for chrysazin and anthrarufin, while the spectrum of quinizarin deviated significantly. The results of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations were in good agreement with the experimental spectra, leading to the assignment of 10 electronic states for quinizarin, and 8 electronic states for chrysazin and anthrarufin. No evidence was found for contributions from different tautomeric or rotameric forms to the observed spectra.

Synthesis, spectroscopy, and quantum-chemical calculations on 1-substituted phenyl-3,5-diphenylformazans

In this study 1-substituted phenyl-3,5-diphenylformazans were synthesized from benzaldehyde-N-phenylhydrazone and appropriate phenyldiazonium salts having CH(3), Br, and Cl at the o-, m-, and p-positions of 1-phenyl ring. Their structures were determined by infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectra. Bathochromic effect in accordance with the electron-donating effect of CH(3), Br, and Cl group and its magnitude were dependent upon type and position of substituent on the ring. The ground-state geometries and absorption wavelengths for 1-phenyl substituted formazans were studied with density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The calculations were carried out by using PBE1PBE functional with 6-311G(2d,2p) basis set for lambda(max) of the UV-vis spectra for the studied formazans. A good agreement was obtained between the experimental and computed values.

Accurate simulation of optical properties in dyes

Since Antiquity, humans have produced and commercialized dyes. To this day, extraction of natural dyes often requires lengthy and costly procedures. In the 19th century, global markets and new industrial products drove a significant effort to synthesize artificial dyes, characterized by low production costs, huge quantities, and new optical properties (colors). Dyes that encompass classes of molecules absorbing in the UV-visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum now have a wider range of applications, including coloring (textiles, food, paintings), energy production (photovoltaic cells, OLEDs), or pharmaceuticals (diagnostics, drugs). Parallel to the growth in dye applications, researchers have increased their efforts to design and synthesize new dyes to customize absorption and emission properties. In particular, dyes containing one or more metallic centers allow for the construction of fairly sophisticated systems capable of selectively reacting to light of a given wavelength and behaving as molecular devices (photochemical molecular devices, PMDs).Theoretical tools able to predict and interpret the excited-state properties of organic and inorganic dyes allow for an efficient screening of photochemical centers. In this Account, we report recent developments defining a quantitative ab initio protocol (based on time-dependent density functional theory) for modeling dye spectral properties. In particular, we discuss the importance of several parameters, such as the methods used for electronic structure calculations, solvent effects, and statistical treatments. In addition, we illustrate the performance of such simulation tools through case studies. We also comment on current weak points of these methods and ways to improve them.