skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Photophysics of Oligothiophenes End‐Capped with Platinum(II) Auxochromes
Abstract A series of four oligothiophenes end‐capped with −Pt(PBu3)2Cl moieties on both ends of the oligomers was synthesized, and their excited state properties were investigated. The observation of low fluorescence quantum yield (<2 %) for the oligomers indicates the strong effect of platinum on the intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiency. No phosphorescence was detected for any of the oligomers; however, strong triplet‐triplet absorption was observed by nanosecond transient spectroscopy for oligomers with more than one thiophene unit. The oligomers displayed short triplet lifetimes (∼1–2 μs) compared to the unmetallated oligomers, due to large spin‐orbit coupling induced by the platinum atom. The lower limits of the ISC yields were indirectly determined by measuring the singlet oxygen quantum yields. Femtosecond–picosecond transient absorption studies revealed that the ISC rate ranges from 1012–1010 s−1, decreasing with increasing oligomer length. Electrochemical studies showed that the oligomers exhibit relatively low oxidation potentials (ca. 0.1 V vs. Fc/Fc+). Quenching of the oligomers’ triplet state absorption, simultaneously with the rise of their corresponding cationic radical absorption band in nanosecond transient spectra in the presence of methyl viologen, as an electron acceptor, established that the electron transfer occurs from their triplet state.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1904288
PAR ID:
10257632
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Date Published:
Journal Name:
ChemPhotoChem
Volume:
5
Issue:
2
ISSN:
2367-0932
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: p. 160-166
Size(s):
p. 160-166
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ABSTRACT Triplet arylnitrenes may provide direct access to aryl azo‐dimers, which have broad commercial applicability. Herein, the photolysis ofp‐azidostilbene (1) in argon‐saturated methanol yielded stilbene azo‐dimer (2) through the dimerization of tripletp‐nitrenostilbene (31N). The formation of31Nwas verified by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy (λmax ~ 375 nm) in cryogenic 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran matrices. At ambient temperature, laser flash photolysis of1in methanol formed31N(λmax ~ 370 nm, 2.85 × 107 s−1). On shorter timescales, a transient absorption (λmax ~ 390 nm) that decayed with a similar rate constant (3.11 × 107 s−1) was assigned to a triplet excited state (T) of1. Density functional theory calculations yielded three configurations for T of1, with the unpaired electrons on the azido (TA) or stilbene moiety (TTw, twisted and TFl, flat). The transient was assigned to TTwbased on its calculated spectrum. CASPT2 calculations gave a singlet–triplet energy gap of 16.6 kcal mol−1for1 N; thus, intersystem crossing of11Nto31Nis unlikely at ambient temperature, supporting the formation of31Nfrom T of1. Thus, sustainable synthetic methods for aryl azo‐dimers can be developed using the visible‐light irradiation of aryl azides to form triplet arylnitrenes. 
    more » « less
  2. Abstract Platinum‐based halide perovskites exhibit promising optoelectronic properties along with merits of low‐temperature processing and stability. Current research on Pt halide perovskites is limited to 0D A2BX6structure as the ABX33D structure is thermodynamically unstable. Herein, the study reports the stabilization of the ABX3structure into a 2D layered phase, CsPtI3(DMSO), that is stable up to 181.5 °C. The 2D phase shows an excitonic peak at the absorption edge of 600 nm, indicating quantum confinement. It also exhibits a large Stokes shift due to intersystem crossing (ISC), with a quenched singlet excitonic fluorescence at 610 nm and strong triplet emission at 852 nm. Pt(II) co‐ordinates with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) via σ‐donation of S lone‐pair electrons and π‐ back donation from Pt to S, stabilizing CsPtI3(DMSO) layered structure. The strong electronic interaction between DMSO and Pt(II) and orbital mixing lead to spin‐orbit‐coupling, facilitating ISC and singlet‐to‐triplet exciton energy transfer. The interaction of Pt and DMSO is further confirmed by addition of thioacetamide (TAA), a strong S‐donor, which retards the formation of 2D layered structure, and directly results in Cs2PtI6and Pt. 
    more » « less
  3. Bis(bithienyl)-1,2-dicyanoethene (4TCE) is a photoswitch that operates via reversible E / Z photoisomerization following absorption of visible light. cis -to- trans photoisomerization of 4TCE requires excitation below 470 nm, is relatively inefficient (quantum yield < 5%) and occurs via the lowest-lying triplet. We present excitation-wavelength dependent (565–420 nm) transient absorption (TA) studies to probe the photophysics of cis -to- trans isomerization to identify sources of switching inefficiency. TA data reveals contributions from more than one switch conformer and relaxation cascades between multiple states. Fast (∼4 ps) and slow (∼40 ps) components of spectral dynamics observed at low excitation energies (>470 nm) are readily attributed to deactivation of two conformers; this assignment is supported by computed thermal populations and absorption strengths of two molecular geometries (P A and P B ) characterized by roughly parallel dipoles for the thiophenes on opposite sides of the ethene bond. Only the P B conformer is found to contribute to triplet population and the switching of cis -4TCE: high-energy excitation (<470 nm) of P B involves direct excitation to S 2 , relaxation from which prepares an ISC-active S 1 geometry (ISC QY 0.4–0.67, k ISC ∼ 1.6–2.6 × 10 −9 s −1 ) that is the gateway to triplet population and isomerization. We ascribe low cis -to- trans isomerization yield to excitation of the nonreactive P A conformer (75–85% loss) as well as loses along the P B S 2 → S 1 → T 1 cascade (10–20% loss). In contrast, electrocyclization is inhibited by the electronic character of the excited states, as well as a non-existent thermal population of a reactive “antiparallel” ring conformation. 
    more » « less
  4. Ultrafast excited state processes of transition metal complexes (TMCs) are governed by complicated interplays between electronic and nuclear dynamics, which demand a detailed understanding to achieve optimal functionalities of photoactive TMC-based materials for many applications. In this work, we investigated a cyclometalated platinum( ii ) dimer known to undergo a Pt–Pt bond contraction in the metal–metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer (MMLCT) excited state using femtosecond broadband transient absorption (fs-BBTA) spectroscopy in combination with geometry optimization and normal mode calculations. Using a sub-20 fs pump and broadband probe pulses in fs-BBTA spectroscopy, we were able to correlate the coherent vibrational wavepacket (CVWP) evolution with the stimulated emission (SE) dynamics of the 1 MMLCT state. The results demonstrated that the 145 cm −1 CVWP motions with the damping times of ∼0.9 ps and ∼2 ps originate from coherent Pt–Pt stretching vibrations in the singlet and triplet MMLCT states, respectively. On the basis of excited state potential energy surface calculations in our previous work, we rationalized that the CVWP transfer from the Franck–Condon (FC) state to the 3 MMLCT state was mediated by a triplet ligand-centered ( 3 LC) intermediate state through two step intersystem crossing (ISC) on a time scale shorter than a period of the Pt–Pt stretching wavepacket motions. Moreover, it was found that the CVWP motion had 110 cm −1 frequency decays with the damping time of ∼0.2 ps, matching the time constant of 0.253 ps, corresponding to a redshift in the SE feature at early times. This observation indicates that the Pt–Pt bond contraction changes the stretching frequency from 110 to 145 cm −1 and stabilizes the 1 MMLCT state relative to the 3 LC state with a ∼0.2 ps time scale. Thus, the ultrafast ISC from the 1 MMLCT to the 3 LC states occurs before the Pt–Pt bond shortening. The findings herein provide insight into understanding the impact of Pt–Pt bond contraction on the ultrafast branching of the 1 MMLCT population into the direct ( 1 MMLCT → 3 MMLCT) and indirect ISC pathways ( 1 MMLCT → 3 LC → 3 MMLCT) in the Pt( ii ) dimer. These results revealed intricate excited state electronic and nuclear motions that could steer the reaction pathways with a level of detail that has not been achieved before. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract We report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of novel halogenated dipyrrolonaphthyridine‐diones (X2–DPNDs, X = Cl, Br, and I), as candidates for photodynamic therapy (PDT) application. Apart from the heavy atom‐induced spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) dynamics in the investigated X2–DPNDs, it was found that the position of the halogen atom (relative to the nitrogen of the pyrrole ring) also influenced the triplet excited state behavior. Interestingly, the faster/efficiency sensitization of3O2to1O2using X2–DPND correlates with the rate of triplet population,kISC >1.6 × 108s−1for I2–DPNDvs kISC >2.9 × 109s−1for Cl2–DPND and Br2–DPND (whereτISC = 343 ± 3 ps for I2–DPND andτISC = 5–6 ns for Cl2–DPND and Br2–DPND are the lowest time constants/values for ISC). Furthermore, the heavy atom‐induced SOC in Cl2–DPND and Br2–DPND did not lead to a reduction of the corresponding fluorescence (ca75%vs67% for the parent DPND). The attractive photophysical characteristics of Cl2/Br2–DPND put them on the landscape as not only promising PDT agents but also as fluorescence probes. The present study is a stepping stone in the development of novel organic photosystems for synergistic photomedicinal applications. 
    more » « less