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Ligand electronic fine-tuning and its repercussion on the photocatalytic activity and mechanistic pathways of the copper-photocatalysed aza-Henry reaction
2020, Li, Chenfei, Dickson, Robert, Rockstroh, Nils, Rabeah, Jabor, Cordes, David B., Slawin, Alexandra M.Z., Hünemörder, Paul, Spannenberg, Anke, Bühl, Michael, Mejía, Esteban, Zysman-Colman, Eli, Kamer, Paul C.J.
A family of six structurally related heteroleptic copper(i) complexes of the form of [Cu(N^N)(P^P)]+ bearing a 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline diimine (N^N) ligand and a series of electronically tunable xantphos (P^P) ligands have been synthesized and their optoelectronic properties characterized. The reactivity of these complexes in the copper-photocatalyzed aza-Henry reaction of N-phenyltetrahydroisoquinoline was evaluated, while the related excited state kinetics were comprehensively studied. By subtlety changing the electron-donating properties of the P^P ligands with negligible structural differences, we could tailor the photoredox properties and relate them to the reactivity. Moreover, depending on the exited-state redox potential of the catalysts, the preferred mechanism can shift between reductive quenching, energy transfer and oxidative quenching pathways. A combined study of the structural modulation of copper(i) photocatalysts, optoelectronic properties and photocatalytic reactivity resulted in a clearer understanding of both the rational design of the photocatalyst and the complexity of competing photoinduced electron and energy transfer mechanisms. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Optimization of quantum trajectories driven by strong-field waveforms
2014, Haessler, S., Balciunas, T., Fan, G., Andriukaitis, G., Pugžlys, A., Baltuška, A., Witting, T., Squibb, R., Zaïr, A., Tisch, J.W.G., Marangos, Chipperfield, L.E.
Quasifree field-driven electron trajectories are a key element of strong-field dynamics. Upon recollision with the parent ion, the energy transferred from the field to the electron may be released as attosecondduration extreme ultaviolet emission in the process of high-harmonic generation. The conventional sinusoidal driver fields set limitations on the maximum value of this energy transfer and the efficient return of the launched electron trajectories. It has been predicted that these limits can be significantly exceeded by an appropriately ramped-up cycle shape [L. E. Chipperfield et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 063003 (2009)]. Here, we present an experimental realization of similar cycle-shaped waveforms and demonstrate control of the high-harmonic generation process on the single-atom quantum level via attosecond steering of the electron trajectories.With our improved optical cycles, we boost the field ionization launching the electron trajectories, increase the subsequent field-to-electron energy transfer, and reduce the trajectory duration. We demonstrate, in realistic experimental conditions, 2 orders of magnitude enhancement of the generated extreme ultraviolet flux together with an increased spectral extension. This application, which is only one example of what can be achieved with cycle-shaped high-field light waves, has significant implications for attosecond spectroscopy and molecular self-probing.
Thermally triggered optical tuning of π-conjugated graft copolymers based on reversible Diels–Alder reaction
2016, Ahner, J., Micheel, M., Kötteritzsch, J., Dietzek, B., Hager, M.D.
In order to design a π-conjugated polymer film with tunable optical properties by thermally triggered activation of energy transfer after processing, two monodisperse phenylene ethynylene based oligomers with different optical properties were synthesized and attached to aliphatic polymers as π-conjugated side chains. Subsequently, the exchange of the side chain chromophores between the prepared donor and acceptor graft polymers in the solid state based on a reversible Diels–Alder reaction was studied in detail. The resulting donor–acceptor graft copolymer exhibits intra polymer energy transfer upon excitation of the donor moiety. The photophysical properties of the original and exchanged graft copolymers were investigated by means of absorption and emission spectroscopy. This novel concept opens the possibility for optical tuning of π-conjugated polymer films after processing as well as applications as thermally triggered sensor systems.
Interatomic and Intermolecular Coulombic Decay
2020, Jahnke, Till, Hergenhahn, Uwe, Winter, Bernd, Dörner, Reinhard, Frühling, Ulrike, Demekhin, Philipp V., Gokhberg, Kirill, Cederbaum, Lorenz S., Ehresmann, Arno, Knie, André, Dreuw, Andreas
Interatomic or intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) is a nonlocal electronic decay mechanism occurring in weakly bound matter. In an ICD process, energy released by electronic relaxation of an excited atom or molecule leads to ionization of a neighboring one via Coulombic electron interactions. ICD has been predicted theoretically in the mid nineties of the last century, and its existence has been confirmed experimentally approximately ten years later. Since then, a number of fundamental and applied aspects have been studied in this quickly growing field of research. This review provides an introduction to ICD and draws the connection to related energy transfer and ionization processes. The theoretical approaches for the description of ICD as well as the experimental techniques developed and employed for its investigation are described. The existing body of literature on experimental and theoretical studies of ICD processes in different atomic and molecular systems is reviewed. © 2020 American Chemical Society
Rhodamine 6G and 800 intermolecular heteroaggregates embedded in PMMA for near-infrared wavelength shifting
2022, Castillo-Seoane, Javier, Gonzalez-Garcia, Lola, Obrero-Perez, José M., Aparicio, Francisco J., Borrás, Ana, González-Elipe, Agustín R., Barranco, Ángel, Sanchez-Valencia, Juan R.
The opto-electronic properties of small-molecules and functional dyes usually differ when incorporated into solid matrices with respect to their isolated form due to an aggregation phenomenon that alters their optical and fluorescent properties. These spectroscopic modifications are studied in the framework of the exciton theory of aggregates, which has been extensively applied in the literature for the study of molecular aggregates of the same type of molecules (homoaggregation). Despite the demonstrated potential of the control of the heteroaggregation process (aggregation of different types of molecules), most of the reported works are devoted to intramolecular aggregates, complex molecules formed by several chromophores attached by organic linkers. The intramolecular aggregates are specifically designed to hold a certain molecular structure that, on the basis of the exciton theory, modifies their optical and fluorescent properties with respect to the isolated chromophores that form the molecule. The present article describes in detail the incorporation of Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) and 800 (Rh800) into polymeric matrices of poly-(methyl methacrylate), PMMA. The simultaneous incorporation of both dyes results in an enhanced fluorescent emission in the near-infrared (NIR), originating from the formation of ground-state Rh6G–Rh800 intermolecular heteroaggregates. The systematic control of the concentration of both rhodamines provides a model system for the elucidation of the heteroaggregate formation. The efficient energy transfer between Rh6G and Rh800 molecules can be used as wavelength shifters to convert effectively the light from visible to NIR, a very convenient wavelength range for many practical applications which make use of inexpensive commercial detectors and systems.
A general approach for all-visible-light switching of diarylethenes through triplet sensitization using semiconducting nanocrystals
2022, Hou, Lili, Larsson, Wera, Hecht, Stefan, Andréasson, Joakim, Albinsson, Bo
Coupling semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs) with organic molecules provides an efficient route to generate and transfer triplet excitons. These excitons can be used to power photochemical transformations such as photoisomerization reactions using low energy radiation. Thus, it is desirable to develop a general approach that can efficiently be used to control photoswitches using all-visible-light aiming at future applications in life- and materials sciences. Here, we demonstrate a simple ‘cocktail’ strategy that can achieve all-visible-light switchable diarylethenes (DAEs) through triplet energy transfer from the hybrid of CdS NCs and phenanthrene-3-carboxylic acid, with high photoisomerization efficiency and improved fatigue resistance. The size-tunable excitation energies of CdS NCs make it possible to precisely match the clear spectral window of the relevant DAE photoswitch. We demonstrate reversible all-visible-light photoisomerization of a series of DAE derivatives both in the liquid and solid state, even in the presence of oxygen. Our general strategy is promising for fabrication of all-visible-light activated optoelectronic devices as well as memories, and should in principle be adaptable to photopharmacology.
Correlated electronic decay following intense near-infrared ionization of clusters
2015, Schütte, Bernd, Arbeiter, Mathias, Fennel, Thomas, Jabbari, Ghazal, Kuleff, Alexander I., Vrakking, Marc J. J., Rouzée, Arnaud
We report on a novel correlated electronic decay process following extensive Rydberg atom formation in clusters ionized by intense near-infrared fields. A peak close to the atomic ionization potential is found in the electron kinetic energy spectrum. This new contribution is attributed to an energy transfer between two electrons, where one electron decays from a Rydberg state to the ground state and transfers its excess energy to a weakly bound cluster electron in the environment that can escape from the cluster. The process is a result of nanoplasma formation and is therefore expected to be important, whenever intense laser pulses interact with nanometer-sized particles.