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We present an ab initio method for computing vibro-polariton and phonon-polariton spectra of molecules and solids coupled to the photon modes of optical cavities. We demonstrate that if interactions of cavity photon modes with both nuclear and electronic degrees of freedom are treated on the level of the cavity Born–Oppenheimer approximation, spectra can be expressed in terms of the matter response to electric fields and nuclear displacements, which are readily available in standard density functional perturbation theory implementations. In this framework, results over a range of cavity parameters can be obtained without the need for additional electronic structure calculations, enabling efficient calculations on a wide range of parameters. Furthermore, this approach enables results to be more readily interpreted in terms of the more familiar cavity-independent molecular electric field response properties, such as polarizability and Born effective charges, which enter into the vibro-polariton calculation. Using corresponding electric field response properties of bulk insulating systems, we are also able to obtain the Γ point phonon-polariton spectra of two dimensional (2D) insulators. Results for a selection of cavity-coupled molecular and 2D crystal systems are presented to demonstrate the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although widely studied experimentally in the 1990s, the structure and properties of low-dimensional or high-pressure phases of fullerenes have recently been re-examined. Remarkably, recent experiments have shown that transparent, nearly pure amorphous sp3-bonded carbon phases can be obtained by heating a C60 molecular crystal at a high pressure. With the additional aim of testing the ability of three classical carbon potentials reactive empirical bond order, environment-dependent interatomic potential, and reactive force-field to reproduce these results, we investigate the details of the structural transformations undergone by fullerene crystals over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. All the potentials tested show that the initial polymerization of fullerenes is accompanied by negative thermal expansion, albeit in slightly different ranges. However, more significant differences in structural and mechanical properties are observed in the amorphous phases, in particular the sp3 carbon fraction and the existence of layered amorphous carbon. Overall, these results indicate to which extent classical reactive potentials can be used to explore phase transitions over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentacene is an important model organic semiconductor in both the singlet exciton fission (SF) and organic electronics communities. We have investigated the effect of changing crystal structure on the SF process, generating multiple triplet excitons from an initial singlet exciton, and subsequent triplet recombination. Unlike for similar organic semiconductors that have strong SF sensitive to polymorphism, we find almost no quantitative difference between the kinetics of triplet pair (TT) formation in the two dominant polymorphs of pentacene. Both pairwise dimer coupling and momentum-space crystal models predict much faster TT formation from the bright singlet excited state of the Bulk vs ThinFilm polymorph, contrasting with the experiment. GW and Bethe–Salpeter equation calculations, including exciton–phonon coupling, reveal that ultrafast phonon-driven transitions in the ThinFilm polymorph compensate the intrinsically slower purely Coulomb-mediated TT formation channel, rationalizing the similarity in observed rates. Taking into account the influence of subtle structural distinctions on both the direct and phonon-mediated SF pathways reveals a predictive capability to these methods, expected to be applicable to a wide variety of molecular crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite quantum wells exhibit electronic structures with properties intermediate between those of inorganic semiconductors and molecular crystals. In these systems, periodic layers of organic spacer molecules occupy the interstitial spaces between perovskite sheets, thereby confining electronic excitations to two dimensions. Here, we investigate spectroscopic line broadening mechanisms for phonons coupled to excitons in lead-iodide layered perovskites with phenyl ethyl ammonium (PEA) and azobenzene ethyl ammonium (AzoEA) spacer cations. Using a modified Elliot line shape analysis for the absorbance and photoluminescence spectra, polaron binding energies of 11.2 and 17.5 meV are calculated for (PEA)2PbI4 and (AzoEA)2PbI4, respectively. To determine whether the polaron stabilization processes influence the dephasing mechanisms of coupled phonons, five-pulse coherent Raman spectroscopies are applied to the two systems under electronically resonant conditions. The prominence of inhomogeneous line broadening mechanisms detected in (AzoEA)2PbI4 suggests that thermal fluctuations involving the deformable organic phase broaden the distributions of phonon frequencies within the quantum wells. In addition, our data indicate that polaron stabilization primarily involves photoinduced reorganization of the organic phases for both systems, whereas the impulsively excited phonons represent less than 10% of the total polaron binding energy. The signal generation mechanisms associated with our fifth-order coherent Raman experiments are explored with a perturbative model in which cumulant expansions are used to account for time-coincident vibrational dephasing and polaron stabilization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The century-long problem of conversion of plastic work to heat is controversial and challenging. In this work, 2D and 3D molecular simulations of crystal Cu are carried out to study the micro-mechanism of plastic work converting to heat. The results show that heat generation comes along with lattice restoration, transferring part of potential energy of defects, i.e., stored energy of cold work (SECW), to kinetic energy. As a result, specific crystallographic defects generate amounts of heat corresponding to variations of their SECW. If the change of microstructure and temperature are only detected at the surface of the system, the time lag of heat generation will be observed. The simulation results are indispensable accompaniments of experimental research, unveiling how plastic heat is affected by the type, propagation path, and density of defects, providing nano-scale explanations for the time lag of temperature rising in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The description of electronic properties of low bandgap molecular system is often performed by using density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent (TD) DFT calculations with the optimally tuned range-separated hybrid (OT-RSH) functional, as it contains the necessary ingredients to reliably predict charge transfer excitations. However, the range separating parameter (ω) is system-dependent and its optimization, including the chemical environment, is intricate. Refaely-Abramson et al. demonstrated that the gap renormalization in molecular crystals, a ground state property, can be represented by an OT-RSH functional screened by ɛstatic [Phys. Rev. B 88, 081204(R) (2013)], the zero frequency scalar dielectric constant. In this study, we propose the use of an OT-RSH functional screened by the scalar dielectric constant in the high frequency limit (OT-sRSH), ɛ∞, an appropriate constraint for vertical ionization energies or excitations in a dielectric environment. We have performed calculations for S,N-heteroacene derivatives in tetrahydrofuran and dichloromethane. The "unscreened" OT-RSH functional tends to underestimate experimental ionization potentials (IPs) and optical gaps (Egs) by up to 1.5 and 0.5 eV, respectively. In contrast, OT-sRSH functional calculations underestimate IPs and Egs by only 0.4 and 0.2 eV. We also compared the OT-sRSH results to explicitly solvated OT-RSH functional calculations for oligothiophenes in dioxane, benzene in ammonia, and methylene blue in water. We observe that both the approaches perform similarly for weakly interacting intermolecular systems and deviate for solvent–solute interacting systems, as expected. In conclusion, the OT-sRSH functional can describe molecular systems with environmental polarization effects accurately, a step toward describing realistic molecular systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The random-phase approximation (RPA) includes a subset of higher than second-order correlation-energy contributions, but stays in the same complexity class as the second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) in both Gaussian-orbital and plane-wave codes. This makes RPA a promising ab initio electronic structure approach for the binding energies of molecular crystals. Still, some issues stand out in practical applications of RPA. Notably, compact clusters of nonpolar molecules are poorly described, and the interaction energies strongly depend on the reference single-determinant state. Using the many-body expansion of the binding energy of a crystal, we investigate those issues and the effect of beyond-RPA corrections. We find the beneficial effect of quartic-scaling exchange and non-ring coupled-cluster doubles corrections. The nonadditive interactions in compact trimers of molecules are improved by using the self-consistent Hartree–Fock orbitals instead of the usual Kohn–Sham states, but this kind of orbital input also leads to underestimated dimer energies. Overall, a substantial improvement over the RPA with a renormalized singles approach is possible at a modest quartic-scaling cost, which encourages further research into additional RPA corrections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding core level shifts in aromatic compounds is crucial for the correct interpretation of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including acenes, as well as of styrenic polymers, which are increasingly relevant for the microelectronic industry, among other applications. The effect of delocalization through π aromatic systems on the stabilization of valence molecular orbitals has been widely investigated in the past. However, little has been reported on the impact on the deeper C1s core energy levels. In this work, we use first-principles calculations at the level of many body perturbation theory to compute the C1s binding energies of several aromatic systems. We report a C1s red shift in PAHs and acenes of increasing size, both in the gas phase and in the molecular crystal. C1s red shifts are also calculated for stacked benzene and naphthalene pairs at decreasing intermolecular distances. A C1s red shift is in addition found between oligomers of poly(p-hydroxystyrene) and polystyrene of increasing length, which we attribute to ring–ring interactions between the side-chains. The predicted shifts are larger than common instrumental errors and could, therefore, be detected in XPS experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular crystals are difficult to model with accurate first-principles methods due to large unit cells. On the other hand, accurate modeling is required as polymorphs often differ by only 1 kJ/mol. Machine learning interatomic potentials promise to provide accuracy of the baseline first-principles methods with a cost lower by orders of magnitude. Using the existing databases of the density functional theory calculations for molecular crystals and molecules, we train global machine learning interatomic potentials, usable for any molecular crystal. We test the performance of the potentials on experimental benchmarks and show that they perform better than classical force fields and, in some cases, are comparable to the density functional theory calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use molecular dynamics simulations to unravel the physics underpinning the light-induced density changes caused by the dynamic trans–cis–trans isomerization cycles of azo-mesogens embedded in a liquid crystal polymer network, an intriguing experimental observation reported in the literature. We employ two approaches, cyclic and probabilistic switching of isomers, to simulate dynamic isomerization. The cyclic switching of isomers confirms that dynamic isomerization can lead to density changes at specific switch-time intervals. The probabilistic switching approach further deciphers the physics behind the non-monotonous relation between density reduction and light intensities observed in experiments. Light intensity variations in experiments are accounted for in simulations by varying the trans–cis and cis–trans isomerization probabilities. The simulations show that an optimal combination of these two probabilities results in a maximum density reduction, corroborating the experimental observations. At such an optimal combination of probabilities, the dynamic trans–cis–trans isomerization cycles occur at a specific frequency, causing significant distortion in the polymer network, resulting in a maximum density reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extension of a constitutive law for 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) is proposed with a focus on the calibration of a crystal plasticity law. TATB, a highly anisotropic energetic molecular crystal used in explosive formulations, can be subjected to high-pressure and high-temperature conditions, either under high strain-rate deformation or shock loading. The existing thermodynamically consistent model, fully informed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, includes nonlinear elasticity as well as a phase-field by reaction pathway formalism under large strain for the modeling of TATB behavior upon pressure as well as its well-known twinning–buckling deformation mechanism. However, it has been observed that TATB single crystal can accommodate large deformations through dislocation-mediated plasticity, a feature not included in the mesoscale model. In the present work, we take advantage of the microscopic flow surface, previously computed through MD calculations, to calibrate a crystal plasticity law, extending the capability of the continuum model currently limited to low velocity impacts and moderate strain rate. Indeed, the microscopic flow surface, defined as a 3D stress-at-first-defect-nucleation contains all information about TATB single crystal mechanical response under directional shear loading, including twinning, buckling, and plastic events. The calibration process uses differential evolution optimization to calibrate TATB basal and transverse slip systems critical stresses to reproduce the microscopic flow surface. Finally, the response of a TATB single crystal to directional loading is investigated in order to evaluate the new model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling excited state processes in molecular crystals is relevant for several applications. A popular approach for studying excited state molecular crystals is to use cluster models embedded in point charges. In this paper, we compare the performance of several embedding models in predicting excited states and S1–S0 optical gaps for a set of crystals from the X23 molecular crystal database. The performance of atomic charges based on ground or excited states was examined for cluster models, Ewald embedding, and self-consistent approaches. We investigated the impact of various factors, such as the level of theory, basis sets, embedding models, and the level of localization of the excitation. We consider different levels of theory, including time-dependent density functional theory and Tamm–Dancoff approximation (TDA) (DFT functionals: ωB97X-D and PBE0), CC2, complete active space self-consistent field, and CASPT2. We also explore the impact of selection of the QM region, charge leakage, and level of theory for the description of different kinds of excited states. We implemented three schemes based on distance thresholds to overcome overpolarization and charge leakage in molecular crystals. Our findings are compared against experimental data, G0W0-BSE, periodic TDA, and optimally tuned screened range-separated functionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to analyze the mechanical properties and failure processes of poly(p-phenylene-terephthalamide) (PPTA), poly(p-phenylene-benzimidazole-terephthalamide) (PBIA), PBIA–PPTA (formed by 1:1 copolymerization of PPTA and PBIA), and poly(p-phenylene-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) crystals at different strain rates and temperatures. The failure stress and strain were found to be linear with the temperature and logarithmic strain rate. Moreover, based on the kinetic theory of fracture and the comprehensive simulation results, we formulated a model that describes the failure stress of the aforementioned crystals under varying strain rates and temperatures. Through the analysis of the failure process, we found that in PPTA, PBIA, and PBIA–PPTA crystals, the bond failure probability is correlated with the strain rate and temperature. The examination of bond lengths and angles unveiled that bonds with larger initial aligning angles are more susceptible to failure during the strain process. Intriguingly, the stretching process induced a conformational change in the PBO molecular chain, leading to a deviation from the linear relation in its stress–strain curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic density functional theory was employed to investigate the impact of chemical modifications on the properties of π-conjugated acenedithiophene molecular crystals. Here, we highlight the importance of the β-methylthionation effect, the position of the sulfur atoms of the thiacycle group and their size, and the number of central benzene rings in the chemical modification strategy. Our results show that the introduction of the methylthio groups at the β-positions of the thiophene and the additional benzene ring at the center of the BDT crystal structure are a promising strategy to improve the performance of organic semiconductors, as observed experimentally. We found that β-MT-ADT exhibits large charge carrier mobility, which is in good agreement with the experimental results and comparable to that of rubrene. In addition, the electronic and optical properties of these ambipolar materials suggest promising performances with β-MT-ADT > ADT > β -MT-NDT > NDT > BEDT-BDT > β -MT-BDT > BDT. Moreover, functionalization with thiacycle-fused sulfur atoms of different sizes and numbers improve the properties of BDT but is still less efficient than the methylthionation effect. Overall, our findings suggest a promising molecular modification strategy for possibly high performance ambipolar organic semiconducting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computing the solubility of crystals in a solvent using atomistic simulations is notoriously challenging due to the complexities and convergence issues associated with free-energy methods, as well as the slow equilibration in direct-coexistence simulations. This paper introduces a molecular-dynamics workflow that simplifies and robustly computes the solubility of molecular or ionic crystals. This method is considerably more straightforward than the state-of-the-art, as we have streamlined and optimised each step of the process. Specifically, we calculate the chemical potential of the crystal using the gas-phase molecule as a reference state, and employ the S0 method to determine the concentration dependence of the chemical potential of the solute. We use this workflow to predict the solubilities of sodium chloride in water, urea polymorphs in water, and paracetamol polymorphs in both water and ethanol. Our findings indicate that the predicted solubility is sensitive to the chosen potential energy surface. Furthermore, we note that the harmonic approximation often fails for both molecular crystals and gas molecules at or above room temperature, and that the assumption of an ideal solution becomes less valid for highly soluble substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytic equations of state (EOS) are intended to reproduce theoretical and experimental data in a single phase portion of the thermodynamic space. We devise a complete and thermodynamically consistent model with four distinct features: (1) a reference isotherm that remains thermodynamically stable, (2) a flexible specific heat model based on a fourth-order rational polynomial, (3) a Grüneisen parameter that depends on specific volume and temperature, and (4) pressure and internal energy functions that can be inverted analytically in temperature. The model aims to improve the accuracy of existing equations of state while remaining computationally efficient. To demonstrate its features, we include calibrations for single-crystal pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), liquid nitromethane (NM), and hexagonal close-packed beryllium (Be) metal. The parameter optimization uses the specific heat capacity, Grüneisen parameter, and static compression curves obtained from density functional theory for the crystalline solids and molecular dynamics simulations for liquid NM. We also present a velocity autocorrelation function that yields accurate phonon densities of states for the EOS calibration from the molecular dynamics trajectories. Each of the three calibrations is constrained to enforce the ambient state from experimental measurements and validated against experimental Hugoniot data from multiple sources. We also include one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of the isentropic compression experiments for beryllium conducted at the Z facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shock-induced plasticity and structural changes in energetic molecular crystals are well documented. These processes couple with the leading shock wave and affect its propagation, resulting in long, transient responses that are challenging to capture with all-atom simulations due to their time scale. Hence, the effects of this coupling and the transient shock response on the formation of hotspots and the initiation of chemistry remain unclear. To address these challenges, we investigate the role of shock-induced plastic deformation on shock initiation with a recently developed particle-based, coarse-grain model for 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) that utilizes the generalized dissipative particle dynamics with reactions framework. This model enables reactive simulations at micron length scales, which are required to achieve steady-state shock propagation. The simulations show that the shock Hugoniot response of RDX can involve transient behavior for up to 150 ps before steady-state behavior is achieved for shock strengths above the elastic limit. Pore collapse simulations demonstrate that the intensity of the resulting hotspot will weaken as the shock transitions from transient to steady-state behavior, ultimately affecting the shock-to-deflagration transition. Our results highlight the importance of considering the mesoscopic effects of shock-induced plastic deformation in simulations of shock-to-deflagration transitions of high explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various physical properties recently induced by solid-state electrochemical reactions must be comprehensively understood, and their mechanisms of action should be elucidated. Reversible changes in conductivity, magnetism, and colour have been achieved by combining the redox reactions of d metal ions and organic materials, as well as the molecular and crystal structures of solids. This review describes the electrochemically driven physical properties of conductors, magnetic materials, and electrochromic materials using various electrochemical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document from Chemical Communications, published in 2024, provides a comprehensive list of contents for the issue. It includes profiles of contributors, highlights on surface properties of carbon nitride materials, feature articles on various topics such as reactivity, nanoassemblies, and catalysis, as well as communications on topics like intermolecular interactions, synthesis strategies, and catalytic processes. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences and invest profits back into the chemistry community, reflecting a commitment to advancing research in the field. [Extracted from the article]

We report the first two-dimensionally (2D) elastically bendable and twistable pharmaceutical-solvate crystal, indomethacin methanol. Its flexibility is due to interlocked packing and a structural buffer acting like isotropic interactions. For the first time, we utilized Raman spectroscopy on the two elastic faces of a bent crystal region, revealing the inhomogeneous molecular distribution in the crystal structure during bending and validating the mechanistic model of the 2D elastic crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A designed anthracene‐based monomer for topochemical Diels–Alder cycloaddition polymerization crystallized with head‐to‐tail arrangement of molecules, as revealed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis. The diene and dienophile units of adjacent monomer molecules are aligned at an average distance of 4.6 Å, suggesting a favorable crystalline arrangement for their intermolecular Diels–Alder cycloaddition reaction to form a linear polymer. Surprisingly, heating the monomer crystals at a temperature above 125 °C resulted in the formation of intramolecular Diels–Alder cycloadduct, which could be characterized by various spectroscopy and SCXRD analysis. Various time‐dependent studies such as NMR, PXRD, and DSC, studies established that the reaction followed topochemical pathway. Schmidt's topochemical postulates are generally used to predict the topochemical reactivity and product, by analyzing the crystal structure of the reactant. Though the crystal arrangement predicted polymerization, upon heating, the molecule avoided this pathway by undergoing a large rotation to form an intramolecular cycloadduct. Theoretical calculations supported the feasibility of the rotation, exploiting the flexibility of the molecule and voids present. These findings caution that the reliance on Schmidt's criteria for topochemical reactions may sometimes be misleading, especially in heat‐induced reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of DFT and DFT‐D methods is combined with double‐ζ basis sets to benchmark their performance in predicting the structures of five newly synthesized hexacarbonyl diiron complexes with a bridging ligand featuring a μ‐S2C3 motif in a ring‐containing unit functionalized with aromatic groups. Such complexes have been considered as [FeFe] hydrogenase catalytic site models with potential for eco‐friendly energetic applications. According to this assessment, r2SCAN is identified as the density functional recommended for the reliable description of the molecular and crystal structures of the herein studied models. However, the butterfly (μ‐S)2Fe2 core of the models demonstrates a minor deformation of its optimized geometry obtained from both molecular and periodic calculations. The FeFe bond length is slightly underestimated while the FeS bonds tend to be too long. Adding the D3(BJ) correction to r2SCAN does not lead to any improvement in the calculated structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects exerted by new bioactive acylpyrazolonate Ag(I) derivatives of the general formula [Ag(QPy,CF3)(R-Im)] containing different substituents on the imidazole (R-Im) ancillary ligands and the natural plasticizer castor oil when both are added to the ethylcellulose (EC) biopolymer in the preparation of thin films as potential active food packaging materials are presented. The Ag(I) complexes [Ag(QPy,CF3)(Bn-Im)] and [Ag(QPy,CF3)(Bu-Im)], having benzyl and butyl substituents, whose single crystal molecular structures are reported, have proved to be highly compatible for efficient incorporation between the EC polymer and the hydrophobic plasticizer chains, giving rise, even at low concentrations, to homogeneous, robust and elastic films. The concomitant presence of these Ag(I) complexes and castor oil in the polymer EC matrix gives rise to thin films with improved antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a model of Gram-negative bacterial strains when compared to the non-plasticized ones, with very low Ag(I) migration in the three food simulants used (distilled water, ethanol 10% v/v and acetic acid 3% v/v) under two assay conditions (70 °C for 2 h and 40 °C for 10 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imidazopyridines, benzimidazoles and their derivatives are important heterocyclic substances with a wide range of future applications in the field of fluorescent sensors due to their excellent solid-state luminescence properties, long fluorescence lifetimes, and large Stokes shifts. Two 3-phenylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridines and two 2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazoles were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized by NMR spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis. The molecular structures and crystal stacking properties of three types of compounds, namely, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine and benzimidazole, have been investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and the results show that the different positions of the N atoms affect the stacking of the crystals, whereas the molecules are connected mostly through intermolecular π–π stacking and C–H⋯N and C–H⋯π interactions. Tight π-stacking contacts lead to a decrease in the fluorescence quantum yield of the molecules. Also, the shortened distance between imidazolepyridine or benzimidazole units and the strong aromatic interactions from polar substituents lead to solid-state fluorescence quenching. With the help of Hirshfeld surface analysis and electrostatic potential analysis, the roles of various noncovalent forces including hydrogen bonding, π-stacking, and C–H⋯π interactions in the formation of solid-state molecules are elucidated. The redshift of the emission spectra in solution with increasing solvent polarity and the apparent separation of the electron cloud densities between the HOMO and LUMO orbitals suggest that all seven compounds are typical intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) molecules. The HOMO–LUMO energy gap results are consistent with the fluorescence emission behavior of the compounds in solution and solid states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lone pair electrons in the electronic structure of molecules have been a prominent research focus in chemistry for more than a century. Stable s2 lone pair electrons significantly influence material properties, including thermoelectric properties, nonlinear optical properties, ferroelectricity, and electro(photo)catalysis. While major advances have been achieved in understanding the influence of lone pair electrons on material characteristics, research on this effect in organic‐inorganic hybrid materials is in its initial stage. In this work, we successfully obtained a novel organic‐inorganic hybrid multifunctional material incorporating Ge with 4s2 lone pair electrons, (MeHDabco)2[GeBr3]4‐H2O (MeHDabco=N‐methyl‐1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) (1). Driven by the stereochemically active lone pair electrons on the Ge2+, 1 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P21 at room temperature and exhibits good second harmonic generation (SHG) responses. Interestingly, 1 also shows electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to the existence of lone pair electrons on Ge2+ cations. The electrochemical experiment combined with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the lone pair electrons act as both an active site for proton adsorption and facilitate the ionization of water. This work not only emphasizes the important role of lone pair electrons in material properties and functions but also provides new insight for designing novel Ge‐based multifunctional hybrid materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzodifuranone derivatives, structural analogues of widely studied diketopyrrolopyrrole, have been reported to show photoluminescence exclusively in solution states. Here, upon introducing bulky aromatic groups into benzodifuranone dyes, crystals with unprecedented solid‐state emission were obtained. A crystallographic analysis revealed that the emissive properties should most likely be attributed to the absence of stacking between the dye scaffolds. In addition to the solid‐state emission, the compound showed responsivity to external stimuli, i. e. luminescent mechanochromism and thermosalient effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize the subsurface thermal degradation of an inert analog of high-explosive molecular crystals (Eu:Y(acac)3(DPEPO)) (EYAD) embedded inside of a plastic bonded explosive simulant using feedback-assisted wavefront shaping-based fluorescence and Raman spectroscopies. This technique utilizes wavefront shaping to focus pump light inside a heterogeneous material onto a target particle, which significantly improves its spectroscopic signature. We find that embedding the EYAD crystals in the heterogeneous polymer results in improved thermal stability, relative to bare crystal measurements, with the crystal remaining fluorescent to >612 K inside of the heterogeneous material, while the bare crystal's fluorescence is fully quenched by 500 K. We hypothesize that this improvement is due to the polymer restricting the effects of EYAD melting, which occurs at 400 K and is the primary mechanism for spectroscopic changes in the temperature range explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare pyrene‐based coordination compound of Hg(II) [Hg(L)2] (1) (where, HL=2‐((Pyren‐1‐ylmethylene)amino)benzenethiol) was synthesized and characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD) analysis. Crystallographic analysis revealed that complex 1 has seesaw geometry with HL coordinated as a bidentate ligand to a metal ion. The role of weak forces like π⋅⋅⋅π and CH⋅⋅⋅π interactions in influencing the self‐assembly process appears to be of importance. The electronic structure of the complex was predicted using DFT calculations with mixed basis set. DFT calculated structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimentally obtained parameters from XRD. Molecular reactivity and stability of the complex has been assessed through frontier molecular orbital analysis. Evaluation of molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) displays the electrophilic and nucleophilic reactivity sites. The Hirshfeld surface analysis clearly indicates C−H⋅⋅⋅π interactions and π⋅⋅⋅π stacking interactions are responsible to extend the supramolecular network of the complex. Analyses of the Finger print plots suggest that H⋅⋅⋅H and H⋅⋅⋅C contacts are major interactions for stabilizing the molecular crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Hot off the Press" from Natural Product Reports presents recent developments in bioorganic chemistry and novel natural products. It highlights the revision of structures for various compounds based on NMR and X-ray analysis, as well as the biosynthetic pathways proposed for these compounds. The document also discusses the discovery of new enzymes and the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways for unique natural products. The research presented in the article contributes to the understanding of complex natural product chemistry and biosynthesis. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates the pressure-dependent thermal and mechanical properties of solid bromine through density functional theory (DFT) calculations used in conjunction with the quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA). At ambient pressure, bromine crystallizes as a molecular crystal of Cmca symmetry. Previous studies have indicated that upon compression, this polymorph should undergo a bandgap closure at 80 GPa followed by a phase transition to a nonmolecular phase at 90 GPa. By employing QHA, we model the lattice vibrations and calculate the free energy, thermal expansion, and specific heat capacities of solid molecular bromine over a temperature range from 0 to 1000 K and pressures up to 90 GPa. Furthermore, mechanical properties such as bulk modulus and elastic constants are also analyzed. The results reveal the significant impact that pressure has on the thermal properties, mechanical stability, and dynamical stability of a molecular crystal. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of such systems under extreme conditions, potentially guiding future experimental and theoretical investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirtinol is a known inhibitor of sirtuin proteins – a family of deacetylases involved in the physiology of aging. Its crystalline structure has never been determined except when bound to Fe(III) where it participates in the seven-fold coordination of the metal or to Cu(II) where it acts as a bidentate or tridentate ligand. Herein, we describe the structure of this important molecule, as follows: (a) the prevalent form of the keto-enol tautomerism in the solid state, and (b) in solution. Do they match? If not, how? The crystals of (R)-sirtinol are characterized by a large number of π–π bonded interactions linking molecules in infinite ribbons, which, in turn, are linked by additional π–π interactions of a variety of types, and by hydrogen bonds. In the latter case, we confirm by NMR that the X-ray determined position of an important H atom is on a N atom rather than on an O, which is how the molecule is usually depicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphism plays a pivotal role in generating a range of crystalline materials with diverse photophysical and mechanical attributes, all originating from the same molecule. Here, we showcase two distinct polymorphs: green (GY) emissive and orange (OR) emissive crystals of 5′‐(4‐(diphenylamino)phenyl)‐[2,2′‐bithiophene]‐5‐carbaldehyde (TPA‐CHO). These polymorphs display differing optical characteristics, with GY exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and OR showing room temperature phosphorescence (RTP). Additionally, both polymorphic crystals display mechanical flexibility and optical waveguiding capabilities. Leveraging the AFM‐tip‐based mechanophotonics technique, we position the GY optical waveguide at varying lengths perpendicular to the OR waveguide. This approach facilitates the exploration of the interplay between TADF and RTP phenomena by judiciously controlling the optical path length of crystal waveguides. Essentially, our approach provides a clear pathway for understanding and controlling the photophysical processes in organic molecular crystals, paving the way for advancements in polymorphic crystal‐based photonic circuit technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of triphenylamine‐quinoxaline donor‐acceptor (bipolar) compounds (TPA‐QH, TPA‐QMe, TPA‐QCOOH and TPA‐QNO2) with different substituents were synthesized and investigated their fluorescence properties, including stimuli‐induced fluorescence responses in solution and the solid‐state. Single crystal structural analysis revealed non‐planar molecular conformation, substituent controlled intermolecular interactions and molecular packing in the crystal lattice. TPA‐QH, TPA‐QMe, TPA‐QCOOH and TPA‐QNO2 showed tunable solid‐state emission from green to red. TPA‐QH showed strong fluorescence at 487 nm (quantum yield (Φf)=28.3 %) whereas NO2 substituted TPA‐QNO2 exhibited relatively weak fluorescence at 610 nm (Φf=4.3 %). Density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations also indicated reduction of optical bandgap with substituting electron withdrawing group. The donor‐acceptor structure with intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) resulted solvent polarity dependent fluorescence tuning. The presence of acid responsive quinoxaline group was utilized to demonstrate pH‐responsive fluorescence switching and dual state fluorescence was utilized for fabricating rewritable fluorescent platform. Thus, the present study provides a structural insight to develop dual state emissive triphenylamine–quinoxaline based bipolar materials for optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to conventional atomic crystals, two‐dimensional inorganic molecular crystals (2DIMCs) possess a unique crystal structure composed of small molecules held together by van der Waals force. Such distinctive structure grants them specific chemical and physical properties highly suitable for electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, the synthesis of 2DIMCs has posed significant challenges due to the inherent issues such as uncontrollable growth orientation stemming from their natural crystalline isotropy and poor stability resulting from the weak intermolecular connections. Addressing these obstacles, the preparation of large‐scale and highly‐stable 2DIMC BiBr3, and its heterostructure are reported here by developing crystallization orientation engineering strategies. This approach has successfully yielded centimeter‐scale 2DIMC BiBr3 with a clean and dense surface, showcasing exceptional long‐term air‐stability exceeding 80 days. Furthermore, the universal growth of large‐scale 2DIMC BiBr3 is demonstrated on diverse substrates, including SiO2, Al2O3, and MoS2 monolayers. Notably, the resultant 2D BiBr3/MoS2 heterostructure exhibits remarkable photoluminescence enhancement. This contribution paves a universal avenue for the mature synthesis of large‐scale 2DIMCs with superior stability, holding great promise for prompting their integration in practical electronic and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Derivatives of the first substituted 7‐imino‐1,7‐dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazines, namely 1‐(2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoropyridin‐4‐yl)‐N,3‐diphenyl‐7‐(phenylimino)‐1,7‐dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin‐6‐amine and 1‐(pentafluorophenyl)‐N‐phenyl‐7‐(phenylimino)‐3‐(2,3,4,5‐tetrafluorophenyl)‐1,7‐dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin‐6‐amine, were unexpectedly isolated as the only products in yields of about 20–30 % after an attempt to obtain Blatter radicals from the corresponding amidrazones bearing polyfluorinated electron‐withdrawing substituents. All new compounds were fully characterized, and their molecular and crystal structure was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal adaptronics, a burgeoning field at the intersection of materials science and engineering, focuses on harnessing the unique properties of organic molecular crystals to achieve unprecedented levels of maneuverability and processability in various applications. Increasingly, ordered stacks of crystalline materials are being endowed with fascinating mechanical compliance changes in response to external environments. Understanding how these crystals can be manipulated and tailored for specific functions has become paramount in the pursuit of advanced materials with customizable properties. Simultaneously, the processability of organic molecular crystals plays a pivotal role in shaping their utility in real‐world applications. From growth methodologies to fabrication techniques, the ability to precisely machine these crystals opens new avenues for engineering materials with enhanced functionality. These processing methods enhance the versatility of organic crystals, allowing their integration into various devices and technologies, and further expanding the potential applications. This review aims to provide a concise overview of the current landscape in the study of dynamic organic molecular crystals, with an emphasis on the interconnected themes of operability and processability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the journal "Chemical Communications" published in 2024. It includes various articles on topics such as COF solid-state electrolytes for lithium batteries, supramolecular light-harvesting systems, functional surfactant-directing ultrathin metallic nanoarchitectures, recent advances in radical cyclization, and more. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry and focuses on exceptional research in the field of chemistry. [Extracted from the article]

Here, we successfully synthesized a pair of enantiomeric molecular piezoelectric materials by H/F substitution strategy. These compounds show a large piezoelectric coefficient d33 value of 25 pC N−1 measured by the quasi-static method. A simple energy harvesting device was fabricated based on this crystal, showing great potential in piezoelectric mechanical energy harvesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic fluorophores with tunable π‐conjugated paths have attracted considerable attention owing to their diverse properties and promising applications. Herein, we present a tailored butterfly‐like molecule, 2,2’‐(2,5‐bis (2,2‐diphenylvinyl)‐1,4‐phenylene)dinaphthalene (BDVPN), which exhibits diverse photophysical features in its two polymorphs. The BP phase crystal, with its “aligned wings” conformation, possesses emissive characteristics that are nearly identical to those in dilute solutions. In contrast, the BN phase crystal, which adopts an “orthogonal wings” conformation, exhibits an unusual hypsochromic‐shifted emission compared to its dilute solution counterparts. This intriguing hypsochromic‐shifted emission originates from the reduction in the effective conjugated length of the molecular skeleton. Notably, BN phase crystals also exhibit exceptional optical performance, featuring high‐efficiency emission (76.6 %), low‐loss optical waveguides (0.571 dB mm−1), deep‐blue amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) with narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM: 6.4 nm), and a unique 200 nm bathochromic shift of piezochromic luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoresponsive molecular crystals have sparked interest owing to their potential application prospects. In this study, we achieved dual mechanical responses of a cyanostilbene-based crystal BN. The crystal exhibited both stress-induced mechanical flexibility and light-induced photomechanical bending. Two distinct mechanical responses are related to different underlying phenomena and were not interlinked. While elasticity is attributed to criss-cross packing arrangement in the isotropic structure, photomechanical bending is attributed to the formation of heterogeneous phase distribution due to monomer to dimer cycloaddition product formation. The crystal did not demonstrate photoswitching activity. However, it exhibited thermal reversibility, highlighting reversible dimer to monomer conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two sets of co-formers, polyfluorinated arylenediamines with variable structural elements and macrocyclic ethers of different sizes, were used to study the patterns of self-assembly of co-crystals and to rank the intermolecular interactions. The co-crystallization stoichiometry was found to increase from 1 : 1 to 2 : 1 in the series trifluoro-1,3-phenylenediamine, 2,4-diaminotrifluoropyridine, and 2,4-diaminotrifluoronitrobenzene and with decreasing crown ether size due to restructuring of guest--host interactions and forming guest-guest interactions. 18-Crown-6 and 15-crown-5 ethers form the typical N--H...Ocr H-bonds connecting two Ocr atoms with one bifunctional proton donor NH2; when going to 12-crown-4, two Ocr atoms become connected with the Hamino atoms of two arylenediamine molecules. Modes of guest--guest bonding and supramolecular motifs in 2 : 1 co-crystals are determined by HB acceptors and p + π systems in arylenediamine: o-N--H...Nhet and p-N--H...F interactions form face-to-face dimers united in a chain; p-N-H...Onitro and o-N--H...Onitro contacts generate head-to-tail and head-to-side chains; π...π and X...π (X = F, O, N) electron interactions form off-set stacks. Quantum chemical calculations reveal an increase of the packing enthalpies and bonding energies with increasing arylenediamine electron affinity and crown ether size. According to MEP, BCP and NCI analyses, these effects are caused either by strengthening of the interactions due to a greater electrostatic contribution, or by multiplying bonding contacts. Quantifying the interactions allowed us to identify the key supramolecular synthons and related elements of the co-former structure, which can serve as tools in the molecular crystal design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New asymmetrical pyridyl-BODIPY dyes with a meso-CF3-group were synthesized by condensation of trifluoro-1-(5-phenylpyrrol-2-yl)ethanol with 2-(2-, 3- or 4-pyridyl)pyrroles, followed by the oxidation and formation of a complex with BF3 etherate. The molecular and crystal structures of these compounds were studied by DFT calculations and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The absorption and fluorescence properties of the synthesized dyes in polar and nonpolar media were quantitatively characterized. In this work, the efficiency of dye adsorption on CdSe colloidal quantum dots was studied, and the influence of the nitrogen atom position in the pyridyl group on the stability of the resulting associates was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carborane compounds, known for their exceptional thermal stability and non‐toxic attributes, have garnered widespread utility in medicine, supramolecular design, coordination/organometallic chemistry, and others. Although there is considerable interest among chemists, the integration of suitable carborane molecules into ferroelectric materials remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we employ the quasi‐spherical design strategy to introduce functional groups at the boron vertices of the o‐carborane cage, aiming to reduce molecular symmetry. This approach led to the successful synthesis of the pioneering ferroelectric crystals composed of cage‐like carboranes: 9‐OH‐o‐carborane (1) and 9‐SH‐o‐carborane (2), which undergo above‐room ferroelectric phase transitions (Tc) at approximately 367 K and 347 K. Interestingly, 1 and 2 represent uniaxial and multiaxial ferroelectrics respectively, with 2 exhibiting six polar axes and as many as twelve equivalent polarization directions. As the pioneering instance of carborane ferroelectric crystals, this study introduces a novel structural archetype for molecular ferroelectrics, thereby providing fresh insights into the exploration of molecular ferroelectric crystals with promising applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of materials that can switch between circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals is both essential and challenging. Here, two new halogen‐bonded fluorescent molecular photoswitches, namely, HB‐switch 1 and HB‐switch 2, containing α‐cyano‐substituted diarylethene compounds with different end groups were developed. Upon exposure to specific UV or visible light wavelengths, they exhibited controllable and reversible Z/E photoisomerization. When these switches were integrated into blue‐phase liquid crystals (BPLCs), the temperature range of BP significantly expanded. Notably, the BP system incorporating HB‐switch 1 exclusively achieved reversible polarization inversion of CPL signals under irradiation with specific UV/Visible light and during cooling/heating. The photo/thermal dual‐response behavior of the CPL signals can be attributed to the phase transition from a high‐symmetry 3D BP Icubic lattice to a low‐symmetry 1D helical superstructure induced by the Z/E photoisomerization of HB‐switch 1 and temperature changes. This study underscores the significance of employing halogen‐bond assembly strategies to design materials with switchable CPL signals, opening new possibilities for CPL‐active systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular and crystal structures of myricetin have been studied using density functional theory. The geometry parameters are calculated based on the optimized molecular structure, and the thermodynamic properties "heat capacity (p m C,), enthalpy (m H) and entropy (m H)" are performed using our selfprogrammed programme, the calculated results are consistent with literature reports. Crystal structures were predicted using the Dreiding force field and refined by DFT-GGA-RPBE method. The crystal form tends to crystalline in P-1 space group. The large calculated band gap (Eg) of the crystal proves it is stable, which is consistent with the conclusion from gas phase. The conduction band (LUCO) is mainly contributed from the p state of C atom and valence band (HOCO) from the p state of O atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformcell is a python script designed to simplify and fasten routine procedure of preparing crystal structure files for calculating various mechanical properties in VASP program. The software allows users to prepare POSCAR files for calculations of different mechanical properties performing energy calculations of deformed crystallographic unit cells. It has been specially designed to allow users to automate unit cell deformation prior to energy calculations, making it useful both for scientific research and teaching computational chemistry applied to chemical materials sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pravastatin is a popular statin agent with applications in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases for patients with an abnormal lipid panel. The starting form of pravastatin is amorphous and following recrystallization, it becomes a crystalline solid with tert-butylamine salt molecules embedded within the lattice. Its molecular and crystal structure were elucidated based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction and characterized by ss-NMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis and difficult-to-treat related diseases caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria, there is an urgent need for antimycobacterial drug discovery. Nα-aroyl-N-aryl-phenylalanine amides (AAPs) have been identified as antimycobacterial agents and are subject to lead optimization. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impact of N-aryl ortho cyano substitution in a lead compound on the crystal and molecular structure and its in vitro activity against Mycobacterium abscessus. The title AAP can be conveniently synthesized from N-Boc-protected d-phenylalanine in two amide coupling steps using a previously established racemization-free method. Two polymorphic forms in the solid-state are described, as discovered by X-ray and electron diffraction. The introduction of a cyano group in the ortho position of the AAP N-aryl ring, however, leads to loss of in vitro activity against M. abscessus subsp. abscessus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal and molecular structure of 7-dimethylamino-4-hydroxycoumarin as its hydrate (1, C11H11NO3 • H2O) has been determined. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n with a = 7.1435(4) Å, b = 20.1763(6) Å, c = 7.8590(3) Å, β = 110.018(5)o and V = 1064.28(8)Å3 for 4 formula units per cell. Both coumarin enol ester hydroxy and carboxy groups engage in hydrogen-bonding with the water of crystallization. Several 3-substituted derivatives were prepared from this material including 7-dimethylamino-3-benzyl-4-hydroxycoumarin (2) and 7-dimethylaminowarfarin (4). Compound 2 (C18H16NO3) crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P-1, with a = 7.0180(7) Å, b = 7.8143(7) Å, c = 14.3158(10) Å, α = 90.586(6)o, β = 94.738(5)o, γ = 104.639(7)o, and V = 756.57(9) Å3 for 2 molecules in the cell. For compound 2, the crystal structure shows infinite hydrogen-bonded translational β-chains linking well aligned hydroxy and ester carboxy groups with a repeat distance of 7.018 Å. The dipolar nature of the substituted 4-hydroxycoumarin strengthens the β-chains compared to unsubstituted systems in which the repeat is longer and weaker at 7.17 Å. Computations (DFT) support the bond length changes due to a dipolar influence of the 7-dimethylamino group (compared to the unsubstituted compounds), and a more negative carboxy oxygen hydrogen-bond acceptor. For compound 4 (C21H21NO4), a stereoselective synthesis allowed preparation of the (S)-isomer which crystallized in the orthorhombic system, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with a = 6.7857(3) Å, b = 14.7140(5) Å, c = 17.4652(7) Å and V = 1743.81(12) Å3 for 4 molecules in the cell. Compound 4 forms the trans cyclic hemiketal from methanol in the crystal. In CDCl3 solution (298 K), 4 exists as an equilibrium mixture of three tautomers: 12.8% open form, 45.5% cis hemiketal and 41.7% trans hemiketal (coumarin forms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study properties of nitrogen at high pressure and temperature (100–120 GPa, 2000–3000 K) where molecular and polymeric phases compete both in solid and liquid phase. We employ ab initio MD simulations with the SCAN functional and study the pressure-induced polymerization in liquid nitrogen for system sizes up to 288 atoms in order to reduce finite-size effects. The transition is studied upon both compression and decompression, and at 3000 K, it is found to take place between 110 and 115 GPa, coming close to experimental data. We also simulate the molecular crystalline phase close to the melting line and analyze its structure. We show that the molecular crystal in this regime is highly disordered, in particular, due to pronounced orientational and also translational disorder of the molecules. Its short-range order and vibrational density of states are very close to those of the molecular liquid revealing that the system likely represents a plastic crystal with high entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]