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This study was focused on the photochemistry of OAlOH and three possible pathways, which were studied with high-level multireference configuration interaction ab initio calculations. We computed cuts of the six-dimensional potential energy surfaces for the ground, the lowest singlet and triplet excited states, and probed the photodissociation mechanisms and the stabilities. The OAlOH electronic spectrum, with an energy reaching 7.15 eV, contained four prominent peaks. Photodissociation to AlO, OH, and AlOH constituted a plausible mechanism within the deep-UV range (λ = 250.4 nm). Our data indicated the photostability of OAlOH in the near-UV‒Vis region, so detection with laser-induced fluorescence is possible. Fluorescence and phosphorescence may occur upon excitation at 363.5 nm. The roles of OAlOH in the photochemical reactions of Al-bearing molecules in the upper atmosphere and VY Canis Majoris are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate how electronic excitations and subsequent dissipative dynamics in the water soluble chlorophyll-binding protein (WSCP) are connected to features in two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectra, thereby comparing results from our theoretical approach with experimental data from the literature. Our calculations rely on third-order response functions, which we derived from a second-order cumulant expansion of the dissipative dynamics involving the partial ordering prescription, assuming a fast vibrational relaxation in the potential energy surfaces of excitons. Depending on whether the WSCP complex containing a tetrameric arrangement of pigments composed of two dimers with weak excitonic coupling between them binds the chlorophyll variant Chl a or Chl b, the resulting linear absorption and circular dichroism spectra and particularly the 2D spectra exhibit substantial differences in line shapes. These differences between Chl a WSCP and Chl b WSCP cannot be explained by the slightly modified excitonic couplings within the two variants. In the case of Chl a WSCP, the assumption of equivalent dimer subunits facilitates a reproduction of substantial features from the experiment by the calculations. In contrast, for Chl b WSCP, we have to assume that the sample, in addition to Chl b dimers, contains a small but distinct fraction of chemically modified Chl b pigments. The existence of such Chl b derivates has been proposed by Pieper et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 115, 4042 (2011)] based on low-temperature absorption and hole-burning spectroscopy. Here, we provide independent evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the oxidation structure of two-dimensional interfaces is crucial to improve surface chemistry and electronic properties. Beyond graphene with only phenyl rings, a novel carbon-nitrogen material, C3N, presents an intrinsic heterogeneous surface morphology where each phenyl ring is encircled by six nitrogen atoms, yet its atomistic oxidation structure remains unclear. Here, combining a series of density functional theory calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that thermodynamically favorable oxidation loci are confined to the phenyl ring, and kinetic transformations of oxidation structures are feasible along the phenyl ring, whereas those toward nitrogen atoms are proven to be extremely difficult. These results are attributed to the lower barrier of oxygen atom migration along the phenyl ring, while the significantly high barriers toward nitrogen atoms are due to the heterogeneous potential energy surface for oxygen–C3N interaction. This work highlights the significance of surface morphology on the characteristics of oxidation structure, offering insights into tunable electronic properties via confined interfacial oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave packet interferometry with vacuum ultraviolet light has been used to probe a complex region of the electronic spectrum of molecular nitrogen, N2. Wave packets of Rydberg and valence states were excited by using double pulses of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV), free-electron-laser (FEL) light. These wave packets were composed of contributions from multiple electronic states with a moderate principal quantum number (n ∼ 4–9) and a range of vibrational and rotational quantum numbers. The phase relationship of the two FEL pulses varied in time, but as demonstrated previously, a shot-by-shot analysis allows the spectra to be sorted according to the phase between the two pulses. The wave packets were probed by angle-resolved photoionization using an infrared pulse with a variable delay after the pair of excitation pulses. The photoelectron branching fractions and angular distributions display oscillations that depend on both the time delays and the relative phases of the VUV pulses. The combination of frequency, time delay, and phase selection provides significant control over the ionization process and ultimately improves the ability to analyze and assign complex molecular spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a numerically exact approach for evaluating vibrationally resolved electronic spectra at finite temperatures using the coherence thermofield dynamics. In this method, which avoids implementing an algorithm for solving the von Neumann equation for coherence, the thermal vibrational ensemble is first mapped to a pure-state wavepacket in an augmented space, and this wavepacket is then propagated by solving the standard, zero-temperature Schrödinger equation with the split-operator Fourier method. We show that the finite-temperature spectra obtained with the coherence thermofield dynamics in a Morse potential agree exactly with those computed by Boltzmann-averaging the spectra of individual vibrational levels. Because the split-operator thermofield dynamics on a full tensor-product grid is restricted to low-dimensional systems, we briefly discuss how the accessible dimensionality can be increased by various techniques developed for the zero-temperature split-operator Fourier method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed theoretical analysis of polarized absorption spectra and linear dichroism of cyanine dye aggregates whose unit cells contain two molecules. The studied threadlike ordered system with a molecular exciton delocalized along its axis can be treated as two chains of conventional molecular aggregates, rotated relative to each other at a certain angle around the aggregate axis. Our approach is based on the general formulas for the effective cross section of light absorption by a molecular aggregate and key points of the molecular exciton theory. We have developed a self-consistent theory for describing the orientational effects in the absorption and dichroic spectra of such supramolecular structures with nonplanar unit cell. It is shown that the spectral behavior of such systems exhibits considerable distinctions from that of conventional cyanine dye aggregates. They consist in the strong dependence of the relative intensities of the J- and H-type spectral bands of the aggregate with a nonplanar unit cell on the angles determining the mutual orientations of the transition dipole moments of constituting molecules and the aggregate axis as well as on the polarization direction of incident light. The derived formulas are reduced to the well-known analytical expressions in the particular case of aggregates with one molecule in the unit cell. The calculations performed within the framework of our excitonic theory combined with available vibronic theory allow us to quite reasonably explain the experimental data for the pseudoisocyanine bromide dye aggregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doubly resonant sum frequency generation (DR-SFG) serves as a potent characteristic technique for probing the electronic spectra and vibronic coupling of molecules on surfaces. In this study, we successfully developed a novel infrared (IR)–white light (WL) DR-SFG spectroscopy based on narrowband IR and tunable broadband WL. This novel method was employed to explore the excitation spectrum and vibronic couplings of sub-monolayer Rhodamine 6G molecules. Our findings elucidate that the xanthene skeleton vibrational modes exhibit strong coupling with the S0–S1 electronic transition. Notably, we observed not only the 0–0 transition of the S0–S1 electronic continuum but also the 0–1 transition, a first time observation in the realm of DR-SFG spectroscopy. This advanced DR-SFG spectroscopy methodology facilitates a more sensitive examination of electronic spectra and the coupling between electronic transitions and vibrational modes, heralding a significant advancement in the understanding of molecular interactions on surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To spectroscopically qualify strength in the π-electron conjugation, the electronic spectra of jet-cooled 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (BPEB) in the region of the transition to the lowest excited singlet (S1) 1B1u state are measured by the fluorescence excitation and the single-vibronic-level dispersed fluorescence methods. Strength is defined as the difference in potential energies between the planar and perpendicular conformations. BPEB possesses two large-amplitude torsional motions, out-of-phase 24 and in-phase 29 modes. The most stable is the planar conformation, and barrier heights at the perpendicular conformation are coincident in torsional potentials for the two modes. Torsional levels are successively observed up to 19± and 16− quantum levels in the ground state, respectively. Strength is determined to be 293 cm−1 (3.51 kJmol−1) with an accuracy of an error range smaller than 1 cm−1. In the excited state, strength is estimated to be 1549 ± 73 cm−1. Combination levels of two torsional modes are also measured up to high quantum levels. A systematic decrease in frequencies is observed with increasing the quantum number. Quantum-chemistry calculations of B3LYP, CAM-B3PLYP, WB97XD, and M062X with basis sets of aug-cc-pVDZ are performed, where B3LYP theories are carried out with the dispersion correlation. The calculated strength is 1.1–2.1 times larger than observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet photo-absorption spectra of azido (–N3)-based energetic plasticizer, bis(1,3-diazido-prop-2-yl)-malonate (abbreviated as BDAzPM), in the gas phase is recorded at room temperature and in the photon energy range of 5.5–9.9 eV using a synchrotron radiation source. Complementary computational results obtained using the time-dependent density functional theory document the vertical transition energies and oscillator strengths. Comparison of the simulated spectra with the experimental absorption spectrum of BDAzPM reveals that the early part of the absorption spectrum of BDAzPM is of pure valence excitation character, whereas the later intense part of the absorption spectrum is dominated by mixed Rydberg and valence electronic excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-resolved pump–probe and two-dimensional spectroscopy are widely used to study ultrafast chemical and biological processes in solutions. However, the corresponding signals at long times can be contaminated by molecular photothermal effects, which are caused by the nonradiative heat dissipation of photoexcited molecules to the surroundings. Additionally, molecular diffusion affects the transient spectroscopic signals because photoexcited molecules can diffuse away from the pump and probe beam focuses. Recently, a theoretical description of molecular photothermal effects on time-resolved IR spectroscopy was reported. In this work, I consider the molecular photothermal process, molecular diffusion, and sample flow to develop a generalized theoretical description of time-resolved spectroscopy. The present work can be used to interpret time-resolved spectroscopic signals of electronic or vibrational chromophores and understand the rate and mechanisms of the conversion of high-frequency molecular electronic and vibrational energy to solvent kinetic energy in condensed phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear optical methods, such as vibrational sum frequency generation (vSFG) and second harmonic generation (SHG), are powerful techniques to study elusive structures at charged buried interfaces. However, for the separation and determination of the Stern and diffuse layer spectra at these charged interfaces, complex vSFG spectra and, hence, the absolute phase need to be retrieved. The maximum entropy method is a useful tool for the retrieval of complex spectra from the intensity spectra; however, one caveat is that an understanding of the error phase is required. Here, for the first time, we provide a physically motivated understanding of the error phase. Determining the error phase from simulated spectra of oscillators with a spectral overlap, we show that for broadband vSFG spectra, such as for the silica/water interface, the diffuse and Stern layers' spectral overlap within the O–H stretching window results in a correlation between the error phase and the phase shift between the responses of these layers. This correlation makes the error phase sensitive to changes in Debye length from varying the ionic strength among other variations at the interface. Furthermore, the change in the magnitude of the error phase can be related to the absolute SHG phase, permitting the use of an error phase model that can utilize the SHG phase to predict the error phase and, hence, the complex vSFG spectra. Finally, we highlight limitations of this model for vSFG spectra with a poor overlap between the diffuse and Stern layer spectra (silica/HOD in D2O system). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational optimal transport is used to analyze the difference between pairs of continuous molecular spectra. It is demonstrated that transport distances which are derived from this approach may be a more appropriate measure of the difference between two continuous spectra than more familiar measures of distance under many common circumstances. Associated with the transport distances is the transport map which provides a detailed analysis of the difference between two molecular spectra and is a key component of our study of quantitative differences between two continuous spectra. The use of optimal transport for comparing molecular spectra is developed in detail here with a set of model spectra, so that the discussion is self-contained. The difference between the transport distance and more common definitions of distance is elucidated for some well-chosen examples and it is shown where transport distances may be very useful alternatives to standard definitions of distance. The transport distance between a theoretical and experimental electronic absorption spectrum for SO2 is studied and it is shown how the theoretical spectrum can be modified to fit the experimental spectrum better adjusting the theoretical band origin and the resolution of the theoretical spectrum. This analysis includes the calculation of transport maps between the theoretical and experimental spectra suggesting future applications of the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic and vibrational spectra of the meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)-porphyrins (TSPP) have been studied computationally using the PFD-3B functional with time-dependent density functional theory for the excited states. The calculated UV-vis absorption and emission spectra in aqueous solution are in excellent agreement with the experimental measurements of both H2TSPP−4 (monomer) at high pH and H4TSPP−2 (forming J-aggregate) at low pH. Moreover, our calculations reveal an infrared absorption at 1900 cm−1 in the singlet and triplet excited states that is absent in the ground state, which is chosen as a probe for transient IR absorption spectroscopy to investigate the vibrational dynamics of the excited state. Specifically, the S2 to S1 excited state internal conversion process time, the S1 state vibrational relaxation time, and the lifetime of the S1 excited electronic state are all quantitatively deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here investigations on conformational effects in the vibrational and electronic spectra of the propionaldehyde (propanal) molecule using FTIR (600–3200 cm−1) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation photoabsorption (52 500–85 000 cm−1) spectroscopy respectively. Detailed theoretical calculations (using DFT and TDDFT methodologies) on ground and excited states of the cis and gauche conformers of propanal are performed; a comprehensive spectral analysis of the IR and VUV spectra is presented. A reinvestigation of the IR spectrum reveals several new bands assigned to the gauche conformer based on theoretical calculations. The VUV spectrum exhibits rich Rydberg series structure assigned to ns, np and nd series converging to the first ionization potentials of the two conformers. Earlier assignments of the 3s cis and gauche origins are revised in addition to extending Rydberg series analysis to several higher members. Vibronic bands accompanying the 3s, 4s and 4p Rydberg states are assigned using estimated vibrational frequencies of cis and gauche conformers in the cationic ground state. Simulated potential energy curves of the first few excited states (singlets and triplets) of cis and gauche conformers of propanal help in gaining insights into photodissociation mechanisms and possible conformational effects therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop an accurate and numerically efficient non-adiabatic path-integral approach to simulate the non-linear spectroscopy of exciton–polariton systems. This approach is based on the partial linearized density matrix approach to model the exciton dynamics with explicit propagation of the phonon bath environment, combined with a stochastic Lindblad dynamics approach to model the cavity loss dynamics. Through simulating both linear and polariton two-dimensional electronic spectra, we systematically investigate how light–matter coupling strength and cavity loss rate influence the optical response signal. Our results confirm the polaron decoupling effect, which is the reduced exciton–phonon coupling among polariton states due to the strong light–matter interactions. We further demonstrate that the polariton coherence time can be significantly prolonged compared to the electronic coherence outside the cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical study on the structural and electronic properties of the p-dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde (DMACA) merocyanine molecule in solvents of different polarities by combining the free energy gradient and the average solvent electrostatic configuration methods via an iterative procedure based on the sequential quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics hybrid methodology. Studying such a system in solution is a crucial step for understanding the solvent effects on its properties, which can have implications in fields such as optoelectronics and biophysics. We found that the DMACA molecule presents different geometries in nonpolar and polar solvents, changing from a polyene-like structure with a pyramidal dimethylamino group (in gas phase or nonpolar solvents) to a cyanine-like structure with a planar dimethylamino group in water due to the stabilizing effect of hydrogen bonds between DMACA and water. The molecular absorption spectrum showed a significant change, increasing solvent polarity with a large shift of the lower energy band, while the other two low lying bands did not shift significantly. The study accurately described the solvatochromic shift of the lowest-energy band and analyzed the structure of the excited states in terms of the one-electron transition density matrix, which showed that the dominant excited state (associated with the first lower energy band) is characterized by a local excitation on the benzene ring with charge transfer character to the carbon conjugated segment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin‐orbit coupling corrected absorption spectra of osmium complexes, [Os(bpy) 3] 2+ and [Os(phen) 3] 2+, were calculated by using ab initio multireference perturbation method (NEVPT2) with relativistic effects taken into account throughout ZORA approximation and corresponding all‐electron basis sets. For the same purpose, the time‐dependent DFT techniques were used. A very good agreement between NEVPT2 and experimental spectra should be highlighted, especially for the MLCT transitions that occur in visible and near‐UV regions (16,000−33,000 cm −1). Moreover, the present study offers description of excited states of titled osmium complexes and their spectra interpretation using molecular orbitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of [Ru(dmso)4Cl2] with a potassium salt of four xanthate (RO–C(＝S)S−; R = Me, Et, iPr and tBu) ligands (depicted as Ln; n = 1–4) in hot methanol afforded a group of mixed-ligand complexes of type [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2]. The crystal structures of all the four complexes have been determined, which show that the xanthate ligands are bound to the metal center forming four-membered chelates and dmso is coordinated through sulfur and they are mutually cis. The relative thermodynamic stability of this cis and the other possible trans-isomers of these complexes has been assessed with the help of DFT calculations, which have revealed that the cis-isomer is the more stable isomer. The coordinated dmso in the [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes could be easily displaced by chelating bidentate ligands (depicted as L′) to furnish complexes of type [Ru(Ln)2(L′)], as demonstrated through isolation of two such complexes, viz. [Ru(L3)2(bpy)] and [Ru(L2)2(phen)] (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). The crystal structure of [Ru(L3)2(bpy)] has been determined and the structure of [Ru(L2)2(phen)] has been optimized by the DFT method. The electronic spectra of the four [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes and the two derivatives ([Ru(Ln)2(L′)]; n = 3, L′ = bpy; n = 2, L′ = phen), recorded in dichloromethane solutions, show intense absorptions spanning the visible and ultraviolet regions, which have been analyzed by the TDDFT method. The [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes are found to serve as efficient catalyst precursors for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of 2-propanol followed by crossed-aldol condensation with substituted benzaldehydes (and related aldehydes), using tert-butoxide as the co-catalyst, producing dibenzylideneacetone derivatives in good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the results of the electrosynthesis of metal–polymer nanocomposites of silver and coatings on pure iron and steel electrodes by combining the process of electropolymerization of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole (VT) with N-vinyl-caprolactam (VC) and cathodic precipitation of metals. During the electrolysis of aqueous and water–ethanol solutions of VT with VC at various ratios in the presence of AgNO3, metal nanocomposites and coatings are formed on purely iron and steel electrodes. The structure and composition of the synthesized metal nanocomposites were confirmed by various physicochemical methods, such as electron and IR spectroscopic, X-ray phase and thermogravimetric, elemental analyses, as well as by transmission electron microscopy. In the electronic spectra of nanocomposites, absorption bands appear with a maximum at 405–421 nm, which is typical for systems with zero-valent silver. The IR spectra show that the matrix structure hardly changes during the formation of nanocomposites and coatings. At high current densities (j ≥ 10 mA/sm2), nanocomposite films are formed on the electrode surface. The silver content in nanocomposites is 0–9%, which leads to an increase in the viscosity of nanocomposite solutions compared to solutions of the initial copolymers. Increasing the silver content above 8% will lead first to a partial and then to a complete loss of solubility. According to the data of transmission electron macroscopy, the synthesized polymer nanocomposites consist of isolated silver nanoparticles, predominantly spherical in shape, uniformly distributed in the bulk of the polymer matrix. The size dispersion of nanoparticles depends on the silver content in the nanoparticles. The thermal decomposition of metal nanocomposites occurs in stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore the added value of spectral computed tomography (CT) parameters to conventional CT features for differentiating tuberculosis-associated fibrosing mediastinitis (TB-associated FM) from endobronchial lung cancer (EBLC). Chest spectral CT enhancement images from 109 patients with atelectasis were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were divided into two distinct categories: the TB-associated FM group (n = 77) and the EBLC group (n = 32), based on bronchoscopy and/or pathological findings. The selection of spectrum parameters was optimized with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. The relationship between the spectrum parameters and conventional parameters was explored using Pearson's correlation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to build spectrum model. The spectrum parameters in the spectrum model were replaced with their corresponding conventional parameters to build the conventional model. Diagnostic performances were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. There was a moderate correlation between the parameters ㏒(L-AEF NIC) - ㏒(L-AEF C) (r = 0.419; p < 0.0001), ㏒(O-AEF 40KeV) - ㏒(O-AEF C) (r = 0.475; p < 0.0001), [L-A-hydroxyapatite {HAP}(I)] - (L-U-CT) (r = 0.604; p < 0.0001), {arterial enhancement fraction (AEF) derived from normalized iodine concentration (NIC) of lymph node (L-AEF NIC), AEF derived from CT 40KeV of bronchial obstruction (O-AEF 40KeV), arterial-phase Hydroxyapatite (Iodine) concentration of lymph node [L-A-HAP(I)], AEF derived from conventional CT (AEF C), unenhanced CT value (U-CT)}. Spectrum model could improve diagnostic performances compared to conventional model (area under curve: 0.965 vs 0.916, p = 0.038). There was a moderate correlation between spectrum parameters and conventional parameters. Integrating conventional CT features with spectrum parameters could further improve the ability in differentiating TB-associated FM from EBLC. • Spectrum parameters correlated moderately with conventional parameters. • Spectrum parameters may be helpful for identifying atelectasis due to tuberculosis-associated fibrosing mediastinitis. • Integrating spectrum parameters with computed tomography features could further improve the differential ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some novel FeIII, CuII, and PdII chelates incorporating N′‐(1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐ylidene)benzohydrazide (MIBA) were fabricated. The tested compounds were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), CHN, spectra analysis (IR, mass spectra, and NMR), melting point, magnetic moments, molar conductance, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, and computational studies. The conductance results showed that the tested FeIII, CuII, and PdII chelates are electrolytes. Magnetic and electronic spectra are applied to deduce the coordinating ability of the tested ligand, and the geometric structure of the studied chelates is found to be octahedral, distorted octahedral, and square planar for FeIII, CuII, and PdII chelates, respectively. The TGA study of these studied complexes displays that the hydrated H2O molecules, acetate, and nitrate are removed in the first and second degradation steps followed directly by degradation of the studied ligand leaving metal oxide as residue. The thermodynamic factors, like ΔS*, ΔH*, E*, A, and ΔG* are evaluated from the TGA curves and explained. The density functional theory (DFT)/B3LYP computation method was applied for the estimation of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP; highest occupied molecular orbital [HOMO] and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital [LUMO]) energy for the studied compounds. In an in vitro study, the antimicrobial effects of the prepared compounds were screened on various strains of bacteria and fungi. It was found that tested compounds exposed a good biological efficacy through IC50 results close to reference drugs and antitumor potential against (MCF‐7, Hep‐G2, and HC‐T116) cell lines. The data obtained displayed that the studied chelates showed promising antitumor activity. The studied metal chelates were screened for in vitro antioxidant efficacy using DPPH assay. The studied compounds explained dynamic satisfying performance. Also, the crystal structures of breast cancer protein (PDB ID: 3HB5) and Escherichia coli (PDB ID: 2VF5) were performed by molecular docking simulation. Data of docking simulation suggestions are which tested compounds have biological behavior as well as have obvious benefit in the pharmaceutical business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for photosensors and gas sensors arises from their pivotal roles in various technological applications, ensuring enhanced efficiency, safety, and functionality in diverse fields. In this paper, interlinked PbS/Sb2O5 thin film has been synthesized by a magnetron sputtering method. We control the temperature to form the nanocomposite by using their different nucleation temperature during the sulfonation process. A nanostructured PbS/Sb2O5 with cross-linked morphology was synthesized by using this fast and efficient method. This method has also been used to grow a uniform thin film of nanocomposite. The photo-sensing and gas-sensing properties related to the PbS/Sb2O5 compared with those of other nanomaterials have also been investigated. The experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that the PbS/Sb2O5 exhibits extraordinarily superior photo-sensing and gas-sensing properties in terms of providing a pathway for electron transport to the electrode. The attractive highly sensitive photo and gas sensing properties of PbS/Sb2O5 make them applicable for many different kinds of applications. The responsivity and detectivity of PbS/Sb2O5 are 0.28 S/mWcm−2 and 1.68 × 1011 Jones respectively. The sensor response towards NO2 gas was found to be 0.98 at 10 ppb with an limit of detection (LOD) of 0.083 ppb. The PbS/Sb2O5 exhibits high selectivity towards the NO2 gas. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) were used to analyze the geometries, electronic structure, and electronic absorption spectra of a light sensor fabricated by PbS/Sb2O5. The results are very analogous to the experimental results. Both photosensors and gas sensors are indispensable tools that contribute significantly to the evolution of technology and the improvement of various aspects of modern life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentagonal two-dimensional (2D) materials, distinguished by their unique pentagonal atomic configurations, have emerged as a new class of materials with remarkable physical and chemical properties. In this work, we investigate the effect of an external electric field and biaxial strain on the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional Pentagonal PtX 2 (X= S, Se, Te) monolayers denoted by Penta-PtX 2 using the first-principles calculations. We found that Penta-PtX 2 monolayers are semiconductors with an indirect band gap of 1.92 eV, 1.51 eV, and 1.4 eV for Penta-PtS 2 , Penta-PtSe 2 , and Penta-PtTe 2 , respectively, that is larger than the 1T phase. External electric fields cause a slight decrease in the band gap of Penta-PtX 2 monolayers without changing the main feature of the electronic band structures. Tensile biaxial strain causes a continuous decrease in the band gap up to 12 % while compressive biaxial strain increases the band gap at first then it starts to decrease. However, phonon dispersion calculations showed that Penta-Ptx 2 are stable under tensile strain up to 12 % while they are unstable under compressive strain. The investigation of the optical properties revealed that monolayers Penta-PtX 2 have in-plane anisotropic optical properties with higher absorption spectra occurring along the y-direction for strained and unstrained structures. The maximum absorption occurs in the Ultraviolet (UV) region, therefore, they can harvest UV and visible photons more effectively. In contrast, the reflectivity is higher along the x-direction for both strained and unstrained monolayers where the maximum reflectivity occurs in the Infrared (IR) region. The combination of anisotropic properties and the unique characteristics of Pentagonal symmetry make Penta-PtX 2 monolayers attractive for fundamental scientific studies to better understand their behavior. They hold great promise for developing new technologies in the fields of optoelectronics and nanotechnology, potentially leading to innovative devices and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was planned to prepare new mixed ligand chelates derived from N‐(4,6‐dimethylpyrimidin‐2‐yl)‐3a,4,5,6,7,7a‐hexahydro‐1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐amine (BIP), and imidazole (I). They identified through CHN study, spectroscopic (NMR, FT‐IR, and UV–Vis), conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, mass analysis, and thermal analysis. Correlation between all results exposed that the BIP ligand performed as a bi‐dentate ligand through NN donation locations, where the co‐ligand shows as N–H monodentate. The optimization for the studied chelates led to the formation of distorted octahedral geometry for BIPICu and BIPIVO chelates, distorted (tetrahedral and square planar) geometry for BIPIAg and BIPIPd chelates, respectively, around the metal salt. The B3LYP level, B3LYP/6‐311G** level for the free ligand, and B3LYP/6–311G**‐LANL2DZ functional level for the solid chelates were used in density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The findings showed that DFT calculations produce conclusions that are consistent with those of the experiments. The resulting compounds' nonlinear optical properties were examined by calculating the hyperpolarizability (β) and molecular polarizability (α) parameters, which gave rise to several unexpected optical properties for the synthesized compounds. Using the agar well diffusion method, the antimicrobial activity of the produced compounds was experimentally confirmed against a subset of G+ and G− bacteria. To ascertain how these substances attach to the targeted protein binding sites, a molecular docking mechanism between the microbially resistant chelates and their suppressed microbial protein pocket receptors was investigated. Also, DNA binding estimated for studied structures was tested by electronic absorption spectrum, viscosity estimation, and gel electrophoresis. Data proposed that all tested compounds link with DNA using an intercalation, electrostatic, and covalent binding mechanism. Moreover, antioxidant performance for studied compounds was governed by radical scavenging techniques in vitro. In addition, an MTT assay has been worked out to explore in vitro cytotoxic impending. All the tested chelates assumed antimicrobial, antitumor, and antioxidant performances that cause them to suggest drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Xanthates are organic compounds of great interest in coordination chemistry due to their different basic sites, which allow them to form complexes with different coordination modes and geometries. These compounds are relevant in the environment and act as heavy metal collectors in aqueous environments. In this theoretical–experimental work, electronic spectroscopy studies of n-propyl xanthate complexes with group 12 metals were performed. This study verified structural differences in these systems, depending on the environment in which they are inserted. In addition, structural differences were observed when the solid was changed to an n-hexane solution. Thus, it was observed that the complexes assume a mononuclear structure in solution, while they present a polymeric form in the solid phase. The electronic spectra obtained through TD-DFT calculations were compared to those of the previously synthesized complexes. In the final theoretical analysis, the main orbitals involved in these transitions were assigned using population analysis calculations. The synthesis of the complexes was confirmed through infrared (MID and FAR), UV‒Vis, Raman, and NMR-1H spectroscopic analyses. Methods: The structures of the mononuclear and polymeric complexes were optimized in vacuum and n-hexane. Under vacuum, DFT levels M06L/6–311 + + G** + LANL2TZ and M06L/def2-TZVP were used for the mononuclear complexes, and M06L/LANL2DZ + LANL2 were used for the polymer complexes. For the calculations of the mononuclear complexes in n-hexane, the same level of theory was used for the solid state. TD-DFT calculations for 300 excited states were performed with the same levels of theory and used the optimized structures of the complexes. Furthermore, population analysis was carried out on all the systems studied. Gaussian 09 software was used for the structure optimization, TD-DFT, and population analysis calculations. GaussSum software was used to evaluate the molecular orbitals and electronic spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the properties and intermolecular interactions of nitrosamine oligomers, which are important in both semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear waste management. The study explores various configurations of nitrosamine oligomers, ranging from monomers to pentamers in linear, ladder, and cyclic clusters, with the finding that dimer cyclic forms and hexamers and above are unstable. Many‐body analysis revealed that two‐body interaction energies made remarkable contributions to the binding energy, while the sum of 3‐, 4‐, and 5‐body energy contributed less, indicating the decrease in stability of nitrosamine from dimer to pentamer clusters. Using advanced computational techniques, such as dispersion‐corrected B3LYP‐D3 and TD‐DFT, the study investigates the vibrational modes and electronic absorption spectra of nitrosamine oligomers. The results reveal that different configurations can significantly affect the vibrational modes and electronic properties of nitrosamine oligomers. The NH2 symmetric and asymmetric modes were particularly intense in various forms of nitrosamine oligomers. The wavelengths of electronic transition, oscillator strength, and HOMO to LUMO gap were reported. Additionally, the study reports on nitrosamine oligomers' hydrogen‐bonded cooperativity and binding energy contributions. Overall, these findings offer valuable insights into the stability and properties of nitrosamine oligomers, with potential applications in materials science and chemical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their high electronegativity and small atomic radius without undesirable steric hindrance, the incorporation of fluorine atoms onto a conjugated backbone has been proven to be a very effective way to tune the energy levels of organic semiconductors. In this paper, 5-fluorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadizole was adopted as the electron-deficient unit, thiophene and alkylthiophene as donor units, and further, thiophene and EDOT were taken as peripheral donor units, and one D–A–D and two D–π–A–π′–D fluorinated electrochromic polymer precursors were successfully synthesized via a Stille coupling reaction, namely F-BT, F-BT-Th, and F-BT-EDOT. Due to the elongation of the π-conjugated systems of precursors with the stronger electron-donating ability of the EDOT unit, the oxidation potential of the F-BT-EDOT precursor was further reduced to 0.56 V vs. Ag/AgCl accompanied by red-shifted electronic spectra. As-electropolymerized P(F-BT-EDOT) also showed favorable redox activity and excellent redox stability (<2.33% electroactivity loss after 1000 cycles). At the same time, the optical band gap of P(F-BT-EDOT) (1.37 eV) is much lower than that of P(F-BT-Th) and P(F-BT) (1.62 eV), and a stable reversible electrochromic change from dark green to dark blue was achieved with a fast response time. In the near-infrared region, P(F-BT-EDOT) shows intriguing overall electrochromic performance with a high optical contrast of up to 33% and a coloration efficiency of 196.3 cm2 C−1 at 1100 nm. It can be seen that the introduction of a strong electron-donor EDOT unit could bring about a new breakthrough in the electrochromic performance of 5-fluorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadizole-based fluorinated D–A polymers and enhancement in their stability, and it is expected to be applied in near-infrared electrochromic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flumequine ligand (FLQ) metal complexes of the [M(FLQ)2(Cl)(H2O)].nH2O type, where M are (La(III), Sm(III), and Tb(III)) and FLQ is flumequine have been synthesized. The FLQ metal complexes could be prepared using MCl3 : flumequine in stoichiometry of 1:2 in situ bidentate chelation. The characterization of FLQ complexes obtained have been done using elemental analyses (%C, %H and %N), molar conductivity (Λm), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electronic spectra (UV-Vis), thermal analysis (TGA), and physicochemical techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements at room temperature. Accordingly, these complexes are indicative of an octahedral coordination structure. Flumequine ligand has a bidentate fashion through the oxygen atoms of carbonyl (quinolone) and carboxylic groups. The findings demonstrated the anti-cancer efficacy of these compounds against HepG-2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines at extremely low doses of up to 58.2 · g/mL. The La(III) complex was shown to have the highest selectivity against cancer cells in comparable with both samarium and terbium(III) complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organometallic complexes, including copper atom, have attracted great interest as thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters for light emitting diode (LED) applications. This is ascribed to the potential low-cost, abundant availability of copper and most importantly to the ability of copper to enhance the spin–orbit couplings and, consequently, increase the reverse intersystem crossing rates. In this article, we use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the excited state properties of six copper complexes based on N-heterocyclic carbene ligand, monoamido-amino carbene and diamido carbene, and carbazole ligand. The DFT calculations show that the lowest excited states consist of three groups, i.e., (i) local carbazole excitations, (ii) carbazole-to-carbene intramolecular charge transfer states, and (iii) metal-to-ligand charge transfer states. Only the latter states are characterized with large spin–orbit couplings. The DFT calculations show that the surrounding medium could have a major effect on electronic spectrum by reordering the states. Our results suggest that the TADF properties of the investigated complexes can be affected by the chemical structure of the ligands as well as by the dielectric properties of the LED device active layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work aims to investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) activity of piperazine‐1,4‐diium acetate (PAA) molecule utilizing computational techniques. The computational calculations are performed using density functional theory (DFT) to explore the vibrational modes, electronic and NLO properties of PAA by comparing them with piperazine and acetic acid molecules. The natural bond orbital analysis is performed to identify hydrogen bonding and charge transfer interaction. A vibrational analysis is carried out and the assignment of fundamental modes is done using the vibrational energy distribution analysis (VEDA) program. Molecular electrostatic potential, frontier molecular orbital, electron localization function, localized orbital locator and Fukui analysis are carried out to identify chemical reactivity and charge transfer interaction. The UV–visible analysis is performed to obtain the electronic absorption spectrum. The hole–electron analysis is performed for the first five excitations to identify the type of excitation. The atoms in molecules, reduced density gradient and independent gradient model are performed to identify the hydrogen bonding, steric and van der Waals interactions. Hirshfeld analysis is performed to explore the intermolecular interactions within the PAA molecule. The NLO calculation is performed to evaluate the NLO parameters. The obtained results show that the PAA molecule is suitable for NLO applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The electronic properties and optical properties of Cr-doped monolayer WS2 under uniaxial compressive deformation have been investigated based on density functional theory. In terms of electronic structure properties, both intrinsic and doped system bandgaps decrease with the increase of compression deformation, and the values of the bandgap under the same compression deformation after Cr doping are reduced compared with the corresponding intrinsic states. When the compressive deformation reaches 10%, both the intrinsic and doped system band gaps are close to zero. New electronic states and impurity energy levels appear in the WS2 system when doped with Cr atoms. For the optical properties, the calculation and analysis of the dielectric function under each deformation regime of monolayer WS2 show that the compression deformation affects the dielectric function, and when the compression deformation is 10%, the un-doped and Cr-doped regimes show a decrease in ε1(ω) compared to the compression deformation of 8%. For each deformation system, the peak reflections occur in the ultraviolet region. Near the position where the second peak of the absorption spectrum appears, it can be seen that the ability of each system to absorb light gradually decreases with the increase of the amount of deformation and appears to be red-shifted to varying degrees. Methods: This study follows the initial principles of the density functional theory framework and is based on the CASTEP module of Materials-Studio software GGA and PBE generalizations are used to perform computations such as geometry optimization of the model. We have calculated the energy band structure of monolayer WS2 with intrinsic and compressive deformations of 2% and 4% using PBE and HSE06, respectively. The band gap values calculated using PBE are 1.802 eV, 1.663 eV, and 1.353 eV, respectively, and the band gap values calculated with HSE06 are 2.267 eV, 2.034 eV, 1.751 eV. The results show that the bandgap values calculated by HSE06 are significantly higher than those calculated by PBE, but the bandgap variations calculated by the two methods have the same trend, and the shape characteristics of the energy band structure are also the same. However, it is worth noting that the computation time required for the HSE06 calculation is much longer than that of the PBE, which is far beyond the capability of our computer hardware, and the purpose of this paper is to investigate the change rule of the effect of deformation on the bandgap value, so to save the computational resources, the next calculations are all calculated using the PBE. The Monkhorst–Pack special K-point sampling method is used in the calculations. The cutoff energy for the plane wave expansion is 400 eV, and the K-point grid is assumed to be 5 × 5 × 1. Following geometric optimization, the iterative precision converges to a value of less than 0.03 eV/Å for all atomic forces and at least 1 × 10−5 eV/atom for the total energy of each atom. The vacuum layer's thickness was selected at 20 Å to mitigate the impact of the interlayer contact force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Push–pull compounds are model systems and have numerous applications. By changing their substituents, properties are modified and new molecules for different applications can be designed. The work investigates the gas-phase electronic absorption spectra of 15 derivatives of push–pull para–nitroaniline (pNA). This molecule has applications in pharmaceuticals, azo dyes, corrosion inhibitors, and optoelectronics. Both electron-donor and electron-withdrawing groups were investigated. Employing machine learning–derived Hammett's constants σm, σm0, σR, and σI, correlations between substituents and electronic properties were obtained. Overall, the σm0 constants presented the best correlation with HOMO and LUMO energies, whereas the σR constants best agreed with the transition energy of the first band and HOMO–LUMO energy gap. Electron-donors, which have lower σR values, redshift the absorption spectrum and reduce the HOMO–LUMO energy gap. Conversely, electron-withdrawing groups (higher σR's) blueshift the spectrum and increase the energy gap. The second band maximum energies, studied here for the first time, showed no correlation with σ but tended to increase with σ. A comprehensive charge transfer (CT) analysis of the main transition of all systems was also carried out. We found that donors (lower σ's) slightly enhance the CT character of the unsubstituted pNA, whereas acceptors (higher σ's) decrease it, leading to increased local excitations within the aromatic ring. The overall CT variation is not large, except for pNA–SO2H, which considerably decreases the total CT value. We found that the strong electron donors pNA–OH, pNA–OCH3, and pNA–NH2, which have the smallest HOMO–LUMO energy gaps and lowest σ's, have potential for optoelectronic applications. The results show that none of the studied molecules is fluorescent in the gas phase. However, pNA–NH2 and pNA–COOH in cyclohexane and water reveal fluorescence upon solvation. Methods: We investigated theoretically employing the second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)) ab initio wave function and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) the gas-phase electronic absorption spectra of 15 derivatives of p–nitroaniline (pNA). The investigated substituents include both electron-donor (C6H5, CCH, CH3, NH2, OCH3, and OH,) and electron-withdrawing (Br, CCl3, CF3, Cl, CN, COOH, F, NO2, and SO2H) substituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear and nonlinear electronic spectra provide an important tool to probe the absorption and transfer of electronic energy. Here, we introduce a pure state Ehrenfest approach to obtain accurate linear and nonlinear spectra that is applicable to systems with large numbers of excited states and complex chemical environments. We achieve this by representing the initial conditions as sums of pure states and unfolding multi-time correlation functions into the Schrödinger picture. By doing this, we show that one can obtain significant improvements in accuracy over the previously used projected Ehrenfest approach and that these benefits are particularly pronounced in cases where the initial condition is a coherence between excited states. While such initial conditions do not arise when calculating linear electronic spectra, they play a vital role in capturing multidimensional spectroscopies. We demonstrate the performance of our method by showing that it is able to quantitatively capture the exact linear, 2D electronic spectroscopy, and pump–probe spectra for a Frenkel exciton model in slow bath regimes and is even able to reproduce the main spectral features in fast bath regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following up on our previous work on vibrationally resolved electronic absorption spectra including the effect of vibrational pre-excitation [von Cosel et al., J. Chem. Phys. 147, 164116 (2017)], we present a combined theoretical and experimental study of two-photon-induced vibronic transitions in polyatomic molecules that are probed in the VIbrationally Promoted Electronic Resonance experiment using two-photon excitation (2P-VIPER). In order to compute vibronic spectra, we employ time-independent and time-dependent methods based on the evaluation of Franck–Condon overlap integrals and Fourier transformations of time-domain correlation functions, respectively. The time-independent approach uses a generalized version of the FCclasses method, while the time-dependent approach relies on the analytical evaluation of Gaussian moments within the harmonic approximation, including Duschinsky rotation effects. For the Coumarin 6 dye, two-dimensional 2P-VIPER experiments involving excitation to the lowest-lying singlet excited state (S1) are presented and compared with corresponding one-photon VIPER spectra. In both cases, coumarin ring modes and a CO stretch mode show VIPER activity, albeit with different relative intensities. Selective pre-excitation of these modes leads to a pronounced redshift of the low-frequency edge of the electronic absorption spectrum, which is a prerequisite for the VIPER experiment. Theoretical analysis underscores the role of interference between Franck–Condon and Herzberg–Teller effects in the two-photon experiment, which is at the root of the observed intensity distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay of nuclear and electronic dynamics characterizes the multidimensional electronic spectra of various molecular and solid-state systems. Theoretically, the observable effect of such interplay can be accounted for by response functions. Here, we report analytical expressions for the response functions corresponding to a class of model systems. These are characterized by coupling between the diabatic electronic states and the vibrational degrees of freedom, resulting in linear displacements of the corresponding harmonic oscillators, and by nonadiabatic couplings between pairs of diabatic states. In order to derive the linear response functions, we first perform the Dyson expansion of the relevant propagators with respect to the nonadiabatic component of the Hamiltonian, then derive and expand with respect to the displacements the propagators at given interaction times, and finally provide analytical expressions for the time integrals that lead to the different contributions to the linear response function. The approach is then applied to the derivation of third-order response functions describing different physical processes: ground state bleaching, stimulated emission, excited state absorption, and double quantum coherence. Comparisons between the results obtained up to sixth order in the Dyson expansion and independent numerical calculation of the response functions provide evidence of the series convergence in a few representative cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores the structural, electronic, magnetic, elastic, dynamic, and thermoelectric properties of sp-based half-Heusler (HH) RbBaX (X = Si and Ge) compounds using density functional theory (DFT) and the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within the WIEN2k software package. We evaluate the exchange correlation potential using two different approaches: The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the modified Becke–Johnson approach. We observe that RbBaX (X = Si and Ge) adopts a ferromagnetic configuration based on the analysis of total energy against volume. We establish that these alloys possess a genuine half-metallic character because of the full spin polarization observed at the Fermi level in their electronic spectrum. Both compounds under investigation have a total magnetic moment of 1.00 μ B, in agreement with the Slater–Pauling principle. The Born stability criteria for cubic structures and phonon dispersion patterns confirm the mechanical and dynamic stability of RbBaX (X = Si and Ge) alloys. The thermoelectric properties reveal a p-type semiconductor nature, characterized by significant positive Seebeck values. The thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) calculated for both alloys at 300 K approaches unity, highlighting their remarkable thermoelectric efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of nine different polymorphs of silica are investigated with both the traditional generalized gradient approximation (GGA) scheme and the hybrid functional. These include the 4:2-coordinated systems of quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, and keatite, as well as the 6:3-coordinated stishovite. The phases with similar crystal structures tend to share analogous electronic and optical features, while these properties are different in the case of stishovite. For the 4:2-coordinated polymorphs, linear relations are firmly established between the bandgap and the static dielectric constant vs the unit cell volume, respectively. Further investigation of their refractive indices also reveals a strong linearity with the corresponding densities. Our calculation with the sX functional reproduces the experimental bandgap values well, while GGA is superior for the overall trends of their optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many quantum chemical methods used for large complexes are based on a limited treatment of electrons due to the computational demand dictated by the number of electrons that must be explicitly considered, especially when considering the chemical environment. Such treatments can fail to correlate accurately with electronic spectra. Ab initio electronic structure theory using the spin–orbit configuration interaction method is applied in a study of spectral transitions in PtCl42− including counter-ion environmental effects. In this method, electronic wave functions are eigenfunctions of the total angular momentum operator belonging to one of the symmetry types of the molecular double group. PtCl42− is investigated as a charged gas phase complex, a point-charge-neutralized complex, and a pseudopotential-neutralized complex. Results indicate that the use of a whole-atom relativistic effective core potential for the potassium cation provides a more accurate representation of the environment than a point charge and accurately represents electronic states without increasing the complexity of the calculation and, therefore, its computational demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-film materials from μ m thickness down to single-atomic-layered 2D materials play a central role in many novel electronic and optical applications. Coherent, nonlinear optical (NLO) μ -spectroscopy offers insight into the local thickness, stacking order, symmetry, or electronic and vibrational properties. Thin films and 2D materials are usually supported on multi-layered substrates leading to (multi-)reflections, interference, or phase jumps at interfaces during μ -spectroscopy, which all can make the interpretation of experiments particularly challenging. The disentanglement of the influence parameters can be achieved via rigorous theoretical analysis. In this work, we compare two self-developed modeling approaches, a semi-analytical and a fully vectorial model, to experiments carried out in thin-film geometry for two archetypal NLO processes, second-harmonic and third-harmonic generation. In particular, we demonstrate that thin-film interference and phase matching do heavily influence the signal strength. Furthermore, we work out key differences between three and four photon processes, such as the role of the Gouy-phase shift and the focal position. Last, we can show that a relatively simple semi-analytical model, despite its limitations, is able to accurately describe experiments at a significantly lower computational cost as compared to a full vectorial modeling. This study lays the groundwork for performing quantitative NLO μ -spectroscopy on thin films and 2D materials, as it identifies and quantifies the impact of the corresponding sample and setup parameters on the NLO signal, in order to distinguish them from genuine material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we analyze the effectiveness of different sets of well-known necessary N-representability conditions that are imposed on the variational determination of two-electron reduced density matrices corresponding to the ground and excited states of N-electron Hamiltonians within doubly occupied configuration interaction subspaces. The two-electron reduced density matrix elements are determined so that they are suitably related to those of higher-order reduced density matrices and other associated matrices, up to a given order, constituting positive semidefinite matrices. These conditions up to two-, three-, and four-order have been sequentially imposed on the variational calculation of the expectation values of the dispersion operator corresponding to several Hamiltonian models, obtaining the electronic spectra. These results have been contrasted with those arising from the full configuration interaction method, illuminating the sufficiency/insufficiency of the variational N-representability conditions applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assign cis and trans isomers of m-tolyl isocyanate (mTI) and p-phenylene diisocyanate (pPDI) in the electronic excitation transition, we measured the time-of-flight mass-selected resonant ionization spectra of jet-cooled phenyl isocyanate (PI), mTI, and pPDI in the region of the 275 nm first ππ* absorption system. In the excitation spectra of jet-cooled mTI and pPDI, cis- and trans-rotational isomers appeared as doublets. Isomers were assigned by analyzing the methyl-group internal rotation for mTI and by applying low-frequency bending vibrations to the mutual exclusion rule between the one- and two-photon spectra for pPDI. The electronic spectra of the three molecules observed in the jet were assigned to the transition to the first ππ* and third singlet excited states with the aid of time-dependent (TD)-B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ and TD-CAM-B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations. The 0 − 0 band of PI was observed at 36 354 cm−1, those of the cis and trans isomers of mTI at 36 018 and 35 853 cm−1, respectively, and those of the cis and trans isomers of pPDI at 34 437 and 34 383 cm−1, respectively. All vibronic bands were diffuse, probably because of internal conversion to two singlet nπ* states. For mTI, based on changes in the barrier height of methyl-group internal rotation upon excitation, the Hammett-σm of PI was determined to be −0.12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The computational predictions of transition-metal tri-chalcogenide (TMTCs) were performed using ab initio density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the electronic band structure, the partial density of states (PDOS), optical absorptions, dielectric functions, complex conductivity, reflectivity, refractive index, electron loss, the Poisson's ratio, Young's modulus, bulk-to-shear ratio, and phonon dispersion. The bandgap is measured from the valence band maximum (VBM) to the conduction band minimum (CBM) with the G–Z transitions. This suggests that the material is an indirect bandgap semiconductor. The electronic bandgap ( E g) is significantly improved with nonlocal hybrid functionals, especially in HSE0s, with E g of 1.0 eV, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental data. However, our data shows that the HF-LDA exchange correlations significantly overestimate the E g with 7.33 eV. Also, our optical absorption data indicates a high absorption coefficient of about 2. 9 × 1 0 5 cm − 1 . The absorption peak of 7.4 eV indicates TiS3 can be applied in vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) applications. The reflectivity is also shown to be high, with over 90% of light being reflected. The mechanical stability of the monoclinic system can be testified by our elastic coefficients and the phonon dispersions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations on binding strength differences of non-covalent protein complex components were performed by mass spectrometry. T4 fibritin foldon (T4Ff) is a well-studied miniprotein, which together with its biotinylated version served as model system to represent a compactly folded protein to which an Intrinsically Disordered Region (IDR) was attached. The apparent enthalpies of the gas phase dissociation reactions of the homo-trimeric foldon F-F-F and of the homo-trimeric triply biotinylated foldon bF-bF-bF have been determined to be rather similar (3.32 kJ/mol and 3.85 kJ/mol) but quite distinct from those of the singly and doubly biotinylated hetero-trimers F-F-bF and F-bF-bF (1.86 kJ/mol and 1.08 kJ/mol). Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the ground states of the (biotinylated) T4Ff trimers are highly symmetric and well comparable to each other, indicating that the energy levels of all four (biotinylated) T4Ff trimer ground states are nearly indistinguishable. The experimentally determined differences and/or similarities in enthalpies of the complex dissociation reactions are explained by entropic spring effects, which are noticeable in the T4Ff hetero-trimers but not in the T4Ff homo-trimers. A lowering of the transition state energy levels of the T4Ff hetero-trimers seems likely because the biotin moieties, mimicking intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), induced asymmetries in the transition states of the biotinylated T4Ff hetero-trimers. This transition state energy level lowering effect is absent in the T4Ff homo-trimer, as well as in the triply biotinylated T4Ff homo-trimer. In the latter, the IDR-associated entropic spring effects on complex stability cancel each other out. ITEM-FIVE enabled semi-quantitative determination of energy differences of complex dissociation reactions, whose differences were modulated by IDRs attached to compactly folded proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin (Cur) metal complexes of Mg(II), Ca(II), Cu(II), Cr(III), and Se(IV) were prepared and characterized using elemental analysis, molar conductance, IR, UV-spectra, 1H NMR, SEM, TEM, and X-ray diffraction. The very low values of molar conductance confirm that Cl-ions are absent inside or outside the chelation sphere confirming their non-electrolytic nature, while for Cr(III) Cur is high compared to other curcumin complexes, confirming that Cl-ions are inside the complexation sphere. Based on IR and electronic spectra, the Cur C=O group in enol form chelated to Mg(II), Ca(II), Cu(II), Cr(III), and tetravalent metal (Se). The surface morphology of the curcumin chelates showed an increase in particle size and irregular grains shaped with an elongated morphology. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Cur chelates have spherical black spots like shape with a particle size of 72.21-88.75 nm, 34.89-57.33 nm, and 80.71-100 nm for Cu(II), Zn(II), and Se(IV) Cur respectively. X-ray powder diffraction patterns for Cu(II) Cur complexes showed particle size within 70-90 nm; the antioxidant activities of Cur and its metal complexes were assessed. Results showed that the Cur complexes with Cr, Mg, Ca, Cu, or Se showed potent antioxidant activities. Further studies could evaluate the potency of these complexes to elevate the antioxidant defense system and enhance body functions against degenerative diseases, such as aging, Alzheimer's disease, and viral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research focused on the Schiff base ligand (S,E)-2-((2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene) amino)-3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoic acid which synthesis by reacting L-histidine and 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde. Its complexes with Ce(III) and Fe(III) both in bulk and nano size were also synthesized. The ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by various physicochemical methods such as FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, electronic spectra, XRD, TGA, and SEM. The synthesized ligand and its metal complexes were screened against different fungi. It was found from the results that the cerium nano complex shows a potent antifungal activity for indoor uses as wallpapers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of polarity and hydrogen bonding ability of solvents on the absorption spectrum of Congo red was investigated. UV–Visible absorption spectra were recorded in eight neat solvents and four aqueous binary solutions of methanol, ethanol (as HBD solvents), and dimethylsulfoxide and dioxane (as HBA solvents). Congo red has two absorption maxima in the range (250–700 nm) that have been assigned to the azo and hydrazo systems. Molar transition energy (ET) values of Congo red in different solvents were correlated with the solvent parameters using linear solvation energy relationships. Multiparameter analysis shows the dependence of the electronic spectra of Congo red on the non-specific and specific interactions. Preferential solvation was observed in all binary mixtures when ET plotted as a function of mole fraction of organic solvents. The results showed that the Congo red was solvated by water–organic solvent complex species in all binary mixtures except in case of aqueous-ethanol mixtures, whose preferred solvation by ethanol in all mole fractions with f12/2 and f12/1 values less than unity. The dual-parameters model is a powerful tool for explaining binary mixture data with Kamlet–Taft parameters. The findings indicated that the HBD and HBA were responsible for the solvatochromism of the binary mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new arsenato-polyoxovanadate with the composition {[Ni(dien)2]3[V6As8O26]}2+·2 Cl– has been crystallized under solvothermal conditions as turquoise block-like crystals. The central structural feature is the [V6IVAs8IIIO26]4– cluster anion, which is composed of two trinuclear {V3O11} groups consisting of three edge-sharing VO5 polyhedra. Pairs of pyramidal AsO3 moieties share a common corner forming As2O5 units, which interconnect the {V3O11} groups. One of the [Ni(dien)2]2+ complexes adopts the s-fac (Ni1) and the second complex the mer configuration (Ni2). The Cl− anion is involved in strong hydrogen bonding interactions and links the [Ni(dien)2]2+ complexes to form twelve-membered rings which host the [V6As8O26]4– cluster anions. The Hirshfeld surface analysis yields a detailed picture of the intermolecular interactions revealing clear differences for the two unique [Ni(dien)2]2+ complexes. Intermolecular contacts also include As⋯H, O⋯H and H⋯H interactions. In the electronic spectrum the bands of d–d transitions of the vanadyl group and of the Ni2+ cations overlap, preventing a detailed analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) offers a tractable means to predict electronic excitation spectra of ices if sufficient care is taken in selecting the DFT functional, basis sets, and the number of excited states. In this work 48 functionals in conjunction with various correlation consistent basis sets were benchmarked for predicting electronic spectra. A training set of important astromolecules was chosen: carbon monoxide, water, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, methanol, and the hydroxyl radical. Vertical excitation energies between the ground and first excited state and some higher excited states were calculated using multireference configuration interaction calculations to serve as benchmarks for gas phase TDDFT calculations. When used in conjunction with aug-cc-pVDZ quality correlation consistent basis sets, two functionals, MPW1K and ωB97, emerged as very good choices to model electronic excitations for most of the molecules in the training set. Cluster calculation predictions for the UV spectra of amorphous ices of water and ammonia were performed at the TDDFT-MPW1K/AVDZ and TDDFT-ωB97/AVDZ levels and then compared against experimental data. The calculations qualitatively reproduce the shapes of the spectra for the most part and quantitatively predict the position of the critical first absorption peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusion of one of the natural enantiomers of linalool ((R)-(-)-linalool, simply LIN) into cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]s) was investigated by means of DFTB + and DFT computations with Grimme's dispersion correction and geometric counterpoise treatment. Among different cucurbit[n = 5 ~ 9]urils, some diastereoisomers of CB[7] can form relatively stable inclusion complexes (LIN@CB[n]s) with LIN in water. Hydrogen bonds and dispersion interaction between CB[n] and LIN play an important role in formation of the inclusion complexes. Molecular electrostatic potential, non-covalent interaction, and natural bond analysis were carried out for interpretation of stability of the relatively stable LIN@CB[7]s. Theoretical computations showed that LIN@i-CB[7] was the most stable and it can offer increased solubility to linalool in water than the normal CB[7]. The calculated electronic spectra of linalool, i-CB[7], and LIN@i-CB[7] showed that inclusion of linalool into i-CB[7] can be useful in protection of linalool from photo-degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]