A new formulation of time-dependent density functional tight binding (TD-DFTB) is reported in thi... more A new formulation of time-dependent density functional tight binding (TD-DFTB) is reported in this paper. It is derived from the application of the linear response theory to the ground state DFTB Hamiltonian, without the introduction of additional parameters for the description of the excited states. The method is validated for several sets of organic compounds, against the best theoretical estimates from the literature, density functional theory, semiempirical methods, and experimental data. The comparison shows that TD-DFTB gives reliable results both for singlet and triplet excitation energies. In addition, the application of TD-DFTB to open-shell systems shows promising results.
The Density Functional Tight Binding (DFTB) and Time Dependent DFTB (TD-DFTB) methods have been c... more The Density Functional Tight Binding (DFTB) and Time Dependent DFTB (TD-DFTB) methods have been coupled with the Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) of solvation, aiming to study spectroscopic properties for large systems in condensed phases. The calculation of the ground and the excited state energies, together with the analytical gradient and Hessian of the ground state energy, have been implemented in a fully analytical and computationally effective approach. After sketching the theoretical background of both DFTB and PCM, we describe the details of both the formalism and the implementation. We report a number of examples ranging from vibrational to electronic spectroscopy, and we identify the strengths and the limitations of the DFTB/PCM method. We also evaluate DFTB as a component in a hybrid approach, together with a more refined quantum mechanical (QM) method and PCM, for the specific case of anharmonic vibrational spectra.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of... more Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of large and complex molecular systems are very sought after. Indeed, due to the great variety of intra-and inter-molecular interactions which may take place, the interpretation of experimental data becomes more and more difficult as the system under study increases in size and/or is placed in a complex environment, such as condensed phases. In this framework, we are actively developing a comprehensive and robust computational protocol aimed at quantitative reproduction of the spectra of nucleic acid base complexes, with increasing complexity towards condensed phases and monolayers of biomolecules on solid supports. We have resorted to fully anharmonic quantum mechanical computations within the generalized second order vibrational perturbation theory (GVPT2) approach, combined with the cost-effective B3LYP-D3 method, in conjunction with basis sets of double-ζ plus polarization quality. Such approach has been validated in a previous work (PCCP 2014, 16, 10112-10128) for simulating the IR spectra of the monomers of nucleobases and some of their dimers. In the present contribution we have extended such computational protocol to simulate spectroscopic properties of a molecular solid, namely poly-crystalline uracil. Firstly we have selected a realistic molecular model for representing the spectroscopic properties of uracil in the solid state, the uracil heptamer, and then we have computed the relative anharmonic frequencies combining less demanding approaches such as the hybrid B3LYP-D3/DFTBA one, in which the harmonic frequencies are computed at a higher level of theory (B3LYP-D3/N07D) while the anharmonic shifts are evaluated at a lower level of theory (DFTBA), and the reduced dimensionality VPT2 (RD-VPT2) approach, where only selected vibrational modes are computed anharmonically along with the couplings with other modes.
The journal of physical chemistry. A, Jan 18, 2014
Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of... more Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of large and complex molecular systems are very sought after. Indeed, due to the great variety of intra- and intermolecular interactions that may take place, the interpretation of experimental data becomes more and more difficult as the system under study increases in size or is placed in a complex environment, such as condensed phases. In this framework, we are actively developing a comprehensive and robust computational protocol aimed at quantitative reproduction of the spectra of nucleic acid base complexes, with increasing complexity toward condensed phases and monolayers of biomolecules on solid supports. We have resorted to fully anharmonic quantum mechanical computations within the generalized second-order vibrational perturbation theory (GVPT2) approach, combined with the cost-effective B3LYP-D3 method, in conjunction with basis sets of double-ζ plus polarization quality. Such an a...
The journal of physical chemistry. A, Jan 23, 2015
In this paper, we extend an integrated QM/MM/polarizable continuum model (PCM) method, which comb... more In this paper, we extend an integrated QM/MM/polarizable continuum model (PCM) method, which combines a fluctuating charge (FQ) approach to the MM polarization with the PCM, to describe electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of systems in aqueous solution. The main features of the approach are presented, and then applications to the UV and ECD spectra of neutral (S)-nicotine in aqueous solution are reported. The performance of the QM/FQ/PCM is compared with that of the PCM against newly measured UV ECD spectra, which are in agreement with previous findings. The inclusion of specific solvation effects via the QM/FQ/PCM method leads to an improvement in the calculated spectra compared to the experimental findings, though the pure PCM results are still qualitatively correct and are a useful tool for the characterization of the states.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
Chemisorption of glycine on Si(100) has been studied by an integrated computational strategy base... more Chemisorption of glycine on Si(100) has been studied by an integrated computational strategy based on perturbative anharmonic computations employing geometries and harmonic force fields evaluated by hybrid density functionals coupled to purposely tailored basis sets. It is shown that such a strategy allows the prediction of spectroscopic properties of isolated and chemisorbed molecules with comparable accuracy, paving the route toward a detailed analysis of surface-induced changes of glycine vibrational spectra. a Scuola Normale Superiore and INSTM M3-Village, piazza dei Cavalieri 7,
Perturbative anharmonic computations have been used to simulate the IR spectrum of glycine, takin... more Perturbative anharmonic computations have been used to simulate the IR spectrum of glycine, taking into account its three most stable conformers. The theoretical results have been directly compared with their experimental counterparts, showing good agreement between the latter and the spectra obtained after proper averaging of the contributions from the three most stable glycine conformers. The results show that direct simulation of the overall vibrational spectrum within a second-order perturbative treatment is feasible and leads to a better understanding of experimental data. Additionally, it has been shown that accurate results can be obtained even when several molecular species need to be considered simultaneously. The computations performed at the B3LYP/aug-N07D level have shown their reliability in the prediction of both vibrational energy levels and IR intensities beyond the harmonic approximation. This kind of computations represents an important tool for the analysis of vibrational spectra for complex medium-to-large molecular systems. (M. Biczysko), vincenzo.barone@ sns.it (V. Barone).
A new formulation of time-dependent density functional tight binding (TD-DFTB) is reported in thi... more A new formulation of time-dependent density functional tight binding (TD-DFTB) is reported in this paper. It is derived from the application of the linear response theory to the ground state DFTB Hamiltonian, without the introduction of additional parameters for the description of the excited states. The method is validated for several sets of organic compounds, against the best theoretical estimates from the literature, density functional theory, semiempirical methods, and experimental data. The comparison shows that TD-DFTB gives reliable results both for singlet and triplet excitation energies. In addition, the application of TD-DFTB to open-shell systems shows promising results.
The Density Functional Tight Binding (DFTB) and Time Dependent DFTB (TD-DFTB) methods have been c... more The Density Functional Tight Binding (DFTB) and Time Dependent DFTB (TD-DFTB) methods have been coupled with the Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) of solvation, aiming to study spectroscopic properties for large systems in condensed phases. The calculation of the ground and the excited state energies, together with the analytical gradient and Hessian of the ground state energy, have been implemented in a fully analytical and computationally effective approach. After sketching the theoretical background of both DFTB and PCM, we describe the details of both the formalism and the implementation. We report a number of examples ranging from vibrational to electronic spectroscopy, and we identify the strengths and the limitations of the DFTB/PCM method. We also evaluate DFTB as a component in a hybrid approach, together with a more refined quantum mechanical (QM) method and PCM, for the specific case of anharmonic vibrational spectra.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of... more Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of large and complex molecular systems are very sought after. Indeed, due to the great variety of intra-and inter-molecular interactions which may take place, the interpretation of experimental data becomes more and more difficult as the system under study increases in size and/or is placed in a complex environment, such as condensed phases. In this framework, we are actively developing a comprehensive and robust computational protocol aimed at quantitative reproduction of the spectra of nucleic acid base complexes, with increasing complexity towards condensed phases and monolayers of biomolecules on solid supports. We have resorted to fully anharmonic quantum mechanical computations within the generalized second order vibrational perturbation theory (GVPT2) approach, combined with the cost-effective B3LYP-D3 method, in conjunction with basis sets of double-ζ plus polarization quality. Such approach has been validated in a previous work (PCCP 2014, 16, 10112-10128) for simulating the IR spectra of the monomers of nucleobases and some of their dimers. In the present contribution we have extended such computational protocol to simulate spectroscopic properties of a molecular solid, namely poly-crystalline uracil. Firstly we have selected a realistic molecular model for representing the spectroscopic properties of uracil in the solid state, the uracil heptamer, and then we have computed the relative anharmonic frequencies combining less demanding approaches such as the hybrid B3LYP-D3/DFTBA one, in which the harmonic frequencies are computed at a higher level of theory (B3LYP-D3/N07D) while the anharmonic shifts are evaluated at a lower level of theory (DFTBA), and the reduced dimensionality VPT2 (RD-VPT2) approach, where only selected vibrational modes are computed anharmonically along with the couplings with other modes.
The journal of physical chemistry. A, Jan 18, 2014
Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of... more Feasible and comprehensive computational protocols for simulating the spectroscopic properties of large and complex molecular systems are very sought after. Indeed, due to the great variety of intra- and intermolecular interactions that may take place, the interpretation of experimental data becomes more and more difficult as the system under study increases in size or is placed in a complex environment, such as condensed phases. In this framework, we are actively developing a comprehensive and robust computational protocol aimed at quantitative reproduction of the spectra of nucleic acid base complexes, with increasing complexity toward condensed phases and monolayers of biomolecules on solid supports. We have resorted to fully anharmonic quantum mechanical computations within the generalized second-order vibrational perturbation theory (GVPT2) approach, combined with the cost-effective B3LYP-D3 method, in conjunction with basis sets of double-ζ plus polarization quality. Such an a...
The journal of physical chemistry. A, Jan 23, 2015
In this paper, we extend an integrated QM/MM/polarizable continuum model (PCM) method, which comb... more In this paper, we extend an integrated QM/MM/polarizable continuum model (PCM) method, which combines a fluctuating charge (FQ) approach to the MM polarization with the PCM, to describe electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of systems in aqueous solution. The main features of the approach are presented, and then applications to the UV and ECD spectra of neutral (S)-nicotine in aqueous solution are reported. The performance of the QM/FQ/PCM is compared with that of the PCM against newly measured UV ECD spectra, which are in agreement with previous findings. The inclusion of specific solvation effects via the QM/FQ/PCM method leads to an improvement in the calculated spectra compared to the experimental findings, though the pure PCM results are still qualitatively correct and are a useful tool for the characterization of the states.
In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computati... more In this work we present the synthesis, time-resolved spectroscopic characterization and computational analysis of a bichromophore composed of two very well-known naturally occurring dyes: 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin). The umbelliferone donor (Dn) and alizarin acceptor (Ac) moieties are linked to a triazole ring viaσ bonds, providing a flexible structure. By measuring the fluorescence quantum yields and the ultrafast transient absorption spectra we demonstrate the high efficiency (∼85%) and the fast nature (∼1.5 ps) of the energy transfer in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations, within the density functional theory (DFT) approach, are used to characterize the electronic structure of the bichromophore (Bi) in the ground and excited states. We simulate the absorption and fluorescence spectra using the TD-DFT methods and the vertical gradient approach (VG), and include the solvent effects by adopting the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The calculated electronic structure suggests the occurrence of weak interactions between the electron densities of Dn and Ac in the excited state, indicating that the Förster-type transfer is the appropriate model for describing the energy transfer in this system. The average distance between Dn and Ac moieties calculated from the conformational analysis (12 Å) is in very good agreement with the value estimated from the Förster equation (∼11 Å). At the same time, the calculated rate constant for energy transfer, averaged over multiple conformations of the system (3.6 ps), is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value (1.6 ps) estimated by transient absorption spectroscopy. The agreement between experimental results and computational data leads us to conclude that the energy transfer in Bi is well described by the Förster mechanism.
Chemisorption of glycine on Si(100) has been studied by an integrated computational strategy base... more Chemisorption of glycine on Si(100) has been studied by an integrated computational strategy based on perturbative anharmonic computations employing geometries and harmonic force fields evaluated by hybrid density functionals coupled to purposely tailored basis sets. It is shown that such a strategy allows the prediction of spectroscopic properties of isolated and chemisorbed molecules with comparable accuracy, paving the route toward a detailed analysis of surface-induced changes of glycine vibrational spectra. a Scuola Normale Superiore and INSTM M3-Village, piazza dei Cavalieri 7,
Perturbative anharmonic computations have been used to simulate the IR spectrum of glycine, takin... more Perturbative anharmonic computations have been used to simulate the IR spectrum of glycine, taking into account its three most stable conformers. The theoretical results have been directly compared with their experimental counterparts, showing good agreement between the latter and the spectra obtained after proper averaging of the contributions from the three most stable glycine conformers. The results show that direct simulation of the overall vibrational spectrum within a second-order perturbative treatment is feasible and leads to a better understanding of experimental data. Additionally, it has been shown that accurate results can be obtained even when several molecular species need to be considered simultaneously. The computations performed at the B3LYP/aug-N07D level have shown their reliability in the prediction of both vibrational energy levels and IR intensities beyond the harmonic approximation. This kind of computations represents an important tool for the analysis of vibrational spectra for complex medium-to-large molecular systems. (M. Biczysko), vincenzo.barone@ sns.it (V. Barone).
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