Solvent effects on the excited-state double proton transfer mechanism in the 7-azaindole dimer: a TDDFT study with the polarizable continuum model (original) (raw)
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Journal of Computational Chemistry, 2012
Excited-state double proton transfer (ESDPT) in the (3-methyl-7-azaindole)-(7-azaindole) heterodimer is theoretically investigated by the long-range corrected time-dependent density functional theory method and the complete-active-space secondorder perturbation theory method. The calculated potential energy profiles exhibit a lower barrier for the concerted mechanism in the locally excited state than for the stepwise mechanism through the charge-transfer state. This result suggests that the ESDPT in the isolated heterodimer is likely to follow the former mechanism, as has been exhibited for the ESDPT in the homodimer of 7-azaindole.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2006
The hybrid configuration interaction singles/time dependent density functional theory approach of Head-Gordon, M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 4007] has been applied to study the potential energy landscape and accessibility of the charge-transfer ππ* excited state in the dimer of 7-azaindole, which has been traditionally considered a model for DNA base pairing. It is found that the charge-transfer ππ* excited state preferentially stabilizes the product of a single proton transfer. In this situation, the crossing between this state and the photoactive electronic state of the dimer is accessible. It is found that the charge-transfer ππ* excited state has a very steep potential energy profile with respect to any single proton-transfer coordinate and, in contrast, an extremely flat potential energy profile with respect to the stretch of the single proton-transfer complex. This is predicted to bring about a pair of rare fragments of the 7-azaindole dimer, physically separated and hence having very long lifetimes. This could have implications in the DNA base pairs of which the system is an analogue, in the form of replication errors.
Excited-state triple proton transfer (ESTPT) reactions in 7-azaindole (7AI) complexed with two water, with one water and one methanol, and with two methanol molecules were investigated by dynamics simulations in the first excited state computed with the second order algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC (2)) method. The results show that photoexcitation may trigger ultrafast an asynchronous concerted proton transfer via two solvent molecules along an intermolecular hydrogen-bonded network. The probability of occurrence of ESTPT ranges from 32% for 7AI(H 2 O-MeOH) to 64% for 7AI(MeOH) 2 . The average time for completing the ESTPT varies between 58 and 85 fs depending on the complex. The proton transfer (rather than hydrogen transfer) nature of the reaction was suggested by the nonexistence of crossings between the * and * states.
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2002
Six stable dimer models for 7-azaindole (including the classic C2h doubly hydrogen-bonded, coplanar, centrosymmetric dimer) are considered to be observable in adiabatic nozzle jet molecular beams. They are analyzed by hybrid density functional theory (DFT), the MP2 ab initio method for the ground electronic state, and the single-excitation configuration interaction (CIS) (over frozen ground state optimized geometries obtained from DFT) excited state calculations, for global potential minima and proton-transfer potential energy curves. Three simultaneity principles are stated: (i) intermolecular coherent excitation molecular exciton simultaneity, (ii) intramolecular acid-base change simultaneity at the pyrrolo-N-H and aza-N proton-donor, proton-acceptor sites, and (iii) intermolecular simultaneity of catalytic proton-donor, proton-acceptor action. It is suggested that the formation of the classic C2h dimer of 7-azaindole, which is considered exclusively by previous researchers, can be formed from at least one of the several card-pack hydrogen-bonded dimers in a secondary slower step approaching a microsecond scale, instead of the picosecond events at the supersonic nozzle. It is proposed that the complexity of dimerization modes is the basis of the postexcitation, postionization diverse kinetic isotope results.
Excited State Proton Transfer in 3-Methyl-7-Azaindole Dimer. Symmetry Control
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2006
The concerted double proton transfer undergone by the C 2h dimer of 7-azaindole upon electronic excitation has also been reported to occur in 3-methyl-7-azaindole monocrystals and in dimers of this compound under free-jet conditions. However, the results obtained in this work for the 3-methyl-7-azaindole dimer formed in a 10-4 M solution of the compound in 2-methylbutane suggest that the dimer produces no fluorescent signal consistent with a double proton transfer in the liquid phase or in a matrix. In this paper, the spectroscopic behavior of the doubly hydrogen bonded dimer of 3-methyl-7-azaindole is shown to provide a prominent example of molecular symmetry control over the spectroscopy of a substance. This interpretation opens up a new, interesting research avenue for exploring the ability of molecular symmetry to switch between protontransfer mechanisms. It should be noted that symmetry changes in the 3-methyl-7-azaindole dimer are caused by an out-of-phase internal rotation of the two methyl groups
Chemical Physics, 2003
A systematic study of the proton transfer in the 7-azaindole-water clusters (7-AIðH 2 OÞ n ; n ¼ 1-4) in both the ground and first excited singlet electronic states is undertaken. DFT(B3LYP) calculations for the ground electronic state shows that the more stable geometry of the initial normal tautomer presents a cyclic set of hydrogen bonds that links the two nitrogen atoms of the base across the waters. For the n ¼ 4 cluster the water molecules adopt a double ring structure so that two cycles of hydrogen bonds are found there. From this structure full tautomerization implies only one transition state so that a concerted but non-synchronous process is predicted by our theoretical calculations. This behavior is found both in the ground and the excited states where CIS geometry optimizations and TD(B3LYP) energy calculations are performed. The difference between both states is the height of the energy barrier that is much lower in the excited state. Another clear difference between both electronic states is that full tautomerization is an endergonic process in the ground state whereas it is clearly exergonic (then favorable) in the excited state. This is so because electronic excitation implies a charge transfer from the five-member cycle to the six-member one of 7-azaindole so that the proton transfer from the pyrrolic side to the pyridinic one is favored. These results clearly indicate that full tautomerization will not likely occur in the ground state but it will be quite easy (and fast) in the excited state. Reaction is already feasible in the S 1 1:1 complex but it is faster in the 1:2 complex. However the reaction slows again for the 1:3 complex and, finally, reaches a new maximum for the largest cluster studied here, the n ¼ 4 case. These results, which are in agreement with experimental data, are explained in terms of the number of hydrogen bonds that are involved in the transfer. The proton transfer through a ring formed by the substrate and two water molecules is found to be the more efficient one, at least in this system.
Water-Catalyzed Excited-State Proton-Transfer Reactions in 7-Azaindole and Its Analogues
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2015
The mechanism of the water-catalyzed excited-state protontransfer (ESPT) reaction for 7-azaindole (7AI) has long been investigated, but there are some controversial viewpoints. Recently, owing to the superiority of sensing biowaters in proteins by a 7AI analogue, 2,7-diazatryptophan, it is timely to reinvestigate water-catalyzed ESPT in 7AI and its analogues in an attempt to unify the mechanism. Herein, a series of 7AI analogues and their methylated derivatives were synthesized to carry out a systematic study on pK a , pK a *, and the associated fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamics. The results conclude that all 7AI derivatives undergo water-catalyzed ESPT in neutral water. However, for those derivatives with −H (7AI) and a electron-donating substituent at C(3), they follow water-catalyzed ESPT to form an excited N(7)−H proton-transfer tautomer, T*. T* is rapidly protonated to generate an excited cationic (TC*) species. TC* then undergoes a fast deactivation to the N(1)−H normal species in the ground state. Conversely, protonation in T* is prohibited for those derivatives with an electron-withdrawing group at the C(2) or C(3) or with the C(2) atom replaced by an electron-withdrawing nitrogen atom (N(2) in, e.g., 2,7-diazatryptophan), giving a prominent green T* emission. Additional support is given by the synthesis of the corresponding N(7)−CH 3 tautomer species, for which pK a * of the cationic form, that is, the N(7)−CH 3 N(1)−H + species, is measured to be much greater than 7.0 for those with electron-donating C(3) substituents, whereas it is lower than 7.0 upon anchoring electron-withdrawing groups. For 7AI, the previously missing T* emission is clearly resolved with a peak wavelength at 530 nm in the pH interval of 13.0−14.3 (H − 14.2).