Molecular Seesaw: How Increased Hydrogen Bonding Can Hinder Excited-State Proton Transfer

作者:Welsch Ralph; Driscoll Eric; Dawlaty Jahan M; Miller Thomas F III
来源:Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2016, 7(18): 3616-3620.
DOI:10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b01391

摘要

A previously unexplained effect in the relative rate of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in related indole derivatives is investigated using both theory and experiment. Ultrafast spectroscopy [J. Phys. Chem. A, 2015, 119, 5618-5625] found that although the diol 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)-4,7-dihydroxyisoindole exhibits two equivalent intramolecular hydrogen bonds, the ESIPT rate associated with tautomerization of either hydrogen bond is a factor of 2 slower than that of the single intramolecular hydrogen bond in the ethoxy-ol 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)-4-ethoxy-7-hydroxyisoindole. Excited-state electronic structure calculations suggest a resolution to this puzzle by revealing a seesaw effect in which the two hydrogen bonds of the diol are both longer than the single hydrogen bond in the ethoxy-ol. Semiclassical rate theory recovers the previously unexplained trends and leads to clear predictions regarding the relative H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for ESIPT in the two systems. The theoretical KIE predictions are tested using ultrafast spectroscopy, confirming the seesaw effect.

  • 出版日期2016-9-15