Vibrational promotion of electron transfer

By using laser methods to prepare specific quantum states of gas-phase nitric oxide molecules, we examined the role of vibrational motion in electron transfer to a molecule from a metal surface free from the complicating influence of solvation effects. The signature of the electron transfer process is a highly efficient multiquantum vibrational relaxation event, where the nitrogen oxide loses hundreds of kilojoules per mole of energy on a subpicosecond time scale. These results cannot be explained simply on the basis of Franck-Condon factors. The large-amplitude vibrational motion associated with molecules in high vibrational states strongly modulates the energetic driving force of the electron transfer reaction. These results show the importance of molecular vibration in promoting electron transfer reactions, a class of chemistry important to molecular electronics devices, solar energy conversion, and many biological processes.     

Microwave manipulation of an atomic electron in a classical orbit

Although an atom is a manifestly quantum mechanical system, the electron in an atom can be made to move in a classical orbit almost indefinitely if it is exposed to a weak microwave field oscillating at its orbital frequency. The field effectively tethers the electron, phase-locking its motion to the oscillating microwave field. By exploiting this phase-locking, we have sped up or slowed down the orbital motion of the electron in excited lithium atoms by increasing or decreasing the microwave frequency between 13 and 19 gigahertz; the binding energy and orbital size change concurrently.     

Laser control of chemical reactions

Experiments show how product pathways can be controlled by irradiation with one or more laser beams during individual bimolecular collisions or during unimolecular decompositions. For bimolecular collisions, control has been achieved by selective excitation of reagent vibrational modes, by control of reagent approach geometry, and by control of orbital alignment. For unimolecular reactions, control has been achieved by quantum interference between different reaction pathways connecting the same initial and final states and by adjusting the temporal shape and spectral content of ultrashort, chirped pulses of radiation. These collision-control experiments deeply enrich the understanding of how chemical reactions occur.     

Electron vortex beams with high quanta of orbital angular momentum

Electron beams with helical wavefronts carrying orbital angular momentum are expected to provide new capabilities for electron microscopy and other applications. We used nanofabricated diffraction holograms in an electron microscope to produce multiple electron vortex beams with well-defined topological charge. Beams carrying quantized amounts of orbital angular momentum (up to 100?) per electron were observed. We describe how the electrons can exhibit such orbital motion in free space in the absence of any confining potential or external field, and discuss how these beams can be applied to improved electron microscopy of magnetic and biological specimens.     

Closed-shell molecules that ionize more readily than cesium

We report a class of molecules with extremely low ionization enthalpies, one member of which has been determined to have a gas-phase ionization energy (onset, 3.51 electron volts) lower than that of the cesium atom (which has the lowest gas-phase ionization energy of the elements) or of any other known closed-shell molecule or neutral transient species reported. The molecules are dimetal complexes with the general formula M2(hpp)4 (where M is Cr, Mo, or W, and hpp is the anion of 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine), structurally characterized in the solid state, spectroscopically characterized in the gas phase, and modeled with theoretical computations. The low-energy ionization of each molecule corresponds to the removal of an electron from the delta bonding orbital of the quadruple metal-metal bond, and a strong interaction of this orbital with a filled orbital on the hpp ligands largely accounts for the low ionization energies.     

Femtosecond dynamics of electron localization at interfaces

The dynamics of two-dimensional small-polaron formation at ultrathin alkane layers on a silver(111) surface have been studied with femtosecond time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoemission spectroscopy. Optical excitation creates interfacial electrons in quasi-free states for motion parallel to the interface. These initially delocalized electrons self-trap as small polarons in a localized state within a few hundred femtoseconds. The localized electrons then decay back to the metal within picoseconds by tunneling through the adlayer potential barrier. The energy dependence of the self-trapping rate has been measured and modeled with a theory analogous to electron transfer theory. This analysis determines the inter- and intramolecular vibrational modes of the overlayer responsible for self-trapping as well as the relaxation energy of the overlayer molecular lattice. These results for a model interface contribute to the fundamental picture of electron behavior in weakly bonded solids and can lead to better understanding of carrier dynamics in many different systems, including organic light-emitting diodes.     

Imaging nucleophilic substitution dynamics

Anion-molecule nucleophilic substitution (S(N)2) reactions are known for their rich reaction dynamics, caused by a complex potential energy surface with a submerged barrier and by weak coupling of the relevant rotational-vibrational quantum states. The dynamics of the S(N)2 reaction of Cl- + CH3I were uncovered in detail by using crossed molecular beam imaging. As a function of the collision energy, the transition from a complex-mediated reaction mechanism to direct backward scattering of the I- product was observed experimentally. Chemical dynamics calculations were performed that explain the observed energy transfer and reveal an indirect roundabout reaction mechanism involving CH3 rotation.     

Synthesis and characterization of a neutral tricoordinate organoboron isoelectronic with amines

Amines and boranes are the archetypical Lewis bases and acids, respectively. The former can readily undergo one-electron oxidation to give radical cations, whereas the latter are easily reduced to afford radical anions. Here, we report the synthesis of a neutral tricoordinate boron derivative, which acts as a Lewis base and undergoes one-electron oxidation into the corresponding radical cation. These compounds can be regarded as the parent borylene (H-B:) and borinylium (H-B(+.)), respectively, stabilized by two cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes. Ab initio calculations show that the highest occupied molecular orbital of the borane as well as the singly occupied molecular orbital of the radical cation are essentially a pair and a single electron, respectively, in the p(π) orbital of boron.     

Quantum mechanical calculations to chemical accuracy

Full configuraton-interaction (FCI) calculations have given an unambiguous standard by which the accuracy of theoretical approaches of incorporating electron correlation into molecular structure calculations can be judged. In addition, improvements in vectorization of programs, computer technology, and algorithms now permit a systematic study of the convergence of the atomic orbital (or so-called one-particle) basis set. These advances are discussed and some examples of the solution of chemical problems by quantum mechanical calculations are given to illustrate the accuracy of current techniques.     

紫草素衍生物定量构效关系的量子化学研究

为探讨紫草素衍生物结构与其抗植物病毒活性之间的关系,采用Gaussian 03程序量子化学的从头算法对9种紫草素衍生物进行了量子化学计算。将得到的分子空间结构、轨道能量、轨道组成、净电荷等性质进行分析,并与实验得到的生物活性参数进行对比研究。结果表明:紫草素衍生物的抗植物病毒活性与化合物的前沿分子轨道LUMO能级存在负相关性(R2=0.626 6);此类化合物与受体作用时,可能与受体发生电子转移,形成电子配合物,从而发挥药效;萘醌环结构应为此类化合物的活性关键部位,R基团为有效的结构修饰点。     

Organic heterostructure field-effect transistors

Organic field-effect transistors have been developed that function as either n-channel or p-channel devices, depending on the gate bias. The two active materials are alpha-hexathienylene (alpha-6T) and C(60). The characteristics of these devices depend mainly on the molecular orbital energy levels and transport properties of alpha-6T and C(60). The observed effects are not unique to the two materials chosen and can be quite universal provided certain conditions are met. The device can be used as a building block to form low-cost, low-power complementary integrated circuits.     

OH自由基分子的外电场特性研究

采用MPW1PW91/Aug-cc-pvqz方法及基组探索电场对OH自由基基态分子的总能量、键长、偶极矩、谐振频率、红外谱强度、电荷布居、HOMO和LUMO能级的影响.计算结果表明:MPW1PW91方法优化得到的核间距为Re=0.096 973nm,与实验值Re=0.096 96nm符合得非常好,只有0.001 3%的误差;振动频率为3 739.403cm~(-1),也与NIST数据库实验值3 737.76cm~(-1)一致;键长和红外谱强度随电场的增加先减小后增大;HOMO能和谐振频率分子总能量随电场的增加先增大后减小;偶极矩随电场增加线性地增加,LUMO能级随电场增加平缓地增加;E_g随外电场的增大先增大后减小.电场中OH自由基分子被激发至空轨道形成空穴时,该分子对电场强度具有选择性.     

No straight path: roaming in both ground- and excited-state photolytic channels of NO3 → NO + O2

Roaming mechanisms have recently been observed in several chemical reactions alongside trajectories that pass through a traditional transition state. Here, we demonstrate that the visible light-induced reaction NO(3) → NO + O(2) proceeds exclusively by roaming. High-level ab initio calculations predict specific NO Λ doublet propensities (orientations of the unpaired electron with respect to the molecular rotation plane) for this mechanism, which we discern experimentally by ion imaging. The data provide direct evidence for roaming pathways in two different electronic states, corresponding to both previously documented photolysis channels that produce NO + O(2). More broadly, the results raise intriguing questions about the overall prevalence of this unusual reaction mechanism.     

Mimicking photosynthesis

Although the concept of an artificial photosynthetic reaction center that mimics natural electron-and energy-transfer processes is an old one, in recent years major advances have occurred. In this review, some relatively simple molecular dyads that mimic certain aspects of photosynthetic electron transfer and singlet or triplet energy transfer are described. Dyads of this type have proven to be extremely useful for elucidating basic photochemical principles. In addition, their limitations, particularly in the area of temporal stabilization of electronic charge separation, have inspired the development of much more complex multicomponent molecular devices. The use of the basic principles of photoinitiated electron transfer to engineer desirable properties into the more complex species is exemplified. The multiple electrontransfer pathways available with these molecules make it possible to fine-tune the systems in ways that are impossible with simpler molecules. The study of these devices not only contributes to our understanding of natural photosynthesis, but also aids in the design of artificial solar energy harvesting systems and provides an entry into the nascent field of molecular electronics.     

Electron transfer: classical approaches and new frontiers

Electron transfer, under conditions of weak interaction and a medium acting as a passive thermal bath, is very well understood. When electron transfer is accompanied by transient chemical bonding, such as in interfacial coordination electrochemical mechanisms, strong interaction and molecular selectivity are involved. These mechanisms, which take advantage of "passive self-organization," cannot yet be properly described theoretically, but they show substantial experimental promise for energy conversion and catalysis. The biggest challenge for the future, however, may be dynamic, self-organized electron transfer. As with other energy fluxes, a suitable positive feedback mechanism, through an active molecular environment, can lead to a (transient) decrease of entropy equivalent to an increase of molecular electronic order for the activated complex. A resulting substantial increase in the rate of electron transfer and the possibility of cooperative transfer of several electrons (without intermediates) can be deduced from phenomenological theory. The need to extend our present knowledge may be derived from the observation that chemical syntheses and fuel utilization in industry typically require high temperatures (where catalysis is less relevant), whereas corresponding processes in biological systems are catalyzed at environmental conditions. This article therefore focuses on interfacial or membrane-bound electron transfer and investigates an aspect that nature has developed to a high degree of perfection: self-organization.     

Quantum-well states as fabry-Perot modes in a thin-film electron interferometer

Angle-resolved photoemission from atomically uniform silver films on iron (100) shows quantum-well states for absolutely determined film thicknesses ranging from 1 to approximately 100 monolayers. These states can be understood in terms of Fabry-Perot modes in an electron interferometer. A quantitative line shape analysis over the entire two orders of magnitude of thickness range yields an accurate measurement of the band structure, quasiparticle lifetime, electron reflectivity, and phase shift. Effects of confinement energy gap, reflection loss, and surface scattering caused by controlled roughness are demonstrated.     

Laser-induced electron tunneling and diffraction

Molecular structure is usually determined by measuring the diffraction pattern the molecule impresses on x-rays or electrons. We used a laser field to extract electrons from the molecule itself, accelerate them, and in some cases force them to recollide with and diffract from the parent ion, all within a fraction of a laser period. Here, we show that the momentum distribution of the extracted electron carries the fingerprint of the highest occupied molecular orbital, whereas the elastically scattered electrons reveal the position of the nuclear components of the molecule. Thus, in one comprehensive technology, the photoelectrons give detailed information about the electronic orbital and the position of the nuclei.     

High harmonic generation from multiple orbitals in N2

Molecular electronic states energetically below the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) should contribute to laser-driven high harmonic generation (HHG), but this behavior has not been observed previously. Our measurements of the HHG spectrum of N2 molecules aligned perpendicular to the laser polarization showed a maximum at the rotational half-revival. This feature indicates the influence of electrons occupying the orbital just below the N2 HOMO, referred to as the HOMO-1. Such observations of lower-lying orbitals are essential to understanding subfemtosecond/subangstrom electronic motion in laser-excited molecules.     

Resonating valence-bond ground state in a phenalenyl-based neutral radical conductor

An organic material composed of neutral free radicals based on the spirobiphenalenyl system exhibits a room temperature conductivity of 0.3 siemens per centimeter and a high-symmetry crystal structure. It displays the temperature-independent Pauli paramagnetism characteristic of a metal with a magnetic susceptibility that implies a density of states at the Fermi level of 15.5 states per electron volt per mole. Extended Hückel calculations indicate that the solid is a three-dimensional organic metal with a band width of approximately 0.5 electron volts. However, the compound shows activated conductivity (activation energy, 0.054 electron volts) and an optical energy gap of 0.34 electron volts. We argue that these apparently contradictory properties are best resolved in terms of the resonating valence-bond ground state originally suggested by Pauling, but with the modifications introduced by Anderson.