Spin-Vibronic Quantum Dynamics for Ultrafast Excited-State Processes

Abstract

Ultrafast intersystem crossing (ISC) processes coupled to nuclear relaxation and solvation dynamics play a central role in the photophysics and photochemistry of a wide range of transition metal complexes. These phenomena occurring within a few hundred femtoseconds are investigated experimentally by ultrafast picosecond and femtosecond transient absorption or luminescence spectroscopies, and optical laser pump-X-ray probe techniques using picosecond and femtosecond X-ray pulses. The interpretation of ultrafast structural changes, time-resolved spectra, quantum yields, and time scales of elementary processes or transient lifetimes needs robust theoretical tools combining state-of-the-art quantum chemistry and developments in quantum dynamics for solving the electronic and nuclear problems. Multimode molecular dynamics beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation has been successfully applied to many small polyatomic systems. Its application to large molecules containing a transition metal atom is still a challenge because of the nuclear dimensionality of the problem, the high density of electronic excited states, and the spin-orbit coupling effects. Rhenium(I) α-diimine carbonyl complexes, [Re(L)(CO)3(N,N)](n+) are thermally and photochemically robust and highly flexible synthetically. Structural variations of the N,N and L ligands affect the spectroscopy, the photophysics, and the photochemistry of these chromophores easily incorporated into a complex environment. Visible light absorption opens the route to a wide range of applications such as sensors, probes, or emissive labels for imaging biomolecules. Halide complexes [Re(X)(CO)3(bpy)] (X = Cl, Br, or I; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) exhibit complex electronic structure and large spin-orbit effects that do not correlate with the heavy atom effects. Indeed, the (1)MLCT → (3)MLCT intersystem crossing (ISC) kinetics is slower than in [Ru(bpy)3](2+) or [Fe(bpy)3](2+) despite the presence of a third-row transition metal. Counterintuitively, singlet excited-state lifetime increases on going from Cl (85 fs) to Br (128 fs) and to I (152 fs). Moreover, correlation between the Re-X stretching mode and the rate of ISC is observed. In this Account, we emphasize on the role of spin-vibronic coupling on the mechanism of ultrafast ISC put in evidence in [Re(Br)(CO)3(bpy)]. For this purpose, we have developed a model Hamiltonian for solving an 11 electronic excited states multimode problem including vibronic and SO coupling within the linear vibronic coupling (LVC) approximation and the assumption of harmonic potentials. The presence of a central metal atom coupled to rigid ligands, such as α-diimine, ensures nuclear motion of small amplitudes and a priori justifies the use of the LVC model. The simulation of the ultrafast dynamics by wavepacket propagations using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method is based on density functional theory (DFT), and its time-dependent extension to excited states (TD-DFT) electronic structure data. We believe that the interplay be...

Anharmonicity Effects in IR Spectra of [Re(X)(CO)3(α-diimine)] (α-diimine = 2,2′-bipyridine or pyridylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine; X = Cl or NCS) Complexes in Ground and Excited Electronic States

“…The computationally fast reduceddimensionality approach can be utilized in future dynamical studies related to time-resolved spectroscopies. 78 ■ ASSOCIATED CONTENT…”

Charge‐Transfer versus Charge‐Separated Triplet Excited States of [ReI(dmp)(CO)3(His124)(Trp122)]+ in Water and in Modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa Azurin Protein

“…The excited‐state properties of isolated metal complexes are the subject of numerous computational investigations based on electronic structure theory and quantum dynamics for the interpretation of their fascinating behavior . However, only a few pioneering studies have been devoted to the effects of the molecular surroundings on these properties .…”

“…The excited-state properties of isolated metal complexesa re the subject of numerousc omputational investigationsb ased on electronic structure theory and quantum dynamics for the interpretation of their fascinating behavior. [1][2][3][4][5][6] However,o nly a few pioneering studies have been devoted to the effects of the molecular surroundings on these properties. [7][8][9][10][11] As ap aradigmatic example, one can cite the study of the emission properties anda bsorption spectra of organometallic Ru II DNA intercalators [7,9,12] or of aR e I complex probe for DNA-mediated charge transport.…”

Excited‐State Reactivity of [Mn(im)(CO)3(phen)]+: A Structural Exploration

“…The photo-reactivity of this class of first-row transition metal complexes on irradiation in the visible has been associated to the presence of low-lying metal-centered (MC) states in the vicinity of the MLCT absorbing states. [3][4][5][6][7] Whereas extensive work, both experimental and theoretical, has been achieved on third-row analogues to understand and interpret the spectroscopy and the photophysics of the usually nonreactive [Re(CO) 3 (bpy/phen)(L)] 0/+ compounds, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] little is known on the optical and photophysical properties of [Mn(CO) 3 (bpy/phen)(L)] 0/+ complexes.…”