An abinitio study of the photochemistry of azobenzene

(Note: The full text of this document is currently only available in the PDF Version )

Paola Cattaneo and Maurizio Persico


Abstract

The photochemistry under n→π* and π→π* excitation and the thermal isomerization of azobenzene are studied by a theoretical approach. Two mechanisms are considered: torsion around the N2N double bond and the inversion of one N atom. We optimize the most important geometries with CASSCF and we calculate the potential energy curves for the lowest states (4 singlets and 2 triplets) with multireference perturbation theory. Our calculations support the current view that inversion is the preferred pathway for ground state isomerization and probably also by n→π* excitation, while torsion occurs by π→π* excitation. We find that two states, 21A and 21B in C2 symmetry, are important in the π→π* photochemistry.


References

  1. H. Rau, in Photochromism. Molecules and Systems, ed. H. Durr and H. Bouas-Laurent, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1990, ch. 4, p. 165 Search PubMed.
  2. T. Ikeda and O. Tsutsumi, Science, 1995, 268, 1873 CrossRef CAS.
  3. I. Willner, S. Rubin and A. Riklin, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1995, 113, 3321.
  4. N. Tirelli, A. Altomare, F. Ciardelli and R. Solaro, Can. J. Chem., 1995, 73, 1849 CAS.
  5. Azobenzene-containing Materials, Macromolecular Symposium, ed. A. Natansohn, 1999 Search PubMed.
  6. J. Griffiths, Chem. Soc. Rev., 1972, 1, 481 RSC.
  7. I. K. Lednev, T.-Q. Ye, R. E. Hester and J. N. Moore, J. Phys. Chem., 1996, 100, 13338 CrossRef CAS.
  8. I. K. Lednev, T.-Q. Ye, P. Matousek, M. Towrie, P. Foggi, F. V. R. Neuwahl, S. Umapathy, R. E. Hester and J. N. Moore, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1998, 290, 68 CrossRef CAS.
  9. T. Nägele, R. Hoche, W. Zinth and J. Wachtveitl, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1997, 272, 489 CrossRef.
  10. P. Hamm, S. M. Ohline and W. Zinth, J. Chem. Phys., 1997, 106, 519 CrossRef CAS.
  11. H. Rau and E. Lüddecke, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1982, 104, 1616 CrossRef CAS.
  12. M. Terazima, M. Takezaki, S. Yamaguchi and N. Hirota, J. Chem. Phys., 1998, 109, 603 CrossRef CAS.
  13. R. Cimiraglia and H.-J. Hofmann, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1994, 217, 430 CrossRef CAS.
  14. N. Biswas and S. Umapathy, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1995, 236, 24 CrossRef CAS.
  15. N. Biswas and S. Umapathy, J. Phys. Chem. A, 1997, 101, 5555 CrossRef CAS.
  16. S. Monti, G. Orlandi and P. Palmieri, Chem. Phys., 1982, 71, 87 CrossRef CAS.
  17. R. Liu, Q. Cui, K. M. Dunn and K. Morokuma, J. Chem. Phys., 1996, 105, 2333 CrossRef CAS.
  18. P. Cattaneo and M. Persico, Theor. Chem. Acc., 1999, in the press Search PubMed.
  19. P. Cattaneo, G. Granucci and M. Persico, J. Phys. Chem. A, 1999, 103, 3364 CrossRef CAS.
  20. P. C. Hariharan and J. A. Pople, Theor. Chim. Acta, 1973, 28, 213 CrossRef CAS.
  21. R. Cimiraglia, D. Maynau and M. Persico, J. Chem. Phys., 1987, 87, 1653 CrossRef CAS.
  22. K. Andersson, M. R. A. Blomberg, M. P. Fülscher, V. Kellö, R. Lindh, P.-Å. Malmqvist, J. Noga, J. Olsen, B. O. Roos, A. J. Sadlej, P. E. M. Siegbahn, M. Urban and P.-O. Widmark, MOLCAS version 3, University of Lund, Sweden, 1994 Search PubMed.
  23. J. A. Bouwstra, A. Schouten and J. Kroon, Acta Crystallogr., Sect. C, 1983, 39, 1121 CrossRef.
  24. M. Traettenberg, I. Hilmo and K. Hagen, J. Mol. Struct., 1977, 39, 231 CrossRef CAS.
  25. A. Mostad and C. Romming, Acta Chem. Scand., 1971, 25, 3561 CrossRef CAS.
  26. D. A. Shultz and M. A. Fox, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1989, 111, 6311 CrossRef CAS.
  27. R. W. J. Zijlstra, P. Th. van Duijnen, B. L. Feringa, T. Steffen, K. Duppen and D. A. Wiersma, J. Phys. Chem. A, 1997, 101, 9828 CrossRef CAS.
  28. B. Huron, J.-P. Malrieu and P. Rancurel, J. Chem. Phys., 1973, 58, 5745 CrossRef CAS.
  29. R. Cimiraglia, J. Chem. Phys., 1985, 83, 1746 CrossRef CAS.
  30. R. Cimiraglia, Int. J. Quantum Chem., 1996, 60, 167 CrossRef CAS.
  31. C. Angeli, R. Cimiraglia, M. Persico and A. Toniolo, Theor. Chem. Acc., 1997, 98, 57 CrossRef CAS.
  32. C. Angeli and M. Persico, Theor. Chem. Acc., 1997, 98, 117 CrossRef CAS.
  33. C. Angeli, R. Cimiraglia and M. Persico, Theor. Chim. Acc., 1998, 100, 324 Search PubMed.
  34. K. Andersson, P.-Å. Malmqvist and B. O. Roos, J. Chem. Phys., 1992, 96, 1218 CrossRef CAS.
  35. F. W. Schulze, H. J. Detrik, H. K. Camenga and H. Klinge, Z. Phys. Chem. (Munich), 1977, 107, 1 CAS.
  36. A. W. Adamson, A. Vogler, H. Kunkely and R. Wachter, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1978, 100, 1298 CrossRef CAS.
  37. J. A. Andersson, R. Petterson and L. Tegner, J. Photochem, 1982, 20, 17 CrossRef CAS.
Click here to see how this site uses Cookies. View our privacy policy here.