Published in:
Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry, 31 (2018) 11
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1002/poc.3868
ISSN:
1099-1395;
0894-3230
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Two active benzimidazole derivatives (1 and 2 compounds) [<jats:italic>J. Org. Chem</jats:italic>. <jats:bold>2017</jats:bold>, <jats:italic>82</jats:italic>, 12173.] have been selected to explore their excited state dynamical properties. Spectroscopic studies about excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 1 and 2 compounds have been investigated in details. Combing the density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory methods, we theoretically analyze the hydrogen bond properties for 1 and 2 compounds. Using atoms in molecules methodology, we confirm the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond in the S<jats:sub>0</jats:sub> state. Further, the primary bond lengths, bond angles, and the infrared vibrational spectra involved in hydrogen bond moieties have been analyzed revealing that the intramolecular hydrogen bonds are strengthened in the S<jats:sub>1</jats:sub> state. Analyses about frontier molecular orbitals theory prove that the ESIPT process could be facilitated by charge transfer upon the photoexcitation. Based on constructing potential energy curves of both S<jats:sub>0</jats:sub> and S<jats:sub>1</jats:sub> states, we provide the excited state dynamical overall perspective about ESIPT mechanism for both 1 and 2 compounds. This work not only clarifies the ESIPT mechanism for 2 novel active benzimidazole derivatives 1 and 2 compounds but also makes contributions for the applications of such kinds of systems.</jats:p>