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The local electronic structure of the hemin Fe center has been investigated by X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy (XAS/XES) for hemin in aqueous solution where hemin dimerization occurs. The XAS and XES spectra of the hemin dimer were then compared with those of the hemin monomer we previously studied in dimethyl sulfoxide solution. A local energy gap opening at the Fe sites was observed for the hemin dimer, with the occupied valence states shifted to lower binding energies, while the unoccupied valence states share the same energies as the hemin monomer. Such a gap opening is argued to originate from the Fe 3d orbital localization induced by hemin dimerization in aqueous solution.

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectra at the iron L-edge from hemin in dimethyl sulfoxide liquid solution are reported. Our experiments, which are interpreted with the help of electronic structure calculations, support earlier assignments of hemin-solvent interactions, including the iron spin state and the role of the chloride ligand obtained from a total fluorescence yield study. The analysis of the explicit radiative relaxation channels of 2p core-level excited iron, explored in the present work, allows for a rather quantitative assignment of the orbitals involved in the excitation-deexcitation process of the core-excited hemin in solution. We specifically distinguish between contributions of partially and fully occupied valence orbitals to the broad X-ray emission band. In addition, our calculations reveal a detailed picture of the character of these orbitals.

The significant deviation from the ideality of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/water mixtures can be addressed based on the change of the local molecular orbitals of each solvent upon mixing. Oxygen K-edge absorption and emission spectra of DMSO/water solutions were measured using the liquid microjet technique. The spectra demonstrate that the hydrogen bond network in liquid water is already influenced at small DMSO concentrations, and at the molar fraction xDMSO = 0.43 we find strong evidence of DMSO-water clustering reflected by the influence on the occupied molecular orbitals.

Solute-solvent electronic structure interactions of iron porphyrin at very low concentration in dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) liquid solution are reported. Two iron porphyrin complexes are investigated here-iron octaethylporphyrin chloride (FeOEP-Cl) and iron tetraphenylporphyrin chloride (FeTPP-Cl)-using X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy at the Fe L2,3 edge, and spectra are interpreted with the help of density functional theory/restricted open-shell configuration interaction singles (DFT/ROCIS) calculations. It is argued that the Fe center of FeOEP-Cl is more capable of binding small solvent molecules, exemplified here for Cl2CH2, than FeTPP-Cl in solution. The proposed binding mechanism is through the assistance of the dipole interaction between the porphyrin-ligand system and the solvent molecule, in a situation where the ligand structure and arrangement maximize the binding interactions. Our studies demonstrate that even small ligands, depending on their structure and arrangement, can have considerable effects on porphyrin's metal center chemistry in liquid solution.

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and X-ray absorption (XA) experiments at the iron L- and nitrogen K-edge are combined with high-level first principles restricted active space self-consistent field (RASSCF) calculations for a systematic investigation of the nature of the chemical bond in potassium ferrocyanide in aqueous solution. The atom- and site-specific RIXS excitations allow for direct observation of ligand-to-metal (Fe L-edge) and metal-to-ligand (N K-edge) charge transfer bands and thereby evidence for strong {\sigma}-donation and {\pi}-back-donation. The effects are identified by comparing experimental and simulated spectra related to both the unoccupied and occupied molecular orbitals in solution.

Aqueous iron(II) chloride is studied by soft X-ray absorption, emission, and resonant inelastic Raman scattering techniques on the Fe L-edge and O K-edge using the liquid-jet technique. Soft X-ray spectroscopies allow in situ and atom-specific probing of the electronic structure of the aqueous complex and thus open the door for the investigation of chemical bonding and molecular orbital mixing. In this work, we combine theoretical ab initio restricted active space self-consistent field and local atomic multiplet calculations with experimental soft X-ray spectroscopic methods for a description of the local electronic structure of the aqueous ferrous ion complex. We demonstrate that the atomic iron valence final states dominate the resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectra of the complex over the ligand-to-metal charge transfer transitions, which indicates a weak interaction of Fe(2+) ion with surrounding water molecules. Moreover, the oxygen K-edge also shows only minor changes due to the presence of Fe(2+) implying a small influence on the hydrogen-bond network of water.

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) technique is applied to gain insight into the local electronic structure in liquid phase. The approach combines a liquid micro-jet and an X-ray emission spectrometer (XES) both installed in the recently developed LiXEdrom experimental station. Here we demonstrate how the combined approach enables investigation of the hydrogen bonding network in water and of chemical bonding in different solvents. In addition, the probe of energy transfer and electron dynamics at the metal–solvent interface is achieved by comparing the integrated RIXS intensities of the different radiative decay channels of the 2p core-hole of 3d transition-metals. The integrated RIXS intensities build the partial and the inverse partial X-ray fluorescence yields that allow for absorption measurements free from background signal of other elements or saturation effects.