Search

Single particle cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) allows direct and continuous measurements of the extinction cross-sections for levitated micron-scale aerosol particles of constant or evolving composition. Our recent interests have concerned single particle CRDS measurements for light-absorbing particles. These measurements are made on single, spherical particles evaporating over the radius range 1500–700 nm that are levitated within a 405-nm cavity ring-down spectrometer using a linear electrodynamic quadrupole trap. Here, we quantify the accuracy and precision of our cavity ring-down time measurements and the consequences of particle motion within our electrodynamic trap. Next, we estimate the uncertainty in our particle size retrievals from angularly resolved elastic light scattering measurements for particles with a range of absorption strengths. Finally, we assess the accuracy of complex refractive index values retrieved from simultaneous ring-down time and particle size measurements. The assessments account for the impacts of shot and detector noise in the measured ring-down times, the driven particle motion within the electrodynamic trap, and particle absorption strength (for imaginary refractive indices in the range ∼0.0–0.1). The real and imaginary refractive indices are retrieved to an accuracy better than 0.005 and 0.002, respectively, for almost all absorption strengths studied, and for particles of constant or evolving composition. Although particles confined in our electrodynamic quadrupole trap undergo considerable levels of driven motion (with oscillation amplitudes of several tens of micrometers), the contribution of this motion to uncertainty in retrieved refractive indices is negligible compared to contributions from particle sizing errors.

Radical-induced 1,2-metallate rearrangements of boronate complexes are an emerging and promising class of reactions that allow multiple new bonds to be formed in a single, tuneable reaction step. These reactions involve the addition of an alkyl radical, typically generated from an alkyl iodide under photochemical activation, to a boronate complex to produce an α-boryl radical intermediate. From this α-boryl radical, there are two plausible reaction pathways that can trigger the product forming 1,2-metallate rearrangement: iodine atom transfer (IAT) or single electron transfer (SET). Previous steady state techniques have struggled to differentiate these pathways. Here we apply state-of-the-art time-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy to resolve all the steps in the reaction cycle, by mapping production and consumption of the reactive intermediates over picosecond to millisecond timescales. We apply this technique to a recently reported reaction involving the addition of an electron-deficient alkyl radical to the strained σ‑bond of a bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl boronate complex to form a cyclobutyl boronic ester. We show that the previously proposed SET mechanism does not adequately account for the observed spectral and kinetic data. Instead, we demonstrate that IAT is the preferred pathway for this reaction and is likely to be operative for other reactions of this type.

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a highly soluble and stable organic acid, is photochemically produced by certain anthropogenically emitted halocarbons such as HFC-134a and HFO-1234yf. Both these halocarbons are used as refrigerants in the automobile industry and the high global warming potential of HFC-134a has promoted regulation of its use. Industries are transitioning to the use of HFO-1234yf as a more environmentally friendly alternative. We investigated the environmental effects of this change and found a thirty-three-fold increase in the global burden of TFA from an annual value of 65 tonnes formed from the 2015 emissions of HFC-134a, to a value of 2200 tonnes formed from an equivalent emission of HFO-1234yf. The percentage increase in surface TFA concentrations resulting from the switch from HFC-134a to HFO-1234yf remains substantial with an increase of up to 250-fold across Europe. The increase in emissions greater than the current emission scenario of HFO-1234yf is likely to result in significant TFA burden as the atmosphere is not able to disperse and deposit relevant oxidation products. The Criegee intermediate initiated loss process of TFA reduces the surface level atmospheric lifetime of TFA by up to 5 days (from 8 days to 3 days) in tropical forested regions.

The excited-state dynamics of photoexcited diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB), a UVA absorber widely used in sunscreen formulations, are studied with transient electronic and vibrational absorption spectroscopy methods in four different solvents. In the polar solvents methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and acetonitrile, strong stimulated emission (SE) is observed at early time delays after photoexcitation at a near-UV wavelength of λex = 360 nm, and decays with time constants of 420 fs in methanol and 770 fs in DMSO. The majority (~95%) of photoexcited DHHB returns to the ground state with time constants of 15 ps in methanol and 25 ps in DMSO. In the non-polar solvent cyclohexane, ~98% of DHHB photoexcited at λex = 345 nm relaxes to the ground state with a ~10 ps time constant, and the SE is weak. DHHB preferentially adopts an enol form in its ground S0 state, but excited state absorption (ESA) bands seen in TEAS are assigned to both the S1-keto and S1-enol forms, indicating a role for ultrafast intramolecular excited state hydrogen transfer (ESHT). This ESHT is inhibited by polar solvents. The two S1 tautomers decay with similar time scales to the observed recovery of ground state population. For molecules that avoid ESHT, torsion around a central C-C bond minimizes the S1-enol energy, quenches the SE, and is proposed to lead to a conical intersection with the S0 state that mediates the ground state recovery. A competing trans-enol isomeric photoproduct is observed as a minor competitor to parent recovery in polar solvents. Evidence is presented for triplet (T1) enol production in polar solvents, and for T1 quenching by octocrylene, a common UVB absorber sunscreen additive. The T1 keto form is observed in cyclohexane solution.

In the context of tropospheric chemistry, Criegee intermediates denote carbonyl oxides with biradical / zwitterionic character (R1R2COO) that form during the ozonolysis of alkenes. First discovered almost 70 years ago, stabilized versions of Criegee intermediates formed via collisional removal of excess energy have interesting kinetic and mechanistic properties. The direct production and detection of these intermediates were not reported in the literature until 2008. However, recent advances in their generation through the ultraviolet irradiation of the corresponding diiodoalkanes in excess O2 and detection by various spectroscopic techniques (photoionization, ultraviolet, infrared, microwave and mass spectrometry) have shown that these species can react rapidly with closed shell molecules, in many cases at or exceeding the classical gas-kinetic limit, via multiple reaction pathways. These reactions can be complex, and laboratory measurements of products and the temperature and pressure dependence of the reaction kinetics have also revealed unusual behaviour. The potential role of these intermediates in atmospheric chemistry is significant, altering models of the oxidising capacity of the Earth's atmosphere and the rate of generation of secondary organic aerosol.

The photoexcitation of α-diazocarbonyl compounds produces ketenes by both concerted and stepwise Wolff rearrangements. The stepwise mechanism proceeds through singlet carbene intermediates which can also participate in bimolecular reactions such as ylide formation with nucleophiles. Here, ultrafast transient infra-red absorption spectroscopy is used to show competitive production of singlet carbene and ketene intermediates from the photoexcitation of ethyl diazoacetoacetate. We provide direct spectroscopic evidence for ylide formation by singlet α-carbonyl carbene capture in aprotic nucleophilic solvents (with ylide bands at 1625 cm-1 in acetonitrile, and 1586 cm-1 and 1635 cm-1 in tetrahydrofuran) and report an enol mediated pathway for singlet α-carbonyl carbene reaction with alcohols (ethanol or t-butanol) identified by an absorption band at 1694 cm-1, but find no evidence for a previously proposed ylide pathway. The α-carbonyl carbene is monitored using a band with solvent-dependent wavenumber in the range 1627 – 1645 cm-1. A computed two-dimensional cut of the potential energy surface for the reaction of the singlet α-carbonyl carbene with methanol shows that the enol forms without a barrier, and that this reaction is promoted by an intermolecular hydrogen bond from methanol to the carbonyl oxygen atom. The corresponding ylide structure lies higher in energy, with a barrierless downhill path to isomerization to the enol.

Physical chemistry, chemical physics 24(37), 22699 - 22709 (2022). doi:10.1039/D2CP03029B, We present results from an experimental ion imaging study into the fragmentation dynamics of 1-iodopropane and 2-iodopropane following interaction with extreme ultraviolet intense femtosecond laser pulses with a photon energy of 95 eV. Using covariance imaging analysis, a range of observed fragmentation pathways of the resulting polycations can be isolated and interrogated in detail at relatively high ion count rates (∼12 ions shot$^{−1}$). By incorporating the recently developed native frames analysis approach into the three-dimensional covariance imaging procedure, contributions from three-body concerted and sequential fragmentation mechanisms can be isolated. The angular distribution of the fragment ions is much more complex than in previously reported studies for triatomic polycations, and differs substantially between the two isomeric species. With support of simple simulations of the dissociation channels of interest, detailed physical insights into the fragmentation dynamics are obtained, including how the initial dissociation step in a sequential mechanism influences rovibrational dynamics in the metastable intermediate ion and how signatures of this nuclear motion manifest in the measured signals., Published by RSC Publ., Cambridge

Photochemical reactions are increasingly being used for chemical and materials synthesis, for example in photoredox catalysis, and generally involve photoexcitation of molecular chromophores dissolved in a liquid solvent. The choice of solvent influences the outcomes of the photochemistry because solute-solvent interactions modify the energies of, and crossings between, electronic states of the chromophores, and they affect the evolving structures of the photoexcited molecules. Ultrafast laser spectroscopy methods with femtosecond to picosecond time resolution can resolve the dynamics of these photoexcited molecules as they undergo structural and electronic changes, relax back to the ground state, dissipate their excess internal energy to the surrounding solvent, or undergo photochemical reactions. In this account, we illustrate how experimental studies using ultrafast lasers can reveal the influences that different solvents or co-solutes exert on the photo-induced non-adiabatic dynamics of internal conversion and intersystem crossing in non-radiative relaxation pathways. Although the environment surrounding a solute molecule is rapidly changing, with fluctuations in the coordination to neighbouring solvent molecules occurring on femtosecond or picosecond timescales, we show that it is possible to photoexcite selectively only those molecular chromophores transiently experiencing specific solute-solvent interactions such as intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The effects of different solvation environments on the photodynamics are illustrated using four selected examples of photochemical processes in which the solvent has a marked effect on the outcomes. We first consider two aromatic carbonyl compounds, benzophenone and acetophenone which are known to undergo fast intersystem crossing to populate the first excited triplet state on timescales of a few picoseconds. We show that the non-adiabatic excited-state dynamics are modified by transient hydrogen bonding of the carbonyl group to a protic solvent, or by coordination to a metal cation co-solute. We then examine how different solvents modify the competition between two alternative relaxation pathways in a photoexcited UVA-sunscreen molecule, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB). This relaxation back to the ground electronic state is an essential part of the effective operation of the sunscreen compound, but the dynamics are sensitive to the surrounding environment. Finally, we consider how solvents of different polarity affect the energies and lifetimes of excited states with locally excited or charge-transfer character in heterocyclic organic compounds used as excited-state electron donors for photoredox catalysis. With these and other examples, we seek to develop a molecular level understanding of how the choice of solution environment might be used to control the outcomes of photochemical reactions.

The polymerization of photoexcited N-ethylcarbazole (N-EC) in the presence of an electron acceptor begins with an electron transfer (ET) step to generate a radical cation of N-EC (N-EC+.). Here, the production of N-EC+. is studied on picosecond to nanosecond timescales after N-EC photoexcitation at a wavelength λex = 345 nm using transient electronic and vibrational absorption spectroscopy. The kinetics and mechanisms of ET to diphenyliodinium hexafluorophosphate (Ph2I+PF6-) or para-alkylated variants are examined in dichloromethane (DCM) and acetonitrile (ACN) solutions. The generation of N-EC+. is well described by a diffusional kinetic model based on Smoluchowski theory: with Ph2I+PF6-, the derived bimolecular rate coefficient for ET is kET = (1.8 ± 0.5) x 1010 M-1 s-1 in DCM, which is consistent with diffusion-limited kinetics. This ET occurs from the first excited singlet (S1) state of N-EC, in competition with intersystem crossing to populate the triplet (T1) state, from which ET may also arise. A faster component of the ET reaction suggests pre-formation of a ground-state complex between N-EC and the electron acceptor. In ACN, the contribution from pre-reaction complexes is smaller, and the derived ET rate coefficient is kET = (1.0 ± 0.3) x 1010 M-1 s-1. Corresponding measurements for solutions of photoexcited 9-phenylcarbazole (9-PC) and Ph2I+PF6- give kET = (5 ± 1) x 109 M-1 s-1 in DCM. Structural modifications of the electron acceptor to increase its steric bulk reduce the magnitude of kET: methyl and t-butyl additions to the para positions of the phenyl rings (para Me2Ph2I+PF6- and t-butyl-Ph2I+PF6-) respectively give kET = (1.2 ± 0.3) x 1010 M-1 s-1 and kET = (5.4 ± 1.5) x 109 M-1 s-1 for reaction with photoexcited N-EC in DCM. These reductions in kET are attributed to slower rates of diffusion or to steric constraints in the ET reaction.

[No Abstract]

Ring-strain in cyclic organic molecules is well-known to influence their chemical reactivity. Here, we examine the consequence of ring-strain for competing photochemical pathways that occur on picosecond timescales. The significance of Norrish Type-I photochemistry is explored for three cyclic ketones in cyclohexane solutions at ultraviolet (UV) excitation wavelengths from 255–312 nm, corresponding to an π* ← n excitation to the lowest excited singlet state (S1). Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy with broadband UV/visible probe laser pulses reveals processes common to cyclobutanone, cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone, occurring on timescales of ≤1 ps, 7–9 ps and >500 ps. These kinetic components are respectively assigned to prompt cleavage of an α C–C bond in the internally excited S1-state molecules prepared by UV absorption, vibrational cooling of these hot-S1 molecules to energies below the barrier to C–C bond cleavage on the S1 state potential energy surface (with commensurate reductions in the energy-dependent α-cleavage rate), and slower loss of thermalized S1-state population. The thermalized S1-state molecules may competitively decay by activated reaction over the barrier to α C–C bond fission on the S1-state potential energy surface, internal conversion to the ground (S0) electronic state, or intersystem crossing to the lowest lying triplet state (T1) and subsequent C–C bond breaking. The α C–C bond fission barrier height in the S1 state is significantly reduced by the ring-strain in cyclobutanone, affecting the relative contributions of the three decay time components which depend systematically on the excitation energy above the S1-state energy barrier. Transient infra-red absorption spectra obtained after UV excitation identify ring-opened ketene photoproducts of cyclobutanone and their timescales for formation., Ultrafast spectroscopy of ring-opening in three cyclic ketones reveals how ring-strain affects Norrish Type-I α-cleavage mechanisms.

Using a combination of velocity-map imaging and resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization detection with crossed molecular beam scattering, the dynamics of rotational energy transfer have been examined for NO in collisions with CH4 at a mean collision energy of 700 cm-1. The images of NO scattered into individual rotational (jNO') and spin-orbit (Ω) levels typically exhibit a single broad maximum that gradually shifts from the forward to the backward scattering direction with increasing rotational excitation (i.e., larger ΔjNO). The rotational rainbow angles calculated with a two-dimensional hard ellipse model show reasonable agreement with the observed angles corresponding to the maxima in the differential cross sections extracted from the images for higher ΔjNO transitions, but there are clear discrepancies for lower ΔjNO (in particular, final rotational levels with jNO' = 7.5 and 8.5). The sharply forward scattered angular distributions for these lower ΔjNO transitions better agree with the predictions of an L-type rainbow model. The more highly rotationally excited NO appears to coincide with low rotational excitation of the co-product CH4, indicating a degree of rotational product-pair anticorrelation in this bimolecular scattering.

The effects of dissolved metal salts on the excited-state dynamics of acetophenone in solution have been explored using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy at two UV excitation wavelengths. In the absence of metal ions, the S1(nπ*) transition of acetophenone is excited at 320 nm, with intersystem crossing (ISC) occurring with a time constant τISC = 5.95 ± 0.47 ps in acetonitrile solution. Excitation at 280 nm accesses the S2(ππ*) state, which internally converts (1 before undergoing ISC with τISC = 4.36 ± 0.14 ps. Coordination to Mg2+ ions makes the S2 state accessible to excitation at 320 nm, with the rate of S2 → S1 internal conversion reducing 3-fold, but the ISC rate increasing. These changes to the excited-state energies and dynamics of this model photosensitizer indicate that dissolved metal salts could modify the photochemistry of synthetically useful homogenous photocatalytic systems.

The photochemical dynamics of three classes of organic photoredox catalysts employed in organocatalyzed atom-transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) are studied using time-resolved optical transient absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. The nine catalysts selected for study are examples of N-aryl and core-substituted dihydrophenazine, phenoxazine and phenothiazine compounds with varying propensities for control of polymerization outcomes. Excited singlet state lifetimes extracted from the spectroscopic measurements are reported in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dichloromethane (DCM) and toluene. Ultrafast (< 200 fs to 3 ps) electronic relaxation of the photocatalysts after photoexcitation at near-UV wavelengths (318-390 nm) populates the first singlet excited state (S1). The S1-state lifetimes range from 130 ps to 40 ns with considerable dependence on the photocatalyst structure and the solvent. Competition between ground-electronic state recovery and intersystem crossing controls triplet state populations and is a minor pathway in the dihydrophenazine derivatives, but is of greater importance for phenoxazine and phenothiazine catalysts. Comparison of our results with previously reported O-ATRP performances of the various photoredox catalysis shows that high triplet-state quantum yields are not a pre-requisite for controlling polymer dispersity. For example, the 5,10-di(4-cyanophenyl)-5,10-dihydrophenazine photocatalyst, shown previously to exert good polymerization control, possesses the shortest S1-state lifetime (135 ps in DMF and 180 ps in N,N-dimethylacetamide) among the nine examples reported here, and a negligible triplet state quantum yield. The results call for a re-evaluation of the excited state properties of most significance in governing the photocatalytic behaviour of organic photoredox catalysts in O-ATRP reactions.

Optical trapping is a well-established technique to manipulate and levitate micro- and nanoscale particles and droplets. However, optical traps for single aerosol studies are most often limited to trapping spherical non-absorbing droplets and a universal optical trap for the stable confinement of particles regardless of their absorption strength and morphology is not established. Instead, new opportunities arise from levitating droplets using electrodynamic traps. Here, using a combined Electrodynamic Linear Quadrupole trap and a Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer, we demonstrate that it is possible to trap single droplets and simultaneously measure their extinction cross sections and elastic scattering phase functions over extended periods of time. To test the novel setup, we evaluated the evaporation of 1,2,6-hexanetriol under low humidity conditions, and the evolution of aqueous (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl droplets experiencing changing environmental conditions. Our studies extended beyond spherical droplets and we measured particle extinction cross sections after the efflorescence (crystallisation) of the inorganic salt particles. Comparison of measured cross sections for crystallised particles with light scattering model predictions (using Mie theory or T-Matrix/Extended Boundary-Condition Method (EBCM) implementations for random orientation, with either the spheroid or superellipsoid parameterisations) enables information on particle shape to be inferred. Specifically, we find that cross sections for dry (NH4)2SO4 particles are accounted by Mie theory and, thus, particle shape is represented well by a sphere. Conversely, the cross sections for dry NaCl particles are only reconciled with light scattering models pertaining to non-spherical shapes. These results will have implications for accurate remote sensing retrievals of dry salt optical properties and for parameterisations implemented in radiative forcing calculations with changing humidity. Moreover, our new platform for precise and accurate measurement of optical properties of micron-scale and sub-micron particles has potential applications in a range of areas of atmospheric science, such as precise light scattering measurements for ice crystals and mineral dusts. It represents a promising step towards accurate characterisations of the optical properties for non-spherical and light absorbing aerosols.

Peroxy radicals and carbonyl oxides (Criegee intermediates) are produced in the troposphere during OH and ozone-initiated oxidation of hydrocarbons. Reactions between these species have previously been shown to form highly oxidized molecules which can condense to form secondary organic aerosols. Here, cavity ring-down spectroscopy coupled with laser flash photolysis was used to measure directly rate coefficients for reactions of CH2OO with CH3O2 and CH3C(O)O2. The rate coefficients were found to be similar within the measurement uncertainties and only weakly dependent on temperature (in the range 243 – 310 K) and pressure (10 - 100 Torr, N2). A combined rate coefficient of k (CH2OO+RO2, RO2 = CH3O2/CH3C(O)O2) = (2.4 ± 1.2) × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 was obtained under these conditions. Global modelling using STOCHEM-CRI, updated with monoterpene chemistry generating Criegee intermediates, and supplemented by regional box modelling, shows that this class of Criegee intermediate + peroxy radical reactions can contribute up to ~1.3% of secondary organic aerosol production in forested regions of the world.

The rapid development of new applications of photoredox catalysis has so far outpaced the mechanistic studies important for rational design of new classes of catalysts. Here, we report the use of ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopic methods to reveal both mechanistic and kinetic details of multiple sequential steps involved in an organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization reaction. The polymerization system studied involves a N,N-diaryl dihydrophenazine photocatalyst, a radical initiator (methyl 2-bromopropionate) and a monomer (isoprene). Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements spanning sub-picosecond to microseconds (i.e., almost 8 orders of magnitude of time) track the formation and loss of key reactive intermediates. These measurements identify both the excited state of the photocatalyst responsible for electron transfer and the radical intermediates participating in propagation reactions, as well as quantifying their lifetimes. The outcomes connect the properties of N,N-diaryl dihydrophenazine organic photocatalysts with the rates of sequential steps in the catalytic cycle., Short-lived intermediates are tracked in real-time by transient absorption spectroscopy during a multi-step photoredox catalysed polymerization reaction.

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing resulting from the scattering and absorption of radiation is still uncertain. Sources of uncertainty include the physical and optical properties of aerosol, reflected in uncertainties in real and imaginary refractive indices (n and k) and relative humidity (RH). The effect of RH on the geometrical size of aerosol particles is often reported as a hygroscopic kappa parameter (κ). The objective of this study is to explore the sensitivity of radiative forcing efficiency (RFE) to changes in particle properties, with the aim of better defining the accuracy with which optical and hygroscopic measurements must be made to reduce uncertainties in the RFE. Parameterizations of precise values of n and k are considered as functions of relative humidity (RH) for Ammonium Sulphate (AS) and Brown Carbon (BrC). The range of the RFE estimated for typical uncertainties of n and κ for AS of 0.1 µm is less than ±7% and it is not affected by an increase of RH. For typical sizes of AS in the atmosphere (0.35 µm), the range of the RFE increases to ±20% at 90% RH and ±15% at 99% RH. Absorbing small BrC particles (0.1 µm) cause cooling at the top of the atmosphere and, as the RH and hygroscopic kappa parameter increase, the RFE is more negative compared to the usual assumptions of dry unhygroscopic BrC. For larger BrC particles (0.35 µm), The range of values of the RFE for RHs100% compared to dry conditions can take values around -100%.

Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is one of the most abundant carboxylic acids in the troposphere. In the study, the tropospheric chemistry of CH3COOH is investigated using the 3-D global chemistry transport model, STOCHEM-CRI. The highest mixing ratios of surface CH3COOH are found in the tropics by as much as 1.6 ppb in South America. The model predicts the seasonality of CH3COOH reasonably well and correlates with some surface and flight measurement sites, but the model drastically underpredicts levels in urban and midlatitudinal regions. The possible reasons for the underprediction are discussed. The simulations show that the lifetime and global burden of CH3COOH are 1.6–1.8 days and 0.45–0.61 Tg, respectively. The reactions of the peroxyacetyl radical (CH3CO3) with the hydroperoxyl radical (HO2) and other organic peroxy radicals (RO2) are found to be the principal sources of tropospheric CH3COOH in the model, but the model-measurement discrepancies suggest the possible unknown or underestimated sources which can contribute large fractions of the CH3COOH burden. The major sinks of CH3COOH in the troposphere are wet deposition, dry deposition, and OH loss. However, the reaction of CH3COOH with Criegee intermediates is proposed to be a potentially significant chemical loss process of tropospheric CH3COOH that has not been previously accounted for in global modeling studies. Inclusion of this loss process reduces the tropospheric CH3COOH level significantly which can give even larger discrepancies between model and measurement data, suggesting that the emissions inventory and the chemical production sources of CH3COOH are underpredicted even more so in current global models.

Photoredox catalysis has driven a revolution in the field of organic chemistry, but direct mechanistic insights into reactions of genuine synthetic utility remain relatively scarce. Herein we report ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopic observation of a bimolecular organocatalyzed photoredox reaction, from catalyst photoexcitation through to photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and intermediate formation, using transient vibrational and electronic absorption spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time resolution. Specifically, the photochemical dynamics of initiation in organocatalyzed atom-transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) are elucidated for two complementary photoredox organocatalysts (N,N-diaryl-5,10-dihydrophenazines). Following photoexcitation, a dissociative bimolecular electron transfer is observed from the first excited singlet state of both photocatalysts to methyl 2-bromopropionate in dichloromethane, toluene, and dimethylformamide. The photocatalyst excited donor state, ground state, and radical cation are tracked in real time alongside the debrominated radical fragment. Our work challenges previously proposed mechanisms of initiation in O-ATRP and indicates that PET from short-lived excited singlet states can exert control of polymer molecular weight and dispersity by suppressing the steady-state concentration of the reactive debrominated radical. More broadly, we aim to demonstrate the potential of ultrafast absorption spectroscopy to observe directly transient, open-shell intermediates in mechanistic studies of photoredox catalysis.

Ozonolysis, the mechanism by which alkenes are oxidized by ozone in the atmosphere, produces a diverse family of oxidants known as Criegee intermediates (CIs). Using a combination of newly acquired laboratory data and global atmospheric chemistry and transport modelling, we find that the reaction of CIs with alcohols – a reaction that was originally employed to trap these reactive species and provide evidence for the ozonolysis mechanism nearly 70 years ago – is occurring in Earth’s atmosphere and may represent a sizeable source of functionalized hydroperoxides therein. Rate coefficients are reported for the reactions of CH2OO and (CH3)2COO + methanol and that of CH2OO + ethanol. Substitution about the Criegee intermediate is found to have a strong influence over the reaction rate, whereas substitution on the alcohol moiety does not. Although these reactions are not especially rapid, both the precursors to CIs and alcohols have large emissions from the terrestrial biosphere, leading to a high degree of collocation for this chemistry. We estimate that the products ofthese reactions, the α-alkoxyalkyl hydroperoxides (AAAHs) have a production rate of ~30 Gg yr-1. In order to assess the atmospheric lifetime of AAAHs, we used the nuclear ensemble method to construct a UV absorption spectrum from the four lowest energy conformers identified for a representative AAAH, methoxymethyl hydroperoxide. The computed absorption cross sectionindicates that these compounds will be lost by solar photolysis, although not so rapidly as to exclude competition from other sinks such as oxidation, thermal decay and aerosol uptake.

The computationally predicted presence of two structurally distinct minima in the first triplet excited (T1) state of 2-thiouracil (2TU) is substantiated by sub-picosecond transient vibrational absorption spectroscopy (TVAS) in deuterated acetonitrile solution. Following 300-nm ultraviolet excitation to the second singlet excited state of 2TU, a transient infrared absorption band centered at 1643 cm-1 is observed within our minimum time resolution of 0.3 ps. It is assigned either to 2TU molecules in the S1 state, or to vibrationally hot T1 state molecules, with the latter assignment more consistent with recent computational and experimental studies. The 1643 cm-1 band decays with a time constant of 7.2 ± 0.8 ps, and there is corresponding growth of several further bands centered at 1234, 1410, 1424, 1443, 1511, 1626 and 1660 cm-1 which show no decline in intensity over the 1 ns time limit of our measurements. These spectral features are assigned to two different conformations of 2TU, corresponding to separate energy minima on the T1 state potential energy surface, on the basis of their extended lifetimes, computed infra-red frequencies, and the observed quenching of the bands by addition of styrene. Corresponding measurements for the 4-thiouracil (4TU) isomer show sub-picosecond population of the T1 state, which vibrationally cools with a time constant of 5.2 ± 0.6 ps. However, TVAS measurements in the carbonyl stretching region do not distinguish the two computed T1-state conformers of 4TU because of the similarity of their vibrational frequencies.

Mounting evidence suggests that Criegee intermediates are important tropospheric oxidants of both organic and inorganic gases, supplementing the oxidation chemistry initiated by OH radicals. Here, the rate coefficient for reaction of the simplest Criegee intermediate CH2OO with acetone, k(CH2OO + (CH3)2CO), was measured using laser flash photolysis and cavity ring-down spectroscopy methods under tropospherically relevant conditions of pressure and temperature. The pressure dependence of k(CH2OO + (CH3)2CO)= (4.7 ± 0.1) x 10-13 [N2] / ((3.7 ± 0.7) x 1016 + [N2]) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 was measured in the 5 to 100 Torr range, returning a high-pressure limit value of (4.7 ± 0.1) x 10-13 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 293 K. A temperature dependence of k(CH2OO + (CH3)2CO) = (1.45 ± 0.18) x 10-21 T2 exp (2407 ± 36 / T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 was observed in the 250 to 310 K range. The global chemical transport model (STOCHEM-CRI) was used to model the speciated Criegee intermediate field using recently reported temperature dependent rate coefficient values for various reactions of Criegee intermediates. Incorporation of the Criegee intermediate reaction with acetone in the model predicts decreases in acetone concentration of as much as 10 to 40 ppt in various regions of the world.

Using a combination of velocity-map imaging and resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization detection with crossed molecular beam scattering, the dynamics of rotational energy transfer have been examined for NO in collisions with CH

This themed issue includes a collection of articles on photodissociation and reaction dynamics and marks the occasion of Professor Mike Ashfold's 65th birthday.

Quasi-classical trajectory simulations examine the reaction of Cl with propene across a range of collision energies, from 7 to 28 kJ mol-1. The majority (70% at 7 kJ mol-1, 86% at 14 kJ mol-1 and 93% at 28 kJ mol-1) of reactive trajectories produce HCl by direct abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the methyl group of propene, but the remainder involve a variety of delayed mechanisms. Among these longer-lived trajectories, transient formation of an energized 1-chloropropyl radical intermediate is predominant, with only a minor contribution from the 2-chloropropyl radical and roaming pathways. The branching ratios between these intermediate states are largely invariant to collision energy, although the overall proportion of indirect trajectories increases at lower collision energies. The greater role for longer-lived trajectories is reflected in the computed product scattering angle distributions, which become more isotropic at lower energies. However, the distributions of population over vibrational and rotational states of the product HCl do not change with collision energy because they are controlled by the dynamics late along the reaction path.

The fluorescent analogue 2-aminopurine (2AP) of the canonical nucleobase adenine (6-aminopurine) base-pairs with thymine (T) without disrupting the helical structure of DNA. It therefore finds frequent use in molecular biology for probing DNA and RNA structures and conformational dynamics. However, detailed understanding of the processes responsible for fluorescence quenching remains largely elusive on a fundamental level. Although attempts have been made to ascribe decreased excited-state lifetimes to intrastrand charge-transfer and stacking interactions, possible influences from dynamic interstrand H-bonding have been widely ignored. Here, we investigate the electronic relaxation of UV-excited 2AP center dot T in Watson Crick (WC) and Hoogsteen (HS) conformations. Although the WC conformation features slowed-down, monomer-like electronic relaxation in tau similar to 1.6 ns toward ground-state recovery and triplet formation, the dynamics associated with 2AP center dot T in the HS motif exhibit faster deactivation in tau similar to 70 ps. As recent research has revealed abundant transient interstrand H-bonding in the Hoogsteen motif for duplex DNA, the established model for dynamic fluorescence quenching may need to be revised in the light of our results. The underlying supramolecular photophysical mechanisms are discussed in terms of a proposed excited-state double-proton transfer as an efficient deactivation channel for recovery of the HS species in the electronic ground state.

The dynamics of chemical reactions in liquid solutions are now amenable to direct study using ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques and advances in computer simulation methods. The surrounding solvent affects the chemical reaction dynamics in numerous ways, which include: (i) formation of complexes between reactants and solvent molecules; (ii) modifications to transition state energies and structures relative to the reactants and products; (iii) coupling between the motions of the reacting molecules and the solvent modes, and exchange of energy; (iv) solvent caging of reactants and products; and (v) structural changes to the solvation shells in response to the changing chemical identity of the solutes, on timescales which may be slower than the reactive events. This article reviews progress in the study of bimolecular chemical reaction dynamics in solution, concentrating on reactions which occur on ground electronic states. It illustrates this progress with reference to recent experimental and computational studies, and considers how the various ways in which a solvent affects the chemical reaction dynamics can be unravelled. Implications are considered for research in fields such as mechanistic synthetic chemistry.

The mechanism of the thiol-ene reaction induced by 330-nm ultraviolet excitation of 1,2-di(quinolin-2-yl)disulfide (QSSQ) in the presence of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is investigated by sub-picosecond to microsecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The measurements, spanning more than seven orders of magnitude of time, directly reveal multiple radical reaction steps. The ground state quinoliene-2-thiyl radical (QS) is formed with a time constant of ~200 fs by photolysis of QSSQ, followed by (64 ± 1)% decay of the initially formed QS radical because of solvent cage induced geminate recombination and QS dimer formation with a rate coefficient of (3.4 ± 0.2) × 1010 M-1 s-1 in methanol solution. In MMA solution, the carbon centered radical QS-MMA forms with a bimolecular reaction rate coefficient of (2.8 ± 0.2) × 107 M-1 s-1. The distinct infrared band at 1653 cm-1 assigned to the C=O stretch mode of the QS-MMA radical decays rapidly in aerated solution, in contrast to observations in a solution purged of O2 by N2 bubbling. This decay is attributed to reaction of the QS-MMA radicals with molecular oxygen, producing peroxy radicals. Kinetic analysis of the intensity of the band at 1653 cm-1 reveals a bimolecular reaction rate coefficient of (3.3 ± 0.3) × 109 M-1 s-1 for the reaction of the QS-MMA radicals with molecular oxygen, and indicates that this reaction step is reversible.

Time resolved vibrational cooling towards equilibrium in perfluorinated and chlorinated solvents provides detailed insights into the transfer of energy between solute and solvent molecules., We present a systematic study of the mode-specific vibrational relaxation of NO2 in six weakly-interacting solvents (perfluorohexane, perfluoromethylcyclohexane, perfluorodecalin, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and d-chloroform), chosen to elucidate the dominant energy transfer mechanisms in the solution phase. Broadband transient vibrational absorption spectroscopy has allowed us to extract quantum state-resolved relaxation dynamics of the two distinct NO2 fragments produced from the 340 nm photolysis of N2O4 → NO2(X) + NO2(A) and their separate paths to thermal equilibrium. Distinct relaxation pathways are observed for the NO2 bending and stretching modes, even at energies as high as 7000 cm–1 above the potential minimum. Vibrational energy transfer is governed by different interaction mechanisms in the various solvent environments, and proceeds with timescales ranging from 20–1100 ps. NO2 relaxation rates in the perfluorocarbon solvents are identical despite differences in acceptor mode state densities, infrared absorption cross sections, and local solvent structure. Vibrational energy is shown to be transferred to non-vibrational solvent degrees of freedom (V-T) through impulsive collisions with the perfluorocarbon molecules. Conversely, NO2 relaxation in chlorinated solvents is reliant on vibrational resonances (V-V) while V-T energy transfer is inefficient and thermal excitation of the surrounding solvent molecules inhibits faster vibrational relaxation through direct complexation. Intramolecular vibrational redistribution allows the symmetric stretch of NO2 to act as a gateway for antisymmetric stretch energy to exit the molecule. This study establishes an unprecedented level of detail for the cooling dynamics of a solvated small molecule, and provides a benchmark system for future theoretical studies of vibrational relaxation processes in solution.

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) of single, optically manipulated aerosol particles affords quantitative retrieval of refractive indices for particles of fixed or evolving composition with high precision. Here, we quantify the accuracy with which refractive index determinations can be made by CRDS for single particles confined within the core of a Bessel laser beam and how that accuracy is degraded as the particle size is progressively reduced from the coarse mode (>1 μm radius) to the accumulation mode (n, and imaginary, κ, components of the refractive index can be determined for a single aerosol particle. Published with license by American Association for Aerosol Research Read the transcript Watch the video on Vimeo

Dynamics of collisions between structured molecular species quickly become complex as molecules become large. Reactions of methane with halogen and oxygen atoms serve as model systems for polyatomic molecule chemical dynamics, and replacing the atomic reagent with a diatomic radical affords further insights. A new, full-dimensional potential energy surface for collisions between CN + CH4 to form HCN + CH3 is developed and then used to perform quasi-classical simulations of the reaction. Coupled-cluster energies serve as input to an empirical valence bonding (EVB) model, which provides an analytical function for the surface. Efficient sampling permits simulation of velocity-map ion images and exploration of dynamics over a range of collision energies. Reaction populates HCN vibration, and energy partitioning changes with collision energy. The reaction cross-section depends on the orientation of the diatomic CN radical. A two-dimensional extension of the cone of acceptance for an atom in the line-of-centers model appropriately describes its reactivity. The simulation results foster future experiments and diatomic extensions to existing atomic models of chemical collisions and reaction dynamics. ispartof: Journal of Physical Chemistry A vol:120 issue:27 pages:4672-4682 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Ammonia and amines are emitted into the troposphere by various natural and anthropogenic sources, where they have a significant role in aerosol formation. Here, we explore the significance of their removal by reaction with Criegee intermediates, which are produced in the troposphere by ozonolysis of alkenes. Rate coefficients for the reactions of two representative Criegee intermediates, formaldehyde oxide (CH2OO) and acetone oxide ((CH3)2COO) with NH3 and CH3NH2 were measured using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. Temperature-dependent rate coefficients, k(CH2OO + NH3) = (3.1 ± 0.5) × 10-20T2 exp(1011 ± 48/T) cm3 s-1 and k(CH2OO + CH3NH2) = (5 ± 2) × 10-19T2 exp(1384 ± 96/T) cm3 s-1 were obtained in the 240 to 320 K range. Both the reactions of CH2OO were found to be independent of pressure in the 10 to 100 Torr (N2) range, and average rate coefficients k(CH2OO + NH3) = (8.4 ± 1.2) × 10-14 cm3 s-1 and k(CH2OO + CH3NH2) = (5.6 ± 0.4) × 10-12 cm3 s-1 were deduced at 293 K. An upper limit of ≤2.7 × 10-15 cm3 s-1 was estimated for the rate coefficient of the (CH3)2COO + NH3 reaction. Complementary measurements were performed with mass spectrometry using synchrotron radiation photoionization giving k(CH2OO + CH3NH2) = (4.3 ± 0.5) × 10-12 cm3 s-1 at 298 K and 4 Torr (He). Photoionization mass spectra indicated production of NH2CH2OOH and CH3N(H)CH2OOH functionalized organic hydroperoxide adducts from CH2OO + NH3 and CH2OO + CH3NH2 reactions, respectively. Ab initio calculations performed at the CCSD(T)(F12*)/cc-pVQZ-F12//CCSD(T)(F12*)/cc-pVDZ-F12 level of theory predicted pre-reactive complex formation, consistent with previous studies. Master equation simulations of the experimental data using the ab initio computed structures identified submerged barrier heights of -2.1 ± 0.1 kJ mol-1 and -22.4 ± 0.2 kJ mol-1 for the CH2OO + NH3 and CH2OO + CH3NH2 reactions, respectively. The reactions of NH3 and CH3NH2 with CH2OO are not expected to compete with its removal by reaction with (H2O)2 in the troposphere. Similarly, losses of NH3 and CH3NH2 by reaction with Criegee intermediates will be insignificant compared with reactions with OH radicals.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, is one of the many concerning pollutants in our atmosphere, it is highly resistant to environmental degradation processes, which enables it to accumulate biologically. With direct routes of this chemical to the environment decreasing, as a consequence of the industrial phase out of PFOA, it has become more important to accurately model the effects of indirect production routes, such as environmental degradation of precursors, e.g., fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs). The study reported here investigates the chemistry, physical loss and transport of PFOA and its precursors, FTOHs, throughout the troposphere using a 3D global chemical transport model, STOCHEM-CRI. Moreover, this investigation includes an important loss process of PFOA in the atmosphere via the addition of the stabilised Criegee intermediates, hereby referred to as the &ldquo, Criegee Field.&rdquo, Whilst reaction with Criegee intermediates is a significant atmospheric loss process of PFOA, it does not result in its permanent removal from the atmosphere. The atmospheric fate of the resultant hydroperoxide product from the reaction of PFOA and Criegee intermediates resulted in a &asymp, 0.04 Gg year&minus, 1 increase in the production flux of PFOA. Furthermore, the physical loss of the hydroperoxide product from the atmosphere (i.e., deposition), whilst decreasing the atmospheric concentration, is also likely to result in the reformation of PFOA in environmental aqueous phases, such as clouds, precipitation, oceans and lakes. As such, removal facilitated by the &ldquo, Criegee Field&rdquo, is likely to simply result in the acceleration of PFOA transfer to the surface (with an expected decrease in PFOA atmospheric lifetime of &asymp, 10 h, on average from ca. 80 h without Criegee loss to 70 h with Criegee loss).

Photoredox catalysis of chemical reactions, using light-activated molecules which serve as electron donors or acceptors to initiate chemical transformations under mild conditions, is finding widespread use in the synthesis of organic compounds and materials. The transition-metal-centred complexes first developed for these photoredox-catalysed applications are steadily being superseded by more sustainable and lower toxicity organic photocatalysts. While the diversity of possible structures for photoredox-active organic molecules brings benefits of design flexibility, it also presents considerable challenges for optimization of the photocatalyst molecular architecture. Transient absorption spectroscopy over timescales from the femtosecond to microsecond domains can explore the detailed mechanisms of activation and reaction of these organic photocatalysts in solution, and by linking their dynamical properties to their structures, has the potential to establish reliable design principles for future development of improved photocatalysts.

Trace atmospheric concentrations of carboxylic acids have a potent effect upon the environment, where they modulate aqueous chemistry and perturb Earth’s radiative balance. Halogenated carboxylic acids are produced by the tropospheric oxidation of halocarbons and are considered persistent pollutants because of their weak tropospheric and aqueous sinks. However, recent studies reported rapid reactions between selected carboxylic acids and Criegee intermediates, which may provide an efficient gas-phase removal process. Accordingly, absolute rate coefficients of two Criegee intermediates, CH2OO and (CH3)2COO, with a suite of carboxylic acids (HCOOH, CH3COOH, CClF2COOH, CF3CF2COOH, and pyruvic acid) were measured with a view to develop a structure-activity relationship (SAR). This SAR is based upon the dipole-capture model and predicts the reactivity of many further combinations of Criegee intermediates and carboxylic acids. Complementary synchrotron-based photoionization mass spectrometry measurements demonstrate that these reactions produce stable ester adducts, with a reaction coordinate involving transfer of the acidic hydrogen from the carboxylic acid to the terminal oxygen of the Criegee intermediate. The adduct products are predicted to have low vapour pressures, and coupling of this chemistry with a global atmospheric chemistry and transport model shows significant production of secondary organic aerosol at locations rich in biogenic alkene emissions.

The photophysical dynamics of 2-aminopurine riboside (2APr) in CHCl3 have been studied following excitation at λpump = 310 nm by means of femtosecond transient vibrational absorption spectroscopy (TVAS) aided by quantum chemical density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio calculations. The experiments identified numerous vibrational marker bands in the regions of the NH2 stretch and the 2AP ring vibrations which could be assigned to the bleach of the S0 electronic ground state (GS) and to transient populations in the 1ππ* and 3ππ* excited electronic states. The temporal evolution of the transient vibrational bands shows that the decay of the 1ππ* population is accompanied by a partial recovery of the GS and a concurrent population of the 3ππ* state with a time constant of τ2 = 740 ± 15 ps. The ensuing electronic relaxation is concluded to proceed via the 1nπ* state as intermediate state. The absence of observable transient vibrational bands of this state hints at an upper limit for its lifetime of τ < 100 ps. The triplet quantum yield is found to be φT = 0.42 ± 0.07.

Solvation plays a critical role in various physicochemical and biological processes. Here, the rate of intersystem crossing (ISC) of benzophenone from its S1(nπ∗) state to its triplet manifold of states is shown to be modified by hydrogen-bonding interactions with protic solvent molecules. We selectively photoexcite benzophenone with its carbonyl group either solvent coordinated or uncoordinated by tuning the excitation wavelength to the band center (λ = 340 nm) or the long-wavelength edge (λ = 380 nm) of its π∗ ↔ n absorption band. A combination of ultrafast absorption and Raman spectroscopy shows that the hydrogen-bonding interaction increases the time constant for ISC from 3OH. The spectroscopic evidence suggests that the preferred pathway for ISC is from the S1(nπ∗) to the T2(ππ∗) state, with the rate of internal conversion from T2(ππ∗) to T1(nπ∗) controlled by solvent quenching of excess vibrational energy.

The atmospheric global budget and distribution of C 1 –C 3 alkyl nitrates have been investigated using a global three-dimensional chemistry transport model, STOCHEM-CRI. Alkyl nitrates (RONO 2 ) are significant NO x reservoir species and the more detailed VOC oxidation mechanism (CRI v2-R5) leads to greater photochemical production. RONO 2 are significant sources of NO x in regions remote from NO x sources. The study shows that the global burden and the atmospheric life-time of C 1 –C 3 alkyl nitrates are 113 Gg and 9–10 days, respectively, which are in excellent agreement with estimates established by previous studies. The abundance of alkyl nitrates have been found to be higher in the continental atmosphere, with CH 3 ONO 2 mixing ratios up to 20 ppt over the Amazon rainforest. Up to 15, 10, 2, and 5 ppt of modelled CH 3 ONO 2 , C 2 H 5 ONO 2 , n-C 3 H 7 ONO 2 and i-C 3 H 7 ONO 2 have been found in the northern hemisphere over regions with large anthropogenic emissions of NO x and VOCs. The combination of atmospheric production and long-range transport led to high alkyl nitrate levels at high latitudes. The model performance for C 1 –C 3 alkyl nitrates was established using observations from nine flights and nine field campaigns. The comparison shows a tendency towards model under-prediction of the observations, particularly in the southern hemispheric marine boundary layer, possibly due to the absence of oceanic production mechanisms and air-sea exchange processes in the model. The discrepancies between model and observed seasonal cycles, especially of CH 3 ONO 2 , in both hemispheres are discussed.