Rotational dynamics of nondipolar probes in ethanols: How does the strength of the solute–solvent hydrogen bond impede molecular rotation?

Rotational dynamics of two structurally similar nondipolar probes; 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dioxo-3,6diphenylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole (DMDPP) and 1,4-dioxo-3,6-diphenylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole (DPP) has been investigated in ethanol (EtOH) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) in the temperature range 243–298 K in an attempt to understand how the strength of the solute–solvent hydrogen bond impedes molecular rotation. It has been observed that the reorientation times of DPP are slower compared to DMDPP by about a factor of 2 in EtOH and this factor is only 1.3–1.4 in TFE. Another interesting observation is that the viscosity normalized reorientation times of DPP at a given temperature are almost identical in EtOH and TFE, whereas those of DMDPP are slower by a factor of 1.5 in TFE compared to EtOH. These observations have been rationalized on the basis of hydrogen bond donating and hydrogen bond accepting abilities of the respective solute and the solvent. Further evidence for such a rationale has been provided with the aid of ab initio molecular orbital methods.