@unpublished{LambertVoelkerKochetal.2015, author = {Lambert, Christoph and V{\"o}lker, Sebastian F. and Koch, Federico and Schmiedel, Alexander and Holzapfel, Marco and Humeniuk, Alexander and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Mitric, Roland and Brixner, Tobias}, title = {Energy Transfer Between Squaraine Polymer Sections: From helix to zig-zag and All the Way Back}, series = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, doi = {10.1021/jacs.5b03644}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159607}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Joint experimental and theoretical study of the absorption spectra of squaraine polymers in solution provide evidence that two different conformations are present in solution: a helix and a zig-zag structure. This unique situation allows investigating ultrafast energy transfer processes between different structural segments within a single polymer chain in solution. The understanding of the underlying dynamics is of fundamental importance for the development of novel materials for light-harvesting and optoelectronic applications. We combine here femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with time-resolved 2D electronic spectroscopy showing that ultrafast energy transfer within the squaraine polymer chains proceeds from initially excited helix segments to zig-zag segments or vice versa, depending on the solvent as well as on the excitation wavenumber. These observations contrast other conjugated polymers such as MEH-PPV where much slower intrachain energy transfer was reported. The reason for the very fast energy transfer in squaraine polymers is most likely a close matching of the density of states between donor and acceptor polymer segments because of very small reorganization energy in these cyanine-like chromophores.}, language = {en} } @article{MezaChinchaLindnerSchindleretal.2020, author = {Meza-Chincha, Ana-Lucia and Lindner, Joachim O. and Schindler, Dorothee and Schmidt, David and Krause, Ana-Maria and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Mitrić, Roland and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Impact of substituents on molecular properties and catalytic activities of trinuclear Ru macrocycles in water oxidation}, issn = {2041-6539}, doi = {10.1039/d0sc01097a}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-204653}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Herein we report a broad series of new trinuclear supramolecular Ru(bda) macrocycles bearing different substituents at the axial or equatorial ligands which enabled investigation of substituent effects on the catalytic activities in chemical and photocatalytic water oxidation. Our detailed investigations revealed that the activities of these functionalized macrocycles in water oxidation are significantly affected by the position at which the substituents were introduced. Interestingly, this effect could not be explained based on the redox properties of the catalysts since these are not markedly influenced by the functionalization of the ligands. Instead, detailed investigations by X-ray crystal structure analysis and theoretical simulations showed that conformational changes imparted by the substituents are responsible for the variation of catalytic activities of the Ru macrocycles. For the first time, macrocyclic structure of this class of water oxidation catalysts is unequivocally confirmed and experimental indication for a hydrogen-bonded water network present in the cavity of the macrocycles is provided by crystal structure analysis. We ascribe the high catalytic efficiency of our Ru(bda) macrocycles to cooperative proton abstractions facilitated by such a network of preorganized water molecules in their cavity, which is reminiscent of catalytic activities of enzymes at active sites.}, language = {en} } @article{SchaeferBuehlerHeyeretal.2021, author = {Sch{\"a}fer, Natalie and B{\"u}hler, Michael and Heyer, Lisa and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Beuerle, Florian}, title = {Endohedral Hydrogen Bonding Templates the Formation of a Highly Strained Covalent Organic Cage Compound}, series = {Chemistry—A European Journal}, volume = {27}, journal = {Chemistry—A European Journal}, number = {19}, doi = {10.1002/chem.202005276}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256762}, pages = {6077-6085}, year = {2021}, abstract = {A highly strained covalent organic cage compound was synthesized from hexahydroxy tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ) and a meta-terphenyl-based diboronic acid with an additional benzoic acid substituent in 2'-position. Usually, a 120° bite angle in the unsubstituted ditopic linker favors the formation of a [4+6] cage assembly. Here, the introduction of the benzoic acid group is shown to lead to a perfectly preorganized circular hydrogen-bonding array in the cavity of a trigonal-bipyramidal [2+3] cage, which energetically overcompensates the additional strain energy caused by the larger mismatch in bite angles for the smaller assembly. The strained cage compound was analyzed by mass spectrometry and \(^{1}\)H, \(^{13}\)C and DOSY NMR spectroscopy. DFT calculations revealed the energetic contribution of the hydrogen-bonding template to the cage stability. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations on early intermediates indicate an additional kinetic effect, as hydrogen bonding also preorganizes and rigidifies small oligomers to facilitate the exclusive formation of smaller and more strained macrocycles and cages.}, language = {en} } @article{Roehr2021, author = {R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S.}, title = {New theoretical methods for the exploration of functional landscapes}, series = {International Journal of Quantum Chemistry}, volume = {121}, journal = {International Journal of Quantum Chemistry}, number = {24}, doi = {10.1002/qua.26747}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-257682}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Molecular functionality can be often directly attributed to given properties of the electronic wavefunction. Analogous to the potential energy surface, these properties can be represented as a function of the nuclear coordinates, giving rise to molecular "functional landscapes." However, so far there has been no possibility for their systematic investigation. This perspective aims to discuss the development of new theoretical methods based on the multistate extension of the metadynamics approach, employing electronic collective variables. This emerging methodology allows to explore functional landscapes and to gain a deeper understanding of the structure-function relation in molecules and complex molecular systems in the ground and excited electronic state.}, language = {en} }