@article{HocheFlockMiaoetal.2021, author = {Hoche, Joscha and Flock, Marco and Miao, Xincheng and Philipp, Luca Nils and Wenzel, Michael and Fischer, Ingo and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Excimer formation dynamics in the isolated tetracene dimer}, series = {Chemical Science}, volume = {12}, journal = {Chemical Science}, number = {36}, doi = {10.1039/D1SC03214C}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-251559}, pages = {11965 -- 11975}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The understanding of excimer formation and its interplay with the singlet-correlated triplet pair state \(^{1}\)(TT) is of high significance for the development of efficient organic electronics. Here, we study the photoinduced dynamics of the tetracene dimer in the gas phase by time-resolved photoionisation and photoion imaging experiments as well as nonadiabatic dynamics simulations in order to obtain mechanistic insight into the excimer formation dynamics. The experiments are performed using a picosecond laser system for excitation into the S\(_{2}\) state and reveal a biexponential time dependence. The time constants, obtained as a function of excess energy, lie in the range between ≈10 ps and 100 ps and are assigned to the relaxation of the excimer on the S\(_{1}\) surface and to its deactivation to the ground state. Simulations of the quantum-classical photodynamics are carried out in the frame of the semi-empirical CISD and TD-lc-DFTB methods. Both theoretical approaches reveal a dominating relaxation pathway that is characterised by the formation of a perfectly stacked excimer. TD-lc-DFTB simulations have also uncovered a second relaxation channel into a less stable dimer conformation in the S\(_{1}\) state. Both methods have consistently shown that the electronic and geometric relaxation to the excimer state is completed in less than 10 ps. The inclusion of doubly excited states in the CISD dynamics and their diabatisation further allowed to observe a transient population of the \(^{1}\)(TT) state, which, however, gets depopulated on a timescale of 8 ps, leading finally to the trapping in the excimer minimum.}, language = {en} } @article{MuessigLisinetskayaDewhurstetal.2020, author = {Muessig, Jonas H. and Lisinetskaya, Polina and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Bertermann, R{\"u}diger and Thaler, Melanie and Mitric, Roland and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Dibortetraiodid (B\(_2\)I\(_4\)) ist im Festk{\"o}rper ein Polymer aus sp3-hybridisiertem Bor}, series = {Angewandte Chemie}, volume = {132}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie}, number = {14}, doi = {10.1002/ange.201913590}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-219653}, pages = {5574-5579}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Anhand der ersten Festk{\"o}rperstrukturen von Dibortetraiodid (B\(_2\)I\(_4\)) wird gezeigt, dass dieses nicht, wie lange angenommen, analog zu den leichteren Dibortetrahalogeniden B\(_2\)F\(_4\), B\(_2\)Cl\(_4\) und B\(_2\)Br\(_4\) in allen Aggregatzust{\"a}nden in Form diskreter Molek{\"u}le mit planaren, dreifach koordinierten Boratomen vorliegt. R{\"o}ntgenstrukturanalysen, Festk{\"o}rper-NMR- und IR-Messungen zeigen, dass B\(_2\)I\(_4\) im Festk{\"o}rper in zwei polymeren Konformeren vorkommt, die tetraedrisch koordinierte Boratome enthalten. Anhand von DFT-Rechnungen werden die IR-Spektren in L{\"o}sung und im Festk{\"o}rper simuliert und mit den experimentellen Daten verglichen.}, language = {de} } @unpublished{WohlgemuthMitric2020, author = {Wohlgemuth, Matthias and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Excitation energy transport in DNA modelled by multi-chromophoric field-induced surface hopping}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, edition = {submitted version}, doi = {10.1039/D0CP02255A}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-209467}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Absorption of ultraviolet light is known as a major source of carcinogenic mutations of DNA. The underlying processes of excitation energy dissipation are yet not fully understood. In this work we provide a new and generally applicable route for studying the excitation energy transport in multi-chromophoric complexes at an atomistic level. The surface-hopping approach in the frame of the extended Frenkel exciton model combined with QM/MM techniques allowed us to simulate the photodynamics of the alternating (dAdT)10 : (dAdT)10 double-stranded DNA. In accordance with recent experiments, we find that the excited state decay is multiexponential, involving a long and a short component which are due to two distinct mechanisms: formation of long-lived delocalized excitonic and charge transfer states vs. ultrafast decaying localized states resembling those of the bare nucleobases. Our simulations explain all stages of the ultrafast photodynamics including initial photoexcitation, dynamical evolution out of the Franck-Condon region, excimer formation and nonradiative relaxation to the ground state.}, language = {en} } @article{MuessigLisinetskayaDewhurstetal.2020, author = {Muessig, Jonas H. and Lisinetskaya, Polina and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Bertermann, R{\"u}diger and Thaler, Melanie and Mitric, Roland and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Tetraiododiborane(4) (B\(_2\)I\(_4\)) is a Polymer based on sp\(^3\) Boron in the Solid State}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {59}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201913590}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-209428}, pages = {5531-5535}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Herein we present the first solid-state structures of tetraiododiborane(4) (B\(_2\)I\(_4\)), which was long believed to exist in all phases as discrete molecules with planar, tricoordinate boron atoms, like the lighter tetrahalodiboranes(4) B\(_2\)F\(_4\), B\(_2\)Cl\(_4\), and B\(_2\)Br\(_4\). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR, and IR measurements indicate that B\(_2\)I\(_4\) in fact exists as two different polymeric forms in the solid state, both of which feature boron atoms in tetrahedral environments. DFT calculations are used to simulate the IR spectra of the solution and solid-state structures, and these are compared with the experimental spectra.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{HumeniukBužančićHocheetal.2020, author = {Humeniuk, Alexander and Bužančić, Margarita and Hoche, Joscha and Cerezo, Javier and Mitric, Roland and Santoro, Fabrizio and Bonačić-Koutecky, Vlasta}, title = {Predicting fluorescence quantum yields for molecules in solution: A critical assessment of the harmonic approximation and the choice of the lineshape function}, series = {The Journal of Chemical Physics}, journal = {The Journal of Chemical Physics}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-199305}, year = {2020}, abstract = {For the rational design of new fluorophores, reliable predictions of fluorescence quantum yields from first principles would be of great help. However, efficient computational approaches for predicting transition rates usually assume that the vibrational structure is harmonic. While the harmonic approximation has been used successfully to predict vibrationally resolved spectra and radiative rates, its reliability for non-radiative rates is much more questionable. Since non-adiabatic transitions convert large amounts of electronic energy into vibrational energy, the highly excited final vibrational states deviate greatly from harmonic oscillator eigenfunctions. We employ a time-dependent formalism to compute radiative and non-radiative rates for transitions and study the dependence on model parameters. For several coumarin dyes we compare different adiabatic and vertical harmonic models (AS, ASF, AH, VG, VGF, VH), in order to dissect the importance of displacements, frequency changes and Duschinsky rotations. In addition we analyze the effect of different broadening functions (Gaussian, Lorentzian or Voigt). Moreover, to assess the qualitative influence of anharmonicity on the internal conversion rate, we develop a simplified anharmonic model. We adress the reliability of these models considering the potential errors introduced by the harmonic approximation and the phenomenological width of the broadening function.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{LindnerSultangaleevaRoehretal.2019, author = {Lindner, Joachim O. and Sultangaleeva, Karina and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Mitric, Roland}, title = {metaFALCON: A program package for automatic sampling of conical intersection seams using multistate metadynamics}, series = {Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-199258}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The multistate metadynamics for automatic exploration of conical intersection seams and systematic location of minimum energy crossing points in molecular systems and its implementation into the software package metaFALCON is presented. Based on a locally modified energy gap between two Born-Oppenheimer electronic states as a collective variable, multistate metadynamics trajectories are driven toward an intersection point starting from an arbitrary ground state geometry and are subsequently forced to explore the conical intersection seam landscape. For this purpose, an additional collective variable capable of distinguishing structures within the seam needs to be defined and an additional bias is introduced into the off-diagonal elements of an extended (multistate) electronic Hamiltonian. We demonstrate the performance of the algorithm on the examples of the 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and 9H-adenine molecules, where multiple minimum energy crossing points could be systematically located using the Wiener number or Cremer-Pople parameters as collective variables. Finally, with the example of 9H-adenine, we show that the multistate metadynamics potential can be used to obtain a global picture of a conical intersection seam. Our method can be straightforwardly connected with any ab initio or semiempirical electronic structure theory that provides energies and gradients of the respective electronic states and can serve for systematic elucidation of the role of conical intersections in the photophysics and photochemistry of complex molecular systems, thus complementing nonadiabatic dynamics simulations.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{TitovHumeniukMitric2020, author = {Titov, Evgenii and Humeniuk, Alexander and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Comparison of moving and fixed basis sets for nonadiabatic quantum dynamics at conical intersections}, series = {Chemical Physics}, journal = {Chemical Physics}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-199225}, year = {2020}, abstract = {We assess the performance of two different types of basis sets for nonadiabatic quantum dynamics at conical intersections. The basis sets of both types are generated using Ehrenfest trajectories of nuclear coherent states. These trajectories can either serve as a moving (time-dependent) basis or be employed to sample a fixed (time-independent) basis. We demonstrate on the example of two-state two-dimensional and three-state five-dimensional models that both basis set types can yield highly accurate results for population transfer at intersections, as compared with reference quantum dynamics. The details of wave packet evolutions are discussed for the case of the two-dimensional model. The fixed basis is found to be superior to the moving one in reproducing nonlocal spreading and maintaining correct shape of the wave packet upon time evolution. Moreover, for the models considered, the fixed basis set outperforms the moving one in terms of computational efficiency.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{TitovHumeniukMitric2020, author = {Titov, Evgenii and Humeniuk, Alexander and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Comparison of moving and fixed basis sets for nonadiabatic quantum dynamics at conical intersections}, series = {Chemical Physics}, journal = {Chemical Physics}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198699}, year = {2020}, abstract = {We assess the performance of two different types of basis sets for nonadiabatic quantum dynamics at conical intersections. The basis sets of both types are generated using Ehrenfest trajectories of nuclear coherent states. These trajectories can either serve as a moving (time-dependent) basis or be employed to sample a fixed (time-independent) basis. We demonstrate on the example of two-state two-dimensional and three-state five-dimensional models that both basis set types can yield highly accurate results for population transfer at intersections, as compared with reference quantum dynamics. The details of wave packet evolutions are discussed for the case of the two-dimensional model. The fixed basis is found to be superior to the moving one in reproducing true nonlocal spreading and maintaining correct shape of the wave packet upon time evolution. Moreover, for the models considered, the fixed basis set outperforms the moving one in terms of computational efficiency.}, language = {en} } @article{HocheSchulzDietrichetal.2019, author = {Hoche, Joscha and Schulz, Alexander and Dietrich, Lysanne Monika and Humeniuk, Alexander and Stolte, Matthias and Schmidt, David and Brixner, Tobias and W{\"u}rthner, Frank and Mitric, Roland}, title = {The origin of the solvent dependence of fluorescence quantum yields in dipolar merocyanine dyes}, series = {Chemical Science}, volume = {10}, journal = {Chemical Science}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198707}, pages = {11013}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Fluorophores with high quantum yields are desired for a variety of applications. Optimization of promising chromophores requires an understanding of the non-radiative decay channels that compete with the emission of photons. We synthesized a new derivative of the famous laser dye 4-dicyanomethylen-2-methyl-6-p-dimethylaminostyryl-4H-pyran (DCM),i.e., merocyanine 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-tert-butyl-6-[3-(3-butyl-benzothiazol-2-ylidene)1-propenyl]-4H-pyran (DCBT). We measured fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields in a variety of solvents and found a trend opposite to the energy gap law.This motivated a theoretical investigation into the possible non-radiative decay channels. We propose that a barrier to a conical intersection exists that is very sensitive to the solvent polarity. The conical intersection is characterized by a twisted geometry which allows a subsequent photoisomerization. Transient absorption measurements confirmed the formation of a photoisomer in unpolar solvents, while the measurements of fluorescence quantum yields at low temperature demonstrated the existence of an activation energy barrier.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{LisinetskayaMitric2019, author = {Lisinetskaya, Polina G. and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Collective Response in DNA-Stabilized Silver Cluster Assemblies from First-Principles Simulations}, series = {The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters}, journal = {The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198729}, year = {2019}, abstract = {We investigate fluorescence resonant energy transfer and concurrent electron dynamics in a pair of DNA-stabilized silver clusters. For this purpose we introduce a methodology for the simulation of collective optoelectronic properties of coupled molecular aggregates starting from first-principles quantum chemistry, which can be further applied to a broad range of coupled molecular systems to study their electro-optical response. Our simulations reveal the existence of low-energy coupled excitonic states, which enable ultrafast energy transport between subunits, and give insight into the origin of the fluorescence signal in coupled DNA-stabilized silver clusters, which have been recently experimentally detected. Hence, we demonstrate the possibility of constructing ultrasmall energy transmission lines and optical converters based on these hybrid molecular systems.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{AuerhammerSchulzSchmiedeletal.2019, author = {Auerhammer, Nina and Schulz, Alexander and Schmiedel, Alexander and Holzapfel, Marco and Hoche, Joscha and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Mitric, Roland and Lambert, Christoph}, title = {Dynamic exciton localisation in a pyrene-BODIPY-pyrene dye conjugate}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198718}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The photophysics of a molecular triad consisting of a BODIPY dye and two pyrene chromophores attached in 2-position are investigated by steady state and fs-time resolved transient absorption spectroscopy as well as by field induced surface hopping (FISH) simulations. While the steady state measurements indicate moderate chromophore interactions within the triad, the time resolved measurements show upon pyrene excitation a delocalised excited state which localises onto the BODIPY chromophore with a time constant of 0.12 ps. This could either be interpreted as an internal conversion process within the excitonically coupled chromophores or as an energy transfer from the pyrenes to the BODIPY dye. The analysis of FISH-trajectories reveals an oscillatory behaviour where the excitation hops between the pyrene units and the BODIPY dye several times until finally they become localised on the BODIPY chromophore within 100 fs. This is accompanied by an ultrafast nonradiative relaxation within the excitonic manifold mediated by the nonadiabatic coupling. Averaging over an ensemble of trajectories allowed us to simulate the electronic state population dynamics and determine the time constants for the nonradiative transitions that mediate the ultrafast energy transfer and exciton localisation on BODIPY.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{TitovHumeniukMitric2018, author = {Titov, Evgenii and Humeniuk, Alexander and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Exciton localization in excited-state dynamics of a tetracene trimer: A surface hopping LC-TDDFTB study}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198680}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Excitons in the molecular aggregates of chromophores are key participants in important processes such as photosynthesis or the functioning of organic photovoltaic devices. Therefore, the exploration of exciton dynamics is crucial. Here we report on exciton localization during excited-state dynamics of the recently synthesized tetracene trimer [Liu et al., Org. Lett., 2017, 19, 580]. We employ the surface hopping approach to nonadiabatic molecular dynamics in conjunction with the long-range corrected time-dependent density functional tight binding (LC-TDDFTB) method [Humeniuk and Mitrić, Comput. Phys. Commun., 2017, 221, 174]. Utilizing a set of descriptors based on the transition density matrix, we perform comprehensive analysis of exciton dynamics. The obtained results reveal an ultrafast exciton localization to a single tetracene unit of the trimer during excited-state dynamics, along with exciton transfer between units.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{RoederPetersenIssleretal.2019, author = {R{\"o}der, Anja and Petersen, Jens and Issler, Kevin and Fischer, Ingo and Mitric, Roland and Poisson, Lionel}, title = {Exploring the Excited-State Dynamics of Hydrocarbon Radicals, Biradicals and Carbenes using Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Field-Induced Surface Hopping Simulations}, series = {The Journal of Physical Chemistry A}, journal = {The Journal of Physical Chemistry A}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198734}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Reactive hydrocarbon molecules like radicals, biradicals and carbenes are not only key players in combustion processes and interstellar and atmospheric chemistry, but some of them are also important intermediates in organic synthesis. These systems typically possess many low-lying, strongly coupled electronic states. After light absorption, this leads to rich photodynamics characterized by a complex interplay of nuclear and electronic motion, which is still not comprehensively understood and not easy to investigate both experimentally and theoretically. In order to elucidate trends and contribute to a more general understanding, we here review our recent work on excited-state dynamics of open-shell hydrocarbon species using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and field-induced surface hopping simulations, and report new results on the excited-state dynamics of the tropyl and the 1-methylallyl radical. The different dynamics are compared, and the difficulties and future directions of time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and excited state dynamics simulations of open-shell hydrocarbon molecules are discussed.}, language = {en} } @article{HocheSchmittHumeniuketal.2017, author = {Hoche, Joscha and Schmitt, Hans-Christian and Humeniuk, Alexander and Fischer, Ingo and Mitrić, Roland and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S.}, title = {The mechanism of excimer formation: an experimental and theoretical study on the pyrene dimer}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, volume = {19}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, number = {36}, doi = {10.1039/C7CP03990E}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159514}, pages = {25002-25015}, year = {2017}, abstract = {The understanding of excimer formation in organic materials is of fundamental importance, since excimers profoundly influence their functional performance in applications such as light-harvesting, photovoltaics or organic electronics. We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of the ultrafast dynamics of excimer formation in the pyrene dimer in a supersonic jet, which is the archetype of an excimer forming system. We perform simulations of the nonadiabatic photodynamics in the frame of TDDFT that reveal two distinct excimer formation pathways in the gas-phase dimer. The first pathway involves local excited state relaxation close to the initial Franck-Condon geometry that is characterized by a strong excitation of the stacking coordinate exhibiting damped oscillations with a period of 350 fs that persist for several picoseconds. The second excimer forming pathway involves large amplitude oscillations along the parallel shift coordinate with a period of ≈900 fs that after intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution leads to the formation of a perfectly stacked dimer. The electronic relaxation within the excitonic manifold is mediated by the presence of intermolecular conical intersections formed between fully delocalized excitonic states. Such conical intersections may generally arise in stacked π-conjugated aggregates due to the interplay between the long-range and short-range electronic coupling. The simulations are supported by picosecond photoionization experiments in a supersonic jet that provide a time-constant for the excimer formation of around 6-7 ps, in good agreement with theory. Finally, in order to explore how the crystal environment influences the excimer formation dynamics we perform large scale QM/MM nonadiabatic dynamics simulations on a pyrene crystal in the framework of the long-range corrected tight-binding TDDFT. In contrast to the isolated dimer, the excimer formation in the crystal follows a single reaction pathway in which the initially excited parallel slip motion is strongly damped by the interaction with the surrounding molecules leading to the slow excimer stabilization on a picosecond time scale.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{HocheSchmittHumeniuketal.2017, author = {Hoche, Joscha and Schmitt, Hans-Christian and Humeniuk, Alexander and Fischer, Ingo and Mitrić, Roland and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S.}, title = {The mechanism of excimer formation: an experimental and theoretical study on the pyrene dimer}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, doi = {10.1039/C7CP03990E}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159656}, year = {2017}, abstract = {The understanding of excimer formation in organic materials is of fundamental importance, since excimers profoundly influence their functional performance in applications such as light-harvesting, photovoltaics or organic electronics. We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of the ultrafast dynamics of excimer formation in the pyrene dimer in a supersonic jet, which is the archetype of an excimer forming system. We perform simulations of the nonadiabatic photodynamics in the frame of TDDFT that reveal two distinct excimer formation pathways in the gas-phase dimer. The first pathway involves local excited state relaxation close to the initial Franck-Condon geometry that is characterized by a strong excitation of the stacking coordinate exhibiting damped oscillations with a period of 350 fs that persist for several picoseconds. The second excimer forming pathway involves large amplitude oscillations along the parallel shift coordinate with a period of ≈900 fs that after intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution leads to the formation of a perfectly stacked dimer. The electronic relaxation within the excitonic manifold is mediated by the presence of intermolecular conical intersections formed between fully delocalized excitonic states. Such conical intersections may generally arise in stacked π-conjugated aggregates due to the interplay between the long-range and short-range electronic coupling. The simulations are supported by picosecond photoionization experiments in a supersonic jet that provide a time-constant for the excimer formation of around 6-7 ps, in good agreement with theory. Finally, in order to explore how the crystal environment influences the excimer formation dynamics we perform large scale QM/MM nonadiabatic dynamics simulations on a pyrene crystal in the framework of the long-range corrected tight-binding TDDFT. In contrast to the isolated dimer, the excimer formation in the crystal follows a single reaction pathway in which the initially excited parallel slip motion is strongly damped by the interaction with the surrounding molecules leading to the slow excimer stabilization on a picosecond time scale.}, language = {en} } @article{WohlgemuthMiyazakiTsukadaetal.2017, author = {Wohlgemuth, Matthias and Miyazaki, Mitsuhiko and Tsukada, Kohei and Weiler, Martin and Dopfer, Otto and Fujii, Masaaki and Mitrić, Roland}, title = {Deciphering environment effects in peptide bond solvation dynamics by experiment and theory}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, volume = {19}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, number = {33}, doi = {10.1039/C7CP03992A}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159647}, pages = {22564-22572}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Most proteins work in aqueous solution and the interaction with water strongly affects their structure and function. However, experimentally the motion of a specific single water molecule is difficult to trace by conventional methods, because they average over the heterogeneous solvation structure of bulk water surrounding the protein. Here, we provide a detailed atomistic picture of the water rearrangement dynamics around the -CONH- peptide linkage in the two model systems formanilide and acetanilide, which simply differ by the presence of a methyl group at the peptide linkage. The combination of picosecond pump-probe time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrates that the solvation dynamics at the molecular level is strongly influenced by this small structural difference. The effective timescales for solvent migration triggered by ionization are mainly controlled by the efficiency of the kinetic energy redistribution rather than the shape of the potential energy surface. This approach provides a fundamental understanding of protein hydration and may help to design functional molecules in solution with tailored properties.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{WohlgemuthMiyazakiTsukadaetal.2017, author = {Wohlgemuth, Matthias and Miyazaki, Mitsuhiko and Tsukada, Kohei and Weiler, Martin and Dopfer, Otto and Fujii, Masaaki and Mitrić, Roland}, title = {Deciphering environment effects in peptide bond solvation dynamics by experiment and theory}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, doi = {10.1039/C7CP03992A}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159483}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Most proteins work in aqueous solution and the interaction with water strongly affects their structure and function. However, experimentally the motion of a specific single water molecule is difficult to trace by conventional methods, because they average over the heterogeneous solvation structure of bulk water surrounding the protein. Here, we provide a detailed atomistic picture of the water rearrangement dynamics around the -CONH- peptide linkage in the two model systems formanilide and acetanilide, which simply differ by the presence of a methyl group at the peptide linkage. The combination of picosecond pump-probe time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrates that the solvation dynamics at the molecular level is strongly influenced by this small structural difference. The effective timescales for solvent migration triggered by ionization are mainly controlled by the efficiency of the kinetic energy redistribution rather than the shape of the potential energy surface. This approach provides a fundamental understanding of protein hydration and may help to design functional molecules in solution with tailored properties.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{RoederHumeniukGiegerichetal.2017, author = {R{\"o}der, Anja and Humeniuk, Alexander and Giegerich, Jens and Fischer, Ingo and Poisson, Lionel and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Femtosecond Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy of the Benzyl Radical}, series = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, doi = {10.1039/C7CP01437F}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159474}, year = {2017}, abstract = {We present a joint experimental and computational study of the nonradiative deactivation of the benzyl radical, C\(_7\)H\(_7\) after UV excitation. Femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging was applied to investigate the photodynamics of the radical. The experiments were accompanied by excited state dynamics simulations using surface hopping. Benzyl has been excited at 265 nm into the D-band (\(\pi\pi^*\)) and the dynamics was probed using probe wavelengths of 398 nm or 798 nm. With 398 nm probe a single time constant of around 70-80 fs was observed. When the dynamics was probed at 798 nm, a second time constant \(\tau_2\)=1.5 ps was visible. It is assigned to further non-radiative deactivation to the lower-lying D\(_1\)/D\(_2\) states.}, language = {en} } @article{RoehrLisinetskayaMitric2016, author = {R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Lisinetskaya, Polina G. and Mitric, Roland}, title = {Excitonic Properties of Ordered Metal Nanocluster Arrays: 2D Silver Clusters at Multiporphyrin Templates}, series = {Journal of Physical Chemistry A}, volume = {120}, journal = {Journal of Physical Chemistry A}, number = {26}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpca.6b04243}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159464}, pages = {4465-4472}, year = {2016}, abstract = {The design of ordered arrays of metal nanoclusters such as for example 2D cluster organic frameworks might open a new route towards the development of materials with tailored optical properties. Such systems could serve as plasmonically enhanced light-harvesting materials, sensors or catalysts. We present here a theoretical approach for the simulation of the optical properties of ordered arrays of metal clusters that is based on the ab initio parametrized Frenkel exciton model. We demonstrate that small atomically precise silver clusters can be assembled in one- and two-dimensional arrays on suitably designed porphyrin templates exhibiting remarkable optical properties. By employing explicit TDDFT calculations on smaller homologs, we show that the intrinsic optical properties of metal clusters are largely preserved but undergo J- and H-type excitonic coupling that results in controllable splitting of their excited states. Furthermore, ab initio parameterized Frenkel exciton model calculations allow us to predict an energetic splitting of up to 0.77 eV in extended two-dimensional square arrays and 0.79 eV in tilted square aggregates containing up to 25 cluster-porphyrin subunits.}, language = {en} } @article{LisinetskayaRoehrMitrić2016, author = {Lisinetskaya, Polina and R{\"o}hr, Merle I. S. and Mitrić, Roland}, title = {First-principles simulation of light propagation and exciton dynamics in metal cluster nanostructures}, series = {Applied Physics B}, volume = {122}, journal = {Applied Physics B}, number = {6}, issn = {0946-2171}, doi = {10.1007/s00340-016-6436-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159193}, pages = {175}, year = {2016}, abstract = {We present a theoretical approach for the simulation of the electric field and exciton propagation in ordered arrays constructed of molecular-sized noble metal clusters bound to organic polymer templates. In order to describe the electronic coupling between individual constituents of the nanostructure we use the ab initio parameterized transition charge method which is more accurate than the usual dipole-dipole coupling. The electronic population dynamics in the nanostructure under an external laser pulse excitation is simulated by numerical integration of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation employing the fully coupled Hamiltonian. The solution of the TDSE gives rise to time-dependent partial point charges for each subunit of the nanostructure, and the spatio-temporal electric field distribution is evaluated by means of classical electrodynamics methods. The time-dependent partial charges are determined based on the stationary partial and transition charges obtained in the framework of the TDDFT. In order to treat large plasmonic nanostructures constructed of many constituents, the approximate self-consistent iterative approach presented in (Lisinetskaya and Mitric in Phys Rev B 89:035433, 2014) is modified to include the transition-charge-based interaction. The developed methods are used to study the optical response and exciton dynamics of Ag-3(+) and porphyrin-Ag-4 dimers. Subsequently, the spatio-temporal electric field distribution in a ring constructed of ten porphyrin-Ag-4 subunits under the action of circularly polarized laser pulse is simulated. The presented methodology provides a theoretical basis for the investigation of coupled light-exciton propagation in nanoarchitectures built from molecular size metal nanoclusters in which quantum confinement effects are important.}, language = {en} }