Theoretical study of the ground and excited states of 1-methylamideanthraquinone and its complex with fluoride anion

Abstract

We have performed a series of calculations using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) for 1-methylamideanthraquinone (MAAQ). In the S0 state of MAAQ, amide group is coplanar with anthraquinone, and an intramolecular hydrogen bond [Formula: see text] is formed. The [Formula: see text] transition has an intramolecular charge transfer character. Two stable structures (planar nMAAQ and twisted tMAAQ) have been obtained in the S1 state of MAAQ. Thereinto, nMAAQ is lower by 0.105[Formula: see text]eV than tMAAQ in energy, so nMAAQ is the dominant conformation in the S1 state of MAAQ and the emission spectra of tMAAQ cannot be observed in the solution of MAAQ. Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) between C[Formula: see text]O and N–H was not observed in the S1 state of MAAQ. Upon addition of fluoride anion, only twisted conformations were obtained in both S0 and S1 states of MAAQ-F[Formula: see text]. An intermolecular hydrogen bond [Formula: see text] is formed in the S0 state, and intermolecular proton transfer happens in the S1 state for MAAQ-F[Formula: see text].