Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.117, No.9, 4157-4167, 2002
Time-dependent density-functional theory investigation of the formation of the charge transfer excited state for a series of aromatic donor-acceptor systems. Part II
TDDFT singlet excitation energies calculations have been performed for a series of donor-acceptor para-substituted N,N-dimethyl-anilines (4DMAB-CHO, 4DMAB-COMe, 3DMAB-CHO, 3DMAB-COMe, 4DMAB-COOH, 4DMAB-COOMe, 4DMAB-CONH2, 4DMAB-CON(CH3)(2), and DMAPY) using both B3LYP and MPW1PW91 functionals with a 6-311(*)(2p,d) basis set. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the variation of the acceptor group on the fluorescence behavior of these molecules. This work is a complementary investigation to part I [J. Chem. Phys. 117, 4146 (2002), preceding paper], where variation of the donor group has been studied. Ground-state geometries were optimized using density-functional theory (DFT) with both B3LYP and MPW1PW91 functionals combined with a 6-31G(d) basis set. For all molecules, the potential energy surface has been investigated following the twisting intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) model proposed in the literature as a possible mechanism to explain the fluorescence behavior. Computed vertical absorption energies using the MWP1PW91 and B3LYP functionals compare within 0.02 and -0.09 eV in average with gas-phase experimental data (4DMAB-COMe and 4DMAB-COOMe). Almost all para compounds are predicted to be dual fluorescent within the TICT model, in agreement with experiments. The present calculations predict 4DMAB-CONH2 to be dual fluorescent in nonpolar solvent in disagreement with experimental results. For meta compounds, the literature is sparse and no fluorescence spectra have been reported for these systems. Our results indicate that these molecules should exhibit only one band in the fluorescence spectra. Our calculations reinforce the validity of the TICT model as a possible mechanism to explain the fluorescence activity of these donor-acceptor systems.