6533b837fe1ef96bd12a3437

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Low-Lying Excited States of 2,2′-Bithiophene: A Theoretical Analysis

Mercedes RubioEnrique OrtíRosendo Pou-amérigoManuela Merchán

subject

Intersystem crossingAtomic orbitalComputational chemistryChemistryExcited stateDegenerate energy levelsSinglet fissionQuantum yieldSinglet statePhysical and Theoretical ChemistryAtomic physicsPerturbation theoryAtomic and Molecular Physics and Optics

description

The low-energy region of the singlet →singlet, singlet →triplet, and triplet→triplet electronic spectra of 2,2'-bithiophene are studied using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) and extended atomic natural orbitals (ANO) basis sets. The computed vertical, adiabatic, and emission transition energies are in agreement with the available experimental data. The two lowest singlet excited states, 1 1 B u and 2'B u , are computed to be degenerate, a novel feature of the system to be borne in mind during the rationalization of its photophysics. As regards the observed high triplet quantum yield of the molecule, it is concluded that the triplet states 2 3 A g and 2 3 B u , separated about 0.4 eV from the two lowest singlet excited states, can be populated by intersystem crossing from nonplanar singlet states.

https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.200300790