Theoretical and experimental investigation on the near-infrared and UV–vis spectral regions of a newly synthesized triarylamine electrochromic system

• Published in: Theoretical chemistry accounts 2012-05, Vol.131 (5), Article 1225
• Main Authors: De Simone, Bruna Clara, Quartarolo, Angelo Domenico, Cospito, Sante, Veltri, Lucia, Chidichimo, Giuseppe, Russo, Nino
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Barone Festschrift Collection; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Regular Article; Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
• ISSN: 1432-881X; 1432-2234
• DOI: 10.1007/s00214-012-1225-8

A new triarylamine derivative, N,N′ -Bis(4-heptanoylamidophenyl)- N,N′ -di(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,4-phenylenediamine, with stable electrochromism in near-infrared and visible light regions, has been synthesized and characterized at theoretical and experimental level. The detected and simulated spectra, with and without the presence of an external potential at different values, clearly show that this mixed-valence system undergoes ionization at a low value of the applied potential, and the formed radical cation absorbs in the near-infrared region with an intense peak located at 1,040 nm. Density functional computations give the geometrical structure and absorption properties in very good agreement with experiment, allowing assigning the electronic transition and contributing to an understanding of the electron-transfer process between the two redox centers.