Electronic Properties and Conformation Analysis of π-Conjugated Distyryl Benzene Derivaties

A quantum-chemical investigation on the conformations and electronic properties of bis[2-{2-methoxy-4,6-di(t-butyl)phenyl}ethenyl]benzenes (MBPBs) as building block for ${\pi}$-conjugate polymer are performed in order to display the effects of t-butyl and methoxy group substitution and of kink(ortho and meta) linkage. The conjugation length of the polymers can be controlled by substituents and kink linkages of backbone. Structures for the molecules, o-, m-, and p-MBPBs as well as unsubstituted o-, m-, and p-DSBs were fully optimized by using semiempirical AM1, PM3 methods, and ab initio HF method with 3-21G(d) basis set. The potential energy curves with respect to the change of single torsion angle are obtained by using semiempirical methods and ab initio HF/3-21G(d) basis set. The curves are similar shape in the molecules with respect to the position of vinylene groups. It is shown that the conformations of the molecules are compromised between the steric repulsion interaction and the degree of the conjugation. Electronic properties of the molecules were obtained by applying the optimized structures and geometries to the ZINDO/S method. ZINDO/S analysis performed on the geometries obtained by AM1 method and HF/3-21G(d) level is reported. The absorption wavelength on the geometries obtained by AM1 method is much longer than that by HF/3-21G(d) level. The absorption wavelength of MBPBs are red shifted with comparison to that of corresponding DSBs in the same torsion angle because of electron donating substituents. The absorption wavelength of isomers with kink(orth and meta) linkage is shorter than that of para linkage.