Considering 41 electronic transitions in small-and medium-sized organic molecules, we benchmark the performances of 36 hybrid functionals within time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) and nine wave function theory (WFT) methods [CCSDT, CC3, CCSDT-3, CCSDR(3), CCSD, CC2, ADC(3), ADC(2), and SOS-ADC(2)]. Compared to highly accurate experimental 0−0 energies, it turns out that all coupled cluster (CC) approaches that include contributions from the triples [i.e., CCSDT, CC3, CCSDT-3 and CCSDR(3)] deliver a root-mean-square error (RMSE) smaller than or equal to 0.05 eV. The remaining WFT methods [i.e., CCSD, CC2, ADC(3), ADC(2), and SOS-ADC(2)] yield larger deviations with RMSE lying between 0.11 and 0.27 eV. Irrespective of the exchange−correlation functional, TD-DFT yields larger deviations (RMSE ⩾ 0.30 eV). For vertical transitions without clear experimental equivalents (such as vertical absorption and fluorescence), a comparison between TD-DFT and CC3 provides a globally unchanged ranking of the various functionals. However, the errors on emission energies tend to be larger than on absorption energies, hinting that studying the latter property is not sufficient to gain a complete view of TD-DFT's performances. Finally, by cross-comparisons between TD-DFT and WFT, we observe that the WFT method selected as reference significantly impacts the conclusions regarding the overall accuracy of a given exchange−correlation functional. For example, for vertical absorption energies, the "best" functional is TPSSh (RMSE = 0.29 eV) based on CC3 reference energies, while LC-ωPBE (RMSE = 0.12 eV) is superior to the other functionals when one considers ADC(3) as the reference method.

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Carbon dots (C-dots) possess the attractive properties of high stability, low toxicity, good water solubility, simple synthetic routes as well as size and excitation-dependent photoluminescence (PL).The aim of this work was to synthesize photoluminescent C-dots by hydrothermal method using acerola fruit (Malpighiaemarginata) as a row material, since this fruit contains large number of organic molecules. Studies about the optimal synthesis conditions were performed, where these organic molecules were converted into C-dots by hydrothermal carbonization at 180 ºC for 18 h. The C-dots exhibited a green emission light at 459 nm when excited under UV-light ( λ ex = 370 nm). These nanomaterials were also successfully used to prepare C-dots/poly (vinyl alcohol) luminescent composites (C-dots/PVA). Both C-dots and C-dots/PVA composite films were investigated by using colorimetric visual sensor for Fe 3+ metal ions detection. The results show that the prepared C-dots and C-dots/poly presented strong green emission light. The emission spectra of above materials were quenched in the presence of Fe 3+ ions. Thus, highly specific "turn off" fluorescence sensing of Fe 3+ was achieved using fluorescent C-dots. Regarding, this work describe that the polymeric films as sensors of metallic ions in aqueous solution appears as a new perspectives to design new composite materials.

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The structures and energetics of two dihydrochalcones (phloretin and its glycoside phlorizin) were examined with density functional theory, using the B3LYP, M06-2X, and LC-ω PBE functionals with both the 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311 + G(d,p) basis sets. Properties connected to antioxidant activity, i.e., bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) for OH groups and ionization potentials (IPs), were computed in a variety of environments including the gas-phase, n-hexane, ethanol, methanol, and water. The smallest BDEs among the four OH groups for phloretin (three for phlorizin) were determined (using B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) in water) to be 79.36 kcal/mol for phloretin and 79.98 kcal/mol for phlorizin while the IPs (at the same level of theory) were obtained as 139.48 and 138.98 kcal/mol, respectively. By comparing with known antioxidants, these values for the BDEs indicate both phloretin and phlorizin show promise for antioxidant activity. In addition, the presence of the sugar moiety has a moderate (0-6 kcal/mol depending on functional) effect on the BDEs for all OH groups. Interestingly, the BDEs suggest that (depending on the functional chosen) the sugar moiety can lead to an increase, decrease, or no change in the antioxidant activity. Therefore, further experimental tests are encouraged to understand the substituent effect on the BDEs for phloretin and to help determine the most appropriate functional to probe BDEs for dihydrochalcones.

In this work, we present a computational study on the antioxidant potential of myricetin 3,4[Formula: see text]-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (Compound M). A density functional theory (DFT) approach with the B3LYP and LC-ωPBE functionals and with both the 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311+G(d,p) basis sets was used. The focus of the investigation was on the structural and energetic parameters including both bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) and ionization potentials (IPs), which provide information on the potential antioxidant activity. The properties computed were compared with BDEs and IPs available in the literature for myricetin, a compound well known for presenting antioxidant activity (and the parent molecule of the compound of interest in the present work). Myricetin 3,4[Formula: see text]-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside presented the lowest BDE to be 79.13 kcal/mol (as determined using B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) in water) while myricetin has a quite similar value (within 3.4 kcal/mol). IPs computed in the gas phase [B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)] are 157.18 and 161.4 kcal/mol for myricetin 3,4[Formula: see text]-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside and myricetin, respectively. As the values of BDEs are considerably lower than the ones probed for IPs (in the gas phase or in any given solvent environment), the hydrogen atom transfer mechanism is preferred over the single electron transfer mechanism. The BDEs obtained suggest that myricetin 3,4[Formula: see text]-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside can present antioxidant potential as good as the parent molecule myricetin (a well-known antioxidant). Therefore, experimental tests on the antioxidant activity of Compound M are encouraged.