Molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of 4-nitrocatechol at different pH: UV-visible, Raman, DFT and TD-DFT calculations

We investigated theoretically, by density functional theoretical calculations and by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies, the structure and the molecular spectroscopic properties of the 4-nitrocatechol molecule with varying pH. The lower energy stable structures of the neutral, monoanion and dianion forms were compared, and influence of water solvation was examined. The Raman and UV-visible spectra of 4-nitrocatechol and of its singly deprotonated form were recorded by varying the pH from 2 to 9. A calculation of the vibrational frequencies has allowed a complete assignment of the Raman spectra of the two forms of 4-nitrocatechol, and has permitted to investigate the evolution of vibrational normal modes upon deprotonation. Based on the molecular orbital analysis and the time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations, we discussed the electronic structure and the assignment of the absorption bands in the electronic spectra of 4-nitrocatechol and mono-deprotonated 4-nitrocatechol.