Excited-state structural dynamics of 5-fluorouracil

5-Fluorouracil is an analogue of thymine and uracil, nucleobases found in DNA and RNA, respectively. The photochemistry of thymine is significant; UV-induced photoproducts of thymine in DNA lead to skin cancer and other diseases. In previous work, we have suggested that the differences in the excited-state structural dynamics of thymine and uracil arise from the methyl group in thymine acting as a mass barrier, localizing the vibrations at the photochemical active site. To further test this hypothesis, we have measured the resonance Raman spectra of 5-fluorouracil at wavelengths throughout its 267 nm absorption band. The spectra of 5-fluorouracil and thymine are very similar. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism suggests that, at most, 81% of the reorganization energy upon excitation is directed along photochemically relevant modes. This compares well with what was found for thymine, supporting the mass barrier hypothesis.     

Initial excited-state structural dynamics of 2'-deoxyguanosine determined via UV resonance Raman spectroscopy

The resonance Raman spectra of 2'-deoxyguanosine, a DNA nucleoside, were measured in aqueous solution at wavelengths throughout its 260 nm absorption band. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism with two electronic states yielded the initial excited-state structural dynamics in both states. The vibrational modes containing the N(7)═C(8) stretching and C(8)-H bending internal coordinates were found to exhibit significant initial structural dynamics upon photoexcitation to either state and are coincident with the photochemical reaction coordinate involving the formation of the 2'-deoxyguanosine cation radical.     

Excited-state structural dynamics of cytosine from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Cytosine, a nucleobase found in both DNA and RNA, is known to form photoproducts upon UV irradiation, damaging the nucleic acids and leading to cancer and other diseases. To determine the molecular mechanism by which these photoproducts occur, we have measured the resonance Raman spectra of cytosine at wavelengths throughout its 267 nm absorption band. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism yields both the excited-state structural changes and electronic parameters. From this analysis, we have been able to determine that, at most, 31% of the reorganization energy upon excitation is directed along photochemically relevant modes.     

Preparation and dynamics of vibrational hot spots in polyatomics via raman scttering

We exploit a recent time dependent formulation of resonance Raman scattering to examine vibrational hot spot production in molecules which have dissociative excited states. The excited-state dynamics are described by a Raman wavefunction which is used to obtain the resonance Raman (RR) spectrum. The RR spectrum will contain the spectral signature of the subsequent dynamics and decay of the hot spot initial condition.     

Resonance Raman study of the A-band short-time photodissociation dynamics of 2-iodothiophene

Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for 2-iodothiophene in cyclohexane solution with excitation wavelengths in resonance with the A-band absorption spectrum. These resonance Raman spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodissociation dynamics have multidimensional character with motion mainly along the nominal symmetric C=C stretch of the thienyl ring and accompanied by a moderate amount of motion along the nominal symmetric CSC stretch, the nominal antisymmetric CSC stretch, and the nominal C-I stretch vibrational modes. A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis was done for the A-band resonance Raman spectra of 2-iodothiophene. These results were compared to previous results for related iodobenzene and iodoalkane molecules that also contain a C-I chromophore and the similarities and differences in the short-time photodissociation dynamics were discussed.     

1-甲基胸腺嘧啶A-带结构动力学

获取了1-甲基胸腺嘧啶(MT)涵盖紫外光谱中A带和B带吸收的共5 个激发波长的共振拉曼光谱, 并结合密度泛函理论方法研究了MT的电子激发和Franck-Condon 区域结构动力学. 在TD-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)计算水平下, A带和B带吸收被分别指认为π_H→π_L^*/π_H-2→π_L+2^*和π_H→π_L+2^→/π_H-2→π_L^*跃迁. 甲基参与嘧啶环的共轭使MT的A带最大吸收波长λ_max相对于胸腺嘧啶(T)发生明显红移, 并对Franck-Condon区域的动态结构产生一定影响. A带和B带共振拉曼光谱分别被指认为14 个振动模式和11 个振动模式的基频、泛频和组合频. C5＝C6伸缩+C6H12面内弯曲振动v₉, 环变形振动v₁₆和N3C2N1反对称伸缩+C4C5C10反对称伸缩振动v₁₈占据了A带共振拉曼光谱强度的绝大部分. 这表明¹π_Hπ_L^*激发态结构动力学主要沿这些反应坐标展开. 考察了溶剂对共振拉曼光谱的影响, 结果表明, C4＝O9伸缩+N3H11面内弯曲振动v₈的活性与溶剂性质有关, 其激发态位移量随溶剂性质的变化规律与胸腺嘧啶一致.     

Excited-state structure and dynamics of cis- and trans-Azobenzene from resonance Raman intensity analysis

Resonance Raman intensity analysis was used to investigate the initial excited-state nuclear dynamics of cis- and trans-azobenzene following S1 (npi*) excitation, and fluorescence quantum yield measurements were used to estimate the excited-state lifetimes. trans-Azobenzene exhibits the strongest Raman intensities in its skeletal stretching and bending modes, while torsional motions dominate the nuclear relaxation of cis-azobenzene as indicated by intense Raman lines at 275, 542, 594, and 778 cm(-1). The very weak fluorescence quantum yield for cis-azobenzene is consistent with its approximately 100 fs electronic lifetime while trans-azobenzene, with a fluorescence quantum yield of 1.1 x 10(-5), has an estimated S1 lifetime of approximately 3 ps. The absorption and Raman cross-sections of both isomers were modeled to produce a harmonic displaced excited-state potential energy surface model revealing the initial nuclear motions on the reactive surface, as well as values for the homogeneous and inhomogeneous linewidths. For cis-azobenzene, this modeling predicts slopes on the S1 potential energy surface that when extrapolated to the position of the harmonic minimum give excited-state changes of approximately 6-20 degrees in the CNNC torsion angle and a < or =3 degrees change in the CNN bending angle. The relatively large excited-state displacements along these torsional degrees of freedom provide the driving force for ultrafast isomerization. In contrast, the excited-state geometry changes of trans-azobenzene are primarily focused on the CNN bend and CN and NN stretches. These results support the idea that cis-azobenzene isomerizes rapidly via rotation about the NN bond, while isomerization proceeds via inversion for trans-azobenzene.     

6-N,N-二甲基腺嘌呤激发态结构动力学的共振拉曼光谱

采用共振拉曼光谱技术和密度泛函理论方法研究了6-N,N-二甲基腺嘌呤(DMA)的A带和B带电子激发和Franck-Condon 区域结构动力学. π_H→π_L^*跃迁是A带吸收的主体, 其振子强度约占整个A带吸收的79%.由弥散轨道参与的n→Ryd 和π_H→Ryd 跃迁在B带跃迁中扮演重要角色, 其振子强度约占B带吸收的62%,而在A带吸收中占主导的π_H→π_L^*跃迁的振子强度在B带吸收中仅占33%. 嘌呤环变形伸缩+C8H/N9H面内弯曲振动ν₂₃和五元环变形伸缩+C8H弯曲振动ν₁₃的基频、泛频和合频占据了A带共振拉曼光谱强度的绝大部分, 说明¹π_Hπ_L^*激发态结构动力学主要沿嘌呤环的变形伸缩振动, N9H/C8H/C2H弯曲振动等反应坐标展开, 而ν₁₀, ν₂₉, ν₂₁, ν₂₆和ν₄₀的基频、泛频和合频占据了B带共振拉曼光谱强度的主体部分, 它们决定了B带激发态的结构动力学. A带共振拉曼光谱中ν₂₆和ν₁₂被认为与1nπ*/1ππ*势能面锥型交叉有关. B带共振拉曼光谱中ν₂₁的激活与¹ππ^*/¹πσ_N9H^*势能面锥型交叉相关.     

Excited-state metal-to-ligand charge transfer dynamics of a ruthenium(II) dye in solution and adsorbed on TiO2 nanoparticles from resonance Raman spectroscopy

The dynamics of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in a cis-bis(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)-bis(isothiocyanato)ruthenium(II) dye (N3) are compared for the free dye in solution and the dye adsorbed on the surface of the TiO(2) nanoparticles from resonance Raman spectroscopy. The 544-nm MLCT absorption band of N3 adsorbed on TiO(2) is slightly blue-shifted from that of the free N3, indicating a weak electronic coupling between N3 and TiO(2). The resonance Raman spectra of N3 and the N3|TiO(2) complex obtained upon excitation within the lowest-lying MLCT singlet state of the dye are similar except for slight shifts in band positions. Resonance Raman cross sections have been obtained for the vibrational modes of both N3 and N3|TiO(2) with excitation frequencies spanning the 544-nm MLCT band. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism over two electronic states yields mode-specific vibrational and solvent reorganization energies. Despite the weak electronic coupling between N3 and TiO(2) in N3|TiO(2), adsorption strongly affects the reorganization energies of N3 in the intramolecular MLCT state. Adsorption of N3 onto TiO(2) increases the absolute Raman cross section of each mode by a factor of ca. 1.6 and decreases the vibrational and solvent reorganization energies by factors of 2 and 6, respectively. The excited-state dynamics of N3 adsorbed on the surface of TiO(2) nanoparticles were observed to be independent of the number of N3 molecules adsorbed per TiO(2) nanoparticle. The effect of TiO(2) on the dynamics of the adsorbed N3 is primarily due to both mode-specific vibrational and electronic pure dephasing, with the dominant contribution from the latter process.     

Following photoinduced dynamics in bacteriorhodopsin with 7-fs impulsive vibrational spectroscopy

Sub-10-fs laser pulses are used to impulsively photoexcite bacteriorhodopsin (BR) suspensions and probe the evolution of the resulting vibrational wave packets. Fourier analysis of the spectral modulations induced by transform-limited as well as linearly chirped excitation pulses allows the delineation of excited- and ground-state contributions to the data. On the basis of amplitude and phase variations of the modulations as a function of the dispersed probe wavelength, periodic modulations in absorption above 540 nm are assigned to ground-state vibrational coherences induced by resonance impulsive Raman spectral activity (RISRS). Probing at wavelengths below 540 nm-the red edge of the intense excited-state absorption band-uncovers new vibrational features which are accordingly assigned to wave packet motions along bound coordinates on the short-lived reactive electronic surface. They consist of high- and low-frequency shoulders adjacent to the strong C=C stretching and methyl rock modes, respectively, which have ground-state frequencies of 1008 and 1530 cm-1. Brief activity centered at approximately 900 cm-1, which is characteristic of ground-state HOOP modes, and strong modulations in the torsional frequency range appear as well. Possible assignments of the bands and their implication to photoinduced reaction dynamics in BR are discussed. Reasons for the absence of similar signatures in the pump-probe spectral modulations at longer probing wavelengths are considered as well.     

Ultrafast energy transfer and structural dynamics in DNA

Ultrafast structural dynamics concomitant to excitation energy transfer in DNA has been studied using a pair of pyrene-labeled DNA bases. The temporal evolution of the femtosecond pump-probe spectra reveals the existence of two electronic coupling pathways, through-base stack and through-space, which lead to excitation energy transfer and excimer formation even when the labeled DNA bases are separated by one AT base pair. The electronic coupling which mediates through-base stack energy transfer is so strong that a new absorption band arises in the excited-state absorption spectrum within 300 fs. From the analysis of time-dependent spectral shifts due to through-space excimer formation, the local structural dynamics and flexibility of DNA are characterized on the picosecond and nanosecond time scale.     

Nonlinear absorption dynamics in tetrapyridyl metalloporphyrins

Nonlinear absorption dynamics of Zn(2+), Cu(2+), and Ni(2+) tetrapyridyl porphyrins in chloroform/methanol solutions were investigated at 532 nm with the Z-scan technique. Additional techniques such as UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence were used to obtain parameters that are important for the analysis of the population dynamics. A marked difference was observed in the nonlinear absorption and excited-state dynamics of closed (ZnTPyP)- and open-shell metalloporphyrins (CuTPyP and NiTPyP). ZnTPyP presents a reverse saturable absorption whose dynamics can be completely described by means of a simple five-energy-level diagram. On the other hand, CuTPyP and NiTPyP have a different excited-state dynamics, presenting a saturable absorption behavior and faster relaxation rates that were attributed to the presence of unfilled d shells of the central ion.     

Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Line Shapes: Dependence on Resonance Conditions of Pump and Probe Pulses?

Resonance enhancement has been increasingly employed in the emergent femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) to selectively monitor molecular structure and dynamics with improved spectral and temporal resolutions and signal-to-noise ratios. Such joint efforts by the technique-and application-oriented scientists and engineers have laid the foundation for exploiting the tunable FSRS methodology to investigate a great variety of photosensitive systems and elucidate the underlying functional mechanisms on molecular time scales. During spectral analysis, peak line shapes remain a major concern with an intricate dependence on resonance conditions. Here, we present a comprehensive study of line shapes by tuning the Raman pump wavelength from red to blue side of the ground-state absorption band of the fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G in solution. Distinct line shape patterns in Stokes and anti-Stokes FSRS as well as from the low to high-frequency modes highlight the competition between multiple third-order and higher-order nonlinear pathways, governed by different resonance conditions achieved by Raman pump and probe pulses. In particular, the resonance condition of probe wavelength is revealed to play an important role in generating circular line shape changes through oppositely phased dispersion via hot luminescence (HL) pathways. Meanwhile, on-resonance conditions of the Raman pump could promote excited-state vibrational modes which are broadened and red-shifted from the coincident ground-state vibrational modes, posing challenges for spectral analysis. Certain strategies in tuning the Raman pump and probe to characteristic regions across an electronic transition band are discussed to improve the FSRS usability and versatility as a powerful structural dynamics toolset to advance chemical, physical, materials, and biological sciences.     

Resonance Raman spectra of uracil based on Kramers-Kronig relations using time-dependent density functional calculations and multireference perturbation theory

The use of time-dependent density functional calculations for the optimization of excited-state structures and the subsequent calculation of resonance Raman intensities within the transform-theory framework is compared to calculations of Hartree-Fock/configuration interaction singles-type (CIS). The transform theory of resonance Raman scattering is based on Kramers-Kronig relations between polarizability tensor components and the optical absorption. Stationary points for the two lowest excited singlet states of uracil are optimized and characterized by means of numerical differentiation of analytical excited-state gradients. It is shown that the effect of electron correlation leads to substantial modifications of the relative intensities. Calculations of vibrational frequencies for ground and excited states are carried out, which show that the neglect of Duschinsky mixing and the assumption of equal wave numbers for ground and excited state are not in all cases good approximations. We also compare the transform-theory resonance Raman intensities with those obtained within a simple approximation from excited-state gradients at the ground-state equilibrium position, and find that they are in qualitative agreement in the case of CIS, but show some important differences in calculations based on density functional theory. Since the results from CIS calculations are in better agreement with experiment, we also present approximate resonance Raman spectra obtained using excited-state gradients from multireference perturbation theory calculations, which confirm the CIS gradients.     

Tuning of switching properties and excited-state dynamics of fulgides by structural modifications

The ultrafast photo-induced dynamics of the E-isomers of four selected photochromic fulgides with distinct structural motifs have been elucidated by femtosecond broadband transient absorption spectroscopy in n-hexane as solvent. E→C and E→Z isomerisations, respectively, with time constants of ～0.12 ± 0.02 ps and ～0.34 ± 0.03 ps taking place in parallel were found for derivatives with a methyl substituent at the central hexatriene (HT) unit. In contrast, fulgides with increased steric constraints by an iso-propyl substituent or by intramolecular bridging displayed virtually zero E→Z isomerisation, but instead a desired accelerated and more efficient ring closure in a reaction time of only ～50 ± 10 fs. Both photoisomerisations appear to follow excited-state pathways with distinctive conical intersections. For the ring closure, direct barrierless pathways with steep downhill gradients are likely. Furthermore, the results indicate conformer-specific reactions, with ring closure exclusively by the E(α) conformer and E→Z isomerisation predominantly by the E(β) conformer, because the E(α)→Z channel is unfavoured by the faster and kinetically more competitive E(α)→C reaction. DFT calculations of the equilibrium structures showed that the sterically demanding groups at the HT unit shift the conformer equilibria towards the E(α) conformers. At the same time, they appear to cause a favourable pre-orientation of the furyl unit that accelerates the conrotatory ring closure in the E(α)→C reaction. Benzo-annulation of the furyl unit has little effect on the observed dynamics. Overall, the results demonstrate how the excited-state dynamics and thereby the photoswitching properties of fulgides can be successfully tuned and improved by structural modifications at the chromophores.     

Influence of the Linker Chemistry on the Photoinduced Charge-Transfer Dynamics of Hetero-dinuclear Photocatalysts

To optimize light-driven catalytic processes, light-mediated multi-electron transfer dynamics in molecular dyads need to be studied and correlated with structural changes focusing on the catalytically active metastable intermediates. Here, spectro-electrochemistry has been employed to investigate the structure-dependent photoelectron transfer kinetics in catalytically active intermediates of two Ru−Rh catalysts for light-driven NAD⁺ reduction. The excited-state reactivity of short-lived intermediates was studied along different photoreaction pathways by resonance Raman and time-resolved transient absorption spectro-electrochemistry with sub-picosecond time resolution under operando conditions. The results demonstrate, for the first time, how the bridging ligand serves as a (multi-)electron storage structure, mediates the strength of the electronic coupling of catalytic and photocenter and impacts the targeted electron transfer as well as parasitic electron-transfer kinetics.     

3-二甲氨基-2-甲基丙烯醛S2激发态结构动力学

采用共振拉曼光谱和完全活性自洽场理论计算研究了3-二甲氨基-2-甲基丙烯醛（DMAMP）光激发到S2（ππ^＊）态后的光物理性能,在B3LYP／6—311＋＋G（d,p）水平计算确定了DMAMP与其三种异构体之间的基态异构化能垒,指认了振动光谱．采用涵盖紫外强吸收带的激光波长,获得了DMAMP在环己烷、乙腈和甲醇溶剂中的A-带共振拉曼光谱,含时密度泛函方法计算确定了该光谱中基频的相对强度,发现振动-电子耦合发生在S2（）态的Franck—Condon区域．CASSCF计算方法确定低单重和三重激发态、势能面锥形交叉点和系间窜跃点的激发能．共振拉曼光谱强度模式分析和CASSCF计算获得了DMAMP的A一带短时结构动力学和其后的衰变动力学表明,C1=06和C2=C3之间的瞬时去共轭效应发生在S2（ππ^＊）态的Franck—Condon区域,激发态电荷重分布机制表明,C3和二甲氨基之间以及C1和C2之间的共轭增强效应发生在波包离开Franck-Condon区域后．C1=06和C2=C3之间的去共轭效应使得-C3=N（CH3）2沿着C2-C3键旋转更加容易,C1-C2之间以及C3和N（CH3）的共轭增强效应使得绕C1-C2和C3-N5旋转变得比较困难．这些表明DMAMP初始结构动力学沿着CI-1（S2／S0）交叉点展开,而沿CI-2（S2／S0）和[CI-3（S2／S0）交叉点展开的几率可以忽略,提出了DMAMP分子受光激发从S2,FC（ππ^＊）经由各锥形交叉点和各系间窜跃点回到S0或T1,min的两个衰变通道。     

Structure and dynamics of the solvated electron in alcohols from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy is used to probe the structure and excited-state dynamics of the solvated electron in the primary liquid alcohols methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), n-propanol (n-PrOH), and n-butanol (n-BuOH). The strong resonance enhancements (>or=10(4) relative to pure solvent) of the libration, CO stretch, COH bend, CH3 bend, CH2 bend, and OH stretch reveal significant Franck-Condon coupling of the intermolecular and intramolecular vibrational modes of the solvent to the electronic excitation of the solvated electron. All enhanced bands are fully accounted for by a model of the solvated electron that is comprised of several nearby solvent molecules that are only perturbed by the presence of the electron; no new molecular species are required to explain our data. The 340 cm(-1) downshift observed for the OH stretch frequency of e-(MeOH), relative to pure solvent, strongly suggests that the methanol molecules in the first solvent shell have the hydroxyl group directed linearly toward the excess electron density. The smaller downshifts observed for e-(EtOH), e-(n-PrOH), and e-(n-BuOH) are explained in terms of a OH group that is bent 28-40 degrees from linear. The Raman cross sections and absorption spectra are modeled, lending quantitative support for the inhomogeneous origin of the broad absorption spectra, the necessity of OH local motion in all enhanced Raman modes of the alcohols, and the dominant librational response of the solvent upon photoexcitation of the electron.     

Through-bond interactions and the localization of excited-state dynamics

The influence of through-bond interactions on nonadiabatic excited-state dynamics is investigated by time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) and ab initio computation. We compare the dynamics of cyclohexa-1,4-diene, which exhibits a through-bond interaction known as homoconjugation (the electronic correlation between nonconjugated double bonds), with the nonconjugated cyclohexene. Each molecule was initially excited to a 3s Rydberg state using a 200 nm femtosecond pump pulse. The TRPES spectra of these molecules display similar structure and time constants on a subpicosecond time scale. Our ab initio calculations show that similar sets of conical intersections (a [1,2]- and [1,3]-hydrogen shift, as well as carbon-carbon bond cleavage) are energetically accessible to both molecules and that the geometry and orbital composition at the minimum energy crossing points to the ground state are directly analogous. These experimental and computational results suggest that the excited-state dynamics of cyclohexa-1,4-diene become localized at a single double bond and that the effects of through-bond interaction, dominant in the absorption spectrum, are absent in the excited-state dynamics. The notion of excited-state dynamics being localized at specific sites within the nuclear framework is analogous to the localization of light absorption by a subsystem within the molecule, designated a chromophore. We propose the utility of the analogous concept, denoted here as a dynamophore.