The Photoenolization of 2-Methylacetophenone and Related Compounds

A reinvestigation of 2-methylacetophenone ( 1 ) by ns flash photolysis has provided detailed evidence for the reaction sequence of photoenolization. The triplet reaction proceeds adiabatically from the lowest excited triplet state of the ketone, ³ K (1) , to the enol excited triplet state, ³ E (1) , which decays both to enol and ketone ground state. The Z- and E-isomers of the photoenol, Z- E (1) and E- E (1) are formed in about equal yield by the triplet pathway, while direct enolization from the lowest excited singlet state of 1 yields (predominantly) the Z-isomer. Intramolecular reketonization from Z- E (1) to 1 proceeds at a rate of ca. 10⁸s^?1 in cyclohexane, but can be retarded to ca. 10⁴s^?1 in hydrogen-bond-acceptor solvents. The proposed mechanism is summarized in Scheme 1 and rationalized on the basis of a state correlation diagram, Scheme 2. 3,3,6,8-Tetramethyl-1-tetralone ( 2 ) was used as a reference compound with fixed conformational position of the carbonyl group, and some results from a brief investigation of 2,4-dimethylbenzophenone ( 3 ) are also reported.     

MECHANISM OF THE PHOTOSENSITIZED REDOX REACTIONS OF ACRIDINE ORANGE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS-A SYSTEM OF INTEREST IN THE PHOTOCHEMICAL STORAGE OF SOLAR ENERGY†

-We have carried out a very detailed study, using fluorescence and optical flash photolysis techniques, of the photoreduction of methyl viologen (MV²⁺) by the electron donor ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in aqueous solution sensitized by the dye acridine orange (AOH⁺). A complete mechanism has been proposed which accounts for virtually all of the known observations on this reaction. This reaction is novel in that both the triplet and the singlet state of AOH⁺ appear to be active photochemically. We have shown that mechanisms previously proposed for this reaction are probably incorrect due to an artifact. At pH 7 the fluorescence quantum yield φ_s of AOH⁺ is 0.26 ± 0.02 and the fluorescence lifetime is 1.8 ± 0.2 ns. φ_s is pH dependent and reaches a maximum of 0.56 at pH 4. The fluorescence of AOH⁺ is quenched by MV²⁺ at concentrations above 1 mM and the quenching obeys Stern-Volmer kinetics with a quenching rate constant of (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰M^?1 s^?1. The quenching of the AOH⁺ excited singlet state by MV²⁺ almost certainly returns the AOH⁺ to its ground state with no photochemistry occurring. EDTA also quenches the fluorescence of AOH· with Stern-Volmer kinetics but with a smaller rate constant (6.4 ± 0.5) × 10⁸M^?1s^?1 at pH 7. In this case the quenching is reactive resulting in the formation of semireduced AOH. In the presence of MV²⁺, flash irradiation of AOH⁺ does result in the reversible formation of the semireduced MV? which absorbs at 603 nm. We attribute this to a photochemical reaction of the triplet state of AOH⁺ with MV²⁺. The initial quantum yield for formation of MV? (φ_MV:)₀ was found to be constant at 0.10 ± 0.05 for [MV²⁺] from 5 × 10^?5 to 1.0 × 10^?3 with [AOH⁺] = 8 × 10^?6M. Previous workers had found that (φ_MV:)₀ appears to decrease with decreasing [AOH⁺]; however, on careful investigation, we found this was most probably due to quenching of the triplet state of AOH⁺ by trace amounts of oxygen. When EDTA is added to a mixture of AOH ⁺ and MV²⁺ at pH 7, the photochemical formation of MV? becomes irreversible as the [EDTA] is increased. The quantum yield for the irreversible formation of MV? exceeds 0.10 becoming as large as 0.16 for [EDTA] = 0.014M. This fact requires that an alternative photochemical process must be operative and we present evidence that this is a reaction of EDTA with the excited singlet state of AOH⁺ to produce the semi-reduced AOH- which then reacts with MV²⁺ to produce MV?. The full kinetic scheme was tested by computer simulation and found to be totally consistent. This also enabled the processing of a full set of rate constants. When colloidal PtO₂ was added to the optimal mixture [EDTA] = 3.4 × 10^?2M; [MV²⁺] = 5 × 10^?4M; [AOH⁺] = 4 × 10^?5M; pH6 H₂ gas was produced at a rate of 0.2μmol H₂h^?1. Thus, acridine orange should serve as an effective sensitizer in reactions designed to use solar energy to photolyze water.     

N‐Alkoxyheterocycles As Irreversible Photooxidants

Irreversible photooxidation based on N–O bond fragmentation is demonstrated for N‐methoxyheterocycles in both the singlet and triplet excited state manifolds. The energetic requirements for bond fragmentation are studied in detail. Bond fragmentation in the excited singlet manifold is possible for ππ* singlet states with energies significantly larger than the N–O bond dissociation energy of ca 55 kcal mol^?1. For the nπ* triplet states, N–O bond fragmentation does not occur in the excited state for orbital overlap and energetic reasons. Irreversible photooxidation occurs in the singlet states by bond fragmentation followed by electron transfer. Irreversible photooxidation occurs in the triplet states via bimolecular electron transfer to the donor followed by bond fragmentation. Using these two sensitization schemes, donors can be irreversibly oxidized with oxidation potentials ranging from ca 1.6–2.2 V vs SCE. The corresponding N‐ethylheterocycles are characterized as conventional reversible photooxidants in their triplet states. The utility of these sensitizers is demonstrated by irreversibly generating the guanosine radical cation in buffered aqueous solution.     

C-Br Bond Dissociation Mechanisms of 2-Bromothiophene and 3-Bromothiophene at 267 nm

C-Br bond dissociation mechanisms of 2-bromothiophene and 3-bromothiophene at 267 nm were investigated using ion velocity imaging technique. Translational energy distributions and angular distributions of the photoproducts, Br(²P_3/2) and Br^*(²P_½), were obtained and the possible dissociation channels were analyzed. For these two bromothiophenes, the Br fragments were produced via three channels: (i) the fast predissociation following the intersystem crossing from the excited singlet state to repulsive triplet state; (ii) the hot dissociation on highly vibrational ground state following the internal conversion of the excited singlet state; and (iii) the dissociation following the multiphoton ionization of the parent molecules. Similar channels are involved for photoproduct Br^* of the 2-bromothiophene dissociation at 267 nm; whereas for the photoproduct Br^* of 3-bromothiophene, the dissociation channel via internal conversion from the excited singlet state to highly vibrational ground state became dominating and the fast predissociation channel via the excited triplet state almost disappeared. Informations about the relative contribution, energy disposal, and the anisotropy of each channel were quantitatively given. It was found that with the position of Br atom in thienyl being far from S atom, the relative ratios of products from channels (i) and (ii) decreased obviously and the anisotropies corresponding to each channel became weaker.     

PHOTOPHYSICAL AND PHOTOSENSITIZING PROPERTIES OF BENZOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVE MONOACID RING A (BPD-MA)*

The photophysical properties of benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD-MA), a second-generation photosensitizer currently in phase II clinical trials, were investigated in homogeneous solution. Absorption, fluorescence, triplet-state, singlet oxygen (O₂(¹Δ_g)) sensitization studies and photobleaching experiments are reported. The ground state of this chlorin-type molecule shows a strong absorbance in the red (λ≈ 688 nm, ?≈ 33 000 M^?1 cm^?1 in organic solvents). For the singlet excited state the following data were determined in methanol: energy level, E_s= 42.1 kcal mol^?1, lifetime, Φ_f= 5.2 ns and fluorescence quantum yield, Φ_f= 0.05 in air-saturated solution. The triplet state of BPD-MA has a lifetime, τ_f >. 25 ns, an energy level, E_T= 26.9 kcal mol^?1 and the molar absorption coefficient is ?_T= 26 650 M^?1 cm^?1 at 720 nm. A dramatic effect of oxygen on the fluorescence (φ_f) and intersystem crossing (φ_T) quantum yields has been observed. The BPD-MA presents rather high triplet (φ_T= 0.68 under N₂-saturated conditions) and singlet oxygen (φ_Δ= 0.78) quantum yields. On the other hand, the presence of oxygen does not significantly modify the photobleaching of this photostable compound, the photodegradation quantum yield (φ_Pb) of which was found to be on the order of 5 × 10^?5 in organic solvents.     

Primary Photoprocesses in a Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Sarafloxacin†

The photophysical properties of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic sarafloxacin (SFX) were investigated in aqueous media. SFX in water, at pH 7.4, shows intense absorption with peaks at 272, 322 and 335 nm, (? = 36800 and 17000 dm³ mol^?1 cm^?1, respectively). Both the absorption and emission properties of SFX are pH‐dependent; pK_a values for the protonation equilibria of both the ground (5.8 and 9.1) and excited singlet states (5.7 and 9.0) of SFX were determined spectroscopically. SFX fluoresces weakly, the quantum yield for fluorescence emission being maximum (0.07) at pH 8. Laser flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis studies have been carried out in order to characterize the transient species of SFX in aqueous solution. Triplet–triplet absorption has a maximum at 610 nm with a molar absorption coefficient of 17,000 ± 1000 dm³ mol^?1 cm^?1. The quantum yield of triplet formation has been determined to be 0.35 ± 0.05. In the presence of oxygen, the triplet reacts to form excited singlet oxygen with quantum yield of 0.10. The initial triplet (³A*) was found to react with phosphate buffer to form triplet ³B* with lower energy and longer lifetime and having an absorption band centered at 700 nm. SFX triplet was also found to oxidize tryptophan to its radical with concomitant formation of the anion radical of SFX. Hence the photosensitivity of SFX could be initiated by the oxygen radicals and/or by SFX radicals acting as haptens.     

VECTORIAL ELECTRON TRANSPORT ACROSS LIPID VESICLE MEMBRANES DRIVEN BY TWO PHOTOREACTIONS. I. ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID AS AN ELECTRON DONOR via FLAVIN TRIPLET STATE IN THE INNER COMPARTMENT AND CYTOCHROME c AS AN ELECTRON ACCEPTOR FROM CHLOROPHYLL TRIPLET STATE IN THE OUTER COMPARTMENT

Negatively charged vesicle suspensions containing chlorophyll a (chl) dissolved in the lipid bilayer, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) enclosed in the inner compartment as electron sources and oxidized cytochrome c (cyt c[ox]) in the outer compartment as an electron acceptor have been studied using laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation methods. Cytochrome c initially quenches the chl triplet state (³chl) generating the chlorophyll cation radical (chi⁺′) in the membrane. Reverse electron transfer from cyt c(red) to chl^+. subsequently occurs in a kinetically biphasic reaction, with rate constants of 430 pT 30 and 21.9 pT 1.7 s^?1 for the fast and slow phases, respectively. In the absence of FMN, reduction of chl⁺′ by EDTA in the inner compartment can be observed during steady-state irradiation but not in a laser flash photolysis experiment. This is due to a low reaction yield, which is probably limited by the repulsive electrostatic interaction between EDTA and the negatively charged membrane. When FMN was enclosed together with EDTA in the inner Compartment, the reaction yield of vectorial electron transfer across the bilayer from EDTA to cyt c(oX) was increased by a factor of six during steadystate white light irradiation. Laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation experiments using red and blue light excitation have demonstrated that the enhancement mechanism involves the formation of fully reduced FMN by blue light-sensitized photooxidation of EDTA via the flavin triplet state, occumng simultaneously with red lightsensitized electron transfer to cyt c via the chlorophyll triplet state.     

IONIC STRENGTH EFFECTS ON THE GROUND STATE COMPLEXATION and TRIPLET STATE ELECTRON TRANSFER REACTION BETWEEN ROSE BENGAL and METHYL VIOLOGEN

Abstract— The equilibrium constants, K_c, for complexation between methyl viologen dication (MV²+) and Rose Bengal, or Eosin Y, decrease with increasing ionic strength. At zero ionic strength K_c is 6500 (± 500) mol^?1 dm³ for Rose Bengal and 3200 (± 200) mol^?1 dm³ for Eosin Y, and these values decrease to 1500 (± 100) and 680 (± 40) mol^?1 dm³, respectively, at an ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm^?3. K_c is independent of pH between 4.5 and 10. ΔH is -25 (± 1) kJ mol^?1 for complexation with either dye, whereas ΔS is -15 (± 3) J K^?1 mol^?1 for Rose Bengal, and - 23 (± 3) J K^?1 mol^?1 for Eosin Y. The complexation constant for Rose Bengal and the neutral viologen, 4,4'-bipyridinium-N, N'-di(propylsulphonate), (4,4'-BPS), is 420 (± 35) mol^?1 dm³, and independent of ionic strength. No complexation could be observed for either Rose Bengal or Eosin with another neutral viologen, 2,2'-bipyridinium-N,N'-di(propylsulphonate), (2,2'-BPS). MV²+ quenches the triplet state of Rose Bengal with a rate constant of 7 × 10⁹ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1, and this rate constant decreases slightly as ionic strength increases. The cage escape yield following quenching, Φ_cc is very low (Φ_cc= 0.02 (± 0.005), and independent of ionic strength. 4,4'-BPS quenches the triplet state of Rose Bengal with a rate constant of 2.2 (± 0.1) × 10⁹ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1, and gives a cage escape yield of 0.033 (± 0.006). 2,2'-BPS quenches the Rose Bengal triplet with a rate constant of 6 (± 1) × 10⁸ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1 and gives a cage escape yield of 0.07 (± 0.01). Conductivity measurements indicate that MV²+(Cl^?)₂ is completely dissociated at concentrations below 2 × 10^?2 mol dm^?3.     

Eosin-sensitized photoreduction of benzil with 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide

The mechanism of eosin-sensitized photoreduction of benzil with 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide — a model compound of NAD(P)H and the behavior of the excited states of eosin have been investigated. The effect of anthracene as a diffusion-controlled quencher of the photoreaction indicates that both excited triplet state and an unquenchable excited singlet state of eosin participated in the sensitized photoreaction. From the Stern-Volmer plot of quantum yield vs. anthracene concentration, the triplet reaction rate constant has been calculated to be 0.78 × 10⁸ L M^?1S^?1 while the singlet reaction rate constant determined from quenching of eosin fluorescence by benzil is equal to 7.2 × 10⁹ L M^?1S^?1. The singlet and triplet quantum yields are also determined to be 0.09 and 0.18 respectively. Since both the singlet and triplet energies of eosin are lower than that of benzil, energy transfer sensitization is not feasible. It is proposed that electron transfer from the excited eosin to benzil is responsible for the initiation.     

ENERGY TRANSFER-ENHANCED CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF ADAMANTANONE (n,π*) AND ESTER (π,π*) SINGLET AND TRIPLET EXCITED STATES IN THE THERMOLYSIS OF SILYLOXYARYL-SUBSTITUTED SPIROADAMANTYL DIOXETANES†

Abstract— The thermal generation of singlet and triplet excited states from silyloxyaryl-substituted spiroadamantyl dioxetanes lab and the adamantylidineadamantane dioxetane (1c) was investigated by direct and enhanced chemiluminescence (CL). 9,10-Diphenylanthracene (DPA) and 9-fluorenone were used as energy acceptors in the singlet-singlet (S-S), naphthalene and europium chelate Eu(TTA)₃Phen (TTA = thenoyltrifluoroacetone, Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) in the triplet-triplet (T-T) and 9,10-di-bromoanthracene (DBA) in triplet-singlet (T-S) energy transfer experiments. The direct chemiluminescence observed in the thermolysis of dioxetanes lab consisted of fluorescence derived from the singlet-excited adamantanones 2a,b. In the presence of naphthalene, selective T-S energy transfer with DBA (napthalene as quencher) displayed the adamantanone triplets 2a,b and with Eu(TTA)₃Phen (naphthalene as mediator) also the silyloxyaryl ester 3 triplets. From the Stern-Volmer constants (k_TNT_T⁰) the triplet lifetimes t⁰_t of these triplet state products were assessed. By using the Hastings-Weber standard, the total triplet excitation yield (φ^t) was estimated to be ca 20%. The energies of the first excited singlet and triplet states of the adamantanones 2a,b and the silyloxyaryl ester 3, the products of the thermally induced decomposition of dioxetanes la-c , were determined by semiempirical calculations (AMI-based configuration interaction), which included explicitly solvent effects on the excitation energies in terms of a self-consistent reaction field approach. The calculations revealed that the first excited singlet and triplet states of the adamantanones 2a,b are expectedly n,π*-type excitations while the silyloxyaryl ester 3 possesses π,π* character. The semiempirical computations suggest that excitation of the adamantanones 2a,b as well as the silyloxyaryl ester 3 is feasible in the thermolysis of the spiroadamantyl dioxetanes lab , which has been confirmed by the experimental energy transfer studies.     

没食子酸的激光光解研究

The transient species of gallic acid(GA)have been studied by 266 nm nanosecond laser flash photolysis inaqueous solution and acetonitrile.The intermediate with absorption at 320 nm was identified as excited triplet state(~3GA~*),the decay rates of which were obtained in aqueous solution and acetonitrile respectively.Energy transferfrom ~3GA~* to β-carotene was observed and the energy transfer rate constant k_(ent)was determined to be 2.2×10~9mol~(-1)·L·s~(-1).GA underwent photoionization during photolysis and the quantum yield of photoionization was de-termined to be 0.12 at room temperature with KI as a reference.     

EXCITED STATE BEHAVIOR OF PHYTOCHROME Pr

The primary excited state processes of phytochrome, the plant chromoprotein responsible for most photomorphogenetic responses, are investigated by picosecond intensity-dependent transmission measurements. At sufficient high excitation intensity (starting at photon flux densities of about 1′10²⁵ cm^?2 s^?l) a moderate bleaching of the absorption is observed. For the quantitative analysis of the experimental data a rate equation system approach for the energy levels responsible for the ultrafast transformation P_r→ lumi-R and the photon transport through the sample was utilized. The following was found for the excited state parameters of the phytochrome P_r: (1) an excited state absorption of the same order of magnitude as the ground state absorption (cross section: S?_exc= 4′10^?16 cm^?2 at 650 nm), (2) a fast relaxation of the higher excited singlet state on the femtosecond time scale.     

PRIMARY INTERMEDIATES IN THE PULSED IRRADIATION OF RETINOIDS

Abstract Laser flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis have led to the characterisation of several shortlived intermediates formed after irradiation of retinoic acid and retinyl acetate in hexane or methanol. For retinoic acid, the triplet state, wavelength maximum 440 nm, extinction coefficient 7.3 × 10⁴ dm³ mol^?1 cm^?1, decay constant 6.2 × 10⁵ s^?1, is formed with a quantum yield of 0.012 for 347 nm excitation. The radical cation, absorption maximum 590 nm, extinction coefficient ～7 × 10⁴ dm³mol^?1 cm^?1, is formed in a biphotonic process. The radical anion, absorption maximum 510nm in hexane, 480 nm in methanol where its extinction coefficient is 1.2 × 10⁵ dm³mol^?1 cm^?1, appears to decay partially in methanol into another longer-lived neutral radical, wavelength maximum 420 nm, by loss of OH^?. For retinyl acetate, the triplet state, absorption maximum 395 nm, extinction coefficient 7.9 × 10⁴dm³mol^?1 cm^?1, decay constant 1.2 × 10⁶s^?1 is formed with a quantum yield of 0.025 for 347 nm excitation. Monophotonic photoelimination of OCOCH₃? in methanol produces the retinylic carbenium ion, wavelength maximum 590 nm, whose decay is enhanced by ammonia, k ～ 2 × 10⁶ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 and retarded by water. The radical cation also has a wavelength maximum at 590 nm, its extinction coefficient being ～ 1.0 × 10⁵ dm³mol¹ cm^?1. The long-lived transient absorption with maximum at 385 nm, extinction coefficient 1.0 × 10⁵ dm³mol^?1 cm^?1, obtained from the reaction of the solvated electron with retinyl acetate in methanol may be due to either the radical anion itself or more likely the radical resulting from elimination of OCOCH₃? from this anion. These results suggest that skin photosensitivity caused by retinyl acetate might be greater than that due to retinoic acid.     

1,1‐Dilithioethylene: Toward Spectroscopic Identification of the Definitive Singlet Ground Electronic State of a Peculiar Structure

1,1‐Dilithioethylene is a prototypical carbon–lithium compound that is not known experimentally. All low‐lying singlet and triplet structures of interest were investigated by using high‐level theoretical methods with correlation‐consistent basis sets up to pentuple ζ. The coupled cluster methods adopted included up to full triple excitations and perturbative quadruples. In contrast to earlier studies that predicted the twisted C_2v triplet to be the ground state, we found a peculiar planar C_s singlet ground state in the present research. The lowest excited electronic state of 1,1‐dilithioethylene, the twisted C_s triplet, was found to lie 9.0 kcal mol^?1 above the ground state by using energy extrapolation to the complete basis set limit. For the planar C_s singlet and twisted C_s triplet states of 1,1‐dilithioethylene, anharmonic vibrational frequencies were reported on the basis of second‐order vibrational perturbation theory. The remarkably low (2050 cm^?1) C?H stretching fundamental (the C?H bond near the bridging lithium) of the singlet state was found to have very strong infrared intensity. These highly reliable theoretical findings may assist in the long‐sought experimental identification of 1,1‐dilithioethylene. Using natural bond orbital analysis, we found that lithium bridging structures were strongly influenced by electrostatic effects. All carbon–carbon linkages corresponded to conventional double bonds.     

Photophysical Properties of Rufloxacin in Neutral Aqueous Solution

The photophysical properties of rufloxacin, 9-fluoro-2_r3-dihydro-10-(4-methyl-l-pyrazinyl)-7-oxo-7-H-pyri-do[l,2,3-de]-l,4-benzothiazin-6-carboxylic acid, a fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug exhibiting photosensitizing action toward biological substrates, were studied in aqueous solutions at neutral pH. The lowest excited electronic states of the zwitterion were characterized by both experimental techniques and theoretical methods. Steady-state and time-resolved emission, triplet-state absorption and singlet oxygen production were investigated. The results indicate that the lowest excited singlet is a fluorescent, relatively long-lived state (φ_r= 0.075, T_r? 4.5 ns) with an efficient intersystem crossing to the triplet manifold (φ_isc? 0-⁷)- The lowest triplet is a long-lived state (T_T? 10 μs at 295 K in 0.01 M phosphate buffer), with properties that make it a good candidate for being the precursor of the photodecarboxylation of the drug. It is quenched by oxygen at a rate of 1.7 times 10⁹M^-1 s-¹ and singlet oxygen is formed with a quantum yield of 0.32 in air-saturated solutions.     

DETERMINATION OF THE ACRYLAMIDE QUENCHING CONSTANT FOR PROTEIN AND MODEL INDOLE TRIPLETS

Abstract— The decay of the indole triplet of single tryptophan-containing proteins and model compounds can be readily measured at room temperature in aqueous solution by monitoring the triplet-triplet absorption or phosphorescence emission following a 265 nm exciting laser pulse. The quenching action of acrylamide on the triplet excited state of indole side chains was studied in an analogous fashion to that previously done at the singlet level (Eftink and Ghiron, 1977). The acrylamide triplet quenching constant (^tk_q) ranged from a high of 7.8 times 10⁸M^-1 s^-1 for the exterior indole of corticotropin (ACTH) to a low of 2 times 10⁵ Af^-1 s^-1 for the interior indole of ribonuclease T, (RNase T,). The ratio (7) of these values with their respective acrylamide singlet quenching constants (^tk_q),(γ=^tk_q⁸K_q) ranged from a high of 0.22 for ACTH to a low of 0.001 for RNase T₁,. Acrylamide is also an inefficient quencher of model indoles in various solvents (i.e. it has a γ less than 1). The magnitude of γ varied from a high of 0.3 in H₂0 to a low of 0.02 in acetonitrile, but did not correlate with viscosity, dielectric constant or polarity. The lower efficiency observed for internal indole groups can not be explained by that class of models which predict the presence of static quenching at the triplet level, since none was observed. The present results confirm the observation of Calhoun et al. of a large discrepancy between acrylamide's singlet and triplet quenching constants for buried indole side chains, but suggest that it may be largely explained by the fact that acrylamide is an inefficient quencher of the indole triplet state (1983). The magnitude of this inefficiency is probably determined by specific microenvironmental factors. Thus, unlike ⁸K_q, the environmentally sensitive ^lk_H cannot be easily used to characterize the dynamics of proteins.     

One-way isomerization and internal rotation in anthrylethylenes in the excited triplet state

1-(2-Anthryl)-2-(bromophenyl)ethylene and 1-(2-anthryl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylene undergo cis→trans one-way isomerization in the excited triplet state through an adiabatic process from the cis-triplet to the trans-triplet states. The trans-isomers of these compounds undergo one-way internal rotation in the excited triplet state with an activation barrier of }7 kcal mol^?1 and a frequency factor of }10¹² s^?1, while no internal rotation takes place in the excited singlet state.     

Efficiency of the formation of peroxonitrite during the photolysis of potassium nitrate doped with thallium ions

It is established that the introduction of thallium(I) ions into the potassium nitrate lattice decreases the quantum yield of peroxonitrite during the photolysis of this substance at a wavelength of 253.7 nm because of a lower efficiency of peroxonitrite formation from nitrate ions in the triplet excited state with symmetry E′ as compared to their singlet state of the same symmetry. It is suggested that the primary stage of the formation of peroxonitrite in the crystal is the dissociation of the excited nitrate ion with symmetry E′, a process accompanied by the formation of the [NO^?...O₂] complex.     

The radicals formed by photoinduced electron transfer from hypocrellins to electron acceptors

The photoinduced electron transfer from excited singlet and triplet states of hypocrellins to three electron acceptors, namely, methyl viologen chloride (MV), tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (TCQ) and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyan-p-benzoquinone (DDQ), has been investigated by fluorescence and time-resolved transient absorption spectra. In acetonitrile solution, DDQ and TCQ quenched the fluorescence and T-T absorption of hypocrellins (HA and HB) efficiently, while neither fluorescence nor T-T absorption of them could be quenched by MV. The quenching resulted from the electron transfer between excited hypocrellins and the electron acceptors was controlled by diffusion. The rate constants of electron transfer from excited singlet and triplet of HA to DDQ are 9.20×10¹⁰ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 and 1.28×10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1, respectively. The transient absorption spectra of the formed radical cations of hypocrellins are reported.     

An Argon–Oxygen Covalent Bond in the ArOH+ Molecular Ion

The OH⁺ cation is a well‐known diatomic for which the triplet (³Σ^?) ground state is 50.5 kcal mol^?1 more stable than its corresponding singlet (¹Δ) excited state. However, the singlet forms a strong donor–acceptor bond to argon with a bond energy of 66.4 kcal mol^?1 at the CCSDT(Q)/CBS level, making the singlet ArOH⁺ cation 3.9 kcal mol^?1 more stable than the lowest energy triplet complex. Both singlet and triplet isomers of this molecular ion were prepared in a cold molecular beam using different ion sources. Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in combination with messenger atom tagging shows that the two spin isomers exhibit completely different spectral signatures. The ground state of ArOH⁺ is the predicted singlet with a covalent Ar?O bond.