Resonance Raman optical activity and surface enhanced resonance Raman optical activity analysis of cytochrome c

High-resolution resonance Raman (RR) and resonance Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra of cytochrome c were obtained in order to perform full assignment of spectral features of the resonance ROA spectrum. The resonance ROA spectrum of cytochrome c revealed a distinct spectral signature pattern due to resonance enhanced skeletal porphyrin vibrations, more pronounced than any contribution from the protein backbone. Combining the intrinsic resonance properties of cytochrome c with the surface plasmon enhancement achieved with colloidal silver particles, the surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and surface enhanced resonance ROA (SERROA) spectra of the protein were successfully obtained at concentrations as low as 1 microM. The assignments of spectral features were based on the information obtained from the RR and resonance ROA spectra. Excellent agreement between RR and SERRS spectra is reported, while some disparities were observed between the resonance ROA and SERROA spectra. These differences can be ascribed to perturbations of the physical properties of the protein upon adhesion to the surface of the silver colloids.     

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopic characterization of the protein native structure

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of biological species are often different from their resonance Raman (RR) spectra. A home-designed Raman flow system is used to determine the factors that contribute to the difference between the SERRS and RR of met-myoglobin (metMb). The results indicate that both the degree of protein-nanoparticles interaction and the laser irradiation contribute to the structural changes and are responsible for the observed differences between the SERRS and RR spectra of metMb. The prolonged adsorption of the protein molecules on the nanoparticle surface, which is the condition normally used for the conventional SERRS experiments, disturbs the heme pocket structure and facilitates the charge transfer process and the photoinduced transformation of proteins. The disruption of the heme pocket results in the loss of the distal water molecule, and the resulting SERRS spectrum of metMb shows a 5-coordinated high-spin heme. The flow system, when operated at a moderately high flow rate, can basically eliminate the factors that disturb the protein structure while maintaining a high enhancement factor. The SERRS spectrum obtained from a 1 x 10 (-7) M metMb solution using this flow system is basically identical to the RR spectrum of a 5 x 10 (-4) M metMb solution. Therefore, the Raman flow system reported here should be useful for characterizing the protein-nanoparticles interaction and the native structure of proteins using SERRS spectroscopy.     

Model theory of resonance Raman excitation profiles in electron donor/acceptor complexes

We present a simple theoretical model which qualitatively explains the previously reported unusual features of the resonance Raman (RR) excitation profiles of electron donor/acceptor complexes of TCNE with aromatic donors, in particular the pronounced red-shift of the RR excitation profile vis à vis the absorption spectrum.     

Resonance Raman scattering of rhodamine 6G as calculated by time-dependent density functional theory: vibronic and solvent effects

The geometries, UV-vis absorption spectra, and resonance Raman (RR) intensities have been determined for the S1 and S3 excited states of rhodamine 6G (R6G) in vacuum and ethanol by means of DFT/TDDFT methodologies with the aim of better understanding the structures and properties of the excited states. The RR spectra have been simulated from the vibronic theory of RR scattering as well as within the short-time approximation, while the solvent effects have been modeled using the polarizable continuum model. The S1 and S3 states of R6G present UV-vis absorption bands with similar vibronic structure, i.e., a shoulder at smaller wavelengths, although this shoulder is relatively more intense and more sensitive to the solvent in the case of S3. These differences are corroborated by the larger geometry relaxations upon excitation for S3 and the fact that the charge transfer of S3 is reduced in ethanol. Moreover, the differences between S1 and S3 are magnified when considering the RR spectra. On one hand, the RR spectrum of R6G in resonance with the S0 --> S1 transition presents many transitions of which the relative intensities strongly vary when the excitation wavelength gets closer to the maximum of absorption. The RR spectrum of R6G in resonance with S1 is however little influenced by the solvent. On the other hand, the RR spectrum of R6G in resonance with the S0 --> S3 transition displays only a few bands, strongly depends on the solvent, and is little affected when changing the excitation wavelength within the limits of the absorption band. As a consequence, the short-time approximation is suitable to reproduce the RR spectrum of R6G in resonance with S3 for a broad range of excitation wavelengths, whereas the vibronic theory approach is needed for describing the RR spectrum of R6G in resonance with S1 close to resonance.     

Initial excited-state structural dynamics of thymine are coincident with the expected photochemical dynamics

To explore the excited-state structural dynamics of thymine, a DNA nucleobase, we measured the resonance Raman spectra of thymine in aqueous solution at wavelengths throughout the lowest-energy absorption band. Self-consistent analysis of the resulting resonance Raman excitation profiles and absorption spectrum using a time-dependent wave packet formalism yielded the excited-state structural dynamics. The photochemically relevant C=C stretching and C-H deformation vibrational modes were found to exhibit maximum resonance Raman intensity and structural change upon photoexcitation for thymine, suggesting that the initial dynamics of thymine lie along the photochemical reaction coordinate.     

The resonance Raman spectra of spheroidene revisited with a first-principles approach

The resonance Raman (RR) spectra of different configurations of spheroidene are calculated by means of quantum chemical methods to investigate the nature of the cis configuration of this carotenoid molecule in the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. For validation of our methodology, we also calculate the spectrum of the all-trans structure present in the light-harvesting complexes of this bacterium. While former theoretical resonance Raman studies only considered truncated models of spheroidene, we report on calculations employing the full pigment here. The calculated frequencies for the all-trans configuration are in good agreement with former experimental and simulated data. Among the possible cis structures, the 15,15'-cis configuration shows a RR spectrum that is in best agreement with the experimental spectrum of spheroidene in the RC. In order to assess model truncation effects, we compare calculations for the full spheroidene molecule to those for the truncated model. While the main features can already be found in the latter, the full model leads to considerably different intensities in the region around 1150 cm(-1), which improve the agreement with experiment. A slight mismatch for the vibrational frequencies in the C=C stretch region is investigated by considering a model for spheroidene in the binding pocket comprising more than 500 atoms in total. The results do not lead to improved agreement with experiment, in contrast to the simpler strategy of introducing constraints in the structural optimization of a truncated spheroidene model. The calculated RR spectrum of the 13,14-cis configuration shows additional features which can also be identified in the experimental RR spectrum. This shows that the most likely cis structure is the 15,15'-cis configuration. Besides this, the 13,14-cis configuration remains a candidate for an additional spheroidene structure in the RC of Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutant R26.     

Detection of Plasmon Coupling between Silver Nanowires Based on Hyperspectral Darkfield and SERS Imaging and Supported by DDA Theoretical Calculations

We report the unprecedented observation of plasmon coupling between silver nanowires, showing how the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering depends upon this interaction and how the spectrum can be shaped by the hot spot. Such observations were accomplished by Raman spectroscopy mapping of silver nanowires modified with rhodamine. The local spectra on the hot spots were measured by darkfield hyperspectral microscopy, a powerful but uncommonly used technique that is capable of determining the location, structure, and spectra of the hot spots. The result obtained by the simulation of two parallel nanowires based on the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method was in excellent agreement with the results obtained experimentally.     

Author index to volume 30

On the basis of vibronic theory the problem of intensity distributions in resonance Raman (RR) spectra and excitation profiles of polyatomic molecules is considered. In addition to the generally assumed relaxational mechanism of vibronic line broadening in the absorption spectrum the case of inhomogeneous broadening of the absorption line is also treated. The latter mechanism, which in the case of absorption spectra leads only to a broadening of the vibronic lines without changing their relative intensities, may lead to a considerable redistribution of intensity within RR spectra as well as in the excitation profiles. A simple and universal method is proposed which makes it possible to determine from a RR spectrum the values of shifts of the dimensionless equilibrium nuclear positions under electronic excitation regardless of the particular mechanism of line broadening and the number of active vibrations. The theoretical consideration is illustrated comprehensively by an analysis of the experimental data of Inagaki et al. for β-carotene.     

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.     

Structural insights of catalytic intermediates in dialumene based CO_2 capture: Evidences from theoretical resonance Raman spectra

CO_2 capture is considered as one of the most ideal strategies for solving the environmental issues and against global warming.Recently,experimental evidence has suggested that aluminum double bond(dialumene) species can capture CO_2 and further convert it into value-added products.However,the catalytic application of these species is still in its infancy.Both the dynamics mechanism of CO_2 fixation and the detailed structures of catalytic intermediates are not well understood.In this work,we investigate the structure dependent resonance Raman(RR) signals for different reaction intermediates.Ab-initio simulations of spontaneous resonance Raman(spRR) and time-domain stimulated resonance Raman(stRR) give spectral signatures correlated to the existence of different intermediates during the CO_2-dialumene binding process.The unique Raman vibronic feature s contain rich structural information with high temporal resolution,enabling to monitor the transient catalytic intermediates under reaction conditions.Our work shows that RR can be used to monitor intermediates during the dialumene based CO_2 capture reaction.The spectral features not only provide insight into the structural information of intermediate species,but also allow a deeper understanding of the dynamical details of this kind of catalytic process.     

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.     

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.     

ESR and resonance Raman spectroscopic studies of peroxide intermediates derived from iron diazaoxacyclononane

A peroxide-Fe3+ intermediate generation during the Fenton reaction of iron chelate involving a ligating N,N'-di-2-picolyl-4, 7-diaza-1-oxacyclononane (DPC), H2O2/[Fe2+ DPC]2+, is reported. The identity of this peroxide complex is confirmed by resonance Raman (RR) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopies. The RR spectrum of [Fe2+ DPC]2+ treated with H2O2 shows a frequency at 854 cm(-1) ascribable to v(O-O) vibrational modes of the peroxide-Fe3+ complex with a side-on geometry. On the other hand, the ESR spectrum of H2O2/[Fe2+ DPC]2+ acquired at 77 K exhibits the resonance transition at g = 2.196 and 2.017 due to the peroxide-Fe3+ complex with an axial symmetry. It has been concluded that the H2O2/[Fe2+ DPC]2+ reaction proceeds by rapid bonding of H2O2 to an open coordination site on the central Fe2+ cation.     

UV near-resonance Raman spectroscopic study of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol solutions

The normal and UV near-resonance Raman (UVRR) spectra of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BN) in basic solution were measured and analyzed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to study the ground state geometry structure, vibrational frequencies nu, off-resonance Raman intensities I, and depolarization ratios rho of 1,1'-bi-2-naphtholate dianion (BN(2-)). On the basis of the calculated and experimental results of nu, I, and rho, the observed Raman bands were assigned in detail. The 1612 cm(-1) Raman band of BN in basic solution was found dramatically enhanced in the UV resonance Raman spectrum in comparison with the normal Raman spectrum. Analyzing the depolarization ratios of the 1366 and 1612 cm(-1) bands in the RR spectra manifests that both the symmetric and antisymmetric parts of transition polarizabilities contribute to the 1366 cm(-1) band, but that only the symmetric part contributes to the 1612 cm(-1) band.     

RESONANCE RAMAN SPECTRUM OF THE EXCITED 21Ag STATE OF ß-CAROTENE

Abstract— Resonance Raman (RR) bands assignable to the 2¹A_g excited state of ß-carotene are recorded using picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman (PTR³) spectroscopy. The RR spectrum contains bands in both the C-C (1204 cm^?1, 1243 cm^?1, and 1282 cm^?1) and C=C (1777 cm^?1) stretching regions. The time-dependent intensities of these RR features, measured with ? 30 ps. resolution, are found (i) to closely correlate with picosecond transient absorption (PTA) data recorded at 575 nm on the same sample and (ii) inversely correlate with the time-dependent intensities of RR bands assigned to the 1¹A_g ground state. Both of these observations support the assignment of these four RR features to the 2¹A_g excited state. These results remove uncertainties associated with earlier experiments in which excited-state RR scattering from (3-carotene was not observed in spite of predicted trends emanating from studies of shorter polyene compounds. The observed C=C band position also agrees with a recent report of this feature.     

Fe vibrational spectroscopy of myoglobin and cytochrome f

The Fe vibrational density of states (VDOS) has been determined for the heme proteins deoxymyoglobin, metmyoglobin, and cytochrome f in the oxidized and reduced states, using nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS). For cytochrome f in particular, the NRVS spectrum is compared with multiwavelength resonance Raman spectra to identify those Raman modes with significant Fe displacement. Modes not seen by Raman due to optical selection rules appear in the NRVS spectrum. The mean Fe force constant extracted from the VDOS illustrates how Fe dynamics varies among these four monoheme proteins, and is correlated with oxidation and spin state trends seen in model heme compounds. The protein's contribution to Fe motion is dominant at low frequencies, where coupling to the backbone tightly constrains Fe displacements in cytochrome f, in contrast to enhanced heme flexibility in myoglobin.     

Red Blood Cells Polarize Green Laser Light Revealing Hemoglobin′s Enhanced Non‐Fundamental Raman Modes

In general, the first overtone modes produce weak bands that appear at approximately twice the wavenumber value of the fundamental transitions in vibrational spectra. Here, we report the existence of a series of enhanced non‐fundamental bands in resonance Raman (RR) spectra recorded for hemoglobin (Hb) inside the highly concentrated heme environment of the red blood cell (RBC) by exciting with a 514.5 nm laser line. Such bands are most intense when detecting parallel‐polarized light. The enhancement is explained through excitonic theory invoking a type C scattering mechanism and bands have been assigned to overtone and combination bands based on symmetry arguments and polarization measurements. By using malaria diagnosis as an example, we demonstrate that combining the non‐fundamental and fundamental regions of the RR spectrum improves the sensitivity and diagnostic capability of the technique. The discovery will have considerable implications for the ongoing development of Raman spectroscopy for blood disease diagnoses and monitoring heme perturbation in response to environmental stimuli.     

Resonance Raman studies of beta-substituted porphyrin systems with unusual electronic absorption properties.

Zn(II) and Cu(II) porphyrins with beta-conjugated barbiturate functional groups have low-energy electronic transitions which are unusual in that there are two strong bands in the Soret region. Resonance excitation of the two bands shows that each has features characteristic of both the porphyrin and barbiturate groups, with some perturbation to these features caused by the interaction of the two chromophores. The resonance Raman (RR) spectrum (lambda(exc)=413.1 nm) of the 412 nm band shows two bands at 1722 and 1743 cm(-1) attributable to C==O stretches in the substituent. Changes in frequency of porphyrin core modes due to the differing metal centres are reproduced by density functional theory calculations. The Q band RR spectra show modes with anomalous polarization which may be attributed to A(2g) modes, however no overtone or combination bands are observed.     

Development of a tunable femtosecond stimulated raman apparatus and its application to beta-carotene

We have developed a tunable femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) apparatus and used it to perform time-resolved resonance Raman experiments with <100 fs temporal and <35 cm(-1) spectral resolution. The key technical change that facilitates this advance is the use of a tunable narrow-bandwidth optical parametric amplifier (NB-OPA) presented recently by Shim et al. (Shim, S.; Mathies, R. A. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006, 89, 121124). The practicality of tunable FSRS is demonstrated by examining the photophysical dynamics of beta-carotene. Using 560 nm Raman excitation, the resonant S1 state modes are enhanced by a factor of approximately 200 compared with 800 nm FSRS experiments. The improved signal-to-noise ratios facilitate the measurement of definitive time constants for beta-carotene dynamics including the 180 fs appearance of the S1 vibrational features due to direct internal conversion from S2 and their characteristic 9 ps decay to S0. By tuning the FSRS system to 590 nm Raman excitation, we are able to selectively enhance vibrational features of the hot ground state S hot 0 and monitor its approximately 5 ps cooling dynamics. This tunable FSRS system is valuable because it facilitates the direct observation of structural changes of selected resonantly enhanced states and intermediates during photochemical and photobiological reactions.