ANALYSIS OF FLUORESCENCE KINETICS AND ENERGY TRANSFER IN ISOLATED α SUBUNITS OF PHYCOERYTHRIN FROM Nostoc sp.

Abstract— The fluorescence decay profiles, relative quantum yield, and transmission of the phycoerythrin a subunit, isolated from the photosynthetic antenna system of Nostoc sp., were measured using single picosecond laser excitation. The fluorescence decay profiles were found to be intensity independent for the intensity range investigated (4 × 10¹³ and 4 × 10¹⁵ photons-cm-² per pulse). The decay profiles were fitted to a model assuming both chromophores absorb and fluoresce. The inferred total deactivation rates for the two chromophores, in the absence of energy transfer and when the effects of the response time of the streak camera and the finite pulse width are properly included, are 1.0 × 10¹⁰s' and 1.0 × 10⁹ s ¹ for the s and f chromophores. respectively, whereas the transfer rate between the two fluorophorcs is estimated to be 1.0 × 10¹⁰ s⁻¹ giving a s→ f transfer rate on the order of (100 ps)⁻¹. Steady-atate polarization measurements were found to be equal to those calculated using the rate parameters inferred from the kinetic model fit to the fluorescence decays. The apparent decrease in the relative fluorescence quantum yield and increase of the relative transmission with increasing excitation intensity is suggestive of ground state depletion and upper excited state absorption. Evidence suggests that exciton annihilation is absent within isolated α subunits for the intensity range investigated (4 × 10¹³ to 4 × 10¹⁵ photons-cm ² per pulse).     

Fluorescence from an upper excited state of o-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the vapor phase

Fluorescence from an upper excited state of o-hydroxybenzaldehyde vapor at room temperature is reported. For excitation at the O-O band of the absorption from the ground state to the upper excited state, the fluorescence spectrum is located in the wavelength range between 250 and 300 nm and the fluorescence quantum yield is 1.6 × 10^t−.     

FLUORESCENCE RELAXATION KINETICS AND QUANTUM YIELD FROM THE PHYCOBILISOMES OF THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA NOSTOC SP. MEASURED AS A FUNCTION OF SINGLE PICOSECOND PULSE INTENSITY*

Abstract— A detailed experimental study of the effect of intensity of a 6 ps excitation pulse on the decay kinetics and yield from phycobilisomes (PBsomes) is presented. The fluorescence from the c-phycoerythrin (PE) emission from PBsomes was found to decay as a single exponential with a time of 31 ± 4ps for an excitation intensity <10¹⁴ photons/cm² per pulse. The risetime of the c-phycocyanin (PC) and allophycocyanin (APC) emission from PBsomes was found to be 34 ± 13 ps. Therefore, at low excitation intensities, the energy transfer time between the constituent phycobiliproteins, PE and PC, is measured to be 34 ± 13ps from the fluorescence decay time of PE and the fluorescence risetime of the PC and APC emission. The fluorescence yield from the PE emission component in PBsomes was found to be intensity dependent for excitation intensities >10¹⁴ photons/cm². The decrease in yield with increased intensity in this case occurred at a higher intensity than in the isolated phycobiliprotein PE. The fluorescence yield of the PC and APC emission component was also found to decrease markedly with increasing excitation intensity. This is in contrast to the case of the isolated phycobiliprotein APC which showed only a slight quenching of the fluorescence. The higher quenching observed for the APC emission in the PBsome evidences the higher effective absorption of APC via energy transfer from PE to PC and APC.     

FLUORESCENCE RELAXATION KINETICS AND QUANTUM YIELD FROM THE ISOLATED PHYCOBILIPROTEINS OF THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA NOSTOC SP. MEASURED AS A FUNCTION OF SINGLE PICOSECOND PULSE INTENSITY, I

Abstract— Phycobilisomes from the blue-green alga Nostoc sp. are known to contain the phycobiliproteins: c-phycoerythrin (c-PE), c-phycocyanin (c-PC) and four forms of allophycocyanin (APC I, II, III, and B). We have made a detailed study of the effects of the intensity of a single 6 ps excitation pulse on the decay kinetics and the yield of fluorescence in the individual isolated phycobiliproteins at pH 7 and 23°C. The risetime of the fluorescence of c-PE, c-PC and APC was > 12 ps. We found that the decay of the fluorescence was exponential at intensities of 10¹⁴ photons/cm² in all the phycobiliproteins; the lifetimes being 1552 ± 31ps for c-PE, 2111 ± 83ps for c-PC, 1932 ± 165ps for APC I, 1870 ± 90ps for APC II, 1816 ± 88ps for APC III, (1869 ± 62ps for the averaged APC's I, II, and III), and 2667 ± 233 ps for APC B. We also found that the fluorescence decay became non-exponential in c-PE at excitation intensities < 10¹⁴ photons/cm², but was exponential for all the other phycobiliproteins even at a pulse intensity of 10¹⁵ photons/cm². The relaxation times of c-PE and c-PC decreased with excitation intensity above 10¹⁴ photons/cm². For c-PE and c-PC the relative fluorescence vs excitation intensity was readily described by a relationship derived for a model in which exciton–exciton annihilation occurs. In APC the fluorescence yield and relaxation time were only slightly dependent on the excitation intensity. The results are interpreted to indicate the occurrence of singlet–singlet annihilation intramolecularly among the several phycobilin chromophores within the individual phycobiliprotein molecules in solution. The s to f transfer time is less than 12ps in c-PC.     

Photophysics and photochemistry of uranyl ions in aqueous solutions: Refining of quantitative characteristics

The photochemistry and photophysics of aqueous solutions of uranyl nitrate have been investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis with excitation at 266 and 355 nm and by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The quantum yield has been determined for (UO₂²⁺)* formation under excitation with λ = 266 and 355 nm light (φ = 0.35). The quantum yield of uranyl luminescence under the same conditions is 1 × 10^–2 and 1.2 × 10^–3, respectively, while the quantum yield of luminescence in the solid state is unity, irrespective of the excitation wavelength. The decay of (UO₂²⁺)* in the presence of ethanol is biexponential. The rate constants of this process at pH 3.4 are k₁ = (2.7 ± 0.2) × 10⁷ L mol^–1 s^–1 and k₂ = (5.4 ± 0.2) × 10⁶ L mol^–1 s^–1. This biexponential behavior is explained by the existence of different complex uranyl ion species in the solution. The addition of colloidal TiO₂ to the solution exerts no effect on the quantum yield of (UO₂²⁺)* formation or on the rate of the reaction between (UO₂²⁺)* and ethanol. The results of this study have been compared with data available from the literature.     

Singlet exciton interactions in crystalline naphthalene

The decay of prompt fluorescence in crystalline naphthalene at 300 K, excited by a picosecond 266 nm pulse, has been studied as a function of excitation intensity. Experimental decay curves can be fitted only when the exponential distribution in depth of excitation and the radial (gaussian) intensity profile of the excitation are both taken into account. From an analysis of the decay at early time (?5 ns) a best fit value of the singlet—singlet annihilation rate constant is found γ_SS = (4 ± 1) × 10^?10 cm³ s^?1. If the reaction is diffusion-limited, this rate implies an average singlet diffusivity D_S = (2 ± 1) × 10^?4 cm² s^?1.     

EXCITED-STATE PROPERTIES OF DNA METHYLATED AT THE NV7 POSITION OF GUANINE AND ITS FREE FLUOROPHORE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

The room-temperature optical properties of calf thymus DNA, with about 75% of its guanine residues methylated at position N-7, are compared with those of 7-methyl GMP which has the same fluorophore. The fluorescence spectrum of the methylated guanine residues depends strongly on the excitation wavelength, shifting to the blue as the wavelength increases. The fluorescence quantum yield, corrected for the contribution to absorption by the other virtually nonfluorescent residues, exhibits a pronounced drop at long excitation wavelengths relative to that for excitation at 265 nm. The degree of fluorescence polarization exhibits a weak dependence on the excitation and emission wavelengths. For 7-methyl GMP, the fluorescence spectrum is very weakly dependent on the excitation wavelength and its fluorescence quantum yield shows a moderate increase at long wavelengths. The degree of fluorescence polarization increases with increasing excitation wavelength particularly when monitoring the emission in the short wavelength region of the fluorescence spectrum. A pronounced drop of unknown origin is observed when exciting at 265 nm, which is not observed for methylated DNA. The methylated DNA data are interpreted in terms of a combination of (i) a heterogeneous environment of the methylated guanine residues, which results from sequence-dependent stacking interactions, and (ii) transfer of excitation energy from the other residues to the fluorescing methylated guanine residues. From the values of the quantum yields and those of the decay times, which we have recently reported (Georghiou et al., 1985), the following values are obtained for the radiative, k_t, and the sum of the nonradiative, σk₁, rate constants for deexcitation of the excited states of methylated DNA and its free fluorophore: 1.6 × 10⁸ s^-1 7 × 10⁷ s^-1 and 5 × 10¹⁰ s^-lvs 6 × 10⁹ s^-1. Because of energy transfer from the other residues. the k_f value for the methylated guanine residues is overestimated but their σk₁, value is not affected significantly and is by about an order of magnitude larger than that for 7-methyl GMP, apparently because of stacking interactions.     

Study on excited states of hexamethoxybenzene-NO+ charge-transfer complex: incorporation of excited radical cation

A charge-transfer (CT) complex of NOBF₄ and hexamethoxybenzene (HMB), which gives out HMB^?+ as a “fluorescent radical cation probe,” upon one-electron oxidation, has been designed to explore the excited state dynamics of contact radical ion pairs by laser-induced fluorescence and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic techniques. The acetonitrile solution of the CT complex showed weak fluorescence with a similar spectrum to that observed for free excited HMB radical cation (HMB^?+*), suggesting the formation of HMB^?+* upon the one-photonic excitation of the CT complex. The laser-power dependence of the fluorescence intensity supported the one-photonic excitation event. We have also observed a short-lived transient species but no long-lived species by femtosecond laser flash photolysis of the CT complex. The lifetime (6.5 ps) was in good accordance with its fluorescence quantum yield (2.5 × 10^?5) and was able to assign the transient species to the fluorescent state, an excited radical ion pair [HMB ^?+*/NO^?]. All the events were completed within the inner sphere and the short lifetime of the transient species could be attributed to rapid back-electron transfer. It is concluded that the excited radical cation character in the excited state of the CT complex originates from the radical ion character in the CT complex in the ground state and that a relatively long lifetime of HMB^?+* facilitates its observation even in the contact ion pair.     

Electronic energy transfer from the S2 state of rhodamine 6G

In this paper we present the results of an experimental study of intermolecular electronic energy transfer (EET) from the short-lived Second excited singlet state of rhodamine 6G (R6G) to the ground state of 2,5-bis [5′-tert-butyl-2-benzoxazolyl] thiophene (BBOT). The S₂ state of the donor was excited by sequential, time-delayed, two-photon excitation (STDTPE) utilizing the second harmonic and the first harmonic of a mode-locked Nd³⁺: glass laser, while the EET process was interrogated by monitoring the enhancement of the S₁ → S₀ fluorescence of BBOT. The enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of BBOT was found to be linear in the energies of the two exciting pulses, and linear in the concentration of the energy acceptor (over the BBOT concentration range of (0.3–7) × 10^?5 M), which is in accord with the predictions of the Forster—Dexter mechanism for resonant EET from an ultrashort-lived donor state at low acceptor concentrations. Quantitative measurements of the S₂ → S₀ fluorescence yield in R6G solution directly excited by STDTPE and of the S₁ → S₀ fluorescence of BBOT from R6G + BBOT solutions resulting from EET led to the values of Y_D(S₂ → S₀) = (2.1 ± 0.5) × 10^?6 for the emission quantum yield of the S₂ state of R6G and τr_D(S₂) ≈ 3 × 10^?14 s for the lifetime of the metastable S₂ state of this molecule.     

Emission spectroscopy and excited-state dynamics of chromyl-chloride vapor

A tunable dye laser has been used to excite single vibronic features in the low-pressure vapor of CrO₂Cl₂. The fluorescence spectrum, fluorescence excitation spectrum and time-resolved fluorescence decay are discussed. It is shown that the active ν′₄ and ν″₄ modes are the same frequency in the gas phase, thus collapsing the sequence congestion normally observed in gas-phase spectra. This degeneracy makes impossible the excitation of single vibronic levels. It is shown that the fluorescence lifetime of the excited state in all except the vibrationally cold level is severely shortened by unimolecular radiationless decay. This radiationless rate is strongly dependent upon the partitioning of energy into various excited-state modes. The radiative lifetime of the vibrationally cold excited state is (1.34 ± 0.08) μs and the apparent bimolecular quenching rate is (5.9 ± 0.2) × 10^?10 cm³/molecules. No evidence of emission from the lowest-energy excited electronic state recently reported by Spoliti [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 52 (1973) 146] is observed.     

Phosphorescence and its characteristics in pyridine vapor

The phosphorescence emission of pyridine-d₀ and -d₅ has been observed in the vapor phase by means of time-resolved spectroscopy. The results of the experiments, which are described in full detail in this paper, on the phosphorescence spectrum, the excitation spectrum, the phosphorescence decay and sensitization of biacetyl phosphorescence indicate that the emission concerned is the genuine phosphorescence of the pyridines. For pyridine-d₀ (-d₅), the wavelength of the phosphorescence maximum is 450 nm (440 nm), the phosphorescence quantum yield 1.5 × 10^?6) (1.7 × 10^?6) and the phosphorescence lifetime is 1.2 μs (2.1 μs), the values for pyridine-d₅ being given in parentheses. The phosphorescence characteristics of pyridine are compared with those of other related molecules. The nature of the phosphorescent triplet state of pyridine is discussed with particular regard to the exceptionally fast non-radiative decay from that state.     

Excited state geometry of and radiationless processes in the lowest B3u(nπ*) singlet state of s-tetrazine

High resolution absorption and laser induced emission spectra of the lowest B_3u(nπ^*) singlet state of s-tetrazine-h₂ and -d₂ in a benzene crystal at 1.8 K are presented and discussed. The absorption spectrum with origin at 17231 cm^?1 (h₂) is dominated by a progression in ν_6a and a Herzberg-Teller origin which has been assigned as ν₁. The absence of ν₁ in the emission spectrum is explained as being due to a destructive vibronic interference effect. The Franck-Condon envelope of the unique ν_6a progression in emission is used for a determination of the excited state structure and the limitations of this procedure are examined. Direct lifetime measurements using a dye laser and single photon counting techniques show the fluorescence lifetime of s-tetrazine-h₂ and -d₂ to be shorter than 1.5 ns. From a deconvolution of the emission pulse of dimethyl s-tetrazine its fluorescence lifetime in the gas phase is found to be 6.0 ± 0.3 ns. Through a comparison of the fluorescence quantum yield of s-tetrazine-h₂ and dimethyl s-tetrazine we calculate for s-tetrazine-h₂ a fluorescence lifetime of 1.5 ± 0.2 ns and a fluoresence quantum yield of 1.8 × 10^?3. The ratio of the emissive lifetimes of s-tetrazine-d₂ and -h₂ was measured from relative fluorescence yields and found to be 1.18 ± 0.05. Photodissociation quantum yield studies on s-tetrazine-h₂, -d₂ and dimethyl for excitation into the origin of the ¹B_3u(nπ^*) state show this yield to be in the range of 1.3 ± 0.3, and this could explain the low fluorescence yields of the s-tetrazines. The fluorescence quantum yields in the gas phase are found to vary among the vibronic levels of the ¹B_3u state. This finding is in agreement with earlier measurements by Vemulapalli and Cassen, but the report by these authors that such quantum yield variations also occurred in the rovibronic structure is not confirmed.     

Barrier for excited-state intramolecular proton transfer and proton tunneling in bis-2,5-(2-benzoxazolyl)-hydroquinone

The excitation spectra of dual fluorescence for isolated bis-2,5-(2-benzoxazolyl)-hydroquinone at low temperatures in a supersonic jet is reported. The vibronic structure near the electronic origin for the 410 nm band is attributed to proton transfer. Proton transfer was observed for the vibrationally cold excited state. From the relative fluorescence quantum yields in organic glasses below 100 K, a barrier for the excited-state proton transfer or 121 ± 17 cm^?1 is obtained. It is concluded that proton tunneling occurs. The relative yield of the usual Stokes fluorescence in an organic glass, as a function of temperature. is compared with the relative yield in the supersonic jet as a function of excitation energy. This leads to estimates of the temperature of the isolated molecule in the excited state.     

Picosecond diffuse reflectance and transmission laser flash photolysis study of various triaryl-2-pyrazolines

In this study the first ever reported application of diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis for the observation of sub-nanosecond transient absorption decays is presented. The compounds studied are various triaryl-2-pyrazolines, both as microcrytals and contained within polycarbonate films. The microcrystalline samples were studied using pump—probe laser flash photolysis in diffuse reflectance mode and the observed transient absorption decay could be fitted using a biexponential model with, in the case of 1, 5-diphenyl-3-styryl-2-pyrazoline, lifetimes of 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ and 1.3 × 10⁻⁹s for the first and second decay components, respectively. This model could also be used to fit the decay kinetics obtained from transmission pump—probe laser flash photolysis experiments conducted upon polycarbonate films containing this same compound, the lifetimes in this instance being 5.5 × 10⁻¹² and 1.7 × 10⁻¹⁰s for the first and second decay components, respectively. In addition, a study of the quenching of the pyrazoline excited states in a polycarbonate matrix by disulphone magenta was undertaken. In this case it was necessary to modify the second term of the biexponential model with a term to allow for Förster type long range energy transfer, the Förster critical transfer distance being determined as 25 Å. This biexponential model is rationalized as initial excitation being to the S₂ state, the first decay component being relaxation to the S₁ state and the second component decay of the S₁ state to the ground state, by radiative and non-radiative relaxation and, when DSM is present, long range energy transfer to this energy acceptor.     

Reversible intersystem crossing,fluorescence lifetime lengthening and collisionally induced phosphorescence in biacetyl

The emissions of biacetyl excited at 4200 Å were studied at pressures down to 10^?3 torr. Apart from the well-known nanosecond fluorescence, a new emission of the same spectral composition was found with a non-exponential decay in the microsecond range. Furthermore the phosphorescence, as defined by its spectral composition, was found to be collisionally induced.The results imply that after excitation, the molecule rapidly transfers (rate constant k_S→T) to the triplet state, giving rise to the nanosecond decay time; and can then transfer back to the singlet state (rate constant k_T→S), giving rise to the microsecond emission. At the same time internal conversion can occur (k_S→S0). From an analysis of the data we find for k_S→S0 = 2.4 × 10⁷ sec^?1, k_S→T = 7.6 × 10⁷ sec^?1, k_T→S = 1.9 × 10⁵ sec^?1. The kinetic treatment can be transformed to a quantum mechanical one, yielding values for the triplet level density (?_T), the coupling element V_ST and the number of triplet states (N) coupled to the singlet excited. At 4200 Å we find ?_T = 6.3 × 10⁵cm, V_ST = 1.0 × 10^?5 cm^?1, N = 400.Phosphorescence occurs only when the molecule is deactivated by collisions to a vibronic triplet state below the vibrationless excited singlet state. The efficiency of biacetyl collisions is 0.54.     

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.     

Laser photolysis studies of the photoinduced production of ion radicals in polymers

N₂-laser flash photolysis measurements of poly (N-vinylcarbazole) (PVCz) and N-isopropylcarbazole (NIPC) with p-dicyanobenzene (DCNB)_in dimethylformide (DMF) show an excitation intensity dependent quantum yield for for ion-radical production. The transient absorbance associated with the ion radical species together with light intensity dependent fluorescence decay curves demonstrate that excitation annihilation processes can compete effectively with ion-radical formation at high excitation intensities in this polymer.     

Fluorescence Spectra of S2CI Excited with Laser Radiation at 488 nm

Fluorescence from S₂C1 induced by radiation at 488 nm was observed when the parent molecule S₂C1₂ was heated. The dependence of the intensity of fluorescence is third order on laser power. The mechanism of excitation is proposed to be dissociation of hot S₂C1₂ after two-photon absorption to yield hot S₂CI and one-photon absorption of the latter to reach the fluoresing states. The fluorescence spectrum consists of two systems, called α and β here. The lower state of the a system is the ground state χ and that of the β system is assumed to be the à state. The upper states of both systems are unknown but may be related to previously observed slates lying about 460 nm and 330 nm. The vibrational structure of the β system was partially analyzed. The vibrational quantum numbers of the v₂ and the v₃ modes in the upper state are assessed to be 26 and 0, respectively, from a count of the number of nodes of the curves of the fluorescence intensity distribution. From the abrupt termination of the intensity curve of v₂″ progressions, the absolute v₂″ quantum numbers were determined. The excitation was in this way assigned to be (p,q + 6,0)′ ← (m,4,n + 3)″, in which p, q, m and n are non-negative integers.     

Quenching of dual fluorescences of pyrene vapor by high-pressure oxygen or nitric oxide

Quenching of dual fluorescence emissions (S₁ - and S₂-fluorescence) of pyrene-h₁₀ and pyrene-d₁₀ by oxygen or nitric oxide in the vapor phase at 170°C has been investigated over a wide range of the quencher pressure up to 1000 torr. In addition to slow emission, the S₂-fluorescence contains a small amount of fast emission which is not quenched even at the highest pressure of quenching gas. From the change of the ratio between the S₁ - and S₂-fluorescence quantum yields with the pressure of the quenching gas, the rate constant of the forward internal conversion S₂

S₁ is found to be ≈ 3 × 10¹³ s^?1 regardless of excitation energy, while that of the reverse internal conversion S₂

S₁ is found to change from 1 × 10⁹ to 3 × 10¹⁰ s^?1 on increasing the excitation energy from 33.6 × 10³ to 42.7 × 10³ cm^?1. The quantum yield of the fast S₂-fluorescence is evaluated to be about 5 × 10^?6 irrespective of excitation energy.     

Proton transfer from nitromethane stimulated by C-H overtone excitation: evidence for vibrational photochemistry in solution

Vibrational overtone excitation of nitromethane in the C-H stretch (Δv = 3) band at 1144 nm enhances the rate of proton transfer to D₂O solvent. Evidence is presented for vibrational photochemistry with quantum yield (3± 1 × 10⁻⁵.