scholarly journals Ultrafast Dynamics of 1,3-Cyclohexadiene in Highly Excited States

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine C. Bühler ◽  
Michael P. Minitti ◽  
Sanghamitra Deb ◽  
Jie Bao ◽  
Peter M. Weber
Keyword(s):  
Structural Dynamics ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Ring Opening ◽  
Rydberg State ◽  
Binding Energies ◽  
Ultrafast Dynamics ◽  
Structural Distortions ◽  
Molecular Core ◽  
Rydberg Electron ◽  
Electron Binding

The ultrafast dynamics of 1,3-cyclohexadiene has been investigated via structurally sensitive Rydberg electron binding energies and shown to differ upon excitation to the 1B state and the 3p Rydberg state. Excitation of the molecule with 4.63 eV photons into the ultrashort-lived 1B state yields the well-known ring opening to 1,3,5-hexatriene, while a 5.99 eV photon lifts the molecule directly into the 3p-Rydberg state. Excitation to 3p does not induce ring opening. In both experiments, time-dependent shifts of the Rydberg electron binding energy reflect the structural dynamics of the molecular core. Structural distortions associated with 3p-excitation cause a dynamical shift in the - and -binding energies by 10 and 26 meV/ps, respectively, whereas after excitation into 1B, more severe structural transformations along the ring-opening coordinate produce shifts at a rate of 40 to 60 meV/ps. The experiment validates photoionization-photoelectron spectroscopy via Rydberg states as a powerful technique to observe structural dynamics of polyatomic molecules.

scholarly journals Electronic Spectroscopy of Isolated DNA Polyanions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Daly ◽  
Massimiliano Porrini ◽  
Frédéric Rosu ◽  
Valerie Gabelica
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Absorption Spectra ◽  
Ion Mobility ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Binding Energies ◽  
Action Spectroscopy ◽  
Action Spectra ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy ◽  
Electron Binding Energies ◽  
Electron Binding

In solution, UV-vis spectroscopy is often used to investigate structural changes in biomolecules (i.e., nucleic acids), owing to changes in the environment of their chromophores (i.e., the nucleobases). Here we address whether action spectroscopy could achieve the same for gas-phase ions, while taking the advantage of additional mass spectrometry and ion mobility separation of complex mixtures. We therefore systematically studied the action spectroscopy of homo-base 6-mer DNA strands (dG6, dA6, dC6, dT6), and discuss the results in light of gas-phase structures validated by ion mobility spectrometry and infrared ion spectroscopy, and in light of electron binding energies measured by photoelectron spectroscopy, and calculated electronic photo-absorption spectra. When UV photons interact with oligonucleotide polyanions, two main actions may take place: (1) fragmentation and (2) electron detachment. The action spectra reconstructed from fragmentation follow the absorption spectra well, and result from multiple cycles of absorption and internal conversion. The action spectra reconstructed from the electron photodetachment (EPD) efficiency reveal interesting phenomena: EPD depends on the charge state in a manner depending on electron binding energies, and is particularly efficient for purines but not pyrimidines. EPD thus reflects not only absorption, but also particular relaxation pathways of the electronic excited states. As these pathways lead to photo-oxidation, their investigation on model gas-phase systems may prove useful to elucidate mechanisms of photo-oxidative damages, which are linked to mutations and cancers.

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