Distribution of H$$^\upbeta$$ Hyperfine Couplings in a Tyrosyl Radical Revealed by 263 GHz ENDOR Spectroscopy

Abstract$$^1$$ 1 H ENDOR spectra of tyrosyl radicals (Y$$^\bullet$$ ∙ ) have been the subject of numerous EPR spectroscopic studies due to their importance in biology. Nevertheless, assignment of all internal $$^1$$ 1 H hyperfine couplings has been challenging because of substantial spectral overlap. Recently, using 263 GHz ENDOR in conjunction with statistical analysis, we could identify the signature of the H$$^{\upbeta _2}$$ β 2 coupling in the essential Y$$_{122}$$ 122 radical of Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase, and modeled it with a distribution of radical conformations. Here, we demonstrate that this analysis can be extended to the full-width $$^1$$ 1 H ENDOR spectra that contain the larger H$$^{\upbeta _1}$$ β 1 coupling. The H$$^{\upbeta _2}$$ β 2 and H$$^{\upbeta _1}$$ β 1 couplings are related to each other through the ring dihedral and report on the amino acid conformation. The 263 GHz ENDOR data, acquired in batches instead of averaging, and data processing by a new “drift model” allow reconstructing the ENDOR spectra with statistically meaningful confidence intervals and separating them from baseline distortions. Spectral simulations using a distribution of ring dihedral angles confirm the presence of a conformational distribution, consistent with the previous analysis of the H$$^{\upbeta _2}$$ β 2 coupling. The analysis was corroborated by 94 GHz $$^2$$ 2 H ENDOR of deuterated Y$$_{122}^\bullet$$ 122 ∙ . These studies provide a starting point to investigate low populated states of tyrosyl radicals in greater detail.

Non-classical disproportionation revealed by photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization NMR

Photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) was used to observe the light-induced disproportionation reaction of 6,7,8-trimethyllumazine starting out from its triplet state to generate a pair of radicals comprising a one-electron reduced and a one-electron oxidized species. Our evidence is based on the measurement of two marker proton hyperfine couplings, Aiso(H(6α)) and Aiso(H(8α)), which we correlated to predictions from density functional theory. The ratio of these two hyperfine couplings is reversed in the oxidized and the reduced radical species. Observation of the dismutation reaction is facilitated by the exceptional C–H acidity of the methyl group at position 7 of 6,7,8-trimethyllumazine and the slow proton exchange associated with it, which leads to NMR-distinguishable anionic (TML−) and neutral (TMLH) protonation forms.

Non-classical disproportionation revealed by photo-CIDNP NMR

Photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) was used to observe the light-induced disproportionation reaction of 6,7,8-trimethyllumazine starting out from its triplet state to generate a pair of radicals comprising a one-electron-reduced and a one-electron oxidized species. Our evidence is based on the measurement of two marker proton hyperfine couplings, Aiso(H(6α)) and Aiso(H(8α)), which we correlated to predictions from density functional theory. The ratio of these two hyperfine couplings is reversed in the oxidized and the reduced radical species. Observation of the dismutation reaction is facilitated by the exceptional C–H acidity of the methyl group at position 7 of 6,7,8-trimethyllumazine and the slow proton exchange associated with it, which leads to NMR-distinguishable anionic (TML–) and neutral (TMLH) protonation forms.

Electron Nuclear Double Resonance of the Chlorophyll Triplet State in the Water-Soluble Chlorophyll Protein from Brassica oleracea: Investigation of the Effect of the Binding Site on the Hyperfine Couplings

An investigation of the photoexcited triplet state of chlorophyll (Chl) a in the water-soluble chlorophyll protein (WSCP) of Brassica oleracea has been carried out by means of electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), achieving a complete assignment of the observed hyperfine couplings corresponding to methine protons and methyl groups of Chl a triplet state. The triplet-state properties, and in particular the hyperfine couplings, were found to be similar to those previously reported for Chl a in the WSCP of Lepidium virginicum. Therefore, the porphyrin ring deformation observed in Brassica oleracea WSCP seems to only slightly affect the spin density of 3Chl a. This may be relevant when considering the robustness of triplet–triplet energy transfer mechanisms, relying on wavefunction overlap, in systems, such as the photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes, in which Chl triplet states with distorted geometries are involved.

Photoexcited triplet states of twisted acenes investigated by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Increased twisting of the anthracene core affects the ISC efficiency and induces changes in zero-field splitting parameters, spin polarisation and hyperfine couplings.