Mechanism of the S1 excited state internal conversion in vitamin B12.

To explain the photostability of vitamin B12, internal conversion of the S1 state was investigated using TD-DFT. The active coordinates for radiationless deactivation were determined to be elongated axial bonds, overcoming a 5.0 kcal mol(-1) energy barrier between the relaxed ligand-to-metal charge transfer (S1), and the ground (S0) states.