Urocanic acid as a novel scaffold for next-gen nature-inspired sunscreens: I. electronic laser spectroscopy under isolated conditions.

Urocanic acid is a naturally occurring UV-A and UV-B absorbing compound found in the skin. Its use in artificial sunscreens has been abandoned because of health risks associated with the cis isomer. Here we report laser spectroscopic studies on urocanic acid and various substituted derivatives under supersonically cooled conditions. We find that the spectroscopy and excited-state dynamics of urocanic acid are dominantly determined by the nearly degenerate 1nπ* and 1ππ* electronically excited states. These properties are only affected to a minor extent by esterification of the carboxylic acid group or NH alkylation of the N3H tautomer. Tautomerization, on the other hand, has a much more profound influence and leads-from a photoprotective point of view-to more favorable excited-state dynamics. The approach presented here paves the way to tailoring the photoactive properties of urocanic acid for specific applications amongst which their use as safe UV filters.

A Tunable, Fullerene-Based Molecular Amplifier for Vibrational Circular Dichroism.

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) studies are reported on a chiral compound in which a fullerene C60 moiety is used as an electron acceptor and local VCD amplifier for an alanine-based peptide chain. Four redox states are investigated in this study, of which three are reduced species that possess low-lying electronic states as confirmed by UV/Vis spectroelectrochemistry. VCD measurements in combination with (TD)DFT calculations are used to investigate (i) how the low-lying electronic states of the reduced species modulate the amplification of VCD signals, (ii) how this amplification depends on the distance between oscillator and amplifier, and (iii) how the spatial extent of the amplifier influences amplification. These results pave the way for further development of tailored molecular VCD amplifiers.

Opening 2,2-diphenyl-2H-chromene to infrared light.

Time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy studies are reported on the photoinduced structural dynamics of 2,2-diphenyl-2H-chromene, a prototypical photochromic compound that undergoes ring opening upon UV radiation. The transient IR absorption measurements in combination with (TD-)DFT calculations have been used to understand in detail the life cycle of such compounds. Excited-state decay and ring opening was found to occur on an ultrafast time scale. Three species have been identified in the time-resolved IR spectra with two short-lived species (on a picosecond timescale) and a final long-lived species that remains after the measurable ns delay range. These species have been assigned to various open isomers using quantum chemical calculations of equilibrium structures and force fields. From the experiments and calculations key conclusions can be drawn on previously suggested models for the photocycle of such compounds, as well as on possible ways to controllably influence the performance of these compounds.

Photophysics of perylene monoimide-labelled organocatalysts.

We designed and synthesized cinchona alkaloid derivates PMI-BnCPD, 1 and PMI-dHQD, 2, in which a fluorescent perylene monoimide unit is linked to the quinuclidine fragment. The latter acts as an electron donor, quenching the perylene imide fluorescence in polar solvents. In the organocatalytic application of these compounds, the electron donor is deactivated by binding to an electrophile, e.g. H+. We show that this restores the fluorescence, allowing the compounds to signal the electrophile binding step that occurs in many catalytic reactions. In order to demonstrate that charge transfer is indeed the fluorescence quenching mechanism, we detected the charge separated state by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. Incidentally, the excited state absorption bands of the locally excited and charge transfer states are very similar. The activity of the fluorophore labeled organocatalyst 1 in a fluorogenic Michael addition reaction is demonstrated.

Transient two-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy of an operating molecular machine.

Synthetic molecular machines are promising building blocks for future nanoscopic devices. However, the details of their mechanical behaviour are in many cases still largely unknown. A deeper understanding of mechanics at the molecular level is essential for the design and construction of complex nanodevices. Here, we show that transient two-dimensional infrared (T2DIR) spectroscopy makes it possible to monitor the conformational changes of a translational molecular machine during its operation. Translation of a macrocyclic ring from one station to another on a molecular thread is initiated by a UV pulse. The arrival of the shuttling macrocycle at the final station is visible from a newly appearing cross peak between these two moieties. To eliminate spectral congestion in the T2DIR spectra, we use a subtraction method applicable to many other complex molecular systems. The T2DIR spectra indicate that the macrocycle adopts a boat-like conformation at the final station, which contrasts with the chair-like conformation at the initial station.

Unraveling the mechanism of a reversible photoactivated molecular proton crane.

We study the structural dynamics of the photoactivated molecular proton crane 7-hydroxy-8-(morpholinomethyl)quinoline using femtosecond UV-pump IR-probe spectroscopy. Upon electronic excitation, a proton is transferred from the hydroxy to the amine group located on the rotatable morpholino side group. This morpholino group subsequently delivers the proton to the aromatic quinoline nitrogen by rotation around the C-C bond. Time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy allows us to study this process in unprecedented detail. We find that the transport of the proton involves multiple time scales. Upon photoexcitation, the OH proton is transferred within <300 fs to the morpholino side group. After this, the intramolecular hydrogen bond that locks the crane arm breaks with a time constant of 36 ± 1 ps. Subsequently, the protonated crane arm rotates with a time constant of 334 ± 12 ps to deliver the proton at the quinoline moiety. After the proton crane has returned to its electronic ground state with a time constant 700 ± 22 ps, the proton is transferred back from the quinoline nitrogen to the negatively charged O atom. The time constant of the back rotation is 39.8 ± 0.2 ns, about 200 times slower than the forward proton transfer.

Switchable amplification of vibrational circular dichroism as a probe of local chiral structure.

A new method to detect the vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) of a localized part of a chiral molecular system is reported. A local VCD amplifier was implemented, and the distance dependence of the amplification was investigated in a series of peptides. The results indicate a characteristic distance of 2.0±0.3 bonds, which suggests that the amplification is a localized phenomenon. The amplifier can be covalently coupled to a specific part of a molecule, and can be switched ON and OFF electrochemically. By subtracting the VCD spectra obtained when the amplifier is in the ON and OFF states, the VCD of the local environment of the amplifier can be separated from the total VCD spectrum. Switchable local VCD amplification thus makes it possible to "zoom in" on a specific part of a chiral molecule.

An optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell for the study of vibrational circular dichroism of chiral redox-active molecules.

An optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical (OTTLE) cell with a locally extended optical path has been developed in order to perform vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy on chiral molecules prepared in specific oxidation states by means of electrochemical reduction or oxidation. The new design of the electrochemical cell successfully addresses the technical challenges involved in achieving sufficient infrared absorption. The VCD-OTTLE cell proves to be a valuable tool for the investigation of chiral redox-active molecules.