Critical appraisal of excited state nonadiabatic dynamics simulations of 9H-adenine

Gas-Phase Femtosecond Particle Spectroscopy: A Bottom-Up Approach to Nucleotide Dynamics

We summarize how gas-phase ultrafast charged-particle spectroscopy has been used to provide an understanding of the photophysics of DNA building blocks. We focus on adenine and discuss how, following UV excitation, specific interactions determine the fates of its excited states. The dynamics can be probed using a systematic bottom-up approach that provides control over these interactions and that allows ever-larger complexes to be studied. Starting from a chromophore in adenine, the excited state decay mechanisms of adenine and chemically substituted or clustered adenine are considered and then extended to adenosine mono-, di-, and trinucleotides. We show that the gas-phase approach can offer exquisite insight into the dynamics observed in aqueous solution, but we also highlight stark differences. An outlook is provided that discusses some of the most promising developments in this bottom-up approach.

Quantum Mechanical Studies on the Photophysics and the Photochemistry of Nucleic Acids and Nucleobases

The photophysics and photochemistry of DNA is of great importance due to the potential damage of the genetic code by UV light. Quantum mechanical studies have played a key role in interpretating the results of modern time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy, and in elucidating the main photoactivated reactive paths. This review provides a concise, complete picture of the computational studies carried out, approximately, in the past decade. We start with an overview of the photophysics of the nucleobases in the gas phase and in solution. We discuss the proposed mechanisms for ultrafast decay to the ground state, that involve conical intersections, consider the role of triplet states, and analyze how the solvent modulates the photophysics. Then we move to larger systems, from dinucleotides to single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides. We focus on the possible role of charge transfer and delocalized or excitonic states in the photophysics of these systems and discuss the main photochemical paths. We finish with an outlook on the current challenges in the field and future directions of research.

Photorelaxation of imidazole and adenine via electron-driven proton transfer along H2O wires

Photochemically created πσ* states were classified among the most prominent factors determining the ultrafast radiationless deactivation and photostability of many biomolecular building blocks. In the past two decades, the gas phase photochemistry of πσ* excitations was extensively investigated and was attributed to N–H and O–H bond fission processes. However, complete understanding of the complex photorelaxation pathways of πσ* states in the aqueous environment was very challenging, owing to the direct participation of solvent molecules in the excited-state deactivation. Here, we present non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations and potential energy surface calculations of the photoexcited imidazole–(H₂O)₅ cluster using the algebraic diagrammatic construction method to the second-order [ADC(2)]. We show that electron driven proton transfer (EDPT) along a wire of at least two water molecules may lead to the formation of a πσ*/S₀ state crossing, similarly to what we suggested for 2-aminooxazole. We expand on our previous findings by direct comparison of the imidazole–(H₂O)₅ cluster to non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations of imidazole in the gas phase, which reveal that the presence of water molecules extends the overall excited-state lifetime of the chromophore. To embed the results in a biological context, we provide calculations of potential energy surface cuts for the analogous photorelaxation mechanism present in adenine, which contains an imidazole ring in its structure.

Assessment of approximate computational methods for conical intersections and branching plane vectors in organic molecules

Quantum-chemical computational methods are benchmarked for their ability to describe conical intersections in a series of organic molecules and models of biological chromophores. Reference results for the geometries, relative energies, and branching planes of conical intersections are obtained using ab initio multireference configuration interaction with single and double excitations (MRCISD). They are compared with the results from more approximate methods, namely, the state-interaction state-averaged restricted ensemble-referenced Kohn-Sham method, spin-flip time-dependent density functional theory, and a semiempirical MRCISD approach using an orthogonalization-corrected model. It is demonstrated that these approximate methods reproduce the ab initio reference data very well, with root-mean-square deviations in the optimized geometries of the order of 0.1 Å or less and with reasonable agreement in the computed relative energies. A detailed analysis of the branching plane vectors shows that all currently applied methods yield similar nuclear displacements for escaping the strong non-adiabatic coupling region near the conical intersections. Our comparisons support the use of the tested quantum-chemical methods for modeling the photochemistry of large organic and biological systems.

Computational modeling of photoexcitation in DNA single and double strands

The photoexcitation of DNA strands triggers extremely complex photoinduced processes, which cannot be understood solely on the basis of the behavior of the nucleobase building blocks. Decisive factors in DNA oligomers and polymers include collective electronic effects, excitonic coupling, hydrogen-bonding interactions, local steric hindrance, charge transfer, and environmental and solvent effects. This chapter surveys recent theoretical and computational efforts to model real-world excited-state DNA strands using a variety of established and emerging theoretical methods. One central issue is the role of localized vs delocalized excitations and the extent to which they determine the nature and the temporal evolution of the initial photoexcitation in DNA strands.

Electronic and structural elements that regulate the excited-state dynamics in purine nucleobase derivatives

The excited-state dynamics of the purine free base and 9-methylpurine are investigated using experimental and theoretical methods. Femtosecond broadband transient absorption experiments reveal that excitation of these purine derivatives in aqueous solution at 266 nm results primarily in ultrafast conversion of the S2(ππ*) state to the vibrationally excited (1)nπ* state. Following vibrational and conformational relaxation, the (1)nπ* state acts as a doorway state in the efficient population of the triplet manifold with an intersystem crossing lifetime of hundreds of picoseconds. Experiments show an almost 2-fold increase in the intersystem crossing rate on going from polar aprotic to nonpolar solvents, suggesting that a solvent-dependent energy barrier must be surmounted to access the singlet-to-triplet crossing region. Ab initio static and surface-hopping dynamics simulations lend strong support to the proposed relaxation mechanism. Collectively, the experimental and computational results demonstrate that the accessibility of the nπ* states and the topology of the potential energy surfaces in the vicinity of conical intersections are key elements in controlling the excited-state dynamics of the purine derivatives. From a structural perspective, it is shown that the purine chromophore is not responsible for the ultrafast internal conversion in the adenine and guanine monomers. Instead, C6 functionalization plays an important role in regulating the rates of radiative and nonradiative relaxation. C6 functionalization inhibits access to the (1)nπ* state while simultaneously facilitating access to the (1)ππ*(La)/S0 conical intersection, such that population of the (1)nπ* state cannot compete with the relaxation pathways to the ground state involving ring puckering at the C2 position.

Watson–Crick base pairing, electronic and photophysical properties of triazole modified adenine analogues: a computational study

Triazole adenine nucleobase analogues show fluorescence in the UV-Vis region and form Watson–Crick base pairing with thymine nucleobases.

Photochemistry and photophysics at extended seams of conical intersection

The role of extended seams of conical intersection in excited-state mechanisms is reviewed. Seams are crossings of the potential energy surface in many dimensions where the decay from the excited to the ground state can occur, and the extended seam is composed of different segments lying along a reaction coordinate. Every segment is associated with a different primary photoproduct, which gives rise to competing pathways. This idea is first illustrated for fulvene and ethylene, and then it is used to explain more complex cases such as the dependence of the isomerisation of retinal chromophore isomers on the protein environment, the dependence of the efficiency of the azobenzene photochemical switch on the wavelength of irradiation and the direction of the isomerisation, and the coexistence of different mechanisms in the photo-induced Wolff rearrangement of diazonaphthoquinone. The role of extended seams in the photophysics of the DNA nucleobases and the relationship between two-state seams and three-state crossings is also discussed. As an outlook, the design of optical control strategies based on the passage of the excited molecule through the seam is considered, and it is shown how the excited-state lifetime of fulvene can be modulated by shaping the energy of the seam.

Relative Stability of the La and Lb Excited States in Adenine and Guanine: Direct Evidence from TD-DFT Calculations of MCD Spectra

The relative position of La and Lb ππ* electronic states in purine nucleobases is a much debated topic, since it can strongly affect our understanding of their photoexcited dynamics. To assess this point, we calculated the absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of adenine, guanine, and their nucleosides in gas-phase and aqueous solution, exploiting recent developments in MCD computational technology within time-dependent density functional theory. MCD spectroscopy allows us to resolve the intense S0→ La transition from the weak S0→ Lb transition. The spectra obtained in water solution, by using B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals and describing solvent effect by cluster models and by the polarizable continuum model (PCM), are in very good agreement with the experimental counterparts, thus providing direct and unambiguous evidence that the energy ordering predicted by TD-DFT, La < Lb, is the correct one.

Surface Hopping Dynamics with Correlated Single-Reference Methods: 9H-Adenine as a Case Study

Surface hopping dynamics methods using the coupled cluster to approximated second order (CC2), the algebraic diagrammatic construction scheme to second order (ADC(2)), and the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) were developed and implemented into the program system Newton-X. These procedures are especially well-suited to simulate nonadiabatic processes involving various excited states of the same multiplicity and the dynamics in the first excited state toward an energetic minimum or up to the region where a crossing with the ground state is found. 9H-adenine in the gas phase was selected as the test case. The results showed that dynamics with ADC(2) is very stable, whereas CC2 dynamics fails within 100 fs, because of numerical instabilities present in the case of quasi-degenerate excited states. ADC(2) dynamics correctly predicts the ultrafast character of the deactivation process. It predicts that C2-puckered conical intersections should be the preferential pathway for internal conversion for low-energy excitation. C6-puckered conical intersection also contributes appreciably to internal conversion, becoming as important as C2-puckered for high-energy excitations. In any case, H-elimination plays only a minor role. TDDFT based on a long-range corrected functional fails to predict the ultrafast deactivation. In the comparison with several other methods previously used for dynamics simulations of adenine, ADC(2) has the best performance, providing the most consistent results so far.

Mapping the Ultrafast Dynamics of Adenine onto Its Nucleotide and Oligonucleotides by Time-Resolved Photoelectron Imaging

The intrinsic photophysics of nucleobases and nucleotides following UV absorption presents a key reductionist step toward understanding the complex photodamage mechanisms occurring in DNA. The decay mechanism of adenine in particular has been the focus of intense investigation, as has how these correlate to those of its more biologically relevant nucleotide and oligonucleotides in aqueous solution. Here, we report on time-resolved photoelectron imaging of the deprotonated 3'-deoxy-adenosine-5'-monophosphate nucleotide and the adenosine di- and trinucleotides. Through a comparison of gas- and solution-phase experiments and available theoretical studies, the dynamics of the base are shown to be relatively insensitive to the surrounding environment. The decay mechanism primarily involves internal conversion from the initially populated (1)ππ* states to the ground state. The relaxation dynamics of the adenosine oligonucleotides are similar to those of the nucleobase, in contrast to the aqueous oligonucleotides, where a fraction of the ensemble forms long-lived excimer states.

Electronic excitation and structural relaxation of the adenine dinucleotide in gas phase and solution

The excited states and potential surfaces of the adenine dinucleotide are analyzed in gas phase and in solution using a correlated ab initio methodology in a QM/MM framework. In agreement with previous studies, a rather flat S1 surface with a number of minima of different character is found. Specifically, our results suggest that exciplexes with remarkably short intermolecular separation down to ~2.0 Å are formed. A detailed analysis shows that due to strong orbital interactions their character differs significantly from any states present in the Franck-Condon region. The lowest S1 energy minimum is a ππ* exciplex with only a small amount of charge transfer. It possesses appreciable oscillator strength with a polarization almost perpendicular to the planes of the two adenine molecules.

The effect of dimerization on the excited state behavior of methylated xanthine derivatives: a computational study

The behavior of monomers and dimers of methylated xanthine derivatives in their excited states is investigated by means of the ADC(2), CASSCF, and CASPT2 methods. The results of the calculations of stationary points in the ground and excited states, minima on the S0/S1 crossing seams and the relaxation pathways are used to provide the interpretation of experimental observations of the monomer xanthine derivatives. The effect of dimerization on the excited state properties is studied for various relative orientations of the monomers in the dimer complexes in comparison with the relevant monomer species. A significant stabilization in the excited state minima of dimers is observed. These can act as trapping sites. Various types of conical intersections, with both localized and delocalized characters of wavefunctions, have been found, mainly energetically above the lowest bright excited state in the FC region. In addition, structures with the bonds formed between the two monomers were also found on the crossing seams. The possibility of ultrafast relaxation via these conical intersections is discussed.

Time-resolved photoelectron imaging of the isolated deprotonated nucleotides

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of deprotonated nucleotides provides new insights into their relaxation dynamics.

Intermolecular interactions and charge transfer transitions in aromatic hydrocarbon–tetracyanoethylene complexes

ADC(2) calculations accurately describe charge transfer transitions in complexes of the tetracyanoethylene electron acceptor and three distinct aromatic donors.

Photoinduced processes in nucleic acids

Photoinduced processes in nucleic acids are phenomena of fundamental interest in diverse fields, from prebiotic studies, through medical research on carcinogenesis, to the development of bioorganic photodevices. In this contribution we survey many aspects of the research across the boundaries. Starting from a historical background, where the main milestones are identified, we review the main findings of the physical-chemical research of photoinduced processes on several types of nucleic-acid fragments, from monomers to duplexes. We also discuss a number of different issues which are still under debate.

Ultrafast photo-initiated molecular quantum dynamics in the DNA dinucleotide d(ApG) revealed by broadband transient absorption spectroscopy

The ultrafast photo-initiated quantum dynamics of the adenine-guanine dinucleotide d(ApG) in aqueous solution (pH 7) has been studied by femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy after excitation at lambda = 260 nm. The results reveal a hierarchy of processes on time scales from tau < 100 fs to tau > 100 ps. Characteristic spectro-temporal signatures are observed indicating the transformation of the molecules in the electronic relaxation from the photo-excited state to a long-lived exciplex. In particular, broadband UV/VIS excited-state absorption (ESA) measurements detected a distinctive absorption by the excited dinucleotide around lambda = 335 nm, approximately 0.5 eV to the blue compared to the maximum of the broad and unstructured ESA spectrum after excitation of an equimolar mixture of the mononucleotides dAMP and dGMP. A similar feature has been identified as signature of the excimer in the dynamics of the adenine dinucleotide d(ApA). The lifetime of the d(ApG) exciplex was found to be tau = 124 +/- 4 ps both from the ESA decay time and from the ground-state recovery time, far longer than the sub-picosecond lifetimes of excited dAMP or dGMP. Fluorescence-time profiles measured by the up-conversion technique indicate that the exciplex state is reached around approximately 6 ps after excitation. Very weak residual fluorescence at longer times red-shifted to the emission from the photo-excited state shows that the exciplex is almost optically dark, but still has enough oscillator strength to give rise to the dual fluorescence of the dinucleotide in the static fluorescence spectrum.