1
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Ashworth EK, Ashworth SH, Bull JN. Spectroscopy and dynamics of isolated anions: Versatile instrumentation for photodetachment and photoelectron spectroscopy. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:075103. [PMID: 38984887 DOI: 10.1063/5.0207759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Molecular anions are appealing targets for study because, compared with their neutral and cationic counterparts, they can be probed with conventional laboratory lasers without the need for multiphoton ionization schemes, and they provide spectroscopic details on the corresponding neutral molecules. Here, we describe a section of a modular instrument designed to perform high-throughput photoelectron and photodetachment spectroscopy of gas-phase anions, with future provision for time-resolved and isomer-selective spectroscopy. The instrument framework allows for the incorporation and adaptation of several ion sources, as demonstrated here with plasma (electric) discharge sources providing variable hard to soft ion generation conditions. The generated anions are separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio through time-of-flight mass spectrometry (m/zΔm/z = 500-600) and are focused into a set of perpendicular velocity-map imaging electrodes (ΔEE≈4%), where mass-selected anions are probed using laser light and the ejected electrons are velocity-map imaged. Instrument performance is demonstrated through the acquisition of photodetachment and photoelectron spectra for CH2CN-, showing sharp resonances in the vicinity of the detachment threshold assigned to rovibrational states of a dipole-bound anion and broader lifetime-limited spectral features at photon energies well above the threshold assigned to prompt autodetachment from a temporary anion resonance. Similar measurements could be performed on any molecular anions generated in the sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Ashworth
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen H Ashworth
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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2
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Clarke CJ, Verlet JRR. Dynamics of Anions: From Bound to Unbound States and Everything In Between. Annu Rev Phys Chem 2024; 75:89-110. [PMID: 38277700 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physchem-090722-125031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Gas-phase anions present an ideal playground for the exploration of excited-state dynamics. They offer control in terms of the mass, extent of solvation, internal temperature, and conformation. The application of a range of ion sources has opened the field to a vast array of anionic systems whose dynamics are important in areas ranging from biology to star formation. Here, we review recent experimental developments in the field of anion photodynamics, demonstrating the detailed insight into photodynamical and electron-capture processes that can be uncovered. We consider the electronic and nuclear ultrafast dynamics of electronically bound excited states along entire reaction coordinates; electronically unbound states showing that photochemical concepts, such as chromophores and Kasha's rule, are transferable to electron-driven chemistry; and nonvalence states that straddle the interface between bound and unbound states. Finally, we consider likely developments that are sure to keep the field of anion dynamics buoyant and impactful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J Clarke
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom;
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom;
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3
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Opoku E, Pawłowski F, Ortiz JV. New-generation electron-propagator methods for vertical electron detachment energies of molecular anions: benchmarks and applications to model green-fluorescent-protein chromophores. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:9915-9930. [PMID: 38482723 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00441h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Ab initio electron-propagator calculations continue to be useful companions to experimental investigations of electronic structure in molecular anions. A new generation of electron-propagator methods recently has surpassed its antecedents' predictive accuracy and computational efficiency. Interpretive clarity has been conserved, for no adjustable parameters have been introduced in the preparation of molecular orbitals or in the formulation of approximate self-energies. These methods have employed the diagonal self-energy approximation wherein each Dyson orbital equals a canonical Hartree-Fock orbital times the square root of a probability factor. Numerical tests indicate that explicitly renormalized, diagonal self-energies are needed when Dyson orbitals have large valence nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine components. They also demonstrate that even greater accuracy can be realized with generalizations that do not employ the diagonal self-energy approximation in the canonical Hartree-Fock basis. Whereas the diagonal methods have fifth-power arithmetic scaling factors, the non-diagonal generalizations introduce only non-iterative sixth-power contractions. Composite models conserve the accuracy of the most demanding combinations of self-energy approximations and flexible basis sets with drastically reduced computational effort. Composite-model results on anions that resemble the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein illustrate the interpretive capabilities of explicitly renormalized self-energies. Accurate predictions on the lowest vertical electron detachment energy of each anion confirm experimental data and the utility of the diagonal self-energy approximation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Opoku
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5312, USA.
| | - Filip Pawłowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5312, USA.
| | - J V Ortiz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5312, USA.
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4
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Rasmusssen AP, Pedersen HB, Andersen LH. Excited-state dynamics and fluorescence lifetime of cryogenically cooled green fluorescent protein chromophore anions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023. [PMID: 38048068 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04696f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Time-resolved action spectroscopy together with a fs-pump probe scheme is used in an electrostatic ion-storage ring to address lifetimes of specific vibrational levels in electronically excited states. Here we specifically consider the excited-state lifetime of cryogenically cooled green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore anions which is systematically measured across the S0-S1 spectral region (450-482 nm). A long lifetime of 5.2 ± 0.3 ns is measured at the S0-S1 band origin. When exciting higher vibrational levels in S1, the lifetime changes dramatically. It decreases by more than two orders of magnitude in a narrow energy region ∼250 cm-1 (31 meV) above the 0-0 transition. This is attributed to the opening of internal conversion over an excited-state energy barrier. The applied experimental technique provides a new way to uncover even small energy barriers, which are crucial for excited-state dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P Rasmusssen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
| | - Henrik B Pedersen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
| | - Lars H Andersen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
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5
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Ashworth EK, Kao MH, Anstöter CS, Riesco-Llach G, Blancafort L, Solntsev KM, Meech SR, Verlet JRR, Bull JN. Alkylated green fluorescent protein chromophores: dynamics in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:23626-23636. [PMID: 37649445 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03250g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent labelling of macromolecular samples, including using the green fluorescent protein (GFP), has revolutionised the field of bioimaging. The ongoing development of fluorescent proteins require a detailed understanding of the photophysics of the biochromophore, and how chemical derivatisation influences the excited state dynamics. Here, we investigate the photophysical properties associated with the S1 state of three alkylated derivatives of the chromophore in GFP, in the gas phase using time-resolved photoelectron imaging, and in water using femtosecond fluorescence upconversion. The gas-phase lifetimes (1.6-10 ps), which are associated with the intrinsic (environment independent) dynamics, are substantially longer than the lifetimes in water (0.06-3 ps), attributed to stabilisation of both twisted intermediate structures and conical intersection seams in the condensed phase. In the gas phase, alkylation on the 3 and 5 positions of the phenyl ring slows the dynamics due to inertial effects, while a 'pre-twist' of the methine bridge through alkylation on the 2 and 6 positions significantly shortens the excited state lifetimes. Formation of a minor, long-lived (≫ 40 ps) excited state population in the gas phase is attributed to intersystem crossing to a triplet state, accessed because of a T1/S1 degeneracy in the so-called P-trap potential energy minimum associated with torsion of the single-bond in the bridging unit connecting to the phenoxide ring. A small amount of intersystem crossing is supported through TD-DFT molecular dynamics trajectories and MS-CASPT2 calculations. No such intersystem crossing occurs in water at T = 300 K or in ethanol at T ≈ 77 K, due to a significantly altered potential energy surface and P-trap geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Ashworth
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Min-Hsien Kao
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Gerard Riesco-Llach
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, C/M.A. Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Lluís Blancafort
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, C/M.A. Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Kyril M Solntsev
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Stephen R Meech
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
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6
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Liu J, He X. Recent advances in quantum fragmentation approaches to complex molecular and condensed‐phase systems. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Liu
- Department of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Molecule Intelligent Syntheses, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - Xiao He
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Molecule Intelligent Syntheses, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China
- New York University‐East China Normal University Center for Computational Chemistry New York University Shanghai Shanghai China
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7
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Anstöter CS, Verlet JRR. A Hückel Model for the Excited-State Dynamics of a Protein Chromophore Developed Using Photoelectron Imaging. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:1205-1213. [PMID: 35172580 PMCID: PMC9084545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Chemistry can be described as the movement of nuclei within molecules and the concomitant instantaneous change in electronic structure. This idea underpins the central chemical concepts of potential energy surfaces and reaction coordinates. To experimentally capture such chemical change therefore requires methods that can probe both the nuclear and electronic structure simultaneously and on the time scale of atomic motion. In this Account, we show how time-resolved photoelectron imaging can do exactly this and how it can be used to build a detailed and intuitive understanding of the electronic structure and excited-state dynamics of chromophores. The chromophore of the photoactive yellow protein (PYP) is used as a case study. This chromophore contains a para-substituted phenolate anion, where the substituent, R, can be viewed as an acrolein derivative. It is shown that the measured photoelectron angular distribution can be directly related to the electronic structure of the para-substituted phenolate anion. By incrementally considering differing R groups, it is also shown that these photoelectron angular distributions are exquisitely sensitive to the conformational flexibility of R and that when R contains a π-system the excited states of the chromophore can be viewed as a linear combination of the π* molecular orbitals on the phenolate (πPh*) and the R substituent (πR*). Such Hückel treatment shows that the S1 state of the PYP chromophore has predominantly πR* character and that it is essentially the same as the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The S1 excited-state dynamics of the PYP chromophore probed by time-resolved photoelectron imaging clearly reveals both structural (nuclear) dynamics through the energy spectrum and electronic dynamics through the photoelectron angular distributions. Both motions can be accurately assigned using quantum chemical calculations, and these are consistent with the intuitive Hückel treatment presented. The photoactive protein chromophores considered here are examples of where a chemists' intuitive Hückel view for ground-state chemistry appears to be transferable to the prediction of photochemical excited-state reactivity. While elegant and insightful, such models have limitations, including nonadiabatic dynamics, which is present in a related PYP chromophore, where a fraction of the S1 state population forms a nonvalence (dipole-bound) state of the anion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cate S. Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Jan R. R. Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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8
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Ashworth EK, Stockett MH, Kjær C, Bulman Page PC, Meech SR, Nielsen SB, Bull JN. Complexation of Green and Red Kaede Fluorescent Protein Chromophores by a Zwitterion to Probe Electrostatic and Induction Field Effects. J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:1158-1167. [PMID: 35138862 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c10628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The photophysics of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red Kaede fluorescent protein (rKFP) are defined by the intrinsic properties of the light-absorbing chromophore and its interaction with the protein binding pocket. This work deploys photodissociation action spectroscopy to probe the absorption profiles for a series of synthetic GFP and rKFP chromophores as the bare anions and as complexes with the betaine zwitterion, which is assumed as a model for dipole microsolvation. Electronic structure calculations and energy decomposition analysis using Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory are used to characterize gas-phase structures and complex cohesion forces. The calculations reveal a preponderance for coordination of betaine to the phenoxide deprotonation site predominantly through electrostatic forces. Calculations using the STEOM-DLPNO-CCSD method are able to reproduce absolute and relative vertical excitation energies for the bare anions and anion-betaine complexes. On the other hand, treatment of the betaine molecule with a point-charge model, in which the charges are computed from some common electron density population analysis schemes, show that just electrostatic and point-charge induction interactions are unable to account for the betaine-induced spectral shift. The present methodology could be applied to investigate cluster forces and optical properties in other gas-phase ion-zwitterion complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Ashworth
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H Stockett
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina Kjær
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Philip C Bulman Page
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R Meech
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | | | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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9
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Tau O, Henley A, Boichenko AN, Kleshchina NN, Riley R, Wang B, Winning D, Lewin R, Parkin IP, Ward JM, Hailes HC, Bochenkova AV, Fielding HH. Liquid-microjet photoelectron spectroscopy of the green fluorescent protein chromophore. Nat Commun 2022; 13:507. [PMID: 35082282 PMCID: PMC8791993 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28155-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Green fluorescent protein (GFP), the most widely used fluorescent protein for in vivo monitoring of biological processes, is known to undergo photooxidation reactions. However, the most fundamental property underpinning photooxidation, the electron detachment energy, has only been measured for the deprotonated GFP chromophore in the gas phase. Here, we use multiphoton ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy in a liquid-microjet and high-level quantum chemistry calculations to determine the electron detachment energy of the GFP chromophore in aqueous solution. The aqueous environment is found to raise the detachment energy by around 4 eV compared to the gas phase, similar to calculations of the chromophore in its native protein environment. In most cases, electron detachment is found to occur resonantly through electronically excited states of the chromophore, highlighting their importance in photo-induced electron transfer processes in the condensed phase. Our results suggest that the photooxidation properties of the GFP chromophore in an aqueous environment will be similar to those in the protein. The electronic structures of photoactive proteins underlie many natural photoinduced processes. The authors, using UV liquid-microjet photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations, determine electron detachment energies of the green fluorescent protein chromophore in aqueous solution, approaching conditions of the protein environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omri Tau
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Alice Henley
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Anton N Boichenko
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - River Riley
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Bingxing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Eastern Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Danielle Winning
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Ross Lewin
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Ivan P Parkin
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - John M Ward
- The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | | | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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10
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Coughlan NJA, Stockett MH, Kjær C, Ashworth EK, Bulman Page PC, Meech SR, Brøndsted Nielsen S, Blancafort L, Hopkins WS, Bull JN. Action spectroscopy of the isolated red Kaede fluorescent protein chromophore. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:124304. [PMID: 34598549 DOI: 10.1063/5.0063258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Incorporation of fluorescent proteins into biochemical systems has revolutionized the field of bioimaging. In a bottom-up approach, understanding the photophysics of fluorescent proteins requires detailed investigations of the light-absorbing chromophore, which can be achieved by studying the chromophore in isolation. This paper reports a photodissociation action spectroscopy study on the deprotonated anion of the red Kaede fluorescent protein chromophore, demonstrating that at least three isomers-assigned to deprotomers-are generated in the gas phase. Deprotomer-selected action spectra are recorded over the S1 ← S0 band using an instrument with differential mobility spectrometry coupled with photodissociation spectroscopy. The spectrum for the principal phenoxide deprotomer spans the 480-660 nm range with a maximum response at ≈610 nm. The imidazolate deprotomer has a blue-shifted action spectrum with a maximum response at ≈545 nm. The action spectra are consistent with excited state coupled-cluster calculations of excitation wavelengths for the deprotomers. A third gas-phase species with a distinct action spectrum is tentatively assigned to an imidazole tautomer of the principal phenoxide deprotomer. This study highlights the need for isomer-selective methods when studying the photophysics of biochromophores possessing several deprotonation sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neville J A Coughlan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mark H Stockett
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina Kjær
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Eleanor K Ashworth
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Philip C Bulman Page
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R Meech
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lluís Blancafort
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catálisi and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, C/M.A. Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - W Scott Hopkins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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11
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Woodhouse JL, Henley A, Lewin R, Ward JM, Hailes HC, Bochenkova AV, Fielding HH. A photoelectron imaging study of the deprotonated GFP chromophore anion and RNA fluorescent tags. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:19911-19922. [PMID: 34474467 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01901e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Green fluorescent protein (GFP), together with its family of variants, is the most widely used fluorescent protein for in vivo imaging. Numerous spectroscopic studies of the isolated GFP chromophore have been aimed at understanding the electronic properties of GFP. Here, we build on earlier work [A. V. Bochenkova, C. Mooney, M. A. Parkes, J. Woodhouse, L. Zhang, R. Lewin, J. M. Ward, H. Hailes, L. H. Andersen and H. H. Fielding, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 3154] investigating the impact of fluorine and methoxy substituents that have been employed to tune the electronic structure of the GFP chromophore for use as fluorescent RNA tags. We present photoelectron spectra following photoexcitation over a broad range of wavelengths (364-230 nm) together with photoelectron angular distributions following photoexcitation at 364 nm, which are interpreted with the aid of quantum chemistry calculations. The results support the earlier high-level quantum chemistry calculations that predicted how fluorine and methoxy substituents tune the electronic structure and we find evidence to suggest that the methoxy substituents enhance internal conversion, most likely from the 2ππ* state which has predominantly Feshbach resonance character, to the 1ππ* state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne L Woodhouse
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | - Alice Henley
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | - Ross Lewin
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | - John M Ward
- The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | | | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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12
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Paz ASP, Baleeva NS, Glover WJ. Active orbital preservation for multiconfigurational self-consistent field. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:071103. [PMID: 34418944 DOI: 10.1063/5.0058673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We introduce Active Orbital Preservation for Multiconfigurational Self-Consistent Field (AOP-MCSCF), an automated approach to improving the consistency of active space orbitals over multiple molecular configurations. Our approach is based on maximum overlap with a reference set of active space orbitals taken from a single geometry of a chromophore in the gas phase and can be used to automatically preserve the appropriate orbitals of the chromophore across multiple thermally sampled configurations, even when the chromophore is solvated by quantum-mechanically treated water molecules. In particular, using the singular value decomposition of a Molecular Orbital (MO) overlap matrix between the system and reference, we rotate the MOs of the system to align with the reference active space orbitals and use the resulting rotated orbitals as an initial guess to a MCSCF calculation. We demonstrate the approach on aqueous p-hydroxybenzylidene-imidazolinone (HBI) and find that AOP-MCSCF converges to the "correct" orbitals for over 90% of 3000 thermally sampled configurations. In addition, we compute the linear absorption spectrum and find excellent agreement with new experimental measurements up to 5.4 eV (230 nm). We show that electrostatic contributions to the solvation energy of HBI largely explain the observed state-dependent solvatochromism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amiel S P Paz
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China
| | - Nadezhda S Baleeva
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia
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13
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Paz ASP, Glover WJ. Diabatic Many-Body Expansion: Development and Application to Charge-Transfer Reactions. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:1497-1511. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c01231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amiel S. P. Paz
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshang Road North, Shanghai 200062, China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - William J. Glover
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshang Road North, Shanghai 200062, China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
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14
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Anstöter CS, Verlet JRR. Photoelectron imaging of the SO 3 anion: vibrational resolution in photoelectron angular distributions*. Mol Phys 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2020.1821921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Patel AM, Henley A, Parkes MA, Assmann M, Worth GA, Anderson JC, Fielding HH. Shining light on the electronic structure and relaxation dynamics of the isolated oxyluciferin anion. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:19022-19032. [PMID: 32808948 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp03276j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Firefly bioluminescence is exploited widely in imaging in the biochemical and biomedical sciences; however, our fundamental understanding of the electronic structure and relaxation processes of the oxyluciferin that emits the light is still rudimentary. Here, we employ photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations to investigate the electronic structure and relaxation of a series of model oxyluciferin anions. We find that changing the deprotonation site has a dramatic influence on the relaxation pathway following photoexcitation of higher lying electronically excited states. The keto form of the oxyluciferin anion is found to undergo internal conversion to the fluorescent S1 state, whereas we find evidence to suggest that the enol and enolate forms undergo internal conversion to a dipole bound state, possibly via the fluorescent S1 state. Partially resolved vibrational structure points towards the involvement of out-of-plane torsional motions in internal conversion to the dipole bound state, emphasising the combined electronic and structural role that the microenvironment plays in controlling the electronic relaxation pathway in the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand M Patel
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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16
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Jin X, Glover WJ, He X. Fragment Quantum Mechanical Method for Excited States of Proteins: Development and Application to the Green Fluorescent Protein. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:5174-5188. [PMID: 32551640 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b00980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the excited-state properties of luminescent biomolecules is of central importance to their biophysical applications. In this study, we develop the Electrostatically Embedded Generalized Molecular Fractionation with Conjugate Caps (EE-GMFCC) method for quantitatively characterizing properties of covalently bonded systems with localized excitations (i.e., involving a single chromophore), such as fluorescent proteins. The excitation energy, transition dipole moment, and oscillator strength of wild-type Green Fluorescent Protein (wt-GFP) calculated by EE-GMFCC are found to be in excellent agreement with full system time-dependent density functional theory results. We also applied the Polarized Protein-Specific Charge model to wt-GFP, and found that electronic polarization of the protein is critical in stabilizing hydrogen bonding interactions in wt-GFP, which influences its absorption spectrum. The predicted absorption spectra of wt-GFP in the A and B states qualitatively agree with experiment. The fragmentation approach further allows a straightforward per residue decomposition of the excitation which reveals the influence of the protein environment on the absorption spectra of wt-GFP A and B states. Our results demonstrate that the EE-GMFCC method is both accurate and efficient for excited-state property calculations on proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinsheng Jin
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - William J Glover
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China.,NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China.,Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Xiao He
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.,NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China
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17
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Mensa-Bonsu G, Lietard A, Tozer DJ, Verlet JRR. Low energy electron impact resonances of anthracene probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of its radical anion. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:174303. [PMID: 32384861 DOI: 10.1063/5.0007470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Electron-molecule resonances of anthracene were probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of the corresponding radical anion up to 3.7 eV in the continuum. A number of resonances were observed in both the photoelectron spectra and angular distributions, and most resonances showed clear autodetachment dynamics. The resonances were assigned using density functional theory calculations and are consistent with the available literature. Competition between direct and autodetachment, as well as signatures of internal conversion between resonances, was observed for some resonances. For the 12B2g resonance, a small fraction of population recovers the ground electronic state as evidenced by thermionic emission. Recovery of the ground electronic state offers a route of producing anions in an electron-molecule reaction; however, the energy at which this occurs suggests that anthracene anions cannot be formed in the interstellar medium by electron capture through this resonance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golda Mensa-Bonsu
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Aude Lietard
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - David J Tozer
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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18
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Verlet JRR, Anstöter CS, Bull JN, Rogers JP. Role of Nonvalence States in the Ultrafast Dynamics of Isolated Anions. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:3507-3519. [PMID: 32233436 PMCID: PMC7212518 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c01260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Nonvalence states
of neutral molecules (Rydberg states) play important
roles in nonadiabatic dynamics of excited states. In anions, such
nonadiabatic transitions between nonvalence and valence states have
been much less explored even though they are believed to play important
roles in electron capture and excited state dynamics of anions. The
aim of this Feature Article is to provide an overview of recent experimental
observations, based on time-resolved photoelectron imaging, of valence
to nonvalence and nonvalence to valence transitions in anions and
to demonstrate that such dynamics may be commonplace in the excited
state dynamics of molecular anions and cluster anions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua P Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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19
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Bull JN, Anstöter CS, Verlet JRR. Fingerprinting the Excited-State Dynamics in Methyl Ester and Methyl Ether Anions of Deprotonated para-Coumaric Acid. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:2140-2151. [PMID: 32105474 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.9b11993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Chromophores based on the para-hydroxycinnamate moiety are widespread in the natural world, including as the photoswitching unit in photoactive yellow protein and as a sunscreen in the leaves of plants. Here, photodetachment action spectroscopy combined with frequency- and angle-resolved photoelectron imaging is used to fingerprint the excited-state dynamics over the first three bright action-absorption bands in the methyl ester anions (pCEs-) of deprotonated para-coumaric acid at a temperature of ∼300 K. The excited states associated with the action-absorption bands are classified as resonances because they are situated in the detachment continuum and are open to autodetachment. The frequency-resolved photoelectron spectrum for pCEs- indicates that all photon energies over the S1(ππ*) band lead to similar vibrational autodetachment dynamics. The S2(nπ*) band is Herzberg-Teller active and has comparable brightness to the higher lying 21(ππ*) band. The frequency-resolved photoelectron spectrum over the S2(nπ*) band indicates more efficient internal conversion to the S1(ππ*) state for photon energies resonant with the Franck-Condon modes (∼80%) compared with the Herzberg-Teller modes (∼60%). The third action-absorption band, which corresponds to excitation of the 21(ππ*) state, shows complex and photon energy-dependent dynamics, with 20-40% of photoexcited population internally converting to the S1(ππ*) state. There is also evidence for a mode-specific competition between prompt autodetachment and internal conversion on the red edge of the 21(ππ*) band. There is no evidence for recovery of the ground electronic state and statistical electron ejection (thermionic emission) following photoexcitation over any of the three action-absorption bands. The photoelectron spectra for the deprotonated methyl ether derivative (pCEt-) at photon energies over the S1(ππ*) and S2(nπ*) bands indicate diametrically opposed dynamics compared with pCEs-, namely, intense thermionic emission due to efficient recovery of the ground electronic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K
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20
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Zagorec-Marks W, Foreman MM, Verlet JRR, Weber JM. Probing the Microsolvation Environment of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore In Vacuo. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:1940-1946. [PMID: 32073271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We present vibrational and electronic photodissociation spectra of a model chromophore of the green fluorescent protein in complexes with up to two water molecules, prepared in a cryogenic ion trap at 160-180 K. We find the band origin of the singly hydrated chromophore at 20 985 cm-1 (476.5 nm) and observe partially resolved vibrational signatures. While a single water molecule induces only a small shift of the S1 electronic band of the chromophore, without significant change of the Franck-Condon envelope, the spectrum of the dihydrate shows significant broadening and a greater blue shift of the band edge. Comparison of the vibrational spectra with predicted infrared spectra from density functional theory indicates that water molecules can interact with the oxygen atom on the phenolate group or on the imidazole moiety, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt Zagorec-Marks
- JILA and Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, United States
| | - Madison M Foreman
- JILA and Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, United States
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K
| | - J Mathias Weber
- JILA and Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, United States
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21
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Zagorec-Marks W, Foreman MM, Verlet JRR, Weber JM. Cryogenic Ion Spectroscopy of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore in Vacuo. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:7817-7822. [PMID: 31682445 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b02916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We present the spectrum of the S1 ← S0 transition of an anionic model for the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein in vacuo at cryogenic temperatures, showing previously unresolved vibrational features, and resolving the band origin at 20 930 cm-1 (477.8 nm) with unprecedented accuracy. The vibrational spectrum establishes that the molecule is in the Z isomer at low temperature. At increased temperature, the S1 ← S0 band shifts to the red, which we tentatively attribute to emergent population of the E isomer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt Zagorec-Marks
- JILA and Department of Chemistry , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309-0440 , United States
| | - Madison M Foreman
- JILA and Department of Chemistry , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309-0440 , United States
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham , DH1 3LE , U.K
| | - J Mathias Weber
- JILA and Department of Chemistry , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309-0440 , United States
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22
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Glover WJ, Paz ASP, Thongyod W, Punwong C. Analytical gradients and derivative couplings for dynamically weighted complete active space self-consistent field. J Chem Phys 2019; 151:201101. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5130997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- W. J. Glover
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshang Road North, Shanghai 200062, China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - A. S. P. Paz
- NYU Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Shanghai 200122, China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshang Road North, Shanghai 200062, China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - W. Thongyod
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshang Road North, Shanghai 200062, China
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Trace Analysis and Biosensor, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
| | - C. Punwong
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
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23
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Mensa-Bonsu G, Tozer DJ, Verlet JRR. Photoelectron spectroscopic study of I -·ICF 3: a frontside attack S N2 pre-reaction complex. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:13977-13985. [PMID: 30534728 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp06593d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Photodetachment and 2D photoelectron spectra of the mass-selected I-·CF3I complex are presented together with electronic structure calculations. Calculations show that the I- is located at the iodine side of CF3I. Vertical and adiabatic detachment energies were measured at 4.03 and approximately 3.8 eV, respectively. The photoelectron spectra and molecular orbitals show a significant covalent bonding character in the cluster. The presence of electronic excited states is observed. Below threshold, iodide is generated which can be assigned to the photoexcitation of degenerate charge-transfer bands from the off-axis p-orbitals localised on iodide. Near the onset of two spin-orbit thresholds, bright excited states are seen in the experiment and calculations. Excitation of these leads to the formation of slow electrons. The spectroscopy of I-·CF3I is compared to the well-studied I-·CH3I cluster, a pre-reaction complex in the text-book I- + CH3I SN2 reaction. Despite the reversed stereodynamics (i.e. inversion of the CX3 between X = H and F) of the SN2 reaction, striking similarities are seen. Both complexes possess charge transfer excited states near their respective vertical detachment energies and exhibit vibrational structure in their photoelectron spectra. The strong binding is consistent with observations in crossed molecular beam studies and molecular dynamics simulations that suggest that iodine as a leaving group in an SN2 reaction affects the reaction dynamics.
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24
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Tyson AL, Verlet JRR. On the Mechanism of Phenolate Photo-Oxidation in Aqueous Solution. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:2373-2379. [PMID: 30768899 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b11766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The photo-oxidation dynamics following ultraviolet (257 nm) excitation of the phenolate anion in aqueous solution is studied using broadband (550-950 nm) transient absorption spectroscopy. A clear signature from electron ejection is observed on a sub-picosecond timescale, followed by cooling dynamics and the decay of the signal to a constant offset that is assigned to the hydrated electron. The dynamics are compared to the charge-transfer-to-solvent dynamics from iodide at the same excitation wavelength and are shown to be very similar to these. This is in stark contrast to a previous study on the phenolate anion excited at 266 nm, in which electron emission was observed over longer timescales. We account for the differences using a simple Marcus picture for electron emission in which the electron tunneling rate depends sensitively on the initial excitation energy. After electron emission, a contact pair is formed which undergoes geminate recombination and dissociation to form the free hydrated electron at rates that are slightly faster than those for the iodide system. Our results show that, although the underlying chemical physics of electron emission differs between iodide and phenolate, the observed dynamics can appear very similar.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , U.K
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25
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Woodhouse JL, Henley A, Parkes MA, Fielding HH. Photoelectron Imaging and Quantum Chemistry Study of Phenolate, Difluorophenolate, and Dimethoxyphenolate Anions. J Phys Chem A 2019; 123:2709-2718. [PMID: 30848907 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b11121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joanne L. Woodhouse
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
| | - Alice Henley
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
| | - Michael A. Parkes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
| | - Helen H. Fielding
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
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26
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Rogers JP, Anstöter CS, Bull JN, Curchod BFE, Verlet JRR. Photoelectron Spectroscopy of the Hexafluorobenzene Cluster Anions: (C 6F 6) n- ( n = 1-5) and I -(C 6F 6). J Phys Chem A 2019; 123:1602-1612. [PMID: 30694676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b11627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Frequency-resolved (2D) photoelectron (PE) spectra of the anionic clusters (C6F6) n-, for n = 1-5, and time-resolved PE spectra of I-C6F6 are presented using a newly built instrument and supported by electronic structure calculations. From the 2D PE spectra, the vertical detachment energy (VDE) of C6F6- was measured to be 1.60 ± 0.01 eV, and the adiabatic detachment energy (ADE) was ≤0.70 eV. The PE spectra also contain fingerprints of resonance dynamics over certain photon energy ranges, in agreement with the calculations. An action spectrum over the lowest resonance is also presented. The 2D spectra of (C6F6) n- show that the cluster can be described as C6F6-(C6F6) n-1. The VDE increases linearly (200 ± 20 meV n-1) due to the stabilizing influence on the anion of the solvating C6F6 molecules. For I-C6F6, action spectra of the absorption just below both detachment channels are presented. Time-resolved PE spectra of I-C6F6 excited at 3.10 eV and probed at 1.55 eV reveal a short-lived nonvalence state of C6F6- that coherently evolves into the valence ground state of the anion and induces vibrational motion along a specific buckling coordinate. Electronic structure calculations along the displacement of this mode show that at the extreme buckling angle the probe can access an excited state of the anion that is bound at that geometry but adiabatically unbound. Hence, slow electrons are emitted and show dynamics that predominantly probe the outer-turning point of the motion. A PE spectrum taken at t = 0 contains a vibrational structure assigned to a specific Raman- or IR-active mode of C6F6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Rogers
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - James N Bull
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - Basile F E Curchod
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
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27
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Henley
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK
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28
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Henley A, Patel AM, Parkes MA, Anderson JC, Fielding HH. Role of Photoisomerization on the Photodetachment of the Photoactive Yellow Protein Chromophore. J Phys Chem A 2018; 122:8222-8228. [PMID: 30234981 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b07770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The photocycle of photoactive yellow protein (PYP) is initiated by a photoinduced trans-cis isomerization around a C═C bond in the chromophore that lies at the heart of the protein; however, in addition to the desired photochemical pathway, the chromophore can undergo competing electronic relaxation processes. Here we combine gas-phase anion photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations to investigate how locking the C═C bond in the chromophore controls the competition between these electronic relaxation processes following photoexcitation in the range 400-310 nm. We find evidence to suggest that preventing trans-cis isomerization effectively turns off internal conversion to the ground electronic state and enhances electron emission from the first electronically excited state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Henley
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , London WC1H 0AJ , United Kingdom
| | - Anand M Patel
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , London WC1H 0AJ , United Kingdom
| | - Michael A Parkes
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , London WC1H 0AJ , United Kingdom
| | - James C Anderson
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , London WC1H 0AJ , United Kingdom
| | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , London WC1H 0AJ , United Kingdom
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29
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Rogers JP, Anstöter CS, Verlet JRR. Evidence of Electron Capture of an Outgoing Photoelectron Wave by a Nonvalence State in (C 6F 6) n. J Phys Chem Lett 2018; 9:2504-2509. [PMID: 29694047 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b00739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Frequency-resolved photoelectron spectra are presented for (C6F6) n- with n = 1-5 that show that C6F6- is solvated by neutral C6F6 molecules. Direct photodetachment channels of C6F6- are observed for all n, leaving the neutral in the S0 ground state or triplet states, T1 and T2. For n ≥ 2, an additional indirect electron loss channel is observed when the triplet-state channels open. This indirect emission appears to arise from the electron capture of the outgoing photoelectron s-wave by a neutral solvent molecule through an anion nonvalence state. The same process is not observed for the S0 detachment channel because the outgoing electron wave is predominantly a p-wave. Our results show that anion nonvalence states can act as electron-accepting states in cluster environments and can be viewed as precursor states for diffuse states of liquid C6F6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Rogers
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , United Kingdom
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30
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Carrascosa E, Bull JN, Scholz MS, Coughlan NJA, Olsen S, Wille U, Bieske EJ. Reversible Photoisomerization of the Isolated Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore. J Phys Chem Lett 2018; 9:2647-2651. [PMID: 29724104 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b01201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent proteins have revolutionized the visualization of biological processes, prompting efforts to understand and control their intrinsic photophysics. Here we investigate the photoisomerization of deprotonated p-hydroxybenzylidene-2,3-dimethylimidazolinone anion (HBDI-), the chromophore in green fluorescent protein and in Dronpa protein, where it plays a role in switching between fluorescent and nonfluorescent states. In the present work, isolated HBDI- molecules are switched between the Z and E forms in the gas phase in a tandem ion mobility mass spectrometer outfitted for selecting the initial and final isomers. Excitation of the S1 ← S0 transition provokes both Z → E and E → Z photoisomerization, with a maximum response for both processes at 480 nm. Photodetachment is a minor channel at low light intensity. At higher light intensities, absorption of several photons in the drift region drives photofragmentation, through channels involving CH3 loss and concerted CO and CH3CN loss, although isomerization remains the dominant process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Carrascosa
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - Michael S Scholz
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - Neville J A Coughlan
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - Seth Olsen
- School of Chemistry , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Uta Wille
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - Evan J Bieske
- School of Chemistry , The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria 3010 , Australia
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31
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Fielding HH, Worth GA. Using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy to unravel the electronic relaxation dynamics of photoexcited molecules. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 47:309-321. [PMID: 29168864 DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00627f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy measurements combined with quantum chemistry and dynamics calculations allow unprecedented insight into the electronic relaxation mechanisms of photoexcited molecules in the gas-phase. In this Tutorial Review, we explain the essential concepts linking photoelectron spectroscopy measurements with electronic structure and how key features on the potential energy landscape are identified using quantum chemistry and quantum dynamics calculations. We illustrate how time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and theory work together using examples ranging in complexity from the prototypical organic molecule benzene to a pyrrole dimer bound by a weak N-Hπ interaction and the green fluorescent protein chromophore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| | - Graham A Worth
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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32
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Anstöter CS, Gartmann TE, Stanley LH, Bochenkova AV, Verlet JRR. Electronic structure of the para-dinitrobenzene radical anion: a combined 2D photoelectron imaging and computational study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:24019-24026. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp04877k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
2D photoelectron spectroscopy combined with high-level ab initio calculations provides insights into the dissociative electron attachment of para-dinitrobenzene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cate S. Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry
- Durham University
- Durham DH1 3LE
- UK
- Department of Chemistry
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33
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Anstöter CS, Dean CR, Verlet JRR. Sensitivity of Photoelectron Angular Distributions to Molecular Conformations of Anions. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:2268-2273. [PMID: 28471670 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
An anion photoelectron imaging study probing the sensitivity of the photoelectron angular distribution (PAD) to conformational changes is presented. The PADs of a series of para-substituted phenolate anions is compared with those calculated using the Dyson orbital formalization. Good agreement was attained for the two observed direct detachment channels of all anions, except for the lowest-energy detachment channel of para-ethyl phenolate for which two conformations exist that yield very different PADs. The conformational freedom leads to an observed PAD that is the incoherent sum of the PADs from all conformers populated under experimental conditions. In contrast, a second detachment channel shows no sensitivity to the conformational flexibility of para-ethyl phenolate. Our results show that PADs can provide detailed information about the electronic structure of the anion and its conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Charlie R Dean
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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34
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Bochenkova AV, Mooney CRS, Parkes MA, Woodhouse JL, Zhang L, Lewin R, Ward JM, Hailes HC, Andersen LH, Fielding HH. Mechanism of resonant electron emission from the deprotonated GFP chromophore and its biomimetics. Chem Sci 2017; 8:3154-3163. [PMID: 28507691 PMCID: PMC5413970 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc05529j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), which is widely used in bioimaging, is known to undergo light-induced redox transformations. Electron transfer is thought to occur resonantly through excited states of its chromophore; however, a detailed understanding of the electron gateway states of the chromophore is still missing. Here, we use photoelectron spectroscopy and high-level quantum chemistry calculations to show that following UV excitation, the ultrafast electron dynamics in the chromophore anion proceeds via an excited shape resonance strongly coupled to the open continuum. The impact of this state is found across the entire 355-315 nm excitation range, from above the first bound-bound transition to below the opening of higher-lying continua. By disentangling the electron dynamics in the photodetachment channels, we provide an important reference for the adiabatic position of the electron gateway state, which is located at 348 nm, and discover the source of the curiously large widths of the photoelectron spectra that have been reported in the literature. By introducing chemical modifications to the GFP chromophore, we show that the detachment threshold and the position of the gateway state, and hence the underlying excited-state dynamics, can be changed systematically. This enables a fine tuning of the intrinsic electron emission properties of the GFP chromophore and has significant implications for its function, suggesting that the biomimetic GFP chromophores are more stable to photooxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ciarán R S Mooney
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Michael A Parkes
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Joanne L Woodhouse
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Ross Lewin
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - John M Ward
- Department of Biochemical Engineering , UCL , Bernard Katz Building, Gordon Street , London , WC1E 0AH , UK
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Lars H Andersen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , Aarhus University , DK-8000 Aarhus C , Denmark
| | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
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35
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Tay J, Parkes MA, Addison K, Chan Y, Zhang L, Hailes HC, Bulman Page PC, Meech SR, Blancafort L, Fielding HH. The Effect of Conjugation on the Competition between Internal Conversion and Electron Detachment: A Comparison between Green Fluorescent and Red Kaede Protein Chromophores. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:765-771. [PMID: 28124921 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Kaede, an analogue of green fluorescent protein (GFP), is a green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent protein used as an in vivo "optical highlighter" in bioimaging. The fluorescence quantum yield of the red Kaede protein is lower than that of GFP, suggesting that increasing the conjugation modifies the electronic relaxation pathway. Using a combination of anion photoelectron spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations, we find that the isolated red Kaede protein chromophore in the gas phase is deprotonated at the imidazole ring, unlike the GFP chromophore that is deprotonated at the phenol ring. We find evidence of an efficient electronic relaxation pathway from higher-lying electronically excited states to the S1 state of the red Kaede chromophore that is not accessible in the GFP chromophore. Rapid autodetachment from high-lying vibrational states of S1 is found to compete efficiently with internal conversion to the ground electronic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Tay
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K
| | - Michael A Parkes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K
| | - Kiri Addison
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia , Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Yohan Chan
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia , Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K
| | | | - Stephen R Meech
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia , Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Lluís Blancafort
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona , Campus de Montilivi, C/M. A. Campmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K
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36
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Stanley LH, Anstöter CS, Verlet JRR. Resonances of the anthracenyl anion probed by frequency-resolved photoelectron imaging of collision-induced dissociated anthracene carboxylic acid. Chem Sci 2017; 8:3054-3061. [PMID: 28451374 PMCID: PMC5380881 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc05405f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of CID and photoelectron spectroscopy of organic carboxylic acid anions is discussed as a route to studying the dynamics of resonances in polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) anions.
Resonances in polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) anions are key intermediates in a number of processes such as electron transfer in organic electronics and electron attachment in the interstellar medium. Here we present a frequency- and angle-resolved photoelectron imaging study of the 9-anthracenyl anion generated through collision induced dissociation (CID) of its electrosprayed deprotonated anthracene carboxylic acid anion. We show that a number of π* resonances are active in the first 2.5 eV above the threshold. The photoelectron spectra and angular distributions revealed that nuclear dynamics compete with autodetachment for one of the resonances, while higher-lying resonances were dominated by prompt autodetachment. Based on electronic structure calculations, these observations were accounted for on the basis of the expected autodetachment rates of the resonances. Virtually no ground state recovery was observed, suggesting that the smallest deprotonated PAH that leads to ground state recovery is the tetracenyl anion, for which clear thermionic emission has been observed. The use of CID and photodissociation of organic carboxylic acid anions is discussed as a route to studying the dynamics of resonances in larger PAH anions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , UK .
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE , UK .
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37
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McLaughlin C, Assmann M, Parkes MA, Woodhouse JL, Lewin R, Hailes HC, Worth GA, Fielding HH. ortho and para chromophores of green fluorescent protein: controlling electron emission and internal conversion. Chem Sci 2017; 8:1621-1630. [PMID: 29780449 PMCID: PMC5933426 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc03833f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Green fluorescent protein (GFP) continues to play an important role in the biological and biochemical sciences as an efficient fluorescent probe and is also known to undergo light-induced redox transformations. Here, we employ photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations to investigate how the phenoxide moiety controls the competition between electron emission and internal conversion in the isolated GFP chromophore anion, following photoexcitation with ultraviolet light in the range 400-230 nm. We find that moving the phenoxide group from the para position to the ortho position enhances internal conversion back to the ground electronic state but that adding an additional OH group to the para chromophore, at the ortho position, impedes internal conversion. Guided by quantum chemistry calculations, we interpret these observations in terms of torsions around the C-C-C bridge being enhanced by electrostatic repulsions or impeded by the formation of a hydrogen-bonded seven-membered ring. We also find that moving the phenoxide group from the para position to the ortho position reduces the energy required for detachment processes, whereas adding an additional OH group to the para chromophore at the ortho position increases the energy required for detachment processes. These results have potential applications in tuning light-induced redox processes of this biologically and technologically important fluorescent protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor McLaughlin
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Mariana Assmann
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Michael A Parkes
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Joanne L Woodhouse
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Ross Lewin
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Graham A Worth
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
| | - Helen H Fielding
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , 20 Gordon Street , London WC1H 0AJ , UK .
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38
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Woodhouse JL, Assmann M, Parkes MA, Grounds H, Pacman SJ, Anderson JC, Worth GA, Fielding HH. Photoelectron spectroscopy of isolated luciferin and infraluciferin anions in vacuo: competing photodetachment, photofragmentation and internal conversion. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:22711-22720. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp04815g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The electronic structure and dynamics of luciferin and infraluciferin have been investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariana Assmann
- Department of Chemistry
- University College London
- London WC1H 0AJ
- UK
| | | | - Helen Grounds
- Department of Chemistry
- University College London
- London WC1H 0AJ
- UK
| | - Steven J. Pacman
- Department of Chemistry
- University College London
- London WC1H 0AJ
- UK
| | | | - Graham A. Worth
- Department of Chemistry
- University College London
- London WC1H 0AJ
- UK
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39
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Bull JN, Verlet JRR. Dynamics of π*-resonances in anionic clusters of para-toluquinone. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:26589-26595. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03628k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Frequency-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy applied to mass-selected cluster anions is an insightful approach to characterise the dynamics of π*-resonances with microsolvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James N. Bull
- Department of Chemistry
- Durham University
- Durham DH1 3LE
- UK
- School of Chemistry
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40
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Anstöter CS, Dean CR, Verlet JRR. Chromophores of chromophores: a bottom-up Hückel picture of the excited states of photoactive proteins. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:29772-29779. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05766k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Many photoactive proteins contain chromophores based on para-substituted phenolate anions which are an essential component of their electronic structure.
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41
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West CW, Bull JN, Verlet JRR. Charged Particle Imaging of the Deprotonated Octatrienoic Acid Anion: Evidence for a Photoinduced Cyclization Reaction. J Phys Chem Lett 2016; 7:4635-4640. [PMID: 27809535 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b02302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectron spectroscopy of the deprotonated octatrienoic acid anion, [C7H9-CO2]-, shows the formation of [C7H9]- and loss of H- at hν = 4.13 eV. Using velocity map imaging, the H- fragment was characterized to have a Boltzmann-like kinetic energy distribution consistent with dissociation on a ground electronic state. Similar dynamics were not observed at hν = 4.66 eV even though there is clear evidence for recovery of the ground electronic state of [C7H9-CO2]-. In accord with supporting electronic structure calculations, the production of H- at hν = 4.13 eV is explained by excited-state dissociation of CO2 to form [C7H9]-, which subsequently undergoes a ring-closure isomerization reaction to yield toluene and H-. These data represent the first evidence for a photoinduced ring-closing isomerization reaction in an anionic polyene and provides an interesting example of the rich anion dynamics that can occur in the detachment continuum and that can influence photochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W West
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University , Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - James N Bull
- School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne , Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Durham , Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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42
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Horke DA, Watts HM, Smith AD, Jager E, Springate E, Alexander O, Cacho C, Chapman RT, Minns RS. Hydrogen Bonds in Excited State Proton Transfer. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2016; 117:163002. [PMID: 27792360 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.117.163002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen bonding interactions between biological chromophores and their surrounding protein and solvent environment significantly affect the photochemical pathways of the chromophore and its biological function. A common first step in the dynamics of these systems is excited state proton transfer between the noncovalently bound molecules, which stabilizes the system against dissociation and principally alters relaxation pathways. Despite such fundamental importance, studying excited state proton transfer across a hydrogen bond has proven difficult, leaving uncertainties about the mechanism. Through time-resolved photoelectron imaging measurements, we demonstrate how the addition of a single hydrogen bond and the opening of an excited state proton transfer channel dramatically changes the outcome of a photochemical reaction, from rapid dissociation in the isolated chromophore to efficient stabilization and ground state recovery in the hydrogen bonded case, and uncover the mechanism of excited state proton transfer at a hydrogen bond, which follows sequential hydrogen and charge transfer processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Horke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - H M Watts
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - A D Smith
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - E Jager
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - E Springate
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - O Alexander
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - C Cacho
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - R T Chapman
- Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - R S Minns
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
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43
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Bhaskaran-Nair K, Valiev M, Deng SHM, Shelton WA, Kowalski K, Wang XB. Probing microhydration effect on the electronic structure of the GFP chromophore anion: Photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical investigations. J Chem Phys 2016; 143:224301. [PMID: 26671369 DOI: 10.1063/1.4936252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The photophysics of the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) chromophore is critically dependent on its local structure and on its environment. Despite extensive experimental and computational studies, there remain many open questions regarding the key fundamental variables that govern this process. One outstanding problem is the role of autoionization as a possible relaxation pathway of the excited state under different environmental conditions. This issue is considered in our work through combined experimental and theoretical studies of microsolvated clusters of the deprotonated p-hydroxybenzylidene-2,3-dimethylimidazolinone anion (HBDI(-)), an analog of the GFP chromophore. Through selective generation of microsolvated structures of predetermined size and subsequent analysis of experimental photoelectron spectra by high level ab initio methods, we are able to precisely identify the structure of the system, establish the accuracy of theoretical data, and provide reliable description of auto-ionization process as a function of hydrogen-bonding environment. Our study clearly illustrates the first few water molecules progressively stabilize the excited state of the chromophore anion against the autodetached neutral state, which should be an important trait for crystallographic water molecules in GFPs that has not been fully explored to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Bhaskaran-Nair
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Marat Valiev
- William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, K8-91, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
| | - S H M Deng
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, K8-88, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
| | - William A Shelton
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
| | - Karol Kowalski
- William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, K8-91, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
| | - Xue-Bin Wang
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, K8-88, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
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44
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Anstöter CS, Bull JN, Verlet JR. Ultrafast dynamics of temporary anions probed through the prism of photodetachment. INT REV PHYS CHEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/0144235x.2016.1203522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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45
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Anstöter CS, West CW, Bull JN, Verlet JRR. The Vitamin E Radical Probed by Anion Photoelectron Imaging. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:7108-13. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b05271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cate S. Anstöter
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | | | - James N. Bull
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Jan R. R. Verlet
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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46
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Bose S, Chakrabarty S, Ghosh D. Effect of Solvation on Electron Detachment and Excitation Energies of a Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore Variant. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:4410-20. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b03723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samik Bose
- Physical
and Materials Chemistry
Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
| | - Suman Chakrabarty
- Physical
and Materials Chemistry
Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
| | - Debashree Ghosh
- Physical
and Materials Chemistry
Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
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47
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Bull JN, West CW, Verlet JRR. Ultrafast dynamics of formation and autodetachment of a dipole-bound state in an open-shell π-stacked dimer anion. Chem Sci 2016; 7:5352-5361. [PMID: 30155188 PMCID: PMC6020752 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc01062h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Isolated π-stacked dimer radical anions present the simplest model of an excess electron in a π-stacked environment. Here, frequency-, angle-, and time-resolved photoelectron imaging together with electronic structure calculations have been used to characterise the π-stacked coenzyme Q0 dimer radical anion and its exited state dynamics. In the ground electronic state, the excess electron is localised on one monomer with a planar para-quinone ring, which is solvated by the second monomer in which carbonyl groups are bent out of the para-quinone ring plane. Through the π-stacking interaction, the dimer anion exhibits a number of charge-transfer (intermolecular) valence-localised resonances situated in the detachment continuum that undergo efficient internal conversion to a cluster dipole-bound state (DBS) on a ∼60 fs timescale. In turn, the DBS undergoes vibration-mediated autodetachment on a 2.0 ± 0.2 ps timescale. Experimental vibrational structure and supporting calculations assign the intermolecular dynamics to be facilitated by vibrational wagging modes of the carbonyl groups on the non-planar monomer. At photon energies ∼0.6-1.0 eV above the detachment threshold, a competition between photoexcitation of an intermolecular resonance leading to the DBS, and photoexcitation of an intramolecular resonance leading to monomer-like dynamics further illustrates the π-stacking specific dynamics. Overall, this study provides the first direct observation of both internal conversion of resonances into a DBS, and characterisation of a vibration-mediated autodetachment in real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- James N Bull
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , South Road , Durham DH1 3LE , UK .
| | - Christopher W West
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , South Road , Durham DH1 3LE , UK .
| | - Jan R R Verlet
- Department of Chemistry , Durham University , South Road , Durham DH1 3LE , UK .
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48
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Parkes MA, Phillips C, Porter MJ, Fielding HH. Controlling electron emission from the photoactive yellow protein chromophore by substitution at the coumaric acid group. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:10329-36. [PMID: 27025529 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp00565a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how the interactions between a chromophore and its surrounding protein control the function of a photoactive protein remains a challenge. Here, we present the results of photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and quantum chemistry calculations aimed at investigating how substitution at the coumaryl tail of the photoactive yellow protein chromophore controls competing relaxation pathways following photoexcitation of isolated chromophores in the gas phase with ultraviolet light in the range 350-315 nm. The photoelectron spectra are dominated by electrons resulting from direct detachment and fast detachment from the 2(1)ππ* state but also have a low electron kinetic energy component arising from autodetachment from lower lying electronically excited states or thermionic emission from the electronic ground state. We find that substituting the hydrogen atom of the carboxylic acid group with a methyl group lowers the threshold for electron detachment but has very little effect on the competition between the different relaxation pathways, whereas substituting with a thioester group raises the threshold for electron detachment and appears to 'turn off' the competing electron emission processes from lower lying electronically excited states. This has potential implications in terms of tuning the light-induced electron donor properties of photoactive yellow protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Parkes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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49
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Bull JN, West CW, Verlet JRR. Anion resonances and above-threshold dynamics of coenzyme Q0. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2015; 17:16125-35. [PMID: 26030180 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp02145f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Temporary radical anions (resonances) of isolated co enzyme Q0 (CQ0) and their associated above-threshold dynamics have been studied using frequency-, angle-, and time-resolved photoelectron imaging (FAT-PI). Experimental energetics and dynamics are supported with ab initio calculations. All results support that CQ0 exhibits similar resonances and energetics compared with the smaller para-benzoquinone subunit, which is commonly considered as a prototype electrophore for larger biological para-quinone species. However, the above-threshold dynamics in CQ0 relative to para-benzoquinone show significantly enhanced prompt detachment compared with internal conversion, particularly around the photoexcitation energy of 3.10 eV. The change in dynamics can be attributed to a combination of an increase in the shape character of the optically-accessible resonance at this energy, a decrease in the autodetachment lifetime due to the higher density of states in the neutral, and a decrease in the probability that the wavepacket formed in the Franck-Condon window can access the local conical intersection in CQ0 over the timescale of autodetachment. Overall, this study serves as a clear example in understanding the trends in spectroscopy and dynamics in relating a simple prototypical para-quinone electrophore to a more complex biochemical species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James N Bull
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, South Road, DH1 3LE, UK.
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50
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Bull JN, West CW, Verlet JRR. Internal conversion outcompetes autodetachment from resonances in the deprotonated tetracene anion continuum. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2015; 17:32464-71. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cp05388a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Resonances in deprotonated tetracene decay predominantly to the anion ground state.
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