Exciton coupling between enones: Quassinoids revisited
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Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Facile Preparation of 4-Substituted Quinazoline Derivatives
Published on: February 15, 2016
Gennaro Pescitelli1, Lorenzo Di Bari1
1Dipartimento Di Chimica E Chimica Industriale, Università Di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Abstract:
The electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of two previously reported quassinoids containing a pair of enone chromophores are revisited to gain insight into the consistency and applicability of the exciton chirality method. Our study is based on time-dependent Density Functional Theory calculations, transition and orbital analysis, and numerical exciton coupling calculations. In quassin (1) the enone/enone exciton coupling is quasi-degenerate, yielding strong rotational strengths that account for the observed ECD spectrum in the enone π-π* region. In perforalactone C (2) the nondegenerate coupling produces weak rotational strengths, and the ECD spectrum is dominated by other mechanisms of optical activity. We remark the necessity of a careful application of the nondegenerate exciton coupling method in similar cases.
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