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Related Concept Videos

Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:26

Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

2.1K
The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
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Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview01:26

Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

2.8K
Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
2.8K
Photosystem I01:27

Photosystem I

69.0K
Although structurally similar to photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI) is has a different electron supplier and electron acceptor.
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
69.0K
Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:17

Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

2.4K
The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
2.4K
Photosystem II01:22

Photosystem II

77.9K
The multi-protein complex photosystem II (PS II) harvests photons and transfers their energy through its bound pigments to its reaction center, and ultimately to photosystem I (PSI) through the electron transport chain. The pigments responsible for caputirng the light energy in photosystems include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.
The pigment molecules are arranged across  two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment...
77.9K
The Photochemical Reaction Center01:29

The Photochemical Reaction Center

5.0K
Reaction centers are pigment-protein complexes that initiate energy conversion from photons to chemical entities. Therefore, photochemical reaction center is a more appropriate term that describes these complexes. The Nobel laureates Robert Emerson and William Arnold provided the first experimental evidence of photochemical reaction centers by demonstrating the participation of nearly 2,500 chlorophyll molecules for the release of just one molecule of oxygen. Despite thousands of photosynthetic...
5.0K

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Updated: Dec 13, 2025

Isotopic Effect in Double Proton Transfer Process of Porphycene Investigated by Enhanced QM/MM Method
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Isotopic Effect in Double Proton Transfer Process of Porphycene Investigated by Enhanced QM/MM Method

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Photoisomerization-coupled electron transfer.

Jakub K Sowa1, Emily A Weiss1, Tamar Seideman1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|July 28, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers explored a new ultrafast electron transfer triggered by photochromic molecular photoisomerization. This study reveals that electron transfer and photoisomerization are linked, offering new ways to control molecular switches.

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Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
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Determination of the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of a Hydrazone Photoswitch
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Last Updated: Dec 13, 2025

Isotopic Effect in Double Proton Transfer Process of Porphycene Investigated by Enhanced QM/MM Method
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Isotopic Effect in Double Proton Transfer Process of Porphycene Investigated by Enhanced QM/MM Method

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Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
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Determination of the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of a Hydrazone Photoswitch
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Determination of the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of a Hydrazone Photoswitch

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Science
  • Photochemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry

Background:

  • Photochromic molecular structures are key for molecular switches and sensors.
  • Their role as light-switchable electron donor/acceptor units is promising.
  • A novel process of simultaneous photoisomerization and electron transfer is proposed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate ultrafast electron transfer triggered by simultaneous photoisomerization.
  • To develop a theoretical model for this coupled process.
  • To apply the model to a dihydropyrene-type photochromic molecular donor.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of the phenomenon.
  • Density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
  • Analysis of wavepacket dynamics and photoisomerization yield.

Main Results:

  • Electron transfer and photoisomerization are generally inseparable processes.
  • The two phenomena must be treated in a unified manner.
  • Demonstrated the interplay between photoisomerization and electron transfer in a model system.

Conclusions:

  • Photoisomerization-coupled electron transfer is a significant phenomenon in photochromic systems.
  • Experimental control over the efficiency of this coupled process is feasible.
  • Opens new avenues for designing advanced molecular devices.