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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: June 27, 2014
Photoinduced Proton-Transfer-Mediated Molecular Recognition in Molecular Crystals
Lishan Sun1,2, Tianyan Zhang1,2, Yanxue Che3
1Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
This study introduces a new way to detect ultratrace phenol vapor using light-activated molecular recognition. This photoinduced proton transfer method offers highly sensitive and selective detection of phenol, advancing fluorescence sensing technologies.
Area of Science:
- Photochemistry
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Molecular recognition traditionally relies on ground-state interactions.
- Excited-state molecular recognition, driven by photoenergy, offers potential for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity but remains underexplored.
- Developing novel sensing mechanisms is crucial for advancing detection technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel photoinduced molecular recognition mechanism for ultratrace phenol vapor detection.
- To investigate the use of self-assembled crystalline microribbons for sensing applications.
- To explore the potential of excited-state interactions in molecular recognition.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of self-assembled crystalline microribbons from a donor-acceptor (D-A) molecule with a twisted backbone.
- Utilizing photoenergy to induce molecular recognition and proton transfer.
- Monitoring fluorescence quenching as an indicator of phenol presence.
Main Results:
- Confirmed a photoinduced proton transfer from phenol to the D-A system's pyridine moiety.
- Observed the generation of a protonated D-A molecule and phenoxide ion, leading to fluorescence quenching.
- Achieved an exceptionally low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.6 parts per trillion (ppt) for phenol vapor.
Conclusions:
- Harnessing light energy to drive molecular recognition opens new avenues for fluorescence sensing.
- The demonstrated photoinduced proton-transfer mechanism provides high sensitivity and selectivity for phenol detection.
- This approach advances the field of excited-state molecular recognition and trace vapor sensing.
