Ultrafast deactivation of bilirubin: dark intermediates and two-photon isomerization.

Bilirubin is a neurotoxic product responsible for neonatal jaundice, which is generally treated by phototherapy. The photoreaction involves ultrafast internal conversion via an elusive intermediate and Z-E isomerization with minor yield (less than 3% in solution). The structure of the intermediate remains unclear.

Dissociation of a strong acid in neat solvents: diffusion is observed after reversible proton ejection inside the solvent shell.

Strong-acid dissociation was studied in alcohols. Optical excitation of the cationic photoacid N-methyl-6-hydroxyquinolinium triggers proton transfer to the solvent, which was probed by spectral reconstruction of picosecond fluorescence traces. The process fulfills the classical Eigen-Weller mechanism in two stages: (a) solvent-controlled reversible dissociation inside the solvent shell and (b) barrierless splitting of the encounter complex.