The photoformation of a phthalide: a ketene intermediate traced by FSRS.

The photo-isomerization of o-acetylbenzaldehyde (oABA) in acetonitrile was studied by femto- and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Spectroscopic signatures are assigned with the aid of TD-DFT, TD-CAM-DFT and DFT-MRCI computations. The isomerization yields a lactone, 3-methylphthalide (3MP), with a quantum yield of 0.

DNA photoreacts by nucleobase ring cleavage to form labile isocyanates.

Differential infrared absorption spectroscopy was used to study the formation of isocyanates and further photo-products in the oligonucleotides dG10, dC10 and dT10 and in their mononucleosides by ultraviolet light at 266 nm. We find that α-cleavage takes place in oligonucleotides and mononucleosides both in films and in solution. The very intense and spectrally isolated isocyanate (N=C=O) asymmetric stretch vibration at 2277 cm(-1) is used as a spectroscopic marker for detection of the photo-product.

UV-light-induced hydrogen transfer in guanosine-guanosine aggregates.

Aggregates of a lipophilic guanine (G) derivative have been studied in n-hexane by femtosecond-to-microsecond UV-visible broadband transient absorption, stationary infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy and by quantum chemical calculations. We report the first time-resolved spectroscopic detection of hydrogen transfer in GG aggregates, which leads to (G-H)(·) radicals by means of G(+)G(-) charge transfer followed by proton transfer. These radicals show a characteristic electronic spectrum in the range 300-550 nm.

Characterization of maleimide dimers in photo-cross-linked copolyimide films.

Copolyimide membranes are established materials for the separation of gaseous and liquid mixtures. Cross-linking of the polymer strands improves the physical and chemical stability. The photo-cross-linking of a 6FDA-ODA/6FDA-DABA 4 : 1 copolyimide membrane containing maleimide side groups as linker was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy.