Fluorescence and quantum mechanical approach on the interaction of amides and their role on the stability and coexistence of the rotamer conformations of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution.

Photophysical investigation on the fluorescence decay characteristics of L-tryptophan and a derivative N-acetyl-L-tryptophanamide (NATA) with alkyl amides were carried out in water. L-tryptophan exists in the zwitterionic form and exhibits a biexponential lifetime which is correlated to the existence of rotamer structures. Addition of formamide (F) and dimethylformamide (DMF) results in a decrease in the fluorescence lifetime and its proportion of the most stable structure of L-tryptophan wherein acetamide (ACM) results in an increase of the same.