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Title: Direct observation of light-driven, concerted electron–proton transfer

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3]
  1. Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290,
  2. Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China 030006,
  3. Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X7, Canada

Here, the phenols 4-methylphenol, 4-methoxyphenol, and N-acetyl-tyrosine form hydrogen-bonded adducts with N-methyl-4, 4'-bipyridinium cation (MQ+) in aqueous solution as evidenced by the appearance of low-energy, low-absorptivity features in UV-visible spectra. They are assigned to the known examples of optically induced, concerted electron–proton transfer, photoEPT. The results of ultrafast transient absorption measurements on the assembly MeOPhO-H---MQ+ are consistent with concerted EPT by the instantaneous appearance of spectral features for MeOPhO·---H-MQ+ in the transient spectra at the first observation time of 0.1 ps. The transient decays to MeOPhO-H---MQ+ in 2.5 ps, accompanied by the appearance of oscillations in the decay traces with a period of ~1 ps, consistent with a vibrational coherence and relaxation from a higher υ(N-H) vibrational level or levels on the timescale for back EPT.

Research Organization:
Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0001011
OSTI ID:
1326239
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1464947
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Vol. 113 Journal Issue: 40; ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher:
Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 24 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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