Indigo Chromophores and Pigments Structure and Dynamics
Dyes and Pigments 172 (2020) 107761 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Dyes and Pigments journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/dyepig Indigo chromophores and pigments: Structure and dynamics T ∗ V.V. Volkova, R. Chellib, R. Righinic, C.C. Perrya, a Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom b Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy c European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Nello Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: In this study, we explore the molecular mechanisms of the stability of indigo chromophores and pigments. Indigo Assisted with density functional theory, we compare visible, infrared and Raman spectral properties of model Raman molecules, chromophores and pigments derived from living organisms. Using indigo carmine as a representative Infrared model system, we characterize the structure and dynamics of the chromophore in the first electronic excited Density functional theory state using femtosecond visible pump-infrared probe spectroscopy. Results of experiments and theoretical stu- Excited state dies indicate that, while the trans geometry is strongly dominant in the electronic ground state, upon photo- excitation, in the Franck-Condon region, some molecules may experience isomerization and proton transfer dynamics. If this happens, however, the normal modes of the trans geometry of the electronic excited state are reconfirmed within several hundred femtoseconds. Supported by quantum theory, first, we ascribe stabilization of the trans geometry in the Franck-Condon region to the reactive character of the potential energy surface for the indigo chromophore when under the cis geometry in the electronic excited state.
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