Light perception is based on a cascade of complex biochemical reactions whose first step is the ultrafast (completed in ≈200 fs) and efficient (0.65 quantum yield) isomerisation of the retinal chromophore of rhodopsin around the 11=12 double bond from the 11-cis to the all-trans form (Fig. 1) [1]. It is now well established that rhodopsin's unique reactivity is mediated by conical intersections (CIs), i.e. singularities on the potential energy surfaces (PES) that form a multi-dimensional seam connecting the ground and excited states at isoenergetic points [2]. CIs are ubiquitous features in theoretical descriptions of organic photochemistry and are responsible for triggering radiationless decay and efficient and ultrafast conversion of photon energy into chemical energy.
D. Polli, D. Brida, C. Manzoni, K. M. Spillane, M. Garavelli, P. Kukura, et al. (2011). Conical intersection dynamics in a rhodopsin analog: 9-cis isorhodopsin. 2011 IEEE [10.1109/CLEOE.2011.5943521].
Conical intersection dynamics in a rhodopsin analog: 9-cis isorhodopsin
GARAVELLI, MARCO;
2011
Abstract
Light perception is based on a cascade of complex biochemical reactions whose first step is the ultrafast (completed in ≈200 fs) and efficient (0.65 quantum yield) isomerisation of the retinal chromophore of rhodopsin around the 11=12 double bond from the 11-cis to the all-trans form (Fig. 1) [1]. It is now well established that rhodopsin's unique reactivity is mediated by conical intersections (CIs), i.e. singularities on the potential energy surfaces (PES) that form a multi-dimensional seam connecting the ground and excited states at isoenergetic points [2]. CIs are ubiquitous features in theoretical descriptions of organic photochemistry and are responsible for triggering radiationless decay and efficient and ultrafast conversion of photon energy into chemical energy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
