Photochemistry articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    OLED materials based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence have promising efficiency. Here, the authors investigate an organometallic multicore Cu complex as luminophore, by pump-probe X-ray techniques at three different facilities deriving a complete picture of the charge transfer in the triplet excited state.

    • Grigory Smolentsev
    • , Christopher J. Milne
    •  & Matthias Vogt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Symmetric multibranched donor-acceptor molecules are promising photoactive materials for diverse applications. Here the authors show that, in octupolar and quadrupolar dyes, excited-state symmetry breaking occurs efficiently in polar solvents only and results in a concentration of the excitation that may trigger fast photochemical reactions.

    • Bogdan Dereka
    • , Denis Svechkarev
    •  & Eric Vauthey

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Circular polarization luminescence (CPL) spectroscopy is a tool to study chiroptical systems, but the measurement process is generally very slow. The authors introduce a CPL technique with much faster acquisition, demonstrating meaningful time-dependent measurements and enabling new applications.

    • Lewis E. MacKenzie
    • , Lars-Olof Pålsson
    •  & Robert Pal

  • Article
    | Open Access

    CO2 to methanol synthesis is a promising approach for renewable fuel production. Here, the authors show that UV and visible light dual activation promotes photothermal methanol production at the copper-zinc oxide interfacial perimeter by accelerating formate conversion and hydrogen molecule activation.

    • Bingqiao Xie
    • , Roong Jien Wong
    •  & Rose Amal

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electron spin is a fundamental property of molecules, and changes in spin state affect both molecular structure and dynamics. Here, the authors resolve, by ultrafast electron diffraction, the nuclear reorganization stabilizing spin transitions in a [FeII(bpy)3](PF6)2 crystal.

    • Yifeng Jiang
    • , Lai Chung Liu
    •  & R. J. Dwayne Miller

  • Article
    | Open Access

    C-N bond forming is an established strategy to form amines, which are quintessential in chemical synthesis and in nature. Here, the authors report three classes of photoredox reactions, involving C(sp3)-N coupling between N-centered radicals and alkyl radicals and C(sp3)- C(sp3) coupling via C(sp3)-H alkylation.

    • Quanping Guo
    • , Qiang Peng
    •  & Zhaoqing Xu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Excitation energy transfer within light-harvesting complex II underlies plant photosynthesis but its detailed mechanism is not yet understood. Here the authors explore, by 2D electronic-vibrational spectroscopy, the role of mixing of vibrational and electronic degrees of freedom.

    • Eric A. Arsenault
    • , Yusuke Yoneda
    •  & Graham R. Fleming

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Resolving the kinetics of energy dissipation during photosynthesis is challenging due to complex photophysics and the coexistence of multiple antenna proteins. Here Son et al. overcome this by applying ultrabroadband 2D spectroscopy to LHCII reconstituted in lipid nanodiscs, revealing mechanisms of dissipation enhanced by the membrane.

    • Minjung Son
    • , Alberta Pinnola
    •  & Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen

  • Comment
    | Open Access

    How does chemistry scale in complexity to unerringly direct biological functions? Nass Kovacs et al. have shown that bacteriorhodopsin undergoes structural changes tantalizingly similar to the expected pathway even under excessive excitation. Is the protein structure so highly evolved that it directs all deposited energy into the designed function?

    • R. J. Dwayne Miller
    • , Olivier Paré-Labrosse
    •  & Jessica E. Besaw

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Long-standing radical species have raised noteworthy concerns in organic chemistry and but there remains a substantial challenge to produce long-standing radicals by light. Here, the authors demonstrate a stable dithienylethene derived photochromic radical for detection of peroxides and ozone.

    • Xuanying Chen
    • , Wandong Zhao
    •  & Liangliang Zhu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A better understanding of processes responsible for photocurrent generation in semiconductors and nanocomposites is essential in many applications. Here, authors use a ZnO-based hybrid material to demonstrate an unusual photocurrent switching effect induced by varying irradiation intensities.

    • Agnieszka Podborska
    • , Maciej Suchecki
    •  & Konrad Szaciłowski

  • Comment
    | Open Access

    A pharmaceutical industry viewpoint on how the fundamental laws of photochemistry are used to identify the parameters required to implement photochemistry from lab to scale. Parameters such as photon stoichiometry and light intensity are highlighted within to inform future publications.

    • Holly E. Bonfield
    • , Thomas Knauber
    •  & Lee J. Edwards

  • Comment
    | Open Access

    Can organic chemistry mimic nature in efficiency and sustainability? Not yet, but recent developments in photoredox catalysis animated the synthetic chemistry field, providing greener opportunities for industry and academia.

    • Giacomo E. M. Crisenza
    •  & Paolo Melchiorre

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoinduced non-adiabatic intramolecular processes have important applications but their mechanisms are challenging to explore. Here the authors detect and assign vibrational wavepacket dynamics in a Fe carbene complex by ultrafast X-ray emission spectroscopy and X-ray scattering, resolving nuclear and electronic motion.

    • Kristjan Kunnus
    • , Morgane Vacher
    •  & Kelly J. Gaffney

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Covalently bridged π-stacked dimers are excellent molecular platforms for understanding the relationship between stacking orientation and properties. Here, the authors synthesize a pair of π-stacked dimers that are aligned either cofacially or crosswise, allowing them to compare how the intramolecular stacking mode affects each dimer’s photoswitching properties.

    • Ru-Qiang Lu
    • , Xiao-Yun Yan
    •  & Xiao-Yu Cao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Singlet fission is a promising carrier multiplication process, where a singlet exciton is split in two triplet states. Here the authors propose an oxygen-assisted two-step mechanism for singlet fission accounting for ~ 40% triplet quantum yield in dilute solutions where the single-step mechanism is inactive.

    • Nikolaus Wollscheid
    • , J. Luis Pérez Lustres
    •  & Tiago Buckup

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Low dimensional lead halide perovskites possess intriguing optical properties that are still under debate. Here Cui et al. use hydrogen bonds containing spacers to synthesize highly luminescent perovskites with fully isolated lead-bromide octahedras and shed light on the origin of the emission.

    • Bin-Bin Cui
    • , Ying Han
    •  & Qi Chen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The development of lightweight and safe hydrogen carrier materials is desirable for hydrogen energy storage and release. Here, authors prepare hydrogen boride nanosheets and observe hydrogen gas production induced by light irradiation.

    • Reiya Kawamura
    • , Nguyen Thanh Cuong
    •  & Masahiro Miyauchi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sinapate esters are promising nature-inspired sunscreen and antioxidant agents but their photoisomerization may lead to ineffective or harmful species. Here the authors propose a symmetric ester with indistinguishable trans and cis isomers and prove its effectiveness by optical spectroscopies on a skin mimic.

    • Michael D. Horbury
    • , Emily L. Holt
    •  & Vasilios G. Stavros

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Light-harvesting antennas and efficient energy transfer enable photosynthesis in low light conditions in natural systems. Here the authors resolve exciton properties and the role of structural hierarchy in a model light-harvesting complex by excited-state 2D spectroscopy on a microfluidic platform.

    • Björn Kriete
    • , Julian Lüttig
    •  & Maxim S. Pshenichnikov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Activatable fluorophores are of interest for a wide range of applications but the need for caging groups complicates their development and application. Here, the authors report on a photoactivatable silicon rhodamine derivative and its application in live cell imaging and single-particle tracking.

    • Michelle S. Frei
    • , Philipp Hoess
    •  & Kai Johnsson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ultrafast photo-induced processes in complex systems require theoretical models and their experimental validation which are still lacking. Here the authors investigate singlet fission in a pentacene dimer by a combined experimental and theoretical approach providing a real-time visualisation of the process.

    • Christoph Schnedermann
    • , Antonios M. Alvertis
    •  & Andrew J. Musser

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Many animals use the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation, yet the underlying principles are poorly understood. The authors show that a molecular triad acts as a chemical compass in magnetic fields of similar magnitude to that of the Earth, supporting the hypothesis that photo-initiated quantum processes underlie bird magnetoreception.

    • Christian Kerpal
    • , Sabine Richert
    •  & Christiane R. Timmel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nonadiabatic excited state processes involve mixing of electronic and nuclear wavefunctions, which are difficult to disentangle. Here the authors explore by time-resolved X-ray absorption near edge structure the wavepacket dynamics of a copper(I)-phenanthroline complex, resolving different vibrational modes.

    • Tetsuo Katayama
    • , Thomas Northey
    •  & Thomas J. Penfold

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photo-induced polymerizations are being utilized to design and fabricate macromolecular structures with spatial and temporal control. Here the authors use a near-infrared light free-radical photoinitiator consisting of oxime-ester coumarin functionalities on the surface of upconversion nanoparticles for free-radical and thiol-ene photopolymerizations.

    • Zhiquan Li
    • , Xiucheng Zou
    •  & Yusuf Yagci

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bacteriorhodopsin (bR) is a light-driven proton pump. Here the authors combine time-resolved crystallography at a free-electron laser, ultrafast spectroscopy and quantum chemistry to study the structural changes following multiphoton photoexcitation of bR and find that they occur within 300 fs not only in the light-absorbing chromophore but also in the surrounding protein.

    • Gabriela Nass Kovacs
    • , Jacques-Philippe Colletier
    •  & Ilme Schlichting

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoswitchable nanoparticles can be used for selective imaging in biological systems but usually have only one color. Here the authors develop a two-color fluorescent emissive system that allows full on-off switching of one component color of the system while the other color is unaffected, which has implications for super-resolution imaging.

    • Dojin Kim
    • , Keunsoo Jeong
    •  & Soo Young Park

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Confidently separating the photothermal effect from the generation of energetic charge carriers and quantifying their relative contribution to chemical reactions remain a great challenge in plasmon-mediated chemical reactions. Here, authors describe a strategy based on the construction of a plasmonic electrode coupled with photoelectrochemistry to quantitatively disentangle these two effects.

    • Chao Zhan
    • , Bo-Wen Liu
    •  & Zhong-Qun Tian

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tsuji–Trost allylation is a traditional method for selective C-C bond formation that involves the use of palladium-based catalysts. Here, the authors report a metal-free, photocatalytic allylation of several heterocycles, amines and alcohols, which can be easily tuned towards the Z- or E- allylated product.

    • Ana María Martínez-Gualda
    • , Rafael Cano
    •  & José Alemán

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Semiconducting covalent organic frameworks (COF) with conjugated structures are desired for optoelectric conversion but poor reversibility of bond forming reactions hampers the formation of crystalline structures. Here, the authors synthesise COFs with disubstituted C = C linkages which enable water splitting under visible light irradiation.

    • Shuai Bi
    • , Can Yang
    •  & Fan Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Molecular photoswitches provide an extremely simple solution for solar energy conversion and storage. Here, the authors report on the assembly of an operational solar energy-storing organic-oxide hybrid interface, which consists of a tailor-made molecular photoswitch and an atomically-defined semiconducting oxide film.

    • Christian Schuschke
    • , Chantal Hohner
    •  & Jörg Libuda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The design of photoswitches which operate in the visible light regime, show a large separation of absorption bands and are functional in various solvents is challenging. Here the authors report Iminothioindoxyls as visible-light operated photoswitches with a band separation of 100 nm.

    • Mark W. H. Hoorens
    • , Miroslav Medved’
    •  & Wiktor Szymanski

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Personal protective air filtration masks are becoming increasingly desirable, but most commercial air purifiers have poor biocidal capabilities. Here the authors fabricate metal–organic framework-based air filters with both high particulate matter removal efficiencies and photocatalytic bactericidal properties.

    • Ping Li
    • , Jiazhen Li
    •  & Bo Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The donor–acceptor (D-A) conjugation has been adopted for two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for efficient generation of free charge carriers. Here, the authors investigate the dynamics of photogenerated charge carriers in 2D D-A COFs by combining femtosecond optical spectroscopy and non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulation.

    • Tae Wu Kim
    • , Sunhong Jun
    •  & Hyotcherl Ihee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Asymmetric transformations involving abundant chemical feedstocks such as toluene and its derivatives are rather rare. Here, the authors report the radical enantioselective C(sp3) −C(sp3) coupling of activated ketones with toluenes by means of chiral acid catalysis to afford enantioenriched tertiary alcohols.

    • Fuyuan Li
    • , Dong Tian
    •  & Zhiyong Jiang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The mechanism of the non-radiative recombination in halide perovskite nanocrystals has not been fully understood. Here Gerhard et al. resolve the contributions of individual recombination centers by photoluminescence blinking measurements and identify ion migration as the underlying mechanism.

    • Marina Gerhard
    • , Boris Louis
    •  & Ivan G. Scheblykin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Super-resolution microscopy with spontaneously blinking dyes is dependent on pH and polarity of the medium. Here the authors introduce a photoactivatable fluxional fluorophore for live cell imaging that allows control over the fraction of spontaneously blinking molecules independently of medium properties.

    • Elias A. Halabi
    • , Dorothea Pinotsi
    •  & Pablo Rivera-Fuentes

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Two-photon absorption capacity of azobenzene photoswitches usually comes with a reduction in thermal stability. Here, the authors developed photoswitches with high two-photon sensitivity and enhanced cis isomer thermal lifetime for the control of glutamate receptors.

    • Gisela Cabré
    • , Aida Garrido-Charles
    •  & Ramon Alibés

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