title: Synchrotron ultrafast techniques for photoactive transition metal complexes.
abstract: In the last decade, the use of time-resolved X-ray techniques has revealed the structure of light-generated transient species for a wide range of samples, from small organic molecules to proteins. Time resolutions of the order of 100 ps are typically reached, allowing one to monitor thermally equilibrated excited states and capture their structure as a function of time. This review aims at providing a general overview of the application of time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (TR-XSS) and time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (TR-XAS), the two techniques prevalently employed in the investigation of light-triggered structural changes of transition metal complexes. In particular, we herein describe the fundamental physical principles for static XSS and XAS and illustrate the theory of time-resolved XSS and XAS together with data acquisition and analysis strategies. Selected pioneering examples of photoactive transition metal complexes studied by TR-XSS and TR-XAS are discussed in depth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, NIS Centre of Excellence, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borfecchia
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garino
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salassa
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lamberti
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D028561:Transition Elements
keywords: photochemistry; synchrotron; time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy; time-resolved X-ray scattering; transition metal complexes; ultrafast techniques