title: Gas-Phase Femtosecond Particle Spectroscopy: A Bottom-Up Approach to Nucleotide Dynamics.
abstract: We summarize how gas-phase ultrafast charged-particle spectroscopy has been used to provide an understanding of the photophysics of DNA building blocks. We focus on adenine and discuss how, following UV excitation, specific interactions determine the fates of its excited states. The dynamics can be probed using a systematic bottom-up approach that provides control over these interactions and that allows ever-larger complexes to be studied. Starting from a chromophore in adenine, the excited state decay mechanisms of adenine and chemically substituted or clustered adenine are considered and then extended to adenosine mono-, di-, and trinucleotides. We show that the gas-phase approach can offer exquisite insight into the dynamics observed in aqueous solution, but we also highlight stark differences. An outlook is provided that discusses some of the most promising developments in this bottom-up approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom; email: v.stavros@warwick.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Vasilios G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Stavros
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; email: j.r.r.verlet@durham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jan R R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Verlet
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000737:chemistry; D000241:Adenosine / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D007477:Ions; D009711:Nucleotides; D004247:DNA; D000225:Adenine; D000241:Adenosine
keywords: DNA photophysics; conical intersections; increasing molecular complexity; ion imaging; ultrafast dynamics