Presidential Young Investigator/Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Photo-Induced Electron Transfer in Complex System

久木敏夫博士得到了理论和计算化学计划授予的一位总统青年研究员的支持，该计划研究蛋白质和多肽中的电子转移动力学。对这一机制的理解是阐明光合作用中所用的捕光化学反应的基础。我们将用三管齐下的方法研究芳香族供体-受体共价络合物中的光诱导电子转移机制。首先，合成含有短程和长程施主-受体对的模型化合物。其次，将利用皮秒荧光和纳秒暂态吸收光谱研究这些合成化合物的光诱导电子转移动力学。第三，路径积分蒙特卡罗模拟将被用来模拟电子相互作用并解释被研究系统的实验观测结果。

Dr. Atsuo Kuki is supported by a Presidential Young Investigator Grant from The Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to study the dynamics of electron transfer in proteins and peptides. The understanding of this mechanism is fundamental to the elucidation of the light harvesting chemical reactions used in photosynthesis. A three pronged approach will be used to investigate the light induced electron transfer mechanism in aromatic donor-acceptor covalent complexes. First, model compounds containing short-range and long-range donor-acceptor pairs will be synthesized. Second, light-induced electron transfer kinetics of these synthetic compounds will be probed using picosecond fluorescence and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Third, path integral Monte Carlo simulations will be used to model the electronic interactions and interpret the experimental observations for the systems being studied.