Isomerizations provide simple models for photochemistry:
Degenerate isomerization reactions are the most simple chemical reactions to model and to study. These reactions provide a training ground for the development of new techniques -- both experimental and theoretical. More generally, nondegenerate photo-isomerization reactions are responsible for numerous natural photoprocesses: rhodopsin is responsible for vision, bacterial rhodopsin provides an energy source through light harvesting, and zeoxanthin provides photoprotection for plants. Engineered isomerizations are also used in numerous laser dyes and other photoactive molecules. These simple reactions provide a tractable series of initial experiments for us to explore the dynamics near conical intersections.
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Last Updated:
April 18, 2008
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