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The Electronic Structure, Stereochemistry and Resonance Raman Spectroscopy of Carotenoids

  • Chapter
The Photochemistry of Carotenoids

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 8))

Summary

Resonance Raman Spectroscopy yields information on the conformation and the configuration of carotenoid molecules, whether isolated in solvents or embedded in soluble or membrane proteins. Deviations of the conjugated polyene chain from linearity indeed results in the appearance of new Raman bands, arising from modes which have become allowed by the change in molecular symmetry. By making use of time-resolved Raman techniques, it is possible to extend these studies to the singlet and triplet states of carotenoids, and to gain insights into the nature of these excited states. After a short introduction to the physical principles that govern resonance Raman Spectroscopy, adetailed characterization of resonance Raman spectra of carotenoids is described in this chapter, together with the experiments which helped in determining to which structural parameter each Raman band is sensitive. Applications of this technique on the carotenoid molecules involved in the photosynthetic process are then reviewed. In particular the molecular conformation and configuration of carotenoids bound to photochemical reaction centers and to light-harvesting proteins of the different photosynthetic organisms is discussed in the light of resonance Raman results.

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Abbreviations

NMR:

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

PS:

Photosystem

Rb.:

Rhodobacter

RC:

reaction center

Rps.:

Rhodopseudomonas

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section de Biophysique des protéines et des membranes, DBCM/CEA and URA 2096/CNRS, C.E. Saclay, 91191, Gif/Yvette Cedex, France

    Bruno Robert

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  1. Bruno Robert
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Harry A. Frank

  2. Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

    Andrew J. Young

  3. University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    George Britton

  4. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Richard J. Cogdell

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© 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Robert, B. (1999). The Electronic Structure, Stereochemistry and Resonance Raman Spectroscopy of Carotenoids. In: Frank, H.A., Young, A.J., Britton, G., Cogdell, R.J. (eds) The Photochemistry of Carotenoids. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48209-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48209-6_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-5942-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48209-0

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