Ultrafast photoinduced excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) plays a crucial role in protecting biomolecules and functional materials from photodamage, but how solute-solvent interactions influence ESPT dynamics is not fully understood. Here, the authors use ultrafast absorption spectroscopy supported by quantum chemical calculations to study ESPT in a photobase, 2- (2’-pyridyl)benzimidazole, in methanol, tracking the complete reaction pathway and reporting early-time intermolecular coherent vibrations that may mediate the ESPT process.
- Ramesh Jarupula
- Yuezhi Mao
- Haiwang Yong
