In this paper we use ab initio multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory to establish the intrinsic photoisomerization path model of retinal chromophores. This is accomplished by computing the ground state (S0) and the first two singlet excited-state (S1, S2) energies along the rigorously determined photoisomerization coordinate of the rhodopsin chromophore model 4-cis-␥-methylnona-2,4,6,8-tetraeniminium cation and the bacteriorhodopsin chromophore model all-trans-hepta-2,4,6-trieniminium cation in isolated conditions. The computed S2 and S1 energy profiles do not show any avoided crossing feature along the S1 reaction path and maintain an energy gap >20 kcal⅐mol ؊1 . In addition, the analysis of the charge distribution shows that there is no qualitative change in the S2 and S1 electronic structure along the path. Thus, the S1 state maintains a prevalent ionic (hole-pair) character whereas the S2 state maintains a covalent (dot-dot) character. These results, together with the analysis of the S1 reaction coordinate, support a two-state, two-mode model of the photoisomerization that constitutes a substantial revision of the previously proposed models.T he photoisomerization of the retinal chromophore triggers the conformational changes underlying the activity of rhodopsin proteins (1). In rhodopsin itself (the human retina visual pigment) the retinal molecule is embedded in a cavity where it is covalently bound to a lysine residue via a protonated Schiff base (PSB) linkage. The absorption of a photon of light causes the isomerization (see equation below) of the 11-cis isomer of the retinal PSB (PSB11) to its all-trans isomer (PSBT).Similarly in the bacterial proton-pump bacteriorhodopsin, the photoexcitation causes the isomerization of the PSBT to its 13-cis isomer (PSB13). The photoisomerization of PSB11 and PSBT in the protein environment are among the fastest chemical reactions observed so far. Thus, the photoexcitation of PSB11 in rhodopsin yields a fluorescent transient with a lifetime of ca. 150 fs (2). After this state is left, ground-state PSBT is formed within 200 fs (3). Similarly, irradiation of PSBT in bacteriorhodopsin leads to formation of a 200-fs (4-7) transient and production of the PSB13 within 500 fs. In contrast, the photochemistry of free PSB11 in solution (8) is more than 1 order of magnitude slower: in methanol, PSB11 has a ca. 3-ps fluorescence lifetime and PSBT is formed in 10 ps (9). Similar lifetimes have been reported for PSBT (10-12) and PSB13 (10) in solution.The decrease in excited-state lifetime and the increase in reaction rate of chromophores bound within the protein with respect to the corresponding free forms in solution is a central problem of photobiology. The first step in the quest for a solution to this problem is the detailed understanding of the chromophore photoisomerization path. Recently, Anfinrud and coworkers (13,14) have summarized the experimental evidence in support of a three-electronic state (S 0 , S 1 , and S 2 ) model-the three-state model-of the p...

Ultrafast decay processes detected after absorption of UV radiation in gas-phase pyrimidine nucleobases uracil, thymine, and cytosine are ascribed to the barrierless character of the pathway along the low-lying 1(pipi*) hypersurface connecting the Franck-Condon region with an out-of-plane distorted ethene-like conical intersection with the ground state. Longer lifetime decays and low quantum yield emission are on the other hand related to the presence of a 1(pipi*) state planar minimum on the S1 surface and the barriers to access other conical intersections. A unified model for the three systems is established on the basis of accurate multiconfigurational CASPT2 calculations, whereas the effect of the different levels of theory on the results is carefully analyzed.