Asymmetric Double Proton Transfer of Excited 1:1 7‐Azaindole/Alcohol Complexes with Anomalously Large and Temperature‐Independent Kinetic Isotope Effects

Abstract

Bridging alcohols, tunneling protons: The intrinsic proton-transfer dynamics of cyclic H-bonded 1:1 7-azaindole/alcohol complexes in n-alkanes has been investigated at the lowest-lying excited singlet state with variation of alcohol, solvent, isotope, and temperature by using static and time-resolved spectroscopy. The proton transfer occurs asymmetrically, and the rate is governed by tunneling although it is assisted by heavy-atom motions.