FLASH PHOTOLYSIS OF <i>N</i>‐ACETYL‐L<scp>‐</scp>TRYPTOPHANAMIDE: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RADICAL YIELDS AND FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING

Abstract

Abstract— The flash photolysis of N‐acetyl‐L‐tryptophanamide (NATA) in the presence of the fluorescence quenchers, imidazole, acrylamide and trichloroethanol, has been investigated. Imadazole and acrylamide induce a decrease in the NATA radical yield which correlates with their NATA fluorescence quenching action. These observations suggest that the fluorescent state is primarily responsible for the monophotonic photoionization processes. The acrylamide data also suggest that 40–65% of the NATA radicals arise from a long‐lived state (τ˜μs) which must originate from the fluorescent state. Unlike imidazole and acrylamide, trichloroethanol enhances the radical yield by reaction with excited state precursors. Mechanisms for the quenching of fluorescence and the long‐lived states are discussed.