New theoretical insights on the nonradiative relaxation mechanism of the core structure of mycosporines: The amino-cyclohexenone central template

We present a comprehensive computational study describing the excited state dynamics and consequent photostability of amino-cyclohexenone (ACyO), the central template of mycosporine systems, widely recognized for their photoprotection of aquatic species. Photoexcitation to the first excited electronic state (S1, 1nπ*) of ACyO is considered an optically dark transition, while photoexcitation to the second excited electronic state (S21ππ*) is an optically bright 1ππ* transition and largely responsible for UV absorption properties of this molecule. We show that following initial photoexcitation to S2, ACyO relaxes via two competing deactivation mechanisms, each mediated by an S1/S0 conical intersection, which directs the excited state population to the electronic ground state (S0). Our ab initio computational results are supported with nonadiabatic dynamics simulation results, yielding an excited state lifetime of ∼280 fs for this system in vacuo. These results explain the inherent photostability of this core structure, commonplace in a wide range of microorganisms.