Bioorganic and Environmental Photochemistry

Catalog description

This discusses the fundamental principles of molecular and supramolecular photochemistry. In particular, the fundamental paradigms of light absorption by molecules and the photochemical and photophysical mechanisms by which molecules dispose of the excess energy after light absorption will be described. The goal is to develop paradigms for understanding experimental and theoretical aspects of molecular photophysics relevant to bioorganic, supramolecular, and environmental photochemistry, as well as to other light-induced processes such as photosynthesis, photocatalysis, and photovoltaics. The paradigms for determining photochemical mechanisms, the theory of the fundamental photochemical primary processes, and examples of important photochemical primary processes will be reviewed. Selected experimental techniques and theoretical methods used to probe the dynamics of electronic excited states in molecules and their photoreactivity will be presented. Advanced photochemical applications for understanding the electronic relaxation pathways and photochemistry of selected families of bioorganic molecules and environmental pollutants in natural waters will be discussed. Recommended Preparation: Chemical Kinetics ( CHEM 406 or equivalent) and Elementary Differential Equations ( MATH 224 or equivalent). Prereq: CHEM 336 and MATH 124 .