Cole Jacqueline M
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK.
Acta Crystallogr A. 2008 Jan;64(Pt 1):259-71. doi: 10.1107/S0108767307065324. Epub 2007 Dec 21.
This review describes the development and application of a new crystallographic technique that is starting to enable the three-dimensional structural determination of molecules in their photo-activated states. So called ;photocrystallography' has wide applicability, particularly in the currently exciting area of photonics, and a discussion of this applied potential is put into context in this article. Studies are classified into four groups: photo-structural changes that are (i) irreversible; (ii) long-lived but reversible under certain conditions; (iii) transient with photo-active lifetimes of the order of microseconds; (iv) very short lived, existing at the nanosecond or even picosecond level. As photo-structural changes relative to the ;ground state' can be subtle, this article necessarily concentrates on small-molecule single-crystal X-ray diffraction given that high atomic resolution is possible. That said, where it is pertinent, references are also made to related major advances in photo-induced macromolecular crystallography. The review concludes with an outlook on this new research area, including the future possibility of studying even more ephemeral, femtosecond-lived, photo-active species.
本综述描述了一种新的晶体学技术的发展与应用，该技术开始能够确定处于光激活状态的分子的三维结构。所谓的“光晶体学”具有广泛的适用性，尤其是在当前令人兴奋的光子学领域，本文将对这种应用潜力进行背景探讨。研究分为四类：（i）不可逆的光结构变化；（ii）寿命长但在某些条件下可逆的光结构变化；（iii）光活性寿命在微秒级的瞬态光结构变化；（iv）寿命非常短，存在于纳秒甚至皮秒级别的光结构变化。由于相对于“基态”的光结构变化可能很细微，鉴于可以实现高原子分辨率，本文必然集中于小分子单晶X射线衍射。话虽如此，在相关的地方，也会提及光诱导大分子晶体学的相关重大进展。综述最后展望了这个新的研究领域，包括未来研究更短暂的、飞秒寿命的光活性物种的可能性。
