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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik
MO 10: Poster – Ultrafast Structural Dynamics
MO 10.4: Poster
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 17:00–19:00, Philo 1. OG
Studying UV-induced dynamics in disulfide systems — •Sumukh Venkatesh Makam1, James Merrick2, Benoît Richard3,4,5, Sergey Usenko1, Robin Santra3,4,5, Michael Meyer1, Patrick A. Robertson6, Matthew S. Robinson1, and et al1 — 1European X-ray Free Electron Laser, Schenefeld, Germany — 2Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK — 3CFEL, DESY, Hamburg, Germany — 4Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. — 5The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Hamburg, Germany. — 6School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
Disulfide bonds (S-S) have a critical role in everyday chemistry, defining the tertiary structure of proteins. However, they undergo ultrafast fission when exposed to UV light leading to protein denaturation [1,2].
1,2-Dithiane is a model system that simulates the structural constraints of S-S bonds in proteins, and theoretical work predicts that it undergoes a cyclic ring-opening/closing process via S-S bond fission following UV (266 nm) excitation [2]. We present recent results obtained at the EuXFEL SQS Instrument in which these dynamics were captured via Coulomb Explosion Imaging.
In addition we also detail future plans to investigate the competing S-S and S-C fission processes following 200 nm absorption.
[1] A.B. Stephansen, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 20279 (2012).
[2] C.D. Rankine, et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 18, 27170 (2016).
Keywords: dithiane; coulomb-explosion-imaging; ultrafast chemistry; disulphide; UV-dynamics