A presente tese descreve o estudo cinético e mecanístico da desativação do estado singlete- e triplete-excitado de flavinas por esteróis (colesterol e ergosterol), vitamina D, coenzima Q10, vitamina K, ácidos graxos e metabólitos da cafeína. Através da análise de Stern-Volmer da supressão de fluorescência da riboflavina pelo colesterol, ergosterol, vitamina D, vitamina K, e pela coenzima Q10 observa-se que o estado singlete excitado da riboflavina é desativado com constante de velocidade superior ao limite da difusão. No entanto, a presença de colesterol, ergosterol, vitamina D, vitamina K e coenzima Q10 não afeta o tempo de vida do estado singlete excitado da riboflavina como demonstrado por experimentos de contagem de fótons resolvido no tempo sugerindo a formação de um complexo precursor [riboflavina...substrato]. O complexo 1:1 formado entre a riboflavina e a vitamina D apresenta Ka = 4 x 104 ± 3 mol⋅L-1 a 25 0C com ΔH0 = -36 ± 7 kJ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = -5 ± 3 J⋅mol-1 ⋅K-1. O complexo 1:1 entre a riboflavina e a vitamina K (vit K) e a riboflavina com a coenzima Q10 (CoQ10) apresentam Ka = 1 x 103 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 com ΔH0 = -110 ± 22 kJ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = 51 ± 9 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 para a vit K e Ka = 4 x 102 ± 1 mol⋅L-1, ΔH0 = -120 ± 27 kJ ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = 41 ± 7 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 para a CoQ10 a 25 0C. Para a desativação do estado triplete da riboflavina, foram obtidas constantes bimoleculares de velocidade variando de 1,4 x 108 L ⋅mol-1⋅s-1 (vit D) a 1,4 x 109 L ⋅mol-1⋅s-1 (CoQ10). Observa-se supressão da emissão de fluorescência da riboflavina na presença de metabolitos da cafeína, no entanto, sem alterar o tempo de vida do estado singlete excitado da riboflavina sugerindo a formação de um complexo precursor [riboflavina...substrato]. O complexo formado entre a riboflavina e os metabólitos da cafeína apresentam Ka = 295 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 com ΔH0 = -45 ± 8 kJ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = 12 ± 1 J⋅mol-1⋅K-1 para o ácido 1,7-dimetil úrico, Ka = 289 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 com ΔH0 = -38 ± 5 kJ ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = 9 ± 2 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 para o ácido 1-metil úrico e Ka = 275 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 com ΔH0 = 16 ± 3 kJ ⋅mol-1 e ΔS0 = 6 ± 1J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 para a 1,7-dimetilxantina a 25 0C. Para a desativação do estado triplete da riboflavina, foram obtidas constantes de velocidade de 3kq = 4,2 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 para a 1,7-dimetilxantina, 3kq = 1,0 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 para o ácido 1,7-dimetil úrico e 3kq = 1,4 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 para o ácido 1-metil úrico. Os ésteres metílicos (oleato de metila, ácido linoléico conjugado (CLA), linoleato de metila, linolenato de metila, araquidonato de metila, eicosapentanoato de metila, e docosahexanoato de metila) não desativam o estado singlete-excitado da riboflavina. Entretanto, os ésteres metílicos se mostraram reativos frente ao estado triplete da riboflavina com constantes de velocidades 3kq variando de 8,4 x 105 a 3,3 x 107 L⋅smol-1 ⋅s-1 com uma dependência linear do número de hidrogênios bis-alílicos com excessão do CLA. / The present thesis describes the kinetic and mechanistic studies of flavin singlet- and triplet-excited states deactivation by sterols (ergosterol and cholesterol), vitamin D, coenzyme Q10, vitamin K, fatty acids, and caffeine metabolites. From the Stern-Volmer analysis of the riboflavin fluorescence quenching by cholesterol, ergosterol, vitamin D, vitamin K and coenzyme Q10, it is noted that the singlet-excited state of riboflavin is deactivated with a rate constant exceeding the diffusion limit. However, the presence of cholesterol, ergosterol, vitamin D, vitamin K, coenzyme Q10 did not affect the lifetime of singlet-excited riboflavin as probed by single photon counting experiments suggesting the formation of a ground-state precursor complex [riboflavin ...substrate]. The 1:1 complex formed between riboflavin and vitamin D showed Ka = 4 x 104 ± 3 mol⋅L-1 a 25 0C with ΔH0 = -36 ± 7 kJ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = -5 ± 3 J⋅mol-1 ⋅K-1. The 1:1 complex formed between riboflavin and vitamin K (vit K) and riboflavin with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) showed Ka = 1 x 103 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 with ΔH0 = -110 ± 22 kJ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = 51 ± 9 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 for vit K e Ka =4 x 102 ± 1 mol⋅L-1, ΔH0 = -120 ± 27 kJ ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = 41 ± 7 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 for CoQ10 a 25 0C. For the deactivation of triplet riboflavin, bimolecular rate constants were found to vary from 1,4 x 108 L ⋅mol-1⋅s-1 (vit D) a 1,4 x 109 L ⋅mol-1⋅s-1 (CoQ10). The caffeine metabolites quench fluorescence emission of riboflavin however, without affecting the lifetime of the singlet-excited state, suggesting the formation of a ground state precursor complex [riboflavin ... substrate]. The complex formed between riboflavin and caffeine metabolites showed Ka = 295 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 with ΔH0 = -45 ± 8 kJ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = 12 ± 1 J⋅mol-1⋅K-1for 1,7-dimetyl uric acid, Ka = 289 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 with ΔH0 = -38 ± 5 kJ ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = 9 ± 2 J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 for 1-methyl uric acid and Ka = 275 ± 1 mol⋅L-1 with ΔH0 = 16 ± 3 kJ ⋅mol-1 and ΔS0 = 6 ± 1J ⋅mol-1⋅K-1 for 1,7-dimethylxanthine at 25 0C. For the deactivation of triplet riboflavin, rate constant were obtained with 3kq = 4,2 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 para a 1,7-dimethylxanthine, 3kq = 1,0 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 for 1,7-dimethyl uric acid, and 3kq = 1,4 x 108 L.mol-1.s-1 for 1-methyl uric acid. The methyl esters (methyl oleate, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), methyl linoleate, methyl linoleate, methyl arachidonate, methyl eicosapentanoate, and methyl docosahexanoate) did not quench the singlet-excited riboflavin. However, the methyl esters were shown to be reactive towards triplet riboflavin with rate constants ranging from 8,4 x 105 a 3,3 x 107 L⋅mol-1 ⋅s-1and depending linearly with the number of bis-allylic hydrogens with exception to CLA.

The photosensitized processes significantly enhance photolysis of various chemicals in the aqueous system with dissolved organic matter (DOM) as sensitizer. The excitation of chromophores on the DOM molecule further generates reactive species as triplet states DOM, singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, carbonate radical etc. We investigated the photosensitization properties of Beaufort Fulvic Acid, Suwannee River Fulvic Acid, South Platte River Fulvic Acid, and Jeddah wastewater treatment plant effluent organic matter with a sunlight simulator. DOM photochemical properties were characterized by observing their performances in 3DOM*, singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical production with indirect probing protocols. Sensitized degradation of 0.1 μM and 0.02 μM 2, 4, 6- Trimethylphenol exhibited higher pseudo-first-order rate constant than that of 10 μM. Pre-irradiated DOMs were found to be depressed in photochemical properties. Photolysis of 5 different contaminants: ibuprofen, bisphenol A, acetaminophen, cimetidine, and caffeine were found to be enhanced in the presence of sensitizers. The possible reaction pathways were revealed. Long time irradiance induced change in contaminants degradation kinetics in some DOM solutions, which was proposed to be due to the irradiation initiated indirect transformation of DOMs. Key Words: Photolysis Dissolved Organic Matter, Triplet State DOM, Singlet Oxygen, Hydroxyl Radical, Contaminants Degradation.

The use of fluorescent proteins as fluorescent markers has exploded over the last decades. In particular due to the development of advanced microscopy for live cell measurements, dynamic molecular studies down to single molecule levels and for superresolution microscopy. Many variants of fluorescent proteins exist with varying properties, such as emission color, photostability and brightness. These properties enable advanced applications, like timeresolved imaging or imaging below the diffraction limit. However, the photophysics of fluorescent proteins are complex and in many aspects quite unexplored. The triplet state in particular, is a central photophysical state because it is an entrance gate to an ensamble of deleterious photochemical processes that compromise the photostability of fluorescent proteins.The Pixel team at Institute de Biologie Structurale in France, is mainly focused on developing fluorescent proteins for advanced fluorescence imaging. One of the goals is to understand the influence of photochemistry on the properties of fluorescent proteins.In this project, a method to indirectly observe the triplet state in the prototypical EGFP fluorescent protein was developed. The introduction of new hardware and software, coupled to biophysical experiments, required an interdisciplinary strategy to tackle the obstacles during the route. Experiments under different environmental conditions to test the influence on the population of the triplet state of viscosity, pH, UV and infrared light, triplet state quenchers and temperature were performed.The results show that temperature and laser power greatly influence the triplet state kinetics in EGFP. Notably, it was found that the triplet state lifetime strongly increases at cryotemperature in comparison to roomtemperature. Overall, the newly developed setup and our preliminary results on EGFP open the door to novel studies on the photophysical properties of fluorescent proteins. / Nyttjandet av fluorescerande proteiner som markörer har exploderat de senaste årtionden. Speciellt till följd av utvecklingen av avancerad mikroskopi för levande cellmätningar, dynamiska molekylära studier ned till enstaka molekylnivåer och för superupplösnings mikroskopi. Många varianter av fluorescerande proteiner förekommer med varierande egenskaper så som färg, fotostabilitet och ljusstyrka. Dessa proteiner möjliggör avancerade applikationer, som tidsupplöst bildgivning eller bildgivning med upplösning under diffraktionsgränsen. Fotofysiken bakom fluorescerande proteiner är komplex och i många aspekter ganska outforskad. Triplettillståndet är ett centralt fotofysiskt tillstånd eftersom det är en ingångsport till en rad skadliga fotokemiska processer som äventyrar fotostabiliteten hos fluorescerance proteiner.Pixelteamet på Institute de Biologie Structurale i Frankrike, fokuserar huvudsakligen på utveckling av fluorescerande proteiner för avancerad fluorescerande bildgivning. Ett av målen är att förstå hur fotokemi påverkar egenskaperna hos fluorescerande proteiner.I det här projektet har en metod för att indirekt observera triplettillståndet i det prototypiska fluorescerande proteinet EGFP utvecklats. Introduktionen av ny hårdvara och mjukvara, i kombination med biofysikaliska experiment, krävde en interdisiplinär strategi för att tackla utmaningarna under vägens gång. Experiment under olika miljömässiga förhållanden gjordes för att testa hur populationen av triplettillståndet påverkas till följd av viskositet, pH, UV och infrarött ljus, triplettillståndshämmare och temperatur.Resultaten visar att temperatur och lasereffekt har en stor påverkan på triplettillståndet och dess kinetik hos EGFP. Noterbart är att triplettillståndets livstid ökar kraftigt i kryotemperatur i jämförelse med rumstemperatur. Sammanfattningsvis så utvecklades en ny experimentel uppställning och de tidiga resultaten från EGFP har öppnat dörren för nya studier rörande de fotofysiska egenskaperna hos fluorescerande proteiner.

It has long been recognized that course and efficiency of a chemical reaction is largely mediated by the short-lived transient species (excited state or radicals) which are formed as reactive intermediates during a chemical reaction. Subtle changes not only in the bonding and electronic distributions but also in the conformations and geometries of these intermediates have a dramatic influence on the reactivity. A detailed understanding of the structural and dynamical aspects of electronic excited states is therefore essential towards unraveling photoinduced natural processes and for designing novel photonic materials. Time-resolved techniques have been widely used to study the transient species (or intermediates) formed during photochemical and photophysical reactions for better understanding of the reaction mechanism and dynamics. Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy is a promising tool to study the temporal dynamics and the kinetics of photophysical processes. But the absorption spectra of species in solution usually consist of broad spectral band revealing little or no information about the structure of the transient species under investigation. Time-resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy, on the other hand, is a potential sensitive modality, which not only allows one to study the dynamics but also provides the vibrational structure of the transient species of interest in microsecond to picosecond time scale. Moreover, by choosing the wavelength of excitation one can selectively probe the particular transient species from a complex molecular system especially a biological molecule. Thioxanthone (TX) is well known for its dramatic solvatochromic behavior and has drawn enormous attention in the recent years. The objective of present thesis has been to understand the solvent-induced structural changes on the lowest excited triplet state of TX and its derivatives. We have primarily employed nanosecond TR3 spectroscopy, a pump-probe technique, to investigate structure of the lowest excited triplet state. Transient absorption experiments have also been carried out to study the excited electronic states. In order to substantiate our experimental findings and also to get more insight into the triplet-state structure, we have performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The polarizable continuum solvation model has been employed to account for the solvent effect into the computation. Time dependent (TD) -DFT calculations have also been performed to get the energy and the structure of the excited states. The present thesis has been divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 gives brief literature review on photochemistry and photophysics of TX and the introduction to the TR3 technique. In this chapter we have briefly introduced key concepts which form the basis of the thesis. Chapter 2 covers the experimental and theoretical methodologies used in the present thesis work. The major components of the TR3 spectrometer as well as the important technical aspect of the TR3 technique have been discussed in detail. In the section of the theoretical method, basic concepts of the computational method, density functional theory and key concepts related to the solvation are briefly discussed. Chapter 3 focuses on a systematic vibrational study of the ground and lowest triplet states of TX. TR3 experiments have been carried out and the observed vibrational frequencies have been assigned. It has been observed that electronic excitation distorts the molecule, enabling the increased electron delocalization in the central ring keeping the ground state symmetry intact. The largest structural reorganization is observed in the central ring of TX, consisting of an oxygen atom. Normal mode analyses show that the normal mode composition is significantly influenced by the electronic excitation. The C=C stretching and C=O stretching modes are coupled to a greater extent in the triplet state as compared to the ground state. In the ground state, the two high-frequency modes can be assigned almost exclusively to the C=O stretching and C=C stretching, whereas in the triplet state, both of these coordinates have comparable contributions to the two totally symmetric modes. Chapter 4 deals with a very unique observation of simultaneous detection of two triplets. This is the first time when two triplet states have been simultaneously deleted using TR3 experiments. We have performed TR3 experiments in wide variety of solvents differing in their polarities and hydrogen atom donor abilities. The transient Raman signal has been observed from both n - π∗ and π - π∗ triplet states simultaneously. The population ratio of the two triplet states has been found to be dependent on the solvent polarity. Additionally, the excitation wavelength study has revealed that the relative ratios of the transient Raman peaks (assigned to two different triplet states) change with the excitation wavelength. Our claim of simultaneous detection of two triplets has been reconfirmed by triplet quenching experiments carried out at different temperature. It has also been observed that the CO bond length is very sensitive to the solvent polarity and specific interactions play an important role in determining the structure of lowest triplet-state. In Chapter 5, we focus on the understanding of the effect of chlorine substitution on the lowest excited triplet state of TX. TR3 spectroscopy has been used as an experimental tool to study the vibrational structure of 2-chlorothioxanthone (CTX). TR3 results indicate the coexistence of two lowest triplet states in the thermal equilibrium akin to the parent compound. The above observation has been further substantiated by probe wavelength dependent study. The configuration of the T1 state has been assigned to π – π∗, whereas the T2 state has been ascribed as n - π∗. The population ratio of 3n - π∗ to 3 π - π ∗ triplet states has been found to be more for CTX as compared to TX which has been substantiated by the flash photolysis experiments. Chapter 6 highlights the influence of solvent effect on lowest triplet state structure of CTX. Transient absorption spectroscopy has been employed to understand the triplet state electronic structure; whereas solvent induced changes in the structure of the lowest triplet state have been studied using TR3 spectroscopy. Time-resolved absorption measurements show that solvent polarity has dramatic dependence on the wavelength of T1 - Tn absorption maximum. A good correlation between the wavelength of T1 - Tn absorption maximum and ET(30) value of the solvent is observed. TR3 experiments carried out in solvents of varying polarities indicate that the contribution of n - π∗ character to the lowest excited triplet state increases with the increase in the solvent polarity. Both transient absorption and TR3 studies reveal that specific solvent effect is more pronounced in comparison to the nonspecific solvent effect. Chapter 7 of the thesis deals with the study on the triplet state structure and solvent effect on 2-trifluoromethyl Thioxanthone. Flash photolysis in tandem with TR3 spectroscopy has been employed to understand both the electronic and the vibrational structures of this pharmaceutically important thioxanthone derivative. Experiments have also been carried out in solvents of varying polarities to study solvent-induced changes in the triplet-state electronic spectra. We have observed the coexistence of two lowest triplet states alike the parent compound. The T1 state has been assigned to π - π∗ state, whereas n - π∗ configuration has been attributed to the T2 state. The wavelength of triplet-triplet absorption maximum of the lowest triplet state has been found to be sensitive to the solvent polarity and good correlation has been observed with the ET(30) value. The transient Raman results indicate that the CF3 substitution leads to increase in the population ratio of n - π∗ and π - π ∗ triplet states. Finally, Chapter 8 contains overall summary of the thesis and future directions of the present investigation.

The research described in this thesis employs a variety of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) techniques for the study of the electronic and structural properties of artificial supramolecular porphyrin systems and of protein complexes of biological relevance. The electron delocalisation in the cationic radical and photoexcited triplet states of linear and cyclic Π-conjugated multiporphyrin arrays was investigated. In the radical cations, information on the extent of delocalisation can be inferred from the measurement of hyperfine couplings, either indirectly from the continuous wave EPR spectrum or directly using pulsed hyperfine EPR techniques. The results of room temperature EPR experiments showed complete delocalisation of the electron on the timescale of the EPR experiments, but frozen solution EPR measurements revealed localisation onto mainly two to three porphyrin units in the larger porphyrin systems. Information on the delocalisation of the triplet state in the same porphyrin systems is contained both in the hyperfine couplings and in the zero-field splitting (ZFS) interaction. The results outlined in this thesis show that the hyperfine couplings provide a much more accurate estimate of the extent of delocalisation. The trends in proton and nitrogen hyperfine couplings with the size of the porphyrin systems indicate uneven spin density distributions over the linear arrays, but complete delocalisation in the cyclic systems. Time-resolved EPR and magnetophotoselection experiments have shown a reorientation of the zero-field splitting tensor between a single porphyrin unit and longer linear arrays, resulting in alignment of the main optical transition moment and the Z axis of the ZFS tensor. Continuous wave and pulsed dipolar EPR techniques were employed for the determination of the structure of two different protein complexes, the homomultimeric twin-arginine translocase A (TatA) protein channel and the ferredoxin-P450 complex of the electron transport chain in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans. The interaction between nitroxide spin labels introduced at different positions of the TatA monomer was investigated in the complex reconstituted in detergent micelles by analysing the dipolar broadening of the EPR spectra and the results of three- and four-pulse Double Electron-Electron Resonance (DEER) measurements. In combination with results from NMR and molecular dynamics calculations, a structure for the channel complex was proposed. The structure of the ferredoxin-cytochrome P450 complex was investigated by orientation-selective DEER between nitroxide labels introduced on the cytochrome P450 protein and the iron-sulfur cluster of the ferredoxin. The distance and orientation information contained in the experimental DEER data was interpreted in terms of a structural model of the protein complex by orientation-selective DEER simulations combined with a modelling approach based on protein-protein docking.

The main focus of this thesis is on the aromaticity of the ground state and electronically excited states of π-conjugated molecules and polymers, as well as how aromaticity is connected to their properties. The electronic structures of polybenzenoid hydrocarbons (PBHs) were explored through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the π-component of the electron localization function (ELFπ). The study revealed how the π-electronic structure is influenced by the fusion of double bonds or benzene rings to the PBHs. We also demonstrated that the π-electrons of benzene extend to accommodate as much aromaticity as possible when bond length distorted.   The aromatic chameleon property displayed by fulvenes, isobenzofulvenes, fulvalenes, bis(fulvene)s, and polyfulvenes were investigated using DFT calculations. The tria-, penta-, and heptafulvenes were shown to possess ionization energies and electron affinities which can be tuned extensively by substitution, some of which even outperform TTF and TCNQ, the prototypical electron donor and acceptor, respectively. The singlet-triplet energy gap of pentafulvenes can be tuned extensively by substitution to the point that the triplet state is lower than the singlet state and thus becomes the ground state. The ELFπ of isobenzofulvene shows that the benzene ring in an electronically excited state can be more aromatic than the corresponding ring in the ground state. We have shown that the 6-ring of [5.6.7]quinarene is influenced by a Hückel aromatic resonance structure with 4n+2 π-electrons in the excited quintet state. The bis(fulvene)s which are composed of a donor type heptafulvene and an acceptor type pentafulvene, retain the basic donor-acceptor properties of the two fragments and could function as compact donor-acceptor dyads. A few of the designed polyfulvenes were found to have band gaps below 1 eV at the PBC-B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. Various 2,7-disubstituted fluorenones and dibenzofulvenes were synthesized and their excited state properties were investigated by absorption spectroscopy and time-dependent DFT calculations. It was found that the 1A → 1B transition of ππ* character can be tuned by substitution in the 2,7-positions. The 2,7-bis(N,N-dimethyl) derivatives of fluorenone and dibenzofulvene displayed low energy transitions at 2.18 and 1.61 eV, respectively, in toluene.

The field of photochemistry is as innovative in development as it is broad in application. However, utilization of energy from the sun’s electromagnetic radiation remains secondary to the combustion of fossil fuels for the global energy consumption. This is neither a sustainable nor renewable system, and it has contributed to a major decline in the health of our global environment as the greenhouse gases emission has led to an incline in global temperatures and ocean acidity. To develop effective ways to utilize solar energy, experimental effort is being directed towards the understanding of photosensitizers, molecules which absorb solar radiation and initiate redox chemistry in CO2 reduction catalysts. Some zinc dipyrrins, one such class of photosensitizers, are theorized to undergo intersystem crossing through a charge separated state, a transition that is stabilized in polar solvents. This transition increases the lifetime of the excited state, as relaxation from the triplet state occurs much slower than from the singlet state. A phenyl substituted zinc dipyrrin was attempted to be synthesized and characterized using NMR spectroscopy to probe aromatic substituent effects on the molecule’s photophysics. The product was analyzed by UV-vis spectroscopy in order to confirm its purity and TLC analysis shows that the reaction kinetics are much slower in this phenyl substituted zinc dipyrrin than in previous reports, most likely due to the steric hindrance induced by the bulky phenyl substitutions.

Quantum chemical calculations have been used to model dye-sensitized nanostructured titanium dioxide systems that can be used in solar cells for solar energy to electricity conversion. Structural, electronic and spectral properties of isolated dyes and both bare and dye-sensitized TiO2 have been calculated with density functional theory, providing detailed information about both the separate parts and the dye-TiO2 interface. The connection between the geometry, the ligand field splitting and the lifetime of the triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state has been explored for a series of ruthenium polypyridyl dyes. Moreover, the relative energetics of MLCT and metal centered triplet excited states have been studied for a number of such systems. It was found that small alterations of the polypyridyl ligands can result in significant changes in ligand field splitting and in the energetics of the triplet states. Attachment of the dyes to the TiO2 surface is achieved via anchor and spacer groups. The influence of such groups on various properties of the dye and their ability to act as mediators of photo-induced surface electron transfer has been studied. Delocalization of the lowest unoccupied dye orbital onto the spacer and/or anchor group indicates that certain unsaturated groups can mediate electron transfer. With a combination of methods that enables efficient computations and a scheme for construction of metal oxide clusters, chemical models for bare TiO2 nanocrystals in the 1-2 nm size range have been developed. The electronic structures show well-developed band structures with essentially no electronic band gap defect states. Atomistic models of the interface between TiO2 nanocrystals and Ru(II)-bis-terpyridine dyes, the so-called N3 dye as well as perylene dyes are reported. Electronic coupling strengths, which provide estimates for the electron injection times, are extracted from the interfacial electronic structure and the lowest electronic excitations are calculated.

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