General introduction to photochemistry. Relevant photochemical and photophysical processes. Experimental methods in photochemistry. Elementary photochemical processes in molecular systems. Photochemistry in nature and technological applications. Knowledge in interpretation of photochemical and photophysical processes on the basis of molecular energetic and to evaluate dynamics of molecules in excited states.
The basics of photochemistry
Light/molecule interactions. Stationary and time-dependent perturbation theory.
Fermi golden rule and transition rates. Electronic and vibrational molecular states. Adiabatic approximation. Radiative electronic transitions: absorption, fluorescence, and phosphorescence. Nonradiative electronic transitions: internal conversion, intersystem crossings. Avoided crossings and conical intersections.
Experimental methods to study excited states
Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopies. Optical methods: light absorption and emission spectroscopies, laser flash photolysis / transient absorption, time-resolved resonance Raman. Photothermal methods: transient thermal grating, photoacoustics, thermal lensing/photothermal beam deflection.
Excited state reactivity
Photoisomerization. Photodissociation. Electron transfer. Proton transer. Organic photochemical reactions.
Photochemistry of stratospheric ozone. Natural photosynthetic systems.
Reattività degli stati eccitati.