Experimental Evidence of Long-Range Intramolecular Vibrational Energy Redistribution through Eight Covalent Bonds: NIR Irradiation Induced Conformational Transformation of E‑Glutaconic Acid

Long-range intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) driven conformational changes were investigated in a matrix-isolated open-chain, asymmetrical dicarboxylic acid, E-glutaconic acid. Although the analysis was challenging due to the presence of multiple backbone conformers and short lifetimes of the prepared higher energy cis conformers, it was shown that the selective excitation of the O–H stretching overtone of one of the carboxylic groups can induce the conformational change (trans to cis) of the other carboxylic group, located at the other end of the E-glutaconic acid molecule. This is a direct proof that the IVR process can act through eight covalent bonds in a flexible molecule before the excess energy completely dissipates into the matrix. The lifetime of the prepared higher energy conformers (averaged over the different backbones) was measured to be 12 s.