ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202500859
Rinki Deka, Abhispa Saikia, Dhruba Jyoti Kalita
{"title":"<ArticleTitle xmlns:ns0=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\">Optimizing g-C <ns0:math> <ns0:semantics> <ns0:mrow><ns0:msub><ns0:mi /> <ns0:mn>3</ns0:mn></ns0:msub> </ns0:mrow> <ns0:annotation>$_3$</ns0:annotation></ns0:semantics> </ns0:math> N <ns0:math> <ns0:semantics> <ns0:mrow><ns0:msub><ns0:mi /> <ns0:mn>4</ns0:mn></ns0:msub> </ns0:mrow> <ns0:annotation>$_4$</ns0:annotation></ns0:semantics> </ns0:math> -Based Acceptor Materials Through Density Functional Theory-Driven Bandgap Engineering for High-Performance Solar Cells.","authors":"Rinki Deka, Abhispa Saikia, Dhruba Jyoti Kalita","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500859","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> ) is a nonmetallic semiconductor that has garnered significant attention in the field of energy conversion and storage. This interest is due to its exceptional properties, including a moderate bandgap, high thermal and chemical stability, cost-effectiveness, and optimal conduction and valence band positions. In this study, we have designed and investigated a series of composite materials integrating g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> sheets with various organic moieties. The coupling of g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> sheets with wide-gap organic molecules (we have termed them \"composite materials\") results in a reduction of the bandgap in the composite materials. Interestingly, the bandgap of the g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> sheet, along with organic moieties, has reduced from 3.65 eV to 2.26 eV. Among all the composites, g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> -4 exhibits the lowest bandgap (2.26 eV), endowing it with excellent optical and electronic properties. Additionally, the angle between the g-C <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>3</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_3$</annotation></semantics> </math> N <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi></mi> <mn>4</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$_4$</annotation></semantics> </math> sheet and the organic molecular plane became ≈ 90°, which minimizes the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs. By emphasizing the bandgap engineering of these composites, this work offers a strategy to enhance optoelectronic activity through the introduction of foreign organic moieties into the matrix.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500859"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202500645
Renu Saini, Avinash Garg, Ananya Debnath
{"title":"Mechanistic Insights on Chlorophyll Aggregation in Plant Thylakoid Membranes.","authors":"Renu Saini, Avinash Garg, Ananya Debnath","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500645","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500645","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The dynamics of Chlorophyll a (CLA) aggregation in the plant thylakoid membranes have been investigated using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning approaches at <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>293</mn></mrow> <annotation>$293$</annotation></semantics> </math> K. The CLA molecules dynamically form and break CLA dimers and higher-order aggregates. The contact lifetime and waiting time distributions of CLA dimers exhibit the coexistence of the fast and slow time scales. The survival probability of CLA dimers follows a non-exponential decay with multiple residence time scales and a time-dependent rate, unlike conventional rate theory, manifesting the emergence of disorder. Markov state modeling using an autoencoder-derived latent representation of pairwise distances among CLAs results in three discrete interconvertible metastable states with different conformational distributions during the aggregation process. The mean first-passage times between Markov states of different conformations are slower than the longest residence time of the dimers. This demonstrates that these transitions represent the slowest kinetic processes during aggregation. Our results provide the underlying mechanism of membrane-bound chlorophyll aggregation, which will have useful applications in photodynamic therapy and artificial photosynthetic materials in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500645"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interactions of Silver Ions with the Hydroxyapatite-Iron Oxide Composite Surface in Liquid.","authors":"Adrianna Biedrzycka, Joanna Dobrzyńska, Ewa Skwarek","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500615","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500615","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study aims to investigate the adsorption of silver ions (Ag<sup>+</sup>) on iron oxide (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) and the hydroxyapatite/iron oxide (Hap/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) composite to evaluate its potential for water purification applications. To achieve this goal, Fe2O3 and Hap/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> were synthesized by a co-precipitation method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, porosimetry, surface charge density, and zeta potential measurements. Batch adsorption experiments were then conducted to assess the effects of contact time, initial Ag<sup>+</sup> concentration, pH, and temperature on adsorption efficiency. The results show that both Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and Hap/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> surfaces exhibit needle-like morphologies with numerous pores, while XRD confirmed the formation of hydroxyapatite and iron oxide phases. The zeta potential of the composite ranged from -25 to -7 mV, indicating surface charge behavior relevant to adsorption. The Hap/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite demonstrated superior adsorption properties compared to pure Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, attributed to the high specific surface area and ion-exchange capacity of hydroxyapatite combined with the adsorption contribution of iron oxide. Kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Isotherm studies indicated that the Freundlich model best described the adsorption, reflecting the heterogeneous nature of the composite surface. Overall, the Hap/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> composite exhibited high affinity for Ag<sup>+</sup> ions, with adsorption efficiency strongly influenced by pH and contact time, confirming its potential as a promising material for removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500615"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202600008
Maria Madej, Karolina Pryga, Dariusz Matoga, Jolanta Kochana
{"title":"Advancing Targeted Functionalization of Metal-Organic Frameworks for the Design of Electrochemical Sensors.","authors":"Maria Madej, Karolina Pryga, Dariusz Matoga, Jolanta Kochana","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202600008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202600008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The present work explores the use of proton-conducting metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), functionalized with selected chemical groups (fMOFs), for the development of electrochemical sensors. The introduced functionalization aimed to improve the homogeneity of sensor composites containing electron-conducting components-multiwalled carbon nanotubes and/or gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-thereby ensuring uniform proton-electron transport and enhancing the material's affinity toward analyte molecules. Owing to the strong interaction between AuNPs and sulfur-based functionalities, the magnesium-based CPO-27 (MOF-74) framework was modified with thiocyanate (NCS<sup>-</sup>) groups. To assess the effect of analyte-tailored functionalization aimed at the biogenic amine tyramine, the sulfonated framework JUK-14 was used, as -SO<sub>3</sub> <sup>-</sup> groups exhibit strong affinity toward amino functionalities, and compared with its nonsulfonated counterpart, UCY-14. Overall, this study demonstrates the strong potential of functionalized metal-organic frameworks to enhance the analytical performance of electrochemical sensors.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202600008"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Light-Induced Conformational Switching of 2-Formyl Benzothiazole in Low Temperature Inert Gas Matrices.","authors":"Piyush Kumar, Gaurav Jhaa, Shabana Butt, Priyakumari Chakkingal Parambil, Sugumar Venkataramani","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500665","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500665","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Benzothiazole-a versatile heterocyclic moiety omnipresent in a range of applications-can ring-open under photochemical conditions owing to its photolabile C-S bond. Conversely, an attachment of aldehyde functionality into a benzothiazole moiety can potentially lead to light-induced conformational change. To identify the photochemical outcome among these competitive channels, we investigated the photochemistry of 2-formyl benzothiazole 2FBT in an inert gas matrix under cryogenic conditions (4 K). Only the global minimum of 2FBT ((s)-trans conformer) was isolated during deposition, which undergoes conformational changes to (s)-cis in both argon and nitrogen matrices upon irradiation at λ=254 nm. Only under prolonged irradiation, traces of ring-opening products were observed. Ground and excited state potential energy surface computations at CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) level of theory revealed two adiabatic mechanistic pathways involving C-C bond rotation and C-S bond cleavage. The formation of (s)-cis (4.4 kcal/mol higher energy conformer) by light, no further conformational changes after 23% (s)-cis formation, and the absence of reversibility hinted at the possibility of the channel involving C-S bond cleavage. Computationally, the involvement of an intermediate in the excited state and relatively lower energy barriers further support that the C-S cleavage is the preferred channel.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500665"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202500790
Akshay Chauhan, Srabanti Chaudhury
{"title":"Effects of Polymer Topology and Crowder Size on Polymer Adsorption at Solid Interfaces.","authors":"Akshay Chauhan, Srabanti Chaudhury","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500790","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500790","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biological cells are crowded environments where macromolecular crowders significantly influence the conformation and dynamics of biopolymers, such as DNA and RNA. The conformations of polymers are not clearly understood in the presence of surface and crowders of various sizes. Motivated by this problem, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the behavior of bead-spring polymers (ring vs linear) confined within an explicit bead-based wall in the presence of crowders of varying sizes and volume fractions (ϕ). Our results reveal stark, topology-dependent phenomena. We find that small crowders generate strong depletion forces that drive ring polymers into a sharply defined, flattened, and compacted state adsorbed onto the wall, even at moderate crowding fractions. In contrast, linear polymers exhibit a significantly higher threshold for adsorption, only gradually adhering to the wall at high crowder concentrations in the presence of free ends. Furthermore, large crowders create caging effects that sterically hinder mobility and suppress stable wall adsorption for both topologies. These findings demonstrate how crowder size and polymer topology synergistically regulate biopolymer compaction and surface localization. The distinct conformational states observed, such as the flattened adsorption of ring polymers, have significant biological implications.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500790"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Theoretical Study on the H-Atom Abstraction Reactions of Three Linear Pentanol Isomers + HȮ<sub>2</sub> Radical.","authors":"Haoyuan Lang, Jin-Tao Chen, Mengyuan Wang, Lijun Yang, Chong-Wen Zhou","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500851","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, high-level ab initio calculations were carried out to systematically investigate the hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) reactions from three linear pentanol isomers by hydroperoxyl (HȮ<sub>2</sub>) radical. Geometry optimization, frequency analysis, zero-point energy (ZPE) corrections, and 1D hindered rotor treatments for low-frequency torsional modes between heavy atoms were carried out at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d, p) level of theory. For single-point energy calculation, the QCISD(T)/CBS level of theory was used for species with T1 diagnostic values below 0.035, while the CASPT2/CBS level of theory was applied to channels with T1 diagnostic value of transition states was higher than 0.035. Rate constants in the temperature range 500-2000 K were calculated according to conventional transition state theory with asymmetric Eckart tunneling corrections. Rate rules were summarized in combination with the results from branched pentanol isomers. Thermochemical properties calculation for all species were performed by the composite methods of G3/G4/CBS-QB3/CBS-APNO. The calculated rate constants and thermochemical data were integrated into the mechanism and validated against the ignition delay times (IDT). The results will effectively promote the combustion kinetic model development for pentanol isomers oxidation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500851"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.70386
Emrah Özcan, Valentyna Kuznetsova, Alina Kaliuzhna, Zehra Coşkun, Mehmet F Saglam, Ibrahim F Sengul, Fahri Alkan, Tomas Polivka, Bünyemin Çoşut
{"title":"Unveiling the Photophysical Properties of Indole-Containing Boron Complexes: Exploring Intramolecular Charge Transfer Character, Tunable Emission, and Large Stokes Shifts.","authors":"Emrah Özcan, Valentyna Kuznetsova, Alina Kaliuzhna, Zehra Coşkun, Mehmet F Saglam, Ibrahim F Sengul, Fahri Alkan, Tomas Polivka, Bünyemin Çoşut","doi":"10.1002/cphc.70386","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.70386","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Embedding boron into indole scaffolds offers promising potential for a diverse range of applications, since both indole and boron-containing compounds possess remarkable and adjustable chemical, photochemical, and photophysical properties with effortless modifications. In the present study, we showed synthesis and characterization of indolyl-7-imines-based NN boron complexes. These indole boron platforms were extensively characterized using steady-state absorption, fluorescence, and ultrafast transient spectroscopy for their photophysical properties and excited-state dynamics in various solvents. More importantly, our targeted compounds exhibited intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) phenomena, resulting in substantial Stokes shifts and tunable emissions. Theoretical results reported that large Stokes shifts mainly result from the spatial arrangement of HOMO and LUMO energies, with reduced oscillator strengths during the emission process indicating enhanced charge transfer (CT). Notably, tailoring the peripheral phenyl groups allowed the precise control of CT contribution, demonstrating the possibility of manipulating the photophysical properties of indolyl-imine-based NN boron complexes. These findings indicate that this system is one of the most adaptable and tunable among the reported NN boron complexes-based molecular systems. The present study critically underscores the potential of NN boron complexes as a promising building block for applications requiring large Stokes shifts, such as biomedical applications or organic light-emitting diodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e70386"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13110108/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202500919
Basudha Deb, Himashree Mahanta, Amit Kumar Paul
{"title":"Unimolecular Dissociation and Association Followed by Ensuing Dissociation Kinetics of Phenol-Dimer: A Prototype of Hydrogen Bonded Complex.","authors":"Basudha Deb, Himashree Mahanta, Amit Kumar Paul","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500919","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500919","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>On-the-fly chemical dynamics simulations are carried out to study the unimolecular dissociation and the association followed by the ensuing dissociation of the phenol-dimer, a prototype of a hydrogen-bonded complex. All simulations are carried out at three different temperatures of 1000, 1500, and 2000 K. The PM7 semiempirical method, which provides reasonably good minimum energies and the corresponding geometries of the dimer, is used to calculate the potential energy gradient, which is required for integrating Hamilton's equations of motion. The results are compared with benzene dimer (Bz<sub>2</sub>) and benzene- hexachlorobenzene (Bz-HCB), studied in the past to understand the effect of hydrogen bonding interactions present in phenol-dimer and absent in other weakly bound dimers. The unimolecular dissociation rate constants and the association probabilities, association cross sections, and association rate constants are calculated, reported, and compared. The activation energies and frequency factors are also calculated. In general, among Bz<sub>2</sub>, Bz-HCB, and phenol-dimer, phenol-dimer showed the slowest rate of unimolecular dissociation, whereas it has the highest rate of association. The ensuing dissociation rate is also the slowest in the phenol-dimer, confirming a high dimer lifetime.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500919"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ChemphyschemPub Date : 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202500924
Luis Ignacio Domenianni, Patrycja Kielb
{"title":"Transient Absorption Spectroscopy of Blue Copper Sites in Divergent Protein Folds: Azurin Versus Multicopper Oxidase.","authors":"Luis Ignacio Domenianni, Patrycja Kielb","doi":"10.1002/cphc.202500924","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202500924","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Blue copper proteins share a highly conserved type-1 copper coordination that gives rise to characteristic spectroscopic signatures, yet they are embedded in evolutionarily divergent protein folds. Here, we investigate how differences in protein architecture modulate ultrafast electronic and vibrational relaxation following optical excitation of the blue copper site. Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we compare the excited-state dynamics of two evolutionarily distant proteins: the single-domain electron-transfer protein azurin and two-domain small laccase (SLAC) belonging to the family of multicopper oxidases. Kinetic analysis of the transient spectra reveals coherent vibrational wave packets generated via impulsive stimulated Raman scattering, providing access to low-frequency collective modes associated with the electronic ground state. Notably, distinct dominant modes are observed for the two proteins, centered at 38 cm<sup>-1</sup> for SLAC and 29 cm<sup>-1</sup> for azurin. These differences are correlated with variations in structural rigidity and coordination constraints beyond the first coordination spheres of the blue copper site. Our results reveal that, despite conserved metal coordination, the surrounding protein arrangement plays a significant role in shaping ultrafast energy relaxation pathways in metalloprotein.</p>","PeriodicalId":9819,"journal":{"name":"Chemphyschem","volume":"27 8","pages":"e202500924"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13123458/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}