Abstract

Picosecond two-color difference Raman spectroscopy is used to study the ultrafast photodeligation and the subsequent geminate recombination of oxyhemoglobin and carbonylhemoglobin. Complimentary Stokes and anti-Stokes spectra are used to distinguish vibrational cooling from structural changes in the heme. These structural changes are related to ligand dissociation and rebinding. Transient Raman spectra unambiguously show vibrational cooling and slow ligand rebinding in the hemeproteins. The deconvolved time constant of vibrational cooling is about 2-5 picoseconds.

© 1992 The Author(s)