Excited state reaction coordinate and the consequent energy profiles of a new Schiff base, N-salicylidene-2-bromoethylamine, have been investigated at the CC2 level of theory. The electron-driven proton transfer and torsional deformation have been identified as the most important photochemical reaction coordinates. In contrast to the ground state, the excited state potential energy profile shows a barrierless dissociation pattern along the O-H stretching coordinate, which verifies the proton transfer reaction along the O-H coordinate at the S(1) state. The calculations showed that the PT is electron driven and that the S(1) transition has charge transfer character. The keto-type S(1) state attained by barrierless proton transfer is found to be unstable via a torsional motion, which provides fast access to a S(1)-S(0) conical intersection. From the conical intersection, a barrierless reaction path directs the system back to the enol-type minimum of the S(0) potential energy surface, thus closing the photocycle.

Excited state reaction coordinates and the consequent energy profiles of a new Schiff base, N-salicilydenemethylfurylamine (SMFA), have been investigated with the CC2 method, which is a simplified version of singles-and-doubles coupled cluster theory. The potential energy profiles of the ground and the lowest excited singlet state are calculated. In contrast to the ground state, the excited state potential energy profile shows a barrier-less dissociation pattern along the O-H stretching coordinate which verifies the proton transfer reaction at the S1 (ππ*) state. The calculations indicate two S1/S0 conical intersections (CIs) which provide non-adiabatic gates for radiation-less decay to the ground state. At the CIs, two barrier-free reaction coordinates direct the excited system to the ground state of enol-type minimum. According to calculation results, a trans-keto type structure obtained from photoexcitation of the enol, can be responsible for the photochromoic effect of SMFA. Furthermore, our results confirm the suggestion that aromatic Schiff bases are potential candidates for optically driven molecular switches.

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