Homosalate has been found to exhibit favourable photophysics for inclusion in sunscreens, using a combination of spectroscopic and computational approaches.

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Methyl cinnamate (MC) is an ester within the cinnamate family. Recent time-resolved gas-phase studies have suggested that upon excitation to its first singlet ππ* (1 1 ππ*) state, there is initial decay to the lowest lying singlet 1 nπ* (1 1 nπ*) state within 10 ps, en route to trans-cis isomerisation. In the present study, we have implemented time-resolved ion yield (TR-IY) and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TR-PES) experiments in the gas-phase to precisely determine the lifetime of the 1 1 ππ* state. We found this lifetime to be ∼ 4.5 ps using both TR-IY and TR-PES. MC was also studied in a more complex cyclohexane solution environment, using transient electronic absorption spectroscopy. Along with complementary steady-state irradiation and 1 H NMR studies, these studies demonstrate that trans-cis isomerisation is preserved in the more complex, cyclohexane solution environment.

The negative effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on human skin have led to the widespread use of sunscreens, i.e. skincare products containing UV filters to absorb, reflect or otherwise block...

A Faraday Discussion meeting was held on the topic of ‘Ultrafast Energy and Charge Transfer’. This report covers the highlights of this meeting, including brief summaries of the papers discussed and particularly interesting or recurring topics of the ensuing discussion.