High resolution S 1 S 0 fluorescence excitation spectra of tryptamine have been observed in the collision-free environment of a supersonic molecular beam. Each origin band has been assigned to a unique conformer of the isolated molecule based on its observed rotational constants. For the first time, subbands have been detected in the rotationally resolved spectra of bands C blue and D. A possible hindered motion is proposed to account for the appearance of these subbands. This motion connects the minima associated with the Antipy and Antiph conformers, and thus explores new regions of the energy landscape of this important biomolecule.

Rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy in the gas phase, in the absence and presence of an applied electric field, has been used to distinguish the two conformers of 3-aminophenol (3AP) on the basis of differences in their electric dipole moments. cis-3AP has micro = 2.3 D, and trans-3AP has micro = 0.7 D, in their ground electronic states. The two observed values are approximately equal to those expected on the basis of bond dipole additivity rules. However, these rules fail to predict the large change in both the magnitude and the orientation of micro when the two conformers of 3AP absorb light. cis-3AP has micro = 3.3 D, and trans-3AP has micro = 1.7 D, in their excited S(1) electronic states; the angles of orientation of micro with respect to the a inertial axis change by 13 degrees and 38 degrees, respectively. This effect is attributed to (1)L(b)/(1)L(a) state mixing in the S(1) state.

Rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy in the gas phase, in the absence and presence of an applied electric field, has been used to determine the charge distribution of a cross section of the energy landscape of tryptamine (TRA). We report the magnitude and direction of the permanent electric dipole moments of the four TRA conformers GPyout, GPyup, GPhup, and Antiup in their S0 and S1 electronic states. Each dipole moment is unique, providing a powerful new tool for the conformational analysis of biomolecules in the gas phase. A comparison of the results for the different conformers of TRA reveals that the position and orientation of the ethylamine side chain play a major role in determining both the permanent and induced electric dipole moments of the different species in both electronic states.

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