Direct observation for photophysical and photochemical processes of folic acid in DMSO solution

Using the fast optical technique of laser flash photolysis by a kinetic absorption detector, the photophysical and photochemical processes of folic acid have been observed. By comparison of transient absorptions from photolysis between folic acid and its components, pteroic acid, pterin and 6-carboxypterin, it has been demonstrated that electron-transfer reactions from 4-aminobenzoyl group to the triplet pterin moiety occur through intra- and inter-molecular processes of folic acid. The intermolecular electron-transfer reaction is suggested to be mediated by two tautomers of triplet states of folic acid, lactim and lactam, in different rate constants, 1.4 × 109 and 1.6 × 108 M−1 s−1, respectively.