Femtosecond dynamics in ionic structures of a heart medicine

Femtosecond studies of ionic structures of milrinone – a medicine used to help the heart to recuperate its life – in acidic and alkaline water solutions show that the intramolecular charge transfer in the cation and in the anion happen in 550 fs and ∼1.2 ps, respectively. These times are longer than 100 fs, observed in the keto (inotropic) form. The transients also show a 2–3 ps component, assigned to cooling and twisting motion in the produced states. The result might be used for a better understanding of other functional molecules.