Sub-100 fs Electron and Proton Transfer: the Role of the Environment

We compared the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole in cyclohexane solution, gas phase and in nanopores and find drastically differing behavior. For lactone forms of triarylmethane dyes we observe the intramolecular electron transfer to be as fast as 50 fs, yet for slightly altered molecular structures it is controlled by solvation.