Absorption shifts in carotenoids - Influence of index of refraction and submolecular electric fields
Most biological functions of carotenoids relate to strong visible absorption. In a quest to protein matrix effects on spectra, the shifts produced by solvent refractive index (n) and static dielectric permittivity (ε) were quantified for visible absorption maxima of β-carotene and a model compound with sharper bands, tetra-tert-butylnonaene ttbP9. The dispersive red shift that depends on optical d
