A hitherto unknown diphenylbutadiene analog viz. 1-(p-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-4-phenyl-2-methyl-1E,3E-butadiene (10) has been prepared and its absorption, excitation, and fluorescent emission properties in different media including various organic solvents and aqueous bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been studied. For comparision, these properties have also been investigated for the parent diphenylbutadiene (2). Diene 10 exhibits solvent polarity/polarizability-sensitive fluorescence properties ($\lambda$$_{max}$, $\Phi$$_f$, $\tau$$_f$, K$_f$, f). It also binds to the hydrophobic domains of aqueous bovine serum albumin (BSA) with a binding constant of 3.89 x 10$^4$ M$^{-1}$. The relative fluorescence quantum yield of 10 increases, while, the fluorescence lifetime decreases with increasing concentration of-BSA. The results highlight the polar character of the singlet excited state of diphenylpolyenes and the utility of 10 as fluorescence probe for studying microenvironments of organized assemblies and biological supramolecular structures.

The structures of 8-membered azalactone isomers produced from photocyclization of 2-(N,N-dibenzylamino)ethyl benzoylacetate were determined by the X-ray structure analysis to clarify the stereochemical behavior of a 1,8-biradical. The remarkable stereoselectivity in cyclization of the 1,8-biradical to form cis- and trans-isomers of the azalactone was not observed. The ring conformations were boat-chair like and dihedral angles between C$_5$- and C$_6$- phenyl groups were ca 45$\circ$ in the both isomers. The 1,8-biradicals in the transition state for the cyclization would have nearly same boat-chair like conformation and twisted configuration with the dihedral angle of ca 45$\circ$ as the corresponding isomer, and this is responsible for luck of stereoselectivity in long-chain biradical cyclization.

We measured, using femtosecond pump-probe experiment, the time evolution of transient absorption in aqueous CdS colloids. The signal rises within the time resolution (= 0.5 ps) of the experiment and decays with two exponential time constants, 4.8 ps and 132 ps. The ultrafast rise of the transient absorption is considered to be for shallowly trapped conduction band electrons after photoexcitation. The amplitude ratio of the two decaying components varies with the pump intensity and the decay times increase in the presence of hole scavengers. Even though a biexponential function fits the decay well, we object hat two independent first order processes (geminate and nongeminate recombinations) are responsible for the decay. A function with an integrated rate equation for second order nongeminate recombination plus a long background fits the decay well. The long background is considered to be for deeply trapped charges at the CdS particle.

The photochemical reactions of the neat chloroform and the aqueous chloroform in the absence (saturated with argon) and presence of 02 (saturated with air or oxygen) have been investigated using 184.9 nm UV light. The irradiation of the deoxygenated neat chloroform causes the formation of hexachloroethane, pentachloroethane, and 1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloroethane. The initial quantum yields of the products were determined to be 6.37 x 10$^{-4}$, 4.04 x 10$^{-4}$ and 1.76 x 10$^{-4}$, respectively. In the irradiation of aqueous chloroform, chloride ion was also formed along with the products listed above and 1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloroethane was the predominant product among the chlorinated organic products, which contrasts to the case of the neat chloroform. The presence of oxygen during the irradiation of aqueous chloroform had an effect on the yield of the products. With increasing the concentration of oxygen, the formation of the products was decreased. Probable reaction mechanisms for the photochemical reaction were presented on the basis of products analysis.

Leaf movements in nyctinastic plants are produced by changes in the turgor of extensor and flexor cells, collectively called motor cells, in opposing regions of the leaf movement organ, the pulvinus. In Samanea saman, a tropical tree of the legume family, extensor cells shrink and flexor cells swell to bend the pulvinus and fold the leaf at night, whereas extensor cells swell and flexor cells shrink to straighten the pulvinus and extend the leaf in the daytime. These changes are caused by ion fluxes primarily of potassium and chloride, across the plasma membrane of the motor cells. These ion fluxes are regulated by exogenous light signals and an endogenous biolgical clock. Inward-directed K$^+$ channels are closed in extensor and open in flexor cells in the dark period, while these channels are open in extensor and closed in flexor cells in the light period. Blue light opens the closed K$^+$ channels in extensor and closes the open them in flexor cells during darkness. Illumination of red light followed by darkness induces to open the closed K$^+$ channels in flexor and to close the open K$^+$ channels in extensor cells in the light. The dynamics of K$^+$ channels in motor cells that are controlled by light signals are consistent with the behavior of the pulvini in intact plants. Therefore, these cell types are an attractive model system to elucidate regulations of ion transports and their signal transduction pathways in plants. This review is focused on light-controlled ion movements and regulatory mechanisms involved in phosphoinositide signaling in leaf movements in nyctinastic plants.