Urocanic acid as a novel scaffold for next-gen nature-inspired sunscreens: II Time-resolved spectroscopy under solution conditions

In recent years the use of synthetic UV filters in commercial skincare formulations has come under considerable scrutiny. Urocanic acid is a naturally occurring UV filter that could serve as a scaffold for developing next-generation biomimetic UV filters. We have carried out time-resolved electronic and vibrational absorption studies on urocanic acid and modified variants in various solvents on timescales spanning eighteen orders of magnitude; from femtoseconds to hours. In combination with quantum chemical calculations these provide vital insight into the photochemical and photophysical properties of urocanic acid and how these are tuned by substitutions and solvents. Moreover, they solve the hitherto conundrum of the wavelength dependence of the photochemistry of trans-urocanic acid in an aqueous environment. Crucially, these studies - together with the accompanying article that reports high-resolution laser spectroscopic studies performed under isolated gas-phase conditions (https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CP02087A) open novel avenues for a rational design of urocanic acid-based UV filters. Time-resolved laser spectroscopic studies on urocanic acid and derivatives on timescales ranging from femtoseconds to hours pave the way to tailor their UV screening properties and elucidate the wavelength dependence of its aqueous photochemistry.