Excited-State Dynamics of Isolated and Microsolvated Cinnamate-Based UV-B Sunscreens

Sunscreens are aimed at providing protection from solar UV radiation. However, the same mechanism that underlies this protection (absorption of UV radiation) is also responsible for their light-induced adverse effects. Here, high-resolution spectroscopic methods are applied to one of the most commonly used sunscreen chromophores to study the excited-state dynamics that determine the delicate balance between favorable and adverse effects. In contrast to common belief, we find that excitation to the "bright" pi pi* state does not directly lead to repopulation of the electronic ground state. Instead, internal conversion to another electronically excited state identified as the "dark" n pi* state is a major decay pathway that impedes fast energy dissipation. Microsolvation studies of sunscreen chromophores with water demonstrate that under such conditions, this bottleneck is no longer present. These observations could be a first step toward the development of sunscreens with improved photochemical properties.