Vibrational self-trapping in beta-sheet structures observed with femtosecond nonlinear infrared spectroscopy

Self-trapping of NH-stretch vibrational excitations in synthetic β-sheet helices is observed using femtosecond infrared pump-probe spectroscopy. In a dialanine-based β-sheet helix, the transient-absorption change upon exciting the NH-stretch mode exhibits a negative absorption change at the fundamental frequency and two positive peaks at lower frequencies. These two induced-absorption peaks are characteristic for a state in which the vibrational excitation is self-trapped on essentially a single NH-group in the hydrogen-bonded NH⋯OC chain, forming a small (Holstein) vibrational polaron. By engineering the structure of the polymer we can disrupt the hydrogen-bonded NH⋯OC chain, allowing us to eliminate the self-trapping, as is confirmed from the NH-stretch pump-probe response. We also investigate a trialanine-based β-sheet helix, where each side chain participates in two NH⋯OC chains with different hydrogen-bond lengths. The chain with short hydrogen bonds shows the same self-trapping behavior as the diala...