FXE science aims to investigate electronic and nuclear dynamic processes in complex chemical systems. We seek to unravel electronic and nuclear dynamic processes during an ongoing light-driven reaction.
Chemistry commences on the femtosecond time scale, when considering nuclear motion (isomerization, making and breaking of bonds). We are interested in the very first steps leading to such drastic changes in reacting molecules. For this reason, we employ new structural tools in the femtosecond time domain to unravel the elementary processes leading to photophysical and hence chemical behaviour. Therefore, it is necessary to understand not only the intramolecular processes themselves, but also guest–host interactions, which equally influence the reaction outcome.