School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Progress, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Abstract Due to the radiance of the sun, vitality permeates life. The vividness of existence is intricately woven with pigments. From the delicate hues of peach red to the verdant shades of willow green, and the ethereal contrasts of castle peak white against flowing water, what we often take for granted are in fact a series of astute chemical metamorphoses orchestrated by the ingenious utilization of light by living organisms. Through the intricate interplay between light and pigments, the structural configurations of these chromatic entities are profoundly altered, setting in motion a cascade of chemical transformations within the biological realm, thereby enabling the human eye to discern a diverse spectrum of substances. In order to unravel the intricate mechanism governing the dynamic interaction between light and pigments in living organisms, this discourse endeavors to provide a comprehensive elucidation of the intricacies underlying the photoinduced chemical metamorphosis of various classes of pigment molecules within the biological milieu.
