Critical comparison of the experimental optical activity of helical polypeptides and the predictions of the molecular exciton model

Abstract

The predictions of the presently accepted molecular exciton model for the optical activity of helical polypeptides are in reasonable agreement with experimental spectra in the accessible wavelength range. However, crucial verification requires the detect of a significant negative rotatory hand just below the accessible range. A computer‐oriented method is utilized to obtain information concerning the inaccessible range. Optical rotatory dispersion computed by evaluation of the Kronig‐Kramers integral transform from the experimentally determined circular dichroism of several helical homopolypeptides in solution are compared with the experimentally determined optical rotatory dispersion. Computed and experimental curves are congruent within an uncertainty approaching that of the experimental technique, whatever the polypeptide sample lot, side chains, and solvent. It is shown that t his agreement is not a computational or experimental artifact. These results can be interpreted in two ways: (1) that the predicted band does not exist, and (2) that the perturbation of the predicted band is being negated by other inaccessible bands in the vacuum ultraviolet. Arguments are presented to show that the first of these two possibilities is more probable.