Dynamic single-crystal diffraction studies using synchrotron radiation

The methods that have been developed to determine the three-dimensional crystal and molecular structures while they are in metastable or short-lived photoactivated states are described. The structural science of photocrystallography has developed over the last two decades because of the use of synchrotron radiation, coupled with advances in cryogenics, computer hardware and software, and laser technology. Initial studies have been carried out on metastable linkage isomers and LIESST-generated metastable structures and, more recently, by using the synchronisation of laser pulses with X-ray pulses, it has been possible to determine the structures of complexes with microsecond lifetimes. In the future X-ray Laue techniques and one-shot XFEL studies applied to molecular systems promise to make the study of sub-microsecond species a reality.