ABSTRACT
Most of the available information on macromolecular structures has been provided by crystal structure analysis and this approach clearly implies some limitations. A more important limitation is the fact that the molecules in the crystal are usually frozen into one of several possible structures. The principle of electro-optical measurements is quite simple: electric field pulses are applied to molecules in solution and any anisotropy in the distribution induced under the electric field is analyzed by measurements of the dichroism or of some other optical parameter. Electro-optical investigations provide information on macromolecules and their complexes related to three different domains of physics: hydrodynamics, electrostatics and optics. Information on the dynamics of macromolecules may be obtained in many cases directly from electro-optical transients. The potential of electro-optical procedures to get information on macromolecular structures within a short time interval can also be utilized for the analysis of photoreactions.
