Electron transfer rates and Franck-Condon factors: an application to the early electron transfer steps in photosynthetic reaction centers

Mechanistic aspects of some of the early electron transfer steps occurring in photosynthetic reaction centers are discussed. Starting from the normal modes of the redox cofactors involved in the electron transfer processes, we show how a series of quantities which regulate electron transfer rates, such as (i) the electron transfer active modes, (ii) the intramolecular reorganization energy, and (iii) the mutual couplings between the vibronic states of the donor and the acceptor, can be obtained and used to draw qualitative conclusions on ET rates.