Spectral differences between the cis and the trans isomer of a secondary amide peptide bond were used to follow the time course of the cis/trans isomerization of Gly-Gly, Gly-Ala, Ala-Gly, and Ala-Ala dipeptides in the UV/vis region at 220 nm. Isomerization rates and Eyring activation energies were calculated from pH- and LiCl-mediated solvent jump experiments. Rate constants were found to be in a narrow range of 0.29 to 0.64 s(-1) for the zwitterionic dipeptides at 25 degreesC. The isomerization rate is about 2-fold higher for the monoionic forms of Gly-Gly. The zwitterionic Gly-Gly has an activation enthalpy DeltaH(double dagger) of 71.6 +/- 4.9 kJ mol(-1) that is in the range of the rotational barriers of aromatic side chain dipeptides that have been measured by H-1 NMR magnetization transfer experiments. Late stages of protein backbone rearrangements often involve crossing the energy barrier for rotational isomerization of imidic peptide bonds. Our findings are consistent with the idea that a wide range of secondary amide peptide bonds are also able to induce slow rate-limiting steps in protein restructuring.