Charge resonance character in the charge transfer state of bianthryls: effect of symmetry breaking on time-resolved near-IR absorption spectra

We study the effects of symmetry breaking on the photogenerated intramolecular charge transfer (CT) state of 9,9'-bianthryl (BA) with femtosecond time-resolved near-IR spectroscopy. The time-resolved near-IR spectra are measured in acetonitrile for a symmetric substituted derivative of 10,10'-dicyano-9,9'-bianthryl (DCBA) and asymmetric substituted derivatives of 10-cyano-9,9'-bianthryl (CBA) and 9-(N-carbazolyl)anthracene (C9A), as well as nonsubstituted BA. The transient near-IR absorption spectrum of each compound at 0 ps has a locally excited (LE) absorption band, which agrees with the transient absorption band of the corresponding monomer unit. At 3 ps after the photoexcitation, the symmetric compounds show a broad charge transfer (CT) absorption band, whereas no absorption peak appears in the spectra of the asymmetric compounds. The broad CT absorption at 1250 nm only observed for the symmetric compounds can be attributed to the charge resonance transition associated with two equivalent charge separated states.     

The role of Ag(I) ions in the electronic spectroscopy of adenine–cytosine mispairs: A MS-CASPT2 theoretical study

Adenine–cytosine (AC) mispairs have been theoretically studied with MS-CASPT2//CASSCF methods in the presence and absence of Ag ions. The electronically excited states of the most stable AC mispair in the reverse-Wobble (RW) conformation have been compared with those of different Ag(I)–AC complexes, including (i) metalated RW conformations, and (ii) the most stable structures in gas phase which contain the Ag ion bridging A and C. The spectra of these complexes are characterized by charge-transfer (CT) and strong locally excited (LE) states. The metal-to-metal, metal-to-ligand, and Rydberg transitions are very weak in comparison to the nucleobase transitions. Attending to the LE and CT states, and except for the shifts induced by the presence of the Ag, the electronic spectrum of metalated AC mispairs resembles the one of the RW, showing two intense LE bands around 4.5 and 5.5 eV, corresponding to transitions within the adenine and cytosine π-system, respectively. Additionally TD-DFT results obtained with the B3LYP functional are compared with MS-CASPT2//CASSCF calculations. The results clearly evidence the weakness of TD-DFT to describe long range exchange interactions leading to strongly underestimated CT states.     

Interaction of low-energy electrons with linear diphenylethynyl derivatives in the gas phase

The gas phase electron impact spectroscopy has been used to study the relative efficiency of excitation into singlet states and energies of singlet-triplet transitions for two electroactive organic materials, anthracene and biphenyl-containing diphenylethynyl derivatives. The probability of the lowest singlet-triplet transition in anthracene-containing molecule was found to be much higher than that in anthracene which is connected with triple bonds. No noticeable contribution of the triple bonds into singlet spectra of the studied molecules was observed. There are a number of intense transitions in the range higher than 10 eV. The optical spectrum calculated using the density functional theory is in good agreement with experimental electron energy loss and optical absorption spectra.     

Theoretical study of the absorption and nonradiative deactivation of 1-nitronaphthalene in the low-lying singlet and triplet excited states including methanol and ethanol solvent effects

The photophysics of the 1-nitronaphthalene molecular system, after the absorption transition to the first singlet excited state, is theoretically studied for investigating the ultrafast multiplicity change to the triplet manifold. The consecutive transient absorption spectra experimentally observed in this molecular system are also studied. To identify the electronic states involved in the nonradiative decay, the minimum energy path of the first singlet excited state is obtained using the complete active space self-consistent field∕∕configurational second-order perturbation approach. A near degeneracy region was found between the first singlet and the second triplet excited states with large spin-orbit coupling between them. The intersystem crossing rate was also evaluated. To support the proposed deactivation model the transient absorption spectra observed in the experiments were also considered. For this, computer simulations using sequential quantum mechanic-molecular mechanic methodology was used to consider the solvent effect in the ground and excited states for proper comparison with the experimental results. The absorption transitions from the second triplet excited state in the relaxed geometry permit to describe the transient absorption band experimentally observed around 200 fs after the absorption transition. This indicates that the T(2) electronic state is populated through the intersystem crossing presented here. The two transient absorption bands experimentally observed between 2 and 45 ps after the absorption transition are described here as the T(1)→T(3) and T(1)→T(5) transitions, supporting that the intermediate triplet state (T(2)) decays by internal conversion to T(1).     

Ultrafast excited-state dynamics of rhenium(I) photosensitizers [Re(Cl)(CO)3(N,N)] and [Re(imidazole)(CO)3(N,N)]+: diimine effects

Femto- to picosecond excited-state dynamics of the complexes [Re(L)(CO)(3)(N,N)](n) (N,N = bpy, phen, 4,7-dimethyl-phen (dmp); L = Cl, n = 0; L = imidazole, n = 1+) were investigated using fluorescence up-conversion, transient absorption in the 650-285 nm range (using broad-band UV probe pulses around 300 nm) and picosecond time-resolved IR (TRIR) spectroscopy in the region of CO stretching vibrations. Optically populated singlet charge-transfer (CT) state(s) undergo femtosecond intersystem crossing to at least two hot triplet states with a rate that is faster in Cl (～100 fs)(-1) than in imidazole (～150 fs)(-1) complexes but essentially independent of the N,N ligand. TRIR spectra indicate the presence of two long-lived triplet states that are populated simultaneously and equilibrate in a few picoseconds. The minor state accounts for less than 20% of the relaxed excited population. UV-vis transient spectra were assigned using open-shell time-dependent density functional theory calculations on the lowest triplet CT state. Visible excited-state absorption originates mostly from mixed L;N,N(?-) → Re(II) ligand-to-metal CT transitions. Excited bpy complexes show the characteristic sharp near-UV band (Cl, 373 nm; imH, 365 nm) due to two predominantly ππ*(bpy(?-)) transitions. For phen and dmp, the UV excited-state absorption occurs at ～305 nm, originating from a series of mixed ππ* and Re → CO;N,N(?-) MLCT transitions. UV-vis transient absorption features exhibit small intensity- and band-shape changes occurring with several lifetimes in the 1-5 ps range, while TRIR bands show small intensity changes (≤5 ps) and shifts (～1 and 6-10 ps) to higher wavenumbers. These spectral changes are attributable to convoluted electronic and vibrational relaxation steps and equilibration between the two lowest triplets. Still slower changes (≥15 ps), manifested mostly by the excited-state UV band, probably involve local-solvent restructuring. Implications of the observed excited-state behavior for the development and use of Re-based sensitizers and probes are discussed.     

Long-range corrected time-dependent density functional study on fluorescence of 4,4'-dimethylaminobenzonitrile

Dual fluorescence of 4,4(')-dimethylaminobenzonitrile (DMABN) was theoretically investigated on the basis of long-range corrected time-dependent density functional theory. Excited-state geometry optimization states and single-point energy calculations with and without solvent effect were carried out. It has been explained that DMABN emits dual fluorescence only in polar solvents through locally excited (LE) and charge transfer (CT) states. It was, however, concluded from this study that although the main spectrum of dual fluorescence in acetonitrile solvent is clearly due to twisted intramolecular CT fluorescence, small secondary fluorescence in acetonitrile may also emanate from CT fluorescence during the DMABN twisting process. This conclusion is supported by an experimental interpretation on polarization spectroscopy. It was also found that the optimized DMABN geometries have certain wagging angles for the CT state and no wagging angle for the LE state. This may support an early experimental hypothesis that the dual fluorescence of DMABN is induced by the wagging mode due to vibronic coupling between LE and CT states. Consequently, the authors propose a fluorescence mechanism of DMABN in gas phase and in acetonitrile solvent: the main absorption proceeds to the CT state in both situations. In gas phase, single fluorescence is chiefly emitted from the LE state through the internal conversion from CT to LE states. Dual fluorescence in acetonitrile solvent may only be emitted from the CT state.     

Response calculations of electronic and vibrational transitions in molecular oxygen induced by interaction with noble gases

The Einstein coefficient for the singlet oxygen emission a1Deltag-->X3Sigmag- at lambda=1270 nm and b1Sigmag+-->X3Sigmag- emission at lambda=750 nm were calculated by quadratic response (QR) multiconfiguration self-consisted field (MCSCF) method for a number of collision complexes O2+M, where M=He, Ne, Ar. Interaction with He clusters was studied in order to simulate cooperative effect of the environment on the oxygen emission. Calculations of the dipole transition moment for the Noxon band, b1Sigmag+-a1Deltag, by linear response (LR) MCSCF method were also performed for a number of collision complexes. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) between the b1Sigmag+ and X3Sigmag- (MS=0) states does not change much upon collisions, thus the a-X transition borrows intensity mostly from the collision-induced Noxon band b-a. The a-X intensity borrowing from the Schumann-Runge transition is negligible. The calculations show that the b-a and a-X transition probabilities are enhanced approximately by 10(5) and 10(3) times by O2+M collisions. An order of magnitude differences occur for both transitions for noble gases with large difference in polarizability. A strong cooperative effect is obtained when few He atoms perturb the oxygen molecule. Depending on mutual orientation of the partners it can be a complete quenching of the a-->X emission or strong non-additive enhancement. Collision-induced infrared vibrational transitions in a number of molecular oxygen excited states were studied and shown to be state selective.     

Absorption and emission characteristics of Er3+ ions in alkali chloroborophosphate glasses

Alkali chloroborophosphate glasses containing 1 mol% of Er3+ ions were studied experimentally using the absorption and emission spectroscopy. The energy level scheme for the 4f11 (Er3+) electronic configuration was deduced from the observed band energies of the absorption spectra in terms of a parametrized Hamiltonian using the various free-ion spectroscopic parameters. Oscillator strengths (f) measured from the absorption spectra have been analyzed using the Judd-Ofelt theory to evaluate the three intensity parameters omegalambda (lambda = 2, 4 and 6). Reasonable agreement between the measured and calculated f values has been found. Electric and magnetic dipole transition probabilities, fluorescence branching ratios, integrated emission cross sections and radiative lifetimes were calculated for all the excited states of Er3+ ions. The non-radiative (WNR) relaxation rates from the excited levels to the next lower levels have been calculated and the relationship between the energy gap and non-radiative relaxation rate has been established. These results were used to predict the possible potential laser transitions in Er-doped alkali chloroborophosphate glasses.     

Spectroscopy of excited states of carbon anions above the photodetachment threshold

Electronic transitions of C3- and C5- to states lying above the electron affinity of the neutral (EA) have been recorded in the gas phase by laser photodetachment spectroscopy. The excited states are identified by comparison with absorption spectra for the mass-selected ions deposited in neon matrices and with ab initio calculations. The C 2 sigma u (+)-X 2 pi g transition and two higher energy band systems are observed for C3-, corresponding to excitation energies more than 1.5 eV above the EA. In the case of C5- the strongest features, at about 0.6 eV above the EA, are attributed to close lying 2 delta g-X 2 pi u and 2 sigma g(-)-X 2 pi u transitions. The dominant configurations in these states identify them as long-lived Feshbach resonances. Lifetimes for these resonances in C3- are estimated to be between 200 fs and 3 ps from the band widths.     

Spectroscopic consequences of a mixed valence excited state: quantitative treatment of a dihydrazine diradical dication

A model for the quantitative treatment of molecular systems possessing mixed valence excited states is introduced and used to explain observed spectroscopic consequences. The specific example studied in this paper is 1,4-bis(2-tert-butyl-2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl)-2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene-1,4-diyl dication. The lowest energy excited state of this molecule arises from a transition from the ground state where one positive charge is associated with each of the hydrazine units, to an excited state where both charges are associated with one of the hydrazine units, that is, a Hy-to-Hy charge transfer. The resulting excited state is a Class II mixed valence molecule. The electronic emission and absorption spectra, and resonance Raman spectra, of this molecule are reported. The lowest energy absorption band is asymmetric with a weak low-energy shoulder and an intense higher energy peak. Emission is observed at low temperature. The details of the absorption and emission spectra are calculated for the coupled surfaces by using the time-dependent theory of spectroscopy. The calculations are carried out in the diabatic basis, but the nuclear kinetic energy is explicitly included and the calculations are exact quantum calculations of the model Hamiltonian. Because the transition involves the transfer of an electron from the hydrazine on one side of the molecule to the hydrazine on the other side and vice versa, the two transitions are antiparallel and the transition dipole moments have opposite signs. Upon transformation to the adiabatic basis, the dipole moment for the transition to the highest energy adiabatic surface is nonzero, but that for the transition to the lowest surface changes sign at the origin. The energy separation between the two components of the absorption spectrum is twice the coupling between the diabatic basis states. The bandwidths of the electronic spectra are caused by progressions in totally symmetric modes as well as progressions in the modes along the coupled coordinate. The totally symmetric modes are modeled as displaced harmonic oscillators; the frequencies and displacements are determined from resonance Raman spectra. The absorption, emission, and Raman spectra are fit simultaneously with one parameter set. The coupling in the excited electronic state H(ab)(ex) is 2000 cm(-1). Excited-state mixed valence is expected to be an important contributor to the electronic spectra of many organic and inorganic compounds. The energy separations and relative intensities enable the excited-state properties to be calculated as shown in this paper, and the spectra provide new information for probing and understanding coupling in mixed valence systems.     

One- and two-photon spectra of some selected molecules: A comparative study

The complementarity of one- and two-photon spectroscopy has been utilised for throwing light on the following problems of chemical interest: (1) Weak interaction between identical chromophores separated by insulating bridges gives rise to split states of different symmetries. Two-photon spectroscopy (TPA), in conjunction with one-photon absorption (OPA), has been used to identify the states and hence to estimate the magnitude of interaction in bimolecules and trimolecules. From the shifts between the one- and the two-photon spectra, the splittings have been estimated. Calculations confirm that the dominant interaction is the through-bond one. (2) The second type of problem is the identification ofg andu vibrations in molecules. We have initiated studies on three molecules in jet-cooled conditions: 9,10-dihydro-anthracene (DHA). 9,10-dihydro-phenanthrene (DHP) and octa-fluoronaph-thalene (OFN). Only the one-photon fluorescence excitation spectra have so far been obtained by us and the TPA spectra are under investigation. (3) The third class of molecules discussed here are the Ln³⁺ complexes wheref ⁿ⇒ fⁿ transitions are intrinsically two-photon allowed. We have studied two GD³⁺ single crystals. The CF-splittings, observed clearly in TPA, have been fitted with a parametric model. Some of our observations on the variations of TPA intensity patterns from crystal to crystal, such as circular:linear polarisation ratios, relative intensities of transitions to differentJ-states, do not quite fit in with the Axe-Judd-Downer model. The discrepancies call for a reappraisal of the role of ligand in the TPA process.     

Electronic excited States of polynucleotides: a study by electroabsorption spectroscopy

Electroabsorption spectra were obtained for single-stranded polynucleotides poly(U), poly(C), poly(A), and poly(G) in glycerol/water glass at low temperature, and the differences in permanent dipole moment (Deltamu) and polarizability (Deltaalpha) were estimated for several spectral ranges covering the lowest energy absorption band around 260 nm. In each spectral range, the electrooptical parameters associated with apparent features in the absorption spectrum exhibit distinct values representing either a dominant single transition or the resultant value for a group of a relatively narrow cluster of overlapping transitions. The estimated spacing in energy between electronic origins of these transitions is larger than the electronic coupling within the Coulombic interaction model which is usually adopted in computational studies. The electroabsorption data allow us to distinguish a weak electronic transition associated with a wing in polynucleotide absorption spectra, at an energy below the electronic origin in absorption spectra of monomeric nucleobases. In poly(C) and poly(G), these low-energy transitions are related to increased values of Deltamu and Deltaalpha, possibly indicating a weak involvement of charge resonance in the respective excited states. A model capable of explaining the origin of low-energy excited states, based on the interaction of pipi* and npi* transitions in neighboring bases, is introduced and briefly discussed on the grounds of point dipole interaction.     

Interaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes with sulfuric acid

An increase in the radiation yield of paramagnetic centers in H₂SO₄ + nanotubes (NTs) solutions was evidence of the sensitizing influence of NTs on the low-temperature radiolysis of sulfuric acid, that is, on excitation energy and charge transfer. Under the conditions selected, the influence of NTs extended to distances of 100–300 nm. The presence of NTs also influenced the interstice nanodiffusion of atomic hydrogen by decreasing kinetic heterogeneity of the vitrified matrix surrounding NTs. No chemical interaction between atomic hydrogen and carbon NTs was observed at 77–120 K. The diffusion of radical-base anions occurred following the vacancy mechanism and was independent of the presence of NTs. Nanotubes did not form a separate phase as sulfuric acid solutions were cooled to 77 K. The transition from the vitreous to supercooled liquid state was observed as irradiated and nonirradiated solutions were heated to 175 K; no phase transitions occurred over the temperature range 180–300 K. For the first time, substantial changes in the electronic spectra of sulfuric acid solutions of NTs with time were observed: an intense additional absorption band at 320 nm appeared in the spectra in several days. This band was supposedly related to the formation of complexes between H₂SO₄ molecules and the surface of NTs.     

The electronic structure of Mn in oxides, coordination complexes, and the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II studied by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) was used to collect Mn K pre-edge spectra and to study the electronic structure in oxides, molecular coordination complexes, as well as the S1 and S2 states of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PS II). The RIXS data yield two-dimensional plots that can be interpreted along the incident (absorption) energy or the energy transfer axis. The second energy dimension separates the pre-edge (predominantly 1s to 3d transitions) from the main K-edge, and a detailed analysis is thus possible. The 1s2p RIXS final-state electron configuration along the energy transfer axis is identical to conventional L-edge absorption spectroscopy, and the RIXS spectra are therefore sensitive to the Mn spin state. This new technique thus yields information on the electronic structure that is not accessible in conventional K-edge absorption spectroscopy. The line splittings can be understood within a ligand field multiplet model, i.e., (3d,3d) and (2p,3d) two-electron interactions are crucial to describe the spectral shapes in all systems. We propose to explain the shift of the K pre-edge absorption energy upon Mn oxidation in terms of the effective number of 3d electrons (fractional 3d orbital population). The spectral changes in the Mn 1s2p(3/2) RIXS spectra between the PS II S1 and S2 states are small compared to that of the oxides and two of the coordination complexes (Mn(III)(acac)3 and Mn(IV)(sal)2(bipy)). We conclude that the electron in the step from S1 to S2 is transferred from a strongly delocalized orbital.     

Spectrophotometric studies of complexation of [60]fullerene with series of aromatic hydrocarbon molecules containing flexible phenyl substituents

The absorption spectra of the electron donor-acceptor complexes of [60]fullerene with five different aromatic hydrocarbon (AH) molecules containing flexible phenyl substituents have been investigated in toluene medium. An absorption band due to charge transfer (CT) transition is observed in each case in the visible region. The experimental CT transition energies are well correlated with the vertical ionization potentials of the AHs studied (through Mulliken's equation) from which we extract degrees of charge transfer, oscillator and transition dipole strengths of the CT complexes. The degrees of CT in the ground state of the complexes have been found to be very low (0.49-0.55%). The formation constants (K) for the complexes of [60]fullerene with the aromatic hydrocarbons have been determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. Both K values and PM3 calculations on [60]fullerene/AH complexes reveal that nature of substitution in the donor moiety as well as steric compatibility with the acceptor molecule govern the process of EDA complex formation.     

Improved photoluminescence properties of ternary terbium complexes in mesoporous molecule sieves

Ternary terbium complexes were fully encapsulated and uniformly distributed into the channels of unmodified and modified mesoporous molecule sieves of SBA-15 and characterized by transmission electron micrographs (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and elemental analysis. The luminescent properties for the encapsulated complexes were systematically studied in contrast to the pure complexes, including excitation and emission spectra, fluorescence dynamics, photostability under UV exposure, and the temperature dependence of intensity and lifetime. The results indicate that the excitation bands assigned to the pi-pi* electron transition of the ligands for Tb complexes encapsulated in SBA-15 were split into different components due to decreased symmetry and disappeared at long wavelengths. Owing to suppressed vibration transitions, the outer quantum efficiency of the 5D4-7FJ (J = 0-5) emissions was enhanced largely in comparison to the pure complexes. In addition, the photostability and thermostability of the emissions were also improved considerably.     

A theoretical study of photoinduced electron transfer between tetracyanoethylene and arene

 Ab initio calculations have been performed to investigate the state transition in photoinduced electron transfer reactions between tetracyanoethylene and biphenyl as well as naphthalene. Face-to-face conformations of electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes were selected for this purpose. The geometries of the EDA complexes were determined by using the isolated optimized geometries of the donor and the acceptor to search for the maximum stabilization energy along the center-to-center distance. The correction of interaction energies for basis set superposition error was considered by using counterpoise methods. The ground and excited states of the EDA complexes were optimized with complete-active-space self-consistent-field calculations. The theoretical study of the ground state and excited states of the EDA complex in this work reveals that the S₁ and S₂ states of the EDA complexes are charge–transfer (CT) excited states, and CT absorption which corresponds to the S₀→S₁ and S₀→S₂ transitions arise from π−π^* excitation. On the basis of an Onsager model, CT absorption in dichloromethane was investigated by considering the solvent reorganization energy. Detailed discussions on the excited state and on the CT absorptions were made. Received: 30 April 2001 / Accepted: 18 October 2001 / Published online: 9 January 2002     

One-photon photophysics and two-photon absorption of 4-[9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-7-diphenylaminofluoren-2-yl]-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine and their platinum chloride complexes

The synthesis, one-photon photophysics and two-photon absorption (2PA) of three dipolar D-π-A 4-[9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-7-diphenylaminofluoren-2-yl]-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine and their platinum chloride complexes with different linkers between the donor and acceptor are reported. All ligands exhibit (1)π,π* transition in the UV and (1)π,π*/(1)ICT (intramolecular charge transfer) transition in the visible regions, while the complexes display a lower-energy (1)π,π*/(1)CT (charge transfer) transition in the visible region in addition to the high-energy (1)π,π* transitions. All ligands and the complexes are emissive at room temperature and 77 K, with the emitting excited state assigned as the mixed (1)π,π* and (1)CT states at RT. Transient absorption from the ligands and the complexes were observed. 2PA was investigated for all ligands and complexes. The two-photon absorption cross-sections (σ(2)) of the complexes (600-2000 GM) measured by Z-scan experiment are much larger than those of their corresponding ligands measured by the two-photon induced fluorescence method. The ligand and the complex with the ethynylene linker show much stronger 2PA than those with the vinylene linker.     

Energies of Charge Transfer for the Supramolecular Complexes of [60]- and [70]Fullerenes with a Series of meso-Tetraphenylporphyrins in the Solution State

Supramolecular complexes of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with various meso-tetraphenylporphyrins in toluene solutions have been studied by electronic absorption spectroscopy. Charge transfer (CT) absorption bands are observed in the visible region. Vertical ionization potentials (I _D ^V) of the meso-tetraphenylporphyrins are reported from a study of EDA interaction of these porphyrins with a number of electron acceptors like o-chloranil, p-chloranil, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) and vitamin K. The dependence of the CT transition energy on the donor ionization potential has been utilized to estimate the vertical electron affinities (E _A ^V) of [60]- and [70]fullerenes in solution. The value of E _A ^V for [60]fullerene is found to be 0.10 eV lower in magnitude than that of [70]fullerene. We have extracted degrees of CT, and oscillator and transition dipole strengths of the fullerenes/meso-tetraphenylporphyrins complexes. The experimental results show that the CT complexes studied here have a neutral character in their ground states. Electronic coupling elements have been determined for fullerene/meso-tetraphenylporphyrin complexes. Values of the solvent reorganization energy indicate that the electron transfer process takes place at a faster rate in the case of [70]fullerene/meso-tetraphenylporphyrin complexes.     

Higher excited electronic transitions of polyacetylene cations HC2nH+ n = 2-7 in neon matrixes

The polyacetylene HC2nH+ n = 2-7 cations were produced from a mixture of diacetylene with helium in a hot cathode-discharge source. After a mass-selective deposition, their absorption spectra were studied in 6 K neon matrixes. Besides the known A2Pi <-- X2Pi system, several new transitions to higher excited 2Pi electronic states of these cations have been observed. In the case of HC4H+ and HC6H+, only one new weak absorption system has been detected with the onset at 336.1 and 417.2 nm, respectively. These C2Pi <-- X2Pi transitions form a series that extends to HC10H+. Two further electronic transitions are observed for HC8H+ through to HC14H+; a weaker B2Piu <-- X2Pig and a strong E2Piu <-- X2Pig in the UV. The integrated intensity of the UV system of the polyacetylene cations exceeds that of the A2Pi <-- X2Pi transition by an order of magnitude.