The 330-nm S1-S0 electronic spectrum of 1-pyrazoline: Probable hindered pseudorotation in S1 and confirmation of the ring-puckering potential function in S0 by single vibronic level fluorescence spectroscopy

The S₁-S₀ absorption spectrum of 1-pyrazoline is rotationally sharp but vibrationally extremely irregular, and other techniques are necessary to aid its assignment. The relaxed fluorescence spectrum shows a very long progression in the NN twisting vibration, suggesting that the ring is twisted in S₁ whereas, in S₀, this part of the ring is planar but the CH₂ group in position 4 is puckered. With a twisted ring in S₁ it seems likely that the NN twisting and CH₂(4) puckering modes in S₀ should be combined and newly described as radial and hindered pseudorotational modes in S₁. The vibronic transitions accompanying such an S₁-S₀ electronic transition are derived. Single vibronic level fluorescence spectra from many vibronic levels of S₁ show progressions in both the NN twisting and CH₂(4) puckering vibrations in S₀, but only with Δv even. This strongly supports the suggestion that these two modes are heavily mixed in S₁, and indicates that the fluorescing states are either above the barrier to pseudorotation or not far below it, so that there is appreciable tunnelling through the barrier. The progressions in the CH₂(4) puckering vibration allow us to assign uniquely the puckering quantum number, in S₀, of the band in which excitation took place. In addition, the spacings in these progressions further confirm the preferred potential function derived from the far-infrared spectrum and confirmed previously from the microwave spectrum.