Picosecond spectroscopic measurement of very fast intersystem crossing for 9,10-dioxa-anti-bimanes

Picosecond spectroscopy, following the buildup of T₁ → T_n absorption (maximum at 420 nm), shows that the T₁ state of 1,5-diazabicyclo3,3,0]octa-3,7-diene-2,6-diones(9,10-dioxa-anti-bimanes) is formed within about 10 ps. The nature of the T₁ state was confirmed by decay rates of T₁ → T_n absorption in acetonitrile (n = 0.375 cP, k_nr = 4.5 × 10⁵ s^?1), 1,2-ethanediol (n = 26 cP, k_nr = 1.5 × 10⁴ s^?1 and glycerol (n = 1400 cP, k_nr = 1.3 × 10³ s^?1). The very fast intersystem crossing is ascribed to the proximity of a ³nπ* state to the ππ* (S₁ state produced by light absorption (El-Sayed rule).