The electronic relaxation of biacetyl in the vapor phase

The emissions of biacetyl after pulsed dye-laser excitation were studied at pressures down to 0.05 mtorr. At all energies the time-resolved fluorescence was composed of a nanosecond and a microsecond component. At “zero” pressure the long lived phosphorescence was absent while the “hot” phosphorescence has the same time characteristics as the slow fluorescence. By increasing the pressure the slow fluorescence was quenched while the milisecond phosphorescence was induced. We determined the low-pressure emission characteristics and the pressure effects as a function of excitation energy.From our data we obtained the parameters describing the intermediate type singlet-triplet coupling, the radiative and non-radiative relaxation rates from the singlet and triplet levels and the cross sections for the slow fluorescence quenching, all as a function of energy. Strong evidence is obtained for the participation of rotational states in the intra-molecular relaxation. The important difference between the situation where the singlet levels are isolated (low energy) and where the singlet level widths overlap (at higher energies) is demonstrated. In the former situation very large fluorescence quenching cross sectios were found. It is further shown that for high energies at least two effective collisions are needed to obtain a thermalized triplet; the mean energy removed per effective collision is 2200 cm^?1.     

The electronic relaxation of benzophenone in the vapor phase

The time-resolved luminescence of benzophenone was studied for two excitation wavelengths as a function of pressure. In isolated molecule conditions a single microsecond emission was observed. At increasing pressure the lifetime of this emission becomes shorter, while simultaneously a millisecond emission shows up, its intensity increasing with pressure. The microsecond emission was identified as a combination of hot phosphorescence and diluted fluorescence of the singlet—triplet scrambled molecular eigenstates, the millisecond emission as the normal thermalized phophorescence. From the analysis that is possible after this identification it appears that both radiative and nonradiative rates increase with excitation energy. The rate of formation of thermalized triplet levels is about 20% of the molecular collision rate.     

Electronic relaxation of molecular exciplexes in the vapor phase

Interaction of electronically excited TCNB (tetracyanobenzone) and ground-state MB (methylated benzenes) leads to the formation of fluorescent exciplexes in the vapor phase. Studies of exciplex fluorescence as a function of excess vibrational energy in TCNB and of temperature and pressure of added buffer gas, lead to the conclusion that the low-frequency inter-molecular vibrations play a very important role in the radiationless deactivation of exciplexes. The results also indicate that collisional relaxation of low-frequency intermolecular vibrations proceeds much more rapidly than that of high-frequency intramolecular vibrations.     

Femtosecond electronic relaxation of excited metalloporphyrins in the gas phase

A systematic study of the ultrafast decay of metalloporphyrins containing various transition metals with partially filled 3d shells and zinc (3d filled) is reported here after excitation in the second excited state of the system (Soret band). Both time-of-flight mass spectrometry and velocity map imaging have been used for detection. A general biexponential decay with a short time constant tau1 approximately 100 fs is observed for the transition metal porphyrins, followed by a tau2 approximately 1 ps time decay. This evolution is interpreted as a porphyrin-to-metal charge transfer, tau1, followed by a back transfer, tau2, which leads to an excited state (d,d*) localized on the metal. These conclusions stem from the different behaviors of zinc and the transition metal porphyrins. A porphyrin-to-metal charge transfer model is chosen to describe the relaxation mechanism, based upon the fact that transition metalloporphyrins can accept electrons on the metal site, in contrast to zinc porphyrins.     

Energy dependence of radiationless relaxation in methylglyoxal

Measurements are reported for the biexponential decay parameters as a function of excitation energy for luminescence from the lowest energy excited singlet state (S₁) of methylglyoxal. The results are interpreted in terms of a kinetic scheme incorporating reversible decay between S₁ and a set of isoenergetic accepting levels. Correspondence with a quantum mechanical model yields coupling matrix elements and densities of accepting levels. Some fundamental decay rate constants for S₁ in glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and in biacetyl are found to be strikingly similar. This similarity may be explained with a simple theoretical scheme.     

Self-quenching and electronic energy transfer of triplet molecules. The benzaldehyde-biacetyl system in the vapor phase

The triplet-triplet energy transfer from benzaldehyde to biacetyl and the competing self-quenching between triplets and ground state molecules of benzaldehyde were investigated in the dilute vapor phase by monitoring the phosphorescence (T₁(nπ^*)S_o) decay of benzaldehyde. Following excitation into the S₁(nπ^*)S₀ absorption band, a triplet self-quenching rate constant of k_SQ=(2.4±0.1) × 10⁴ s^?1 Torr^?1, corresponding to a gas-kinetic cross section of σ_SQ=0.22 A², was measured. The collision-free lifetime of the benzaldehyde triplet was found to be 2.3 ± 0.4 ms. Substitution of the aldehydic proton by deuterium reduces k_SQ by a factor of two: complete deuteration of the molecule has no further effect. Under the same excitation conditions, the energy transfer rate to biacetyl is k_ET=(2.8 ± 0.1) × 10⁶ s^?1 Torr^?1, with σ_ET = 24 A². This process is not influenced by deuteration.     

The viscosity of triethylamine vapor at low densities and in the saturated vapor phase

For the first time, results of high-precision measurements of the viscosity coefficient of triethylamine vapor at low densities are reported. The relative measurements with an all-quartz oscillating-disk viscometer were carried out along seven isochores at densities from 0.002 to 0.009 mol m⁻³ in the temperature range between 298 and 498 K. The uncertainty is estimated to be ±$\pm$0.2% at ambient temperature, increasing up to ±$\pm$0.3% at higher temperatures. First isothermal values were recalculated from the original experimental data and then evaluated with a first-order expansion for the viscosity, in terms of density. In addition, viscosity values of the saturated vapor were determined at low temperatures. The results are utilized to model the viscosity coefficient of triethylamine vapor at moderately low densities. A so-called individual correlation on the basis of the extended theorem of corresponding states was employed to describe the zero-density viscosity coefficient, whereas the Rainwater–Friend theory was used to represent the initial density dependence expressed as second viscosity virial coefficient.     

Vibrational relaxation in the condensed phase

A modified Landau-Teller equation for vibrational relaxation in the condensed phase is proposed. This equation differs from previous approaches by accounting for the fluctuations of the energies of the vibrational levels that result from the interactions with the surroundings (bath). In the conventional approach the effects of the bath are only included in the coupling between the relaxing and accepting vibrational modes. It is shown that the additional inclusion of the fluctuations of the energy levels can lead to a dramatic change of the vibrational relaxation rate.     

The interaction of the theophylline metastable phase with water vapor

The conditions of hydration of the stable and metastable theophylline phases were determined. Two-phase metastable phase/monohydrate and stable phase/monohydrate equilibrium pressures were measured at 25, 30, and 35°C. The metastable phase began to react with water vapor at lower relative humidities than the stable phase. Processes that occurred with the metastable and stable theophylline phases over various water pressure ranges were considered. The metastable phase exhibited an unusual behavior at 25°C and relative humidity 47%. At constant water vapor pressure and temperature, theophylline was initially hydrated and then lost water and again became anhydrous. Two consecutive processes occurred in the system, the formation of theophylline monohydrate from the metastable phase and its decomposition to the stable phase. The ratio between the rates of these processes determined the content of the monohydrate at the given time moment.     

Isomerization equilibrium of the p-menthadienes in the vapor phase

The isomerization equilibrium between nine p-menthadienes has been studied in the vapor phase at 250°C and their equilibrium ratios have been determined. A method for the quantitative GLC analysis of mixtures of isomeric p-menthadienes has been developed.Mogilev Technological Institute. V. I. Lenin Belorussian State University, Minsk. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 51–54, January–February, 1985.     

The viscosity of the binary vapor mixture methanol-triethylamine at low densities and in the saturated vapor phase of the vapor-liquid equilibrium

For the first time, results of precision measurements of the viscosity coefficient of the binary vapor mixture methanol-triethylamine at low densities are reported. The relative measurements with an all-quartz oscillating-disk viscometer were carried out for nearly equimolar mixtures along five isochores at densities from 0.010 to 0.033 mol dm⁻³ as well as for a mixture of the mole fraction y_meth = 0.3322 at a density 0.016 mol dm⁻³ in the temperature range between 298 and 498 K. The uncertainty is estimated to be ±0.2% at ambient temperature, increasing to ±0.3% at higher temperatures. Isothermal values of a mixture with the averaged mole fraction y_meth = 0.5002 were recalculated from the original experimental data and evaluated with a first-order expansion for the viscosity, in terms of density. A so-called individual correlation on the basis of the extended theorem of corresponding states was employed to describe the interaction viscosity in the limit of zero density. Some data points at low temperatures had to be excluded from this calculation, since the measurements were performed in the saturated vapor phase. For these data points the vapor-liquid equilibrium had to be evaluated to assign the correct mole fraction in the vapor to the measured viscosity.     

Photophysics of alpha,omega-diphenyloctatetraene in the vapor phase

Fluorescence and fluorescence excitation spectra of diphenyloctatetraene vapor have been measured at different temperatures from 98 to 136 degrees C and at different buffer gas pressures from 0 to 300 Torr. The fluorescence quantum yields were determined as functions of the excitation energy and buffer gas pressure. It is shown that diphenyloctatetraene vapor exhibits weak fluorescence from the S2 (1(1)Bu) state in addition to the fluorescence from the S1 (2(1)Ag) state. The quantum yield of the S1 fluorescence is shown to decrease with decreasing pressure and with increasing excitation energy. The electronic relaxation processes of diphenyloctatetraene vapor are discussed based on the pressure and excitation-energy dependence of the fluorescence quantum yield.     

Lifetimes of triplet state alkylbenzenes in the vapor phase

Rate constants for triplet state decay of C₆H₆, C₆D₆ and 15 alkylbenzenes in the vapor phase have been found, using a flash-sensitized biacetyl phosphorescence technique, to range between 800 s^?1 and ? 18 000 s^?1. Only benzene has a significant positive activation energy for decay. Kinetic and spectroscopic evidence supports a photoisomerization decay channel in t-butylbenzene. Comparison of lifetimes with molecular size shows that increased density of rotational levels does not account for rapid decay of the triplet state. This contradicts a recent suggestion to explain short lifetimes of triplet state aromatic hydrocarbons in the vapor phase, relative to the long lifetimes of the same molecules in low temperat matrices. Evidence suggests that the dominant decay paths for triplet state alkylbenzenes are different in room temperature vapors and low temperature matrices.     

Interpretation of the vibrational spectra of methylglyoxal and biacetyl in their first singlet excited electronic states

Laser-induced fluorescence spectra for the first allowed electronic transition (22125 cm^?1) of methylglyoxal (CH₃COCHO) and its perdeutero analog (CD₃COCDO) in a supersonic nozzle beam are quantitatively represented assuming that the potential function governing the CH₃(CD₃) rotation is changed during the transition. In the excited state the potential function is ternary (V₁ = 95 (1 + cos 3θ)cm^?1) as in the fundamental state (V₀ = 134.5 (1 - cos 3θ)cm^?1), but the minima are shifted by an angle of π/3. The spectrum of biacetyl (CH₃COCH₃CO) can be reproduced assuming two uncoupled methyl groups undergoing similar conformational changes during the electronic transition (the estimated potential function is V₁ = 117.5 (1 + cos 3θ) cm^?1 for each methyl group), in perfect agreement with the most recent assignment of the 0-0 transition. These results are consistent with ab initio calculations for the fundamental and first excited singlet states.     

Dielectric relaxation in the paracrystalline phase in polyacrylonitrile

Thermal expansion and dielectric relaxation of polyacrylonitrile were measured in the temperature range from ?75 to 152°C. at frequencies from 30 cps to 3 Mc./sec. The thermal expansion curve and the temperature dependence of logarithmic relaxation time both show an inflection at 85°C. An x-ray study by Bohn reveals that this inflection comes from the thermal expansion of the paracrystalline phase of this polymer, and consequently the transition at 85°C. and the associated relaxation are ascribed to molecular motion in the paracrystalline phase. The relaxation strength increases with increasing temperature above this point. The transition is caused by freezing of the bending vibration of chains whereas the relaxation results from rotational vibration. The length of segments in this phase is roughly estimated to be ca. 100 A. by comparing the observed relaxation strength with the theory developed on the basis of the above considerations.     

The vapor phase oxidation of 2-ethylhexanal over oxide catalysts

The vapor phase oxidation of 2-ethylhexanal over a series of oxide catalysts has been studied at 373–623 K. Monolayer vanadia supported on SiO₂ and TiO₂, molybdena and tungstenia supported on SiO₂, and SnO₂ were used as the catalysts. In contrast to the liquid phase process, resulting in 2-ethylhexanoic acid, the main observed reaction was reactant combustion. The partial oxidation products were 3-heptanone, 3-heptyl formate, and heptene. No traces of 2-ethylhexanoic acid were detected in any of the transformations performed.