Benzonitrile and its van der waals complexes studied in a free jet. III. Enhancement of the intersystem crossing rate in the benzonitrile dimer and other complexes

By using the sensitized phosphorescence spectroscopy, the intensity of the phosphorescence has been recorded upon excitation of the benzonitrile dimer to the S₁ vibronic states in a free jet. The results indicate that the strong vibrational energy dependence of the fluorescence quantum yield, reported previously, is attributable to the increasing rate of intersystem crossing with increasing vibrational energy. Similar behavior is also observed in other van der Waals complexes of benzonitrile though the increase is less obvious. The enhancement of the intersystem crossing can be correlated with the state density of van der Waals modes in the S₁ electronic state. In case of the benzonitrile trimer and benzonitrile-Kr complex, intersystem crossing is found to be fully efficient even without vibrational excitation.     

Radiationless transitions between excited singlet states of biacetyl

Emission processes from lower excited states S₁ (fluorescence) and T₁ (phosphorescence) have been studied in the gas and liquid phases when biacetyl is excited into the second singlet state S₂. (In agreement with Kasha's rule no fluorescence is observed from the S₂ state.) In the liquid phase, when biacetyl is excited into the singlet states S₁ and S₂, no difference is observed between these emission processes. This phenomenon certainly results from an efficient nonradiative transition between the second excited singlet state S₂ and the first excited state S₁ with practically no excess vibrational energy. The quantum yield of this transition is almost unity and does not depend on the nature of the solvent. In the gas phase no emission processes are observed when biacetyl is excited into the S₂ state at low pressure (less than 10 mm Hg). High pressure of inert gas is necessary in order to observe these processes. As for excitation into the S₁ state with vibrational energy, loss of vibrational energy through collisions occurs from the S₂ state. The quantum yield of the S₂ → S₁ transition by excitation at 290 nm is estimated around 0.5–0.6 at 6 atm of inert gas (ethane, ethylene, or carbon dioxide).     

Manifestation of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution on electronic relaxation in large molecules

Some universal characteristics are discussed of the decay lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields from the S₁ manifold of large molecules, which originate from the coupling between intrastate vibrational energy redistribution and interstate electronic relaxation. The time-resolved total fluorescence decay from the S₁ state of jet-cooled 9-cyanoanthracene exhibits non-exponential decay in the energy range E_v= 1200–1740 cm⁻¹ above the S₁ origin, which does not originate from dephasing but rather manifests the effects of intrastate intermediate level structure for vibrational energy redistribution on intersystem crossing.     

Laser photodissociation of s-tetrazine: Product vibrational excitation

The photosensitive and thermally unstable molecule s-tetrazine decomposes to yield one nitrogen molecule and two HCN molecules. Following pulsed irradiation of tetrazine vapor at 492.3 nm, we have observed time resolved infrared fluorescence from HCN(001). In a similar experiment, small quantities of CO₂ were added to the sample cell, and we observed infrared fluorescence from CO₂ (001) populated by VV energy transfer. From fluorescence intensity measurements, we have been able to estimate the amount of excitation in certain product vibrations. We conclude that ≈ 1% of the HCN is produced in the (001) state, and the “equivalent” of ≈ 0.1 quantum of N₂ vibrational excitation is excited. This latter figure may include some excitation of HCN (ν₁), but the measured energy transfer rate coefficients are consistent with N₂ excitation. The small amount of HCN(ν₃) and N₂ vibrational excitation is surprising, as the photodissociation is exothermic by more than 100kcal/mole.     

Wavelength-dependent Photodissociation Dynamics of Benzaldehyde

The ultrafast dynamics of benzaldehyde upon 260, 271, 284, and 287 nm excitations have been studied by femtosecond pinup-probe time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A bi-exponential decay component model was applied to fit the transient profiles of benzaldehyde ions and fragment ions. At the S2 origin, the first decay of the component was attributed to the internal conversion to the high vibrational levels of S1 state. Lifetimes of the first component decreased with increasing vibrational energy, due to the influence of high density of the vibrational levels. The second decay was assigned to the vibrational relaxation of the S1 whose lifetime was about 600 fs. Upon 287 nm excitation, the first decay became ultra-short （-56 fs） which was taken for the intersystem cross from S1 to T2, while the second decay component was attributed to the vibrational relaxation. The pump-probe transient of fragment was also studied with the different probe intensity at 284 nm pump.     

The emission spectrum of the 1B1(π*-n+) state of 1,2-cyclobutanedione excited at 488.0 nm

The spectrum of the emission from the ¹B₁(π^*-n₊) state of 1,2-cyclobutanedione excited at 488.0 nm has been measured. Wavelengths and vibrational assignments are reported for 24 bands between 490 and 550 nm, 12 of which can be identified with hot bands in the absorption spectrum. Prominent bands in the emission spectrum are associated with excitation of V^''₈, the symmetric in-plane carbonyl bend (281 cm⁻¹); v^''₁₂, the asymmetric carbonyl wag (488 cm⁻¹); and v^''₇, a symmetric ring distortion (522 cm⁻¹). Sequences in v₁₃, the ring-twisting vibration, are also prominent; the initial excitation lies in the 13³₃ absorption band, while the emission shows intensity maxima for v^'₁₃ = 0 and 2, and a bimodal vibrational relaxation is suggested.     

Phosphorescence from pyrimidine vapor

The phosphorescence from pyrimidine vapor has been observed by a method of time-resolved laser spectroscopy. The phosphorescence spectrum commences at 350.5 nm and consists mainly of three totally symmetric vibrations in the ground state, v_6a, v₁₂ and v_9a as in the case of the zero-point vibrational level fluorescence of pyrimidine vapor. The phosphorescence quantum yield and lifetime are found to be about 1 × 10^?4 and 50 μs.     

Fragment state distribution,energy partitioning and rotational alignment in the state-to-state photodissociation of methylnitrite

The photodissociation of methylnitrite, CH₃ONO, generates vibrationally, rotationally, and translationally excited NO and CH₃O fragments. Following selective excitation via the localizedS ₁(nπ*) ←S ₀ transition into different overtones (v′=1, 2, 3) of theN=0 stretching modeν ₃, the complete state distribution and the energy partitioning of the NO fragment was determined. For the CH₃O fragment the complete energy, the translational energy and the sum of the rotational and vibrational energy was obtained. Owing to strong exit channel interactions between the initialν ₃ mode and the translational and rotational motions, the fragment energy redistribution is highly selective with respect to the vibrational excitation and alignment of NO. Energywise the CH₃O moiety behaves almost like a spectator. Furthermore the rotational alignment \(\overline {A_0^{(2)} } \) of NO(v″) in the populated vibrational states (v″ = 0, 1, 2, 3) was measured as a function of the initial overtone excitation. In accord with theoretical predictions based on an ab initioS ₁-potential surface, the highest geometrical selectivity of the dissociation process is obtained when the vibrational quantum numbersv′ ofν ₃ andv″ of NO are the same. With increasing mismatch the deviation from a planar dissociation process is increasing.     

Interstate coupling and dynamics of excited singlet states of isolated diphenylbutadiene

In this paper, we report on absolute fluorescence quantum yields from photoselected vibrational states of jet-cooled 1,4-diphenylbutadiene for excess vibrational energies, E_v = 0−7500 cm⁻¹, above the apparent electronic origin of the S₁(2A_g) state. The pure radiative lifetimes, τ_r, of the strongly scrambled S₂(1B_u)—S₁(2A_g) molecular eigenstates (E_v = 1050−1800 cm⁻¹) show a marked dilution effect, (τ_r/τ_r(S₂) ≈ 40), being practically identical with the τ_r values from the S₁(2A_g) manifold (E_v = 0–900 cm⁻¹), which is affected by near-resonant vibronic coupling to S₂(1B_u) and exhibiting the dynamic manifestations of the intermediate level structure. Isomerization rates in the isolated molecule, which do not exhibit vibrational mode selectivity, were recorded over the energy range 0–6600 cm⁻¹ above the threshold.     

Fluorescence kinetics of emission from a small finite volume of a biological system

The fluorescence decay, apparent quantum yield and transmission from chromophores constrained to a microscopic volume using a single picosecond laser excitation were measured as a function of incident intensity. The β subunit of phycoeryhthrin aggregate isolated from the photosynthetic antenna system of Nostoc sp. was selected since it contains only four chromophores in a volume of less than 5.6×10⁴ ų. The non-exponential fluorescence decay profiles were intensity independent for the intensity range studied (5 × 10¹³ - 2 × 10¹⁵ photon cm^?2 per pulse). The apparent decrease in the relative fluorescence quantum yield and increase of the relative transmission with increasing excitation intensity is attributed to the combined effects of ground state depletion and upper excited state absorption. Evidence suggests that exciton annihilation is absent within isolated β subunits.     

Excited state dynamics and spectroscopy of the 1A″ state of NSF vapor — comparisons with SO2

The fluorescence emission spectrum and analysis of NSF vapor is presented. Single vibronic level excitation near the S₁ origin gives rise to a 10 μs radiative decay. The fluorescence lifetime for excitation of levels with ? 4500 cm^?1 excess vibrational energy becomes controlled by a unimolecular radiationless process which is likely photodissociation; the dependence of this radiationless rate on energy and vibrational mode is investigated. The perturbations resulting from coupling of zero-order S₁ states with other vibronic levels which control the excited state dynamics of SO₂ are apparently not operative for NSF. Attempts are made to rationalize the grossly different dynamic behavior of the S₁ levels of these two otherwise very similar systems.     

Proton transfer from nitromethane stimulated by C-H overtone excitation: evidence for vibrational photochemistry in solution

Vibrational overtone excitation of nitromethane in the C-H stretch (Δv = 3) band at 1144 nm enhances the rate of proton transfer to D₂O solvent. Evidence is presented for vibrational photochemistry with quantum yield (3± 1 × 10⁻⁵.     

Emission excitation spectra and photochemistry of the 3820 Å band system of propynal

The fluorescence and phosphorescence excitation spectra of propynal at 0.60 torr with and without an added 100 torr He were measured up to an excess vibrational energy of 6000 cm^-1 above the zero-point level of S₁(¹A″). Over the same energy range, the relative quantum yield of the photoproduct CO was determined as a function of the excess energy. From these data it is suggested that the singlet S₁ is the photochemically active state, and that the collision-induced intersystem crossing process governs the photochemistry.     

Tunable Dual Fluorescence of 3‐(2,2′‐Bipyridyl)‐Substituted Iminocoumarin

3‐(2,2′‐Bipyridyl)‐substituted iminocoumarin molecules (compounds 1 and 2 ) exhibit dual fluorescence. Each molecule has one electron donor and two electron acceptors that are in conjugation, which leads to fluorescence from two independent charge transfer (CT) states. To account for the dual fluorescence, we subscribe to a kinetic model in which both CT states form after rapid decays from the directly accessed S₁ and S₂ excited states. Due to the slow internal conversion from S₂ to S₁, or more likely the slow interconversion between the two subsequently formed CT states, dual emission is allowed to occur. This hypothesis is supported by the following evidence: 1) the emission at short and long ends of the spectrum originates from two different excitation spectra, which eliminates the possibility that dual emission occurs after an adiabatic reaction at the S₁ level. 2) The fluorescence quantum yield of compound 2 grows with increasing excitation wavelength, which indicates that the high‐energy excitation elevates the molecule to a weakly emissive state that does not internally convert to the low‐energy, highly emissive state. The intensity of the two emission bands of 1 is tunable through the specific interactions between either of the two electron acceptors with another species, such as Zn²⁺ in the current demonstration. Therefore, the development of ratiometric fluorescent indicators based on the dual‐emitting iminocoumarin system is conceivable. Further fundamental studies on this series of compounds using time‐resolved spectroscopic techniques, and explorations of their applications will be carried out in the near future.     

Reactions of fluorine atoms with iodides studied by crossed beam laser-induced fluorescence

The reactions of F atoms with C₂H₅I, C₂F₅I, and n-C₃H₅I were studied by the crossed beam laser-induced fluorescence techniques within the 570–620 nm wavelength region. The vibrational and rotational excitation spectra of the reaction product IF were measured. The relative vibrational population densities of v = 3,4, and 5 vibrational levels, and some of the relative detailed vibrational rate constants, the rotational temperatures, and the mean fractions of rotational energy in individual vibrational states of the reaction product IF were obtained. The reaction mechanism was discussed.     

Energy transfer rates for vibrationally excited gas-phase azulene in the electronic ground state

Gas-phase azulene molecules were prepared with 17200 cm^?1 vibrational energy in the S₀ state by laser excitation of the S₁ state and subsequent internal conversion. Rates of vibrational energy removal (for several collision partners) were determined from the decay of the CH-stretch fluorescence at 3.3 μm. A stepladder model indicates each azulene-azulene collision removes 3500 cm^?1 of vibrational energy.     

Photodynamics of the excited states of trimethylamine in a supersonic beam

The photophysics of trimethylamine (TMA) and rare gas-TMA van der Waals molecules has been studied under supersonic beam conditions. Dual exponential fluorescence decays observed for excitation of the second excited singlet state (S₂) are attributed to a novel S₂-S₁ relaxation induced by the vibrational predissociation of van der Waals molecules.     

Studies on the fluorescence properties of meso-substituted amidoanthracenes

The fluorescence energy, the shape of the fluorescence spectrum and the fluorescence efficiency of 9-anthramide (9-CONH₂) and N,N-diethyl-9-anthramide (9-CONEt₂) have been investigated as a function of solvent. For 9-CONH₂, the average first excited singlet state (S₁) energy decreases and the fluorescence becomes structureless at the polar and non-polar extremes of the solvent scale. This unusual fluorescence behavior for 9-CONH₂ is explained by a solvent-dependent geometry change subsequent to excitation, whereby the exocyclic group rotates about the anthracene ring. In contrast, 9-CONEt₂ shows solvent-independent behavior. The average S₁ energy remains nearly constant and the fluorescence spectra show well-defined vibrational structure in a wide variety of solvents. Thus, the diethyl substitution causes a dramatic change in the fluorescence properties compared with those of the unsubstituted amide. This difference appears to correlate with the increased bulkiness and electron donating ability of the ethyl groups which impede the excited state rotation. Limited fluorescence quantum yield data suggest that the fluorescence efficiency of the amides is intermediate between that of meso-substituted anthryl ketones and esters of 9-anthroic acid.     

High-Resolution Experimental Study on Photodissocaition of N2O

We study the photodissociation dynamics of nitrous oxide using the time-sliced ion velocity imaging technique at three photolysis wavelengths of 134.20, 135.30, and 136.43 nm. The O(¹S_J=0)+N₂(X¹∑_g⁺) product channels were investigated by measuring images of the O(¹S_J=0) products. Vibrational states of N₂(X¹∑_g⁺) products were fully resolved in the images. Product total kinetic energy releases (TKER) and the branching ratios of vibrational states of N₂ products were determined. It is found that the most populated vibrational states of N₂ products are v=2 and v=3. The angular anisotropy parameters (β values) were also derived. The β values are very close to 2 at low vibrational states of the correlated N₂(X¹∑_g⁺) products at all three photolysis wavelengths, and gradually decrease to about 1.4 at v=7. This indicates the dissociation is mainly through a parallel transition state to form products at lower vibrational states, and the highly vibrational exited products are from a more bent configuration. This is consistent with the observed shift of the most intense rotational structure in the TKER as the vibrational quantum number increases.