Vibrational relaxation in liquid diethylamine

Two types of time resolved experiments have been performed on the intermediate sized polyatomic molecule diethylamine, in the liquid phase, in order to elucidate the pathway for vibrational relaxation of the ν = 3 level of the NH stretching mode, which has 9420 cm^?1 of energy. Both techniques had calibrated absolute sensitivities and were specific for vibrational modes of ca. 3000 cm^?1, yet with neither were transient populations in such modes observable. It is inferred that population relaxation in this highly excited room temperature system proceeds on the subpicosecond time scale to lower lying levels. The importance of intramolecular channels for this decay is suggested.