Anisotropic rotations in 1-naphthylamine. Existence of a red-edge transition moment normal to the ring plane

The rotational motions of 1-naphthylamine in propylene glycol are investigated by means of steady-state flourescence polarization measurements and differential polarized phase flourometry, on excitation at various wavelengths. For excitation at 370 nm the average rotational rate is faster than for excitation at shorter wavelength and the rotations are clearly anisotropic. On excitation from 370nm to the red edge of the spectrum (390 nm) the average rotational rate slows down by a factor of two and the rotations become nearly isotropic. The results reveal the possible existence of an excited state generated preferentially by excitation at the edge of the absorption, in which the transition moments in both absorption and emission are prependicular to the plane of the aromatic rings.