Fluorescence studies of retinol and retinyl acetate

The polarized emission study of all-trans retinol and retinyl acetate in solid films at room temperature has been carried out. The shape of the absorption and fluorescence is typical of Franck-Condon forbidden bands. The high positive polarization of the fluorescence excitation and the emission (when excited into main absorption band due to 1_Bu ← 1_Ag transition) suggests that the lowest excited singlet state of retinols has a large amount of 1_Bu character. The explanation for the high positive polarization involving strong vibronic interactions suggesting 1_Ag - (a very weakly allowed state) being the lowest excited singlet has also been considered.