Optical and ODMR investigation of the low lying excited states of neat α-oxalic acid dihydrate

The lowest excited singlet and triplet states of neat α-oxalic acid dihydrate have been investigated by optical, optical Zeeman, and zero-field optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy at T ? 4 K. The observed electronic transitions in absorption are assigned as ¹A_u ← ¹A_g (ν₀ = 34131 cm^?1) from its normal polarizatio These correspond to the expected lowest lying ^1,3nπ* excitations in trans-α-dicarbonyls. The ³A_u → ¹A_g phosphorescence is also observed. Monitoring the phosphorescence intensity, the fine structure splittings and principal axes' orientation and the kinetic parameters of the ³A_u s The fine structure constants are X = 2510.0, Y = ?1800.3, and Z = ?709.7 MHZ where the x axis is in-plane and parallel to the carbo The absolute signs of the constants have been established by optical Zeeman measurements. The τ_x zero-field spin state has the largest total phosphorescence rate, radiative rate, and populating rate. The τ_x activity in the 0 - 0 band is polarized mainly along the x axis. However, considerable normal polarization associated with an in-p