Picosecond time-resolved visible absorption and Raman spectra of trans-stilbene in acetonitrile have been measured. A new transient absorption band is observed at 440 nm, whose decay time constant coincides with that of the rise of the radical cation. In addition to the known Raman bands of the radical cation, a new Raman feature showing a fast decay is found at 1599 cm(-1). We assign the 440 nm absorption band and the 1599 cm(-1) Raman band to a precursor of the radical cation. The precursor may well be an ion pair that holds an ejected electron still around the cation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.