Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.103, No.17, 3184-3192, 1999
Structure and picosecond excited-states dynamics in isolated, supercooled 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzonitrile
The first experimental evidence is presented for a strong coupling between electronic states in isolated, supercooled 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzonitrile, DMABN. In the fluorescence excitation spectrum, measured under isolated supercooled conditions, two types of transitions were found (B-type and C-type). Rotational contour analysis of the B-type bands (pi pi* character) shows that there is hardly any difference between the geometries of the ground and excited states; the molecule retains its planar conformation. In the out-of-plane transition (C-type band) the equilibrium position of the dimethylamino group twists 90 degrees with respect to the benzonitrile part. The broadening of the rotational lines indicates that the fluorescence is preceded by a fast radiationless intramolecular process (internal conversion) on a picosecond time scale. For the B-type bands it was found that the broadening increases with the vibrational energy.
Keywords:CHARGE-TRANSFER STATE;INDUCED FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY;P-SUBSTITUTED DIALKYLANILINES;ISOLATED ULTRACOLD PORPHYRINS;VANDERWAALS COMPLEXES;S-TETRAZINE;FREE JET;ANOMALOUSFLUORESCENCE;SUPERSONIC EXPANSIONS;DIPOLE-MOMENTS