New contributions to the photophysical model for all-trans-polyenes from ttbP4, a nonphotolabile octatetraene

Catalán, J; Hopf, H; Martus, M

HERO ID

4868784

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2008

Language

English

PMID

18345903

HERO ID 4868784
In Press No
Year 2008
Title New contributions to the photophysical model for all-trans-polyenes from ttbP4, a nonphotolabile octatetraene
Authors Catalán, J; Hopf, H; Martus, M
Journal Journal of Chemical Physics
Volume 128
Issue 10
Page Numbers 104504
Abstract All-trans-octatetraene 3,10-di(tert-butyl)-2,2,11,11-tetramethyl-3,5,7,9-dodecatetraene emits fluorescence in three different regions of the visible spectrum. Thus, it produces an extremely weak emission in the gas phase that can hardly be detected in the condensed phase; such an emission exhibits a negligible Stokes shift with respect to the 1A(g)-->1B(u) absorption transition and can, in principle, be assigned to the 1B(u)-->1A(g) emission for the compound. A second, structureless fluorescence emission, centered in the region of 525 nm, is observed in the gas phase and at somewhat higher wavelengths in the condensed phase [viz., 570 nm in 2-methylbutane (2MB) and 550 nm in squalane (SQ)]. While detectable, this emission increases significantly, with no change in spectral position, as the solution temperature is lowered; also, it is abruptly replaced by a new, strongly blueshifted emission at approximately 490 nm in 2MB and 455 mm in SQ when the viscosity of the medium exceeds a given level. The fact that the two fluorescence emissions considerably depart from the expected behavior for a 1B(u)-->1A(g) emission in an all-trans-polyene, and that one disappears while the other simultaneously appears as the medium becomes more rigid, suggests that the two emissions are produced by two different molecular structures and that the rigidity of the medium switches their production from the originally excited all-trans 1B(u) form. The observed spectral behavior is consistent with a recently proposed model [J. Catalan, Chem. Phys. 335, 69 (2007)] in which the 1B(u) excited state of octatetraene can give two distinct molecular conformers as a result of twisting about different C-C single bonds.
Doi 10.1063/1.2839590
Pmid 18345903
Wosid WOS:000254025300035
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English