Mechanism and dynamics of azobenzene photoisomerization.
The excited-state dynamics of trans-azobenzene were investigated by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics. Two near-degenerate pipi* excited states, S2 and S3,4, were identified in a region hitherto associated with only one excited state. These results help to explain contradictory reports about the photoisomerization mechanism and the wavelength dependence of the quantum yield. A new model for the isomerization mechanism is proposed.
Schultz
Thomas
T
Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 0R6.
Quenneville
Jason
J
Levine
Benjamin
B
Toniolo
Alessandro
A
Martínez
Todd J
TJ
Lochbrunner
Stefan
S
Schmitt
Michael
M
Shaffer
James P
JP
Zgierski
Marek Z
MZ
Stolow
Albert
A