Intersystem crossing spectra

Figure 6.1. Jablonski-type diagram for pyrazine. The zero-field splittings (between tx, tV) t2) are not drawn to scale. Spin polarization ( x x x) resulting from the most probable intersystem crossing routes and part of the emission spectrum where different vibronic bands (v = /,/, k) have different zf origins are schematically indicated. (After El-Sayed.(17))...

A third possible channel of S state deexcitation is the S) —> Ti transition -nonradiative intersystem crossing isc. In principle, this process is spin forbidden, however, there are different intra- and intermolecular factors (spin-orbital coupling, heavy atom effect, and some others), which favor this process. With the rates kisc = 107-109 s"1, it can compete with other channels of S) state deactivation. At normal conditions in solutions, the nonradiative deexcitation of the triplet state T , kTm, is predominant over phosphorescence, which is the radiative deactivation of the T state. This transition is also spin-forbidden and its rate, kj, is low. Therefore, normally, phosphorescence is observed at low temperatures or in rigid (polymers, crystals) matrices, and the lifetimes of triplet state xT at such conditions may be quite long, up to a few seconds. Obviously, the phosphorescence spectrum is located at wavelengths longer than the fluorescence spectrum (see the bottom of Fig. 1). 

The epr spectrum of AN clearly shows that it is a ground-state triplet carbene (Devolder et al., 1972). The optical absorptions of this species were assigned at low temperature (Bourlet et al., 1972) and confirmed recently by laser spectroscopy (Tables 3 and 4) (Field and Schuster, 1985). The chemical properties of AN are now readily recognized as those characteristic of a ground-state triplet carbene where intersystem crossing to the singlet is slow (Cauquis and Reverdy, 1975a,b). 

The possible fate of excitation energy residing in molecules is also shown in Figure 2. The relaxation of the electron to the initial ground state and accompanying emission of radiation results in the fluorescence spectrum - S0) or phosphorescence spectrum (Tx - S0). In addition to the radiative processes, non-radiative photophysical and photochemical processes can also occur. Internal conversion and intersystem crossing are the non-radiative photophysical processes between electronic states of the same spin multiplicity and different spin multiplicities respectively. 

El-Sayed 28> has reported on the phosphorescence spectrum of [2.2]paracyclophane. The emission differs both in wavelength ( 4700 A) and in duration (3.3 s) from that of benzene ( 3400 A, 6 s) hence a favorable intersystem crossing from the lowest singlet to the emitting triplet state was inferred. The emission spectrum also indicates that interactions take place between the two aromatic nuclei in the triplet state. 

---