Solvent effects upon the picosecond dynamics of proton transfer in 2‐(N‐methylanilino)acetophenone

Abstract

AbstractPicosecond pump‐probe spectroscopy is used to examine the dynamics of singlet excited state proton transfer in 2‐(N‐methylanilino)acetophenone in a series of solvent mixtures of benzene and acetonitrile. A factors and energies of activation are derived from temperature‐dependent studies. The rate constants show a moderate solvent dependence, but Arrhenius parameters differ considerably between polar and unpolar solvents. It is concluded that proton transfer occurs via nonadiabatic tunneling into different vibrational channels of the product state.