Structural changes of 1-(phenylethynyl)naphthalene upon electronic excitation from Franck–Condon fits of several fluorescence emission spectra

Abstract

The structural changes of 1-(Phenylethynyl)naphthalene (1-PEN) upon excitation from the ground state to the lowest excited singlet state have been assessed from a combined Franck–Condon-Fit of fluorescence emission spectra after excitation of several vibronic bands of 1-PEN and ab initio calculations. An analysis of the infrared spectrum, the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) spectrum and the fluorescence emission spectra is given on the basis of the approximate coupled cluster singles and doubles model (CC2) within the resolution-of-identity approximation and taking spin-component scaling into account. The excited state structure of 1-PEN is found to be planar, with the major geometry changes upon excitation localized in the naphthalene moiety. Electron density shifts from the naphthyl ring to the phenyl ring upon electronic excitation, leading to an increase of the permanent dipole moment of 1-PEN. The lowest electronically excited state of 1-PEN can be labeled as 1Lb-state, with the 1La-state energetically quasi-degenerate. The geometry changes, determined from the Franck–Condon analysis are in agreement with this assignment.