Fluorescence excitation and excited state intramolecular proton transfer of jet-cooled naphthol derivatives: Part 1. 1-hydroxy-2-naphthaldehyde

The S0 → S1 fluorescence excitation spectrum of jet-cooled 1H2N with origin at 25484 cm−1 has been measured. Twelve totally symmetric modes and five non-totally symmetric modes have been assigned in the excitation spectrum. Theoretical calculations at DFT B3LYP/6-31G** and CIS/6-31G** levels indicate that the 1H2N molecular geometry is more planar in the S1 state than in the ground state. The geometry of the naphthalene ring changes upon excitation and promotes a number of totally symmetric ring stretching modes, in the excitation spectrum. As a result of the geometry change upon excitation a number of non-totally symmetric modes gain intensity. Based on a rotational envelope fitting procedure the average excited rotational state lifetime was estimated to be between 7 and 16 ps for 0 ≤ E ≤ hc × 800 cm−1 (E is excess energy above the S1 origin). The decay rate coefficients, k, of the rotational S1 states, are not constant over this range of excess energies. By applying a Golden Rule model, it was determined that internal conversion to S0 is unlikely to be the sole non-radiative process contributing to the decay of the excited states. It was concluded that excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) plays a role in the observed behaviour of the rate co-efficient with excess energy. The observation of (i) a sharp increase in rate coefficient, k, above an excess energy of ∼550 cm−1, and (ii) a significant number of high intensity fluorescence excitation spectrum features above an excess energy of ∼700 cm−1, may indicate the presence of an energy barrier of ∼550 cm−1, between the enol and keto geometries in the S1 state. This result supports the conclusions of S. De, S. Ash, S. Dalai and A. Misra, J. Mol. Struc. Theochem, 2007, 807, 33-41, who estimated a barrier to ESIPT of ∼750 cm−1. It was concluded that ESIPT occurs in 1H2N, across an energy barrier with a rate constant, kpt ≤ 1011 s−1. Hence, at low excess energies (≤ 550 cm−1), the observed emission band originates predominantly from the keto tautomer. Above an excess energy of ∼1600 cm−1, 1H2N decays predominantly via a non-radiative mechanism.