Dynamics of site-specific excited-state solute-solvent interactions as probed by femtosecond vibrational spectroscopy

Abstract

We study site-specific hydrogen-bonding interactions of coumarin 102 bonded to CHCl3 or phenol with femtosecond vibrational spectroscopy. We demonstrate that upon electronic excitation of coumarin the intermolecular hydrogen bond is cleaved within 200 fs, followed by (sub)-picosecond reorganization of the hydrogen donor.