Structure and Dynamics of Electronic Excited States

Structure.- Vibrational Potential Energy Surfaces of Non-Rigid Molecules in Excited Electronic States.- Structures and Dynamics of Excited Electronic States and Ionic Radicals Studied by Time-Resolved Raman Spectroscopy.- Solvation of Radicals in Small Clusters.- The Electronic Spectroscopy of Molecules Undergoing Large-Amplitude Motions: Acetaldehyde in the First Excited Singlet and First Triplet States.- Control.- Excited State Dynamics and Chemical Control of Large Molecules.- Structure and Dynamics of Electronically Excited Diphenylacetylene in Different Environments.- Laser Control of Electrons in Molecules.- Coherent Control of Molecular Dynamics.- Coherent Control of Unimolecular Reaction Dynamics Based on a Local Optimization Scheme.- Dynamics.- Photodissociation Dynamics of Chlorinated Benzene Derivatives.- Ultrafast Relaxation and Nonlinear Localized Excitations in Conjugated Polymers.- Characteristics and Dynamics of Superexcited States of Diatomic Molecules.

An understanding of dynamical behavior of electronically excited states is of great importance for the understanding of photochemical reaction mechanisms such as photoionization, photoisomerization, photodissociation, proton transfer, radical formation, bond cleavage, and bond formation. Thus the molecular structures of excited states, as defined by their potential energy surfaces, are closely related to the reaction mechanisms. In this text twelve leading experts present their recent experimental and theoretical findings on electronic excited states. Several chapters deal with the determination of molecular structures in excited states whereas others deal with the reaction dynamics involving these states. Progress toward manipulation and control of reactions using lasers in various laboratories around the world is also described.

The book gives a status report on the strongly developing subject of time-resolved spectroscopy. Recently developed experimental and theoretical methods to understand electronic excited states are presented.