Femtosecond time-resolved absorption anisotropy spectroscopy on 9,9'-bianthryl: Detection of partial intramolecular charge transfer in polar and nonpolar solvents

Femtosecond time-resolved absorption anisotropy spectroscopy by multichannel detection has been developed. The charge transfer (CT) character and dynamics of the UV-photoexcited 9,9(')-bianthryl (BA) in heptane, acetonitrile, and ethanol are revealed with this method. The transient absorption spectra are decomposed into two absorption components with different anisotropy values by the absorption anisotropy spectra. The decomposition results show two absorption bands having different anisotropy values or different directions of the transition dipole moment. One band that has the transition dipole perpendicular to the central C-C bond has almost an identical spectral shape with transient absorption of anthracene in the singlet excited state. This band is assigned to a transition in a locally excited anthracene ring. The other band is broad and structureless. This band is assigned to partial charge transfer (PCT) absorption because its transition dipole moment is parallel to the central C-C bond. Because the PCT band is observed in a nonpolar solvent heptane as well as in polar solvents, the PCT occurs in both nonpolar and polar solvents. The PCT band rises within the instrumental response, indicating that the PCT takes place immediately after the photoexcitation. In acetonitrile, the CT component shows a significant blueshift, indicating the formation of the stabilized CT state from the PCT state. In ethanol, the CT band does not show a spectral shift, suggesting that the stabilization is smaller than in acetonitrile. From these results, a new kinetic model on the intramolecular CT in BA is discussed.