Abstract

Ultrafast dynamic solvent properties are recognized to play an important role in controlling the rate of charge transfer reactions. ¹ Dynamic solvation has been studied by time dependent fluorescence Stokes shift measurements of dipolar chromophores. However, only one measurement with sufficient time resolution to reveal a large contribution arising from underdamped solvent motion has been reported.² The solvent motions giving rise to the solvent response should also contribute to the collective nuclear response in transient birefringence measurements of the neat liquid.³ To explore the connection between the two experiments and further characterize ultrafast dynamic solvation we have performed both time resolved fluorescence and transient birefringence experiments in acetonitrile, methanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide.

© 1992 The Author(s)