The Ã-X absorption of vinoxy radical revisited: Normal and Herzberg–Teller bands observed via cavity ringdown spectroscopy.

The Ã-X electronic absorption spectrum of vinoxy radical has been investigated using room temperature cavity ringdown spectroscopy. Analysis of the observed bands on the basis of computed vibrational frequencies and rotational envelopes reveals that two distinct types of features are present with comparable intensities. The first type corresponds to “normal” allowed electronic transitions to the origin and symmetric vibrations in the à state. The second type is interpreted in terms of excitations to asymmetric à state vibrations, which are only vibronically allowed by Herzberg–Teller coupling to the B state. Results of electronic structure calculations indicate that the magnitude of the Herzberg–Teller coupling is appropriate to produce vibronically induced transitions with intensities comparable to those of the normal bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]