Photodissociation of methacrylonitrile at 193 nm: the CN radical product channel

The photodissociation dynamics of methacrylonitrile (H2C=C(CH3)CN) at 193nm and of 2-butenenitrile for comparison are investigated by measuring rotationally resolved laser induced fluorescence spectra of the CN fragments. It was found that the photodissociation of the compounds occurs from the ground electronic state after internal conversion from the initial pi right arrow pi(super *) transition.