The magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of the ¹B_2u←¹A_1g transition of benzene in the vapour phase

Abstract

The magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrum of the ¹ B _2u ←¹ A _1g transition of benzene has been measured in the vapour phase. Many of the bands due to transitions between single vibronic levels display A terms. It has been shown that the angular momentum arises by vibronic mixing both of the ¹ E _1u state with the ¹ B _1u state and of the ¹ E _2g states with the ¹ A _1g ground state by e _2g vibrations. The magnitudes and signs of the experimental and calculated ratios, A/D, for the A ₀ ⁰ vibronic origin are in excellent agreement. Two strong MCD progressions of opposite sign with B-term dispersion have been observed in regions of low absorption. These are identified with vibronic origins due to the v ₈ and v ₉ e _2g modes. By contrast the MCD spectrum of hexadeuterobenzene vapour has a much lower magneto-rotational strength and displays none of the striking features of the benzene MCD spectrum.