15min:

ADRIAN M. GARDNER, ALISTAIR M. GREEN, VICTOR TAMÉ-REYES AND TIMOTHY G. WRIGHT, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.

Electronic and photoelectron spectra of toluene are presented and discussed. The utilization of a recently reported scheme for assigning the normal vibrations of substituted benzenes allows these spectra to be compared to those of other molecules with unprecedented clarity. Changes in vibrational activity within a series of substituted benzene molecules will be discussed, specifically the increased rate of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution observed in molecules where the substituent is a methyl group.