Phosphorescence of Hydrogen-Capped Linear Polyyne Molecules C8H2, C10H2 and C12H2 in Solid Hexane Matrices at 20 K

Laser-ablated polyyne molecules, H(C≡C)nH, were separated by size in solutions and co-condensed with excess hexane molecules at a cryogenic temperature of 20 K in a vacuum system. The solid matrix samples containing C8H2, C10H2, and C12H2 molecules were irradiated with UV laser pulses and the phosphorescence 0–0 band was observed at 532, 605, and 659 nm, respectively. Vibrational progression was observed for the symmetric stretching mode of the carbon chain in the ground state with increments of ~2190 cm−1 for C8H2, ~2120 cm−1 for C10H2, and ~2090 cm−1 for C12H2. Temporal decay analysis of the phosphorescence intensity revealed the lifetimes of the triplet state as ~30 ms for C8H2, ~8 ms for C10H2, and ~4 ms for C12H2. The phosphorescence excitation spectrum reproduces UV absorption spectra in the hexane solution and in the gas phase at ambient temperature, although the excitation energy was redshifted. The symmetry-forbidden vibronic transitions were observed for C10H2 by lower excitation energies of 25,500–31,000 cm−1 (320–390 nm). Detailed phosphorescence excitation patterns are discussed along the interaction of the polyyne molecule and solvent molecules of hexane.