Excited States and Photochemistry of Organic Molecules

This graduate-level text provides a non-mathematical introduction to electronic excitation in organic molecules and their spectroscopy, photophysics and photochemistry. The practical application of theory is illustrated through numerous worked examples. Simple qualitative models, such as the perimeter model, are used to describe the nature of electronic states and this book reveals how these states are probed by spectroscopy with ordinary and polarized light, including natural and magnetic circular dichroism. The concept of potential energy surfaces is emphasized in discussing the photophysical processes and photochemical reactions that follow excitation. Particular attention is paid to the behaviour of molecules at biradicaloid geometries and spin-out orbit coupling in biradicals.