THE INTERSYSTEM CROSSING PATHWAYS OF GLYOXAL

Abstract

Optically detected magnetic resonance has been used to obtain kinetic information on the $^{3}A_{u}$ state of glyoxal. The populating and decay rates of the individual spin levels have been determined using the microwave-saturation recovery method. These kinetic data will be presented. Their implication for the intersystem crossing pathways of glyoxal will be discussed. Glyoxal is a small molecule whose radiationless transitions are described theoretically by the resonance limit. Our observation of the extreme sensitivity of its kinetic behavior to environmental influence seems to confirm the validity of the model.