Excited singlet states of "hairpin" polyenes

Abstract

The synthesis and UV-visible, polarized-fluorescence and MCD spectra of 6 U-shaped hairpin polyenes (e.g., I) are reported. Qual. arguments and results of p-electron calcns. permit the identification of 4 excited singlet states and their assignment to mixts. of singly and doubly excited configurations. The hairpin polyenes represent a link between the all-trans-polyenes on the 1 hand and the annulenes and acenes on the other; they have the topol. of the former and a geometry near that of the latter