Resonance Raman spectra were acquired for thiophene in cyclohexane solution with 239.5 and 266 nm excitation wavelengths that were in resonance with ∼240 nm first intense absorption band. The spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photodissociation dynamics have multidimensional character with motion mostly along the reaction coordinates of six totally symmetry modes and three nontotally symmetry modes. The appearance of the nontotally symmetry modes, the C-S antisymmetry stretch +C-C=C bend mode ν(21)(B(2)) at 754 cm(-1) and the H(7)C(3)-C(4)H(8) twist ν(9)(A(2)) at 906 cm(-1), suggests the existence of two different types of vibronic-couplings or curve-crossings among the excited states in the Franck-Condon region. The electronic transition energies, the excited state structures, and the conical intersection points (1)B(1)/(1)A(1) and (1)B(2)/(1)A(1) between 2 (1)A(1) and 1 (1)B(2) or 1 (1)B(1) potential energy surfaces of thiophene were determined by using complete active space self-consistent field theory computations. These computational results were correlated with the Franck-Condon region structural dynamics of thiophene. The ring opening photodissociation reaction pathway through cleavage of one of the C-S bonds and via the conical intersection point (1)B(1)/(1)A(1) was revealed to be the predominant ultrafast reaction channel for thiophene in the lowest singlet excited state potential energy hypersurface, while the internal conversion pathway via the conical intersection point (1)B(2)/(1)A(1) was found to be the minor decay channel in the lowest singlet excited state potential energy hypersurface.

The B‐band resonance Raman spectra of 2(1H)‐pyridinone (NHP) in water and acetonitrile were obtained, and their intensity patterns were found to be significantly different. To explore the underlying excited state tautomeric reaction mechanisms of NHP in water and acetonitrile, the vibrational analysis was carried out for NHP, 2(1D)‐pyridinone (NDP), NHP–(H2O)n (n = 1, 2) clusters, and NDP–(D2O)n (n = 1, 2) clusters on the basis of the FT‐Raman experiments, the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) computations using PCM solvent model, and the normal mode analysis. Good agreements between experimental and theoretically predicted frequencies and intensities in different surrounding environments enabled reliable assignments of Raman bands in both the FT‐Raman and the resonance Raman spectra. The results indicated that most of the B‐band resonance Raman spectra in H2O was assignable to the fundamental, overtones, and combination bands of about ten vibration modes of ring‐type NHP–(H2O)2 cluster, while most of the B‐band resonance Raman spectra in CH3CN was assigned to the fundamental, overtones, and combination bands of about eight vibration modes of linear‐type NHP–CH3CN. The solvent effect of the excited state enol‐keto tautomeric reaction mechanisms was explored on the basis of the significant difference in the short‐time structural dynamics of NHP in H2O and CH3CN. The inter‐molecular and intra‐molecular ESPT reaction mechanisms were proposed respectively to explain the Franck–Condon region structural dynamics of NHP in H2O and CH3CN.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.