Polar solvation dynamics in water and methanol: search for molecularity

Abstract

Time-dependent Stokes shifts (TDSS) were measured for diverse polarity probes in water, heavy water, methanol, and benzonitrile, by broadband fluorescence up-conversion with 85 fs time resolution. In water the spectral dynamics is solute-independent and quantitatively described by simple dielectric continuum theory of solvation. In methanol the slower part of the TDSS is solute-dependent. A correlation with anisotropy decay suggests that methanol solvation dynamics is modulated by orientational solute diffusion. An empirical power law which links the solvation relaxation function of a mobile solute to that of an immobile solute is experimentally verified. Activation energies for the average relaxation rate are also given. Solvation dynamics in H₂O and D₂O are identical at and above 20 °C but diverge below.