The VUV electronic spectroscopy of acetone studied by synchrotron radiation

Abstract

The electronic state spectroscopy of acetone (CH₃)₂CO has been investigated using high-resolution VUV photoabsorption spectroscopy in the energy range 3.7–10.8 eV. New vibronic structure has been observed, notably in the low energy absorption band assigned to the 1¹A₁ → 1¹A₂ (n_y → π*) transition. The local absorption maximum at 7.85 eV has been tentatively attributed to the 4¹A₁ (π → π*) transition. Six Rydberg series converging to the lowest ionisation energy (9.708 eV) have been assigned as well as a newly-resolved ns Rydberg series converging to the first ionic excited state (12.590 eV). Rydberg orbitals of each series have been classified according to the magnitude of the quantum defect (δ) and are extended to higher quantum numbers than in the previous analyses.