Solvation effects and short-time photodissociation dynamics of CH2I2 in solution from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Resonance Raman spectra of CH2I2 in cyclohexane solution have been obtained within the directly dissociative A-state absorption band of CH2I2 at excitation wavelengths of 355 and 341.5 nm. We find several intense vibrational bands in the solution phase spectra that are not observed in a previously reported 355 nm gas phase spectrum indicating that solvation effects are important in the Franck-Condon region of the first electronic excited state of CH2I2. The solution phase short-time photodissociation dynamics appears to have more motion in the ICI bending coordinate than the gas phase photodissociation.