Photodissociation of acrylonitrile at 193 nm: the CN-producing channel

We report the rotational and vibrational quantum state distribution of the CN(X2Σ+) products formed in the 193 nm photolysis of acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide). The CN product is formed in v = 0 and v = 1 with relative populations of 0.86 and 0.14, respectively. The rotational distributions in both v-levels are well fit to a temperature of approximatelt 1450 K. The results are consistent with a prompt dissociation on the excited electronic potential surface.