Photodissociation dynamics of benzenesulfonic acid at 266 nm: OH detection by laser-induced fluorescence

Photodissociation dynamics of benzenesulfonic acid at 266 nm was studied by probing the nascent OH photoproduct using the single-photon laser-induced fluorescence technique. Measurements on the nascent OH fragment revealed that it was produced vibrationally cold and its rotational state distribution was Boltzmann-like, characterized by a rotational temperature of 840 ± 70 K. The ratios of 2Π3/2 to 2Π1/2 states of the OH fragment were found to be more than unity and the population of the Π+ state for the Λ-doublet was dominant. Based on both experimental and theoretical results, a probable mechanism for the formation of OH fragment produced from the photodissociation of BSA is proposed.