Studies of electronic excited states of substituted norbornenes by UV absorption, electron energy loss, and HeI photoelectron spectroscopy

Valence and inner-shell (C 1s ) electronic excitation spectra of norbornene, 2-methylnorbornene, and 2-trifluoromethylnorbornene have been measured by electron energy loss spectroscopy. These data have been complemented with gas- and solution-phase UV absorption spectra in the 5–6.7 eV range, HeI UV photoelectron spectra, and AM1 semi-empirical calculations for the three compounds. The valence shell energy loss and UV absorption spectra show …