Visualization of the formation of cyclopentylcarbene using time-resolved photoelectron imaging spectroscopy

Ultrafast electronic relaxation dynamics in cyclohexene are studied using femtosecond photoelectron imaging spectroscopy. Transient photoelectron kinetic energy distributions and photoelectron angular distributions are obtained and analyzed. Photoelectron bands are discussed and assigned to the ionization of the related electronic states. The formation process of cyclopentylcarbene, together with the ultrafast relaxation of the involved electronic states, is evidenced by the transient photoelectron images. The lifetime for the observed carbene is very short and determined to be 395 (±67) fs. The ionization dynamics of the produced cyclopentylcarbene are also discussed via an analysis of the corresponding photoelectron band.