Investigation of ultrafast excited state dynamics of 2,2′,4,4′,6,6′-hexanitrostilbene using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy

A study on the dynamics and structures of the excited states of 2,2′,4,4′,6,6′-hexanitrostilbene shows equilibrium between vibrationally hot S1 (S*1) and S1 states with lifetimes of 0.8 and 6 ps, respectively. The T1 state has a lifetime of about 4 ns. It advances understanding of energetic materials ignition.