Intermolecular attractive forces in triplet excimers: <i>L</i>-shaped excimer of naphthalene

Abstract

Experimental evidence is presented which indicates that the triplet excimer of naphthalene is L shaped. The preference for an L-shaped structure is interpreted as a compromise between the dispersion force which favors a coplanar structure and the electrostatic force which favors a P-shaped structure. The intermolecular attractive forces which are responsible for the formation of triplet excimers (of aromatic hydrocarbons) are therefore similar to those responsible for the formation of the ground state van der Waals dimers.