Propensities toward C2H(A 2Π) in acetylene photodissociation

When expansion-cooled acetylene is excited to the ν″1+3ν″3 vibrational level (4 quanta of CH-stretch) and then photodissociated at 248.3 nm, the dominant product channel is C2H(Ã 2Π). This differs markedly from one-photon 193.3 nm photodissociation, which provides 1200 cm−1 less energy and yields C2H(X̃ 2Σ+) as the primary product. Photodissociation at 121.6 nm yields C2H(Ã 2Π) exclusively.