Time-Resolved Investigation of Cyclopentadiene and Methylated Derivatives

Using a variety of pump-probe methods such as time-resolved photoelectron and ion mass spectroscopy and ultrafast electron and X-ray scattering, we investigate the ultrafast dynamics and possible ring conversion of cyclopentadiene (CPD) and its methylated derivatives. The motivation for this work is to understand the creation of highly strained three- and four-member rings after UV excitation. Preliminary results suggest the formation of these strained ring products in cyclopentadiene and tetramethyl-CPD as well as different de-excitation timescales for each molecule.