EXAMPLES OF JAHN-TELLER COUPLING EFFECTS IN MOLECULAR-SPECTROSCOPY AND INTERNAL-CONVERSION DYNAMICS

An overview is given over molecular Jahn-Teller systems treated by us theoretically over the past several years, including ongoing work. The electronic ground state of the methoxy radical serves as an example o f an isolated E state. In other cases, like the radical cations of whi te phosphorous and benzene, we focus on the vibronic interactions betw een different degenerate electronic states. These are triggered by the Jahn-Teller coupling effects within the degenerate states and provide an efficient, femtosecond internal conversion pathway.