Ultrafast solvent-assisted level crossing in 1-Naphthol

The nonadiabatic inversion dynamics of the energetic order of the electronic excited states of the photoacid 1-naphthol have been revealed by ultrafast spectroscopy on a femtosecond timescale (see picture; IC=internal conversion). The energetic order of the excited states La and Lb of 1-naphthol is reversed in 60 fs in polar dimethyl sulfoxide solvent.