Intramolecular excited-state interactions in phenol–styrene bicromophoric systems: a photochemical and photophysical study

The intramolecular excited state interaction between phenol and styrene in a series of trans-2-cinnamylphenols bearing electron-donating substituents at the phenolic ring has been directly observed as an exciplex emission in acetonitrile. The photochemical reactivity and the relatively low fluorescence quantum yields as compared with model compounds are additional evidences for the phenol/styrene interaction.