stilbene molecule

chemistry

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July 17, 2026

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Stilbene is an aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C₁₄H₁₂. It is used as a phosphor and in the creation of dyes. Stilbene can also refer to compounds derived from this basic structure.1

A class of dyes, often yellow to orange, known as stilbene dyes, are direct cotton azo dyes derived from stilbene. This category also includes fluorescent brighteners that originate from stilbene.2

Stilbene can exist in different spatial arrangements, known as stereoisomers. Specifically, it can exhibit cis and trans forms, similar to other alkenes. These forms are considered diastereomers, meaning they have the same chemical formula but differ in the spatial orientation of their atoms and are not mirror images of each other.34

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photochemical reaction
Photoisomerization
…of optical radiation by a stilbene molecule converts the central double bond from trans to cis. As in photodissociation, this is caused by the electron distribution in the excited state being quite different from that in the ground state; hence, the structure of the initially created excited singlet (by absorption…
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…of optical radiation by a stilbene molecule converts the central double bond from trans to cis. As in photodissociation, this is caused by the electron distribution in the excited state being quite different from that in the ground state; hence, the structure of the initially created excited singlet (by absorption…
Read More