Abstract
The 2500A transition of biphenyl is interpreted as a superposition of a strong and a weak transition corresponding to the 2100A and 2600A transitions of benzene. Evidence for the location of the weak transition near 2700A is given. The spectra of the m- and p-polyphenyls are interpreted similarly to the biphenyl spectrum. Bending has about the same effect on the intensity and the position of the first strong transition of polyphenyls with m- and p-structure as it has on the corresponding transition of cata-condensed hydrocarbons.
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