Vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectra (250-105 nm, 5 1 1.8 eV) and near-threshold electron energy-loss spectra (0 e V I , , , ) have been recorded for dimethyl ether (l), diethyl ether (2), tetrahydrofuran (3), 1,Cdioxane (4) and 3,4-dihydropyran (5). For the saturated compounds 1-4 t h e low-lying electronically excited states are predominantly Rydberg in nature, selectively mixed with valence-excited states. Also, t h e lowest triplet state in each of the saturated molecules is within 0.5 eV of t h e 'n,3s state. The spectra of 5 resemble those of unsaturated hydrocarbons; its lowest triplet state (37r7r*) is ca. 4.2 eV.In this paper we report the results of studies on the electronic excitation of some simple ethers. As well as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorption spectra obtained using synchrotron radiation, we have recorded, for the first time, near-threshold electron energy-loss (EEL) spectra for dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane and 3,4-dihydropyran

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