Theovisible absorption spectrum of 1,2-cyclobutanedione has been measured in the gas phasc at wavclcngths between 4000 and 5100 A. The absorption is attributed to the allowed IT* +-ni , ' B I + 'A transition corresponding to the first excited singlet state. The spectrum shows a complex well-resolved vibrational structure which has been analysed. with some 125 bands measured and assigned. The ban$ at the longer wavelengths show sharp rotational fine structure, not yet analysed. The strongest band in the spectrum at 4933 A has been assigned as the 0-0 band, while a band almost as strong at 4820 A is attributed to excitation of one quantum of v i 2 , the a 2 out-of-plane carbonyl bending vibration, and it is suggested that this band owes its intensity to vibronic coupling. A number of symmetric vibrations are also excited in the spectrum, but with no long progressions. Sequence bands running to the blue with an interval of about 72 cmp' are prominent throughout the spectrum, and are assigned to v13, the a z ring-twisting vibration. Other hot bands were also observed involving v13 which permitted estimation of energy levels for this vibration both in the ground state and the excited state. The infrared spectrum was also measured and analysed in the gas phase between 600 and 4000cm-', and 14 bands were assigned to fundamcntal vibrations; some of these assignments, at the lower frequencies, are uncertain. [Traduit par la revue]