Resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and dispersed fluorescence studies, as well as ab initio calculations on the van der Waals complex of p-aminophenol with argon are reported. From the absence of features in the REMPI spectrum beyond 6a, the binding energy of the complex was estimated. The dispersed fluorescence spectra of the complex at various excitations were used to obtain information about the dynamics of vibrational predissociation. The character of the dispersed fluorescence spectra and the VP rate constants obtained using the serial model were intermediate between the aniline-argon and aniline-CH4 cases. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.