We report a study of excited-state dynamics of trans, trans-distyrylbenzene in hexane solution with ferntosecond two-color transient absorption spectroscopy. Excited-state spectra at different pump-probe time delays were extracted and exhibit a spectral shift in 10 ps. This 10-ps transient behavior is proposed to reflect an energy transfer process to a new intermediate state and the transferred population then relaxes through emitting photons. Its implications for photoisomerization and the comparison with trans-stilbene are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.