Resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) spectra have been obtained for the trans-formanilide (.) Ar (t-FA (.) Ar) cluster. The spectra indicate that the argon atom binds above the aromatic ring to form a C-1 symmetry, van der Waals (vdW) complex. The b(x), b(y), and s(z) (.) intermolecular vibrational modes are observed at 4, 10 and 18 cm(-1) in the S-1 state, and 8, 26 and 36 cm(-1) in the D-0 state. We compare the t-FA (.) Ar spectra with those of other aromatic molecule-argon complexes to probe the electronic structure of FA in the S-1 and D-0 states. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.