High-Resolution Infrared Spectra in the C-H Region of CH2F2: The nu6 and 2nu2 Bands

Infrared frequency comb spectroscopy of CH2I2: Influence of hot bands and pressure broadening on the ν1 and ν6 fundamental transitions

Direct frequency comb spectroscopy was utilized to measure the vibrational absorption spectrum of diiodomethane, CH2I2, from 2960 to 3125 cm−1. The data were obtained using a CH2I2 concentration of (6.8 ± 1.3) × 1015 molecule cm−3 and a total pressure of 10–300 mbar with either nitrogen or argon as the bath gas. The rovibrational spectra of two fundamental transitions, ν6 and ν1, were recorded and analyzed. We suggest that a significant contribution to the observed congested spectra is due to the population in excited vibrational states of the low energy ν4 I–C–I bend, resulting in transitions 6104nn and 1104nn, where the integer n is the initial vibrational level v = 1–5. PGOPHER was used to fit the experimental spectrum, allowing for rotational constants and other spectral information to be reported. In addition, it was found that the peak widths for the observed transitions were limited by pressure broadening, resulting in a pressure broadening parameter of (0.143 ± 0.006) cm−1 atm−1 by N2 and (0.116 ± 0.006) cm−1 atm−1 by Ar. Further implications for other dihaloalkane infrared spectra are discussed.

Insights into the interaction between CH2F2 and titanium dioxide: DRIFT spectroscopy and DFT analysis of the adsorption energetics

Difluoromethane (CH2F2, HFC-32) has been proposed as a valid replacement for both CFCs and HCFCs (in particular HCFC-22), and nowadays it is widely used in refrigerant mixtures. Due to its commercial use, in the last years, the atmospheric concentration of HFC-32 has increased significantly. However, this molecule presents strong absorptions within the 8-12μm atmospheric window, and hence it is a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. Heterogeneous photocatalysis over TiO2 surface is an interesting technology for removing atmospheric pollutants since it leads to the decomposition of organic compounds into simpler molecules. In the present work, the adsorbate-substrate interaction between CH2F2 and TiO2 is investigated by coupling experimental measurements using DRIFT spectroscopy to first-principle simulations at DFT/B3LYP level. The experimental results confirm that CH2F2 interacts with the TiO2 surface (∼80% rutile, 20% anatase) through both F and H atoms and show that the DRIFT technique is well suited to study the adsorption of halogenated methanes over semiconductor surfaces. DFT calculations are carried out by considering different periodicities and surface coverages, according to a structure involving an acid-base interaction between the F and Ti(4+) atoms as well as an H-bond between the CH2 group and an O(2-) ion. Lateral effects and energetics are analyzed in the limit of low coverage according to a procedure taking into account the binding, interaction, and distortion energies. The simulation at the different surface coverages and periodicities suggests similar decomposition pathways for the different investigated ensemble configurations.

A comparison of predicted and experimental vibrational spectra in some small fluorocarbons

The vibrational assignments of difluoromethane, cis and trans 1,2-difluoroethylene, trifluoroethylene, 2-fluoropropene, 1,1-difluoroethylene, and tetrafluoroethylene have been reassessed in the light of recent theoretical work. Inconsistent experimental wave number values and assignments have been clarified, and some changes to the experimental assignments are proposed. The assignments compare favorably with recent scaled density functional theory calculations using the hybrid three-parameter B3-PW91 density functional.