Wavelength-dependent laser-induced fragmentation of nitrobenzene

Electronic Structure of Nitrobenzene: A Benchmark Example of the Accuracy of the Multi-State CASPT2 Theory

The electronic structure of nitrobenzene (C₆H₅NO₂) has been studied by means of the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multi-state second-order perturbation (MS-CASPT2) methods. To this end, an active space of 20 electrons distributed in 17 orbitals has been selected to construct the reference wave function. In this work, we have calculated the vertical excitation energies and the energy barrier for the dissociation of the molecule on the ground state into phenyl and nitrogen dioxide. After applying the corresponding vibrational corrections to the electronic energies, it is demonstrated that the MS-CASPT2//CASSCF values obtained in this work yield an excellent agreement between calculated and experimental data. In addition, other active spaces of lower size have been applied to the system in order to check the active space dependence in the results.

Ultraviolet Excitation Dynamics of Nitrobenzenes

Time-resolved photoelectron imaging was used to investigate nonadiabatic processes operating in the excited electronic states of nitrobenzene and three methyl-substituted derivatives: 3,5-, 2,6-, and 2,4-dimethylnitrobenzene. The primary goal was evaluating the dynamical impact of the torsional angle between the NO₂ group and the benzene ring plane-something previously implicated in mediating the propensity for branching into different photodissociation pathways (NO vs NO₂ elimination). Targeted, photoinitiated release of NO radicals is of interest for clinical medicine applications, and there is a need to establish basic structure-dynamics-function principles in systematically varied model systems following photoexcitation. Within our 200 ps experimental detection window, we observed no significant differences in the excited-state lifetimes exhibited by all species under study using a 267 nm pump and ionization with an intense 400 nm probe. In agreement with previous theoretical predictions, this suggests that the initial energy redistribution dynamics within the singlet and triplet manifolds are driven by motions localized predominantly on the NO₂ group. Our findings also imply that both NO and NO₂ elimination occur from a vibrationally hot ground state on extended (nanosecond) timescales, and any variations in NO vs NO₂ branching upon site-selective methylation are due to steric effects influencing isomerization prior to dissociation.

Application of laser photofragmentation-resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization to ion mobility spectrometry

We demonstrate detection of nitro-containing compounds with laser photofragmentation (PF) coupled with resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). In PF-REMPI, a laser dissociates the parent molecules, producing fragments that can then be ionized by absorption of additional laser photons. The production of these ions strongly depends on the wavelength of laser light, with ion yields corresponding to the absorption spectrum of the fragments [nitric oxide (NO) in the present case]. Combining IMS with PF-REMPI provides further specificity, separating ions according to their mobilities through an atmospheric-pressure drift tube. In this work, we use a pulsed UV laser to examine the characteristics of atmospheric-pressure PF-REMPI, the chemistry occurring in the ionization region and drift tube, and the viability of detecting ions created by both resonance-enhanced and nonresonant ionization. Probing NO in a helium-nitrogen bath, we demonstrate that the detection of ions displays single-shot response to changes in ion generation, with an ion extraction-to-collection efficiency of approximately 12%. We then evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of PF-REMPI/IMS as applied to the detection of both the explosive surrogate 2, 4-dinitrotoluene and the nuisance compound nitrobenzene.

Photodissociation dynamics of nitrobenzene and o-nitrotoluene

Photodissociation of nitrobenzene at 193, 248, and 266 nm and o-nitrotoluene at 193 and 248 nm was investigated separately using multimass ion imaging techniques. Fragments corresponding to NO and NO(2) elimination from both nitrobenzene and o-nitrotoluene were observed. The translational energy distributions for the NO elimination channel show bimodal distributions, indicating two dissociation mechanisms involved in the dissociation process. The branching ratios between NO and NO(2) elimination channels were determined to be NONO(2)=0.32+/-0.12 (193 nm), 0.26+/-0.12 (248 nm), and 0.4+/-0.12(266 nm) for nitrobenzene and 0.42+/-0.12(193 nm) and 0.3+/-0.12 (248 nm) for o-nitrotoluene. Additional dissociation channels, O atom elimination from nitrobenzene, and OH elimination from o-nitrotoluene, were observed. New dissociation mechanisms were proposed, and the results are compared with potential energy surfaces obtained from ab initio calculations. Observed absorption bands of photodissociation are assigned by the assistance of the ab initio calculations for the relative energies of the triplet excited states and the vertical excitation energies of the singlet and triplet excited states of nitrobenzene and o-nitrotoluene. Finally, the dissociation rates and lifetimes of photodissociation of nitrobenzene and o-nitrotoluene were predicted and compared to experimental results.

Ultrafast Electron Diffraction: Structural Dynamics of Molecular Rearrangement in the NO Release from Nitrobenzene

Nitro compounds release NO, NO2, and other species, but neither the structures during the reactions nor the time scales are known. Ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) allowed the study of the NO release from nitrobenzene, and the molecular pathways and the structures of the transient species were identified. It was observed, in contrast to previous inferences, that nitric oxide and phenoxyl radicals are formed dominantly and that the time scale of formation is 8.8+/-2.2 ps. The structure of the phenoxyl radical was determined for the first time, and found to be quinoid-like. The mechanism proposed involves a repulsive triplet state, following intramolecular rearrangement. This efficient generation of NO may have important implications for the control of by-products in drug delivery and other applications.

Infrared spectra of phenyl nitrite and phenoxyl radical-nitric oxide complex in solid argon

Infrared spectra and frequency assignment of two isomers of nitrobenzene, namely the phenyl nitrite C6H(5-)ONO molecule and the phenoxyl radical-nitric oxide complex C6H5O-NO, in solid argon are presented. The phenoxyl radical-nitric oxide complex was produced through UV light irradiation of nitrobenzene in low-temperature solid argon matrix. The complex rearranged to the more stable phenyl nitrite molecule on sample annealing. The aforementioned species were identified on the basis of isotopic IR studies with C6H(5-)(15)NO2 and C6D5NO2, as well as density functional theory calculations.

Computational Study on the Kinetics and Mechanism for the Unimolecular Decomposition of C6H5NO2and the Related C6H5+ NO2and C6H5O + NO Reactions†

The kinetics and mechanisms for the unimolecular dissociation of nitrobenzene and related association reactions C(6)H(5) + NO(2) and C(6)H(5)O + NO have been studied computationally at the G2M(RCC, MP2) level of theory in conjunction with rate constant prediction with multichannel RRKM calculations. Formation of C(6)H(5) + NO(2) was found to be dominant above 850 K with its branching ratio > 0.78, whereas the formation of C(6)H(5)O + NO via the C(6)H(5)ONO intermediate was found to be competitive at lower temperatures, with its branching ratio increasing from 0.22 at 850 K to 0.97 at 500 K. The third energetically accessible channel producing C(6)H(4) + HONO was found to be uncompetitive throughout the temperature range investigated, 500-2000 K. The predicted rate constants for C(6)H(5)NO(2) --> C(6)H(5) + NO(2) and C(6)H(5)O + NO --> C(6)H(5)ONO under varying experimental conditions were found to be in good agreement with all existing experimental data. For C(6)H(5) + NO(2), the combination processes producing C(6)H(5)ONO and C(6)H(5)NO(2) are dominant at low temperature and high pressure, while the disproportionation process giving C(6)H(5)O + NO via C(6)H(5)ONO becomes competitive at low pressure and dominant at temperatures above 1000 K.

Explosives detection: a challenge for physical chemistry

The detection of explosives, energetic materials, and their associated compounds for security screening, demining, detection of unexploded ordnance, and pollution monitoring is an active area of research. A wide variety of detection methods and an even wider range of physical chemistry issues are involved in this very challenging area. This review focuses on techniques such as optical and mass spectrometry and chromatography for detection of trace amounts of explosives with short response times. We also review techniques for detecting the decomposition fragments of these materials. Molecular data for explosive compounds are reviewed where available.

Short pulse laser mass spectrometry of nitrotoluenes: ionization and fragmentation behavior

The mass spectra of all isomers of mononitrotoluene, four isomers of dinitrotoluene and of 2,4,6,-trinitrotoluene, obtained by multiphoton ionization utilizing ultrashort laser pulses with center wavelengths of either 206 nm or 412 nm, are presented and discussed. Under these ionization conditions all nitrotoluenes exhibit a high degree of fragmentation which increases with the degree of substitution. For the compounds having a nitro group in position 2 and/or 6 a pronounced ortho effect leading to the loss of OH is observed. The fragmentation patterns in the lower mass range are typical for alkylated aromatic substances. While no fundamental differences between the mass spectra obtained with the two wavelengths were observed, the visible light in all cases resulted in a broader variety of fragments and additional signals in the higher mass range. The latter can be used for isomer identification.

Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Mass spectra of four nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs), 9-nitroanthracene, 1-nitropyrene, 2-nitro-9-fluorenone, and 2-nitrofluorene, have been investigated using single-step laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Pulsed UV radiation at 266 or 213 nm was used for desorption and ionization of solid samples deposited on an aluminum probe. The positive molecular ion which was observed for each nitro-PAH was of greater relative intensity when 213 nm radiation was used. A strong [M - NO]+ peak was observed in all spectra, and an intense NO+ signal accompanied the [M - NO]+ signal when 213 nm was used but was only weakly present when 266 nm was used. Comparison of the various spectra suggests that nitro-PAHs undergo an excited state nitro-nitrite rearrangement, followed by loss of NO. Multiphoton ionization of the NO fragment appears to be the principal route of formation of NO+ during laser desorption/ionization when 213 nm radiation is used. The presence of the carbonyl group in 2-nitro-9-fluorenone leads to unique and prominent fragments involving losses of CO from the carbonyl bridge.