Nonadiabatic Transition in the A-Band Photodissociation of Ethyl Iodide from 294 to 308 nm by Using Velocity Imaging Detection

Stereodynamic Imaging of Bromine Atomic Photofragments Eliminated from 1-Bromo-2-methylbutane Oriented via Hexapole State Selector

Both single-laser and two-laser experiments were conducted to look into the ion-imaging of Br*(²P_1/2) and Br(²P_3/2) photofragmented from 1-bromo-2-methylbutane in the range 232-240 nm via a detection scheme of (2+1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. The angular analysis of these photofragment distributions yields the anisotropy parameter β = 1.88 ± 0.06 for the Br* excited state which arises from a parallel transition, while β = 0.63 ± 0.09 for the Br ground state indicates the contribution from both a perpendicular transition and a non-adiabatic transition. When a hexapole coupled with an orienting field was implemented, the parent molecules are spatially oriented to yield an orientation efficiency |⟨cos θ⟩| of 0.15. Besides the χ angle between the recoil velocity v and the transition dipole moment μ, orienting molecules allows for the evaluation of the angle α between v and the permanent molecular dipole moment d. The angular analysis of Br* photofragment distribution yields χ = 11.5° and α in the range from 160° to 180° with weak dependency. In the two-laser experiments, the angular anisotropy of Br photofragment distribution was found to be smaller (0.38 ± 0.10) when the photolysis wavelength was red-shifted to 240 nm, suggesting the increasing contributions from perpendicular transitions.

Femtosecond predissociation dynamics of ethyl iodide in the B-band

Femtosecond time-resolved velocity map ion imaging experiments are reported on the second absorption band (B-band) of ethyl iodide at 201.19 and 200.08 nm, corresponding to the 000 and 1810 transitions, i.e., the origin of the band and the first most intense vibronic state assigned to one quantum of excitation in the methyl torsion mode. Electronic predissociation lifetimes and the temporal evolution of the anisotropy have been determined by time-resolved resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization of iodine and ethyl fragment images. A shorter lifetime measured at the origin of the band in comparison with methyl iodide indicates that predissociation in ethyl iodide is more favorable due to a stronger coupling between the initial Rydberg state and the valence repulsive state correlating with the dissociation fragments. Moreover, vibrational activity in the methyl torsion in the Rydberg state seems to enhance the probability of transfer of population to the valence repulsive state leading to a faster dissociation. The perpendicular character of the transition at early times and the loss of anisotropy as a function of time have been determined from the time-resolved angular distributions of the iodine and ethyl ion images. The initial anisotropy value is consistent with a purely perpendicular transition compatible with the excitation of the [6A'', 7A'] states with a minor parallel component to the C-I bond. The loss of initial anisotropy over time highlights the parent molecular rotation during predissociation and is compatible with a rotational temperature of the parent molecule of 100 K.

Vectorial imaging of the photodissociation of 2-bromobutane oriented via hexapolar state selection

Molecular orientation techniques are becoming available in the study of elementary chemical processes, in order to highlight those structural and dynamical properties that would be concealed by random rotational motions. Recently successful orientation was achieved for asymmetric-top and chiral molecules of much larger complexity than hitherto. In this work, we report and discuss the correlation between the vectors' photofragment recoil velocity v, transition dipole moment μ, and permanent dipole moment d in a dissociation experiment on hexapole oriented 2-bromobutane, photoinitiated by a linearly polarized laser. The sliced ion images of the Br*(2P1/2) and Br(2P3/2) photofragments were acquired at 234.0 and 254.1 nm, respectively, by a (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization technique. A detailed analysis of the sliced ion images obtained at a tilting angle 45° of laser polarization provides information on the correlation of the three vectors, which are confined by two polar angles α and χ and one azimuthal angle φμd in the recoil frame. The sliced ion images of Br fragments eliminated individually from the enantiomers at 254.1 nm yield an asymmetric factor close to zero; for this reason the photofragment angular distributions do not show significant differences. The elimination of the Br* fragment at 234.0 nm is mainly correlated with a parallel transition, giving rise to a large anisotropy parameter of 1.85, and thus can be considered as a single state excitation. The resulting recoil frame angles are optimized to 163° ± 8° and 164° ± 1° for α and χ, respectively, whereas φμd is approaching 0° for the best fit. Since for the present molecule, the three vectors have an only slight spatial arrangement, the photofragment angular distributions of the two enantiomers do not show appreciable differences. Theoretical and computational simulations provide us the basis to state that oriented enantiomers can be discriminated on-the-fly in photodissociation processes even initiated by non-circularly polarized light, provided that the three vectors encountered above have specific three-dimensional arrangements. The fact that Br fragment elimination involves a multi-potential dissociation carries uncertainties in theoretical estimates of the vector direction. Therefore, this work represents a preliminary but significant step on the road to chiral discrimination on-the-fly, which is shown to be best propitiated in molecules where vectors are far from having degenerate mutual angular directions.

Hexapole-Oriented Asymmetric-Top Molecules and Their Stereodirectional Photodissociation Dynamics

Molecular orientation is a fundamental requisite in the study of stereodirected dynamics of collisional and photoinitiated processes. In this past decade, variable hexapolar electric filters have been developed and employed for the rotational-state selection and the alignment of molecules of increasing complexity, for which the main difficulties are their mass, their low symmetry, and the very dense rotational manifold. In this work, for the first time, a complex molecule such as 2-bromobutane, an asymmetric top containing a heavy atom (the bromine), was successfully oriented by a weak homogeneous field placed downstream from the hexapolar filter. Efficiency of the orientation was characterized experimentally, by combining time-of-flight measurements and a slice-ion-imaging detection technique. The application is described to the photodissociation dynamics of the oriented 2-bromobutane, which was carried out at a laser wavelength of 234 nm, corresponding to the breaking of the C-Br bond. The Br photofragment is produced in both the ground Br ((2)P3/2) and the excited Br ((2)P1/2) electronic states, and both channels are studied by the slice imaging technique, revealing new features in the velocity and angular distributions with respect to previous investigations on nonoriented molecules.

Dynamics and yields for CHBrCl2photodissociation from 215–265 nm

We characterize the energy partitioning and spin–orbit yields for CHBrCl₂photodissociation. Resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization selectively detects the Br and Br* product channels. Time of flight mass spectrometry and velocity-map imaging permit measurement of relative quantum yields, as well as kinetic and internal energy distributions. We further interpret the energy partitioning through use of impulsive models.

Dynamics of the A-band ultraviolet photodissociation of methyl iodide and ethyl iodide via velocity-map imaging with ‘universal’ detection

Universal ionization combined with velocity-map imaging allows a comprehensive investigation into the photodissociation dynamics of methyl iodide and ethyl iodide at a range of UV wavelengths within their A-bands.

Intermediate photofragment distributions as probes of non-adiabatic dynamics at conical intersections: application to the Hartley band of ozone

Quantum dynamics at a reactive two-state conical intersection lying outside the Franck–Condon zone is studied for a prototypical reaction of ultraviolet photodissociation of ozone in the Hartley band.

Laser-induced atomic fragment fluorescence spectroscopy: a facile technique for molecular spectroscopy of spin-forbidden states

Spectra of spin-forbidden and spin-allowed transitions in the mixed b (3)Pi(u) approximately A (1)Sigma(u)(+) state of Na(2) are measured separately by two-photon excitation using a single tunable dye laser. The two-photon excitation produces Na(*)(3p) by photodissociation, which is easily and sensitively detected by atomic fluorescence. At low laser power, only the A (1)Sigma(u)(+) state is excited, completely free of triplet excitation. At high laser power, photodissociation via the intermediate b (3)Pi(u) triplet state becomes much more likely, effectively "switching" the observations from singlet spectroscopy to triplet spectroscopy with only minor apparatus changes. This technique of perturbation-assisted laser-induced atomic fragment fluorescence may therefore be especially useful as a general vehicle for investigating perturbation-related physics pertinent to the spin-forbidden states, as well as for studying allowed and forbidden states of other molecules.