Coupling Pulse Radiolysis with Nanosecond Time-Resolved Step-Scan Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: Broadband Mid-Infrared Detection of Radiolytically Generated Transients

We describe the first implementation of broadband, nanosecond time-resolved step-scan Fourier transform infrared (S²-FT-IR) spectroscopy at a pulse radiolysis facility. This new technique allows the rapid acquisition of nano- to microsecond time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectra of transient species generated by pulse radiolysis of liquid samples at a pulsed electron accelerator. Wide regions of the mid-infrared can be probed in a single experiment, which often takes < 20-30 min to complete. It is therefore a powerful method for rapidly locating the IR absorptions of short-lived, radiation-induced species in solution, and for directly monitoring their subsequent reactions. Time-resolved step-scan FT-IR detection for pulse radiolysis thus complements our existing narrowband quantum cascade laser-based pulse radiolysis-TRIR detection system, which is more suitable for acquiring single-shot kinetics and narrowband TRIR spectra on small-volume samples and in strongly absorbing solvents, such as water. We have demonstrated the application of time-resolved step-scan FT-IR spectroscopy to pulse radiolysis by probing the metal carbonyl and organic carbonyl vibrations of the one-electron-reduced forms of two Re-based CO₂ reduction catalysts in acetonitrile solution. Transient IR absorption bands with amplitudes on the order of 1 × 10^-3 are easily detected on the sub-microsecond timescale using electron pulses as short as 250 ns.

Direct structural and mechanistic insights into fast bimolecular chemical reactions in solution through a coupled XAS/UV–Vis multivariate statistical analysis

A combined multivariate and theoretical analysis of coupled XAS/UV–Vis data was proven to be an innovative method to obtain direct structural and mechanistic evidence for bimolecular reactions in solution involving organic substrates.

Influence of Charge Distribution on Structural Changes of Aromatic Imide Derivatives upon One-Electron Reduction Revealed by Time-Resolved Resonance Raman Spectroscopy during Pulse Radiolysis

Structural changes of aromatic imides upon one-electron reduction are investigated by time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy during pulse radiolysis. Significant downshifts are observed for both the aromatic ring stretching and carbonyl stretching modes, which are related to a reduction of the bond order and increase of the charge density on these moieties. For three aromatic imides, i.e., 1,8-naphthalene imide (1,8-NI), 2,3-naphthalene imide (2,3-NI), and naphthalene diimide (NDI), the extent of structural changes is found to follow the order: 2,3-NI > 1,8-NI > NDI, reflecting the influence of charge distribution on molecular structure. To further investigate this phenomenon, a series of homologous NDI derivatives with a substituted phenyl group at the imide position are studied. The Raman peaks between 1550 and 1600 cm^-1, which are assigned to aromatic stretching vibrations of the NDI moieties, are found to be sensitive to the charge distribution: stronger electron-withdrawing substituents result in these peaks shifting to slightly higher wavenumbers. As supported by a spin density analysis, despite the fact that the added charge is mostly localized on the NDI moiety, in the presence of an electron-withdrawing group, the subtle charge is likely to delocalize on the phenyl fragment, alleviating the effect of one-electron reduction on the molecular structure.