Photodissociation of methanol at 193.3 nm: Translational energy release spectra

Direct Observation of Gas-Phase Hydroxymethylene: Photoionization and Kinetics Resulting from Methanol Photodissociation

Carbene species play an integral role in high-energy chemistry, transition-metal-carbene chemistry, catalysis, photolytic formation of carbohydrates, and possibly even the formation of interstellar sugars. In 1921, "reactive formaldehyde"─now known as hydroxymethylene (HCOH)─was first implicated as an intermediate in photocatalytic processes. However, due to its transient nature, direct observation of HCOH has predominantly been attained using cryogenic isolation methods. As a result, HCOH gas-phase reactivity measurements have been limited. We directly observed HCOH using photoionization spectroscopy following UV photodissociation of methanol. Our measurements show it reacts slowly with O2 at room temperature. This work provides evidence for the formation mechanism of HCOH from CH3OH and its subsequent reactivity under gas-phase reaction conditions.

Chemical Reactivity of Strongly Interacting, Hydrogen-Bond-Forming Molecules Following 193 nm Photon Irradiation: Methanol in Amorphous Solid Water at Low Temperatures

Mixtures of methanol and amorphous solid water (ASW) ices are observed in the interstellar medium (ISM), where they are subject to irradiation by UV photons and bombardment by charged particles. The charged particles, if at high enough density, induce a local electric field in the ice film that potentially affects the photochemistry of these ices. When CD₃OD@ASW ices grown at 38 K on a Ru(0001) substrate are irradiated by 193 nm (6.4 eV) photons, products such as HD, D₂, CO, and CO₂ are formed in large abundances relative to the initial amount of CD₃OD. Other molecules such as D₂O, CD₄, acetaldehyde, and ethanol and/or dimethyl ether are also observed, but in smaller relative abundances. The reactivity cross sections range from (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10^-21 to (3.8 ± 0.3) × 10^-25 cm²/photon. The main products are formed through two competing mechanisms: direct photodissociation of methanol and water and dissociative electron attachment (DEA) by photoelectrons ejected from the Ru(0001) substrate. An electric field of 2 × 10⁸ V/m generated within the ASW film during Ne⁺ ions bombardment is apparently not strong enough to affect the relative abundances (selectivity) of the photochemical products observed in this study.

Photoprotection: extending lessons learned from studying natural sunscreens to the design of artificial sunscreen constituents

Evolution has ensured that plants and animals have developed effective protection mechanisms against the potentially harmful effects of incident ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Tanning is one such mechanism in humans, but tanning only occurs post-exposure to UVR. Hence, there is ever growing use of commercial sunscreens to pre-empt overexposure to UVR. Key requirements for any chemical filter molecule used in such a photoprotective capacity include a large absorption cross-section in the UV-A and UV-B spectral regions and the availability of one or more mechanisms whereby the absorbed photon energy can be dissipated without loss of the molecular integrity of the chemical filter. Here we summarise recent experimental (mostly ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy studies) and computational progress towards unravelling various excited state decay mechanisms that afford the necessary photostability in chemical filters found in nature and those used in commercial sunscreens. We also outline ways in which a better understanding of the photophysics and photochemistry of sunscreen molecules selected by nature could aid the design of new and improved commercial sunscreen formulations.

Signatures of a quantum diffusion limited hydrogen atom tunneling reaction

We are studying the details of hydrogen atom (H atom) quantum diffusion in parahydrogen quantum solids in an effort to better understand H atom transport and reactivity under these conditions.

Electron-induced origins of prebiotic building blocks of sugars: mechanism of self-reactions of a methanol anion dimer

Reactions of methanol dimers in interstellar medium driven by low energy irradiation may lead to prebiotic precursors.

Radiation-induced transformations of methanol molecules in low-temperature solids: a matrix isolation study

Radiation-induced transformations of methanol in inert solids at 6 K reveal remarkable matrix effects, and mechanisms and astrochemical implications are discussed.

Characterization of PAH/DPPG layer-by-layer films by VUV spectroscopy

The spectroscopic characterization of layer-by-layer (LbL) films containing liposomes is essential not only for determining the precise film architecture but also to guide the design of drug delivery systems. In this study we provide the first report of vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy (VUV) characterization of LbL films made with liposomes from 1.2-dipalmitoyl-sn-Glycero-3-[Phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (Sodium Salt) (DPPG) alternated with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH). Measurements in the 6.0-9.5eV range allowed us to identify the electronic transitions responsible for the spectra, which were assigned to carboxyl, hydroxyl and phosphate groups in DPPG while the PAH spectra were governed by electronic transitions in the amino groups. The surface mass density of the LbL films could be determined, from which the formation of a DPPG bilayer was inferred. This rupture of the liposomes into bilayers was confirmed with atomic force microscopy measurements. In subsidiary experiments we ensured that the UV irradiation in vacuum had negligible damage in the DPPG liposomes during the course of the VUV measurements. In addition to demonstrating the usefulness of VUV spectroscopy, the results presented here may be exploited in biological applications of liposome-containing films.

Distributions of angular anisotropy and kinetic energy of products from the photodissociation of methanol at 157 nm

We investigated distributions of angular-anisotropy parameter beta and kinetic energy of fragments after photodissociation of methanol using time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. Fragments, in particular CH(3)O and CO, were successfully detected using tunable radiation from a synchrotron for photoionization. Following O-H bond fission, a CH(3)O fragment with internal energy greater than 104 kJ mol(-1) dissociates to CH(2)O+H. Elimination of two H(2) accompanies formation of CO. The beta value of hydroxyl hydrogen is -0.26 whereas that of methyl hydrogen is zero. H(2) has two distinct components in TOF spectra; these rapid and slow components have beta values -0.30 and -0.18, respectively. The CH(3)+OH dissociation exhibits a highly anisotropic angular distribution with beta= -0.75. The beta values of fragments from CD(3)OH photolysis are addressed. From measurements of angular-anisotropy parameters of various fragments, we surmise that the transition dipole moment mu is almost perpendicular to the C-O-H plane and that n-3p(x) (2 (1)A") is the major photoexcited state at 157 nm.