Vibrational relaxation of I2 in complexing solvents: The role of solvent–solute attractive forces

Communications: Photoinitiated bond dissociation of bromoiodomethane in solution: Comparison of one-photon and two-photon excitations and the formation of iso-CH(2)Br-I and iso-CH(2)I-Br

Broadband UV-visible femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor the excited state photochemistry of CH(2)BrI following one-photon excitation at 266 or 271 nm and two-photon excitation at 395 or 405 nm in 2-butanol. The results for one-photon excitation agree with earlier studies in acetonitrile, showing clear formation of iso-CH(2)Br-I following cleavage of the C-I bond. In contrast, two-photon excitation at 395 nm results in the appearance of a blueshifted photoproduct absorption band assigned to formation of iso-CH(2)I-Br following cleavage of the C-Br bond. The results are discussed in the context of prior experimental and theoretical work and the prospects for optical control of bond cleavage.

Theoretical Studies of Solute Vibrational Energy Relaxation at Liquid Interfaces

Recent advances in the theoretical understanding of solute vibrational energy relaxation at liquid interfaces and surfaces are described. Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of the relaxation of an initially excited solute molecule are combined with equilibrium force autocorrelation calculations to gain insight into the factors that influence the vibrational relaxation rate. Diatomic and triatomic nonpolar, polar, and ionic solute molecules adsorbed at the liquid/vapor interface of several liquids as well as at the water/CCl(4) liquid/liquid interface are considered. In general, the vibrational relaxation rate is significantly slower (a factor of 3 to 4) at the liquid/vapor and liquid/liquid interface than in the bulk due to the reduced density, which gives rise to a reduced contribution of the repulsive solvent-solute forces on the vibrational mode. The surface effects on the ionic solutes are much smaller (50% or less slower relaxation relative to the bulk). This is due to the fact that ionic solutes at the interface are able to keep part of their solvation shell to a degree that depends on their size. Thus, a significant portion of the repulsive forces is maintained. A high degree of correlation is found between the peak height of the solvent-solute radial distribution function and the vibrational relaxation rate. The relaxation rate at the liquid/liquid interface strongly depends on the location of the solute across the interface and correlates with the change in the density and polarity profile of the interface.