Shock tube studies of the N2O/Ar and N2O/H2/Ar systems

N₂O decay has been monitored via infrared emission for a series of mixtures containing N₂O/Ar and N₂O/H₂/Ar. These mixtures were studied behind reflected shock waves in the temperature interval of 1950–3075°K with total concentrations ranging from 1.2 to 2.5 × 10¹⁸ molec/cm³. In all cases the N₂O decayed exponentially, and a rate constant k_obs was obtained. Runs without added H₂ could be described by the following Arrhenius parameters: log A = ?9.72 ± 0.08 (in units of cm³/molec · sec) and E_A = 203.5 ± 3.6 kJ/mole. Addition of 0.01% and 0.1% H₂ was observed to increase the decay rate; the largest increase occurred between 2250 and 2500°K with 0.1% H₂, where k_obs doubled. Mixtures with no added H₂ were analyzed by numerical integration of the following reactions: Quantitative agreement between calculations and observations were obtained with both high and low choices for k₂ and k₃. The additional reactions were included in the analysis of the mixtures containing H₂. Here agreement was obtained only when low values were assigned to k₂ and k₃. The combinations of k₁ ← k₃ which agreed with all the data were k₁ = 3.25 × 10^?10 exp (?215 kJ/RT) and k₂ = k₃ = 1.91 × 10^?11 exp (-105 kJ/RT).     

Overtone spectroscopy of H2O clusters in the V(OH) = 2 manifold: infrared-ultraviolet vibrationally mediated dissociation studies

Spectroscopy and predissociation dynamics of (H2O)2 and Ar-H2O are investigated with vibrationally mediated dissociation (VMD) techniques, wherein upsilon(OH) = 2 overtones of the complexes are selectively prepared with direct infrared pumping, followed by 193 nm photolysis of the excited H2O molecules. As a function of relative laser timing, the photolysis breaks H2O into OH and H fragments either (i) directly inside the complex or (ii) after the complex undergoes vibrational predissociation, with the nascent quantum state distribution of the OH photofragment probed via laser-induced fluorescence. This capability provides the first rotationally resolved spectroscopic analysis of (H2O)2 in the first overtone region and vibrational predissociation dynamics of water dimer and Ar-water clusters. The sensitivity of the VMD approach permits several upsilon(OH) = 2 overtone bands to be observed, the spectroscopic assignment of which is discussed in the context of recent anharmonic theoretical calculations.     

Vibrationally mediated photodissociation of C2H4+

We report the vibrationally mediated photodissociation dynamics of C2H4+ excited through the B2Ag state. Vibrational state-selected ions were prepared by two-photon resonant, three-photon ionization of ethylene via (pi, 3s) and (pi, 3p) Rydberg intermediate states in the wavelength range 298-349 nm. Absorption of a fourth photon led to dissociation of the cation, and images of the product ions C2H3+ and C2H2+ were simultaneously recorded using reflectron multimass velocity map imaging. Analysis of the multimass images yielded, with high precision, both the total translational energy distributions for the two dissociation channels and the branching between them as a function of excitation energy. The dissociation of ions that were initially prepared with torsional excitation exceeding the barrier to planarity in the cation ground state consistently gave enhanced branching to the H elimination channel. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of the initial state preparation on the competition between the internal conversion to the ground state and to the first excited state.     

Quantum mechanical calculations for the H2O + hnu --> O(1D) + H2 photodissociation process

Quantum mechanical wavepacket calculations for the photodissociation of water in the second absorption band are presented. Using O + H2 Jacobi coordinates, partial cross sections for the O(1D) + H2 channel are calculated for different initial rotational states. Conical intersection and Renner-Teller effects are included. The branching ratios for the four accessible dissociation channels at 121.6 nm are in good agreement with experiment (J. Chem. Phys. 1982, 77, 2432). The calculations predict significant rotational and vibrational excitation of the H2 fragments. Photodissociation of ortho and para water produces predominantly, but not exclusively, ortho and para H2 fragments, respectively.     

Electronic and vibrational spectroscopy and vibrationally mediated photodissociation of V+(OCO)

Electronic spectra of gas-phase V+(OCO) are measured in the near-infrared from 6050 to 7420 cm(-1) and in the visible from 15,500 to 16,560 cm(-1), using photofragment spectroscopy. The near-IR band is complex, with a 107 cm(-1) progression in the metal-ligand stretch. The visible band shows clearly resolved vibrational progressions in the metal-ligand stretch and rock, and in the OCO bend, as observed by Brucat and co-workers. A vibrational hot band gives the metal-ligand stretch frequency in the ground electronic state nu3' = 210 cm(-1). The OCO antisymmetric stretch frequency in the ground electronic state (nu1') is measured by using vibrationally mediated photodissociation. An IR laser vibrationally excites ions to nu1' = 1. Vibrationally excited ions selectively dissociate following absorption of a second, visible photon at the nu1' = 1 <-- nu1' = 1 transition. Rotational structure in the resulting vibrational action spectrum confirms that V+(OCO) is linear and gives nu1' = 2392.0 cm(-1). The OCO antisymmetric stretch frequency in the excited electronic state is nu1' = 2368 cm(-1). Both show a blue shift from the value in free CO2, due to interaction with the metal. Larger blue shifts observed for complexes with fewer ligands agree with trends seen for larger V+(OCO)n clusters.     

Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of Mg(+)(H2O)Ar(n) complexes: isomers in progressive microsolvation

Ion-molecule complexes of the form Mg(H2O)Ar(n)+ (n = 1-8) are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed-nozzle cluster source. These complexes are mass-selected and studied with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the O-H stretch region. The spectra are interpreted with the aid of ab initio calculations on the n = 1-5 complexes, including examination of various isomeric structures. The combined spectroscopic and theoretical studies reveal the presence of multiple isomeric structures at each cluster size, as the argon atoms assemble around the Mg(+)(H2O) unit. Distinct infrared resonances are measured for argon-on-metal, argon-on-OH and argon-on-two-OH isomers.     

Quantum studies of the vibrations in H3O2- and D3O2-

The vibrations of H3O2- and D3O2- are investigated using diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) and vibrational configuration-interaction approaches, as implemented in the program MULTIMODE. These studies use the potential surface recently developed by Huang et al. [ J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 5042 (2004)]. The focus of this work is on the vibrational ground state and fundamentals which occur between 100 and 3700 cm(-1). In most cases, excellent agreement is obtained between the fundamental frequencies calculated by the two approaches. This serves to demonstrate the power of both methods for treating this very anharmonic system. Based on the results of the MULTIMODE and DMC treatments, the extent and nature of the couplings in H3O2- and D3O2- are investigated.     

水分子激光光解的动力学理论研究

通过对水分子在激光作用下选择性解离的动力学过程进行计算分析,得到了产率随实验参数(相差和相对强度)的变化图和与其相应的等高线,讨论了解离能量和初态对产率的影响.     

Reaction Mechanisms in Both a CCl2F2/O2/Ar and a CCl2F2/H2/Ar RF Plasma Environment

Decomposition of dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl₂F₂ or CFC-12) in aradiofrequency (RF) plasma system is demonstrated. The CCl₂F₂decomposition fractions _{CCl 2 F 2} and mole fractionsof detected products in the effluent gas stream of CCl₂F₂/O₂/Ar andCCl₂F₂/H₂/Ar plasma, respectively, have been determined. The experimentalparameters including input power wattage, O₂/CCl₂F₂ or H₂/CCl₂F₂ ratio,operational pressure, and CCl₂F₂ feeding concentration wereinvestigated. The main carbonaceous product in the CCl₂F₂/O₂/Arplasma system was CO₂, while that in the CCl₂F₂/H₂/Ar plasma systemwas CH₄ and C₂H₂. Furthermore, the possible reaction pathways werebuilt-up and elucidated in this study. The results of the experimentsshowed that the highly electronegative chlorine and fluorine wouldeasily separate from the CCl₂F₂ molecule and combine with the addedreaction gas. This led to the reactions terminated with the CO₂,CH₄, and C₂H₂ formation, because of their high bonding strength. Theaddition of hydrogen would form a preferential pathway for the HCland HF formations, which were thermodynamically stable diatomicspecies that would limit the production of CCl₃F, CClF₃, CF₄, andCCl₄. In addition, the HCl and HF could be removed by neutral orscrubber method. Hence, a hydrogen-based RF plasma system provideda better alternative to decompose CCl₂F₂.     

Communication: mode-specific photodissociation of vibrationally excited pyrrole

Laser-based spectroscopies coupled with molecular beam techniques facilitated the monitoring of H fragments released in ultraviolet photodissociation of pre-excited isoenergetic vibrational levels of pyrrole. Most noticeably, there was an order of magnitude larger reactivity for an eigenstate primarily consisting of two quanta of ring deformation than for another with one quantum of symmetric C-H stretch. The dynamics, the intramolecular interactions controlling the energy flow, and the mode-selectivity within a medium-sized, ten atom molecule, is discussed.     

Flow reactor studies and kinetic modeling of the H2/O2/NOX and CO/H2O/O2/NOX reactions

Flow reactor experiments were performed over wide ranges of pressure (0.5–14.0 atm) and temperature (750–1100 K) to study H₂/O₂ and CO/H₂O/O₂ kinetics in the presence of trace quantities of NO and NO₂. The promoting and inhibiting effects of NO reported previously at near atmospheric pressures extend throughout the range of pressures explored in the present study. At conditions where the recombination reaction H + O₂ (+M) = HO₂ (+M) is favored over the competing branching reaction, low concentrations of NO promote H₂ and CO oxidation by converting HO₂ to OH. In high concentrations, NO can also inhibit oxidative processes by catalyzing the recombination of radicals. The experimental data show that the overall effects of NO addition on fuel consumption and conversion of NO to NO₂ depend strongly on pressure and stoichiometry. The addition of NO₂ was also found to promote H₂ and CO oxidation but only at conditions where the reacting mixture first promoted the conversion of NO₂ to NO. Experimentally measured profiles of H₂, CO, CO₂, NO, NO₂, O₂, H₂O, and temperature were used to constrain the development of a detailed kinetic mechanism consistent with the previously studied H₂/O₂, CO/H₂O/O₂, H₂/NO₂, and CO/H₂O/N₂O systems. Model predictions generated using the reaction mechanism presented here are in good agreement with the experimental data over the entire range of conditions explored. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 705–724, 1999     

Relaxation of H2O from its /04>- vibrational state in collisions with H2O, Ar, H2, N2, and O2

We report rate coefficients at 293 K for the collisional relaxation of H2O molecules from the highly excited /04>(+/-) vibrational states in collisions with H2O, Ar, H2, N2, and O2. In our experiments, the mid R:04(-) state is populated by direct absorption of radiation from a pulsed dye laser tuned to approximately 719 nm. Evolution of the population in the (/04>(+/-)) levels is observed using the combination of a frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG laser, which selectively photolyses H2O(/04>(+/-)), and a frequency-doubled dye laser, which observes the OH(v=0) produced by photodissociation via laser-induced fluorescence. The delay between the pulse from the pump laser and those from the photolysis and probe lasers was systematically varied to generate kinetic decays. The rate coefficients for relaxation of H2O(/04>(+/-)) obtained from these experiments, in units of cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), are: k(H2O)=(4.1+/-1.2) x 10(-10), k(Ar)=(4.9+/-1.1) x 10(-12), k(H2)=(6.8+/-1.1) x 10(-12), k(N2)=(7.7+/-1.5) x 10(-12), k(O2)=(6.7+/-1.4) x 10(-12). The implications of these results for our previous reports of rate constants for the removal of H2O molecules in selected vibrational states by collisions with H atoms (P. W. Barnes et al., Faraday Discuss. Chem. Soc. 113, 167 (1999) and P. W. Barnes et al., J. Chem. Phys. 115, 4586 (2001).) are fully discussed.     

Inelastic scattering of vibrationally excited KBr BY Ar and CO2

Scattering of highly vibrationally excited potassium bromide by argon and carbon dioxide has been investigated. Velocity resolved KBr scattering intensities indicate that highly translationally inelastic collisions occur in both systems and, in the CO₂ system, show effects due to VT, VV competition.     

Raman,infrared and force field studies of K2(12)C2O4 x H2O and K2(13)C2O4 x H2O in the solid state and in aqueous solution,and of (NH4)2(12)C2O4 x H2O and (NH4)2(13)C2O4 x H2O in the solid state

The Raman and infrared spectra of solid K2(12)C2O4 x H2O are reported together with, for the first time, the corresponding Raman and infrared spectra of solid K2(13)C2O4 x H2O. Raman spectra of aqueous solutions of both isotopomers are also reported. In the solid state the oxalate anion is planar with D2h symmetry in this salt, whereas in aqueous solution the Raman spectra of the anion are best interpreted on the basis of D2d symmetry. The Raman spectra of solid (NH4)2(12)C2O4 x H2O and (NH4)2(13)C2O4 x H2O, in which the oxalate anion is twisted from planarity by 28 degrees about the CC bond, have also been recorded. Several reassignments have been made. The harmonic force field for the oxalate anion in the D2h, D2 and D2d geometries has been determined in part, and approximate values of key valence force constants determined. All the observed band wavenumbers and 12C/13C isotopic shifts are well reproduced by the force fields. The potential energy distribution of the totally symmetric normal modes of planar oxalate indicates that each mode consists of extensively mixed symmetry corrdinates and that the labels previously used for the bands seen here at 475 and 879 cm(-1) would better be described as v(CC) and deltaS(CO2), respectively, putting them in the same wavenumber order as v(NN) and deltaS(NO2) for the isoelectronic and isostructural molecule N2O4. The stretching force constants of N2O4 and planar C2O4(2-) are established to be in the order f(NN) < f(CC) and f(NO) > f(CO), consistent with the known relative bond lengths.     

Quantum yields for product formation in the 120-133 nm photodissociation of O2

The photodissociation of O(2) in the region from 120-133 nm has been investigated using product imaging. The spectrum in this region is dominated by transitions from the ground state to the first three vibrational levels of the E (3)Sigma(u) (-) state. The O((1)D)+O((3)P) channel is the only product channel observed by product imaging for dissociation at either 124.4 nm or 120.4 nm. The O((1)D(2)) product is aligned in the molecular frame in such a way that its J vector is perpendicular to the relative velocity vector between the O((1)D) and the O((3)P). The variation in the anisotropy of dissociation is approximately predicted by considering transitions on individual lines and then taking into account the coherent excitation of overlapping resonances. At 132.7 nm, both the O((1)D)+O((3)P) and the O((3)P)+O((3)P) channels are observed with branching ratios of 0.40+/-0.08 and 0.60+/-0.09, respectively. At 130.2 nm, the quantum yield for production of O((1)D) is 0.76+/-0.28.     

Imaging studies of the photodissociation of H2S+ cations. II

Ion imaging methods have been used to explore the photodissociation dynamics of state-selected H(2)S(+) and D(2)S(+) cations. Predissociation following one photon excitation to the A (2)A(1) state at wavelengths (385< or =lambda(phot)< or =420 nm) in the vicinity of the first dissociation threshold results in formation of ground state S(+) fragment ions; the partner H(2)(D(2)) fragments are deduced to be rotationally "cold." Two photon dissociation processes are also observed, resonance enhanced at the energy of one absorbed photon by the predissociating A state levels. Two photon excitation at these wavelengths is deduced to populate an excited state of (2)A(1) symmetry, which dissociates to electronically excited S(+)((2)D) products, together with vibrationally excited H(2)(D(2)) cofragments. Ground state SH(+)(SD(+)) fragments, attributable to a one photon dissociation process, are observed once lambda(phot)< or =325 nm. Two photon induced production of SH(+)(SD(+)) fragments is also observed, at all wavelengths studied (i.e., at all lambda(phot)< or =420 nm). These SH(+)(SD(+)) fragments are deduced to be formed in their singlet (i.e., a (1)Delta and b (1)Sigma(+)) excited states, with high levels of rotational excitation. The observed product branching and energy disposals are discussed within the context of the (limited) available knowledge relating to the excited electronic states of the H(2)S(+) cation.