Photoexcitation of CH3NCO,CH3NCS and CH3SCN in the vacuum ultraviolet: Rydberg states and photofragment emission

Photoabsorption cross sections and fluorescence excitation spectra of CH₃NCO, CH₃NCS and CH₃SCN vapor were measured in the vacuum ultraviolet using synchrotron radiation. Many sharp structures observed from CH₃NCO and CH₃SCN in the 120–180 nm region are classified into three Rydberg series and their vibrational progressions, whereas for CH₃NCS six broad bands exhibit no fine structure. The emission which starts to appear at 172.8 ± 1.0 nm excitation of CH₃NCO is attributed to the NCO(A²Σ⁺-X²Π) band. The emissions from CH₃NCS and CH₃SCN are assigned to the A²Π-X²Π and B²Σ⁺-X²Π bands of NCS; the CN(B²Σ⁺-X²Σ⁺) band is also observed at 125 nm excitation of CH₃SCN. The photodissociation processes are discussed in accord with the emission observed.     

Photoexcitation processes of CH3OH: Rydberg states and photofragment fluorescence

Photoabsorption and fluorescence cross sections of methanol vapor were mearured using synchrotron radiation. Weak structures observed in the 110–140 nm region are classified into three Rydberg series. Quasidiatomic repulsive potential curves for the states dissociating into CH₃ + OH(A²Σ⁺) are obtained from the measured fluorescence cross section. The photodissociation processes are discussed in accord with the fluorescence observed. The fluorescence quantum yield (< 0.8%) for photodissociation of CH₃OH is one order of magnitude smaller than that of H₂O, indicating a correlation that the fluorescence quantum yield decreases with increasing number of molecular orbitals.     

Catalytic synthesis of dimethyl sulfide from dimethyl disulfide and methanol

The reaction of dimethyl disulfide with methanol was studied at atmospheric pressure and temperature of 350°C in the presence of catalysts containing acid and basic sites.     

Activity of catalysts in the synthesis of dimethyl sulfide from dimethyl disulfide

Dimethyl disulfide conversion at T = 190–350°C over catalysts containing acid and basic sites is reported. The products of this reaction are dimethyl sulfide, methanethiol, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, methane, and ethylene. At 190°C, these products form via parallel reactions. At higher temperature of up to 350°C, dimethyl sulfide can form by the condensation of the resulting methanethiol. The strong basic sites of the catalysts are uninvolved in dimethyl sulfide formation. Over catalysts whose surface has only strong protonic or strong Lewis acid sites, dimethyl sulfide formation does take place, but slowly and nonselectively. The highest dimethyl sulfide formation activity and selectivity are shown by catalysts having medium-strength basic sites along with strong protonic and strong Lewis acid sites.     

Hydrogenolysis of dimethyl disulfide in the presence of bimetallic sulfide catalysts

The hydrogenolysis of dimethyl disulfide in the presence of Ni,Mo and Co,Mo bimetallic sulfide catalysts was studied at atmospheric pressure and T = 160–400°C. At T ≤ 200°C, dimethyl disulfide undergoes hydrogenolysis at the S-S bond, yielding methanethiol in 95–100% yield. The selectivity of the reaction decreases with increasing residence time and temperature due to methanethiol undergoing condensation to dimethyl disulfide and hydrogenolysis at the C-S bond to yield methane and hydrogen sulfide. The specific activity of the Co,Mo/Al₂O₃ catalyst in hydrogenolysis at the S-S and C-S bonds is equal to or lower than the total activity of the monometallic catalysts. The Ni,Mo/Al₂O₃ catalyst is twice as active as the Ni/Al₂O₃ + Mo/Al₂O₃ or the cobalt-molybdenum bimetallic catalyst.     

Dimethyl disulfide conversion into dimethyl sulfide in the presence of sulfidized catalysts

The conversion of dimethyl disulfide in the presence of various supported sulfidized metal-containing catalysts at atmospheric pressure and T = 150−350°C was studied. Sulfidized transition metals supported onto aluminum oxide were more active than catalysts based on a carbon support, silicon dioxide, amorphous aluminosilicate, and zeolite ZSM-5. The most active catalyst was 10% Co/Al₂O₃ prepared with the use of cobalt acetate as an active component precursor and treated with a mixture of hydrogen sulfide with hydrogen at T = 400°C. From kinetic data, it follows that all of the reaction products were formed simultaneously at a temperature of <200°C, whereas a consecutive reaction scheme took place at higher temperatures. In the presence of a sulfidized alumina-cobalt catalyst, the output of dimethyl sulfide was higher than that reached with the use of other well-known catalysts.     

Voltammetric determination of stability constants of lead complexes with diallyl disulfide,dimethyl disulfide,and diallyl sulfide

The complexation of Pb~(2+)by diallyl disulfide(DADS), dimethyl disulfide(DMDS) and diallyl sulfide(DAS)has been studied by differential pulse voltammetry. Stability constants,(log b), of the 1:1(PbL) and 1:2(PbL_2) complexes, where L = ligand, were found to be in the range of ca. 3.8–4.2 and 9.4–10.2,respectively. Complex formation is accompanied with a significant decrease in the peak current and the shift of the Pb2+/Pb half-wave potential to a higher one upon the addition of the sulfur containing ligands(L). The formation of 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, i.e., PbL~(2+)and PbL_2~(2+)was observed in the case of the three ligands. The consecutive formation constants of labile lead complexes with DADS, DMDS, and DAS were determined at 298 K by the method of De Ford and Hume. Apparently due to the large size of the lead ion,steric hindrance caused by the greater steric bulk of DADS compared to that of DMDS have little or no effects on the formation constants, so that very similar values were obtained in the case of the two ligands. Also, the possible participation of C=C double bonds in coordination with the metal center in the case of DADS appears to compensate for the steric effects caused by the larger size of this ligand. In agreement with the Jorgensen principle of symbiosis, the second formation constants were found to be approximately six orders of magnitude greater than the first ones.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy of naphthacene crystal in the vacuum ultraviolet region

The energy distribution curves of the photoelectrons emitted from naphthacene (C₁₈H₁₂) crystal in the vacuum ultraviolet region were measured by an ac modulated retarding potential method. The peaks in the curves, 5.8₃, 7.2₈, 8.2₉, 8.7₀ and 9.4₀ eV, are considered to be associated with the valence bands of the naphthacene crystal.     

Reaction mechanisms and kinetics for the oxidations of dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and methyl mercaptan by the nitrate radical

This study examines the initial oxidation routes of the three major reduced sulfur compounds (CH(3)SH, CH(3)SCH(3), and CH(3)SSCH(3)) by the nitrate radical using density functional and ab initio methods. Stationary points along each reaction pathway are examined using different levels of theory and basis sets to ensure the convergence of the results. Kinetics calculations follow on the determined reaction pathways to obtain the rate constants. This study shows that sulfur compounds exhibit a general trend of hydrogen abstraction following the formation of an initial sulfur-nitrate complex. The results are in agreement with experimental work on CH(3)SCH(3) and CH(3)SH, while refuting a proposal of several previous studies that oxygen addition is the dominant oxidation pathway in the case of CH(3)SSCH(3). The rate constants obtained from kinetics calculations are consistent with experimental findings and exhibit negative temperature dependence. Overall, this study confirms the importance of nitrate in the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds in the atmosphere.     

Rydberg series in the absorption spectra of H2O and D2O in the vacuum ultraviolet

The photoabsorption cross section of molecular H₂O and D₂O has been determined in the range from hν = 10eV to 20 eV with 0.03 Å resolution. A refined analysis of the Rydberg series including the rotational line shapes of several bands to locate the band origins and a comparison with recent ab initio calculations is given. In the region of continuous absorption we have assigned a p-type and an s-type Rydberg series leading to the ²A₁ and the ²B₂ state respectively with quantum defects δ ≈ 0.75 and δ ≈ 1.36.     

Absorption spectra of volatile aromatic hydrocarbon films in the vacuum ultraviolet region

Absorption spectra of volatile aromatic hydrocarbon films, p-terphenyl, chrysene, benzanthracene and triphenylene, in the near and vacuum ultraviolet region down to 130 nm were measured under an atmosphere of Ar gas to suppress their sublimation. The spectrum of p-terphenyl is different from the spectra reported for other phases. This difference is explained in terms of the change of dihedral angles among the three benzene rings. The peak positions in the spectra of chrysene and bezanthracene agree with those in the solution spectra. The differences in the peak intensities are discussed in terms of the orientation of the films with the aid of MO calculations. The result of triphenylene suggests the presence of Davydov splitting.     

Absorption spectra in the vacuum ultraviolet region of small molecules in condensed phases

With radiation from a synchrotron we measured the spectra of several small molecular species, in the solid phase at 10K, either pure--O2, NO, CO2, N2O, H2O and NH3--or, for NH3, also dispersed in Ar at molar ratio 1/250, from the onset of absorption in the ultraviolet region until the limits of transmission by crystalline LiF or solid Ar. In a quantitative treatment of spectral data, we fitted the total absorption profile divided by wavenumber to Gaussian curves of minimal number, and made tentative assignments of electronic transitions and vibrational structure by comparison with spectra of gaseous species. These results illuminate the nature of electronic spectra of samples in solid phases in the vacuum ultraviolet region.     

Rydberg states of the strontium ion

We report on the spectroscopy of highly excited strontium ions after resonant multistep laser excitation. The states observed belonged to then s (26≦n≦79),n d (25≦n≦83),n f (28≦n≦86) andn g (30≦n≦81) series of Sr⁺. A least squares fit has been applied to determine the quantum defects and their linear energy dependence in each series, together with the ionisation limit of Sr⁺. The analysis of our data lead to a revised value for this ionisation limit of 88 965.18±0.02 cm^?1, with respect to the ground state of the Sr⁺ ion. Analysis of the non core-penetratingn g states yielded experimental values for the dipole and quadrupole polarizability of Sr⁺⁺, which are in satisfactory agreement with previous calculations.     

Conversion of dimethyl disulfide in the presence of zeolites

Dimethyl disulfide conversion in the presence of zeolites was studied at atmospheric pressure and T = 190–350°C. For all catalysts, the products of the reaction at T = 190°C—methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and hydrogen sulfide—result directly from dimethyl disulfide. The relative reaction rate and the dimethyl sulfide selectivity decreases in the order HZSM-5 ≥ CoHZSM-5 > HNaY > NaX, NaY. The methanethiol formation selectivity changes in the reverse order. The highest methanethiol selectivity at T = 190°C is shown by the sodium zeolites; the highest dimethyl sulfide selectivity, by the high-silicz zeolite HZSM-5. Raising the reaction temperature increases the reaction rate and changes the process route: at high temperatures, dimethyl disulfide decomposes to methanethiol, which then condenses to yield dimethyl sulfide and hydrogen sulfide. The observed regularities are explained in terms of the different acidic properties of the zeolite surfaces.     

Time-slice velocity-map ion imaging studies of the photodissociation of NO in the vacuum ultraviolet region

The time-slice velocity-map ion imaging and the resonant four-wave mixing techniques are combined to study the photodissociation of NO in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region around 13.5 eV above the ionization potential. The neutral atoms, i.e., N((2)D(o)), O((3)P(2)), O((3)P(1)), O((3)P(0)), and O((1)D(2)), are probed by exciting an autoionization line of O((1)D(2)) or N((2)D(o)), or an intermediate Rydberg state of O((3)P(0,1,2)). Old and new autoionization lines of O((1)D(2)) and N((2)D(o)) in this region have been measured and newer frequencies are given for them. The photodissociation channels producing N((2)D(o)) + O((3)P), N((2)D(o)) + O((1)D(2)), N((2)D(o)) + O((1)S(0)), and N((2)P(o)) + O((3)P) have all been identified. This is the first time that a single VUV photon has been used to study the photodissociation of NO in this energy region. Our measurements of the angular distributions show that the recoil anisotropy parameters (β) for all the dissociation channels except for the N((2)D(o)) + O((1)S(0)) channel are minus at each of the wavelengths used in the present study. Thus direct excitation of NO by a single VUV photon in this energy region leads to excitation of states with Σ or Δ symmetry (ΔΩ = ±1), explaining the observed perpendicular transition.     

Insight into the Rydberg states of CH

Ab initio electronic structure calculations of a relatively large number of Rydberg states of the CH radical were carried out employing the multireference single and double excitation configuration interaction (MRD-CI) method. A Gaussian basis set of cc-pV5Z quality augmented with 12 diffuse functions was used together with an extensive treatment of electron correlation. The main focus of this contribution is to investigate the 3d Rydberg complex assigned by Watson [Astrophys. J. 555, 472 (2001)] to three unidentified interstellar bands. The authors' calculations reproduce quite well the absolute excitation energies of the three components of the 3d complex, i.e., 2Sigma+(3dsigma), 2Pi(3dpi), and 2Delta(3ddelta), but not the energy ordering inferred from a rotational assignment of the 3d<--X 2Pi laboratory spectrum. The computation of the 4d complex is reported for the first time along with a number of other higher lying Rydberg species with an X 1Sigma+ core. The lowest Rydberg states belonging to series converging to the a 3Pi and A 1Pi excited states of CH+ are also calculated.     

Experiments and quantum-chemical calculations on Rydberg states of H2CS in the region 5.6-9.5 eV

Absorption spectrum of H(2)CS in the region 5.6-9.5 eV was recorded with a continuously tunable light source of synchrotron radiation. After we subtracted absorption bands of CS(2), our spectrum clearly shows vibrational progressions associated with transitions (1)A(1)(pi,pi*)-X (1)A(1) and (1)B(2)(n,4s)-X (1)A(1) in the region 5.6-6.7 eV. A spectrum from which absorption of C(2)H(4) and CS(2) are subtracted shows several discrete bands in the region 6.9-9.5 eV. A Rydberg state (1)B(2)(n,4p(z)) lying below Rydberg state (1)A(1)(n,4p(y)) is confirmed, and the C-H symmetric stretching (nu(1)) and CH out-of-plane bending (nu(4)) modes for a transition (1)B(2)(n,4s)-X (1)A(1) are identified. New transitions to Rydberg states associated with excitation to 5s-11s, 5p(z)-7p(z), 5p(y)-7p(y), and 3d-6d are identified based on quantum defects and comparison with vertical excitation energies predicted with time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) and outer-valence Green's-function (OVGF) methods. For lower excited states predictions from these TD-DFT6-31+G calculations agree satisfactorily with experimental values, but for higher Rydberg states the OVGF method using aug-cc-pVTZ basis set augmented with extra diffuse functions yields more accurate predictions of excitation energies.     

Application of a simple photoionization detector for non-dispersive atomic spectrometry in the vacuum ultraviolet region

The construction and operation of a simple, solar-blind photoionization detector which responds to incident radiation between 125 and 140 nm is described. The detector, the response characteristics of which are controlled by the ionization potential of the ethylamine filler gas and the calcium fluoride window employed, is shown to provide for efficient detection of atomic line emission from carbon, oxygen and chlorine in this wavelength region. The spectral sources employed for non-dispersive work with this detector are a microwave-excited argon plasma and a demountable hollow-cathode lamp.     

Copolymerization of ethylene sulfide and carbon disulfide

Ethylene sulfide was found to copolymerize with carbon disulfide to give poly(ethylene trithiocarbonate) in the presence of Hg(SC₄H₉)₂, Zn(C₂H₅)₂, or Cd(C₂H₅)₂, which are well known as the effective catalysts for the coordinated anionic copolymerization of episulfides. The structure and the composition of the copolymer was determined by the infrared and NMR spectra. To establishe the mechanism of the copolymerization, the reaction of carbon disulfide and Hg(SC₄H₉)₂, and also the ring-opening polymerization of ethylene trithiocarbonate were examined. Carbon disulfide was found to insert easily into the metal-sulfur bond of Hg(SC₄H₉)₂ under the experimental conditions of the copolymerization. On the other hand, the ring-opening polymerization of ethylene trithiocarbonate did not take place with these catalysts, occurring only with the use of sulfuric acid. From these results, the mechanism of the copolymerization was discussed.     

Use of the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy-based Martian geology and exploration

Several elements important to planetary geology (e.g. Br, C, Cl, P, S) and the human exploration of Mars (e.g. toxic elements such as As) have strong emission lines in the purge and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral region (100–200 nm). This spectral region has not been extensively studied for space applications using geological samples. We studied emissions from the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) plasma in this region using a sample chamber filled with 7 torr (930 Pa) of CO₂ to simulate the Martian atmosphere. Pressures down to 0.02 torr were also used to evaluate the effect of the residual CO₂ on the spectra and to begin investigating the use of VUV-LIBS for airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon. Spectra were recorded using a 0.3-m vacuum spectrometer with an intensified CCD (ICCD) camera. The effects of time delay and laser energy on LIBS detection at reduced pressure were examined. The effect of ambient CO₂ on the detection of C in soil was also evaluated. Lines useful for the spectrochemical analysis of As, Br, C, Cl, P, and S were determined and calibration curves were prepared for these elements. Although LIBS is being developed for stand-off analysis at many meters distance, the experiments reported here were aimed at in-situ (close-up) analysis.