Ultrafast photodissociation dynamics of acetone at 195 nm: II. Unraveling complex three-body dissociation dynamics by femtosecond time-resolved photofragment translational spectroscopy

As a continuation of the preceding paper in this issue (J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 6805), we studied photodissociation dynamics of the acetone S2 (n, 3s) Rydberg state excited at 195 nm using femtosecond time-resolved photofragment translational spectroscopy. The technique, which is implemented by the combination of fs pump-probe ionization spectroscopy and kinetic energy resolved time-of-flight mass spectrometry (KETOF), measured temporal evolutions of the product kinetic energy distributions (KEDs) with a time resolution limited only by the laser pulse widths. Two methyl product KED components were resolved and assigned to the primary and secondary methyl products on the basis of their temporal behaviors. The results support the mechanism in which the primary dissociation occurs on the acetone S1 surface and provide complementary dynamical information to that discussed in the preceding paper.     

Ultrafast dynamics of cyclohexene and cyclohexene-d10 excited at 200 nm.

By exciting cyclohexene in the gas phase at 200 nm and probing it by nonresonant multiphoton ionization with mass-selective detection of the ion yields, we found four time constants tau(i) (20, 47, 43, 350 fs). Whereas deuteration lengthens tau2 by a factor of 1.4, the other constants do not change. Tau1-tau3 represent traveling times through observation windows on excited surfaces, whereas tau4 reflects a process in the hot ground state. We assign tau1 (20 fs) to departure from the Franck-Condon regions of the Rydberg and pipi* states, which are both populated at 200 nm, and tau2 (47 fs) to traveling along the pipi* surface and suggest that a [1,3]-sigmatropic H shift begins in this state. This rationalizes the deuterium effect on tau2. To explain why this window is followed by a process not subject to a D effect, we postulate that the pipi surface is crossed late (i.e., at low energy) by the zwitterionic state Z and that formation of a carbene (the known photochemical product, cyclopentylcarbene) begins there. The corresponding 1,2-shift of a CC bond is then (within tau4 = 350 fs) largely reversed on the ground-state surface, while a smaller part of the carbene forms products such as methylenecyclopentane within the same time. Carbene formation is probably accompanied by some cis-trans isomerization. The wavelength dependence of carbene formation is attributed to a memory for the initially excited state, based on momentum conservation. The processes are most likely typical of simple olefins. The fragmentation pattern showed that butadiene is not formed until at least 500 ps. The retro-Diels-Alder reaction, known to take place in the ground state, thus only occurs later.     

Ultrafast photodissociation dynamics of acetone at 195 nm: I. Initial-state, intermediate, and product temporal evolutions by femtosecond mass-selected multiphoton ionization spectroscopy

The photodissociation dynamics of the acetone S2 (n, 3s) Rydberg state excited at 195 nm has been studied by using femtosecond pump-probe mass-selected multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. For the first time, the temporal evolutions of the initial state, intermediates, and methyl products were simultaneously measured and analyzed for this reaction to elucidate the complex dynamics. Two mechanisms were considered: (1) the commonly accepted mechanism in which the primary dissociation occurs on the first triplet-state surface, and (2) the recently proposed mechanism in which the primary dissociation takes place on the first singlet-excited-state surface. Our results and analyses supported the validity of the new mechanism. On the other hand, the conventional mechanism was found to be inadequate to describe the observed dynamics. The temporal evolution of methyl products arising from the secondary dissociation of hot acetyl intermediates exhibited a very complex behavior that can be ascribed to the combination of a nonuniform initial vibrational distribution and the competition between dissociation and slow intramolecular vibrational redistribution.     

Ultrafast dynamics and coherent oscillations in ethylene and ethylene-d4 excited at 162 nm

The fifth harmonic (162 nm, 11 fs), generated in a short argon cell from 12 fs Ti-sapphire laser pulses, was used to excite C2H4 and C2D4 in the maximum of the first pi pi* transition. Around 10% of the molecules were excited to the pi3s Rydberg state instead. The subsequent motion of the wave packet, moving over the potentials from the Franck-Condon region down to the ground state, was monitored by nonresonant ionization at 810 nm with mass-selective detection of the ion yield. Five time constants (from approximately 20 fs in excited states to 0.6-11 ps in the hot ground state) and four coherent oscillations (CC stretch and torsion vibrations or hindered free rotation) were determined for each isotopomer. The initial relaxation follows a superposition of CC twist and stretch coordinates; this explains a surprisingly small deuterium isotope effect of the initial time constant (21 versus 24 fs). Also the vibrations in the Franck-Condon region have such a mixed character and a correspondingly small isotope shift. From the perpendicular minimum the wave packet reaches (within 17 or 21 fs for the two isotopomers) a conical intersection via a direction that also involves partial hydrogen migration. This is concluded from the detection of ethylidene (CH3CH), formed simultaneously with ground-state ethylene. This carbene isomerizes in the ground state within 0.6 ps (1.6 ps for CD3CD) to ethylene. Two time constants for dissociation (4.5 and 11 ps) in the hot ground state were also identified. The small yields of bimolecular reactions (photodimerization, addition reactions involving a "suddenly polarized" excited state, carbene reactions) are interpreted in terms of the short lifetimes. It is pointed out that the relaxation path starting from the Rydberg state merges into that from the pi pi* state; nevertheless, there is a wavelength dependence in the photochemistry of olefins, because due to a momentum effect the wave packet remembers from which state it came.     

The three-body dissociation dynamics of Cl2O at 248 and 193 nm

The photodissociation of Cl₂O has been studied at 248 and 193 nm using photofragment translational spectroscopy (PTS) experiments with tunable VUV photoionization detection. The sole products observed were Cl, O and ClO fragments. Based on the derived translational energy distributions for the ClO and Cl photofragments we conclude that at 248 nm 15% of Cl₂O excitation results in three-body dissociation. At 193 nm no Cl₂ fragments are observed and we conclude that the oxygen atoms arise solely from three-body dissociation. Dissociation geometries derived from forward convolution fitting suggest two qualitatively distinct three-body dissociation pathways: asymmetric concerted dissociation and symmetric concerted dissociation in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

Photodissociation dynamics of ketene at 157.6 nm

Photodissociation dynamics of ketene at 157.6 nm has been investigated using the photofragment translational spectroscopic technique based on photoionization detection using vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation. Three dissociation channels have been observed: CH2+CO, CH+HCO, and HCCO+H. The product translational energy distributions and angular anisotropy parameters were measured for all three observed dissociation channels, and the relative branching ratios for different channels were also estimated. The experimental results show that the direct C-C bond cleavage (CH2+CO) is the dominant channel, while H migration and elimination channels are very minor. The results in this work show that direct dissociation on excited electronic state is much more significant than the indirect dissociation via the ground state in the ketene photodissociation at 157.6 nm.     

Photodissociation dynamics of dichlorocarbene at 248 nm

The dynamics of the 248 nm photodissociation of the CCl(2) molecule have been investigated in a molecular beam experiment. The CCl(2) parent molecule was generated in a molecular beam by pyrolysis of CHCl(3), and both CCl(2) and the CCl photofragment were detected by laser fluorescence excitation. The 248 nm attenuation cross sections was estimated from the reduction of the CCl(2) signal as a function of the photolysis laser fluence. The internal state distribution of the CCl photofragment was derived from analysis of laser fluorescence excitation spectra in the A (2)Delta- X (2)Pi band system. The CCl(X (2)Pi, nu = 0) rotational state distribution was found to be bimodal, with maximum populations at N approximately 10 and 85, and was dependent upon the source backing pressure, and hence upon the internal state distribution of the CCl(2) precursor. The 248 nm photodissociation dynamics appears to involve two separate channels, namely nearly impulsive rotational energy release and predissociation with little rotational energy imparted to the CCl fragment.     

Photodissociation dynamics of 1,2-butadiene at 157 nm

Photodissociation dynamics of 1,2-butadiene at 157 nm has been investigated using a molecular beam apparatus based on photoionization using vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation. Six dissociation pathways have been observed. The observed channels are C4H5+H, C4H4+H2, C3H3+CH3, C2H3+C2H3, C2H4+C2H2, and C4H4+H+H. Among all the dissociation channels, the C3H3+CH3 channel is found to be the dominant process. The product kinetic energy distributions of all dissociation channels have been determined from simulating the experimental time-of-flight spectra. Relative branching ratios for all observed dissociation channels were also estimated based on all detected products.     

Photodissociation dynamics of benzyl alcohol at 193 nm

Photodissociation dynamics of benzyl alcohol, C(6)H(5)CH(2)OH and C(6)H(5)CD(2)OH, in a molecular beam was investigated at 193 nm using multimass ion imaging techniques. Four dissociation channels were observed, including OH elimination and H(2)O elimination from the ground electronic state, H atom elimination (from OH functional group), and CH(2)OH elimination from the triplet state. The dissociation rate on the ground state was found to be 7.7 × 10(6) s(-1). Comparison to the potential energy surfaces from ab initio calculations, dissociation rate, and branching ratio from Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations were made.     

Photodissociation dynamics of ClN3 at 193 nm

Photofragment translational spectroscopy was used to identify the primary and secondary reaction pathways in 193 nm photodissociation of chlorine azide (ClN(3)) under collision-free conditions. Both the molecular elimination (NCl+N(2)) and the radical bond rupture channel (Cl+N(3)) were investigated and compared with earlier results at 248 nm. The radical channel strongly dominates, just as at 248 nm. At 193 nm, the ClN(3) (C (1)A(")) state is excited, rather than the B (1)A(') state that is accessed at 248 nm, resulting in different photofragment angular distributions. The chlorine translational energy distribution probing the dynamics of the radical bond rupture channel shows three distinct peaks, with the two fastest peaks occurring at the same translational energies as the two peaks seen at 248 nm that were previously assigned to linear and "high energy" N(3). Hence, nearly all the additional photon energy relative to 248 nm appears as N(3) internal excitation rather than as translational energy, resulting in considerably more spontaneous dissociation of N(3) to N(2)+N.     

Thermochemistry and bond dissociation energies of ketones

Ketones are a major class of organic chemicals and solvents, which contribute to hydrocarbon sources in the atmosphere, and are important intermediates in the oxidation and combustion of hydrocarbons and biofuels. Their stability, thermochemical properties, and chemical kinetics are important to understanding their reaction paths and their role as intermediates in combustion processes and in atmospheric chemistry. In this study, enthalpies (ΔH°(f 298)), entropies (S°(T)), heat capacities (C(p)°(T)), and internal rotor potentials are reported for 2-butanone, 3-pentanone, 2-pentanone, 3-methyl-2-butanone, and 2-methyl-3-pentanone, and their radicals corresponding to loss of hydrogen atoms. A detailed evaluation of the carbon-hydrogen bond dissociation energies (C-H BDEs) is also performed for the parent ketones for the first time. Standard enthalpies of formation and bond energies are calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311G(2d,2p), CBS-QB3, and G3MP2B3 levels of theory using isodesmic reactions to minimize calculation errors. Structures, moments of inertia, vibrational frequencies, and internal rotor potentials are calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) density functional level and are used to determine the entropies and heat capacities. The recommended ideal gas-phase ΔH°(f 298), from the average of the CBS-QB3 and G3MP2B3 levels of theory, as well as the calculated values for entropy and heat capacity are shown to compare well with the available experimental data for the parent ketones. Bond energies for primary, secondary, and tertiary radicals are determined; here, we find the C-H BDEs on carbons in the α position to the ketone group decrease significantly with increasing substitution on these α carbons. Group additivity and hydrogen-bond increment values for these ketone radicals are also determined.     

Ultrafast dynamics of UV-excited imidazole

The ultrafast dynamics of UV-excited imidazole in the gas phase is investigated by theoretical nonadiabatic dynamics simulations and experimental time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that different electronic excited-state relaxation mechanisms occur, depending on the pump wavelength. When imidazole is excited at 239.6 nm, deactivation through the NH-dissociation conical intersection is observed on the sub-50 fs timescale. After 200.8 nm excitation, competition between NH-dissociation and NH-puckering conical intersections is observed. The NH-dissociation to NH-puckering branching ratio is predicted to be 21:4, and the total relaxation time is elongated by a factor of eight. A procedure for simulation of photoelectron spectra based on dynamics results is developed and employed to assign different features in the experimental spectra.     

Photodissociation dynamics of ClOOCl at 248.4 and 308.4 nm

The dynamics of ClOOCl photodissociation at 248.4 and 308.4 nm was studied with photofragment translational spectroscopy. At 248.4 nm photoexcitation, the observed products are Cl, O(2), ClO and O. Product translational energy distributions P(E) and anisotropy parameters β were deduced from the measured time-of-flight spectra of the Cl, O(2), and ClO photoproducts. The photodissociation mechanisms have been discussed and compared with available theoretical results. Synchronous and fast sequential breaking of the two Cl-O bonds may both contribute to the dissociation. The relative product yields for [ClO]:?[Cl] was measured to be 0.15 ± 0.04:1. The relative amounts of [O]:[O(2)] products were estimated to be 0.12:1. The branching ratios among the Cl + O(2) + Cl:ClO + ClO:ClO + Cl + O product channels were estimated to be 0.82:0.08:0.10. At 308.4 nm excitation, time-of-flight spectra of the O(2) and ClO photoproducts were recorded while there was interference from Cl(2) impurity in detecting the Cl product. Nonetheless, the observed ClO yield relative to the O(2) yield at 308.4 nm is 1.5 times that at 248.4 nm. The branching ratio between the Cl + O(2) + Cl:ClO + ClO product channels was estimated to be 0.81:0.19 at 308.4 nm. This result suggests that the ClO product may contribute a noticeable yield in the photolysis of ClOOCl at the atmospherically important wavelengths above 300 nm.     

Ultrafast dynamics of isolated fluorenone

The ultrafast dynamics of isolated 9-fluorenone was studied by femtosecond time-resolved photoionization and photoelectron spectroscopy. The molecule was excited around 264-266 nm into the S(6) state. The experimental results indicate that the excitation is followed by a multistep deactivation. A time constant of 50 fs or less corresponds to a fast redistribution of energy within the initially excited manifold of states, i.e., a motion away from the Franck-Condon region. Internal conversion to the S(1) state then proceeds within 0.4 ps. The S(1) state is long-lived, and only a lower bound of 20 ps can be derived. In addition, we computed excited state energies and oscillator strengths by TD-DFT theory, supporting the interpretation of the experimental data.     

Ultrafast hot-carrier dynamics at chemically modified Ge interfaces probed by SHG

Time-resolved second-harmonic generation (SHG) was used to study the hot-carrier dynamics and nonlinear optical properties of S-terminated and Cl-terminated Ge(111) interfaces on the femtosecond time scale. The hot-carrier second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities were determined to be 720 +/- 50 times greater than the valence-band second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities for the Ge(111)-S system and 880 +/- 100 times greater in the Ge(111)-Cl system. Furthermore, the ground- and excited-state second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities are suggested to be out of phase for Ge(111)-S and Ge(111)-Cl systems, leading to a pump-induced decrease in the SHG signal as opposed to the increase in the SHG signal observed in the Ge(111)-GeO2 system. Although the SHG response reaches a steady state in 415 +/- 90 fs in the Ge(111)-GeO2 system, a faster response is observed in the Ge(111)-S system, 220 +/- 85 fs, and in the Ge(111)-Cl system, 172 +/- 50 fs. This suggests significantly faster carrier cooling at the Ge(111)-Cl and Ge(111)-S interfaces, with significant implications for hot-carrier mediated device degradation, and migration to high-K dielectrics.     

Ultrafast charge-transfer dynamics of donor-substituted truxenones

The photophysics of two donor-substituted truxenone derivatives has been studied by femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. The systems consist of a central truxenone acceptor with three triarylamine (TARA) branches which act as electron donors. Upon excitation in the visible regime an electron is transferred from the donor to the acceptor, generating a charge-separated state. This state can be probed via the characteristic absorption of the TARA radical cation around 700 nm. A second absorption band around 420 nm exhibits the same kinetics and is assigned to an absorption of the radical anion of the truxenone moiety. The back electron transfer and the recovery of the ground state can be interpreted within the framework of Marcus theory. To study the dependence of the back electron transfer on the electronic coupling, the distance between the donor and the acceptor was adjusted. Two solvents were employed, dimethylsulfoxide and dichloroethane. A biexponential decay of the bands assigned to the charge-separated state was observed, with time constants in the picosecond range. Surprisingly, the rates for electron back transfer do not follow the simple picture of the donor-acceptor distance being the determining factor. The observations are explained within a model that additionally takes steric interactions between the donor and the acceptor into account.     

Studies on photodissociation dynamics of butadiene monoxide at 193 nm

Butadiene monoxide (BMO) undergoes the S(0)-->S(1) transition, involving the excitation of both pi and n electrons to pi(*) orbital, at 193 nm. After relaxing to the ground electronic state via internal conversion, BMO molecules undergo intramolecular rearrangement and subsequently dissociate to form unexpected OH radicals, which were detected state selectively by laser-induced fluorescence technique, and the energy state distribution was measured. OH is produced vibrationally cold, OH(nu(")=0,J(")), with the rotational population characterized by a rotational temperature of 456+/-70 K. The major portion (approximately 60%) of the available energy is partitioned into internal degrees of the photofragments, namely, vibration and rotation. A considerable portion (25%-35%) also goes to the relative translation of the products. The Lambda doublet and spin-orbit ratios of OH were measured to be nearly unity, implying statistical distribution of these states and, hence, no preference for any of the Lambda doublet (Lambda+ and Lambda-) and spin-orbit (Pi(3/2) and Pi(1/2)) states. Formation time of the nascent OH radical was measured to be <100 ns. Different products, such as crotonaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone, were detected by gas chromatography as stable products of photodissociation. A reaction mechanism for the formation of all these photoproducts, transient and stable, is proposed. The multiple pathways by which these products can be formed have been theoretically optimized, and energies have been calculated. Absorption cross section of BMO at 193 nm was measured, and quantum yield of OH generation channel was also determined.     

Ultrafast processes in OClO molecules excited by femtosecond laser pulses at 386-409 nm

Ultrafast dissociation dynamics in OClO molecules is studied, induced by femtosecond laser pulses in the wavelength region from 386 to 409 nm, i.e., within the wide absorption band to the (approximately)A (2)A(2) electronic state. The decay of the initially excited state due to nonadiabatic coupling to the close lying (2)A(1) and (2)B(2) electronic states proceeds with a time constant increasing from 4.6 ps at 386 nm to 30 ps at 408.5 nm. Dissociation of the OClO molecule occurs after internal conversion within about 250 fs. In addition, a minor channel of direct excitation of the (2)A(1) electronic state has been identified, the lifetime of which increases from a few 100 fs at 386 nm to 2.2 ps at 408.5 nm. Simultaneous excitation of two neighboring vibrational bands in the (approximately)A (2)A(2) state leads to a coherent oscillation of the parent ion signal with the frequency difference of both modes.