The electronic structure of ArF and Ar2F

Calculations have been performed on the electronic structure, potential energy curves and radiative transition probabilities of ArF and Ar₂F. Our predicted emission spectra for ArF indicates that only the B²Σ⁺_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} → X²Σ⁺_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} transition exhibits a large transition moment and hence a short (≈5 ns) radiative lifetime. Calculations for Ar₂F indicate that the bound upper ionic state has ²B₂ symmetry with ArAr and ArF bond lengths similar to those in the corresponding diatomic species. The terminating state also has ²B₂ symmetry and this polyatomic system should exhibit a relatively long radiative lifetime (≈200 ns)     

New Spectral Techniques: Time-Resolved Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy and Two-Color Laser-Induced Grating Spectroscopy

Time-resolved Fourier-transform spectroscopy and two-color laser-induced grating spectroscopy are two new techniques recently employed in this laboratory. We recorded emission in the near infrared region during laser photolysis of HONO₂ with a step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer and achieved temporal resolution in the microsecond range and spectral resolution of 0.1 cm¹. Rotationally resolved emission lines of the (0,0) band of the D ²∑⁺ →A ²∑ ⁺ transition of NO in the region 8900-9300 cnv^?1 with irregular relative intensities were observed when an ArF excimer laser was used to photodissociate HONO₂. The spectroscopic parameters of both D ²∑⁺ and A ²∑⁺ states agree with those previously reported. When a narrow-band ArF laser was used, selective rotational levels of the D state of NO were populated depending on the wavelength of the ArF laser. Our results indicate that absorption of a 193-nm photon by NO(υ″ = 1) is responsible for the observed emission. To test the technique of two-color laser-induced grating spectroscopy, we employed the B ³II_0U⁺-X ¹∑_g ⁺ system of I₂. Background-free spectra with transitions involving rotationally selected states were recorded. Various experimental schemes were employed with population gratings formed in either the B or X state. Signals due to different four-wave mixing schemes were distinguished by variation of relative timing between the grating beams and the probe beam.     

Photodissociation Spectra of OCS+ via B2∑+←X2∏ Transitions

In the wavelength range of 231-275 nm, we have studied the mass-resolved dissociation spectra of OCS⁺ via B²∑⁺←X²∏_3/2(000) and B²∑⁺←X²∏_1/2(000, 001) transitions by preparing OCS⁺ ions in the well-defined spin-orbit states. The spectroscopic constants ofυ1(CS stretch)=828.9 (810.4) cm^-1, υ2(bend)=491.3 cm^-1 and υ3(CO stretch)=1887.2 cm^-1 for OCS⁺(B²∑⁺) are deduced. The observed dependence of the υ2(bend) mode excitation of B²∑⁺ on the spin-orbit splitting of X²∏(Ω=1/2, 3/2) in the B²∑⁺←X²∏ transition can be attributed to the K coupling between the (000)²∏_1/2 and (010)²∑⁺_1/2 vibronic levels of X²∏ state, which makes the B²∑⁺(010)←X²∏_1/2(000) transition possible.     

The reaction of acetylperoxy radicals with NO2

Acetylperoxy radicals were produced by the flash photolysis of chlorine in the presence of acetaldehyde and oxygen. By adding various concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, the rate constant for the reaction producing PAN was measured to be k₄ (153 Torr) = (2.29 ± 0.05) × 10⁹ L/mol s. The effect of pressure has been studied over the range 76–612 Torr and the data fitted to a fall-off curve with k${}_{\text{4}}^{\text{°}}$ = 1.85 × 10¹³ L²/mol² s. and k = 3.67 × 10⁹ L/mol s. With a calculated value of the dissociation constant, k${}_{\text{?4}}^{\text{°}}$ = 268 L/mol s and of the equilibrium constant, K₄ = 1.04 × 10¹² L/mol, the expected strong collision value for k${}_{\text{4}}^{\text{°}}$ is 2.79 × 10¹⁴ L²/mol² s. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of PAN has been characterized in the range 205–260 nm.     

Electronic structure and vibrational frequency of Cr2

Cr₂ is produced by pulsed YAG laser vaporization of chromium metal and its fluorescence excitation spectrum is analyzed. The high value of vibrational frequency ΔG″_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} = 452.34 cm^?I (ω″^e ≈ 470 cm^?1) and short internuclear distance r″_e = 1.6788 Å are indicative of a very strongly bound ¹∑⁺_g ground state.     

Molecular predissociation dynamics revealed through multiphoton ionisation spectroscopy. I. The C1B1 states of H2O and D2O

The $\text{C}$¹B₁ states of H₂O and D₂O have been observed by means of three photon absorption (four photon ionisation) spectroscopy. Differences between the experimentally observed 3 + 1 multiphoton ionisation spectrum and that predicted by the appropriate asymmetric-top three-photon line-strength theory are attributed to $\text{C}$ state predissociation. Two separate predissociation mechanisms have been identified, one (heterogeneous) relying on a-axis parent molecular rotation to couple the bound B₁ state to an unbound state of A₁ electronic symmetry, the other (homogeneous) involving a second, dissociative excited electronic state of B₁ symmetry. Having established the detailed $\text{C}$ state predissociation dynamics, two photon absorption spectra of H₂O and D₂O ($\text{C}$ ← $\text{X}$) can be predicted accurately: studies of individual quantum-state-selected photofragmentation processes from H₂O($\text{C}$) are proposed.     

Prediction of experimental parameters in combined isocratic and gradient elution reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using acetonitrile as organic modifier

The use of gradient elution in RP-HPLC is increasing. Aqueous buffers, such as phosphate at pH 1.7, with acetonitrile as the organic modifier are particularly advantageous as eluents with linear elution strength (LES). In the isocratic mode, under the experimental conditions used, fairly good linearity exists between logk' and x_B (x${}_{\text{B}}^{\text{º}}$ is the volume ratio of the organic modifier, i.e. acetonitrile) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The relationship between isocratic and gradient elution parameters, such as x_B, x${}_{\text{B}}^{\text{º}}$ (starting composition in gradient elution), m (slope of the linear gradient), is transparent and the parameters of interest can be predicted fairly accurately using simple equations. The proposed system could be used in elaboration of a general retention index system for organic molecules in RP-HPLC.     

A1∑+ State Lifetime and Predissociation of CuH

A combined cavity ringdown (CRD) and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopic study on the A¹∑⁺-X¹∑⁺ transition of CuH has been presented.The CuH molecule,as well as its deuterated isotopologue CuD,are produced in a supersonic jet expansion by discharging H₂(or D₂) and Ar gas mixtures using two copper needles.Different profiles of relative line intensities are observed between the measured LIF and CRD spectra,providing an experimental evidence for the predissociation behavior in the A¹∑⁺ state of CuH.The lifetimes of individual upper rotational levels are measured by LIF,in which the J'-dependent predissociation rates are obtained.Based on the previous theoretical calculations,a predissociation mechanism is concluded due to the strong spin-orbit coupling between the A¹∑⁺ state and the lowest-lying triplet ³∑⁺ state,and a tunneling effect may also be involved in the predissociation.Similar experiments are also performed for CuD,showing that the A¹∑⁺ state of CuD does not undergo a predissociation process.     

Fluorescence spectra of laser-excited YO molecules in a H2O2Ar flame

CW dye laser induced fluorescence emission and thermal emission spectra of YO-molecules in a 1 atm H₂O₂Ar flame of 2430 K were recorded simultaneously. Narrow band laser excitation was applied to four rotational lines in the (1, 1) Q-branch of the A²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}→X²Σ⁺ transition and broadband excitation was applied to several separate Q-branches of the A²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$,$\text{3}\text{2}$}→X²Σ⁺ transitions. From the differences between the fluorescence emission spectra and thermal emission spectra, we conclude that collisional de-excitation of an excited vibronic level takes place by vibrational relaxation, decay to the electronic ground state and by intermultiplet transfer in order of increasing probability.     

Theoretical study on the gas‐phase reactivity of halogenated alkylperoxyl radicals toward alkenes

The electrophilic additions of hydroperoxyl (HO ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$), alkylperoxyl (RO ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$), and halogenated alkylperoxyl radicals to ethylene were studied using the AM1 and PM3 semiempirical MO methods at the SCF/UHF level. Reactantlike transition states were predicted for the title additions. The AM1 activation enthalpies (ΔH ${}_{\text{f}}^{\text{*}}$) were found to be increased in the order HO ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$<CH₃O ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$<C₂H₅O ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$<i‐C₃H₇O ${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{⋅}}$. The reactivity of an alkylperoxyl radical toward ethylene was found to be increased as the degree of halogen substitution on the alkyl group increased. A good correlation was established between ΔH ${}_{\text{f}}^{\text{*}}$ and the Taft polar substituent constants, σ*. The Evans–Polanyi correlation between ΔH ${}_{\text{f}}^{\text{*}}$ and ΔH ${}_{\text{r}}^{\text{°}}$ was justified and the validity of the Hammond postulate was indicated. The calculated results were compared with the available experimental findings. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 71: 273–283, 1999     

Electric dipole moments of the MgO B1Σ+ and X1Σ+ states

The electric dipole moment of the excited B¹∑⁺ (υ′ = 0) state of MgO produced in a gas-phase reaction of Mg(¹S) atoms and N₂O is measured using the technique of Stark quantum-beat spectroscopy. It is shown to be |μ_υ′=0| = 5.94(24) D. The lifetime of the excited B¹∑⁺ (υ′ = 0) state is determined as τ = 22.5(1.5) ns. Using laser excitation spectroscopy and by direct observation of the P(1) line splitting at high electric field strengths in the B¹∑⁺−X¹∑⁺ (0,0) system the ground state electric dipole moment is measured yielding |μ_υ=0| = 6.2(6) D. Furthermore an electric-field-induced Q branch is observed.     

The high temperature pyrolysis of 1,3-butadiene: heat of formation and rate of dissociation of vinyl radical

The high temperature pyrolysi of 1,3-butadiene has been investigated in the shock tube with two time-resolved diagnostic techniques: laser schlieren measurements of density gradient with 1, 2, 4, and 5% C₄H₆ in Ar or Kr, 0.26 < P₂ < 0.66 atm, over 1550–2200 K, and time-of-flight mass spectra for 3% C₄H₆–Ne, P₅ ～ 0.4 atm, 1400–2000 K. When combined with a recent single-pulse shock tube product analysis covering 1050–2050 K, these measurements permit a complete modeling of major species in C₄H₆ pyrolysis. Extrapolated density gradients and product analyses show initiation is dominated by C₄H₆ → 2C₂H₃., significant falloff and Arrhenius curvature being seen in the derived rates. A restricted rotor, Gorin model RRKM fit to these rates with reasonable parameters generates The derived barrier, ΔH${}_{\text{0}}^{\text{º}}$ = 99 ± 4 kcal/mol, translates to ΔH${}_{\text{f}}^{\text{º}}$ _,298 = 63.4 ± 2 kcal/mol for the heat of formation of vinyl radical. A mechanism for the formation of all products detected in the above experiments is given, together with a successful but semiquantitative kinetic model for major products. The measurements require the rate of vinyl radical dissociation, C₂H₃ + M → C₂H₂ + H + M, to be extremely low, k < 10⁹ cm³/mol s for 1600 K, so that the dominant chain carrier in C₄H₆ pyrolysis is vinyl radical.     

Simple relationship between total molecular correlation energies and LMO sizes

As an alternative to the density functional approach to estimating total molecular correlation energies, the equation E_corr=?0.06593 ∑ R, where R_i=〈r²〉${}_{\text{i}}^{\text{½}}$ and i runs over the localized molecular orbitals was fitted to 25 STO -3G data points with a root-mean-square error of 0.025 hartree. Other more general equations were tried but no significant improvement was observed in the fit.     

Laser-induced fluorescence in supersonic nozzle beams predissociation in the Rb2 C1πu and D 1πu states

By exciting Rb₂ in a supersonic nozzle beam with a pulsed dye laser in the C ¹Π_u-X ¹Σ⁺_g and the D ¹Π_u-X ¹Σ⁺_g band system, we find evidence tor different predissociation processes The products appear as follows from the C state, Rb^* (5 ²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}) exclusively, and from the D state Rb*(4²D_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}) predominantly, followcd by Rb^*(5 ²P_i-5²S) cascade radiation In addition, a lower bound of D_e(Rb₂X¹Σ⁺_g)? 3939± 10 cm^?1 is obtained.     

Optically excited emission and excitation spectra of solid xenon

The luminescence of solid xenon at 20 K has been excited optically in the wavelength range 1550Åto 1150Å. The 1760Å emission band due to a ${}^3{\sum }_u^{+}{\to }^1{\sum }_g^{+}$ transition of the $X{e}_2^{*}$ molecule is found in agreement with α^? or e^?-excitation. The excitation spectrum yields a relatively high quantum efficiency of the Γ(3/2) exciton series indicating efficient self-trapping. The Γ(1/2) exciton series and conduction band states have a low quantum efficiency.     

Direct observation of the spinorbit splitting in the Ar+ ion with a diode laser

The ²P_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}-²P_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} fine structure transition in the ground (3p⁵) state of the argon atomic ion. Ar⁺, has been detected in absorption using a tunable diode laser. The transition was calibrated against water vapour lines and measured to be 1431.644 ± 0.001 cm^?1 in ⁴⁰Ar⁺ and 3.0 × 10^?3 cm^?1 (91 MHz) smaller in ³⁶Ar⁺.     

Branching ratio for the production of I2Psol12) in the photodissociation of I2

The production of atomic iodine in the ground (²Pfrsol|3/2) and electronically excited (²P$\text{1}\text{3}$) states following laser-induced photodissociation of I₂ the region 425–498 nm was monitored directly by resonance spectroscopy. The branching ratio for iodine atom formation. R = [I(²P$\text{1}\text{2}$)]/[I(²P$\text{3}\text{2}$)], is above 0.5 in the region 495–498 nm in agreement with the recent observation of laser action on the atomic transition at 1315 nm following photolysis of I₂ using a dye laser. The present experiments permitted deconvolution of the I₂ continuous absorption spectrum below 498 into contributions from the B³ Π_o,u → X ¹Σ_g⁺ and ¹Π_tu → X¹σ_g^? transitions.     

Microwave-optical double resonance in molecular ions. Co+

Microwave—optical double resonance signals have been detected in a mass-selected ion-beam spectrometer for ¹²C¹⁶O⁺. With the optical excitation of fluorescence from the R₁ ($\text{1}\text{2}$) line of the (0,0) band of the A²Π_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} ← X²∑ transition of 20350.6 cm^?1, the microwave resonances occurred at 118101.8 ± 0.2 MHz and at 117694 ± 2 MHz corresponding to the N= 1, J = $\text{3}\text{2}$ ← N = 0, J = $\text{1}\text{2}$ and the N = 1, J = $\text{1}\text{2}$ ← N = 0, J = $\text{1}\text{2}$ transitions.     

A line width method for determining chemical exchange rates from NMR spectra

The applicability of W_½, the line-width at one-half height corrected for field inhomogeneity and couplings, for characterization of nuclear magnetic resonance line shapes generated by exchange averaging of chemical shifts has been investigated for the case P_A = P_B. The Gutowsky-Holm equation, simplified by the assumption of a large T₂º such that T${}_{\text{2}}^{\text{º?1}}$ = 0, was used to produce a family of curves relating W_½ corrected to the rate of exchange for various Δv_AB values. The rate of internal rotation about the C? N amide bond has been studied in neat N,N-dimethyl-formamide between 79·5 and 159° by the W_½ method and the results, E_a = 24·9 and 24·1 Kcal/mole at 60 and 100 MHz do not agree with those recently reported by Rabinovitz and Pines, E_a = 20·5 Kcal/mole obtained by the total line shape method. For neat N,N-dimethylacetamide and for solutions of DMA in dimethylsulfoxide-d₆, application of the W_½ method yielded E_a, ΔH? and ΔS? values which are in excellent agreement with those obtained by Neuman and Jonas for DMA-d^ε using a total line shape analysis. The thermodynamic parameters for neat N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl chloride obtained by the total line shape and W_½ methods are also in excellent agreement, 16·4 and 16·8 Kcal/mole for E_a and 15·8 and 16·2 Kcal/mole for ΔH?, respectively. The W_½ method was also used for the determination of the activation parameters for rotation about the carbon-nitrogen bond in the following thioamides: N,N-dimethylthiobenzamide, (E_a = 19.8 Kcal/mole), N,N-diethylthiobenzamide, (E_a = 20·4 Kcal/mole), N,N-dimethylphenylthio-acetamide (E_a = 21·4 Kcal/mole). The results obtained for these thioamides are compared with the corresponding amides. Specifically N,N-dimethylbenzamide and N,N-diethylbenzamide were studied using the W_½ method and activation energies for rotation about the carbon-nitrogen bond of 17·5 and 15·6 Kcal/mole, respectively, were found. The relative magnitudes of these parameters are discussed on the basis of molecular geometry of the thioamides. Attention is drawn to the fact that for structurally related amides and thioamides, the barrier heights for internal rotation are not greatly different.     

Determination of the glass transition temperature of polystyrene,poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) using gas chromatography

The glass transition temperatures, Tg, of polystyrene, poly (vinyl chloride) and poly(methyI methacrylate) have been determined from gas chromatographic measurements using n-hexane, n-heptane, meta-xylene and para-xylene solvents. The glass transition temperatures were detected on the z-shaped retention diagrams which were produced from the plot of the logarithm of the specific retention volumes of the above-mentioned solvents against the reciprocal of temperature, i.e. log V${}_{\text{g}}^{\text{º}}$ vs. 1/T. The glass transition temperature is specified by the temperature where the slope of log V${}_{\text{g}}^{\text{º}}$ vs. 1/T changes abruptly. The observed glass transition temperature of polystyrene produced by this technique was found to be in good agreement with those produced by other techniques such as the differential scanning colorimeter. The industrial importance of the glass transition temperature, T_g, might be due to the dramatic changes in the physical properties of the polymer, such as hardness and elasticity, which take place in the vicinity of this temperature. However, perfectly crystalline polymers do not exhibit glass transitions, because their chains are incorporated in regions of three-dimensional order, called crystallites. Completely amorphous polymers and semi-crystalline polymers usually exhibit both glass transition and melting.