Infrared spectra of O2- x (CO2)n clusters (n=1-6): asymmetric docking at the pi* orbital

Isolated superoxide ions solvated by CO2 have been studied by infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and density-functional theory, using CO2 evaporation upon infrared excitation of the O2- x (CO2)n (n=1-6) parent ions. We can assign the observed frequencies to the asymmetric stretch vibration and its combination bands with the symmetric stretch and the overtone of the bending vibration of CO2 in various binding situations. We interpret our findings with the help of density-functional theory. Our data suggest that only one CO2 moiety binds strongly to the O2-, whereas the rest of the CO2 molecules are weakly bound, which is consistent with the experimental spectra. The lobes of the pi* orbital of O2- provide a template for the structure of the microsolvation environment.     

Infrared spectroscopy of Si(CO)n+ complexes: evidence for asymmetric coordination

Si(CO)(n)(+) and Si(CO)(n)(+)Ar complexes are produced via laser vaporization with a pulsed nozzle source and cooled in a supersonic beam. The ions are mass selected in a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer and studied with infrared laser photodissociation spectroscopy near the free molecular CO vibration (2143 cm(-1)). Si(CO)(n)(+) complexes larger than n = 2 fragment by the loss of CO, whereas Si(CO)(n)(+)Ar complexes fragment by the loss of argon. All clusters have resonances near the free molecular CO stretch that provide distinctive patterns from which information on their structure and bonding can be obtained. The number of infrared-active bands, their frequency positions, and relative intensities indicate that larger species consist of an asymmetrically coordinated Si(CO)(2)(+) core with additional CO ligands attached via van der Waals interactions. Density functional theory computations are carried out in support of the experimental spectra.     

Growth dynamics and intracluster reactions in Ni+(CO2)n complexes via infrared spectroscopy

Ni(+)(CO(2))(n), Ni(+)(CO(2))(n)Ar, Ni(+)(CO(2))(n)Ne, and Ni(+)(O(2))(CO(2))(n) complexes are generated by laser vaporization in a pulsed supersonic expansion. The complexes are mass-selected in a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer and studied by infrared resonance-enhanced photodissociation (IR-REPD) spectroscopy. Photofragmentation proceeds exclusively through the loss of intact CO(2) molecules from Ni(+)(CO(2))(n) and Ni(+)(O(2))(CO(2))(n) complexes, and by elimination of the noble gas atom from Ni(+)(CO(2))(n)Ar and Ni(+)(CO(2))(n)Ne. Vibrational resonances are identified and assigned in the region of the asymmetric stretch of CO(2). Small complexes have resonances that are blueshifted from the asymmetric stretch of free CO(2), consistent with structures having linear Ni(+)-O=C=O configurations. Fragmentation of larger Ni(+)(CO(2))(n) clusters terminates at the size of n=4, and new vibrational bands assigned to external ligands are observed for n> or =5. These combined observations indicate that the coordination number for CO(2) molecules around Ni(+) is exactly four. Trends in the loss channels and spectra of Ni(+)(O(2))(CO(2))(n) clusters suggest that each oxygen atom occupies a different coordination site around a four-coordinate metal ion in these complexes. The spectra of larger Ni(+)(CO(2))(n) clusters provide evidence for an intracluster insertion reaction assisted by solvation, producing a metal oxide-carbonyl species as the reaction product.     

Prying apart a water molecule with anionic H-bonding: a comparative spectroscopic study of the X-.H2O (X = OH, O, F, Cl, and Br) binary complexes in the 600-3800 cm(-1) region

A detailed picture of the structural distortions suffered by a water molecule in direct contact with small inorganic anions (e.g., X = halide) is emerging from a series of recent vibrational spectroscopy studies of the gas-phase X-.H2O binary complexes. The extended spectral coverage (600-3800 cm(-1)) presently available with tabletop laser systems, when combined with versatile argon "messenger" techniques for acquiring action spectra of cold complexes, now provides a comprehensive survey of how the interaction evolves from an ion-solvent configuration into a three-center, two-electron covalent bond as the proton affinity of the anion increases. We focus on the behavior of H2O in the X-.H2O (X = Br, Cl, F, O, and OH) complexes, which all adopt asymmetric structures where one hydrogen atom is H-bonded to the ion while the other is free. The positions and intensities of the bands clearly reveal the mechanical consequences of both (zero-point) vibrationally averaged and infrared photoinduced excess charge delocalization mediated by intracluster proton transfer (X-.H2O --> HX.OH-). The fundamentals of the shared proton stretch become quite intense, for example, and exhibit extreme red-shifts as the intracluster proton-transfer process becomes available, first in the vibrationally excited states (F-.H2O) and then finally at the zero-point level (OH-.H2O). In the latter case, the loss of the water molecule's independent character is confirmed through the disappearance of the approximately 1600 cm(-1) HOH intramolecular bending transition and the dramatic (>3000 cm(-1)) red-shift of the shared proton stretch. An unexpected manifestation of vibrationally mediated charge transfer is also observed in the low frequency region, where the 2 <-- 0 overtones of the out-of-plane frustrated rotation of the water are remarkably intense in the Cl-.H2O and Br-.H2O spectra. This effect is traced to changes in the charge distribution along the X-.O axis as the shared proton is displaced perpendicular to it, reducing the charge transfer character of the H-bonding interaction and giving rise to a large quadratic contribution to the dipole moment component that is parallel to the bond axis. Thus, all of these systems are found to exhibit distinct spectral characteristics that can be directly traced to the crucial role of vibrationally mediated charge redistribution within the complex.     

Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of V+(CO2)n and V+(CO2)nAr complexes

V+(CO2)n and V+(CO2)nAr complexes are generated by laser vaporization in a pulsed supersonic expansion. The complexes are mass-selected within a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer and studied by infrared resonance-enhanced (IR-REPD) photodissociation spectroscopy. Photofragmentation proceeds exclusively through loss of intact CO2 molecules from V+(CO2)n complexes or by elimination of Ar from V+(CO2)nAr mixed complexes. Vibrational resonances are identified and assigned in the region of the asymmetric stretch of free CO2 at 2349 cm(-1). A linear geometry is confirmed for V+(CO2). Small complexes have resonances that are blueshifted from the asymmetric stretch of free CO2, consistent with structures in which all ligands are bound directly to the metal ion. Fragmentation of the larger clusters terminates at the size of n=4, and a new vibrational band at 2350 cm(-1) assigned to external ligands is observed for V+(CO2)5 and larger cluster sizes. These combined observations indicate that the coordination number for CO2 molecules around V+ is exactly four. Fourfold coordination contrasts with that seen in condensed phase complexes, where a coordination number of six is typical for V+. The spectra of larger complexes provide evidence for an intracluster insertion reaction that produces a metal oxide-carbonyl species.     

An ab initio investigation on (CO2)n and CO2(Ar)m clusters: geometries and IR spectra

An ab initio investigation on CO(2) homoclusters is done at MPWB1K6-31++G(2d) level of theory. Electrostatic guidelines are found to be useful for generating initial structures of (CO(2))(n) clusters. The ab initio minimum energy geometries of (CO(2))(n) with n=2-8 are T shaped, cyclic, trigonal pyramidal, tetragonal pyramidal, tetragonal bipyramidal, pentagonal bipyramidal, and pentagonal bipyramid with one CO(2) molecule attached to it. A test calculation on (CO(2))(20) cluster is also reported. The geometric parameters of the energetically most favored (CO(2))(n) clusters match quite well their experimental counterparts (wherever available) as well as those derived from molecular dynamics studies. The effect of clustering is quantified through the asymmetric C-O stretching frequency shift relative to the single CO(2) molecule. (CO(2))(n) clusters show an increasing blueshift from 1.8 to 9.6 cm(-1) on increasing number of CO(2) molecules from n=2 to 8. The energetics and geometries of CO(2)(Ar)(m) clusters have also been explored at the same level of theory. The geometries for m=1-6 show a predominant T type of the argon-CO(2) molecule interaction. Higher clusters with m=7-12 show that the argon atoms cluster around the oxygen atom after the saturation of the central carbon atom. The CO(2)(Ar)(m) clusters exhibit an increasing redshift in the C-O asymmetric stretch relative to CO(2) molecule of 0.7-5.6 cm(-1) with increasing number of argon atoms through m=1-8.     

The infrared spectrum of Au-.CO2

The Au-.CO2 ion-molecule complex has been studied by gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy. Several sharp transitions can be identified as combination bands involving the asymmetric stretch vibrational mode of the CO2 ligand. Their frequencies are redshifted by several hundred cm(-1) from the frequencies of free CO2. We discuss our findings in the framework of ab initio and density-functional theory calculations, using anharmonic corrections to predict vibrational transition energies. The infrared spectrum is consistent with the formation of an aurylcarboxylate anion with a strongly bent CO2 subunit.     

Infrared spectroscopy of Mn+ (H2O) and Mn2+ (H2O) via argon complex predissociation

Singly and doubly charged manganese-water cations, and their mixed complexes with attached argon atoms, are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle source. Complexes of the form Mn(+)(H(2)O)Ar(n) (n = 1-4) and Mn(2+)(H(2)O)Ar(4) are studied via mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy, detected in the mass channels corresponding to the elimination of argon. Sharp resonances are detected for all complexes in the region of the symmetric and asymmetric stretch vibrations of water. With the guidance of density functional theory computations, specific vibrational band resonances are assigned to complexes having different argon attachment configurations. In the small singly charged complexes, argon adds first to the metal ion site and later in larger clusters to the hydrogens of water. The doubly charged complex has argon only on the metal ion. Vibrations in all of these complexes are shifted to lower frequencies than those of the free water molecule. These shifts are greater when argon is attached to hydrogen and also greater for the dication compared to the singly charged species. Cation binding also causes the IR intensities for water vibrations to be much greater than those of the free water molecule, and the relative intensities are greater for the symmetric stretch than the asymmetric stretch. This latter effect is also enhanced for the dication complex.     

Explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations for the propargyl cation (H2C3H+) and related species

The vibrations of the propargyl cation (H(3)C(3)H(+)) have been studied by vibrational configuration interaction (VCI) calculations, using explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T*)-F12a level to determine the underlying 12-dimensional potential energy surface. The wavenumbers of the fundamental vibrations are predicted with an accuracy of ca. 5 cm(-1). Harmonic wavenumber shifts for three different energy minima of the complex H(2)C(3)H(+)·Ar are combined with the corresponding VCI values in order to provide a comparison with recent infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra (A. M. Ricks et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2010, 132, 051101). An excellent agreement between experiment and theory is obtained for bands ν(2) (symm. CH stretch), ν(3) (pseudoantisymm. CC stretch), and ν(4) (CH(2) scissoring). However, reassignments are suggested for the bands observed at 3238 cm(-1), the "doublets" around 3093 and 1111 cm(-1), and the band at 3182 cm(-1). The assignment of the latter to the asymmetric CH stretching vibration of c-C(3)H·Ar is certainly wrong; the combination tone ν(3) + ν(5) of H(2)C(3)H(+)·Ar is a more likely candidate. Furthermore, accurate proton affinities are predicted for the carbenes H(2)C(n) with n = 3-8, thereby providing data of interest for interstellar cloud chemistry.     

A computational study on the structures of methylamine-carbon dioxide-water clusters: evidence for the barrier free formation of the methylcarbamic acid zwitterion (CH3NH2+COO-) in interstellar water ices

We investigated theoretically the interaction between methylamine (CH(3)NH(2)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) in the presence of water (H(2)O) molecules thus simulating the geometries of various methylamine-carbon dioxide complexes (CH(3)NH(2)/CO(2)) relevant to the chemical processing of icy grains in the interstellar medium (ISM). Two approaches were followed. In the amorphous water phase approach, structures of methylamine-carbon dioxide-water [CH(3)NH(2)/CO(2)/(H(2)O)(n)] clusters (n = 0-20) were studied using density functional theory (DFT). In the crystalline water approach, we simulated methylamine and carbon dioxide interactions on a fragment of the crystalline water ice surface in the presence of additional water molecules in the CH(3)NH(2)/CO(2) environment using DFT and effective fragment potentials (EFP). Both the geometry optimization and vibrational frequency analysis results obtained from these two approaches suggested that the surrounding water molecules which form hydrogen bonds with the CH(3)NH(2)/CO(2) complex draw the carbon dioxide closer to the methylamine. This enables, when two or more water molecules are present, an electron transfer from methylamine to carbon dioxide to form the methylcarbamic acid zwitterion, CH(3)NH(2)(+)CO(2)(-), in which the carbon dioxide is bent. Our calculations show that the zwitterion is formed without involving any electronic excitation on the ground state surface; this structure is only stable in the presence of water, i.e. in a methyl amine-carbon dioxide-water ice. Notably, in the vibrational frequency calculations on the methylcarbamic acid zwitterion and two water molecules we find the carbon dioxide asymmetric stretch is drastically red shifted by 435 cm(-1) to 1989 cm(-1) and the carbon dioxide symmetric stretch becomes strongly infrared active. We discuss how the methylcarbamic acid zwitterion CH(3)NH(2)(+)CO(2)(-) might be experimentally and astronomically identified by its asymmetric CO(2) stretching mode using infrared spectroscopy.     

Structure of protonated carbon dioxide clusters: infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

The infrared photodissociation spectra (IRPD) in the 700 to 4000 cm(-1) region are reported for H+ (CO2)n clusters (n = 1-4) and their complexes with argon. Weakly bound Ar atoms are attached to each complex upon cluster formation in a pulsed electric discharge/supersonic expansion cluster source. An expanded IRPD spectrum of the H+ (CO2)Ar complex, previously reported in the 2600-3000 cm(-1) range [Dopfer, O.; Olkhov, R.V.; Roth, D.; Maier, J.P. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1998, 296, 585-591] reveals new vibrational resonances. For n = 2 to 4, the vibrational resonances involving the motion of the proton are observed in the 750 to 1500 cm(-1) region of the spectrum, and by comparison to the predictions of theory, the structure of the small clusters are revealed. The monomer species has a nonlinear structure, with the proton binding to the lone pair of an oxygen. In the dimer, this nonlinear configuration is preserved, with the two CO2 units in a trans configuration about the central proton. Upon formation of the trimer, the core CO2 dimer ion undergoes a rearrangement, producing a structure with near C2v symmetry, which is preserved upon successive CO2 solvation. While the higher frequency asymmetric CO2 stretch vibrations are unaffected by the presence of the weakly attached Ar atom, the dynamics of the shared proton motions are substantially altered, largely due to the reduction in symmetry of each complex. For n = 2 to 4, the perturbation due to Ar leads to blue shifts of proton stretching vibrations that involve motion of the proton mostly parallel to the O-H+-O axis of the core ion. Moreover, proton stretching motions perpendicular to this axis exhibit smaller shifts, largely to the red. Ab initio (MP2) calculations of the structures, complexation energies, and harmonic vibrational frequencies are also presented, which support the assignments of the experimental spectra.     

Infrared spectroscopy of Sc(+)(H(2)O) and Sc(2+)(H(2)O) via argon complex predissociation: The charge dependence of cation hydration

Singly and doubly charged scandium-water ion-molecule complexes are produced in a supersonic molecular beam by laser vaporization. These ions are mass analyzed and size selected in a specially designed reflectron time-of-flight spectrometer. To probe their structure, vibrational spectroscopy is measured for these complexes in the O-H stretching region using infrared laser photodissociation and the method of rare gas atom predissociation, also known as "tagging." The O-H stretches in these systems are shifted to lower frequency than those for the free water molecule, and the intensity of the symmetric stretch band is strongly enhanced relative to the asymmetric stretch. These effects are more prominent for the doubly charged ions. Partially resolved rotational structure for the Sc(+)(H(2)O)Ar complex shows that the H-O-H bond angle is larger than it is in the free water molecule. Fragmentation and spectral patterns indicate that the coordination of the Sc(2+) ion is filled with six ligands (one water and five argons).     

Variations in the strength of the infrared forbidden 2328.2 cm-1 fundamental of solid N2 in binary mixtures.

We present the 2335-2325 cm-1 infrared spectra and band positions, profiles and strengths (A values) of solid nitrogen and binary mixtures of N2 with other molecules at 12 K. The data demonstrate that the strength of the infrared forbidden N2 fundamental near 2328 cm-1 is moderately enhanced in the presence of NH3, strongly enhanced in the presence of H2O and very strongly enhanced (by over a factor of 1000) in the presence of CO2, but is not significantly affected by CO, CH4, or O2. The mechanisms for the enhancements in N2-NH3 and N2-H2O mixtures are fundamentally different from those proposed for N2-CO2 mixtures. In the first case, interactions involving hydrogen-bonding are likely the cause. In the latter, a resonant exchange between the N2 stretching fundamental and the 18O = 12C asymmetric stretch of 18O12C16O is indicated. The implications of these results for several astrophysical issues are briefly discussed.     

Noble gas-actinide compounds: evidence for the formation of distinct CUO(Ar)(4-n)(Xe)(n) and CUO(Ar)(4-n)(Kr)(n) (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) complexes

Laser-ablated U atoms react with CO in excess argon to produce CUO, which gives rise to 852.5 and 804.3 cm-1 infrared absorptions for the triplet state CUO(Ar)n complex in solid argon at 7 K. Relativistic density functional calculations show that the CUO(Ar) complex is stable and that up to four or five argon atoms can complex to CUO. When 1-3% Xe is added to the argon/CO reagent mixture, strong absorptions appear at 848.0 and 801.3 cm-1 and dominate new four-band progressions, which increase on annealing to 35-50 K as Xe replaces Ar in the intimate coordination sphere. Analogous spectra are obtained with 1-2% Kr added. This work provides evidence for eight distinct CUO(Ng)n(Ar)4-n (Ng = Kr, Xe, n = 1, 2, 3, 4) complexes and the first characterization of neutral complexes involving four noble-gas atoms on one metal center.     

Synthesis, characterization, and electronic structure of diimine complexes of chromium

We have prepared and structurally characterized several complexes of chromium coordinated by diimine (or 1,4-diazadiene) ligands, that is, Ar-N=C(R)-(R)C=N-Ar (RL(Ar)) (where Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl ("iPr") or 2,6-dimethylphenyl ("Me") and R = H or Me). The reaction of CrCl2 with HLiPr gave dinuclear [(HLiPr)Cr]2(mu-Cl)3(Cl)(THF) when isolated from Et2O; in THF solution, however, the product exists as mononuclear (HLiPr)CrCl2(THF)2. Two isostructural derivatives, (MeLMe)CrCl2(THF)2 and (HL(Me))CrCl2(THF)2, have also been prepared. Furthermore, the bis-ligand complex, (HLiPr)2Cr, has been prepared along with its reduction product, Li(THF)4[(HLiPr)2Cr]. We have also synthesized the tetracarbonyl complex, (HLiPr)Cr(CO)4, by addition of HLiPr to Cr(CO)4(NCCH3)2. The structure and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility of the previously reported Cr halide dimer, [(HLiPr)Cr(mu-Cl)]2, is also discussed in detail. All of the diimine complexes have been characterized structurally, spectroscopically, and magnetically, and their electronic structures are discussed with the aid of density-functional theory calculations.     

Infrared spectroscopy of extreme coordination: the carbonyls of U(+) and UO(2)(+)

Uranium and uranium dioxide carbonyl cations produced by laser vaporization are studied with mass-selected ion infrared spectroscopy in the C-O stretching region. Dissociation patterns, spectra, and quantum chemical calculations establish that the fully coordinated ions are U(CO)(8)(+) and UO(2)(CO)(5)(+), with D(4d) square antiprism and D(5h) pentagonal bipyramid structures. Back-bonding in U(CO)(8)(+) causes a red-shifted CO stretch, but back-donation is inefficient for UO(2)(CO)(5)(+), producing a blue-shifted CO stretch characteristic of nonclassical carbonyls.     

Quantum cascade laser spectroscopy and photoinduced chemistry of Al-(CO)n clusters in helium nanodroplets

Helium nanodroplet isolation and a tunable quantum cascade laser are used to probe the fundamental CO stretch bands of aluminum carbonyl complexes, Al-(CO)(n) (n ≤ 5). The droplets are doped with single aluminum atoms via the resistive heating of an aluminum wetted tantalum wire. The downstream sequential pick-up of CO molecules leads to the rapid formation and cooling of Al-(CO)(n) clusters within the droplets. Near 1900 cm(-1), rotational fine structure is resolved in bands that are assigned to the CO stretch of a linear (2)Π(1/2) Al-CO species and the asymmetric and symmetric CO stretch vibrations of a planar C(2v) Al-(CO)(2) complex in a (2)B(1) electronic state. Bands corresponding to clusters with n ≥ 3 lack resolved rotational fine structure; nevertheless, the small frequency shifts from the n = 2 bands indicate that these clusters consist of an Al-(CO)(2) core with additional CO molecules attached via van der Waals interactions. A second n = 2 band is observed near the CO stretch of Al-CO, indicating a local minimum on the n = 2 potential consisting of an "unreacted" (Al-CO)-CO cluster. The line width of this band is ～0.3 cm(-1), which is about 30 times broader than the transitions within the Al-CO band. The additional broadening is consistent with a homogeneous mechanism corresponding to a rapid vibrational excitation induced reaction within the (Al-CO)-CO cluster to form the covalently bonded Al-(CO)(2) complex. Ab initio CCSD(T) calculations and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses are carried out to investigate the nature of the bonding in the n = 1, 2 complexes. The NBO calculations show that both π-donation (from the occupied aluminum p orbital into a π* antibonding CO orbital) and σ-donation (from CO into the empty aluminum p orbitals) play a significant role in the bonding, analogous to transition-metal carbonyl complexes. The large red shift observed for the CO stretch vibrations is consistent with this bonding analysis.     

Infrared spectra of CO2-H2 complexes

Infrared spectra of weakly bound CO(2)-H(2) complexes have been studied in the region of the CO(2) v(3) asymmetric stretch, using a tunable diode laser probe and a pulsed supersonic jet expansion. For CO(2)-paraH(2), results were obtained for three isotopic species, (12)C(16)O(2), (13)C(16)O(2), and (12)C(18)O(2). These spectra were analyzed using an asymmetric rotor Hamiltonian, with results that resembled those obtained previously for OCS- and N(2)O-paraH(2), except that half the rotational levels were missing due to the symmetry of CO(2) and the spin statistics of the (16)O or (18)O nuclei. However, for CO(2)-orthoH(2), more complicated spectra were observed which could not be assigned, in contrast with OCS- and N(2)O-H(2) where the paraH(2) and orthoH(2) spectra were similar, though distinct. The CO(2)-paraH(2) complex has a T-shaped structure with and intermolecular distance of about 3.5 Angstroms, and the CO(2) v(3) vibration exhibits a small redshift (-0.20 cm(-1)) in the complex.     

Rotational dynamics of solvated carbon dioxide studied by infrared, Raman, and time-resolved infrared spectroscopies and a molecular dynamics simulation

Rotational dynamics of solvated carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been studied. The infrared absorption band of the antisymmetric stretch mode in acetonitrile is found to show a non-Lorentzian band shape, suggesting a non-exponential decay of the vibrational and/or rotational correlation functions. A combined method of a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and a quantum chemical calculation well reproduces the observed band shape. The analysis suggests that the band broadening is almost purely rotational, while the contribution from the vibrational dephasing is negligibly small. The non-exponential rotational correlation decay can be explained by a simple rotor model simulation, which can treat large angle rotations of a relatively small molecule. A polarized Raman study of the symmetric stretch mode in acetonitrile gives a rotational bandwidth consistent with that obtained from the infrared analysis. A sub-picosecond time-resolved infrared absorption anisotropy measurement of the antisymmetric stretch mode in ethanol also gives a decay rate that is consistent with the observed rotational bandwidths.     

Intra- and intermolecular vibrational energy transfer in tungsten carbonyl complexes W(CO)5(X) (X=CO, CS, CH3CN, and CD3CN)

Vibrational energy relaxation of degenerate CO stretches of four tungsten carbonyl complexes, W(CO)6, W(CO)5(CS), W(CO)5(CH3CN), and W(CO)5(CD3CN), is observed in nine alkane solutions by subpicosecond time-resolved infrared (IR) pump-probe spectroscopy. Between 0 and 10 ps after the vibrational excitation, the bleaching signal of the ground-state IR absorption band shows anisotropy. Decay of the anisotropic component corresponds either to the rotational diffusion of the molecule or to the intramolecular vibrational energy transfer among the degenerate CO stretch modes. The time constant of the anisotropy decay, tauaniso, shows distinct solvent dependence. By comparing the results for the T1u CO stretch of W(CO)6 and the A1 CO stretch of W(CO)5(CS), the time constant of the rotational diffusion, taur, and the time constant of the intramolecular energy transfer among the three degenerate vibrational modes, taue, are determined as 12 and 8 ps, respectively. The tauaniso value increases as the number of carbon atoms in the alkane solvent increases. After 10 ps, the recovery of the bleaching becomes isotropic. The isotropic decay represents the vibrational population relaxation, from v=1 to v=0. In heptane, the time constant for the isotropic decay, tau1, for W(CO)5(CS) and W(CO)6 was 140 ps. The tau1 for the two acetonitrile-substituted complexes, however, shows a smaller value of 80 ps. The vibrational energy relaxation of W(CO)5(CH3CN) and W(CO)5(CD3CN) is accelerated by the intramolecular energy redistribution from the CO ligand to the acetonitrile ligand. In the nine alkane solutions, the tau1 value of W(CO)6 ranges between 124 and 158 ps, showing the apparent V-shaped solvent dependence with its minimum in decane, while the tau1 value shows little solvent dependence for W(CO)5(CH3CN) and W(CO)5(CD3CN).