Dissociative double photoionization of benzene molecules in the 26-33 eV energy range

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer with a position sensitive ion detector was used to study the dissociative double ionization of benzene by UV synchrotron radiation. The threshold energy for the main dissociative processes, leading to CH(3)(+) + C(5)H(3)(+), C(2)H(3)(+) + C(4)H(3)(+) and C(2)H(2)(+) + C(4)H(4)(+) ion pairs were characterized by exploiting a photoelectron-photoion-photoion-coincidence technique, giving 27.8 ± 0.1, 29.5 ± 0.1, and 30.2 ± 0.1 eV, respectively. The first reaction also proceeds via the formation of a metastable C(6)H(6)(2+) dication. The translational kinetic energy of the ionic products was evaluated by measuring the position of ions arriving to the detector. Theoretical calculations of the energy and structure of dissociation product ions were performed to provide further information on the dynamics of the charge separation reactions following the photoionization event.     

Dissociative double photoionization of N2 using synchrotron radiation: appearance energy of the N2+ dication

Photoionization cross sections for the production of the doubly charged ion N2+ from N2 have been measured by means of synchrotron radiation in the photon energy range from 50 to 110 eV. The appearance energy for N2+ has been determined as 55.2+/-0.2 eV, i.e., about 1.3 eV higher than the spectroscopic dissociation limit leading to the charge asymmetric dissociation channel N2+(2P)+N(4S) at 53.9 eV. The onset of a second threshold at 59.9+/-0.2 eV is detected and the energy dependence of photoion intensities near the threshold regions is interpreted in terms of the Wannier theory. The production of the N2+ dication is discussed in terms of direct and indirect mechanisms for dissociative charge asymmetric photoionization and by comparison with the potential energy curves of the intermediate N(2)2+ dication. Experimental evidences for the opening of the Coulomb explosion channel N2++N+ at high photon energies are provided by measuring the kinetic energy release spectra of N2+ fragments at selected photon energies.     

Dissociation of benzene dication [C6H6]2+: exploring the potential energy surface

The singlet potential energy surface for the dissociation of benzene dication has been explored, and its three major dissociation channels have been studied: C6H6(2+) --> C3H3(+) + C3H3(+), C4H3(+) + C2H3(+), and C5H3(+) + CH3(+). The calculated energetics suggest that the products will be formed with considerable translational energy because of the Coulomb repulsion between the charged fragments. The calculated energy release in the three channels shows a qualitative agreement with the experimentally observed kinetic energy release. The formation of certain intermediates is found to be common to the three dissociation channels.     

Angular and energy distribution of fragment ions in dissociative double photoionization of acetylene molecules at 39 eV

The two-body dissociation reactions of the dication, C(2)H(2)(2+), produced by 39.0 eV double photoionization of acetylene molecules, have been studied by coupling photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence and ion imaging techniques. The results provide the kinetic energy and angular distributions of product ions. The analysis of the results indicates that the dissociation leading to C(2)H(+)+H(+) products occurs through a metastable dication with a lifetime of 108±22 ns, and a kinetic energy release (KER) distribution exhibiting a maximum at ～4.3 eV with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60%. The reaction leading to CH(2)(+)+C(+) occurs in a time shorter than the typical rotational period of the acetylene molecules (of the order of 10(-12) s). The KER distribution of product ions for this reaction, exhibits a maximum at ～4.5 eV with a FWHM of about 28%. The symmetric dissociation, leading to CH(+)+CH(+), exhibits a KER distribution with a maximum at ～5.2 eV with a FWHM of 44%. For the first two reactions the angular distributions of ion products also indicate that the double photoionization of acetylene occurs when the neutral molecule is mainly oriented perpendicularly to the light polarization vector.     

Comprehensive vacuum ultraviolet photoionization study of the CF3(●) trifluoromethyl radical using synchrotron radiation

The trifluoromethyl radical, CF(3)(●), is studied for the first time by means of threshold photoelectron spectroscopy (TPES). The radical is produced in the gas phase using the flash-pyrolysis technique from hexafluoroethane as a precursor. CF(3)(+) total ion yield and mass-selected TPES of the radical are recorded using a spectrometer based upon velocity map imaging and Wiley-McLaren time-of-flight coupled to the synchrotron radiation. The high resolution of the instrument and of the photons allows the observation of rich vibrational progressions in the TPES of CF(3)(●). By using Franck-Condon factors computed by Bowman and coworkers, we have been able to simulate the TPES. The initial vibrational temperature of the radical beam has been evaluated at 350 ± 70 K. The structures have been identified as transitions between (n(1),n(2)) and (n(1)(+),n(2)(+)) vibrational levels of CF(3) and CF(3)(+) with small excitation of the breathing mode, ν(1)(+) (,) and large excitation (n(2)(+) = 10-26) of the umbrella mode, ν(2)(+), in the cation. From the energy separation between the two resolved peaks of each band, a value of 994 ± 16 cm(-1) has been derived for the ν(1)(+) breathing frequency of CF(3)(+). For the high-lying n(2)(+) levels, the apparent ν(2)(+) umbrella spacing, 820 ± 14 cm(-1), is fairly constant. Taking into account the ν(2)(+) anharmonicity calculated by Bowman and coworkers, we have deduced ν(2)(+) = 809 ± 14 cm(-1), and semi-empirical estimations of the adiabatic ionization energy IE(ad.)(CF(3)(●)) are proposed in good agreement with most of previous works. A value of the vertical ionization potential, IE(vert.)(CF(3)(●)) = 11.02 eV, has been derived from the observation of a photoelectron spectrum recorded at a fixed photon energy of 12 eV.     

Dissociation dynamics of fluorinated ethene cations: from time bombs on a molecular level to double-regime dissociators

The dissociative photoionization mechanism of internal energy selected C(2)H(3)F(+), 1,1-C(2)H(2)F(2)(+), C(2)HF(3)(+) and C(2)F(4)(+) cations has been studied in the 13-20 eV photon energy range using imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy. Five predominant channels have been found; HF loss, statistical and non-statistical F loss, cleavage of the C-C bond post H or F-atom migration, and cleavage of the C=C bond. By modelling the breakdown diagrams and ion time-of-flight distributions using statistical theory, experimental 0 K appearance energies, E(0), of the daughter ions have been determined. Both C(2)H(3)F(+) and 1,1-C(2)H(2)F(2)(+) are veritable time bombs with respect to dissociation via HF loss, where slow dissociation over a reverse barrier is followed by an explosion with large kinetic energy release. The first dissociative ionization pathway for C(2)HF(3) and C(2)F(4) involves an atom migration across the C=C bond, giving CF-CHF(2)(+) and CF-CF(3)(+), respectively, which then dissociate to form CHF(2)(+), CF(+) and CF(3)(+). The nature of the F-loss pathway has been found to be bimodal for C(2)H(3)F and 1,1-C(2)H(2)F(2), switching from statistical to non-statistical behaviour as the photon energy increases. The dissociative ionization of C(2)F(4) is found to be comprised of two regimes. At low internal energies, CF(+), CF(3)(+) and CF(2)(+) are formed in statistical processes. At high internal energies, a long-lived excited electronic state is formed, which loses an F atom in a non-statistical process and undergoes statistical redistribution of energy among the nuclear degrees of freedom. This is followed by a subsequent dissociation. In other words only the ground electronic state phase space stays inaccessible. The accurate E(0) of CF(3)(+) and CF(+) formation from C(2)F(4) together with the now well established Δ(f)H(o) of C(2)F(4) yield self-consistent enthalpies of formation for the CF(3), CF, CF(3)(+) and CF(+) species.     

Charge exchange in tandem mass spectrometry: dissociative single electron capture by doubly-charged toluene cations

Single electron capture by doubly-charged toluene cations upon collision with various target gases has been investigated by sector tandem mass spectrometry. Both non-dissociative and dissociative charge transfer reactions leading to C(7)H(7)(+) + H and to C(5)H(5)(+) + [C(2),H(3)] are detected. Seven atomic or molecular target gases have been used with ionisation energies ranging from 8.8 eV to 14 eV. The branching ratios between the different non-dissociative and dissociative exit channels have been determined as well as the translational energy release on the dissociation products. The experimental data are compared to the predictions of a two-state semi-classical theoretical model that takes into account the non-adiabatic transition responsible for the charge transfer reaction. A wide reaction window shows up but the internal energies of the C(7)H(8)(+) cations produced by single electron capture are observed to be larger than expected. We assign this effect partly to the influence of the large density of vibrational states and to the multichannel nature of the process. Excited states of the dication are also most probably involved in the charge exchange reaction.     

Heats of formation of C(6)H(5)(•), C(6)H(5)(+), and C(6)H(5)NO by threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence and active thermochemical tables analysis

Threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence has been used to prepare selected internal energy distributions of nitrosobenzene ions [C(6)H(5)NO(+)]. Dissociation to C(6)H(5)(+) + NO products was measured over a range of internal energies and rate constants from 10(3) to 10(7) s(-1) and fitted with the statistical theory of unimolecular decay. A 0 K dissociative photoionization onset energy of 10.607 ± 0.020 eV was derived by using the simplified statistical adiabatic channel model. The thermochemical network of Active Thermochemical Tables (ATcT) was expanded to include phenyl and phenylium, as well as nitrosobenzene. The current ATcT heats of formation of these three species at 0 K (298.15 K) are 350.6 (337.3) ± 0.6, 1148.7 (1136.8) ± 1.0, and 215.6 (198.6) ± 1.5 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The resulting adiabatic ionization energy of phenyl is 8.272 ± 0.010 eV. The new ATcT thermochemistry for phenyl entails a 0 K (298.15 K) C-H bond dissociation enthalpy of benzene of 465.9 (472.1) ± 0.6 kJ mol(-1). Several related thermochemical quantities from ATcT, including the current enthalpies of formation of benzene, monohalobenzenes, and their ions, as well as interim ATcT values for the constituent atoms, are also given.     

Photodissociation of small group-11 metal cluster ions: fragmentation pathways and photoabsorption cross sections

Noble metal cluster ions Cu(n)(+), Ag(n)(+) and Au(n)(+) (n = 3-21) have been stored in a Penning trap and photodissociated by low intensity laser pulses of 10 ns at photon energies of 3.49 eV and 4.66 eV. The fragmentation pathways, neutral monomer and dimer evaporation, have been monitored as a function of cluster size, excitation energy and element. It is found that the behavior of the branching ratio between monomer and dimer evaporation as a function of excitation energy depends on the metal under investigation. In particular, the slope of the energy dependence is positive for silver but negative for gold and copper cluster ions. Furthermore, photoabsorption cross sections are determined from observed total fragment yields in single-photon dissociation.     

Theoretical study of multiphoton ionization of cyclohexadienes and unimolecular decomposition of their mono- and dications

Quantum chemical calculations of the geometric structure, vertical excitation energies, and ionization potentials for the isomeric pair of 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexadienes and their mono- and dications have been performed employing a variety of theoretical methods and basis sets. The computed ionization potentials and electronic excitation energies are used to evaluate the range of internal energies available for fragmentation of the cations following multiphoton resonance ionization of the cyclohexadienes in intense laser field. The conditions governing the competition between multiple ionization and decomposition of the ions are also discussed. Calculations of stationary points on the potential energy surfaces for various fragmentation channels and relative product yields at different available internal energies are then utilized to analyze the trends in branching ratios of major dissociation products of the 1,4-cyclohexadiene(2+) dication, which include C(3)H(3)(+) + C(3)H(5)(+), C(2)H(3)(+) + C(4)H(5)(+), and C(4)H(3)(+) + C(2)H(5)(+).     

Dissociation of energy selected Sn(CH3)4(+), Sn(CH3)3Cl+, and Sn(CH3)3Br+ ions: evidence for isolated excited state dynamics

The dissociation dynamics of Sn(CH(3))(4)(+), Sn(CH(3))(3)Cl(+), and Sn(CH(3))(3)Br(+) were investigated by threshold photoelectron photoion spectrometry using an electron imaging apparatus (iPEPICO) at the Swiss Light Source. The tetramethyltin ion was found to dissociate via Sn(CH(3))(4)(+) → Sn(CH(3))(3)(+) + CH(3) → Sn(CH(3))(2)(+) + 2CH(3), while the trimethyltin halide ions dissociated via methyl loss at low energies, and a competitive halogen loss at somewhat higher energies. The 0 K methyl loss onset for the three ions was found to be 9.410 ± 0.020 eV, 10.058 ± 0.020 eV, and 9.961 ± 0.020 eV, respectively. Statistical theory could not reproduce the observed onsets for the halogen loss steps in the halotrimethyltin ions. The halide loss signal as a function energy mimicked the excited state threshold photoelectron spectrum, from which we conclude that the halide loss from these ions takes place on an isolated excited state potential energy surface, which we describe by time dependent density functional calculations. The sequential loss of a second methyl group in the Sn(CH(3))(4)(+) ion, observed at about 3 eV higher energies than the first one, is also partially non-statistical. The derived product energy distribution resulting from the loss of the first methyl group is two-component with about 50% being statistical and the remainder associated with high translational energy products that peak at 2 eV. Time dependent DFT calculations show that a dissociative ?B state lies in the vicinity of the experimental measurements. We thus propose that 50% of the Sn(CH(3))(4)(+) ions produced in this energy range internally convert to the ?X state, on which they dissociate statistically, while the remainder dissociate directly from the repulsive ?B state leading to high kinetic energy products.     

Gas-phase ion/molecule reactions between dimethoxyphosphonium ions and aromatic hydrocarbons

Ion/molecule reactions between O=P(OCH(3))(2)(+) phosphonium ions and six aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, naphthalene, acenaphthylene and fluorene) were performed in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The O=P(OCH(3))(2)(+) phosphonium ions, formed by electron impact from neutral trimethyl phosphite, were found to react with aromatic hydrocarbons (ArHs) to give (i) an adduct [ArH, O=P(OCH(3))(2)](+) and (ii) for ArHs which have an ionization energy below or equal to 8.14 eV, a radical cation ArH(+ *) by charge transfer reaction. Collision-induced dissociation experiments, which produce fragment ions other than the O=P(OCH(3))(2)(+) ions, indicate that the adduct ions are covalent species. Isotope-labeled ArHs were used to elucidate fragmentation mechanisms. The charge transfer reactions were investigated using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311 + G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The potential energy surface obtained from B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations for the reaction between O=P(OCH(3))(2)(+) and benzene is described.     

Dissociation dynamics of propargyl chloride molecular ion near the reaction threshold: manifestation of quantum mechanical tunneling

The Cl loss from the propargyl chloride molecular ion has been investigated using mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry (MIKES). The kinetic energy release distribution in the unimolecular dissociation has been determined. The potential energy surface for the mechanistic pathway has been calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G** density functional theory level. The calculated potential energy surface suggested that the threshold dissociation of the propargyl chloride molecular ion produces the C(3)H(3)(+) ion, only with the cyclopropenium structure, and with the release of a large amount of kinetic energy. This is in agreement with experimental results. Also, calculation of the rate constants with statistical rate models predicted that the reaction observed on a microsecond time scale occurs via tunneling through the rate-determining isomerization barrier for H-atom transfer. It has been found that a broad lifetime distribution is a manifestation of quantum mechanical tunneling of a precursor prepared under thermal conditions. Reinterpretation of previous photoelectron-photoion coincidence results taking into account the tunneling effect necessitated raising the critical energy to 0.64 eV from the energy of 0.34 eV reported previously. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Growth of polyaromatic molecules via ion-molecule reactions: an experimental and theoretical mechanistic study

The reactivity of naphthyl cations with benzene is investigated in a joint experimental and theoretical approach. Experiments are performed by using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometers equipped with electron impact or atmospheric pressure chemical ion sources to generate C(10)H(7)(+) with different amounts of internal excitation. Under single collision conditions, C-C coupling reactions leading to hydrocarbon growth are observed. The most abundant ionic products are C(16)H(13)(+), C(16)H(n)(+) (with n=10-12), and C(15)H(10)(+). From pressure-dependent measurements, absolute cross sections of 1.0±0.3 and 2±0.6 A?(2) (at a collision energy of about 0.2 eV in the center of mass frame) are derived for channels leading to the formation of C(16)H(12)(+) and C(15)H(10)(+) ions, respectively. From cross section values a phenomenological total rate constant k=(5.8±1.9)×10(-11) cm(3) s(-1) at an average collision energy of about 0.27 eV can be estimated for the process C(10)H(7)(+)+C(6)H(6)→all products. The energy behavior of the reactive cross sections, as well as further experiments performed using partial isotopic labeling of reagents, support the idea that the reaction proceeds via a long lived association product, presumably the covalently bound protonated phenylnaphthalene, from which lighter species are generated by elimination of neutral fragments (H, H(2), CH(3)). A major signal relevant to the fragmentation of the initial adduct C(16)H(13)(+) belongs to C(15)H(10)(+). Since it is not obvious how CH(3) loss from C(16)H(13)(+) can take place to form the C(15)H(10)(+) radical cation, a theoretical investigation focuses on possible unimolecular transformations apt to produce it. Naphthylium can act as an electrophile and add to the π system of benzene, leading to a barrierless formation of the ionic adduct with an exothermicity of about 53 kcal mol(-1). From this structure, an intramolecular electrophilic addition followed by H shifts and ring opening steps leads to an overall exothermic loss (-7.1 kcal mol(-1) with respect to reagents) of the methyl radical from that part of the system which comes from benzene. Methyl loss can take place also from the "naphthyl" part, though via an endoergic route. Experimental and theoretical results show that an ionic route is viable for the growth of polycyclic aromatic species by association of smaller building blocks (naphthyl and phenyl rings) and this may be of particular relevance for understanding the formation of large molecules in ionized gases.     

Protonated tert-pentyl dication (C5H122+, isopentane dication)

Structures of the tert-pentyl cation (C(5)H(11)(+)) and its protonated dication (C(5)H(12)(2+), isopentane dication) were studied using ab initio methods at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level. Both C-C and C-H hyperconjugatively stabilized structures 1 and 2 , respectively, were found to be minima on the potential energy surface (PES) of the tert-pentyl cation. Structure 1 was computed to be about as stable as structure 2 (slightly more stable by 0.5 kcal mol(-1)). Inter-conversion between 1 and 2 through transition state 3 has a kinetic barrier of only 1.5 kcal mol(-1). The C-H protonated form (H(3)C)(2)C(+)CH(2)CH(4)(+)4 was found to be the global minimum for the protonated tert-pentyl dication. Charges and (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the dication 4 were calculated and compared to those of monocation 1 to study the effect of the additional charge in the dication.     

Computational study of isopropylbenzenium ions

A theoretical investigation of the isopropylbenzenium ion system has been carried out with structures determined with B3LYP. Energies are calculated with the high accuracy composite methods, G3 (G3B3) and CBS (CBS-QB3). The main goal has been to resolve the following issue: Are there any stable ion π-electron complexes of the type C(6)H(6)/C(3)H(7)(+) or C(6)H(7)(+)/C(3)H(6) in this system? Two minimum points on the potential energy surface (PES) corresponding to benzenium ion/propene complexes were found. Due to free internal rotation, they represent only one species. The barrier for forming an isopropylbenzenium ion from the complex is low, so the lifetime will be short. Computation of the IR spectrum of the complex shows that there is a very intense absorption line due to C-H stretching, in an otherwise empty region, that may be used to identify the complex, if present. No stable C(6)H(6)/C(3)H(7)(+) complex was found, but a quasi-stable species structurally corresponding to the earlier described stable C(6)H(6)/C(4)H(9)(+) complex was observed. A simplistic explanation why the benzene/isopropyl cation, in contrast to benzene/tert-butyl cation, does not form a stable ion/π-electron complex is given.     

Bond-formation versus electron transfer: C-C-coupling reactions of hydrocarbon dications with benzene

The bimolecular reactions of several hydrocarbon dications C(m)H(n)(2+) (m = 6-10, n = 4-9) with neutral benzene are investigated by tandem mass spectrometry using a multipole instrument. Not surprisingly, the major reaction of C(m)H(n)(2+) with benzene corresponds to electron transfer from the neutral arene to the dication resulting in the pair of monocationic products C(m)H(n)(+) + C(6)H(6)(+). In addition, also dissociative electron transfer takes place, whereas proton transfer from the C(m)H(n)(2+) dication to neutral benzene is almost negligible. Interestingly, the excess energy liberated upon electron transfer from the neutral arene to the C(m)H(n)(2+) dication is not equally partitioned in the monocationic products in that the cations arising from the dicationic precursor have a higher internal energy content than the monocations formed from the neutral reaction partner. In addition to the reactions leading to monocationic product ions, bond-forming reactions with maintenance of the two-fold charge are observed, which lead to a condensation of the C(m)H(n)(2+) dications with neutral benzene under formation of intermediate C(m+6)H(n+6)(2+) species and then undergo subsequent losses of molecular hydrogen or neutral acetylene. This reaction complements a recently proposed dicationic route for the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under extreme conditions such as they exist in interstellar environments.     

Communication: The structures of small cationic gas-phase platinum clusters

The structures of small platinum clusters Pt(3-5)(+) are determined using far-infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy of their argon complexes combined with density functional theory calculations. The clusters are found to have compact structures, and Pt(4)(+) and Pt(5)(+) already favor three-dimensional geometries, in contrast to a number of earlier predictions. Challenges in applying density functional theory to 3rd row transition metal clusters are addressed. Preliminary calculations suggest that the effects of spin-orbit coupling do not change the favoured lowest-energy isomers.     

Metastable decomposition and hydrogen migration of ethane dication produced in an intense femtosecond near-infrared laser field

We investigated a formation channel of triatomic molecular hydrogen ions from ethane dication induced by irradiation of intense laser fields (800 nm, 100 fs, ～1 × 10(14) W∕cm(2)) by using time of flight mass spectrometry. Hydrogen ion and molecular hydrogen ion (H,D)(n)(+) (n = 1-3) ejected from ethane dications, produced by double ionization of three types of samples, CH(3)CH(3), CD(3)CD(3), and CH(3)CD(3), were measured. All fragments were found to comprise components with a kinetic energy of ～3.5 eV originating from a two-body Coulomb explosion of ethane dications. Based on the signal intensities and the anisotropy of the ejection direction with respect to the laser polarization direction, the branching ratios, H(+):D(+) = 66:34, H(2)(+):HD(+):D(2)(+) = 63:6:31, and H(3)(+):H(2)D(+):HD(2)(+):D(3)(+) = 26:31:34:9 for the decomposition of C(2)H(3)D(3)(2+), were determined. The ratio of hydrogen molecules, H(2):HD:D(2) = 31:48:21, was also estimated from the signal intensities of the counter ion C(2)(H,D)(4)(2+). The similarity in the extent of H∕D mixture in (H,D)(3)(+) with that of (H,D)(2) suggests that these two dissociation channels have a common precursor with the C(2)H(4)(2+)...H(2) complex structure, as proposed theoretically in the case of H(3)(+) ejection from allene dication [A. M. Mebel and A. D. Bandrauk, J. Chem. Phys. 129, 224311 (2008)]. In contrast, the (H,D)(2)(+) ejection path with a lower extent of H∕D mixture and a large anisotropy is expected to proceed essentially via a different path with a much rapid decomposition rate. For the Coulomb explosion path of C-C bond breaking, the yield ratios of two channels, CH(3)CD(3)(2+)→ CH(3)(+) + CD(3)(+) and CH(2)D(+) + CHD(2)(+), were 81:19 and 92:8 for the perpendicular and parallel directions, respectively. This indicates that the process occurs at a rapid rate, which is comparable to hydrogen migration through the C-C bond, resulting in smaller anisotropy for the latter channel that needs H∕D exchange.     

One- and two-dimensional translational energy distributions in the iodine-loss dissociation of 1,2-C2H4I2+ and 1,3-C3H6I2+: what does this mean?

Threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) has been used to study the sequential photodissociation reaction of internal energy selected 1,2-diiodoethane cations: C(2)H(4)I(2)(+) → C(2)H(4)I(+) + I → C(2)H(3)(+) + I + HI. In the first I-loss reaction, the excess energy is partitioned between the internal energy of the fragment ion C(2)H(4)I(+) and the translational energy. The breakdown diagram of C(2)H(4)I(+) to C(2)H(3)(+), i.e., the fractional ion abundances below and above the second dissociation barrier as a function of the photon energy, yields the internal energy distribution of the first daughter, whereas the time-of-flight peak widths yield the released translational energy in the laboratory frame directly. Both methods indicate that the kinetic energy release in the I-loss step is inconsistent with the phase space theory (PST) predicted two translational degrees of freedom, but is well-described assuming only one translational degree of freedom. Reaction path calculations partly confirm this and show that the reaction coordinate changes character in the dissociation, and it is, thus, highly anisotropic. For comparison, data for the dissociative photoionization of 1,3-diiodopropane are also presented and discussed. Here, the reaction coordinate is expected to be more isotropic, and indeed the two degrees of freedom assumption holds. Characterizing kinetic energy release distributions beyond PST is crucial in deriving accurate dissociative photoionization onset energies in sequential reactions. On the basis of both experimental and theoretical grounds, we also suggest a significant revision of the 298 K heat of formation of 1,2-C(2)H(4)I(2)(g) to 64.5 ± 2.5 kJ mol(-1) and that of CH(2)I(2)(g) to 113.5 ± 2 kJ mol(-1) at 298 K.