Photoelectron spectroscopic study of simple hydrogen-bonded dimers. I. Supersonic nozzle beam photoelectron spectrometer and the formic-acid dimer

In this paper we describe several characteristics of our supersonic nozzle beam photoelectron spectrometer recently constructed for studying hydrogen-bonded dimers in the gas phase by HeI (58.4 nm) radiation. Using this photoelectron apparatus, we have reinvestigated the HeI photoelectron spectrum of the formic-acid dimer (HCOOH)₂ which is well known as a fairly strong doubly hydrogen-bonded dimer. It was found that the (HCOOH)₂ spectrum deduced here from the spectrum of the monomer—dimer mixture considerably differs from that reported by Carnovale et al. in the region beyond 16.5 eV. New spectral assignments are given for four ionization bands beyond 16.5 eV. It is also indicated that the lower bound of the dissociation energy of (HCOOH)₂⁺ is estimated to be 1.0 ± 0.1 eV from the threshold of the dimer band (11.0 eV) obtained in this experiment. This value is considerably smaller than the value of 1.7 ± 0.2 eV recently reported for the water dimer cation (H₂O)₂⁺.     

Assignment of the first photoelectron band of the CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>CHCl radical using ab initio quantum mechanical calculations

HeI photoelectron spectra have been recorded for the reaction of atomic fluorine with ethyl chloride at different reaction times. A structured band associated with a short-lived primary reaction product has been recorded with adiabatic and vertical ionization energies of (7.84±0.02) and (8.18±0.02) eV respectively. An average vibrational separation of (680±30) cm^–1was observed in this band. Comparison between the experimental vertical and adiabatic ionization energies and ionization energies computed for CH₃CHCl (X²A) and CH₂CH₂Cl (X²A) at different levels of theory led to the assignment of the observed first photoelectron band to the ionization of CH₃CHCl (X²A). The observed vibrational structure was assigned to excitation of the C–Cl stretching mode in CH₃CHCl⁺(X¹A).Proceedings of the 11th International Congress of Quantum Chemistry satellite meeting in honor of Jean-Louis Rivail     

CH3OOH和CH3CH2OOH的表征和活性：光电子能谱的研究

The ionization energies of MHP （CH3OOH） and EHP（CH3CH2OOH） nave been determined by Hel photoelectron spectroscopy （PES） measurement and both Gaussian-2 （G2） calculation and Hartree-Fock （HF） method on the basis of Koopmans theorem at 6.311＋G^＊ basis set level for the first time. The assignment and characterization of PE spectra of MHP and EHP were also supported by the G2 and HF calculations. The first ionization energies of MHP and EHP are 9.87 and 9.65 eV, respectively. Higher solubility of EHP in the atmosphere was attributed to their lower ionization energy values.     

Assignment of the First Photoelectron Band of CH3CHBr(X2A) Using Ab-initio and Density Functional Theory (DFT) Computational Calculations

HeI photoelectron spectra have been recorded for the reaction of atomic fluorine with ethyl bromide at different reaction times. A structured band associated with a short-lived primary reaction product has been recorded at a mixing distance of 12 mm above the photon beam. The adiabatic and vertical ionization energies of this band was measured as 7.78 ± 0.01 and 8.05 ± 0.01 eV, respectively . The average vibrational separation of 700 ± 30 cm⁻¹ was observed in this band. Vertical ionization energies were computed in this work for CH₃CHBr(X²A) and CH₂CH₂Br(X²A) via ΔSCF, ΔMP2 (full) and Δ(B3LYP) levels of theory using different basis sets. Mulliken population analysis and force constant calculations have also been carried out for CH₃CHBr(X²A) and CH₂CH₂Br(X²A) and their singlet cationic states. Comparison between the experimental vertical ionization energies and the corresponding values computed for CH₃CHBr (X²A) and CH₂CH₂Br(X²A) at different levels of theory led to the assignment of the observed first photoelectron band to the ionization of CH₃CHBr(X²A). The observed vibrational structure was assigned to the excitation of C–Br stretching mode in CH₃CHBr⁺ (X¹A).     

n-σ Mixing in pentatomic heterocyclic compounds of sixth group by photoelectron spectroscopy

The HeI photoelectron energy spectra of the tetrahydro derivates (CH₂)₄X (X = O, S, Se, Te) have been measured and interpreted on the basis of a local C_2V symmetry of the CH₂?X?CH₂ fragment. Mixing of the so called “non-bonding” electrons of the heteroatom with the σ_π system is apparent from the shape of the first photoelectron band and from a comparison of the absolute values of the first ionization energies with those of the corresponding H₂X molecules. Such mixing is the highest for the oxygen derivative and gradually decreases on going toward the tellurium compound.     

Spectroscopy of the Simplest Criegee Intermediate CH2OO: Simulation of the First Bands in Its Electronic and Photoelectron Spectra

CH₂OO, the simplest Criegee intermediate, and ozone are isoelectronic. They both play very important roles in atmospheric chemistry. Whilst extensive experimental studies have been made on ozone, there were no direct gas‐phase studies on CH₂OO until very recently when its photoionization spectrum was recorded and kinetics studies were made of some reactions of CH₂OO with a number of molecules of atmospheric importance, using photoionization mass spectrometry to monitor CH₂OO. In order to encourage more direct studies on CH₂OO and other Criegee intermediates, the electronic and photoelectron spectra of CH₂OO have been simulated using high level electronic structure calculations and Franck–Condon factor calculations, and the results are presented here. Adiabatic and vertical excitation energies of CH₂OO were calculated with TDDFT, EOM‐CCSD, and CASSCF methods. Also, DFT, QCISD and CASSCF calculations were performed on neutral and low‐lying ionic states, with single energy calculations being carried out at higher levels to obtain more reliable ionization energies. The results show that the most intense band in the electronic spectrum of CH₂OO corresponds to the ${{\rm{\tilde B}}}$ ¹A′ ← ${{\rm{\tilde X}}}$ ¹A′ absorption. It is a broad band in the region 250–450 nm showing extensive structure in vibrational modes involving O–O stretching and C‐O‐O bending. Evidence is presented to show that the electronic absorption spectrum of CH₂OO has probably been recorded in earlier work, albeit at low resolution. We suggest that CH₂OO was prepared in this earlier work from the reaction of CH₂I with O₂ and that the assignment of the observed spectrum solely to CH₂IOO is incorrect. The low ionization energy region of the photoelectron spectrum of CH₂OO consists of two overlapping vibrationally structured bands corresponding to one‐electron ionizations from the highest two occupied molecular orbitals of the neutral molecule. In each case, the adiabatic component is the most intense and the adiabatic ionization energies of these bands are expected to be very close, at 9.971 and 9.974 eV at the highest level of theory used.     

Vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization of small methanol and methanol-water clusters

In this work, we report on the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization of small methanol and methanol-water clusters. Clusters of methanol with water are generated via co-expansion of the gas phase constituents in a continuous supersonic jet expansion of methanol and water seeded in Ar. The resulting clusters are investigated by single photon ionization with tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and mass analyzed using reflectron mass spectrometry. Protonated methanol clusters of the form (CH3OH)nH(+) (n = 1-12) dominate the mass spectrum below the ionization energy of the methanol monomer. With an increase in water concentration, small amounts of mixed clusters of the form (CH3OH)n(H2O)H(+) (n = 2-11) are detected. The only unprotonated species observed in this work are the methanol monomer and dimer. Appearance energies are obtained from the photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves for CH3OH(+), (CH3OH)2(+), (CH3OH)nH(+) (n = 1-9), and (CH3OH)n(H2O)H(+) (n = 2-9) as a function of photon energy. With an increase in the water content in the molecular beam, there is an enhancement of photoionization intensity for the methanol dimer and protonated methanol monomer at threshold. These results are compared and contrasted to previous experimental observations.     

Generation and High‐Resolution Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Small Organic Radicals in Cold Supersonic Expansions

A general method of generating radicals in cold supersonic expansions in the gas phase is presented. The method relies on excimer laser photolysis of suitable precursor molecules in a thin quartz capillary mounted at the orifice of a pulsed gas nozzle and can easily be combined with vacuum‐UV photoionization mass spectrometry and high‐resolution photoelectron spectroscopy to study the reactivity and the rovibronic energy level structure of neutral radicals and their ions, as well as to determine highly accurate adiabatic ionization energies. The characteristics of the radical source are described in detail, and its performance is illustrated by mass spectrometric and high‐resolution photoelectron spectroscopic investigations of NH₂, CH₂, CH₃, C₂H, C₂H₃, and C₂H₅. The radical source is not only suitable to produce cold samples (rotational temperature of ca. 30 K) of radicals of moderate reactivity, such as NH₂, CH₃, or C₂H₅, but it is also useful to prepare highly reactive radicals (e.g., C₂H) for spectroscopic investigations.     

Electrostatic and relaxation effects in ionization of molecular dimers and intermolecular complexes

The shifts in ionization energies which occur when a molecule is incorporated as an asymmetric dimer or in an intermolecular complex are analyzed theoretically. MO ? SCF calculations with 4–31G basis sets were performed on closed- and open-shell states of (HF)₂, H₂O·HF, and their valence–hole ions, as well as on the heterodimers incorporating the higher homologues CH₃F, CH₃OH, and (CH₃)₂O. The analysis concerns the influence of electrostatic, polarization, and charge transfer effects associated with complexation on the initial molecular state of each monomer system, as well as monomer–dimer differences in the electronic relaxation mechanism considered as a final state effect in the ionization process. The calculated ionization energy shifts which agree well with the experimental data available for (CH₃)₂O·HF, show that the shifts are dominated by electrostatic effects, but some effects arising from differences in molecular size and electric polarizability of the monomers can be discerned.     

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of the hydrogen bonded heterodimer H2S⋯HCl

The HeI photoelectron spectrum of the hydrogen bonded hetero-dimer H₂S⋯HCl shows two vertical ionization energies at 10.91 and 12.16 eV. Ab initio MO calculations reveal that these features are due to the sulphur and chlorine lone pair ionizations respectively. Results show that while the ground ionic state is repulsive the first excited ionic state is strongly bound. The photoelectron spectrum of the diethyl sulphide⋯HCl complex is similar to that of H₂S⋯HCl     

The Electronic States of the Pentatetraene Radical Cation

HeIα excited photoelectron spectra of pentatetraene and the inferred ionization energies are reported. The first band has a characteristic Franck-Condon envelope similar to the first photoelectron bands of allene and butatriene. The four bands found below 16 eV ionization energy have been assigned to the X?²E, òE, B?²E and C?²B₂ states of the radical cation of pentatetraene by comparison with STO-3G and SPINDO calculations on the cumulene series. The correlation scheme includes the 2s shell ionization energies of ethylene, allene and butatriene. The π-orbital ionization trends of the cumulenes are discussed in the framework of localized orbitals calculated with the STO-3G basis set.     

IR double resonance experiments with size selected clusters for identification of isomers

Infrared photodissociation spectra of (CH₃OH) _n clusters (n=2, 3 and 6) and the mixed dimer C₂H₄ · CH₃COCH₃ are presented. The clusters are generated in a supersonic jet expansion and size selected by scattering from a helium atomic beam combined with mass spectrometric detection. Continuous CO₂-lasers are used to vibrationally excite the molecules in the cluster leading to rapid dissociation of the complex. Various dissociation peaks that are found in single-laser dissociation spectra can be assigned unambigously in a pump-probe experiment with two lasers to either different isomers (acetone-ethene dimer) or splitted lines of one isomer (methanol hexamer). For size distributions, the method is able to select contributions of single masses which is demonstrated for mixtures of methanol dimers and trimers.     

Vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of transient species. XVII. The SiH3(X 2A1) radical

The first band in the vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum of the silyl radical, corresponding to the process SiH₃ (X ¹A′₁) ← SiH₃(X ²A₁), has been observed with HeI radiation. Extensive vibrational fine structure associated with the SiH₃⁺ deformation vibration was observed in this band and analysis of the structure gave a value of ω = 820 = 40 cm^-1 for the out-of-plane deformation mode in the ion. The vertical and adiabatic ionization energies were measured as 8.74 = 0.01 eV and 8.14 ± 0.01 eV respectively and use of the latter value together with the established heat of formation of the silyl radical allows an improved heat of formation of SiH₃^-. ΔH₂₉₈⁰ (SiH₃^-) to be derived as 980 ± 7 kJ mol^?1.     

Gas phase high temperature photoelectron spectroscopy: The tin monoxide molecule

The HeI photoelectron spectrum of SnO (X¹Σ⁺) has been recorded. Two bands have been observed corresponding to ionization from the 6π and 13 ionization energies of 9.98 and 10.12 eV respectively. Vibrational structure associated with the first band has been analysed to give

and D_e = 3.23 ± 0.10 eV in the SnO⁺ (X²Π) state. An assessment has been made of the ability of Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations, multiple-scattering SCF-Xα calculations and ab ini energies for the group IV diatomic monoxide molecules.     

Gas phase ultraviolet photoelectron spectra of hydroxyanthraquinones

The gas phase u.v. photoelectron spectra of anthraquinone, 1,4-OH-1,8-OH-2,6-OH-1-NH₂-and 1-NH₂-4-OH-anthraquinones have been measured using HeI radiation. Semiempirical HAM/3 calculations have been employed to help in the band assignment. The lowest ionization potential of all the studied compounds is of π-type, except of anthraquinone where the n-O(CO) ionization is the lowest one. The results show that the intramolecular OH ⋯ O bonding stabilizes the n-orbital by ca 0.4 eV, and that the IP_n+−IP_n− energy difference should not exceed 0.5 eV, very close to that found in para-benzoquinone. No hydrogen bonding effects of the NH₂ group are apparent.     

The vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum of difluoramine

The HeI photoelectron spectrum of difluoramine is reported. The seven ionization potentials within the Hel region have been assigned. Extensive vibrational structure on the first band of both HNF₂ and DNF₂, and ab initio calculations of the ionic geometry, indicate that the ground ionic state is planar.     

The Ionization Energies of Di-n-Alkyl Diacetylenes

The He(Iα) photoelectron spectra and the ionization energies of symmetrically substituted di-n-alkyl-diacetylenes R-(C?C)₂-R (with R ? CH₃, C₂H₅, n-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉) are presented. The effect of the alkyl substitutents is that the two acetylenic ionization energies, I_v,1 and I_v,2, shift by the same amount, i.e. their difference I_v,2 – I_v,1 remains constant (2.45 ± 0.05 eV). Between 12.5 eV and 17 eV the band system in the photoelectron spectrum of R-(C?C)₂-R is superimposable with that in the spectrum of the corresponding alkane, RH, with the exception of a uniformly small shift of all the bands to higher ionization energy.     

Electron spectroscopic studies of the adsorption and decomposition of methanol on transition metals. A review

Results of investigations of the adsorption and decomposition of methanol on the surface of transition metals such as Fe, Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, Mo, W and Pt byuv and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and thermal desorption spectroscopy have been reviewed. The first step in the decomposition of CH₃OH on these metal surfaces is the formation of the methoxy species, OCH₃ radical. In the case of Fe, Mo and W, complete decomposition of CH₃OH occurs leaving CO(β), H₂ and CH₄ on the surface. Dissociation proceeds upto CO(α) and H₂ on the surface of Ni, Pd and Pt whereas on Ag and Cu, selective oxidation of CH₃OH to H₂CO is preferred. The difference in the reactivity of metals towards CH₃OH is rationalised from the heats of adsorption of O₂, CO and H₂ on these metals. Contribution No. 253 from the Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit.     

Methanol oxidation on the PtPd(111) alloy surface: A density functional theory study

The mechanisms of methanol (CH₃OH) oxidation on the PtPd(111) alloy surface were systematically investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The energies of all the involved species were analyzed. The results indicated that with the removal of H atoms from adsorbates on PtPd(111) surface, the adsorption energies of (i) CH₃OH, CH₂OH, CHOH, and COH increased linearly, while those of (ii) CH₃OH, CH₃O, CH₂O, CHO, and CO exhibited odd‐even oscillation. On PtPd(111) surface, CH₃OH underwent the preferred initial C H bond scission followed by successive dehydrogenation and then CHO oxidation, that is, CH₃OH → CH₂OH → CHOH → CHO → CHOOH → COOH → CO₂. Importantly, the rate‐determining step of CH₃OH oxidation was found to switch from CO → CO₂ on Pt(111) to COOH → CO₂ + H on PtPd(111) with a lower energy barrier of 0.96 eV. Moreover, water also decomposed into OH more easily on PtPd(111) than on Pt(111). The calculated results indicate that alloying Pt with Pd could efficiently improve its catalytic performance for CH₃OH oxidation through altering the primary pathways from the CO path on pure Pt to the non‐CO path on PtPd(111).     

UVPES of some aliphatic azides. Part I

Ab-initio calculations for ethyl azide-CH₃CH₂N₃- and azidoacetone-N₃CH₂COCH₃-were performed with the aim of interpreting their ultraviolet photoelectron spectra. Some preliminary results are presented. The first bands of the photoelectron spectra of the azides under study are intense and sharp indicating ionization from a non-bonding orbital. This is in accordance with the performed calculations, which also predict a non-bonding character to the molecular orbitals corresponding to the first ionization energies. Good agreement was also found when comparing the second ionization energies given by the calculations with the second bands of the photoelectron spectra of the molecules.