Gas phase spectroscopy of HNO3 in the region 2000-8500 cm(-1)

Spectra of gas phase HNO3 were collected in the region 2000-8500 cm(-1) using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. This region is dominated by the nu1 O-H stretching mode but also contains many previously unreported combination bands and overtones. This work marks the first observation of Fermi resonance the 2nu1 O-H stretching overtone. Previously unobserved bands were assigned and integrated intensities were obtained. For bands already reported in the literature, comparisons of relative intensities are presented when possible. This work gives a brief discussion on the trends in overtone intensities and on mode mixing in HNO3 in relation to previous experimental and theoretical studies.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of perfluorocarboxylic acids from the infrared to the visible regions

We report here the gas-phase mid-IR, near-IR, and visible vibrational spectra of perfluoropropionic, perfluorooctanoic, and perfluorononanoic acids using Fourier transform and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The impetus for this work was to provide insight into the behavior of environmentally persistent perfluorocarboxylic acids. Although the most intense transition for all three perfluorocarboxylic acids in the fundamental spectra is the CF3 stretch, the O-H stretch carries the most intensity in the overtone region. We record the O-H stretching transition frequencies and absorption cross-sections in the DeltavOH = 1-5 regions. Our work suggests that perfluorocarboxylic acids have more harmonic O-H bonds, smaller transition frequencies, and smaller intensities as compared to shorter-chain hydrocarbon acids, alcohols, and peroxides.     

Vibrational overtone induced elimination reactions within hydrogen-bonded molecular clusters: the dynamics of water catalyzed reactions in CH2FOH.H2On

The dynamics of the light initiated OH-overtone induced elimination reactions CH(2)FOH.(H(2)O)(n) + hnu--> HF + CH(2)O + n(H(2)O), n = 1-3, are studied using classical trajectory simulations where the ab initio potential energy surface is computed "on-the-fly". Hydrogen bonding to the water is found to lower the barrier to reaction by over 20 kcal mol(-1) and modifies the mechanism to a concerted multiple H-atom transfer process. The reaction process is found to occur on a rapid timescale, <100 fs, and involves the hydronium ion as an intermediate. An essential aspect of dynamics is the successful competition of reaction with energy dissipation through water evaporation from the cluster.     

Near infrared photochemistry of pyruvic acid in aqueous solution

Recent experimental and theoretical results have suggested that organic acids such as pyruvic acid, can be photolyzed in the ground electronic state by the excitation of the OH stretch vibrational overtone. These overtones absorb in the near-infrared and visible regions of the spectrum where the solar photons are plentiful and could provide a reaction pathway for the organic acids and alcohols that are abundant in the earth's atmosphere. In this paper the overtone initiated photochemistry of aqueous pyruvic acid is investigated by monitoring the evolution of carbon dioxide. In these experiments CO(2) is being produced by excitation in the near-infrared, between 850 nm and ～1150 nm (11,765-8696 cm(-1)), where the second OH vibrational overtone (Δν = 3) of pyruvic acid is expected to absorb. These findings show not only that the overtone initiated photochemical decarboxylation reaction occurs but also that in the aqueous phase it occurs at a lower energy than was predicted for the overtone initiated reaction of pyruvic acid in the gas phase (13,380 cm(-1)). A quantum yield of (3.5 ± 1.0) × 10(-4) is estimated, suggesting that although this process does occur, it does so with a very low efficiency.     

Application of 204mPb perturbed angular correlation of γ-rays spectroscopy in coordination chemistry

(204m)Pb perturbed angular correlation of γ-rays (PAC) spectroscopy has been applied successfully for the first time to detect the nuclear quadrupole interaction in a lead(II) coordination compound in a molecular crystal [tetraphenylarsonium lead(II) isomaleonitriledithiolate ([AsPh(4)](4)[Pb(2)(i-mnt)(4)])]. The recorded parameters from a powder crystalline sample are ν(Q) = 0.178(1) GHz and η = 0.970(7). The electric field gradient (EFG) was determined at the PW91/QZ4P level including relativistic effects using the two-component zeroth-order regular approximation method for both the [Pb(i-mnt)(2)](2-) monomer and the [Pb(2)(i-mnt)(4)](4-) dimer. Only the EFG for the latter compares favorably with the experimental data, indicating that the picture of this complex as a prototypical hemidirected coordination geometry with a stereochemically active lone pair on lead(II) is inadequate. Advantages and limitations of (204m)Pb PAC spectroscopy as a novel technique to elucidate the electronic and molecular structures of lead-containing complexes and biomolecules are presented.