A high-resolution FT-IR study of the fundamental bands nu7, nu8, and nu18 of ethene secondary ozonide

Ozonization reaction of ethene in neat film at 77 K was performed. Separation of ethene secondary ozonide from the other products of the reaction was performed by continuous pumping of the reactor. Only the products, which evaporated from the walls of the reactor at 185 K, were transferred to the gas cell. The high-resolution infrared absorption spectrum of gaseous ethene secondary ozonide (C(2)H(4)O(3)) in a static gas long-path absorption cell has been recorded in the 900-1100 cm(-1) spectral region at 185 K. The spectral resolution was 0.003 cm(-1). Analyses of the nu(7)(A) band at 1037.0 cm(-1), the nu(8)(A) band at 956.1 cm(-1), and the nu(18)(B) band at 1082.1 cm(-1) have been performed using the Watson Hamiltonian model (A, reduction; III(r), representation). A set of ground-state rotational and quartic centrifugal distortion constants have been obtained, and upper state spectroscopic constants have been determined for the bands investigated. A local resonance observed in nu(18) is explained as c-Coriolis interaction with nu(10) + nu(11).     

Conformational studies of aliphatic secondary ozonides (propene, 1-butene and 1-heptene) by means of FTIR spectroscopy

Ozonization reaction of simple alkenes was studied by means of FT infrared absorption gas spectroscopy. The reaction was performed at 95 K in neat films of the reactants. IR absorption spectra of the gaseous products were recorded. The spectra were analyzed combining experimental results with theoretical calculations performed at B3LYP 6-311++G (3df, 3pd) level. We found that among all theoretically predicted conformers of propene secondary ozonide, only one which has the O-O half-chair configuration for the five membered ring and the radical attached in the equatorial position was present in the sample. Samples of 1-butene and 1-heptene secondary ozonides consist from two conformers of very similar energy (ΔH=0.3 kJ/mol). The most stable conformer for both ozonides is the one with O-O half-chair configuration of the five membered ring and the radical attached in equatorial position and the aliphatic chain in gauche position. The second stable conformer has the aliphatic chain in anti position.     

Photochemistry of acetylacetone isolated in parahydrogen matrices upon 266 nm irradiation

The photochemistry of the chelated enol form of acetylacetone (AcAc) was investigated by UV excitation of the S(2) state at 266 nm in parahydrogen matrices, complemented by experiments in neon and normal hydrogen matrices. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, combined with theoretical calculations, was used to identify the photoproducts. Isomerization towards various non-chelated forms (no intramolecular H-bond) of AcAc is the dominant channel whereas fragmentation is very minor. The isomerization kinetics is monitored by IR spectroscopy. Among the seven non-chelated conformers of AcAc, only three are formed in parahydrogen matrices, whereas four are observed in normal hydrogen matrices. This difference suggests that an active tunnelling process between conformers occurs in parahydrogen but is quenched in normal hydrogen where guest-host interactions are stronger. Fragmentation and isomerization of excited AcAc are discussed in the light of these new data. The role of the intermediate triplet state in the S(2)→ S(0) relaxation is confirmed, as the importance of phonons in the condensed phase.     

Conformational isomerism of 1-butene secondary ozonide as studied by means of matrix isolation infrared absorption spectroscopy

Theoretical calculations of structures, stability and vibrational spectra of 1-butene secondary ozonide (SOZ) conformers were performed using DFT method B3LYP with a 6-311++G(3df, 3pd) basis set. The calculations predict six staggered structures of 1-butene SOZ. The FTIR spectra of 1-butene SOZ isolated in Ar, N₂ and Xe matrices were recorded. It was found that nitrogen is the best suited for the matrix isolation of 1-butene SOZ. The bandwidth of the spectral bands of the ozonide isolated in nitrogen was as narrow as 2 cm⁻¹. For the first time the existence of five conformers of 1-butene SOZ were confirmed experimentally by means of matrix isolation infrared absorption spectroscopy. The equatorial gauche (∠OCCC=−66.1°) conformer was proved theoretically and experimentally to be the most stable. It was found that due to high potential barriers of the conformational transitions annealing of the matrix is useless for the assignment of spectral bands to various conformers of 1-butene SOZ. Using the hot nozzle technique the van’t Hoff experimental plots were made for three additional conformers of 1-butene SOZ and experimental ΔH values for these additional conformers were established. The crystallization problems of 1-butene SOZ are discussed which accounts for the rich conformational diversity of the ozonide as well as high conformational barriers for axial-equatorial transitions.      

Intermolecular vibrations of the water trimer, a matrix isolation study

Infrared spectra from 25 to 4000 cm(-1) have been recorded of water (H2O, D2O and H218O) matrix isolated in neon, argon, and krypton matrices. Intermolecular absorption bands of different isotopologues of the water trimer and tetramer have been assigned from concentration dependencies and diffusion behavior, using the well-known mid-infrared trimer and tetramer absorption bands as measures of the trimer and tetramer concentrations. The results are compared to ab initio calculations.     

Far-infrared band strengths in the water dimer: experiments and calculations

Most fundamentals modes of the water dimer have been experimentally determined, and the frequencies have been measured in either neon or parahydrogen matrices. The band strengths of all intramolecular and most intermolecular fundamentals of the water dimer have been measured. The results are further corroborated by comparison with the corresponding data for the fully deuterated water dimer. DFT calculations of the mode frequencies and band strength are in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations.     

Nuclear spin conversion to probe the methyl rotation effect on hydrogen-bond and vibrational dynamics

A noteworthy example of a molecule with coupled large-amplitude motions is provided by acetylacetone (methyl group torsions and intramolecular hydrogen bonds). The molecule was trapped in solid parahydrogen to investigate the complex proton tunneling processes. Nuclear spin conversion in methyl groups is observed and, combined with IR spectra, documents the coupling between high frequency modes and large amplitude motions.     

UV-induced growth of cyanopolyyne chains in cryogenic solids

UV laser excitation of cryogenic solids doped with cyanoethyne, HC(3)N, led to an in situ creation of longer carbon-nitrogen chains, namely HC(5)N, C(4)N(2), and C(6)N(2), heralded by their strong visible luminescence. HC(5)N and C(4)N(2) molecules can form, most probably, within HC(3)N aggregates linked by hydrogen bonds, while the reaction occurring between two isolated, photochemically created C(3)N radicals yields C(6)N(2). This latter species, dicyanobutadiyne, is easily detected in Ar, Kr, N(2), as well as in parahydrogen solids. The C(6)N(2) phosphorescence is identified here for the first time. The reported carbon chain coupling reactions in rigid environments are of interest for astrochemistry of interstellar ices.     

Standard‐free composition measurements of Alx In1–xN by low‐loss electron energy loss spectroscopy

We demonstrate a standard‐free method to retrieve compositional information in Al_x In_1–xN thin films by measuring the bulk plasmon energy (E_p), employing electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Two series of samples were grown by magnetron sputter epitaxy (MSE) and metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), which together cover the full com‐ positional range 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. Complementary compositional measurements were obtained using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and the lattice parameters were obtained by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). It is shown that E_p follows a linear relation with respect to composition and lattice parameter between the alloying elements from AlN to InN allowing for straightforward compositional analysis. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)