Striving to understand the photophysics and photochemistry of thiophosgene: a combined CASSCF and MR-CI study

The potential energy surfaces for Cl(2)CS dissociation into ClCS + Cl in the five lowest electronic states have been determined with the combined complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and MR-CI method. The wavelength-dependent photodissociation dynamics of Cl(2)CS have been characterized through computed potential energy surfaces, surface crossing points, and CASSCF molecular dynamics calculations. Irradiation of the Cl(2)CS molecules at 360-450 nm does not provide sufficient internal energy to overcome the barrier on S(1) dissociation, and the S(1)/T(2) intersection region is energetically inaccessible at this wavelength region; therefore, S(1) --> T(1) intersystem crossing is the dominant process, which is the main reason S(1)-S(0) fluorescence breaks off at excess energies of 3484-9284 cm(-1). Also, the S(1) --> T(2) intersystem crossing process can take place via the S(1)-T(2) vibronic interaction in this range of excess energies, which is mainly responsible for the quantum beats observed in the S(1) emission. Both S(2) direct dissociation and S(2) --> S(3) internal conversion are responsible for the abrupt breakoff of S(2)-S(0) fluorescence at higher excess energies. S(2) direct dissociation leads to the formation of the fragments of Cl(X(2)P) + ClCS(A(2)A' ') in excited electronic states, while S(2) --> S(3) internal conversion followed by direct internal conversion to the ground electronic state results in the fragments produced in the ground state.