Conformational interconversions in supersonic jets: Matrix IR spectroscopy and model calculations

Terminal conformer populations in supersonic molecular beams have been measured by use of matrix IR spectroscopy. the experimental technique is based on trapping of the beam molecules in to a cryogenic matrix. The ratio of conformational isomers is determined by comparing intensity ratios of infrared absorption bands with those found in analogous experiments with thermal effusive molecular beams. supersonic beams of pure 1,2-difluoroethane a considerable depopulation fo the less stable trans conformer is found, the lowest terminal conformational temperature reached being T_c^t8 = 207 (3) K. In seeded argon beams the cooling of the conformational distribution was found to be weaker. In supersonic beams of 1,2-dichloroethane and of methyl nitrite no significant conformational cooling was found. The experimental results are discussed in terms of a kinetic model of conformational interconversion in the flow field of a continuum free jet. The calculation indicate that conformational cooling by supersonic expansion may be expected only for molecules with a low energy barrier to internal rotation.