HeI photoelectron spectroscopic study of the electronic structure of SSF2 and FSSF compounds

HeI photoelectron (PE) spectra are re-recorded for SSF₂ and FSSF. The assignment of bands has been made with the aid of band shapes, band intensities and ab initio calculations. In the PE spectrum of SSF₂, two sharp peaks at 10.48 and 11.22 eV are considered to result from through-space interaction of lone-pair orbitals in the two S atoms and two sharp peaks at 12.50 and 12.90 eV from through-space interaction of lone-pair orbitals in the two F atoms. The larger splitting of the S atoms can be attributed to the larger 3p orbital of S. The lack of sharp peaks in the PE spectrum of FSSF shows that there is no orbital which embodies the character of a lone-pair. So the PE spectra of SSF₂ and FSSF are examples embodying through-space interaction of lone-pair orbitals.