The photoelectron spectra of gaseous silver halides

Ionization potentials have been determined for gaseous AgCl, AgBr and AgI using He(I) photoelectron spectroscopy. The solids were vaporized directly into the photon beam from a heated substrate. Molecular orbitals were assigned to observed spectral bands based upon simple molecular orbital arguments, band intensity relationships and observed spin—orbital splitting. The spectra of the gaseous silver halides are more complex than those of other diatomic halides as a result of Ag(d)-X(π) interactions which occur in these molecules.