Spin-orbit ab initio investigation of the photolysis of bromoiodomethane.

The photodissociation of bromoiodomethane has been investigated by spin-orbit ab initio calculations. The experimentally observed A- and B-bands and the corresponding photoproducts were assigned by multistate second-order multiconfigurational perturbation theory in conjunction with spin-orbit interaction through complete active space state interaction potential energy curves, vertical excitation energies, and oscillator strengths of low-lying excited states. The present conclusions with respect to the dissociation process in the B-band are different compared with those of previous studies. The reaction between the iso-CH(2)Br-I and iso-CH(2)I-Br species has also been studied. Finally, a set of stable excited states was identified for both isomers. These species might be of importance in the recombination process that follows the photodissociation in a solvent.