Chemical activation of molecules by metals: Experimental studies of electron distributions and bonding. Technical progress report, March 1, 1992--February 28, 1995

Abstract

During this period of the project we have (1) accomplished the high-resolution gas phase photoelectron spectra of C{sub 60} and C{sub 70}, (2) characterized the electronic features of imaging C{sub 60} on gold by STM, (3) evaluated the orbital distributions of C{sub 60} and the bonding interactions with metals, (4) revealed details of the bonding of phosphines to metals, including the subtleties of a geometrical twist in sterically crowded situations, (5) determined the formal electron distribution in the bonding of {eta}{sup 3} -cyclopropenyl with metals, (6) related gas-phase ionization energies to electron transfer kinetics and ion salvation thermochemistry of metallocenes, (7) correlated lone-pair ionization energies with proton affinities for a variety of amino acids and related compounds, (8) examined sigma-pi interactions in non-conjugated polyalkynes, (9) characterized extensive metal-ligand {pi} interactions in metal-acetylide compounds, and (10) continued to develop the experimental and theoretical methods for these studies. All of these studies have contributed significantly to expanding our understanding of the electronic structure and bonding of organic molecules and the ways this electronic structure is altered by interaction with metals. Further developments in the instrumentation and methods of gas phase and surface photoelectron spectroscopy are underway. Most notable is the progress on the new gas phase photoelectron spectrometer that combines improved capabilities for He I/He II UPS, XPS, and Auger investigations of organometallic molecules.