Coulomb explosion and fragmentation dynamics of propylene oxide dication

Abstract

A photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence technique, using an ion imaging detector and tunable synchrotron radiation in the 18.0 – 37.0 eV photon energy range, inducing the ejection of molecular valence electrons, has been applied to study the double ionization of the propylene oxide, a simple prototype chiral molecule. Energy thresholds for the formation of different ionic products and the related branching ratios as a function of the photon energy has been measured. The main recorded two-body fragmentation channels yield C2H4+ + CH2O+, and C2H3+ + CH3+ product ions (66.70% and 18.70%, respectively). These new experimental data are relevant information for further experimental and theoretical investigations of oriented chiral molecules.A photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence technique, using an ion imaging detector and tunable synchrotron radiation in the 18.0 – 37.0 eV photon energy range, inducing the ejection of molecular valence electrons, has been applied to study the double ionization of the propylene oxide, a simple prototype chiral molecule. Energy thresholds for the formation of different ionic products and the related branching ratios as a function of the photon energy has been measured. The main recorded two-body fragmentation channels yield C2H4+ + CH2O+, and C2H3+ + CH3+ product ions (66.70% and 18.70%, respectively). These new experimental data are relevant information for further experimental and theoretical investigations of oriented chiral molecules.