Infrared Spectroscopic Observation of the Stabilized Intermediate Complex FO3 Formed by Reaction of Mobile Fluorine Atoms with Ozone Molecules Trapped in an Argon Matrix

Abstract

Chemical reaction of F atoms with O3 molecules in a solid argon matrix was studied with FTIR spectroscopy. Fluorine atoms were generated by UV photolysis of F2 molecules in dilute solutions of F2 and O3 in solid argon. The FO−O2 complex is observed for the first time as an intermediate product by reaction of mobile F atoms with isolated ozone molecules. The observed complex is characterized by two intense absorption bands at 1522 and 968 cm-1. Use of isotopic mixtures 16O/18O provides strong evidence for assignment of these bands to the O−O stretch and F−O stretch fundamentals of the complex, which are red-shifted by 34 and 61 cm-1, respectively, from the corresponding values for O2 and FO. Photolysis at 532 nm leads to decay of the FO−O2 complexes and to the appearance of isolated free FO radicals.