Long-lived high-spin sextet states of N 2−

Abstract

Motivated by recent mass spectrometric observations of N 2 −, we have examined several high-spin sextet states of this fundamental ion. Following a general construction principle for long-lived electronic states of small molecules, we have found a long-lived 6Σ u + state of N 2 − that is stable with respect to direct single electron loss, as well as with respect to dissociation. All possible decay channels are spin forbidden and, therefore, this 6Σ u + state is long-lived and observable in a mass spectrometer. Comparison is made with CO − and general aspects of long-lived high-spin states of anions are stressed.