Matrix isolation of acetonitrile clusters from a pulsed supersonic beam

Abstract

Acetonitrile clusters (CH 3 CN) n different from the antiparallel dimer have so far not been observed in cryogcnic matrices. The combination of molecular beam and matrix isolation technique enabled us to evidence the presence of larger clusters in Ar matrix. In these experiments the task of the molecular beam is the production of the clusters via an adiabatic expansion under properly selected conditions. On the other hand, the matrix is needed for the conservation of the clusters. In combination with FT IR spectroscopy it has, therefore, essentially diagnostic relevance