Photodissociation Dynamics of Methanol and Ethanol at 157 nm

Abstract

157 nm photodissociation of jet-cooled CH3OH and C2H5OH was studied using the high-n Rydberg atom time-of-flight (TOF) technique. TOF spectra of nascent H atom products were measured. Simulation of these spectra reveals three different atomic H loss processes: one from hydroxyl H elimination, one from methyl (ethyl) H elimination, and one from secondary dissociation of the methoxy (ethoxy) radical. The relative branching ratio indicates secondary dissociation of ethoxy is less important than that of methoxy. The average angular anisotropy parameter of methanol is negative (with 0.3), indicating the transition dipole moment is perpendicular to the COH plane. The slightly more negative value of ethanol (with 0.4) implies that ethanol has a longer rotational period. These experimental results indicate that both systems undergo fast internal conversion to the 3s surface after it is excited to the 3px surface, and then dissociate on the 3s surface. The translational energy distribution of the CH3O+H products reveals extensive CH3 rocking or CH3 umbrella excitation in the CH3O radical. However the vibrational structures are not resolved in the C2H5O radical.