Photodissociation of binary metal metallocarbohedrenes

Abstract

The 532 nm photodissociation of the three singly substituted, binary metal containing Metallocarbohedrenes, Ti7MC12+ (M=Y, Zr, or Nb), is investigated. The photofragments are identified through energy analysis of the fragment ions in a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a new technique in photodissociation studies that results in a more accurate identification of the photofragment mass than what would normally be achievable through mass analysis using time-of-flight determinations. The findings reveal that the dominant mechanism proceeds through the loss of neutral Ti atoms for all clusters studied.