Resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization − time of flight (REMPI-TOF) detection of Br ( 2 P j ) atoms in the photodissociation of 4-bromo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridine at 234 nm: Effect of low-lying πσ* states

Abstract

Abstract The photodissociation dynamics of 4-bromo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridine (BTFP) have been studied in a supersonic molecular beam around 234 nm, which prepares the molecule in its ππ* state. The dynamics of the C Br bond dissociation have been investigated using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometer (REMPI-TOFMS) by detecting the nascent spin orbit states of the primary bromine atoms, namely, Br (2P3/2) and Br*(2P1/2). State specific polarization dependent TOF profiles were obtained, from which the translational energy distributions and recoil anisotropy parameters, βi, were extracted using forward convolution method. A strong polarization dependence of TOF profiles suggests anisotropic distributions of the Br and Br* fragments. Two components, namely, the fast and the slow, are observed in the translational energy distribution of Br and Br* atoms, formed from different potential energy surfaces. The average translational energies released into the Br and Br* channels for the fast component are 17.3 ± 2.0 and 11.1 ± 2.0 kcal/mol, respectively. Similarly, for the slow component, the average translational energies imparted into the Br and Br* channels are 2.6 ± 1.0 and 1.5 ± 1.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The relative quantum yields of Br and Br* are 0.87 ± 0.15 and 0.13 ± 0.06. The anisotropy parameters for Br and Br* are characterized by a similar value of 0.60 ± 0.05. The energy partitioning into the translational modes is interpreted with the help of various models. The experimental studies revealing the nature of translational energies distribution for Br and Br* and its average value along with the theoretical calculations employing Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) and Multi Configuration Quasi Degenerate second order Perturbation Theory (MCQDPT2) suggest that the initially prepared ππ* state crosses over to a nearby σ* repulsive state along the C Br bond, mainly, πσ* state from where the dissociation takes place. The results also indicate the process of fast internal conversion to ground state from the initially prepared ππ* state, which eventually forms slow Br atoms after C-Br bond dissociation process on the ground state. During the course of experiments, the absorption spectrum was also obtained with its absolute absorption cross section. Non-adiabatic curve crossing plays an important role in the C Br bond dissociation of BTFP.