Vibrational relaxation dynamics of catalysts on TiO2 Rutile (1 1 0) single crystal surfaces and anatase nanoporous thin films

Abstract

Time-resolved vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the vibrational relaxation dynamics of the rhenium bipyridyl CO2-reduction catalyst Re(CO)3Cl(dcbpy) [dcbpy=4,4′-dicarboxy-2,2′-bipyridine] adsorbed onto the (110) surface of a Rutile TiO2 single crystal. IR pump-VSFG probe spectra of the a′(1) CO stretching mode indicate a ultrafast population equilibration between three CO stretching modes followed by their population relaxation via intramolecular vibrational energy transfer. Similar vibational relaxation dynamics was also observed for the same complex on anatase TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films measured by IR pump-IR probe transient absorption spectroscopy. The relaxation dynamics of ReCOA on TiO2, in DMF solution, and immobilized on Au through alkane thiol linkers were compared to examine possible effects of adsorbate-TiO2 interaction.