Acetylenic CH Stretch Research Articles

Infrared Spectrum of Fulvenallene and Fulvenallenyl in Helium Droplets.

Fulvenallene is the global minimum on the C7H6 potential energy surface. Rearrangement of fulvenallene to other C7H6 species and dissociation to produce fulvenallenyl radical (C7H5) is carried out in a continuous-wave SiC pyrolysis furnace at 1500 K. Prompt pick-up and solvation by helium droplets allows for the acquisition of vibrational spectra of these species in the CH stretching region. Anharmonic frequencies for fulvenallene, fulvenallenyl, and three isomers of ethynylcyclopentadiene are computed ab initio; VPT2+K spectral simulations are based on hybrid CCSD(T) force fields with quadratic (cubic and quartic) force constants computed using the ANO1 (ANO0) basis set. The acetylenic CH stretch of the fulvenallenyl radical is a sensitive marker of the extent by which the unpaired electron is delocalized throughout the conjugated propargyl and cyclopentadienyl subunits. The nature of this electron delocalization is explored with spin density calculations at the ROHF-CCSD(T)/ANO1 level of theory. Atomic partitioning of the spin density allows for a description of the fulvenallenyl radical in terms of two resonance structures: fulvenallenyl is approximately 24% allenic and 76% acetylenic.

Sub-Doppler infrared spectroscopy of propargyl radical (H2CCCH) in a slit supersonic expansion.

The acetylenic CH stretch mode (ν1) of propargyl (H2CCCH) radical has been studied at sub-Doppler resolution (∼60 MHz) via infrared laser absorption spectroscopy in a supersonic slit-jet discharge expansion, where low rotational temperatures (Trot = 13.5(4) K) and lack of spectral congestion permit improved determination of band origin and rotational constants for the excited state. For the lowest J states primarily populated in the slit jet cooled expansion, fine structure due to the unpaired electron spin is resolved completely, which permits accurate analysis of electron spin-rotation interactions in the vibrationally excited states (εaa = - 518.1(1.8), εbb = - 13.0(3), εcc = - 1.8(3) MHz). In addition, hyperfine broadening in substantial excess of the sub-Doppler experimental linewidths is observed due to nuclear spin-electron spin contributions at the methylenic (-CH2) and acetylenic (-CH) positions, which permits detailed modeling of the fine/hyperfine structure line contours. The results are consistent with a delocalized radical spin density extending over both methylenic and acetylenic C atoms, in excellent agreement with simple resonance structures as well as ab initio theoretical calculations.

Propargyl + O2 Reaction in Helium Droplets: Entrance Channel Barrier or Not?

A combination of liquid He droplet experiments and multireference electronic structure calculations is used to probe the potential energy surface for the reaction between the propargyl radical and O2. Infrared laser spectroscopy is used to probe the outcome of the low temperature, liquid He-mediated reaction. Bands in the spectrum are assigned to the acetylenic CH stretch (ν1), the symmetric CH2 stretch (ν2), and the antisymmetric CH2 stretch (ν13) of the trans-acetylenic propargyl peroxy radical ((•)OO-CH2-C≡CH). The observed band origins are in excellent agreement with previously reported anharmonic frequency computations for this species [Jochnowitz, E. B.; Zhang, X.; Nimlos, M. R.; Flowers, B. A.; Stanton, J. F.; Ellison, G. B. J. Phys. Chem. A 2010, 114, 1498]. The Stark spectrum of the ν1 band provides further evidence that the reaction leads only to the trans-acetylenic species. There are no other bands in the CH2 stretching region that can be attributed to any of the other three propargyl peroxy isomers/conformers that are predicted to be minimum energy structures (gauche-acetylenic, cis-allenic, and trans-allenic). There is also no evidence for the kinetic stabilization of a van der Waals complex between propargyl and O2. A combination of multireference and coupled-cluster electronic structure calculations is used to probe the potential energy surface in the neighborhood of the transition state connecting reactants with the acetylenic adduct. The multireference based evaluation of the doublet-quartet splitting added to the coupled-cluster calculated quartet state energies yields what are likely the most accurate predictions for the doublet potential curve. This calculation suggests that there is no saddle point for the addition process, in agreement with the experimental observations. Other calculations suggest the possible presence of a small submerged barrier.

Conformation-Specific Spectroscopy of 3-Benzyl-1,5-hexadiyne

3-Benzyl-1,5-hexadiyne (BHD) was studied by a combination of methods, including resonance-enhanced-two-photon ionization, UV-UV hole-burning spectroscopy, resonant ion-dip infrared spectroscopy, and rotational band contour analysis. There are five conformations of BHD observed in the expansion with their 1<-- S0 origins occurring at 37520, 37565, 37599, 37605, and 37631 cm(-1). DFT calculations predict six low energy conformations. Conformational assignments have been made by comparison of the experimental infrared spectra in the alkyl and acetylenic CH stretch region to DFT vibrational frequency and infrared intensity calculations. Rotational band contours provided further confirmation of these assignments. The electronic origin shifts of BHD compare favorably to the electronic origin shifts of 5-phenyl-1-pentyne with the exception of one conformation. This conformation is unique in that it is the only structure with both acetylenic groups in the gauche position over the ring. This gauche-gauche conformation exhibits a perpendicular (b-type) transition and produces extensive vibronic coupling reminiscent of symmetric monosubstituted benzenes.

The Spectroscopic Consequences of C−H···π H-Bonding: C6H6−(C4H2)n Clusters with n = 1 and 2

The ultraviolet and infrared spectra of the C6H6−(C4H2)n complexes with n = 1 and 2 have been formed and studied in a supersonic expansion using resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI), resonant ion-dip infrared spectroscopy (RIDIRS), and IR−UV hole-burning spectroscopy. A T-shaped structure is deduced for the complex, with the C4H2 centered, end on, over the benzene ring. This C−H···π H-bond shifts the frequency of the vibronic transitions of C6H6 by 161 cm-1 to the blue. The acetylenic CH stretch fundamental of C4H2 is localized and split by formation of the π H-bond. The H-bonded CH stretch fundamental is lowered in frequency by about 40 cm-1, increased in intensity by more than a factor of 2, and split by a Fermi resonance that is turned on by the complexation. The C6H6−(C4H2)2 complex has a structure that makes the S1−S0 origin transition weakly allowed and possesses an infrared spectrum that has acetylenic CH stretch absorptions due to free CH, aromatic π-bound CH, and a more weakly π-bound CH. Its structure is tentatively assigned as a cyclic, “pinwheel” structure.

Analysis of theK-Subband Structure of the ν1Fundamental of Propargyl Radical H2CC≡CH

TheK-subband structure of the acetylenic CH stretch fundamental, ν1, of propargyl radical, CH2CCH, has been assigned and analyzed. TheK= 0, 1−, 1+, 3, 4, 5, and 6 upper state energies totaling 109 levels could be accurately fitted with Watson's fourth-orderA-reduced Hamiltonian. TheK= 2 subband was perturbed with the level crossing betweenN= 17 and 18.

Reinvestigation of the 2v1 Band in Trifluoropropyne using a Frequency Stabilized 1.5 μm Color Center Laser in Conjunction with a Laser Field Build‐up Cavity

AbstractThe highly perturbed spectrum of the first overtone of the acetylenic CH stretch in trifluoropropyne has been reinvestigated with an improved multi‐laser, optothermal detection, molecular beam spectrometer. The modifications include installing a build‐up cavity to enhance the coupling between a 1.5 μm color center laser and the molecular beam, and stabilizing the laser frequency to improve the spectrometer's resolution. Upon injecting 25 mW into the cavity, a power enhancement of about 600 is measured. The laser frequency is stabilized by locking it to an external, temperature stabilized, etalon and applying the feedback to an intracavity electro‐optic crystal. The frequency stability reached is estimated to be less than 4 parts in 1010 or 75 kHz (in a 30 Hz bandwidth centered at 300 Hz).Utilizing infrared/infrared double resonance, the K components of this highly perturbed spetrum were assigned. The results indicate that the lifetime of the acetylenic CH stretch is approximately 1.4 ns and does not change as a function of J' for 0 ≤ J' ≤4. In agreement with a previous lower resolution study [J. Chem. Phys. 95, 3891 (1991)], the P(1) clump shows an experimental density of states almost equal to the calculated one and the level spacing distribution is similar to that of a Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble indicating chaotic classical dynamics.

Intramolecular vibrational dynamics of diacetylene and diacetylene-d1 via eigenstate-resolved overtone spectroscopy

Abstract The high resolution spectra of several CH overtone bands in diacetylene and diacetylene-d1 were measured using optothermally detected excitation of a collimated molecular beam. The first overtone of the acetylenic CH stretches in these two molecules were recorded in a single resonance scheme using a 1.5 μm color center laser. The second overtone spectra were taken using sequential infrared/infrared double resonance with a 3.0 and a 1.5 μm color center lasers. The perturbations in the spectra have been analyzed to obtain information about the nature and timescales of the underlying intramolecular vibrational redistribution processes. The uncovered dynamical features appear to be dominated by anharmonic couplings and exhibit regular, not chaotic, behavior. The first and second overtone spectra of diacetylene-d1 are consistent with a coupling model which involves coupling through a doorway state and then subsequent coupling to the bath. In diacetylene, a combination band was also recorded which, in the local mode picture, is equivalent to putting two quanta in one acetylenic CH stretch and one quanta at the other end of the molecule. Comparison of this spectrum with the spectrum obtained by putting three quanta in the same CH stretch, is consistent with earlier observations that delocalized combination bands are less perturbed than nearly isoenergetic pure overtone states.

Molecular beam infrared spectroscopy and intramolecular dynamics of SF 5CCH in the region of the fundamental and first overtone of the acetylenic CH stretch

We have measured the high resolution spectrum of ethynylsulphurpentafluoride, SF 5CCH, in both the fundamental and the first overtone of the acetylenic CH stretch in a collimated, supersonic molecular beam. The intramolecular redistribution of vibrational energy is discussed in relation to previous experimental results for other similar molecules and theoretical models. The absence of low order anharmonic resonances and the long (⪢ 1 ns) lifetime derived from the spectra support a previously proposed correlation between these two molecular properties.

Sub-Doppler, infrared laser spectroscopy of the propyne 2ν1 band: Evidence of z-axis Coriolis dominated intramolecular state mixing in the acetylenic CH stretch overtone

The eigenstate-resolved 2ν1 (acetylenic CH stretch) absorption spectrum of propane has been observed for J′=0–11 and K=0–3 in a skimmed supersonic molecular beam using optothermal detection. Radiation near 1.5 μm was generated by a color center laser allowing spectra to be obtained with a full-width at half-maximum resolution of 6×10−4 cm−1 (18 MHz). Three distinct characteristics are observed for the perturbations suffered by the optically active (bright) acetylenic CH stretch vibrational state due to vibrational coupling to the nonoptically active (dark) vibrational bath states. (1) The K=0 states are observed to be unperturbed. (2) Approximately 2/3 of the observed K=1–3 transitions are split into 0.02–0.25 cm−1 wide multiplets of two to five lines. These splittings are due to intramolecular coupling of 2ν1 to the near resonant bath states with an average matrix element of 〈V2〉1/2=0.002 cm−1 that appears to grow approximately linearly with K. (3) The K subband origins are observed to be displaced from the positions predicted for a parallel band, symmetric top spectrum. The first two features suggest that the coupling of the bright state to the bath states is dominated by parallel (z-axis) Coriolis coupling. The third suggests a nonresonant coupling (Coriolis or anharmonic) to a perturber, not directly observed in the spectrum, that itself tunes rapidly with K; the latter being the signature of diagonal z-axis Coriolis interactions affecting the perturber. A natural interpretation of these facts is that the coupling between the bright state and the dark states is mediated by a doorway state that is anharmonically coupled to the bright state and z-axis Coriolis coupled to the dark states. Z-axis Coriolis coupling of the doorway state to the bright state can be ruled out since the ν1 normal mode cannot couple to any of the other normal modes by a parallel Coriolis interaction. Based on the range of measured matrix elements and the distribution of the number of perturbations observed we find that the bath levels that couple to 2ν1 do not exhibit Gaussian orthogonal ensemble type statistics but instead show statistics consistent with a Poisson spectrum, suggesting regular, not chaotic, classical dynamics.

Theoretical study of intramolecular vibrational relaxation of acetylenic CH vibration for v=1 and 2 in large polyatomic molecules (CX3)3YCCH, where X=H or D and Y=C or Si

Quantum calculations are reported for the intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution and absorption spectra of the first two excited states of the acetylenic CH stretch vibration in the polyatomic molecules (CX3)3YCCH, where X=H or D and Y=C or Si. Using approximate potential energy surfaces, comparison is made with the corresponding recent experimental spectra. It is found that a model of intramolecular vibrational relaxation based on the assumption of sequential off-resonance transitions via third and fourth order vibrational couplings (as opposed to direct high order couplings) is in agreement with experimental results on spectral linewidths. In a semiclassical limit this type of relaxation corresponds to a dynamic tunneling in phase space. It is shown that the local density of resonances of third and fourth order, rather than the total density of states, plays a central role for the relaxation. It is found that in the Si molecule an accidental absence of appropriate resonances results in a bottleneck in the initial stages of relaxation. As a result, an almost complete localization of the initially prepared excitation occurs. It is shown that an increase of the mass alone of the central atom from C to Si cannot explain the observed difference in the C and Si molecules. The spectral linewidths were calculated with the Golden Rule formula after prediagonalization of the relevant vibrational states which are coupled in the molecule to the CH vibration, directly or indirectly. For the spectral calculations, in addition to the direct diagonalization, a modified recursive residue generation method was used, allowing one to avoid diagonalization of the transformed Lanczos Hamiltonian. With this method up to 30 000 coupled states could be analyzed on a computer with relatively small memory. The efficiency of C programming language for the problem is discussed.

Rotationally resolved spectrum of the ν 1 CH stretch of the propargyl radical (H 2CCCH)

The ν 1 acetylenic CH stretch of the propargyl radical (HCCCH 2) near 3322 cm −1 has been observed by infrared laser kinetic spectroscopy at Doppler limited resolution. Propargyl is prepared by flash photolysis of propargyl bromide or propargyl chloride at 193 nm and its transient infrared absorption probed by a cw color center laser. The spectrum consists, as is expected, of only a-type (Δ K=0) transitions, and near the origin appears quite simple resembling that of a diatomic molecule. This means that the A and D K rotational constants in the upper state must differ little from the ground state so that the various K subbands overlap almost exactly. However, at N⩾14 the spectrum no longer has this regular pattern, probably because of perturbations of the excited state by nearby vibrational levels. Ground and excited state rotational constants were determined by fitting the K=1 lines having N″ <14.