Imaging Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence Research Articles

Dissociative Ionization Mechanism and Appearance Energies in Adipic Acid Revealed by Imaging Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence, Selective Deuteration, and Calculations.

Adipic acid, a model compound for oxygenated organic aerosol, has been studied at the VUV beamline of the Swiss Light Source. Internal energy selected cations were prepared by threshold photoionization using vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy (iPEPICO). The threshold photoelectron spectrum yields a vertical ionization energy (IE) of 10.5 eV, significantly above the calculated adiabatic IE of 8.6 eV. The cationic minimum is accessible after vertical ionization by H-transfer from one of the γ-carbons to a carbonyl oxygen and is sufficiently energetic to decay by water loss at the ionization onset. The slope of the breakdown curves, quantum chemical calculations, and selective deuteration of the carboxylic hydrogens establish the dissociative photoionization mechanism. After ionization, one γ-methylene hydrogen and the two carboxylic hydrogens are randomized prior to H2O loss. On the basis of the deuteration degree in the H2O + CO-loss product at higher energies, a direct water-loss channel without complete randomization also exists. The breakdown diagram and center of gravity of the H2O + CO-loss peak were modeled to obtain 0 K appearance energies of 10.77, 10.32, and 11.53 eV for H2O + CO loss, CH2COOH loss, and H2O + CH2COOH loss from adipic acid. These agree well with the CBS-QB3 calculated values of 10.68, 10.45, and 11.57 eV, respectively, which shows that threshold photoionization can yield energetics data as long as the dissociation is statistical, even when the parent ion cannot be observed. The results can be used as a starting point for a deeper understanding of the ionization and low-energy fragmentation of organic aerosol components.

Bifurcated dissociative photoionization mechanism of acetic acid anhydride revealed by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy.

The fragmentation processes of internal energy selected acetic acid anhydride cations, Ac2O+, were investigated by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy. The first dissociation channel leads to the formation of CH3C(O)OCO+ (m/z = 87) by a CH3-loss. The 0 K appearance energy (E0) was determined to be 10.289 ± 0.010 eV, in excellent agreement with the G4-calculated 10.28 eV transition state (TS) energy. Based on the thermochemical onset of CH3C(O)OCO+, a reverse barrier of 40 kJ mol-1 was found. The second dissociation channel leads to the formation of the acetyl cation, CH3CO+ (m/z = 43). The appearance of trace amounts of acetone in the mass spectra, statistical modeling of the branching ratios, and quantum chemical calculations point to the existence of a post-transition-state bifurcation on the potential energy surface and a single TS leading to multiple products. That is, at higher excess energies, the CH3-group may swerve back along an orbiting pathway to form the acetone cation by CO2-loss instead of leaving directly. The acetone cation thus formed is then energetic enough to lose a methyl group and yield the acetyl cation at a phenomenological E0 = 10.316 ± 0.015 eV. The acetyl cation, which dominates the breakdown diagram up to 16 eV photon energy, is also formed by sequential CO2-loss from the CH3C(O)OCO+ intermediate at E0 = 10.53 ± 0.03 eV. The CH3+ (m/z = 15) fragment ion appears above 13 eV photon energy. This species can be produced directly from the parent ion or via two sequential dissociation channels: by acetyl radical loss from the acetone cation or CO-loss from the acetyl cation.

Vacuum upgrade and enhanced performances of the double imaging electron/ion coincidence end-station at the vacuum ultraviolet beamline DESIRS.

We report here the recent upgrade of the SAPHIRS permanent photoionization end-station at the DESIRS vacuum ultraviolet beamline of synchrotron SOLEIL, whose performances have been enhanced by installing an additional double-skimmer differential chamber. The smaller molecular beam profile obtained at the interaction region has increased the mass resolution of the double imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (i(2)PEPICO) spectrometer, DELICIOUS III, installed in the photoionization chamber of the SAPHIRS endstation, by a factor of two, to M/ΔM ∼ 1700 (FWHM). The electron kinetic energy resolution offered by the velocity map imaging (VMI) part of the spectrometer has been improved down to 2.8% (ΔE/E) as we show on the N2 photoionization case in the double skimmer configuration. As a representative example of the overall state-of-the-art i(2)PEPICO performances, experimental results of the dissociation of state-selected O2(+)(B(2)∑(g)(-), v(+) = 0-6) molecular ions performed at the fixed photon energy of hν = 21.1 eV are presented.

Dissociative Photoionization of Diethyl Ether.

The dissociative photoionization of internal energy selected diethyl ether ions was investigated by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy. In a large, 5 eV energy range Et2O(+) cations decay by two parallel and three sequential dissociative photoionization channels, which can be modeled well using statistical theory. The 0 K appearance energies of the CH3CHOCH2CH3(+) (H-loss, m/z = 73) and CH3CH2O═CH2(+) (methyl-loss, m/z = 59) fragment ions were determined to be 10.419 ± 0.015 and 10.484 ± 0.008 eV, respectively. The reemergence of the hydrogen-loss ion above 11 eV is attributed to transition-state (TS) switching, in which the second, outer TS is rate-determining at high internal energies. At 11.81 ± 0.05 eV, a secondary fragment of the CH3CHOCH2CH3(+) (m/z = 73) ion, protonated acetaldehyde, CH3CH═OH(+) (m/z = 45) appears. On the basis of the known thermochemical onset of this fragment, a reverse barrier of 325 meV was found. Two more sequential dissociation reactions were examined, namely, ethylene and formaldehyde losses from the methyl-loss daughter ion. The 0 K appearance energies of 11.85 ± 0.07 and 12.20 ± 0.08 eV, respectively, indicate no reverse barrier in these processes. The statistical model of the dissociative photoionization can also be used to predict the fractional ion abundances in threshold photoionization at large temperatures, which could be of use in, for example, combustion diagnostics.

A complete map of the ion chemistry of the naphthalene radical cation? DFT and RRKM modeling of a complex potential energy surface.

The fragmentation mechanisms of the naphthalene molecular ion to [M-C4H2](+•), [M-C2H2](+•), [M-H2](+•), and [M-H(•)](+) were obtained at the UB3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//UB3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory and were subsequently used to calculate the microcanonical rate constants, k(E)'s, for all the steps by the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus formalism. The pre-equilibrium and steady state approximations were applied on different regions of the potential energy profiles to obtain the fragmentation k(E)'s and calculate the relative abundances of the ions as a function of energy. These results reproduce acceptably well the imaging photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectra of naphthalene, in the photon-energy range 14.0-18.8 eV that was previously reported by our group. Prior to dissociation, the molecular ion rapidly equilibrates with a set of isomers that includes the Z- and E-phenylvinylacetylene (PVA) radical cations. The naphthalene ion is the predominant isomer below 10 eV internal energy, with the other isomers remaining at steady state concentrations. Later on, new steady-state intermediates are formed, such as the azulene and 1-phenyl-butatriene radical cations. The naphthalene ion does not eject an H atom directly but eliminates an H2 molecule in a two-step fragmentation. H(•) loss occurs instead from the 1-phenyl-butatriene ion. The PVA ions initiate the ejection of diacetylene (C4H2) to yield the benzene radical cation. Acetylene elimination yields the pentalene cation at low energies (where it can account for 45.9%-100.0% of the rate constant of this channel), in a three-step mechanism starting from the azulene ion. However, above 7.6 eV, the major [M-C2H2](+•) structure is the phenylacetylene cation.

The ionisation energy of cyclopentadienone: a photoelectron–photoion coincidence study

Imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectra of cyclopentadienone (C5H4=O and C5D4=O) have been measured at the Swiss Light Source Synchrotron (Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland) at the Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) Beamline. Complementary to the photoelectron spectra, photoionisation efficiency curves were measured with tunable VUV radiation at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline at the Advanced Light Source Synchrotron (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA). For both experiments, molecular beams diluted in argon and helium were generated from the vacuum flash pyrolysis of o-phenylene sulphite in a resistively heated microtubular SiC flow reactor. The Franck–Condon profiles and ionisation energies were calculated at the CCSD(T) level of theory, and are in excellent agreement with the observed iPEPICO spectra. The ionisation energies of both cyclopentadienone-d0, IE(C5H4=O), and cyclopentadienone-d4, IE(C5D4=O), were observed to be the same: 9.41 ± 0.01 eV. The mass-selected threshold photoelectron spectrum (ms-TPES) of cyclopentadienone reveals that the C=C stretch in the ground state of the cation is excited upon ionisation, supporting computational evidence that the ground state of the cation is 2A2, and is in agreement with previous studies. However, the previously reported ionisation potential has been improved considerably in this work. In addition, since o-benzoquinone (o-O=C6H4=O and o-O=C6D4=O) is also produced in this process, its ms-TPES has been recorded. From the iPEPICO and photoionisation efficiency spectra, we infer an adiabatic ionisation energy of IE(o-O=C6H4=O) = 9.3 ± 0.1 eV, but the rather structureless spectrum indicates a strong change in geometry upon ionisation making this value less reliable.

Dissociative photoionization of quinoline and isoquinoline.

Two nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon isomers of C9H7N composition, quinoline, and isoquinoline have been studied by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy at the VUV beamline of the Swiss Light Source. High resolution threshold photoelectron spectra have been recorded and are interpreted applying a Franck-Condon model. Dissociative ionization mass spectra as a function of the parent ion internal energy are analyzed with the use of breakdown diagrams. HCN loss and H loss are the dominant dissociation paths for both C9H7N(•+) isomers at photon energies below 15.5 eV. Computed C9H7N(•+) potential energy surfaces suggest that the lowest energy path leading to HCN-loss yields the benzocyclobutadiene cation. A statistical model is used to fit the breakdown diagram and-to account for the kinetic shift-the time-of-flight mass spectra that reveal the dissociation rates. We have derived appearance energies of 11.9 ± 0.1 (HCN loss) and 12.0 ± 0.1 (H loss), as well as 11.6 ± 0.2 (HCN loss) and 12.1 ± 0.2 (H loss) eV, for the dissociative ionization of quinoline and isoquinoline, respectively. The results are compared to a recent study on the dissociative ionization of naphthalene. Implications for the formation and destruction of nitrogenated PAHs in the interstellar medium and in Titan's atmosphere are highlighted.

CH3(+) Formation in the Dissociation of Energy-Selected CH3F(+) Studied by Double Imaging Electron/Ion Coincidences.

The dissociation of energy-selected methyl fluoride ion CH3F(+) along the CH3(+) and F formation channel has been investigated in detail in the 12.2-19.8 eV energy range. Three low-lying electronic states of the CH3F(+) ion, X(2)E, A(2)A1, and B(2)E, were prepared and analyzed by the method of double imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (i(2)PEPICO). Three types of CH3(+) fragment ions corresponding to the dissociation of X(2)E, A(2)A1, and B(2)E electronic states have been observed and identified through their kinetic energy release distribution (KERD) curves, showing that the dissociation of the CH3F(+) ion in the different electronic states along the CH3(+) formation channel is state-specific, even outside of the Franck-Condon region. Highly excited vibrational levels of the X(2)E ground state can be populated through a resonant or near-resonant autoionization process and undergo vibrational predissociation into CH3(+) fragment ions. The A(2)A1 first excited state is repulsive along the F-loss coordinate, and its dissociation is direct and fast. The CH3F(+) ions in the B(2)E excited state first undergo an internal conversion toward the hot cation ground state X(2)E and then statistically dissociate into CH3(+) and F fragments.

Intramolecular C-N bond activation and ring-expansion reactions of N-heterocyclic carbenes.

Intramolecular ring-expansion reactions (RER) of the N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene were observed upon vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoexcitation. Similarly to RERs reported in the solvent phase, for the reaction of NHCs with main-group-element hydrides, hydrogen transfer to the NHC carbon atom is the crucial initial step. In an ionization-mediated protonation, 1,3-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene forms an imidazolium ion, which is the rate-limiting step on the pathway to two six-membered ring products, namely, methylpyrimidinium and -pyrazinium ions. To unravel the reaction path, we have used imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy with VUV synchrotron radiation, as well as high-level composite method calculations. Similarities and differences between the mechanism in the gas phase and in the condensed phase are discussed.

Elucidating the thermal decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization: pathways to the PO radical, a key species in flame-retardant mechanisms.

The production of phosphoryl species (PO, PO2, HOPO) is believed to be of great importance for efficient flame-retardant action in the gas phase. We present a detailed investigation of the thermal decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) probed by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation and imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy. This technique provides a snapshot of the thermolysis process and direct evidence of how the reactive phosphoryl species are generated during heat exposure. One of the key findings of this work is that only PO is formed in high concentration upon DMMP decomposition, whereas PO2 is absent. It can be concluded that the formation of PO2 needs an oxidative environment, which is typically the case in a real flame. Based on the identification of products such as methanol, formaldehyde, and PO, as well as the intermediates O=P-CH3, H2C=P-OH, and H2C=P(=O)H, supported by quantum chemical calculations, we were able to describe the predominant pathways that lead to active phosphoryl species during the thermal decomposition of DMMP.

Dissociative photoionization and threshold photoelectron spectra of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fragments: an imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) study of four substituted benzene radical cations.

Four molecules were investigated by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy: 1-propynylbenzene, indene, ethynylbenzene, and benzocyclobutene. Their threshold photoelectron spectrum was obtained and electronic transitions were assigned by OVGF (outer valence Green's function) calculations. Vibrational progressions observed in the electronic ground and excited states were simulated by calculating Franck-Condon factors based on the neutral as well as the cation ground and excited state geometries. iPEPICO was used to obtain ion dissociation data in threshold photoionization as a function of photon energy, which were modeled with RRKM theory to extract kinetic parameters for the reactions C9H8(+•) (1-propynylbezene) → C9H7(+) + H (R1); C9H8(+•) (indene) → C9H7(+) + H (R2); C8H8(+•) (benzocyclobutene) → C8H7(+) + H (R3); C8H8(+•) (benzocyclobutene) → C6H6(+) + C2H2 (R4); C8H6(+•) (1-ethynylbenzene, aka phenylacetylene) → C6H4(+) + C2H2 (R5). These results were compared to G3 level calculations. In addition, the enthalpy of formation of the indenyl radical was estimated to be ΔfH°0K = 249 ± 50 kJ mol(-1) based on a previously measured IE and a cation ΔfH°0K = 976 kJ mol(-1), determined herein.

Dissociation of the anthracene radical cation: a comparative look at iPEPICO and collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry results.

The dissociation of the anthracene radical cation has been studied using two different methods: imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectrometry (iPEPCO) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-collision induced dissociation mass spectrometry (APCI-CID). Four reactions were investigated: (R1) C14H10(+•) → C14H9(+) + H, (R2) C14H9(+) → C14H8(+•) + H, (R3) C14H10(+•) → C12H8(+•) + C2H2 and (R4) C14H10(+•) → C10H8(+•) + C4H2. An attempt was made to assign structures to each fragment ion, and although there is still room for debate whether for the C12H8(+•) fragment ion is a cyclobuta[b]naphthalene or a biphenylene cation, our modeling results and calculations appear to suggest the more likely structure is cyclobuta[b]naphthalene. The results from the iPEPICO fitting of the dissociation of ionized anthracene are E0 = 4.28 ± 0.30 eV (R1), 2.71 ± 0.20 eV (R2), and 4.20 ± 0.30 eV (average of reaction R3) whereas the Δ(‡)S values (in J K(-1) mol(-1)) are 12 ± 15 (R1), 0 ± 15 (R2), and either 7 ± 10 (using cyclobuta[b]naphthalene ion fragment in reaction R3) or 22 ± 10 (using the biphenylene ion fragment in reaction R3). Modeling of the APCI-CID breakdown diagrams required an estimate of the postcollision internal energy distribution, which was arbitrarily assumed to correspond to a Boltzmann distribution in this study. One goal of this work was to determine if this assumption yields satisfactory energetics in agreement with the more constrained and theoretically vetted iPEPICO results. In the end, it did, with the APCI-CID results being similar.

Photodissociation of pyrene cations: structure and energetics from C16H10(+) to C14(+) and almost everything in between.

The unimolecular dissociation of the pyrene radical cation, C16H10(+•), has been explored using a combination of computational techniques and experimental approaches, such as multiple photon absorption in the cold ion trap Piège à Ions pour la Recherche et l'Etude de Nouvelles Espèces Astrochimiques (PIRENEA) and imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectrometry (iPEPICO). In total, 22 reactions, involving the fragmentation cascade (H, C2H2, and C4H2 loss) from the pyrene radical cation down to the C14(+•) fragment ion, have been studied using PIRENEA. Branching ratios have been measured for reactions from C16H10(+•), C16H8(+•), and C16H5(+). Density functional theory calculations of the fragmentation pathways observed experimentally and postulated theoretically lead to 17 unique structures. One important prediction is the opening of the pyrene ring system starting from the C16H4(+•) radical. In the iPEPICO experiments, only two reactions could be studied, namely, R1 C16H10(+•) → C16H9(+) + H (m/z = 201) and R2 C16H9(+) → C16H8(+•) + H (m/z = 200). The activation energies for these reactions were determined to be 5.4 ± 1.2 and 3.3 ± 1.1 eV, respectively.

Iodine atom loss kinetics in internal energy selected 1-iodoalkane cations by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy

Imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy has been used to determine 0K appearance energies for the unimolecular dissociation reactions of several energy selected straight chain alkyl iodide cations 1-CnH2n+1I+→CnH2n+1++I, (n=3–7). The 0K appearance energy of iodine atom loss, yielding in fact the 2-alkyl radical cation up to n=6, was determined to be 9.836±0.010, 9.752±0.010, 9.721±0.010, 9.684±0.010 and 9.688±0.015eV in 1-C3H7I, 1-C4H9I, 1-C5H11I, 1-C6H13I, and 1-C7H15I, respectively. In 1-iodohexane and the smaller molecules, these correspond to the transition state along the 1-iodoalkane cation→2-iodoalkane cation reaction path, and can be used in conjunction with isodesmic reaction energies to determine the reverse barriers to dissociative photoionization. The small kinetic shift is indicative of little H tunneling during isomerization. Directly computed reverse barriers show that run-of-the-mill computational approaches are of limited use when applied to open shell systems containing period 5 elements. Hindered rotors were found to play a minor role in the internal energy distribution and the dissociation rate constants.

Flame structure of a low-pressure laminar premixed and lightly sooting acetylene flame and the effect of ethanol addition

The flame structure of a fuel-rich (ϕ=2.4), laminar premixed, and lightly sooting acetylene flame at 40mbar and the influence of ethanol addition on the species pool was investigated. Special emphasis was put on the analysis of important soot precursors like propargyl, benzene, and the polyynes. The mole fractions of more than 50 stable and radical species up to m/z=170 are obtained experimentally in the flames by molecular-beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) in combination with single-photon ionization (SPI) by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation from the Advanced Light Source (ALS) in Berkeley, CA, USA. For the neat acetylene flame, successful measurements were performed with a combination of MBMS and imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectrometry (iPEPICO) at the VUV beamline at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) in Villigen, Switzerland and adding additional species information to the data set. Some interesting isomers (C3H2, C4H5, C4H2O) can be clearly identified by comparison of measured photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves or threshold photoelectron (TPE) spectra with Franck–Condon simulations or literature spectra, respectively. Because of apparatus improvements, the chemical resolution in this study goes beyond prior work and provides a high-quality data set for the development of reaction mechanisms at fuel-rich, low-pressure conditions.

Mechanism of Fast Pyrolysis of Lignin: Studying Model Compounds

Fast pyrolysis of lignin is one of the most promising methods to convert the complex and irregular structure of lignin into renewable chemicals and fuel. During pyrolysis the complex set of radical reactions, rearrangements, and eliminations is influenced by temperature, pressure, and the lignin origin and structure. This model compound study aims to understand reaction pathways and how primary intermediates lead to the observed product selectivity. The pyrolysis microreactor directly connected to the gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometer (py-GC/MS) detects the final products, while imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) with VUV synchrotron radiation shows primary decomposition radicals. The tested model compounds, diphenylether (DPE) and ortho-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), represent a common lignin linkage and the most present subunit in lignin, respectively. Radical fragments, such as the hydroxycyclopentadienyl radical in guaiacol decomposition, are identified by mass-selected threshold photoelectron spectra (ms-TPES) in excellent agreement with the Franck-Condon simulation. While homolysis produces phenoxy-, phenyl-, and hydroxyphenoxy radicals, which are observed in high vacuum, radically initiated reactions are dominant in ambient conditions and produce recombination and rearrangement products, such as 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the case of guaiacol. The degree of substitution plays a dominant role in both the stabilization of the intermediate radical and the following degree of recombination. The recombination of phenoxy radicals is enhanced compared to hydroxy-phenoxy radicals.

Dynamics of Hydrogen and Methyl Radical Loss from Ionized Dihydro-Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Imaging Photoelectron–Photoion Coincidence (iPEPICO) Study of Dihydronaphthalene and Dihydrophenanthrene

Ionized 1,2-dihydronaphthalene (C10H10(+)) and 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (C14H12(+)) are homologous dihydrogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing adjacent sp(3) carbon sites. Tandem mass spectrometry involving kiloelectronvolt collision induced dissociation was employed to aid in the structural characterization of the products of the main dissociation channels, loss of H (and subsequent H and H2 losses in dihydronaphthalene) and CH3. Evident from both the CID mass spectra and the imaging photoelectron-photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) breakdown curves is the fact that there are two competitive routes to the loss of H. For 1,2-dihydronaphthalene these give activation energies of 2.22 ± 0.10 and 2.44 ± 0.05 eV, whereas only 2.37 ± 0.12 eV was obtained for 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene. The two parallel H-loss chaneels are believed to be the result of isomerization taking place to the methylindene ion and the 9-methylfluorene ion for 1,2-dihydronaphthalene and 9,10-dihydrophenanthren, respectively. Each newly formed isomer dissociates by H loss (one of the two competing H-loss reactions) and, of course, methyl loss. Methyl radical loss has similar kinetics for the two systems, E0 = 2.57 ± 0.12 eV, Δ(‡)S = 18 ± 11 J K(-1) mol(-1) for ionized dihydronaphthalene and E0 = 2.38 ± 0.15 eV, Δ(‡)S = -3 ± 15 J K(-1) mol(-1) for ionized dihydrophenanthrene, but as can be seen, the E0 and Δ(‡)S are slightly lower for the latter. The final bond rupture step in both H and CH3 loss is expected to be accompanied by a positive Δ(‡)S, thus the low energy H loss and CH3 loss originate from the isomer ion in both cases, with the entropy of activation being dominated by the isomerization step. In contrast, sp(3)-H loss from the dihydro-PAHs differ by little in both systems (E0 = 2.44 eV in ionized dihydronaphthalene and 2.37 eV in ionized dihydrophenanthrene and the Δ(‡)S values are 27 and 18 J K(-1) mol(-1), respectively). The presence of a second sp(3) carbon site has decreased the C-H bond dissociation energy relative to protonated naphthalene and protonated phenanthrene, possibly to facilitate the restoration of the unaltered PAH ion. The calculated dihedral angle is -34.3° in C10H10(+•) whereas C14H12(+•) has an angle of -49.6°, indicating that to restore the planar nature of the molecules, which is required for all reaction channels investigated, there is more rearrangement needed for 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene. Energetics and entropic values associated with H and H2 loss from [M - H](+) ions from ionized dihydronaphthalene were determined to be 2.72 eV, 9 ± 17 J K(-1) mol(-1), and 2.85 eV, 9 ± 7 J K(-1) mol(-1), respectively.

In situ flame chemistry tracing by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy

Adaptation of a low-pressure flat flame burner with a flame-sampling interface to the imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectrometer (iPEPICO) of the VUV beamline at the Swiss Light Source is presented. The combination of molecular-beam mass spectrometry and iPEPICO provides a new powerful analytical tool for the detailed investigation of reaction networks in flames. First results demonstrate the applicability of the new instrument to comprehensive flame diagnostics and the potentially high impact for reaction mechanism development for conventional and alternative fuels. Isomer specific identification of stable and radical flame species is demonstrated with unrivaled precision. Radical detection and identification is achieved for the initial H-abstraction products of fuel molecules as well as for the reaction controlling H, O, and OH radicals. Furthermore, quantitative evaluation of changing species concentrations during the combustion process and the applicability of respective results for kinetic model validation are demonstrated. Utilization of mass-selected threshold photoelectron spectra is shown to ensure precise signal assignment and highly reliable spatial profiles.

Shining new light on the multifaceted dissociative photoionisation dynamics of CCl4.

Internal energy selected carbon tetrachloride cations have been prepared by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy using synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet radiation. The threshold photoelectron spectrum shows a newly observed vibrational progression corresponding to the ν2(e) scissors mode of CCl4(+) in the third, B̃(2)E band. Ab initio results on the first four doublet and lowest-lying quartet electronic states along the Cl3C(+)-Cl dissociation coordinate show the B̃ state to be strongly bound, and support its relative longevity. The X̃(2)T1 and Ã(2)T2 cationic states, on the other hand, are barely bound and dissociate promptly. The C̃(2)T2 state may intersystem cross to the quartet ã state, which dissociates to a triplet state of the CCl3(+) fragment ion. This path is unique among analogous MX4(+) (M = C, Si, Ge; X = F, Cl, Br) systems, among which several have been shown to have long-lived C̃ states, which decay by fluorescence. The breakdown diagram, recorded here for the first time for the complete valence photoionisation energy range of CCl4, is interpreted in the context of literature based and CBS-QB3, G4, and W1U computed dissociative photoionisation energies. No Cl2-loss channel is observed in association with the CCl2(+) or CCl(+) fragments below the 2 or 3 Cl-loss reaction energies, and Cl2 loss is unlikely to be a major channel above them. The breakdown diagram is modelled based on the calculated dissociative photoionisation onsets and assuming a statistical redistribution of the excess energy. The model indicates that dissociation is not impulsive at higher energies, and confirms that the C̃(2)T2 state of CCl4(+) forms triplet-state CCl3(+) fragments with some of the excess energy trapped as electronic excitation energy in CCl3(+).

On the protonation of water

Dissociative photoionization onsets of water and water dimer, measured by Imaging Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence (iPEPICO) Spectroscopy, are used in a floating thermochemical cycle to determine the proton affinity of water with unprecedented accuracy, as confirmed by state-of-the-artab initioquantum-chemical calculations.