Determination of spin-orbit branching fractions in the photodissociation of halogenated hydrocarbons

Mixed transitions in the UV photodissociation of propargyl chloride revealed by slice imaging and multireference ab initio calculations

Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and DC slice imaging were used to detect photoproducts Cl (²P_3/2), spin–orbit excited Cl* (²P_1/2), and C₃H₃ in the photodissociation of propargyl chloride at 212 and 236 nm.

UV photodissociation dynamics of CHI2Cl and its role as a photolytic precursor for a chlorinated Criegee intermediate

Photolysis of geminal diiodoalkanes in the presence of molecular oxygen has become an established route to the laboratory production of several Criegee intermediates, and such compounds also have marine sources. Here, we explore the role that the trihaloalkane, chlorodiiodomethane (CHI₂Cl), may play as a photolytic precursor for the chlorinated Criegee intermediate ClCHOO. CHI₂Cl has been synthesized and its UV absorption spectrum measured; relative to that of CH₂I₂ the spectrum is shifted to longer wavelength and the photolysis lifetime is calculated to be less than two minutes. The photodissociation dynamics have been investigated using DC slice imaging, probing ground state I and spin-orbit excited I* atoms with 2 + 1 REMPI and single-photon VUV ionization. Total translational energy distributions are bimodal for I atoms and unimodal for I*, with around 72% of the available energy partitioned in to the internal degrees of freedom of the CHICl radical product, independent of photolysis wavelength. A bond dissociation energy of D₀ = 1.73 ± 0.11 eV is inferred from the wavelength dependence of the translational energy release, which is slightly weaker than typical C-I bonds. Analysis of the photofragment angular distributions indicate dissociation is prompt and occurs primarily via transitions to states of A'' symmetry. Complementary high-level MRCI calculations, including spin-orbit coupling, have been performed to characterize the excited states and confirm that states of A'' symmetry with highly mixed singlet and triplet character are predominantly responsible for the absorption spectrum. Transient absorption spectroscopy has been used to measure the absorption spectrum of ClCHOO produced from the reaction of CHICl with O₂ over the range 345-440 nm. The absorption spectrum, tentatively assigned to the syn conformer, is at shorter wavelengths relative to that of CH₂OO and shows far weaker vibrational structure.

A velocity-map imaging study of methyl non-resonant multiphoton ionization from the photodissociation of CH3I in the A-band

Chemical reaction dynamics and, particularly, photodissociation in the gas phase are generally studied using pump-probe schemes where a first laser pulse induces the process under study and a second one detects the produced fragments. Providing an efficient detection of ro-vibrationally state-selected photofragments, the resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) technique is, without question, the most popular approach used for the probe step, while non-resonant multiphoton ionization (NRMPI) detection of the products is scarce. The main goal of this work is to test the sensitivity of the NRMPI technique to fragment vibrational distributions arising from molecular photodissociation processes. We revisit the well-known process of methyl iodide photodissociation in the A-band at around 280 nm, using the velocity-map imaging technique in conjunction with NRMPI of the methyl fragment. The detection wavelength, carefully selected to avoid any REMPI transition, was scanned between 325 and 335 nm seeking correlations between the different observables-the product vibrational, translational and angular distributions-and the excitation wavelength of the probe laser pulse. The experimental results have been discussed on the base of quantum dynamics calculations of photofragment vibrational populations carried out on available ab initio potential-energy surfaces using a four-dimensional model.This article is part of the themed issue 'Theoretical and computational studies of non-equilibrium and non-statistical dynamics in the gas phase, in the condensed phase and at interfaces'.

Near-UV photodissociation dynamics of CH2I2

The near-UV photodissociation dynamics of CH₂I₂has been investigated using a combination of velocity-map (slice) ion imaging andab initiocalculations characterizing the excited states.

Dynamics of the A-band ultraviolet photodissociation of methyl iodide and ethyl iodide via velocity-map imaging with ‘universal’ detection

Universal ionization combined with velocity-map imaging allows a comprehensive investigation into the photodissociation dynamics of methyl iodide and ethyl iodide at a range of UV wavelengths within their A-bands.

Photodissociation of i-C3H7I within the A band and anisotropy-based decomposition of the translational energy distributions

The photodissociation of i-propyl iodide in the A absorption band was studied by using velocity map ion imaging following excitation between 304 and 253 nm. The translational energy distributions and translational energy dependence of the angular distributions of the I (2)P(3/2) and (2)P(1/2) photofragments were recorded as a function of the photodissociation wavelength. These distributions are used to decompose the i-C(3)H(7)+I (2)P(3/2) channel into contributions from two processes: Excitation to the (3)Q(0(+)) state followed by crossing onto the (1)Q(1) surface, and direct excitation to the (3)Q(1) surface followed by dissociation on that surface. As in the case of methyl iodide, the former process dominates; the latter process contributes only in the red wing of the absorption band, with its contribution peaking at approximately 287 nm with an absorption of approximately 1% of the band maximum. The data for the i-C(3)H(7)+I(*) (2)P(1/2) channel display a smooth behavior across the full energy range of the present study, and are consistent with direct excitation to the (3)Q(0(+)) surface followed by dissociation on that surface.

Assembly and electroanalytical performance of Prussian blue/polypyrrole composite nanoparticles synthesized by the reverse micelle method

We report on the characterization, assembly and electroanalytical performance of Prussian blue/polypyrrole (PBPPy) composite nanoparticles synthesized by the reverse micelle method. Scanning electron microscopy suggests the formation of nanosized PBPPy particles with diameters between 40 and 50 nm. Optical absorption confirms that the particles are composed of Prussian blue (PB) and polypyrrole. PB and PBPPy nanoparticles were anchored onto the surface of cysteine-modified Au electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry experiments show that PB- or PBPPy-modified electrodes exhibit intrinsic electrochemical properties and a high electrocatalytic activity towards H2O2. PBPPy-modified electrodes exhibit a higher sensitivity to H2O2 than PB-modified electrodes. A linear calibration curve in the concentration range 0.99 μM-8.26 mM H2O2 is constructed with a detection limit of 0.23 μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Excellent stability is observed for PBPPy-composite-nanoparticle-modified electrodes even in a pH 6 phosphate buffer solution with a high H2O2 concentration (0.99 mM). Glutaraldehyde and [Formula: see text] were also employed to immobilize glucose oxidase for the development of PBPPy-based biosensors. The results show that PBPPy composite nanoparticles can be used to develop oxidase-based biosensors.