Spectroscopic Probes of Molecule Structure and Dynamics

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In this award, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Patrick H. Vaccaro of Yale University, together with his graduate and undergraduate student researchers, will study the structure and properties of a number of gas-phase chemical systems. Included amongst these will be laser spectroscopic studies of the hydrogen-bond tunneling dynamics in tropolone and the low-barrier hydrogen bonding and conical intersections in ß-diketo enols. In addition, Prof. Vaccaro and his group will continue their pioneering efforts in developing ultrasensitive methods for measuring the optical activity (optical rotatory dispersion and electronic circular dichroism) in gas-phase chiral molecules, using cavity-ringdown techniques. Hydrogen bonding is important in a number of contexts, including giving water its unique chemical and physical properties, as well as being a vital component of biomolecule interaction. Vaccaro's group will study the behavior of the hydrogen bond in a number of its guises. Vacarro's work in gas-phase chiroptical spectroscopy is providing theorists with important solvent-free measurements with which to compare with computer-based calculations of optical activity. Already, this has provided a number of important, non-intuitive, insights and will continue to do so. The students trained in the Vaccaro laboratory will be trained in modern methods of laser spectroscopy, and will be important additions to the technical workforce. Vaccaro's research group is majority female, and hence Prof. Vaccaro is contributing to an increase in the number of scientists in this particular underrepresented group.