Generation and Structure of Molecules in Extreme Conditions

最近，通过对特殊条件的适当选择，产生了许多具有独特性质的新的分子物种，例如团簇分子、自由基、分子离子和高激发分子。它们中的大多数不能用普通的化学合成方法来生产，有望构成一个新的化学领域。过去，对这些分子感兴趣的研究小组采取了非常不同的策略来研究它们，研究小组之间的合作非常有限，本项目的启动是为了鼓励研究小组之间的合作，并引导分子科学研究的新发展。选定了四个主题。1.激发电子态分子的产生和结构。发展了新的方法来研究用传统方法很难或几乎不可能从基态进入的激发态。2.分子间碰撞产生的中间物种的结构和动力学。该项目包括高激发态原子在团簇离子产生中的应用。3.瞬变分子、自由基和分子离子的产生和结构。不仅考虑了气相中的瞬变物质，还考虑了惰性基质中的瞬变物质。4.星际空间和大气层上层分子的产生和结构。

A number of new molecular species with unique properties have recently been generated by proper choice of special conditions; examples include cluster molecules, free radicals, molecular ions, and highly-excited molecules. Most of them can not be produced by ordinary methods of chemical synthesis, and have been expected to constitute a new field of chemistry. In the past, groups which were interested in these molecules employed quite different strategies to study them, and collaboration among the research groups has been very much limited, The present project was started to encourage collaborations among the research groups and to induce new developments in researches of molecular science. Four themes have been selected. 1. Generation and structure of molecules in excited electronic states. New methods are developed to study excited states that are difficult or almost impossible to access from the ground state with conventional methods. 2. Structure and dynamics of intermediate species generated by intermolecular collisions. This project includes applications of highly-excited atoms to generation of cluster ions. 3. Generation and structure of transient molecules, free radicals, and molecular ions. Not only transient species in the gas phase, but also those trapped in inert matrices are considered. 4. Generation and Structure of molecules in interstellar space and upper atomosphere.