Grant for Exploratory Research: Infrared Photochemistry of Gas Phase Transition Metal Ion Complexes

这项用于探索性研究的小额赠款由无机、生物无机和有机金属计划提供，以支持开发一种新的方法来确定气相转变金属羰基阴离子的对称性和几何形状。亚利桑那大学化学系的史蒂文·W·巴克纳博士将建造一台覆盖1600至2000反厘米波长范围的CO激光器。这将使详细检查各种络合物的C-O伸缩带。该实验将是波长相关红外多光子解离(IRMPD)光谱的新应用。除了提供这些物种的新结构探针外，如果这项工作的早期阶段成功，还将研究一些有机金属离子的光驱动双分子反应。因此，可以确定复杂的气相光化学反应的详细机理。完全理解气相有机金属化学需要研究反应过程中的结构变化和能量学。这里提出了一种获取这些重要信息的新的实验方法。由于该方法的敏感性和反应物重排的困难可能会限制其应用，这项研究得到了一个小的探索性奖项的支持。然而，如果成功，该方法将有助于理解光化学和催化过程。

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research is made by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Program to support the development of a new method for determining the symmetry and geometry of gas phase transition metal carbonyl anions. Dr. Steven W. Buckner of the Chemistry Department, University of Arizona, will construct a CO laser that will cover wavelengths in the range 1600 to 2000 inverse centimeters. This will enable detailed examination of the C-O stretching bands of various complexes. The experiment will be a new application of wavelength dependent infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy. In addition to providing a new structural probe of these species, should the early phases of this work be successful, light-driven bimolecular reactions of some organometallic ions would be investigated. Detailed mechanisms of complex gas phase photochemical reactions could thus be determined. %%% Full understanding of gas phase organometallic chemistry requires investigation of both structural changes and energetics during the course of reactions. Here a novel experimental approach to obtaining such important information is proposed. Because difficulties with sensitivity of the method and rearrangement of the reactants could limit its utility, the research is supported by a small exploratory award. If successful, however, the method would be helpful in understanding photochemical and catalytic processes.