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Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) and hydrochlorofluoroolefins (HCFOs) are the leading synthetic replacements for compounds successively banned by the Montreal Protocol and amendments. HFOs and HCFOs readily decompose in the atmosphere to form fluorinated carbonyls, including CF 3 CHO in yields of up to 100%, which are then photolyzed. A long-standing issue, critical for the transition to safe industrial gases, is whether atmospheric decomposition of CF 3 CHO yields any quantity of CHF 3 (HFC-23), which is one of the most environmentally hazardous greenhouse gases. This comprehensive experimental investigation employs purpose-built photoionization mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared, and microwave spectroscopy techniques and confirms production of CHF 3 following excitation at a tropospherically relevant wavelength (λ = 308 nm) and under atmospheric pressure conditions. Pressure-dependent CHF 3 quantum (Φ) and molar ( Y ) yields are reported from Φ = Y = 0.16 ± 0.03 under collision-free conditions to Φ = (2.3 ± 0.3) × 10 -4 , Y = (1.17 ± 0.27) × 10 -3 at 1 bar N 2 .

Wavelength and pressure dependent quantum yields (ϕ, QYs) of propanal photolysis have been measured for photolysis wavelengths, λ = 300-330 nm, and buffer gases of 3-10 Torr propanal and 0-757 Torr N 2 . Following laser photolysis, three photochemical pathways were established, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the stable end-products. Photolysis is dominated by the Norrish Type 1 reaction, which has been reported previously, but with inconsistent quantum yields. The propanal α-hydrogen leads to a 4-center elimination of H 2 , as observed in CH 3 CHO, here leading to methylketene. The presence of hydrogen attached to the β-carbon allows a new photochemical pathway: concerted triple fragmentation into CO + H 2 + C 2 H 4 via a 5-center transition state. Neither of these channels has been reported previously. No evidence for the previously reported C 2 H 6 + CO, C 2 H 4 + H 2 CO or CH 3 + CH 2 CHO channels, nor for phototautomerization to 1-propenol (CH 3 CH═CHOH) was found. Modeling of the wavelength, pressure and collision partner dependence of the QYs allows us to reconcile the previous NT1a results and make recommendations for the quantum yields of all three channels under tropospheric conditions. The general impact of β-hydrogen atoms in the photochemistry of aldehydes is to open up new pathways from cyclic transition states and to reduce the importance of other photolysis or isomerization channels.

Formaldehyde, HCHO, is the highest-volume carbonyl in the atmosphere. It absorbs sunlight at wavelengths shorter than 330 nm and photolyses to form H and HCO radicals, which then react with O 2 to form HO 2 . Here we show HCHO has an additional HO 2 formation pathway. At photolysis energies below the energetic threshold for radical formation we directly detect HO 2 at low pressures by cavity ring-down spectroscopy and indirectly detect HO 2 at 1 bar by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy end-product analysis. Supported by electronic structure theory and master equation simulations, we attribute this HO 2 to photophysical oxidation (PPO): photoexcited HCHO relaxes non-radiatively to the ground electronic state where the far-from-equilibrium, vibrationally activated HCHO molecules react with thermal O 2 . PPO is likely to be a general mechanism in tropospheric chemistry and, unlike photolysis, PPO will increase with increasing O 2 pressure., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Excitation spectra of protonated and deuteronated anthracene are obtained by triple-resonance dissociation spectroscopy. Very cold cations, protonated/deuteronated exclusively at the 9-position, are generated from two-colour two-photon threshold ionisation of 9-dihydroanthracenyl radicals (C 14 H 11 ). The excitation spectra reveal rich structure, not resolved in previous studies, that is assigned based on anharmonic and Herzberg-Teller coupling calculations. This work reveals that the excitation of protonated anthracene induces a symmetry-breaking intramolecular charge-transfer process along a Marcus-Hush coordinate, where the positively charged hole hops from the central bridging sp 2 carbon, onto one of the aromatic rings. Signatures of this charge-transfer event are observed in the excitation spectrum, through active Herzberg-Teller progressions.

A new technique is reported to determine absolute photodissociation quantum yields, ϕ diss , in a molecular beam. The technique relies on a molecule having two available product channels, where a species in channel A can be converted photolytically to a species in channel B. The relative decrease in the species from channel A and the relative increase in species from B provide a direct measure of the relative product yield of each channel, with no external calibration required. In the event that only channels A and B exist, or at least dominate, then the sum rule ϕ A + ϕ B = 1 can be used to convert relative quantum yields into absolute yields. The technique is demonstrated using the well-understood and characterized photochemistry of HCHO. Formaldehyde photolysis at wavelengths near 310 nm produces either H + HCO (channel A) or H 2 + CO (channel B). HCO can then be photolyzed with high efficiency into H + CO. The product state distributions for HCO from channel A, CO from channel B, and CO from the secondary HCO photolysis event are all well-known; this is not a requirement but is utilized here to demonstrate the veracity of the technique. The zero-pressure quantum yields of HCO from HCHO photolysis via the 2 3 4 1 and 2 1 5 1 states of HCHO are determined to be 0.66 and 0.74, respectively, which are in excellent agreement with the established quantum yields at atmospheric pressure and support the conclusion that HCHO quantum yields at these photolysis energies are not pressure dependent.

The unimolecular photodissociation dynamics of acetone spanning the entire S 1 ← S 0 absorption spectrum have been reinvestigated, with a focus on mechanisms that produce CO. At excitation wavelengths of λ > 305.8 nm, all photoproducts are formed on the S 0 state after internal conversion. A roaming mechanism forming C 2 H 6 + CO is active in the window λ = 311.2-305.8 nm. From λ = 305.8 to 262 nm, little or no CO is produced with the photochemistry dominated by the Norrish-type I C-C bond cleavage on the lowest excited triplet state, T 1 . At higher energy (λ < 262 nm), an increasing fraction of CH 3 CO radicals from the primary reaction have sufficient internal energy to spontaneously decompose to CH 3 + CO. A new model is presented to account for the kinetic energy distribution of the secondary CH 3 radical, allowing us to determine the height of the energetic barrier to CH 3 CO decomposition as 68 ± 4 kJ mol -1 , which lies midway between previous measurements. The fraction of CO from triple fragmentation rises smoothly from 260 to 248 nm. We see no evidence of the return of roaming, or any other S 0 reaction, in this higher energy region of the first electronic absorption band.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are intermediates in the formation of soot particles and interstellar grains. However, their formation mechanisms in combustion and interstellar environments are not fully understood. The production of tricyclic PAHs and, in particular, the conversion of a PAH containing a five-membered ring to one with a six-membered ring are of interest to explain PAH abundances in combustion processes. In the present work, resonant ionization mass spectrometry in conjunction with isotopic labeling is used to investigate the formation of the phenalenyl radical from acenaphthylene and methane in an electrical discharge. We show that in this environment the CH cycloaddition mechanism converts a five-membered ring to a six-membered ring. This mechanism can occur in tandem with other PAH formation mechanisms such as hydrogen abstraction/acetylene addition (HACA) to produce larger PAHs in flames and the interstellar medium.

The dicarbon molecule (C 2 ) is found in flames, comets, stars, and the diffuse interstellar medium. In comets, it is responsible for the green color of the coma, but it is not found in the tail. It has long been held to photodissociate in sunlight with a lifetime precluding observation in the tail, but the mechanism was not known. Here we directly observe photodissociation of C 2 From the speed of the recoiling carbon atoms, a bond dissociation energy of 602.804(29) kJ·mol[Formula: see text] is determined, with an uncertainty comparable to its more experimentally accessible N 2 and O 2 counterparts. The value is within 0.03 kJ·mol -1 of high-level quantum theory. This work shows that, to break the quadruple bond of C 2 using sunlight, the molecule must absorb two photons and undergo two "forbidden" transitions., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

The photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled trifluoroacetaldehyde (CF 3 CHO) into radical products, CF 3 + HCO, was explored using velocity mapped ion imaging over the wavelength range 297.5 nm ≤λ≤ 342.8 nm (33 613-29 172 cm -1 ) covering the entire section of the absorption spectrum accessible with solar actinic wavelengths at the ground level. After initial excitation to the first excited singlet state, S 1 , the radical dissociation proceeds largely via the first excited triplet state, T 1 , at excitation energies above the T 1 barrier. By combining velocity-mapped ion imaging with high-level theory, we place this barrier at 368.3 ± 2.4 kJ mol -1 (30 780 ± 200 cm -1 ). After exciting to S 1 at energies below this barrier, the dissociation proceeds exclusively via the ground electronic state, S 0 . The dissociation threshold is determined to be 335.7 ± 1.8 kJ mol -1 (28 060 ± 150 cm -1 ). Using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, the origin of the S 1 ← S 0 transition is assigned at 28 903 cm -1 . The S 0 dissociation channel is active at the S 1 origin, but the yield significantly increases above 29 100 cm -1 due to enhanced intersystem crossing or internal conversion.

Since its discovery 16 years ago, roaming has become a ubiquitous mechanism in molecular photochemistry. Its general features are now understood, but little detail is known about how the potential energy surface (PES) determines reaction outcomes. We performed detailed experiments on formaldehyde (H 2 CO) photodissociation and determined fully correlated quantum state distributions of the molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide products. These experiments reveal previously undetected bimodal carbon monoxide rotational distributions. Insights from classical trajectory calculations demonstrate that these features arise from resonances as the PES directs the reaction into cis and trans O-C-H···H critical geometries, which produce rebound and stripping mechanisms, respectively. These subtle and pervasive effects demonstrate additional complexity in this prototypical roaming reaction, which we expect to be general. They also provide detailed benchmarks for predictive theories of roaming., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.)

Norrish Type I (NTI) α-bond cleavage is the dominant photolysis mechanism in small carbonyls and is an important source of radicals in the troposphere. In nonsymmetric species two cleavages are possible, NTI a and NTI b , forming larger and smaller alkyl radicals, respectively. For a data set of 20 small, atmospherically relevant carbonyls we predict NTI a and NTI b thresholds on the S 0 , S 1 , and T 1 electronic states. The calculated NTI a T 1 thresholds give a mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 5.8 kJ/mol with respect to the available experimental thresholds of five carbonyls. In addition, the intrinsic barrier heights to dissociation on the S 0 , S 1 , and T 1 electronic states are predicted. We find RI-B2GP-PLYP/def2-TZVP calculations on S 0 and unrestricted RI-B2GP-PLYP/def2-TZVP calculations on T 1 give MADs of 6.1 kJ/mol for S 0 asymptotic energies and 6.3 kJ/mol for S 0 → T 1 0-0 excitation energies, with respect to available experimental data. A composite method is used to determine S 1 thresholds, with bt -STEOM-CCSD/cc-pVQZ calculation of vertical excitation energies and TD-RI-B3LYP/def2-TZVP calculations on S 1 , which achieves a MAD of 7.2 kJ/mol, with respect to experimental 0-0 excitation energies. Our calculations suggest, with the exception of bifunctional carbonyls and enones, NTI reactions on S 1 are unlikely to be important at tropospherically relevant photolysis energies (<400 kJ/mol). In contrast, at these energies almost all possible NTI channels on T 1 are open, and all barrierless S 0 NTI dissociations are accessible. Our calculations allow a number of structural effects on both 0-0 excitation energies and intrinsic reaction barriers, on a given electronic state, to be elucidated and rationalized.

The hydrogen-atom adduct with anthracene, 9-dihydroanthracenyl radical (C 14 H 11 ), and its deuterated analogue have been identified by laser spectroscopy coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry, supported by time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The electronic spectrum of 9-dihydroanthracenyl radical exhibits an origin band at 19115 cm -1 and its ionization energy was determined to be 6.346(1) eV. The spectra reveal a low-frequency vibrational progression corresponding to a mode described by a butterfly inversion. In the deuterated analogue, a zero-point-energy imbalance along this coordinate is found to lead to a doubling of the observed spectral lines in the progression. This is attributed to quantum-induced symmetry breaking as previously observed in isotopologues of CH 5 + .

The first experimental observation of the primary photochemical channel of acetaldehyde leading to the formation of ketene (CH 2 CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ) molecular products is reported. Acetaldehyde (CH 3 CHO) was photolysed in a molecular beam at 305.6 nm and the resulting H 2 product characterized using velocity-map ion (VMI) imaging. Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI), via two-photon excitation to the double-well EF 1 Σ state, was used to state-selectively ionize the H 2 and determine angular momentum distributions for H 2 (ν = 0) and H 2 (ν = 1). Velocity-map ion images were obtained for H 2 (ν = 0 and 1, J = 5), allowing the total translational energy release of the photodissociation process to be determined. Following photolysis of CH 3 CHO in a gas cell, the CH 2 CO co-fragment was identified, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, by its characteristic infrared absorption at 2150 cm -1 . The measured quantum yield of the CH 2 CO + H 2 product channel at 305.0 nm is φ = 0.0075 ± 0.0025 for both 15 Torr of neat CH 3 CHO and a mixture with 745 Torr of N 2 . Although small, this result has implications for the atmospheric photochemistry of carbonyls and this reaction represents a new tropospheric source of H 2 . Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) simulations on a zero-point energy corrected reaction-path potential are also performed. The experimental REMPI and VMI image distributions are not consistent with the QCT simulations, indicating a non reaction-path mechanism should be considered.

The electronic spectra of the ortho-hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical have been observed following the supersonic expansion of the electric discharge products of phenol and water. Hydrogen atoms, split from water, add to the phenol ring at the ortho position, generating syn and anti rotamers with respect to the hydroxyl group. The D 1 ← D 0 transitions were recorded by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. The spectrum of each isomer was isolated through hole-burning spectroscopy. The assignment and symmetry of the excited state are evaluated through ab initio calculations and are employed to assign each spectrum. Both rotamers are calculated to have a puckered ring in the excited state, leading to C 1 symmetry. The spectrum of the anti isomer is assigned well using this symmetry; however, the syn isomer is assigned better in the C s symmetry of the ground state. We use Duschinsky matrices as a tool for the spectroscopist to determine which point group to use when ab initio calculations are ambiguous.

Multihydroxy-anthraquinone derivatives [i.e., 1,2,4-trihydroxyanthraquinone (124-THAQ), 1,2,7-trihydroxyanthraquinone (127-THAQ), and 1,2,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone (1258-THAQ)] can interact with various additives [e.g., iodonium salt, tertiary amine, N-vinylcarbazole, and 2-(4-methoxystyryl)-4,6-bis(trichloromethyl)-1,3,5-triazine] under household green LED irradiation to generate active species (cations and radicals). The relevant photochemical mechanism is investigated using quantum chemistry, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry, laser flash photolysis, steady state photolysis, and electron spin resonance spin-trapping techniques. Furthermore, the multihydroxy-anthraquinone derivative-based photoinitiating systems are capable of initiating cationic photopolymerization of epoxides or divinyl ethers under green LED, and the relevant photoinitiation ability is consistent with the photochemical reactivity (i.e., 124-THAQ-based photoinitiating system exhibits highest reactivity and photoinitiation ability). More interestingly, multihydroxy-anthraquinone derivative-based photoinitiating systems can initiate free radical crosslinking or controlled (i.e., reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer) photopolymerization of methacrylates under green LED. It reveals that multihydroxy-anthraquinone derivatives can be used as versatile photoinitiators for various types of photopolymerization reactions., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Organic acids play a key role in the troposphere, contributing to atmospheric aqueous-phase chemistry, aerosol formation, and precipitation acidity. Atmospheric models currently account for less than half the observed, globally averaged formic acid loading. Here we report that acetaldehyde photo-tautomerizes to vinyl alcohol under atmospherically relevant pressures of nitrogen, in the actinic wavelength range, λ = 300-330 nm, with measured quantum yields of 2-25%. Recent theoretical kinetics studies show hydroxyl-initiated oxidation of vinyl alcohol produces formic acid. Adding these pathways to an atmospheric chemistry box model (Master Chemical Mechanism) demonstrates increased formic acid concentrations by a factor of ~1.7 in the polluted troposphere and a factor of ~3 under pristine conditions. Incorporating this mechanism into the GEOS-Chem 3D global chemical transport model reveals an estimated 7% contribution to worldwide formic acid production, with up to 60% of the total modeled formic acid production over oceans arising from photo-tautomerization.

A new approach for preventing zero-point energy (ZPE) violation in quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) simulations is presented and applied to H 2 CO "roaming" reactions. Zero-point energy may be problematic in roaming reactions because they occur at or near bond dissociation thresholds and these channels may be incorrectly open or closed depending on if, or how, ZPE has been treated. Here we run QCT simulations on a "ZPE-corrected" potential energy surface defined as the sum of the molecular potential energy surface (PES) and the global harmonic ZPE surface. Five different harmonic ZPE estimates are examined with four, on average, giving values within 4 kJ/mol-chemical accuracy-for H 2 CO. The local harmonic ZPE, at arbitrary molecular configurations, is subsequently defined in terms of "projected" Cartesian coordinates and a global ZPE "surface" is constructed using Shepard interpolation. This, combined with a second-order modified Shepard interpolated PES, V , allows us to construct a proof-of-concept ZPE-corrected PES for H 2 CO, V eff , at no additional computational cost to the PES itself. Both V and V eff are used to model product state distributions from the H + HCO → H 2 + CO abstraction reaction, which are shown to reproduce the literature roaming product state distributions. Our ZPE-corrected PES allows all trajectories to be analysed, whereas, in previous simulations, a significant proportion was discarded because of ZPE violation. We find ZPE has little effect on product rotational distributions, validating previous QCT simulations. Running trajectories on V , however, shifts the product kinetic energy release to higher energy than on V eff and classical simulations of kinetic energy release should therefore be viewed with caution.

The Norrish Type I photodissociation of two aliphatic aldehydes, propanal and isobutanal, has been investigated using velocity-map imaging. The HCO photoproduct of this reaction was probed using a 1+1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization scheme via the 3p 2 Π Rydberg state. The velocity map images of HCO + were collected across a range of photolysis energies for both species from 30 500 to 33 000 cm -1 (λ = 312-327 nm). The corresponding translational energy distributions show that the majority of the available energy goes into the translational motion of the products (55%-68%) with this fraction increasing as the T 1 barrier is approached. Analysis of the translational energy distributions was also used to determine the aldehyde α C-C bond dissociation energies which were found to be 339.8 ± 2.5 and 331.2 ± 2.5 kJ/mol for propanal and isobutanal, respectively. These values were also found to be in good agreement with the computed dissociation energies using G4 and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//M062X/aug-cc-pVTZ levels of theory. Furthermore, these dissociation energies, combined with the known Δ f H (0 K) of the reaction products, provided the Δ f H (0 K) of propanal and isobutanal which were calculated to be -167.3 ± 2.5 and -184.0 ± 2.5 kJ/mol, respectively.

The products of an electrical discharge containing toluene are interrogated using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopies. A previously unreported electronic spectrum recorded at m/z = 105, with a putative origin band at 26053 cm -1 , is assigned to methyltropyl radical, which appears to be a major product of the toluene discharge, plausibly arising from CH insertion. All three o-, m-, and p-xylyl isomers are also identified. These isomers are detected in electrical discharges containing various xylenes, where it is also found that interconversion occurs: A discharge of o-xylene produces some m-xylyl; a discharge of m-xylene produces some o-xylyl; and a discharge of p-xylene produces all three isomers. No α-methylbenzyl was detected, but styrene was. These observations are supported by state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations, which reveal an isomerization pathway between methyltropyl and xylyl radicals for which there is no analogue in the canonical tropyl-benzyl isomerization.

The lowest 13 vibrational levels, v = 0-12, of the eΠg3 state of the C 2 molecule have been measured by laser-induced fluorescence of new bands of the Fox-Herzberg system. The newly observed levels, v = 5-12, which span the eΠg3 electronic state up to and beyond the first dissociation threshold of C 2 , were analyzed to afford highly accurate molecular constants, including band origins, and rotational and spin-orbit constants. The spin-orbit coupling constants of the previously published lowest five levels are revised in sign and magnitude, requiring an overhaul of previously published molecular constants. The analysis is supported by high level ab initio calculations. Lifetimes of all observed levels were recorded and found to be in excellent agreement with ab initio predicted values up to v = 11. v = 12 was found to exhibit a much reduced lifetime and fluorescence quantum yield, which is attributed to the onset of predissociation. This brackets the dissociation energy of ground state XΣg+1 C 2 between 6.1803 and 6.2553 eV, in agreement with the Active Thermochemical Tables.

The photodissociation dynamics of roaming in formaldehyde are studied by comparing quasi-classical trajectory calculations performed on a new potential energy surface (PES) to new and detailed experimental results detailing the CO + H 2 product state distributions and their correlations. The new PES proves to be a significant improvement over the past one, now more than a decade old. The new experiments probe both the CO and H 2 products of the formaldehyde dissociation. The experimental and trajectory data offer unprecedented detail about the correlations between internal states of the CO and H 2 dissociation products as well as information on how these distributions are different for the roaming and transition-state pathways. The data investigated include, for dissociation on the formaldehyde 2 1 4 3 band, (a) the speed distributions for individual vibrational/rotational states of the CO products, providing information about the correlated internal energy distributions of the H 2 product, and (b) the rotational and vibrational distributions for the CO and H 2 products as well as the contributions to each from both the transition state and roaming channels. The agreement between the trajectory and experimental data is quite satisfactory, although minor differences are noted. The general agreement provides support for future use of the experimental techniques and the new PES in understanding the dynamics of photodissociative processes.

The dynamics of CO production from photolysis of H 2 CO have been explored over a 8000 cm -1 energy range (345 nm-266 nm). Two-dimensional ion imaging, which simultaneously measures the speed and angular momentum distribution of a photofragment, was used to characterise the distribution of rotational and translational energy and to quantify the branching fraction of roaming, transition state (TS), and triple fragmentation (3F) pathways. The rotational distribution for the TS channel broadens significantly with increasing energy, while the distribution is relatively constant for the roaming channel. The branching fraction from roaming is also relatively constant at 20% of the observed CO. Above the 3F threshold, roaming decreases in favour of triple fragmentation. Combining the present data with our previous study on the H-atom branching fractions and published quantum yields for radical and molecular channels, absolute quantum yields were determined for all five dissociation channels for the entire S 1 ←S 0 absorption band, covering almost 8000 cm -1 of excitation energy. The S 0 radical and TS molecular channels are the most important over this energy range. The absolute quantum yield of roaming is fairly constant ∼5% at all energies. The T 1 radical channel is important (20%-40%) between 1500 and 4000 cm -1 above the H + HCO threshold, but becomes unimportant at higher energy. Triple fragmentation increases rapidly above its threshold reaching a maximum of 5% of the total product yield at the highest energy.

Fourier transform infrared spectra of isolated 1-propenol and 2-propenol in the gas-phase have been collected in the range of 900-3800 cm -1 , and the absolute infrared absorption cross sections reported for the first time. Both cis and trans isomers of 1-propenol were observed with the trans isomer in greater abundance. Syn and anti conformers of both 1- and 2-propenol were also observed, with abundance consistent with thermal population. The FTIR spectrum of the smaller ethenol (vinyl alcohol) was used as a benchmark for our computational results. As a consequence, its spectrum has been partially reassigned resulting in the first report of the anti-ethenol conformer. Electronic structure calculations were used to support our experimental results and assign vibrational modes for the most abundant isomers, syn-trans-1-propenol and syn-2-propenol.

The 3 3 Π g state of the dicarbon molecule, C 2 , has been identified for the first time by a combination of resonant ionization spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and high-level ab initio quantum chemical calculations. This marks the discovery of the final valence triplet state of C 2 spectroscopically accessible from the lowest triplet state. It is found to be vibronically coupled to the recently discovered 4 3 Π g state, necessitating vibronic calculations beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation to reconcile calculated rotational constants with observations. The 3 3 Π g state of C 2 is observed to have a much shorter fluorescence lifetime than expected, possibly pointing to predissociation by coupling to the unbound d 3 Π g state.

The photodissociation dynamics of acetone (CH 3 ) 2 CO, cooled in a molecular beam, have been explored over the wavelength range 266-312 nm. Nascent CH 3 fragments were detected by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization, followed by mass-selected ion imaging. For photolysis at λ = 306 nm, the image shows a sharp ring, which, when converted to a translational energy distribution, reveals a narrow Gaussian peak with a maximum at 90% of the available energy. As the photolysis energy is increased, the distribution slowly broadens and shifts to higher recoil translational energy. The fraction of available energy in translation energy decreases in favour of internal energy of the CH 3 CO fragment. These observations are consistent with a dynamical model in which the energy of the exit channel barrier on the T 1 surface evolves mostly into relative translational energy. Energy in excess of the barrier is partitioned statistically into all degrees of freedom. No evidence was found for any other dynamical pathway producing CH 3 fragments, including reaction on S 0 or S 1 , for dissociation between 306 and 266 nm. For λ > 306 nm, a diffuse, slow recoil component to the image appears. The translational energy distribution for this component is fit well by a statistical prior distribution of energy. We attribute this component to dissociation on the S 0 , ground state surface; to our knowledge, this is the first direct observation of this channel. The appearance of S 0 dynamics and the disappearance of the T 1 component are consistent with previously inferred barrier height on T 1 for the production of CH 3 CO + CH 3 . The possible atmospheric implications of our findings are discussed.

Resonant two-photon threshold ionization spectroscopy is employed to determine the ionization energy of C2 to 5 meV precision, about two orders of magnitude more precise than the previously accepted value. Through exploration of the ionization threshold after pumping the 0-3 band of the newly discovered 4(3)Πg ← a(3)Πu band system of C2, the ionization energy of the lowest rovibronic level of the a(3)Πu state was determined to be 11.791(5) eV. Accounting for spin-orbit and rotational effects, we calculate that the ionization energy of the forbidden origin of the a(3)Πu state is 11.790(5) eV, in excellent agreement with quantum thermochemical calculations which give 11.788(10) eV. The experimentally derived ionization energy of X(1)Σg(+) state C2 is 11.866(5) eV.

The reaction of H + phenol and H/D + toluene has been studied in a supersonic expansion after electric discharge. The (1 + 1') resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra of the reaction products, at m/z = parent + 1, or parent + 2 amu, were measured by scanning the first (resonance) laser. The resulting spectra are highly structured. Ionization energies were measured by scanning the second (ionization) laser, while the first laser was tuned to a specific transition. Theoretical calculations, benchmarked to the well-studied H + benzene → cyclohexadienyl radical reaction, were performed. The spectrum arising from the reaction of H + phenol is attributed solely to the ortho-hydroxy-cyclohexadienyl radical, which was found in two conformers (syn and anti). Similarly, the reaction of H/D + toluene formed solely the ortho isomer. The preference for the ortho isomer at 100-200 K in the molecular beam is attributed to kinetic, not thermodynamic effects, caused by an entrance channel barrier that is ∼5 kJ mol(-1) lower for ortho than for other isomers. Based on these results, we predict that the reaction of H + phenol and H + toluene should still favour the ortho isomer under elevated temperature conditions in the early stages of combustion (200-400 °C).

We report the observation of a new band system of C2, namely, the 4(3)Πg-a(3)Πu system. The bands, observed by resonant 2-photon ionization spectroscopy and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, were identified through a synergy of high-level ab initio computation and double-resonance spectroscopy. Two bands are firmly identified, 1-3 and 0-2, allowing the 4(3)Πg origin to be placed at 51496.44 cm(-1). The 4(3)Πg state is characterized as having a single bond, with a vibrational frequency of about 1268 cm(-1), and an equilibrium bond length of 1.57 Å. The state is predicted to exhibit a barrier to dissociation, with a rotational constant that unusually increases with vibrational excitation up to a maximum before decreasing at higher vibrational excitation. The new band system allows us to probe the a(3)Πu state of C2 through a straightforward 1 + 1 REMPI scheme.

Excitation spectra of the 1H-naphthalene (1-C10H9) and 1D-naphthalene (1-C10H8D) radicals, and their cations, are obtained by laser spectroscopy and mass spectrometry of a skimmed free-jet expansion following an electrical discharge. The spectra are assigned on the basis of density functional theory calculations. Isotopic shifts in origin transitions, vibrational frequencies and ionization energies were found to be well reproduced by (time-dependent) density functional theory. Absolute bond dissociation energies, ionization energies and proton affinities were calculated using high-level quantum chemical methods.

The ionization energies for three resonance-stabilized radicals are determined: cyclohexadienyl, 1-phenylpropargyl, and methylcyclohexadienyl. The recommended ionization energies are, respectively, 6.820(1), 6.585(1), and 7.232(1) eV. That of cyclohexadienyl is found to be just 0.02 eV above a high level ab initio calculation [Bargholz, A.; Oswald, R.; Botschwina, P. J. Chem. Phys. 2013, 138, 014307], and that of 1-phenylpropargyl is found within the stated error of a recent experimental determination [Holzmeier, F.; Lang, M.; Hemberger, P.; Fischer, I. ChemPhysChem 2014, DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201402446]. The ionization energy of the methylcyclohexadienyl radical is consistent with the ortho isomer. Ionization energies of a range of isotopologues of cyclohexadienyl radical are given, along with their D1 ← D0 origin band positions, which indicate a blue shift of 18 cm(-1) per deuterium atom substituted. The ionization energy of cyclohexadienyl, along with the calculated bond dissociation energy of Bargholz et al., affords a new estimate of the 0 K proton affinity of benzene: 739.7 ± 2.0 kJ/mol. The ionization energies are discussed in terms of the interplay between radical and cation stabilization energies.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling contributes to the pathogenic changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is both complex and not well understood. Collagen I, a component of the ECM altered in COPD airways, has second harmonic generation (SHG) properties. The SHG signal is coherent, propagating both forward (F) (primarily organized/mature collagen fibrils) and backward (B) (primarily disorganized/immature collagen fibrils) parallel to the incident light. The F/B SHG ratio was used to determine the proportion of organized to disorganized collagen, with lower variation in F/B ratio between sampling regions within the same patient and between patients in the same disease group compared with analyzing F and B data alone. The F/B ratio was independent of laser power drift, regions analyzed within a tissue and tissue orientation during analysis. Using this method, we identified a significant difference in collagen organization in airway tissue between COPD and non diseased. We have developed a robust optimization and calibration methodology that will allow direct comparison of data obtained at different times and from multiple microscopes, which is directly adaptable for use with other tissue types. We report a powerful new tool for advancing our understanding of pathological ECM remodeling that may uncover new therapeutic targets in the future.