Photolysis Dynamics Laser Chemistry Lab

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Rotational energy transfer (RET) by Ar collisions within the v′ = 0 level of the SH A2Σ+ state is probed using a laser-induced dispersed fluorescence technique, following photodissociation of H2S at 248 nm. The Ar pressure is adjusted appropriately to allow for significant observation of the single-collision induced RET process. The spin-resolved and spin-averaged rate constants are then evaluated with the aid of a kinetic model under single-collision conditions. The theoretical counterparts are calculated using a quantum scattering method, in which a newly fitted potential energy function is based on ab initio potential energy surface reported previously. The experimental and theoretical kinetic data are essentially consistent in the trend of N and ΔN dependence. Several propensity rules are found in the RET collisions. For instance, for ΔN = 1, 2, and 3, the rate constants decrease with increasing N or ΔN. Given a fixed ΔN, the rate constants of the same initial N in the downward transition appear to be larger than those in the upward transitions. In ΔN = 0, the F2 → F1 transitions prevail over the F 1 → F2 transitions (F1 = N + 1/2, F 2 = N - 1/2), whereas in ΔN ≠ 0, the fine-structure- conserving collisions are more favored than the fine-structure-changing collisions. The principle of microscopic reversibility is also examined for both experimental and theoretical kinetic data, showing that translational energies of the RET collisions are close to thermal equilibrium at room temperature. The propensity rules may be rationalized according to this principle. © 2010 the Owner Societies.

Evanescent-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy is applied to investigate the adsorption behavior of rhodamine B at three different interfaces. The adsorption equilibrium constant (Kads) and adsorption free energy of rhodamine B at the silica/methanol interface are determined to be (1.5 ± 0.2) × 104 M-1 and -23.8 ± 0.4 kJ/mol by use of a Langmuir isotherm model. A Langmuir-based kinetic model is also developed to determine the corresponding adsorption and desorption rate constants of (1.02 ± 0.03) × 102 M-1 s-1 and (7.1 ± 0.2) × 10-3 s-1, from which Kads is obtained to be (1.45 ± 0.09) × 104 M-1, in agreement with the value determined under equilibrium conditions. Similarly, when rhodamine B is at the chlorotrimethylsilane-immobilized silica/methanol interface, the adsorption and desorption rate constants are determined to be (1.7 ± 0.2) × 102 M-1 s-1 and (5.0 ± 1.0) × 10-3 s-1· The subsequent Kads is (3.6 ± 0.4) × 104 M-1, which is larger than that at the silica/methanol interface. The former adsorption is dominated by hydrophobic interaction, while the latter is subject to electrostatic attraction. When rhodamine B is at the silica/water interface, there exist three chemical forms, including zwitterion (R+B -), cation (RBH+), and lactone (RBL). A combination of double-layer and Langmuir competitive models is used to fit the adsorption isotherm as a function of solution pH, yielding Kads of (2.5 ± 0.2) × 104 M-1 and (1.1 ± 0.2) × 105 M-1 for R+B- and RBH +, respectively. RBL is considered to have the same Kads value as R+B-. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

The orientation dependence for the Br atom formation in the reaction of the oriented OH radicals with HBr molecules at 0.26 eV collision energy has been observed for the first time using the hexapole electric field, and we found that the reaction cross-section for O-end attack is more favorable than that for H-end attack by a factor of 3.4 ± 2.3. © the Owner Societies.

In one-photon dissociation of gaseous acetyl chloride at 248 nm, time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared emission spectroscopy is used to detect the fragments of HCl, CO, and CH2 in the presence of Ar or O 2. The high-resolution spectra of HCl and CO are analyzed to yield the corresponding internal energy deposition of 8.9 ± 1.1 and 6.2 ± 0.9 kcal/mol. The presence of the CH2 fragment is verified by detecting the CO2 product resulting from the reaction of CH 2 and the added O2. The probability of the HCl formation via a hot Cl reaction with the precursor is examined to be negligible by performing two experiments, the CH3COCl pressure dependence and the measurement of Br2 with Cl reaction. The HCl elimination channel under the Ar addition is verified to be slowed by 2 orders of magnitude, as compared to the Cl elimination channel. The observed fragments are proposed to dissociate on the hot ground electronic state via collision-induced internal conversion. A two-body dissociation channel is favored leading to HCl and CH2CO, followed by secondary dissociation. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

In one-photon dissociation of propionyl chloride at 248 nm, time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared emission spectroscopy is used to detect the fragments of HCl and CO in the presence of Ar. The inert gas Ar plays a role to enhance the internal conversion. The time-dependence of high-resolution HCl spectra yields a bimodal rotational distribution in the early stage. The total rotational and vibrational energy partitioned in HCl are evaluated to be 1.7 ± 0.3 and 8.8 ± 1.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The CO appearance indicates that HCl may be eliminated through a five-center mechanism accompanied with three-body dissociation of C2H2, HCl, and CO. A four-center mechanism forming HCl and CH3CHCO also contributes to the HCl fragment with a feature of rotational bimodality. However, the probability for the HCl contribution from the hot Cl reaction is negligible. The reaction with CH4 is carried out to evaluate the HCl and Cl elimination rate constants. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of photoinduced electron transfer (ET) from oxazine 1 dye to TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) surface is studied at a single molecule level by using confocal fluorescence microscopy. Upon irradiation with a pulsed laser at 630 nm, the fluorescence lifetimes sampled among 100 different dye molecules are determined to yield an average lifetime of 2.9 ± 0.3 ns, which is close to the value of 3.0 ± 0.6 ns measured on the bare coverslip. The lifetime proximity suggests that most interfacial electron transfer (IFET) processes for the current system are inefficient, probably caused by physisorption between dye and the TiO2 film. However, there might exist some molecules which are quenched before fluorescing and fail to be detected. With the aid of autocorrelation analysis under a three-level energy system, the IFET kinetics of single dye molecules in the conduction band of TiO2 NPs is evaluated to be (1.0 ± 0.1)×104 s-1 averaged over 100 single molecules and the back ET rate constant is 4.7 ± 0.9 s-1. When a thicker TiO2 film is substituted, the resultant kinetic data do not make a significant difference. The trend of IFET efficacy agrees with the method of fluorescence lifetime measurements. The obtained forward ET rate constants are about ten times smaller than the photovoltage response measured in an assembled dye-sensitized solar cell. The discrepancy is discussed. The inhomogeneous and fluctuation characters for the IFET process are attributed to microenvironment variation for each single molecule. The obtained ET rates are much slower than the fluorescence relaxation. Such a small ET quantum yield is yet feasibly detectable at a single molecule level. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

A primary dissociation channel of Br 2 elimination is detected following a single-photon absorption of (COBr) 2 at 248 nm by using cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy. The technique contains two laser beams propagating in a perpendicular configuration. The tunable laser beam along the axis of the ring-down cell probes the Br 2 fragment in the B 3Π + ou-X 1Σ g + transition. The measurements of laser energy- and pressure-dependence and addition of a Br scavenger are further carried out to rule out the probability of Br 2 contribution from a secondary reaction. By means of spectral simulation, the ratio of nascent vibrational population for v = 0, 1, and 2 levels is evaluated to be 1:(0.65 ± 0.09):(0.34 ± 0.07), corresponding to a Boltzmann vibrational temperature of 893 ± 31 K. The quantum yield of the ground state Br 2 elimination reaction is determined to be 0.11 ± 0.06. With the aid of ab initio potential energy calculations, the pathway of molecular elimination is proposed on the energetic ground state (COBr) 2 via internal conversion. A four-center dissociation mechanism is followed synchronously or sequentially yielding three fragments of Br 2 + 2CO. The resulting Br 2 is anticipated to be vibrationally hot. The measurement of a positive temperature effect supports the proposed mechanism. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

The rotational energy transfer (RET) by Ar collisions within the SH X 2Π (v′′ = 0, J′′ = 0.5-10.5) state is characterized. The integral cross sections as a function of collision energy for each rotational transition are calculated using a quantum scattering method in which the constructed potential energy functions are based on a ground state potential energy surface (PES) reported previously. On the other hand, a laser-induced excitation fluorescence technique is employed to monitor the relaxation of the rotational population as a function of photolysis-probe delay time following the photodissociation of H2S at 248 nm. The rotational population evolution is comparable to its theoretical counterpart based on calculated Λ-resolved RET rate constants. The propensity in Λ-resolved RET transitions is found to approximately resemble the case of OH(X 2Π, v′′ = 0) + Ar. The Λ-averaged RET collisions are also analyzed and result in several propensity rules in the transitions. Most propensity rules are similar to those observed in the collisions of SH(A 2Σ+) by Ar. However, the behavior of the conserving ratio, defined as rate constants for spin-orbit conserving transition divided by those for spin-orbit changing transition, shows distinct difference from those described by Hund’s case (b). © the Owner Societies.

By employing time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy, the fragments HCl (v=1-3), HBr (v=1), and CO (v=1-3) are detected in one-photon dissociation of 2-bromopropionyl chloride (CH3CHBrCOCl) at 248 nm. Ar gas is added to induce internal conversion and to enhance the fragment yields. The time-resolved high-resolution spectra of HCl and CO were analyzed to determine the rovibrational energy deposition of 10.0A ±0.2 and 7.4A ±0.6 kcal mol-1, respectively, while the rotational energy in HBr is evaluated to be 0.9A ±0.1 kcal mol-1. The branching ratio of HCl(v>0)/HBr(v>0) is estimated to be 1:0.53. The bond selectivity of halide formation in the photolysis follows the same trend as the halogen atom elimination. The probability of HCl contribution from a hot Cl reaction with the precursor is negligible according to the measurements of HCl amount by adding an active reagent, Br2, in the system. The HCl elimination channel under Ar addition is verified to be slower by two orders of magnitude than the Cl elimination channel. With the aid of ab initio calculations, the observed fragments are dissociated from the hot ground state CH3CHBrCOCl. A two-body dissociation channel is favored leading to either HCl+CH3CBrCO or HBr+CH2CHCOCl, in which the CH 3CBrCO moiety may further undergo secondary dissociation to release CO. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Polynorbornenes appended with anthracene and chiral alanine linkers are synthesized. Hydrogen bonding between the adjacent bisamidic linkers brings adjacent anthracene chromophores in a more suitable orientation for exciton coupling and renders one-handed helical structures for these polymers. Excimer formation is observed from their emission spectra. Monoamidic linkers provide only one hydrogen bond, which would be less robust and result in much lower circular dichroic response. Hydrogen bonding between the adjacent chiral alanine linkers brings appended anthracene in a more suitable orientation for exciton coupling and excimer formation, rendering one-handed helical structures in polynorbornenes. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Following single-photon dissociation of CH2I2 at 248 nm, I2 molecular elimination is detected by using cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy. The technique comprises two laser beams propagating in a perpendicular configuration, in which a tunable laser beam along the axis of the ring-down cell probes the I2 fragment in the B 3 ou + - X 1 g + transition. The nascent vibrational populations for v 0, 1, and 2 levels are obtained with a population ratio of 1:(0.65 0.10):(0.30 0.05), corresponding to a Boltzmann-like vibrational temperature of 544 73 K. The quantum yield of the ground state I2 elimination reaction is determined to be 0.0040 0.0025. With the aid of ab initio potential energy calculations, the pathway of molecular elimination is proposed on the energetic ground state CH2I2 via internal conversion, followed by asynchronous three-center dissociation. A positive temperature effect supports the proposed mechanism. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Ion imaging coupled with (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) technique is employed to probe CO(v″ = 0) fragments at different rotational levels following photodissociation of methyl formate (HCOOCH 3) at 234 nm. When the rotational level, J″CO, is larger than 24, only a broad translational energy distribution extending beyond 70 kcal mol-1 with an average energy of about 23 kcal mol -1 appears. The dissociation process is initiated on the energetic ground state HCOOCH3 that surpasses a tight transition state along the reaction coordinate prior to breaking into CO + CH3OH. This molecular dissociation pathway accounts for the CO fragment with larger rotational energy and large translational energy. As J″CO decreases, a bimodal distribution arises with one broad component and the other sharp component carrying the average energy of only 1-2 kcal mol-1. The branching ratio of the sharp component increases with a decrease of J″CO; (7.3 ± 0.6)% is reached as the image is probed at J″CO = 10. The production of a sharp component is ascribed to a roaming mechanism that has the following features: a small total translational energy, a low rotational energy partitioning in CO, but a large internal energy in the CH3OH co-product. The internal energy deposition in the fragments shows distinct difference from those via the conventional transition state. © the Owner Societies 2011.

The orientation dependence of Br-atom formation in the reaction of the oriented OH radical with the HBr molecule using the hexapole electrostatic field was studied. Experimental results for the orientation dependence in the reaction were analyzed using a Legendre polynomial fit. The results show two reactive sites. It was found that O-end attack is most favored for this reaction, and that H-end attack also shows a pronounced reactivity. The reactivity of the side-ways attack was found to be small. By comparing the results of the orientation dependence in the reaction with studies of inelastic collisions and theoretical calculations, two reaction pathways are proposed. Reaction by O-end attack is followed by a direct abstraction of the H-atom from the HBr molecule. The mechanism for H-end attack may have H-atom migration from HBr to form the water molecule. © 2011 the Owner Societies.

Ab initio potential energy surfaces and the corresponding analytical energy functions of the ground 1A′ and excited 2A′ states for the Li(22P) plus H2 reaction are constructed. Quasiclassical trajectory calculations on the fitted energy functions are performed to characterize the reactions of Li(22P) with H2(v 0, j 1) and H2(v 1, j 1) as well as the reaction when the vibrational energy is replaced by collision energy. For simplicity, the transition probability is assumed to be unity when the trajectories go through the crossing seam region and change to the lower surface. The calculated rotational distributions of LiH(v 0) for both H2(v 0, j 1) and H2(v 1, j 1) reactions are single-peaked with the maximum population at j′ 7, consistent with the previous observation. The vibrational excitation of H2(v 1) may enhance the reaction cross section of LiH(v′ 0) by about 200 times, as compared to a result of 93-107 reported in the experimental measurements. In contrast, the enhancement is 3.1, if the same amount of energy is deposited in the translational states. This endothermic reaction can be considered as an analog of late barrier. According to the trajectory analysis, the vibrational excitation enlarges the H-H distance in the entrance channel to facilitate the reaction, but the excess energy may not open up additional reaction configuration. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

By using time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared emission spectroscopy, the fragments of HCN(v 1, 2) and CO(v 1-3) are detected in one-photon dissociation of acetyl cyanide (CH 3COCN) at 308 nm. The S 1(A ″), 1(n O, π CO) state at 308 nm has a radiative lifetime of 0.46 ± 0.01 μs, long enough to allow for Ar collisions that induce internal conversion and enhance the fragment yields. The rate constant of Ar collision-induced internal conversion is estimated to be (1-7) × 10 -12 cm 3 molecule -1 s -1. The measurements of O 2 dependence exclude the production possibility of these fragments via intersystem crossing. The high-resolution spectra of HCN and CO are analyzed to determine the ro-vibrational energy deposition of 81 ± 7 and 32 ± 3 kJmol, respectively. With the aid of ab initio calculations, a two-body dissociation on the energetic ground state is favored leading to HCN CH 2CO, in which the CH 2CO moiety may further undergo secondary dissociation to release CO. The production of CO 2 in the reaction with O 2 confirms existence of CH 2 and a secondary reaction product of CO. The HNC fragment is identified but cannot be assigned, as restricted to a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Because of insufficient excitation energy at 308 nm, the CN and CH 3 fragments that dominate the dissociation products at 193 nm are not detected. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Evanescent wave-cavity ring-down spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) is employed to characterize micellization of anionic surfactants and the related capability of removing cationic substance off the silica surface. Crystal violet (CV +) cationic dye is used as a molecular probe to effectively determine critical hemimicelle concentration (HMC) of surfactants on the surface. The HMC results are 1×10 -2, 4×10 -3, 8×10 -4, and 2.5×10 -4mol/L for sodium sulfate salts with a carbon-chain length of C-10, C-12, C-14, and C-16, respectively. A stronger hydrophobic interaction results in a less concentration required to undergo micellization. The HMC values on the surface are about half of those in solution. When NaCl solution is added, the electrolyte helps reduce the electrostatic repulsion between the anionic sulfate heads to facilitate the surfactant aggregation, and thus, the subsequent HMC is reduced. Furthermore, the probable phase change for dye-surfactant interactions on the surface at the concentration below HMC is observed, and the desorption rates of CV + are measured as a function of concentration and carbon-chain length of surfactants above HMC. Given each surfactant concentration at its respective HMC, the corresponding desorption rates are along the order of C-12<C-14<C-16<-C-10. The trend may be realized by two competing factors of hemimicelle size and number density. The consequences help with understanding how to apply surfactant in the chromatographic separation. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

Electron transfer (ET) kinetics of CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) on bare coverslips and a TiO 2 nanoparticle-coated thin film has been investigated at the single-molecule level. The QDs prepared have three different diameters of 3.6, 4.6, and 6.4 nm. The trajectories of fluorescence intensity are acquired with respect to the arrival time. The on-time events and subsequent fluorescence lifetimes are shorter with decreasing size. Given the lifetime measurements for QDs on glass and TiO 2, the rate constant of ET from QDs to TiO 2 may be determined to be 1.3×10 7, 6.0×10 6, and 4.7×10 6 s -1 for the increasing sizes of the QDs. The plot of on-time probability density versus arrival time is characterized by power-law statistics in the short time region and a bending tail in the long time region. Marcus's ET model is employed to satisfactorily fit the bending tail behavior and to further calculate the ET rate constants. The theoretical counterparts for the different sizes are 1.4×10 7, 6.4×10 6, and 1.9×10 6 s -1, showing good agreement with the experimental results. Going dotty: Electron transfer kinetics of CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) on bare coverslips and on TiO 2 nanoparticle coated thin films have been investigated at the single-molecule level. As the size of the QDs changes, the shift in the valence band (VB) energy is less significant than the shift in the conduction band (CB) energy. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The primary elimination channel of bromine molecule in one-photon dissociation of CH2BrC(O)Br at 248 nm is investigated using cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy. By means of spectral simulation, the ratio of nascent vibrational population in v 0, 1, and 2 levels is evaluated to be 1:(0.5 ± 0.1):(0.2 ± 0.1), corresponding to a Boltzmann vibrational temperature of 581 ± 45 K. The quantum yield of the ground state Br2 elimination reaction is determined to be 0.24 ± 0.08. With the aid of ab initio potential energy calculations, the obtained Br2 fragments are anticipated to dissociate on the electronic ground state, yielding vibrationally hot Br2 products. The temperature-dependence measurements support the proposed pathway via internal conversion. For comparison, the Br2 yields are obtained analogously from CH3CHBrC(O)Br and (CH3)2CBrC(O)Br to be 0.03 and 0.06, respectively. The trend of Br2 yields among the three compounds is consistent with the branching ratio evaluation by Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus method. However, the latter result for each molecule is smaller by an order of magnitude than the yield findings. A non-statistical pathway so-called roaming process might be an alternative to the Br2 production, and its contribution might account for the underestimate of the branching ratio calculations. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Experimental studies on reaction dynamics by use of molecular beams and oriented molecular beams are reviewed in order for looking closer to chemical reactions as well as photodissociations at the molecular level. We discuss about versatility and usefulness of the electrostatic hexapole sate-selector as a non-destructive selector for molecular structure analysis. Some experimental evidences on novel reaction dynamics in photodissociation and stereodynamics are presented followed by concluding remarks and future perspectives for controlling chemical reactions from the point of view of green chemistry, by manipulating molecular orientation without any catalyst nor by applying any external forces like intense electromagnetic field. © 2012 The Chemical Society Located in Taipei & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The behavior of λ-doublet resolved rotational energy transfer (RET) by Ar collisions within the SH(X 2Π, v′=0) state is characterized. The matrix elements of terms in the interaction potential responsible for interference effects are calculated to explain the propensity rules for collision-induced transitions within and between spin-orbit manifolds. In this manner, the physical mechanisms responsible for the F 1-F 1, F 2-F 2, and F 1-F 2 transitions may be reasonably identified. As collision energy increases, the propensity for collisional population of the final e or f level is replaced by the e/f-conserving propensity. Such a change in propensity rule can be predicted in terms of energy sudden approximation at high J limit for the pure Hund's case scheme. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Emergence of biochemical homochirality is an intriguing topic, and none of the proposed scenarios has encountered a unanimous consensus. Candidates for naturally occurring processes, which may originate chiral selection, involve interaction of matter with light and molecular collisions. We performed and report here: (1) simulations of photodissociation of an oriented chiral molecule by linearly polarized (achiral) light observing that the angular distribution of the photofragments is characteristic of each enantiomer and both differ from the racemic mixture; and (2) molecular dynamics simulations (elastic collisions of oriented hydrogen peroxide, one of the most simple chiral molecules, with Ne atom) demonstrating that the scattering and the recoil angles are specific of the enantiomeric form. The efficacy of non-chiral light (in the case of photodissociation) and of non-chiral projectile (in the case of collisions) is due to the molecular orientation, as an essential requirement to observe chiral effects. The results of the simulations, that we report in this article, provide the background for the perspective realization of experiments which go beyond the well-documented ones involving interaction of circularly polarized laser (chiral light) with the matter, specifically by making use of non-chiral, i.e. linearly polarized or unpolarized light sources, and also by obtaining chiral effects with no use at all of light, but simply inducing them by molecular collisions. The case of vortices is discussed in a companion paper. © 2013 Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei.

The aligned metastable CO(a 3π1) molecular beam was generated by an electronic excitation through the Cameron band (CO a 3Π1 ← X 1Σ+) transition. Beam characterization of the aligned molecular beam of CO(a 3Π1) was carried out by (1 + 1) REMPI detection via the b 3Σ+ state. The REMPI signals showed the clear dependence on the polarization of the pump laser, and the experimental result was well reproduced by the theoretical simulation. This agreement confirms that aligned metastable CO(a 3Π1) can be generated and controlled by rotating polarization of the pump laser. By using this technique, a single quantum state of CO(a 3Π1) can be selected as a metastable molecular beam. The steric effect in the energy-transfer collision of CO(a 3Π1) with NO forming the excited NO was carried out with this aligned CO(a 3Π1) molecular beam. We find that the sideways orientation of CO(a 3Π1) is more favorable in the formation of the excited NO(A 2Σ+, B 2Π) than that for the axial collisions. The obtained steric effect was discussed with the aid of the spatial distribution of CO(a 3Π1) molecular orbitals, and we find that specific rotational motion of CO(a 3Π1) in each state may not be a dominant factor in this energy-transfer collision. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Competitive bond dissociation mechanisms for bromoacetyl chloride and 2- and 3-bromopropionyl chloride following the 1[n(O) →π*(Cï£O)] transition at 234-235 nm are investigated. Branching ratios for C-Br/C-Cl bond fission are found by using the (2+1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) technique coupled with velocity ion imaging. The fragment branching ratios depend mainly on the dissociation pathways and the distances between the orbitals of Br and the Cï£O chromophore. C-Cl bond fission is anticipated to follow an adiabatic potential surface for a strong diabatic coupling between the n(O)π*(Cï£O) and np(Cl)σ*(C-Cl) bands. In contrast, C-Br bond fission is subject to much weaker coupling between n(O)π*(Cï£O) and np(Br)σ*(C-Br). Thus, a diabatic pathway is preferred for bromoacetyl chloride and 2-bromopropionyl chloride, which leads to excited-state products. For 3-bromopropionyl chloride, the available energy is not high enough to reach the excited-state products such that C-Br bond fission must proceed through an adiabatic pathway with severe suppression by nonadiabatic coupling. The fragment translational energies and anisotropy parameters for the three molecules are also analyzed and appropriately interpreted. Busted open: Insight into the mechanisms causing C-Cl and C-Br bond fission of bromoacetyl chloride and 2- and 3-bromopropionyl chloride by following the 1[n(O) →π*(Cï£O)] transition is obtained. The figure shows the center-of-mass translational energy distributions of ground-state Br formation through a diabatic pathway for the dissociation of 2-bromopropionyl chloride. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantum decoherence can be viewed as the mechanism responsible for the quantum-to-classical transition as the initially prepared quantum state interacts with its environment in an irreversible manner. One of the most common mechanisms responsible for the macroscopically observed decoherence involves collisions of an atom or molecule, initially prepared in a coherent superposition of states, with gas particles. In this work, a coherent superposition of quantum internal states of NO molecules is prepared by the interaction between the molecule with both a static and a radiofrequency electric field. Subsequently, NO + Ar collision decoherence experiments are investigated by measuring the loss of coherence as a function of the number of collisions. Data analysis using a model based on the interaction potential of the collisional partners allowed to unravel the molecular mechanism responsible for the loss of coherence in the prepared NO quantum superposition of internal states. The relevance of the present work relies on several aspects. On the one hand, the use of radio-waves introduces a new way for the production of coherent beams. On the other hand, the employed methodology could be useful in investigating the Stereodynamics of chemical reactions with coherent reagents. © 2013 American Chemical Society.