E. P. Nafikova

Electron attachment to some naphthoquinone derivatives: long-lived molecular anion formation

RATIONALE Electron Affinity (EA) is one of the fundamental properties of a molecule. EA values can be measured with various experimental methods, although their availability is still relatively limited. We make an attempt to use Dissociative Electron Attachment Spectroscopy (DEAS) data for evaluation of the EAs of twelve naphthoquinone (NQ) derivatives. METHODS Naphthoquinone (NQ) and eleven of its hydroxyl derivatives were investigated by means of DEAS. A combined investigation of NQ and juglone by means of the Electron Transmission Spectroscopy (ETS) and DEAS techniques, with the support of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, allowed us to elucidate the empty-level structures of NQ and its hydroxyl derivatives. RESULTS All molecules under investigation form extremely long-lived molecular anions associated with three resonant states (except for NQ, where only two long-lived resonances were observed). The hydroxyl substituents of NQ cause an increase in EA and number of internal degrees of freedom (N), and, as a result, an increase in the mean electron autodetachment lifetimes of the molecular negative ions (NIs). Evaluation of the EAs from the measured lifetimes of the molecular NIs through a simple Arrhenius approximation gives results in reasonable agreement with those obtained with DFT calculations. CONCLUSIONS NI lifetime measurements by means of a modified DEAS instrumentation can provide quantitative data of EA. A simple Arrhenius approximation seems to be adequate to describe the process of electron detachment from molecular anions.

Internal conversion as the main stabilization mechanism for long-lived negative molecular ions

The temperature dependence of the mean lifetime of Ph-N=N-Ph− azobenzene negative molecular ions on the captured electron energy is studied with a static mass spectrometer by the method of resonance electron capture. A family of respective experimental dependences is calculated accurate to 2–10%. It is shown that the molecular anions in the epithermal electron energy range can be stabilized through internal conversion, namely, a series of fast radiationless transitions without change in the multiplicity.

Electron attachment to the phthalide molecule

Phthalide, the simplest chain of conductive polymer thin film, was investigated by means of Electron Transmission Spectroscopy, Negative Ion Mass Spectrometry, and density functional theory quantum chemistry. It has been found that formation of gas-phase long-lived molecular anions of phthalide around 0.7 eV takes place through cleavage of a C-O bond of the pentacyclic ring of the parent molecular anion to give a vibrationally excited (electronically more stable) open-ring molecular anion. The energy of the transition state for ring opening of the parent negative ion is calculated to be 0.65 eV above the neutral ground state of the molecule. The energy (2.64 eV) evaluated for the corresponding transition state in the neutral molecule is much higher, so that the process of electron detachment from the anion must lead to a neutral molecule with its initial pentacyclic structure. The average lifetime of the molecular negative ions formed at an electron energy of 0.75 eV and 80 °C is measured to be about 100 μs. The known switching effect of thin phthalide films could stem from the presence of a similar open/closed transition state also in the polymer.

Application of the united atom model for estimating the lifetime of negative molecular ions relative to electron autodetachment

A model proposed for describing the scattering of low-energy electrons (whose energy ranges between thermal energy and several electronvolts) from polyatomic molecules makes it possible to estimate the lifetime of shape resonances. The parameters of the model are determined by specific structural and experimental characteristics of molecules. The results of approximate computations of the lifetimes for negative ions of molecules with different symmetries (diatomic halogens, parabenzoquinone, fullerene C60, benzothiadiazoles, anthraquinone derivatives, and substituted benzene forms) are presented. The obtained data show that the lifetimes are sufficient for the formation of fragment ions observed in the mass spectra of negative ions.

Frozen shell approximation violation in negative ion formation from halogenated benzenes via dissociative attachment

A series of benzene derivatives (R(1)C(6)H(4)R(2)) has been studied by means of electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry (ECNI-MS), and PM3 quantum chemical calculations. The dissociation channel M(-.) --> Hal(-) + (M - Hal). is analysed from the point of view of symmetry conservation. Generally, a symmetry ban on dissociation may be avoided in at least two ways: (i) out-of-plane vibrations of the halogen atom in the molecular negative ion (MNI), mixing pi- and sigma-states of the anion; (ii) symmetrical in-plane vibration of the C-Hal bond, changing the order of the empty levels in the MNI with subsequent radiationless conversion into a sigma-state. Our analysis shows that neither of them provides a satisfactory explanation of the ECNI mass spectra for chlorobenzene, if one retains the usual assumption that an additional electron goes into the LUMO of the neutral molecule. Thus, it may be concluded that in this case electron capture causes a significant perturbation of the energy ordering of vacant orbitals, thus making the frozen shell approximation inapplicable. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Interpreting electron transmission spectroscopy and negative ion mass spectrometry data using a spherical potential well model

Experimental data obtained using electron transmission spectroscopy and negative ion mass spectrometry based on resonance electron capture are interpreted within the framework of a spherical potential well model in application to a series of chloro-and bromoalkane molecules. Allowance for the scattering of a single partial p-wave of the incoming electron makes possible (i) reproduction of the ratio of a resonance peak width to the electron energy observed in the electron transmission spectra and (ii) establishment of a relation between the total cross section of electron scattering on a molecule and the dissociative electron attachment cross section. The proposed model offers a radical simplification of the approach developed previously based on the Fashbach-Fano resonance theory.

Estimating electron affinity from the lifetime of negative molecular ions: Cycloheptatriene derivatives

Cycloheptatriene derivatives are studied by means of resonance electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry (REC NIMS). The average lifetimes of molecular negative ions (NIs) are measured with respect to electron autodetachment. Using the Arrhenius approach, electron affinity EAa of the molecules under study is estimated, and the effective temperature of the resulting negative molecular ions is determined as a function of the electron energy. It is assumed that the dissociation of negative molecular ions in the ground electronic state is a process similar to that of the thermal degradation of molecules.

On the delay mechanism of Cl2− diatomic anion dissociation up to the microsecond timescale

The dissociative capture of slow electrons by tetrachlorethylene (C2Cl4) has been investigated by resonant electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry. Metastable ions with fractional mass numbers 7.5, 17.5, and 19 corresponding to the C2Cl4− → Cl− + C2Cl3 and Cl2− → Cl− + Cl decays occurring at the microsecond timescale have been detected. It has been revealed that Cl2− anions, which are fragment ions, can dissociate at the microsecond timescale, which is very surprising for a system with one internal degree of freedom. This process is assumingly attributed to the rotational excitation of Cl2− anions. Thus, the experimental estimate of the time of rovibronic relaxation in the Cl2− anion has been obtained.