Kyo-Won Choi

Vibrational structures of methylamine isotopomers in the predissociative ~A states: CH3NHD, CD3NH2, CD3NHD, and CD3ND2.

Mass-resolved two-photon (1+1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra of the ~A-X transitions of various methylamine isotopomers (CH(3)NHD, CD(3)NH(2), CD(3)NHD, and CD(3)ND(2)) cooled in the supersonic jet expansion have been measured and analyzed. The band analysis using the Hamiltonian for the internal and overall rotational motions provides the accurate vibrational band positions, allowing for unambiguous assignments for all observed vibrational bands of methylamine isotopomers in the ~A states. Amino wagging (nu(9)) and methyl rocking (nu(7)) modes are found to be Franck-Condon active, and associated anharmonicity constants are precisely determined to give the detailed shape of the potential energy surface in the vicinity of the minimum electronic molecular structure. The barrier height for the nearly free internal rotation about the C-N bond in the ~A state is calculated to be strongly dependent on the excitation of the other higher-frequency vibrational modes, and it is found that the trend is consistent with the experiment. Experimentally measured spectroscopic constants are compared with ab initio calculations, confirming all vibronic assignments. Experimental and theoretical results on all possible HD isotopomers of methylamine in this work, with the earlier report on CH(3)NH(2) and CH(3)ND(2) Baek et al., [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 11026 (2003)], provide the complete spectroscopic characterization of the A state of methylamine.

Pulsed-field ionization spectroscopy of high Rydberg states (n=50–200) of bis(η6-benzene)chromium

The ionization behavior of the high Rydberg states of bis(eta(6)-benzene)chromium in the presence of ac and/or dc fields has been explored. The application of an ac scrambling field at the time of laser excitation lengthens the lifetime of the Rydberg state by almost two orders of magnitude. The lifetime enhancement by the scrambling field is much more effective for n<100 than it is for n>100 Rydberg states. The pulsed-field ionization of Rydberg states of n<100 shows the typical diabatic ionization behavior for low n. The two distinct ionization behaviors observed for the relatively low (n=50-100) and high (n=100-200) Rydberg states suggest that the former originate from the optically accessed nf Rydberg series, whereas the latter are due to np Rydberg series. Based on the understanding of the ionization behavior of bis(eta(6)-benzene)chromium, the accurate ionization potential is deduced to give IP=5.4665+/-0.0003 eV. Optimization of the various electric field conditions greatly enhances the spectral sensitivity of the mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy. The high-resolution MATI spectrum of the title molecule obtained here provides precise cationic vibrational frequencies for many skeletal and benzene ring modes. A number of vibrational modes are newly identified, and the ambiguity regarding to some mode assignments is now clearly resolved through the Frank-Condon analysis based on ab initio calculations.

Vacuum-ultraviolet ionization spectroscopy of the jet-cooled RNA-base uracil

Adiabatic ionization potential (9.3411 +/- 0.0008 eV) and cationic vibrational structure of the jet-cooled RNA-base uracil are both accurately and precisely determined for the first time using a vacuum-ultraviolet mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy.

Nonadiabatic dynamics in the photodissociation of ICH2CN at 266 and 304 nm studied by the velocity map imaging

Photodissociation dynamics of iodoacetonitrile (ICH2CN) have been investigated at pump wavelengths of 266 and 304 nm using a photofragment ion image velocity mapping technique. At both wavelengths, the prompt C-I bond rupture takes place on the repulsive excited states to give I(2P3/2) and I*(2P1/2), and their speed and spatial distributions are simultaneously measured. The recoil anisotropy parameter (beta) at 266 nm is determined to be 1.10 and 1.60 for I and I*, respectively, while it is found to be much higher at 304 nm to give beta=1.70 and 1.90 for I and I*, respectively. The branching ratios for I*I channels are measured to be 0.724 and 0.136 at 266 and 304 nm, respectively, giving insights on nonadiabatic transition phenomena and relative oscillator strengths of optically accessible transitions of ICH2CN. Accordingly, relative oscillator strengths of parallel/perpendicular transitions and nonadiabatic transitions among the excited states are quantitatively characterized. A large portion of the available energy (41%-48%) goes into the internal energy of the CH2CN fragment. A modified impulsive model in which the CH2CN fragment is assumed to be rigid predicts the energy disposal quite well. Delocalization of an unpaired electron of the CH2CN radical during the C-I bond cleavage, leading to a large structural change of the CH2CN moiety, may be responsible for internally hot fragments.

Conformationally Specific Vacuum Ultraviolet Mass-Analyzed Threshold Ionization Spectroscopy of Alkanethiols: Structure and Ionization of Conformational Isomers of Ethanethiol, Isopropanethiol, 1-Propanethiol, tert-Butanethiol, and 1-Butanethiol

Conformational isomers of alkanethiols are isolated in the molecular beam, and the conformer-specific ionization dynamics have been investigated using vacuum ultraviolet mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy. Only a single conformer of ethanethiol is observed to give the adiabatic ionization potential (IP) of 9.2922 +/- 0.0007 eV for the gauche conformer. For isopropanethiol, IP is found to be 9.1426 +/- 0.0006 for the trans conformer and 9.1559 +/- 0.0006 eV for the gauche conformer. Only two major conformational isomers are identified for 1-propanethiol, giving an IP of 9.1952 +/- 0.0006 for the trans-gauche conformer and 9.2008 +/- 0.0006 eV for the gauche-gauche conformer. The tert-butanethiol, as expected, has a single conformer with an IP of 9.0294 +/- 0.0006 eV. For 1-butanethiol, there are a number of conformers, and the assignment of the MATI bands to each conformer turns out to be nontrivial. The spectral simulation using the Franck-Condon analysis based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations has been used for the identification of each conformational isomer in the MATI spectrum. Each conformer undergoes its unique structural change upon ionization, as revealed in the vibration resolved MATI spectrum, providing the powerful method for the spectral identification of a specific conformational isomer. The conformer specificity in the ionization-driven structural change reflects the role of the electron of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in the conformational preference.

One-photon ionization spectroscopy of jet-cooled oxazole and thiazole: the role of oxygen and sulfur in the π-conjugation of heterocyclic compounds

One-photon mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy of jet-cooled oxazole and thiazole has been carried out to give the precise adiabatic ionization energies of 9.5959+/-0.0006 and 9.3633+/-0.0009 eV, respectively. The structural change upon ionization has been revealed in the vibrationally resolved one-photon MATI spectra. Simulations based on the Franck-Condon analysis using the molecular structures calculated by the density functional theory reproduce the experiment very well for both molecules. The ionization-driven structural change of thiazole is quite different from that of oxazole in terms of the detailed geometrical shape, ascribed to the difference in the pi-conjugation nature of two molecules. The role of oxygen and sulfur in the stabilization of heterocyclic systems is discussed through the inspection of the calculated molecular orbitals involved in the photoionization.

Ionization spectroscopy of conformational isomers of propanal: the origin of the conformational preference.

Two different conformational isomers of propanal, cis and gauche, are investigated by the vacuum-UV mass-analyzed threshold ionization (VUV-MATI) spectroscopy to give accurate adiabatic ionization potentials of 9.9997 +/- 0.0006 eV and 9.9516 +/- 0.0006 eV, respectively. cis-Propanal, which is the more stable conformer in the neutral state, becomes less stable in the cation compared to gauche-propanal. Vibrational structures revealed in the MATI spectra indicate that cis and gauche isomers undergo their unique structural changes upon ionization. The ionization of gauche-propanal induces a geometrical change along the conformational coordinate, suggesting that the steric effect in the ground state is diminished upon ionization. Natural bonding orbital (NBO) calculations provide the extent of hyperconjugation in each conformational isomer of propanal.

Clustering Dynamics of the Metal−Benzene Sandwich Complex: The Role of Microscopic Structure of the Solute In the Bis(η6-benzene)chromium ·Arn Clusters (n = 1−15)

Ar clustering dynamics around the metal-benzene sandwich complex, bis(eta (6)-benzene)chromium: Cr(Bz) 2, is found to occur in two distinct regimes. The shift of the ionization potential (IP) upon the addition of Ar is measured to be 151 cm (-1), and it is constant until the number of Ar solvents ( n) becomes 6. The IP shift per Ar is found to be suddenly decreased to 82 cm (-1) for the clusters of n = 7-12. The cluster distribution indicates that the n = 6 cluster is most populated in the molecular beam. These experimental findings with the aid of ab initio calculation indicate that the first six Ar solvent molecules are attached to top and bottom of Cr(Bz) 2 to give the robust structure for the Cr(Bz) 2-Ar 6 cluster whereas the next six Ar molecules are gathered on the side of the solute core to give the highly symmetric structure of the Cr(Bz) 2-Ar 12 cluster.

A highly conformationally specific α- and β-Ala+ decarboxylation pathway

One-photon ionization of alanine and beta-alanine induces the decarboxylation reaction which occurs with the concomitant intramolecular hydrogen transfer in a highly conformationally specific manner.