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Formation of the C4Hn+ (n = 2–5) ions upon ionization of acetylene clusters in helium droplets

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy using ultracold helium nanodroplet matrices has proven to be a powerful method to interrogate encapsulated ions, molecules, and clusters. Due to the helium droplets’ high ionization potential, optical transparency, and ability to pick up dopant molecules, the droplets offe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of chemical physics 2023-06, Vol.158 (22)
Main Authors: Moon, Cheol Joo, Erukala, Swetha, Feinberg, Alexandra J., Singh, Amandeep, Choi, Myong Yong, Vilesov, Andrey F.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Infrared (IR) spectroscopy using ultracold helium nanodroplet matrices has proven to be a powerful method to interrogate encapsulated ions, molecules, and clusters. Due to the helium droplets’ high ionization potential, optical transparency, and ability to pick up dopant molecules, the droplets offer a unique modality to probe transient chemical species produced via photo- or electron impact ionization. In this work, helium droplets were doped with acetylene molecules and ionized via electron impact. Ion-molecule reactions within the droplet volume yield larger carbo-cations that were studied via IR laser spectroscopy. This work is focused on cations containing four carbon atoms. The spectra of C4H2+, C4H3+, and C4H5+ are dominated by diacetylene, vinylacetylene, and methylcyclopropene cations, respectively, which are the lowest energy isomers. On the other hand, the spectrum of C4H4+ ions hints at the presence of several co-existing isomers, the identity of which remains to be elucidated.
ISSN:0021-9606
1089-7690
DOI:10.1063/5.0150700