Photofragment translational spectroscopy of three body dissociations and free radicals
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
This dissertation describes several three-body dissociations and the photodissociation of methyl radicals studied using photofragment translational spectroscopy. The first chapter provides an introduction to three body dissociation, examines current experimental methodology, and includes a discussion on the treatment of photofragment translational spectroscopy data arising from three-body fragmentation. The ultraviolet photodissociation of azomethane into two methyl radicals and nitrogen is discussed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 describes the photodissociation of acetone at 248 nm and 193 nm. At 248 nm the translational energy release from the initial C-C bond cleavage matches the exit barrier height and a comparison with results at 266 nm suggests that T> is invariant to the available energy. A fraction of the nascent CH3CO radicals spontaneously dissociate following rotational averaging. The T> for the second C-C bond cleavage also matches the exit barrier height. At 193 nm the experimental data can be successfully fit assuming that the dynamics are analogous to those at 248 nm. A simplified model of energy partitioning which adequately describes the experimental results is discussed. Experiments on acetyl halides provide additional evidence to support the proposed acetone dissociation mechanism. A value of 17.0±1.0 kcal/mole for the barrier height, CH3CO decomposition has been determined. The photodissociation of methyl radical at 193 nm and 212.8 nm is discussed in the chapter 5. The formation of CH2(1Al) and H (2S) was the only single photon dissociation pathway observed at both wavelengths.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 108145
- Report Number(s):
- LBL--37540; ON: DE96000114
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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