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Title: Control and Characterization of a Multistep Unimolecular Reaction

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters

Electrons from a scanning tunneling microscope were used to break a C-H bond in a single acetylene (HCCH) molecule adsorbed on Cu(001) at 9 K. The product ethynyl (CCH) was characterized by imaging, inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, and variable temperature measurements of the rotation rate. Significant changes in the vibrational spectra and bonding geometry accompanied HCCH dissociation. The ethynyl was further dehydrogenated to form dicarbon (CC). Dissociation studies of the isotopes HCCD and DCCD permitted unambiguous identification of the reaction products. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

OSTI ID:
20215550
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, Issue 7; Other Information: PBD: 14 Feb 2000; ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English