Measurement of intramolecular isomerizaion by Coulomb Explosion Imaging

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Bulletin of the American Physical Society

OSTI ID:281614

Vager, Z; Graber, T; Kanter, E P; Zajfman, D ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, IL (United States)

The structure of the methane cation (CH{sub 4}{sup +}) was investigated utilizing the Coulomb Explosion Imaging method. Using a beam of vibrationally-cooled molecular ions produced in a supersonic expansion, the geometrical probability density function was obtained for the 5-dimensional subspace of angular bending motions. Analysis of these data shows a highly fluxional system with a deep minimum in the density at the tetrahedral conformation, as expected for this Jahn-Teller-distorted molecule. In particular, we deduce the reaction path for isomerization between two permutationally equivalent C{sub 2{nu}} conformations proceeding through the transition state and compare with theoretical predictions of the Fukui reaction path. Implications of these results for further studies of intramolecular dynamics will be discussed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 281614
• Report Number(s): CONF-9305421--
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Journal Name: Bulletin of the American Physical Society Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 38; ISSN BAPSA6; ISSN 0003-0503
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
COULOMB FIELD
IMAGE PROCESSING
ISOMERIZATION
MEASURING METHODS
METHANE
MOLECULAR BEAMS
MOLECULAR IONS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE