Photodissociation of Methyl Nitrite from the S2 state -- Ion Images and

Vector CorrelationsAidan Klobuchar, and Jeffrey Bartz

Department of Chemistry, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Nature of S2 State

• Higher in energy than S1

– lmax ~ 210 nm

• Repulsive surface– Direct dissociation S2

Experimental

Molecule

• Synthesized in the lab• Expect a parallel transition to excite

to the S2 state

Velocity-Mapped Ion Images of NO Photofragment

Initial Dissociation Results

• High speed NO photofragment– >2000 m/s

• Parallel dissociation– NO velocity aligned with the linear polarization of

the laser

Two Speed Distributions

• Photofragment translational energy difference in energy is ~ 2100 cm-1

Two Speed Distributions Depend on J”

Energy Available

• Ephoton 44,500 cm-1

• EBDE 17,100 cm-1

• Efast,trans 12,000 cm-1

• ENO rot 3,400 cm-1

• Emethoxy 12,000 cm-1

Vector Correlation Data

m-v m-j v -jquadratic

m-v-jquartic

m-v-j

Vector Correlation

m

v

j

Conclusions

• The S2 state dissociation is direct• Two NO photofragment translational energies

at lower J”• CH3O carries away at least 12,000 cm-1

• The vector correlations hint that m||vj

Acknowledgments

• NSF• HHMI