Infrared predissociation spectroscopy of cluster cations of protic molecules, (NH3)n+, n=2–4 and (CH3OH)n+, n=2,3
Masaki Hachiya, Yoshiyuki Matsuda, Ken-ichiro Suhara, Naohiko Mikami, and Asuka Fujii,
J. Chem. Phys. 129, 094306 (2008).

Infrared predissociation spectroscopy is carried out for the structure investigation of unprotonated cluster cations of protic molecules such as ammonia and methanol, which are generated through vacuum-ultraviolet one-photon ionization of their jet-cooled neutral clusters. The observed spectral features show that the cluster cations have the proton-transferred type structures, where a pair of a protonated cation and a neutral radical, NH4+···NH2 or CH3OH2+···OCH3, is formed. Theoretical calculations at the MP2 and B3LYP levels support the formation of the proton-transferred type structures for the cluster cations, and indicate that they are formed by proton-transfer following the photoionization of the neutral clusters.


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