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. Phys. Chem. A 112, 10125 (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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