Product state distribution in the photodissociation of vinyl chloride at 193 nm

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 178; no. 5; pp. 511 - 516
• Main Authors: Reilly, Peter T.A., Xie, Yongjin, Gordon, Robert J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05.04.1991; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular physics; Exact sciences and technology; Molecular properties and interactions with photons; Photon interactions with molecules; Physics; Fine structure; Rovibrationally excited state; Ultraviolet radiation; Supersonic beam; Chlorocarbon; Rotational temperature; Photodissociation; Experimental study; Energy level population; Ethylenic compound; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2614(91)87011-Y

The rotational state populations of HCl( v″=0, 1, and 2) and the fine structure population of Cl( 2P j ) produced in the UV photodissociation of vinyl chloride were measured in a molecular beam pump-and-probe experiment. Boltzmann-like distributions were observed for the rotational populations in vibrational states v″=1 and 2, with temperatures of 2100±250 and 1800±140 K, respectively. In contrast, for v″=0 a non-Boltzmann distribution was observed, with low- and high- J “temperatures” of 340 and 22600 K, respectively. The very different rotational distributions observed for v″=0 and v″>0 suggest the existence of a dual mechanism for elimination. 89% of the Cl atoms were observed in the 2P 3 2 state, which is indicative of an adiabatic recoil mechanism.