Prompt and delayed fragmentation of bromouracil cations ionized by multiply charged ions

• Published in: The European physical journal. D, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Vol. 68; no. 6
• Main Authors: Delaunay, Rudy, Champeaux, Jean-Philippe, Maclot, Sylvain, Capron, Michael, Domaracka, Alicja, Méry, Alain, Manil, Bruno, Adoui, Lamri, Rousseau, Patrick, Moretto-Capelle, Patrick, Huber, Bernd A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2014; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: Applications of Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos Theory; Atomic; Atomic and molecular collision processes and interactions; Atomic and molecular physics; Chemical reactions, energy disposal, and angular distribution, as studied by atomic and molecular beams; Exact sciences and technology; Molecular; Optical and Plasma Physics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Information Technology; Quantum Physics; Regular Article; Scattering of atoms, molecules and ions; Spectroscopy/Spectrometry; Spintronics; Topical Issue: Nano-scale Insights into Ion-beam Cancer Therapy; Neutral Fragment; HNCO; Small Size Fragment; Projectile Charge; Charge Transfer Cross Section; Reactive collision; Organic cation; Nitrogen heterocycle; Ion-ion collisions; Energy distribution; Organic bromine compounds; Dication; Uracile derivatives; Molecular dissociation; Internal energy; Multicharged ions; Bromouracils; Power law
• ISSN: 1434-6060; 1434-6079
• DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2014-50073-y

The fragmentation of singly and multiply charged 5-bromouracil molecules (C 4 H 3 N 2 O 2 Br) induced by collisions with slow multiply charged ions has been studied. The emission of neutral fragments as well as charge separating decay channels are identified as a function of the projectile charge state. In the first case, delayed loss of neutral moieties, occurring on a μ s time scale, indicates a wider internal energy distribution resulting in a power law decay. In the second case, the most important decay channels, leading to the formation of Br + , HNCO + and CO + /NHCH + , are discussed showing that in many processes intramolecular H-migration occurs before fragmentation. Furthermore, molecular rearrangement may lead to delayed charge separating processes. Although the dication of bromouracil is unstable, smaller doubly charged systems created by the loss of neutral fragments are found to be (meta) stable.