To form or not to form a reaction complex: exploring ion-molecule reactions between CH isomers and Xe and O.

Ion-molecule reactions are an essential contributor to the chemistry of a diverse range of environments. While a great deal of work has been done to understand the fundamental mechanisms driving these reactions, there is still much more to discover. Here, we expand upon prior studies on ion-molecule reactions involving two isomers of CH, allene (HCH) and propyne (HCH).

Observation of bound valence excited electronic states of deprotonated 2-hydroxytriphenylene using photoelectron, photodetachment, and resonant two-photon detachment spectroscopy of cryogenically cooled anions.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common atmospheric pollutants, and they are also ubiquitous in the interstellar medium. Here, we report the study of a complex O-containing PAH anion, the deprotonated 2-hydroxytriphenylene (2-OtPh-), using high-resolution photoelectron imaging and photodetachment spectroscopy of cryogenically cooled anions. Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra yield the electron affinity of the 2-OtPh radical as 2.

On the electronic structure and spin-orbit coupling of BiB from photoelectron imaging of cryogenically-cooled BiB- anion.

We report a study on the electronic structure and chemical bonding of the BiB molecule using high-resolution photoelectron imaging of cryogenically cooled BiB- anion. By eliminating all the vibrational hot bands, we can resolve the complicated detachment transitions due to the open-shell nature of BiB and the strong spin-orbit coupling. The electron affinity of BiB is measured to be 2.

Photoelectron imaging of cryogenically cooled BiO and BiO anions.

The advent of ion traps as cooling devices has revolutionized ion spectroscopy as it is now possible to efficiently cool ions vibrationally and rotationally to levels where truly high-resolution experiments are now feasible. Here, we report the first results of a new experimental apparatus that couples a cryogenic 3D Paul trap with a laser vaporization cluster source for high-resolution photoelectron imaging of cold cluster anions. We have demonstrated the ability of the new apparatus to efficiently cool BiO and BiO to minimize vibrational hot bands and allow high-resolution photoelectron images to be obtained.