title: Photodissociation of cyclobutyl bromide at 234 nm studied using velocity map imaging.
abstract: This study investigates the 234 nm photodissociation dynamics of cyclobutyl bromide using a two-dimensional photofragment velocity imaging technique. The spin-orbit ground- and excited-state Br(2P) atoms are state-selectively detected via [2+1] resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI), whereas the cyclobutyl radicals are ionized using 157 nm laser light. The Br(2P(3/2)) and the Br(2P(1/2)) atoms and their c-C4H7 radical cofragments evidence a single-peaked, Gaussian-shaped translational energy distribution ranging from approximately 14 to approximately 39 kcal/mol and angular distributions with significant parallel character. The Br(2P(1/2))/ Br(2P(3/2)) spin-orbit branching ratio is determined to be 0.11 +/- 0.07 by momentum match between the Br(2P) photofragments and the recoiling c-C4H7 fragments, assuming a uniform photoionization probability of the c-C4H7 radicals with an internal energy range of 10-35 kcal/mol. The REMPI line strength ratio for the detection of Br(2P(3/2)) and Br(2P(1/2)) atoms at 233.681 and 234.021 nm, respectively, is therefore derived to be 0.10 +/- 0.07. The measured recoil kinetic energies of the c-C4H7 radicals, and the resulting distribution of internal energies, indicates some of the radicals are formed with total internal energies above the barrier to isomerization and subsequent dissociation, but our analysis indicates they may be stable due to the substantial fraction of the internal energy which is partitioned to rotational energy of the radicals.
authors.affiliation: James Franck Institute and Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kai-Chung
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Laurie J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D001965:Bromides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010777:Photochemistry; D011789:Quantum Theory; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D001965:Bromides; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D005609:Free Radicals