title: Cyclopentadienylidene. A matrix isolation study exploiting photolysis with unpolarized and plane-polarized light.
abstract: Diazocyclopentadiene (1) was photolyzed in N(2), CO, and other low-temperature matrices. The resulting carbene, cyclopentadienylidene (2), was characterized by its UV and IR spectra, and its thermal dimerization and reaction with CO were observed. Photolysis of 1 with plane-polarized light gave matrices exhibiting linear dichroism. Comparison of dichroic IR and UV spectra revealed that the photolysis proceeds via an excited A(l) state of the diazo compound. Plane-polarized irradiation of the corresponding ketene (4) in CO matrices resulted in photoreorientation of the molecules of 4 without significant loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Dunkin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poliakoff
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Turner