title: Infrared laser spectroscopy of the CH3OO radical formed from the reaction of CH3 and O2 within a helium nanodroplet.
abstract: Helium nanodroplet isolation and infrared laser spectroscopy are used to investigate the CH(3) + O(2) reaction. Helium nanodroplets are doped with methyl radicals that are generated in an effusive pyrolysis source. Downstream from the introduction of CH(3), the droplets are doped with O(2) from a gas pick-up cell. The CH(3) + O(2) reaction therefore occurs between sequentially picked-up and presumably cold CH(3) and O(2) reactants. The reaction is known to lead barrierlessly to the methyl peroxy radical, CH(3)OO. The ~30 kcal/mol bond energy is dissipated by helium atom evaporation, and the infrared spectrum in the CH stretch region reveals a large abundance of droplets containing the cold, helium solvated CH(3)OO radical. The CH(3)OO infrared spectrum is assigned on the basis of comparisons to high-level ab initio calculations and to the gas phase band origins and rotational constants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Henry F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Douberly