Laser Photodetachment Spectra of C6F6- in Nonpolar Liquids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100447a014

Aromatic anions absorb in the visible region of the spectrum and energetic considerations suggest that in solution photodetachment may be an important process at these wavelengths.This study reports electron photodetachment cross sections for C6F6^- for wavelengths between 415 and 700 nm.The anion is generated by electron attachment to solute C6F6 during an X-ray pulse.Detachment is observed as a change in conductivity induced by a subsequent light pulse from a tunable dye laser.The threshold values are reported for tetramethylsilane, n-butane, cyclopentane, n-pentane, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, and neopentane.The thresholds are consistent with an electron affinity of 1.09 +/- 0.04 eV for the C6F6 molecule.Comparison of the data to the absorption spectrum of C6F6^- shows that for proton energies above threshold the major process is photodetachment.The relationship of photodetachment data to other properties of the excess electrons in these solvents is discussed.