(
)
H.A. Scheld et al.rChemical Physics Letters 326 2000 366–374
373
Ž .
which includes the three-body decay 4 and the two
distinct molecular decays 5a and 5b . The different
origins of these molecular decays are most clearly
formed in a synchronous three-body decay, and from
an initial I–C–I angle of 1208, is expected to exhibit
Ž
.
Ž .
Ž .
bsy0.25. Our experimental values, b I sy0.35
Ž
.
Ž
.
Ž
evident by their different P ET displayed in
Fig. 2a. The formation of CF2 qI2 in their electronic
"0.15 and b CF2 s1.2"0.1 for the fastest CF2
fragments , are in qualitative agreement with these
.
Ž
.
ground states 5b results in high internal energies of
the fragments and as a consequence I2 becomes
subject to spontaneous secondary decay to IqI.
expectations. It is thus reasonable to assume that
excitation at 193 nm mainly involves preparation of
a totally symmetric excited state which also allows
dissociation along a molecular decay channel, in
contrast to states with a nodal plane between the two
I atoms such as B1 states encountered at the 248 nm
Ž
.
However along the competing reaction path 5a ,
leading to electronic excitation of either CF2 or I2 , a
sufficiently high fraction of Eavl is channeled into
electronic excitation so that the I2 fragments remain
stable at least on the time scale of the experiment.
After subtracting the measured kinetic energies of
w
x
Ž
.
photolysis 1–3 . The reduction of b CF2 from the
limiting value of 2.0 is most likely caused by an
admixture of another electronic state of different
symmetry at 193 nm excitation since a reduction due
Ž
.
the fragments CF2 qI2 stable , as given in Fig. 2a
from Eavl, the internal energy including electronic
excitation is found to be in the range 459–503
kJrmol. The possible excited product states are
w
x
to a long excited state lifetime 17 is in contradic-
tion to the femtosecond experiments where all pho-
toinduced C–I bond scissions were found to be very
1
3
w
x
w
x
therefore the B1 or B1 states of CF2 15 , or the
fast 4,5 .
The surprising result that stable I2 is formed after
irradiation of CF2 I2 at 193 nm, but not at longer
3
metastable Pq0u state of I2 with energies of 446,
237, and 482 kJrmol above the electronic ground
states, respectively. Considering further the energet-
ics and lifetimes of these states we favor an assign-
w
x
wavelenths 1–3 , is attributed to excitation of an A1
electronic state and the formation of CF2 fragments
in the first excited singlet state which absorbs most
of the large available energy. At longer wavelengths
the molecule is prepared in a state of B1 symmetry
characterized by a repulsive potential between the
two I atoms thus preventing I2 formation. More
specifically, providing retention of C2 Õ symmetry
Ž1
.
ment for which the first singlet state of CF2 B1 is
Ž
.
formed in the molecular decay 5a . In this case the
internal energies of the I2 molecules are (45
kJrmol and thus not sufficient for a spontaneous
secondary decay to I atoms D0 s149 kJrmol 10 .
Based on this analysis and interpretations the TOF
spectra allow us to estimate the yields of the three
decay channels which are 75"10% for the syn-
Ž
w x.
Ž
.
cf. Fig. 1 during dissociation, a B1 state does not
correlate with stable and energetically accessible
states of I2. On the other hand the synchronous
three-body decay is supposed to proceed from a B1
state in analogy to this decay channel at 248 nm
Ž .
chronous three-body decay 4 , 21"10% for the
decay to unstable I2 with subsequent secondary de-
Ž
.
cay 5b , and about 4% for the formation to stable I2
Ž
.
w
x
5a .
1–3 . At 193 nm this state is then populated either
by direct B1 A1 excitation or via curve crossings
w x
18 from the initially prepared A1 state.
The recoil anisotropies of the fragments CF2 and I
Ž
.
Fig. 5 can provide useful information in support of
the mechanistic picture gained from the spectral
analysis. This, however, requires knowledge of the
excited state of CF2 I2 prepared with 193 nm excita-
tion. In analogy to the findings of the closely related
compound CH2 I2 we assume this state to be of A1
Acknowledgements
w
x
symmetry 16 . Thus an A1
A1 electronic transi-
tion implies that the transition dipole moment lies
perpendicular to the lines connecting the I atoms and
the F atoms. In the case of a prompt dissociation of
CF2 I2 an anisotropy with bs2.0 is then expected
for the CF2 and I2 fragments, while the I fragments
This work was supported by the Swiss National
Science Foundation and the Alfred Werner Legat.
The authors thank Rolf Pfister for the synthesis of
difluorodiiodomethane and Dr. Robert T. Carter for
critically reading the manuscript.