Photodissociation of Cobalt Tricarbonyl Nitrosyl at 290 nm

The photodissociation of Co(CO)3NO was studied. A three photon excitation at 290 nanometers was used to produce Co(I)* in a number of excited states that emit in the range of 280 to 340 nanometers. The population distribution of Co(I) excited states was found to follow Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics giving an electronic temperature of 2800 +/- 700 K. The distribution of Co(I)* states indicates the photodissociation is occurring by a direct mechanism. In support of the population distribution results, upon buffer gas collisions with 3-10 psi helium or argon gas the intensity of the excited Co(I) emission decreased by a proportional intensity, thus showing the effects of buffer gas collisions on a direct mechanism