THE INFRARED SPECTRA OF THE FORMATE ANION AND OF t-HOCO TRAPPED IN SOLID NEON

Author Institution: Optical Technology Division, National Institute of Standards and TechnologyThe formate anion, $HCO{_{2}}^{-}$, has been trapped in solid neon by the codeposition of either a Ne:HCOOH or a $Ne:H_{2}:CO_{2}$ sample with a beam of neon atoms that have been excited in a microwave discharge. Prominent infrared absorptions not only of the formate anion but also of t-HOCO appear in both systems. Detailed isotopic substitution studies and the results of ab initio and density functional calculations support both identifications