INFRARED PHOTODISSOCIATION SPECTROSCOPY OF SINGLY CHARGED TRANSITION METAL NITROGEN CLUSTERS

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of GeorgiaMetal cation-nitrogen clusters, $M^{+}(N_{2})_{n}$, of the first row transition metals are produced in a laser vaporization pulsed nozzle cluster source, size selected and excited in the infrared with an infrared OPO/OPA. Infrared photodissociation occurs by elimination of whole $N_{2}$ molecules and the photofragement yield versus wavelength produces IR resonance-enhanced photodissociation (REPD) spectra for the clusters. Vibrational bands seen in the 2100 to $2400 cm^{-1}$ region correspond to the N-N stretch but are shifted from those of free $N_{2}$. Density functional theory calculations on the bond enegeries, geometries and frequency shifts for first row $M^{+} (N_{2})$ are also discussed in regard to periodic trends