Spin-orbit coupling and vibronic transitions of two Ce(C4H6) isomers probed by mass-analyzed threshold ionization and relativistic quantum computation

Yuchen Zhang, Wenjin Cao, Dong Sheng Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ce atom reactions with ethylene, 2-butene, and isobutene are carried out in a pulsed laser vaporization molecule beam source. Ce-containing species are observed with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and Ce(C4H6) is characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and relativistic quantum chemical calculations. Two structural isomers are identified for Ce(C4H6): one is the tetrahedronlike Ce[C(CH2)3] in C3v symmetry and the other is the five-membered metallocyclic Ce(CH2CHCHCH2) in Cs. The MATI spectrum of the C3v isomer exhibits two vibronic band systems separated by 88 cm-1, while that of the Cs isomer displays three split by 60 and 101 cm-1. The multiple band systems are attributed to spin-orbit splitting and vibronic transitions involving metal-hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon-based vibrations. The splitting in the C3v isomer arises from interactions of two triplet and two singlet states at the lowest energies, while each splitting in the Cs isomer involves two triplets and a singlet. Although the Ce atom has ground electron configuration 4f15d16s2, Ce valence electron configurations in both isomers are 4f16s1 in the neutral ground state and 4f1 in the ion. The remaining Ce 5d electrons in the isolated atom are spin paired in molecular orbitals that are a bonding combination between Ce 5dπ and hydrocarbon π orbitals.

Original languageEnglish
Article number124307
JournalJournal of Chemical Physics
Volume151
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 28 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are grateful for the financial support from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry (Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms, Grant No. 1800316).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Author(s).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (all)
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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