9313875 Goodman In this project in the Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Lionel Goodman of the Department of Chemistry of Rutgers University will study the methyl group internal rotational motions in a number of molecules using the techniques of Rydberg and ZEKE (Zero Kinetic Energy) spectroscopy. The shapes and heights of the torsional potential barriers in the ground-, radical cation-, and excited Rydberg states will be obtained in order to provide data for testing molecular models for internal rotation potentials. %%% The torsional motions of methyl groups in molecules are presently under intensive investigation for the insight that they provide to the problem of intramolcular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR). The goal of controlling chemical reactions by laser excitations requires an understanding of how the excitation energy flows into various possible reaction channels. Methyl group torsional motions can be studied in an accessible region of the spectrum and offer a one dimensional theoretical model for tracking IVR. ***
