The Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division is supporting research by Professor Duncan on gas-phase complexes of metal ions of the form (M+)(L)sub-x, where M is a metal such as aluminum, calcium, or magnesium, and L is a small molecule. Pulsed laser vaporization techniques are used to produce ion complexes in a molecular beam environment. Time-of-flight mass spectrometry, laser photodissociation, laser-induced fluorescence, and threshold ionization photoelectron spectroscopy will be used to obtain information about the structures, electronic state energies, vibrational frequencies, and dissociation energies of these species. Ab initio calculations of certain systems will be carried out for comparison with experiment. In the gas phase metal ions are capable of attaching to small molecules, forming complexes with unusual bonding and energy characteristics. These are being studied in this project in spectroscopic and photochemical experiments in order to better understand the nature of the forces holding the complexes together. The data obtained from these studies will assist in understanding processes involved in metal-containing plasmas, metal solutions, and biological metal centers.
