Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

The effect of solvation on electron capture revealed using anion two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy

Lietard, Aude; Mensa-Bonsu, Golda; Verlet, Jan R.R.

The effect of solvation on electron capture revealed using anion two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy Thumbnail


Authors

Aude Lietard

Golda Mensa-Bonsu



Abstract

The reaction of low-energy electrons with neutral molecules to form anions plays an important role in chemistry, being involved in, for example, various biological and astrochemical processes. However, key aspects of electron–molecule interactions, such as the effect of incremental solvation on the initially excited electronic resonances, remain poorly understood. Here two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy of anionic anthracene and nitrogen-substituted derivatives—solvated by up to five water molecules—reveals that for an incoming electron, resonances red-shift with increasing hydration; but for the anion, the excitation energies of the resonances remain essentially the same. These complementary points of view show that the observed onset of enhanced anion formation for a specific cluster size is mediated by a bound excited state of the anion. Our findings suggest that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may be more efficient at electron capture than previously predicted with important consequences for the ionization fraction in dense molecular clouds.

Citation

Lietard, A., Mensa-Bonsu, G., & Verlet, J. R. (2021). The effect of solvation on electron capture revealed using anion two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy. Nature Chemistry, 13(8), 737-742. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-021-00687-1

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 24, 2021
Online Publication Date May 3, 2021
Publication Date 2021-08
Deposit Date May 6, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Nature Chemistry
Print ISSN 1755-4330
Electronic ISSN 1755-4349
Publisher Nature Research
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 13
Issue 8
Pages 737-742
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-021-00687-1

Files




You might also like



Downloadable Citations