Infrared spectroscopy of Ti8C12 'met-car' cations

Neutral titanium carbide clusters are produced in the gas phase with a standard laser vaporization source and stored in an ion trap for 250 ms after ionization. During this time, the ions are irradiated with infrared light from a free electron laser. Multiphoton absorption and dissociation occurs when the IR light is in resonance with an infrared-allowed vibrational transition. Monitoring the amount of ionic fragments as a function of the IR wavelength yields the infrared spectrum of the parent, The infrared spectrum of the Ti8C12 cation is recorded and compared to the spectrum of the neutral species. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.