Gas-phase infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy of isolated SF6- and SF5- anions

Resonantly enhanced multiple photon dissociation of gas-phase SF6- and SF5- is studied using tunable infrared light from the FELIX free electron laser. The photodissociation spectrum of the sulfur hexafluoride anion, producing SF5-, is recorded over the spectral range of 250-1650 cm(-1). The infrared multiple photon dissociation cross section exhibits a strong, broad resonance enhancement at 675 cm(-1) in agreement with the calculated value of nu(3), one of the two IR-active fundamental vibrational modes predicted for the O-h-symmetry ion. Much weaker absorption features are observed in the spectral region of 300-450 cm(-1) as well as at 580 cm(-1) that are not easily assigned to the other IR-active fundamental of SF6- since these resonances are observed at a much higher energy than the calculated values for the IR-active nu(4) mode. The potential role of binary combination bands is considered. Photodissociation from the sulfur pentafluoride anion produced only F-, but photodetachment was also observed through SF6 associative electron capture. The IR multiple photon dissociation spectrum of SF5- shows multiple resonances within the region of 400-900 cm(-1) and agreement with calculations is clear, including the observation of three fundamental frequencies: nu(1) at 780 cm(-1), nu(7) at 595 cm(-1), and nu(8) at 450 cm(-1). Comparisons of the measured frequencies with ab initio and density functional theory calculations confirm an SF5- anion of C-4 upsilon symmetry. Similar comparisons for SF6- are not inconsistent with an anion of O-h symmetry. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3036977]