IR PHOTODEPLETION SPECTROSCOPY OF Li(NH$_3$)$_n$ CLUSTERS FOR n = 4-7
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Date
2006
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Ohio State University
Abstract
Mass-selected infrared spectra of the uncharged metal-solvent clusters Li(NH$_3$)$_{\it n}$ in the N-H stretching region have been recorded using IR photodepletion spectroscopy. The bands observed in the IR spectra for Li(NH$_3$)$_4$ have been assigned to N-H stretching vibrations from solvent molecules located in the first solvent shell. The appearance of higher frequency N-H stretching bands for {\it n} $\geq$ 5 is attributed to one or more ammonias in a second solvent shell. These data provide strong support for previous suggestions based on gas-phase photoionization measurements that the first solvation shell for Li(NH$_3$)$_{\it n}$ is complete at {\it n} = 4. They are also consistent with neutron diffraction studies of concentrated lithium-liquid ammonia solutions, where quasi-tetrahedral Li(NH$_3$)$_4$ is found to be the basic structural motif. Our spectra will be presented alongside computational predictions of the cluster spectra.
Description
Author Institution: DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER,; UNIVERSITY ROAD, LEICESTER, LE1 7RH, UK.; UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM B15 2TT, UK.