Knowledge Bank

Infrared photodissociation spectra of mass selection $SiSO-$-$Arn$ ionic complexes have been recorded in the vicinity of the OH stretch vibration in a tandem mass spectrometer. Two isomers are identified in the spectrum of the dimer (n=1) via rotational and vibrational analysis and comparison with ab initio calculations: a linear proton bound dimer and a T-shaped complex. Though the spectra of larger clusters (n=2-10) display only vibrational resolution, the analysis of the systematic complexation induced frequency shifts provides a detailed picture of the cluster growth, including the information of solvation rings and the existence of various $isomersa$.