Knowledge Bank

IR Vibrational Predissociation Spectra of $CN-\cdot (H2O)n$, anionic clusters, where n=2 through 6, were obtained in the 2900 to $3900cm-1$ region. The vibrational frequencies of the water molecules serve as a probe of the hydrogen bonding network, which is determined by the competition of solvent-anion and solvent-solvent interactions. The size dependence of the spectral features suggests the contribution of second binding site for n $>4$, and the possibility of a temperature induced proton-transfer reaction for the n=4 cluster.