Near-Infrared Spectrum of the First Excited State of Au2.
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ABSTRACT: Au2 + is a simple but crucial model system for understanding the diverse catalytic activity of gold. While the Au2 + ground state (X2 Σg + ) is understood reasonably well from mass spectrometry and computations, no spectroscopic information is available for its first excited state (A2 Σu + ). Herein, we present the vibrationally resolved electronic spectrum of this state for cold Ar-tagged Au2 + cations. This exceptionally low-lying and well isolated A2 Σ(u) + ←X2 Σ(g) + transition occurs in the near-infrared range. The observed band origin (5738 cm-1 , 1742.9 nm, 0.711 eV) and harmonic Au-Au and Au-Ar stretch frequencies (201 and 133 cm-1 ) agree surprisingly well with those predicted by standard time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The linearly bonded Ar tag has little impact on either the geometric or electronic structure of Au2 + , because the Au2 + ⋅⋅⋅Ar bond (∼0.4 eV) is much weaker than the Au-Au bond (∼2 eV). As a result of 6 s←5d excitation of an electron from the antibonding σu * orbital (HOMO-1) into the bonding σg orbital (SOMO), the Au-Au bond contracts substantially (by 0.1 Å).
SUBMITTER: Forstel M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8596823 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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