Vibrational spectroscopy of CO2− radical anion in water

Janik, Ireneusz

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/91514 Copy

Description

Title

Vibrational spectroscopy of CO2− radical anion in water

Author(s)

Janik, Ireneusz

Contributor(s)

Tripathi, G. N. R.

Issue Date

2016-06-20

Keyword(s)

Matrix isolation (and droplets)

Abstract

The reductive conversion of CO$_{2}$ into industrial products (e.g., oxalic acid, formic acid, and methanol) can occur via aqueous CO$_{2}$$^{-}$ as a transient intermediate. While the formation, structure and reaction pathways of this radical anion have been modelled for decades using various spectroscopic and theoretical approaches, we present here, for the first time, a vibrational spectroscopic investigation in liquid water, using pulse radiolysis time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy for its preparation and observation. Excitation of the radical in resonance with its 235 nm absorption displays a transient Raman band at 1298 \wn, attributed to the symmetric CO stretch, which is at ~ 45 \wn higher frequency than in inert matrices. Isotopic substitution at C ($^{13}$CO$_{2}$$^{-}$) shifts the frequency downwards by 22 \wn which confirms its origin and the assignment. A Raman band of moderate intensity compared to the stronger 1298 \wn band also appears at 742 \wn, and is assignable to the OCO bending mode. A reasonable resonance enhancement of this mode is possible only in a bent CO$_{2}$$^{-}$(C$_{2v}$/C$_{s}$) geometry. These resonance Raman features suggest a strong solute-solvent interaction, the water molecules acting as constituents of the radical structure, rather than exerting a minor solvent perturbation. However, there is no evidence of the non-equivalence (C$_{s}$) of the two CO bonds. A surprising resonance Raman feature is the lack of overtones of the symmetric CO stretch, which we interpret due to the detachment of the electron from the CO$_{2}$$^{-}$ moiety towards the solvation shell. Electron detachment occurs at the energies of 0.28$^{+}$/$_{-}$0.03 eV or higher with respect to the zero point energy of the ground electronic state. The issue of acid-base equilibrium of the radical which has been in contention for decades, as reflected in a wide variation in the reported pK$_{a}$ (-0.2 to 3.9), has been resolved. A value of 3.4$^{+}$/$_{-}$0.2 measured in this work is consistent with the vibrational properties, bond structure and charge distribution in aqueous CO$_{2}$$^{-}$.

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

text

Language

En

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/91514

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Copyright 2016 by the authors

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