A high-resolution pulsed field ionization-photoelectron-photoion coincidence study of vinyl bromide

By employing the high-resolution pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE)-photoion coincidence method, we have examined the unimolecular dissociation reaction of energy-selected C(2)H(3)Br(+) to form C(2)H(3) (+)+Br near its threshold. The analysis of the breakdown curves for C(2)H(3)Br(+) and C(2)H(3) (+) yields a value of 11.9010+/-0.0015 eV for the 0 K dissociative photoionization threshold or appearance energy (AE) for C(2)H(3) (+) from C(2)H(3)Br. This AE(C(2)H(3) (+)) value, together with the ionization energy (IE) for C(2)H(3)Br (9.8200+/-0.0015 eV) obtained by PFI-PE and threshold photoelectron (TPE) measurements, has allowed the determination of the 0 K dissociation energy (D(0)) for the C(2)H(3) (+)-Br bond to be 2.081+/-0.002 eV. The 0 K AE(C(2)H(3) (+)) from C(2)H(3)Br obtained in this study corresponds to DeltaH(f0) ( composite function )(C(2)H(3) (+))=1123.7+/-1.9 kJ/mol. Combining the latter value and the known DeltaH(f0) ( composite function )(C(2)H(3))=306.7+/-2.1 kJ/mol, we calculated a value of 8.468+/-0.029 eV for the IE(C(2)H(3)), which is in accord with the result obtained in the previous photoionization efficiency study. We have also carried out high-level ab initio calculations for the IE(C(2)H(3)) at the Gaussian-3 and the CCSD(T,full)/CBS level of theory. The CCSD(T,full)/CBS prediction of 8.487 eV for the IE(C(2)H(3)-->bridged-C(2)H(3) (+)) is in good agreement with the IE(C(2)H(3)) value derived in the present experiment. Combining the 0 K AE(C(2)H(3) (+))=11.9010+/-0.0015 eV and the IE(C(2)H(3))=8.468+/-0.029 eV yields the value of 3.433+/-0.029 eV for D(0)(C(2)H(3)-Br). We have also recorded the TPE spectrum of C(2)H(3)Br in the energy range of 9.80-12.20 eV. Members (n=5-14) of four autoionizing Rydberg series converging to the C(2)H(3)Br(+)(A (2)A(')) state are observed in the TPE spectrum. The analysis of the converging limit of these Rydberg series and the vibrational TPE bands for C(2)H(3)Br(+)(A (2)A(')) has provided more precise values for the nu(6) (+) (1217+/-10 cm(-1)) and nu(8) (+) (478+/-8 cm(-1)) modes and the IE (10.9156+/-0.0010 eV) for the formation of C(2)H(3)Br(+)(A (2)A(')) from C(2)H(3)Br.