Suppression of decomposition of aniline cation in intense laser fields by cluster formation with ammonia molecules

Mass-selected aniline cations and [aniline-(NH3)(n)](+) (n=1 and 2) cluster ions are exposed to the femtosecond laser fields (lambdasimilar to395 nm,Isimilar to4x10(15) W/cm(2)) and the nanosecond laser fields (lambda=532 nm,Isimilar to2.7x10(10) W/cm(2)) by using a tandem type time-of-flight mass spectrometer. In the case of the bare aniline cation, the decomposition forming the five-membered ring compound, cyclopentadienyl cation (C5H6+), dominantly proceeds in both the femtosecond and nanosecond laser fields. When one or two ammonia molecules are attached to the aniline cation, the decomposition is significantly suppressed. This suppression was interpreted in terms of an intermolecular energy flow through the hydrogen bonding. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.