Spectroscopy and photochemistry of Al+(C2H4)(O2) clusters

We report on the photodissociation spectroscopy of the weakly-bound complex Al+(C2H4)(O-2). Continuum molecular absorption bands are observed in the 218-290 nm spectral region and are assigned to the photoinduced metal-to-ethylene charge-transfer process. Al+ is the dominant photofragment observed at all wavelengths. Two minor chemical dissociation channels are also observed resulting in AlOH+ and AlCH2+ reactive photoproducts. Our experimental investigations are supported by ab initio electronic structure calculations using the Gaussian '94 package. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.