Valence and dipole binding of electrons to uracil

Rydberg electron attachment to gas-phase isolated uracil molecules and mixed uracil-argon clusters is examined in a crossing beam experiment. By means of reproducible uracil beam conditions, it is possible to control the electron-binding process, which is strongly influenced by solvation. Attachment followed by evaporation of a single argon atom is already sufficient to switch from dipole-bound to valence monomer uracil anions, as demonstrated by field-detachment measurements. The existence of both types of anions is in good agreement with two separate previous theoretical predictions. A DFT calculation of the valence adiabatic electron affinity of uracil provides a small but positive value of 70 meV, close to the measured value of the dipole-bound electron affinity.