DISCRETE UV ABSORPTION BY N-3(+) - (N2)N CLUSTERS

Photoabsorptions by N3+-(N2)n complexes have been observed near 282 nm by detecting both N+ and N3+ photofragments. The absorptions occur near the recently characterized A 3PI<--X 3SIGMA(g)- transition of the N3+ cation, implying that the larger complexes essentially consist of an N3+ core surrounded by electrostatically bound N2 ligands. Two mechanisms for the photodissociation are proposed, one involving coupling of the A state of the N3+ chromophore to a dissociative 3PI surface to produce N+ fragments, the other beginning with A-->X internal conversion followed by a series of N2 ligand evaporations to leave only N3+.