MATRIX-ISOLATION STUDY OF REACTION OF CARBON-ATOMS WITH MOLECULAR NITROGEN - ELECTRONIC-TRANSITIONS OF CNN FREE-RADICAL IN 2600-A TO 1900-A SPECTRAL REGION

Previous matrix isolation studies have demonstrated that ground-state carbon atoms react with molecular nitrogen to form CNN, for which the esr spectrum, the three ground-state vibrational fundamentals, and a prominent electronic transition near 4200 Å have been reported. Extension of the ultraviolet absorption studies to shorter wavelengths has permitted the assignment to CNN of two new band systems, between 2500 and 2150 Å and near 2060 Å. These band systems, observed using several different photolytic sources of carbon atoms, correspond well with the valence transitions of CNN predicted by molecular orbital theory. Assignments of the band structures, involving excitation of the upper-state stretching vibrations of CNN, are proposed. © 1978.