Br2 elimination in 248-nm photolysis of CF2Br2 probed by using cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy

By using cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy technique, we have observed the channel of Br2 molecular elimination following photodissociation of CF2Br2 at 248 nm. A tunable laser beam, which is crossed perpendicular to the photolyzing laser beam in a ring-down cell, is used to probe the Br2 fragment in the B 3Piou+-X1Sigmag+ transition. The vibrational population is obtained in a nascent state, despite ring-down time as long as 500-1000 ns. The population ratio of Br2(v=1)/Br2(v=0) is determined to be 0.4+/-0.2, slightly larger than the value of 0.22 evaluated by Boltzmann distribution at room temperature. The quantum yield of the Br2 elimination reaction is also measured to be 0.04+/-0.01. This work provides direct evidence to support molecular elimination occurring in the CF2Br2 photodissociation and proposes a plausible pathway with the aid of ab initio potential-energy calculations. CF2Br2 is excited probably to the 1B1 and 3B2 states at 248 nm. As the C-Br bond is elongated upon excitation, the coupling of the 1A'(1B1) state to the high vibrational levels of the ground state X 1A'(1A1) may be enhanced to facilitate the process of internal conversion. After transition, the highly vibrationally excited CF2Br2 feasibly surpasses a transition barrier prior to decomposition. According to the ab initio calculations, the transition state structure tends to correlate with the intermediate state CF2Br+Br(CF2Br...Br) and the products CF2+Br2. A sequential photodissociation pathway is thus favored. That is, a single C-Br bond breaks, and then the free-Br atom moves to form a Br-Br bond, followed by the Br2 elimination. The formed Br-Br bond distance in the transition state tends to approach equilibrium such that the Br2 fragment may be populated in cold vibrational distribution. Observation of a small vibrational population ratio of Br2(v=1)Br2(v=0) agrees with the proposed mechanism.