Abstract

There is a growing interest in being able to identify transient structures, mode-specific energy content, and reaction products generated in condensed-phase systems on the picosecond or shorter time scale. This information is important for understanding chemical reaction mechanisms and kinetics at ambient or elevated temperatures, especially for large molecules in solution. Recent developments in the field of ultrafast time-resolved IR spectroscopy show promise in being able to shed light on these dynamic transformations. Here, transient IR spectral measurements for CO stretching vibrations of metal-carbonyl molecules and cluster compounds in solution which identify vibrational relaxation rates, intramode energy transfer, and photodissociation products are presented.

© 1990 Optical Society of America