Direct Experimental Observation of the Tetrabromine Cluster Br4 by Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract We present a first spectroscopic characterization of the homoatomic polyhalogen tetrabromine, Br4, in the gas phase. Photolysis of CHBr3 at 248 nm is used to generate atomic bromine radicals in a flow tube reactor. Resulting combination products are detected by photoionization mass spectrometry at the Advanced Light Source of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Interpretation of the experimental mass spectra is informed by calculated adiabatic ionization energies carried out at the CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ//M06‐2X/aug‐cc‐pVTZ and CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ//cam‐B3LYP/6‐311++g** levels of theory. Tunable VUV synchrotron radiation enables the collection of the mass‐selected photoionization spectra by which Br4 is assigned using Franck‐Condon simulations of a Br2 dimer with a stretched tetrahedral geometry.

Keywords

• synchrotron photoionization
• multiplexed mass spectrometry
• adiabatic ionization energy
• tetrabromine cluster
• distorted tetrahedral D2h structure