This dissertation reports and interprets the results of experiments in which photoelectron spectroscopy was performed on a variety of aromatic anions. In addition to these photoelectron studies, the results and conclusions of an experiment in which HCl is scattered off atomically flat Au (111) surfaces are also presented.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of the isomers of methylphenoxide reveals that these molecules display minimal vibrational excitation upon photodetachment, accessing the electronic ground and first excited state of the corresponding radicals. The photoelectron spectra of p-methylphenoxide reveal a photon energy dependence arising from electron autodetachment. The slow electron velocity map imaging (SEVI) technique was employed to obtain the electron affinities (EAs) of these radicals with an uncertainty of 1.4 meV. Combining the measured EAs with previously measured O\textendashH bond dissociation energies in a thermodynamic cycle allows for the measurement of the acidities of the methylphenols with an uncertainty that is an order of magnitude smaller than any previous measurement.
CY - Boulder, CO DA - 2017-08 N2 -This dissertation reports and interprets the results of experiments in which photoelectron spectroscopy was performed on a variety of aromatic anions. In addition to these photoelectron studies, the results and conclusions of an experiment in which HCl is scattered off atomically flat Au (111) surfaces are also presented.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of the isomers of methylphenoxide reveals that these molecules display minimal vibrational excitation upon photodetachment, accessing the electronic ground and first excited state of the corresponding radicals. The photoelectron spectra of p-methylphenoxide reveal a photon energy dependence arising from electron autodetachment. The slow electron velocity map imaging (SEVI) technique was employed to obtain the electron affinities (EAs) of these radicals with an uncertainty of 1.4 meV. Combining the measured EAs with previously measured O\textendashH bond dissociation energies in a thermodynamic cycle allows for the measurement of the acidities of the methylphenols with an uncertainty that is an order of magnitude smaller than any previous measurement.
PB - University of Colorado Boulder PP - Boulder, CO PY - 2017 EP - 313 TI - Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Organic Aromatic Anions VL - Ph.D. ER -