Vibrational structures of the nearly degenerate X̃ and à states of the 2-, 3-, and 4-methylcyclohexoxy (MCHO) radicals were studied by jet-cooled dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopy. The observed transitions were assigned on the basis of vibrational frequencies and Franck-Condon factors predicted by quantum chemical calculations. Intensities of vibronic transitions in the DF spectra are dependent on the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) bands pumped in the experiment, which can be explained by the difference in geometry and symmetry between the lower X̃/à states and the highly excited B̃ state. All three studied isomers of MCHO have close-lying X̃ and à states although their energy separations are affected by the position of the methyl group. It is suggested by quantum chemical calculations that the lowest-energy conformers of all three isomers have the half-filled orbital oriented perpendicular to the OCH plane, which is consistent with the observed relative intensities of the B̃ → X̃ and B̃ → à origin bands. When the origin and the CO-stretch bands of the B̃ ← X̃ LIF excitation spectra were pumped, the DF spectra were dominated by CO-stretch progressions. When non-CO-stretch vibrational levels of the B̃ state were pumped, progressions of CO-stretch modes combined with the pumped vibrational mode were observed. Excited-state vibrational population relaxation from the CO stretch level to the vibrational ground level and from combination levels of the CO stretch mode and other vibrational modes to the non-CO stretch modes was observed. Analysis of the DF spectra confirms the previous conclusion that all strong LIF bands observed under jet-cooled conditions belong to a single conformer of each positional isomer (Lin et al. RSC Adv. 2012, 2, 583-589).

The vibrational structures of the Ã(2)A1 and X̃(2)E states of t-butoxy were obtained in jet-cooled laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopic measurements. The observed transitions are assigned based on vibrational frequencies calculated using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method and the predicted Franck-Condon factors. The spin-orbit splitting was measured to be 36(5) cm(-1) for the lowest vibrational level of the ground (X̃(2)E) state, which is significantly smaller than that of methoxy, and increases with increasing vibrational quantum number of the CO stretch mode. Vibronic analysis of the DF spectra suggests that Jahn-Teller active modes of the ground-state t-butoxy radical are similar to those of methoxy and would be the same if methyl groups were replaced by hydrogen atoms. The rotational and fine structure of the LIF transition to the first CO stretch overtone level of the Ã(2)A1 state has been simulated using a spectroscopic model first proposed for methoxy, yielding an accurate determination of the rotational constants of both à and X̃ states.

Vibrational structures of the nearly degenerateX andà states of all four positional isomers of the methylcyclohexoxy (MCHO) radicals were studied by jet-cooled dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopy, which unravels the effect of methyl substitution at different positions on the six-membered ring. Experimentally observed vibronic transitions in the DF spectra were assigned based on vibrational frequencies from quantum chemical calculations and predicted Franck-Condon factors that take into account the Duschinsky rotation. DF spectra of 2-, 3-, and 4-MCHO radicals are dominated by CO-stretch progressions or the progressions of CO-stretch modes in combination with the excited vibrational modes. DF spectra of two lowest-energy conformers of the tertiary 1-MCHO radical, chair-axial and chair equatorial, are significantly different from each other and from those of the other three positional isomers. Strong C-CH 3 stretch progressions as well as progressions of its combination bands with the CO stretch modes or the excited modes were observed. Such differences between the isomers and the conformers can be explained by variation of geometry and symmetry of the electronic states of cyclohexoxy upon methyl substitution at different positions. DF study of MCHO provides direct measurement of the energy separation between theà andX states that are subject to the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect.

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