2-nitrotoluene (2-NT) is a good model for both photolabile protecting groups for organic synthesis and the military explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). In addition to the direct C−NO 2 bond-cleavage reaction that initiates detonation in TNT, 2-NT undergoes an H-atom attack reaction common to the photolabile 2-nitrobenzyl group, which forms the aci-nitro tautomer. In this work, femtosecond pump-probe measurements with mass spectrometric detection and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the initially-prepared vibrational coherence in 2-NT radical cation (2-NT +) is preserved following H-atom attack. Strong-field adiabatic ionization is used to prepare 2-NT + , which can overcome a modest 0.76 eV energy barrier to Hatom attack to form the aci-nitro tautomer as soon as ∼ 20−60 fs after ionization. Once formed, the aci-nitro tautomer spontaneously loses −OH to form C 7 H 6 NO + , which exhibits distinctly faster oscillations in its ion yield (290 fs period) as compared to the 2-NT + ion (380 fs period). The fast oscillations are attributed to the coherent torsional motion of the aci-nitro tautomer, which has a significantly faster computed torsional frequency (86.9 cm −1) than the 2-NT + ion (47.9 cm −1). Additional DFT calculations identify reaction pathways leading to the formation of the dissociation products C 7 H 6 NO + , C 7 H + 7 , and C 6 H 6 N +. Collectively, these results reveal a rich picture of coherently-and incoherently-driven dissociation pathways in 2-NT + .

Organic phosphates and phosphonates are present in a number of cellular components that can be damaged by exposure to ionizing radiation. This work reports femtosecond time-resolved mass spectrometry (FTRMS) studies of three organic phosphonate radical cations that model the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone: dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), diethyl methylphosphonate (DEMP), and diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP). Upon ionization, each molecular radical cation exhibits unique oscillatory dynamics in its ion yields resulting from coherent vibrational excitation. DMMP has particularly well-resolved 45 fs (732±28 cm−1) oscillations with a weak feature at 610–650 cm−1, while DIMP exhibits bimodal oscillations with a period of ∼55 fs and two frequency features at 554±28 and 670–720 cm−1. In contrast, the oscillations in DEMP decay too rapidly for effective resolution. The low- and high-frequency oscillations in DMMP and DIMP are assigned to coherent excitation of the symmetric O–P–O bend and P–C stretch, respectively. The observation of the same ionization-induced coherently excited vibrations in related molecules suggests a possible common excitation pathway in ionized organophosphorus compounds of biological relevance, while the distinct oscillatory dynamics in each molecule points to the potential use of FTRMS to distinguish among fragment ions produced by related molecules.

In typical carbonyl-containing molecules, bond dissociation events follow initial excitation to nπ C�O * states. However, in acetyl iodide, the iodine atom gives rise to electronic states with mixed nπ C�O * and nσ C−I * character, leading to complex excited-state dynamics, ultimately resulting in dissociation. Using ultrafast extreme ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations, we present an investigation of the primary photodissociation dynamics of acetyl iodide via time-resolved spectroscopy of core-to-valence transitions of the I atom after 266 nm excitation. The probed I 4d-to-valence transitions show features that evolve on sub-100-fs time scales, reporting on excited-state wavepacket evolution during dissociation. These features subsequently evolve to yield spectral signatures corresponding to free iodine atoms in their spin−orbit ground and excited states with a branching ratio of 1.1:1 following dissociation of the C−I bond. Calculations of the valence excitation spectrum via equation-of-motion coupled cluster with single and double substitutions (EOM-CCSD) show that initial excited states are of spin-mixed character. From the initially pumped spinmixed state, we use a combination of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT)-driven nonadiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics and EOM-CCSD calculations of the N 4,5 edge to reveal a sharp inflection point in the transient XUV signal that corresponds to rapid C−I homolysis. By examining the molecular orbitals involved in the core-level excitations at and around this inflection point, we are able to piece together a detailed picture of C−I bond photolysis in which d → σ* transitions give way to d → p excitations as the bond dissociates. We also report theoretical predictions of short-lived, weak 4d → 5d transitions in acetyl iodide, validated by weak bleaching in the experimental transient XUV spectra. This joint experimental−theoretical effort has thus unraveled the detailed electronic structure and dynamics of a strongly spin−orbit coupled system.

We report new insights into the ultrafast rearrangement and dissociation dynamics of nitromethane cation (NM + ) using pump−probe measurements, electronic structure calculations, and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The "roaming" nitro−nitrite rearrangement (NNR) pathway involving largeamplitude atomic motion, which has been previously described for neutral nitromethane, is demonstrated for NM + . Excess energy resulting from initial population of the electronically excited D 2 state of NM + upon strong-field ionization provides the necessary energy to initiate NNR and subsequent dissociation into NO + . Both pump−probe measurements and molecular dynamics simulations are consistent with the completion of NNR within 500 fs of ionization with dissociation into NO + and OCH 3 occurring ∼30 fs later. Pump−probe measurements indicate that NO + formation is in competition with the direct dissociation of NM + to CH 3 + and NO 2 . Electronic structure calculations indicate that a strong D 0 → D 1 transition can be excited at 650 nm when the C−N bond is stretched from its equilibrium value (1.48 Å) to 1.88 Å. On the other hand, relaxation of the NM + cation after ionization into D 0 occurs in less than 50 fs and results in observation of intact NM + . Direct dissociation of the equilibrium NM + to produce NO 2 + and CH 3 can be induced with 650 nm excitation via a weakly allowed D 0 → D 2 transition.

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