V+(N2)n clusters are generated in a pulsed nozzle laser vaporization source. Clusters in the size range of n = 3-7 are mass selected and investigated via infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the N-N stretch region. The IR forbidden N-N stretch of free nitrogen becomes strongly IR active when the molecule is bound to the metal ion. Photodissociation proceeds through the elimination of intact N2 molecules for all cluster sizes, and the fragmentation patterns reveal the coordination number of V+ to be six. The dissociation process is enhanced on vibrational resonances and the IR spectrum is obtained by monitoring the fragmentation yield as a function of wavelength. Vibrational bands are red-shifted with respect to the free nitrogen N-N stretch, in the same way seen for the C-O stretch in transition metal carbonyls. Comparisons between the measured IR spectra and the predictions of density functional theory provide new insight into the structure and bonding of these metal ion complexes.

M(+)(acetone) ion-molecule complexes (M = Mg, Al, Ca) are produced in a pulsed molecular beam by laser vaporization and studied with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the carbonyl stretch region. All of the spectra exhibit carbonyl stretches that are shifted significantly to lower frequencies than the free-molecule value, consistent with metal cation binding on the oxygen of the carbonyl. Density functional theory is employed to elucidate the shifts and patterns in these spectra. Doublet features are measured for the carbonyl region of Mg(+) and Ca(+) complexes, and these are assigned to Fermi resonances between the symmetric carbonyl stretch and the overtone of the symmetric carbon stretch. The carbonyl stretch red shift is greater for Al(+) than it is for the Mg(+) and Ca(+) complexes. This is attributed to the smaller size of the closed-shell Al(+), which enhances its ability to polarize the carbonyl electrons. Density functional theory correctly predicts the direction of the carbonyl stretch shift and the relative trend for the three metals.

Ion-molecule complexes of the form Si(+)(C6H6)n and Si(+)(C6H6)(n)Ar are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle cluster source. These clusters are mass-selected and studied with ultraviolet (355 nm) photodissociation and resonance-enhanced infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the C-H stretch region of benzene. In the UV, Si(+)(C6H6)n clusters (n = 1-5) fragment to produce the Si(+)(C6H6)n mono-ligand species, suggesting that this ion has enhanced relative stability. IR photodissociation of Si(+)(C6H6)n complexes occurs by the elimination of benzene, while Si(+)(C6H6)(n)Ar complexes lose Ar. Resonances reveal C-H vibrational bands in the 2900-3300 cm(-1) region characteristic of the benzene ligand with shifts caused by the silicon cation bonding. The IR spectra confirm that the major component of the Si(+)(C6H6)n ions studied have the pi-complex structure rather than the isomeric insertion products suggested previously.