Boron atoms from Nd:YAG laser ablation of the solid have been codeposited with Ar/O2 samples on a 11±1 K salt window. The product infrared spectrum was dominated by three strong 11B isotopic bands at 1299.3, 1282.8, and 1274.6 cm−1 with 10B counterparts at 1347.6, 1330.7, and 1322.2 cm−1. Oxygen isotopic substitution (16O18O and 18O2 ) confirms the assignment of these strong bands to ν3 of linear BO2. Renner–Teller coupling is evident in the ν2 bending motion. A sharp medium intensity band at 1854.7 has appropriate isotopic ratios for BO, which exhibits a 1862.1 cm−1 gas phase fundamental. A sharp 1931.0 cm−1 band shows isotopic ratios appropriate for another linear BO2 species; correlation with spectra of BO−2 in alkali halide lattices confirms this assignment. A weak 1898.9 cm−1 band grows on annealing and shows isotopic ratios for a BO stretching mode and isotopic splittings for two equivalent B and O atoms, which confirms assignment to B2O2. A weak 2062 cm−1 band grows markedly on annealing and shows isotope shifts appropriate for a terminal–BO group interacting with another oxygen atom; the 2062 cm−1 band is assigned to B2O3 in agreement with earlier work. A strong 1512.3 cm−1 band appeared on annealing; its proximity to the O2 fundamental at 1552 cm−1 and pure oxygen isotopic shift suggest that this absorption is due to a B atom–O2 complex.

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Infrared spectra were obtained in solid argon at 12 * 1 K for gallium and indium oxides produced from the reaction of laser-ablated metal atoms with molecular oxygen. Several new molecules were characterized including bent species Ga0; at 568.7 cm-' and InO; at 462.4 cm-', which were distinctly different from previously observed cyclic M 0 2 species, linear metal atom insertion products OGaO at 912.7 cm-' and OInO at 755.4 cm-', and linear GaOGaO at 967-959 cm-' and InOInO at 816.6 cm-'. The linear insertion products increased on mercury arc photolysis suggesting that metal atom electronic excitation can provide the activation energy necessary for the insertion reaction. Also observed were the suboxides MOM, the M+O; ozonide species, and the OMOMO trioxide speck. The same absorptions were produced with different relative intensities by ablation of solid MzOl oxide samples. the frequency accuracy is io. 1 cm-I for 60 SXR and *0.5 cm-' for 5 DXB spectra. Matrices were annealed from 12 to 25, 30, and 35 2 K, and additional spectra were recorded; selected samples were irradiated with a 175-W mercury street lamp (Philips H39KB) with the Pyrex envelope removed. ResultsInfrared spectra obtained from argon matrices containing dilute molecular oxygen and metal atom reagents will be presented here.

Reactions of pulsed laser produced B and N atoms at high dilution in argon favored diboron species. At low laser power with minimum radiation, the dominant reaction with N2 gave BBNN (3Π). At higher laser power, reactions of N atoms contributed the B2N (2B2), BNB (2Σu+), NNBN (1Σ+), and BNBN (3Π) species. These new transient molecules were identified from mixed isotopic patterns, isotopic shifts, and ab initio calculations of isotopic spectra.

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