We investigate anionic [Co,CO 2 ,nH 2 O] À clusters as model systems fort he electrochemical activation of CO 2 by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in the range of 1250-2234 cm À1 using an FT-ICR mass spectrometer.W es how that both CO 2 and H 2 Oa re activated in a significant fraction of the [Co,CO 2 ,H 2 O] À clusters since it dissociates by CO loss, and the IR spectrum exhibits the characteristic CÀOs tretching frequency.A bout 25 %o ft he ion population can be dissociated by pumping the CÀOs tretching mode.W ith the help of quantum chemical calculations, we assign the structure of this ion as Co(CO)(OH) 2 À .H owever,c alculations find Co(HCOO)(OH) À as the globalm inimum, which is stable against IRMPD under the conditions of our experiment. Weak features around1 590-1730 cm À1 are most likely due to higher lying isomerso ft he composition Co(HOCO)(OH) À .U pon additional hydration, all species [Co,CO 2 ,nH 2 O] À , n ! 2, undergo IRMPD through loss of H 2 O molecules as ar elatively weakly bound messenger.T he main spectralf eaturesa re the CÀOs tretching mode of the CO ligand around1 900 cm À1 ,t he water bending mode mixed with the antisymmetric CÀOs tretching mode of the HCOO À ligand around 1580-1730 cm À1 ,a nd the symmetric CÀO stretching mode of the HCOO À ligand around 1300 cm À1 .A weak feature above 2000 cm À1 is assigned to water combination bands.T he spectrala ssignment clearly indicates the presence of at least two distinct isomers for n ! 2.