State-Resolved Quantum Dynamics of Photodetachment of HCO₂⁻/DCO₂⁻ on an Accurate Global Potential Energy Surface

Abstract

Full-dimensional quantum dynamics studies of the photodetachment of HCO2(-) and DCO2(-) are reported using a wave-packet method on an accurate global potential energy surface of the neutral HOCO/HCO2 system. The calculated photoelectron spectra reproduced both the positions and widths of the main HCO2 and DCO2 peaks observed in experiment. Specifically, both the (2)A1 and (2)B2 resonance peaks of the neutral radicals were identified in our simulations thanks to the adiabatic PES that captures both the (2)A1 and (2)B2 minima. The narrow widths and isotope effect of the lowest resonances are indicative of tunneling-facilitated predissociation. Furthermore, the dissociation product CO2 was found to be excited in both its symmetric stretching and bending modes, which are coupled via a strong Fermi resonance, but rotationally cold, in good agreement with the recent photoelectron-photodetachment coincidence experiments.