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High-resolution electron spectroscopy and rotational conformers of group 6 metal (Cr, Mo, and W) bis(mesitylene) sandwich complexes.

Author
Abstract
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Group 6 metal-bis(mesitylene) sandwich complexes are produced by interactions between the laser-vaporized metal atoms and mesitylene vapor in a pulsed molecular beam source, identified by photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and studied by pulsed-field ionization zero-electron kinetic energy spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. Although transition metal-bis(arene) sandwich complexes may adopt eclipsed and staggered conformations, the group 6 metal-bis(mesitylene) complexes are determined to be in the eclipsed form. In this form, rotational conformers with methyl group dihedral angles of 0 and 60° are identified for the Cr complex, whereas the 0° rotamer is observed for the Mo and W species. The 0° rotamer is in a C(2v) symmetry with the neutral ground state of (1)A1 and the singly positive charged ion state of (2)A1. The 60° rotamer is in a C(i) symmetry with the neutral ground state of (1)A(g) and the ion state of (2)A(g). Partial conversion of the 60 to 0° rotamer is observed from He to He/Ar supersonic expansion for Cr-bis(mesitylene). The unsuccessful observation of the 60° rotamer for the Mo and W complexes is the result of its complete conversion to the 0° rotamer in both He and He/Ar expansions. The adiabatic ionization energies of the 0° rotamers of the three complexes are in the order of Cr-bis(mesitylene) < W-bis(mesitylene) < Mo-bis(mesitylene), which is different from that of the metal atoms. These metal-bis(mesitylene) complexes have lower ionization energies than the corresponding metal-bis(benzene) and -bis(toluene) species.

Year of Publication
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2013
Journal
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The journal of physical chemistry. A
Volume
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117
Issue
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50
Number of Pages
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13336-44
Date Published
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2013
ISSN Number
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1089-5639
URL
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https://doi.org/10.1021/jp4064998
DOI
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10.1021/jp4064998
Short Title
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J Phys Chem A
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