LASER PHOTOLYSIS OF ND4-CENTER-DOT AND TRIMETHYLAMINE FORMED BY COLLISIONAL NEUTRALIZATION OF THEIR CATIONS IN THE GAS-PHASE

An experimental method is presented which utilizes 488 and 514.5 nm ph otons from an argon-ion laser to probe excited electronic states of ne utral species formed by femtosecond collisional neutralization of cati ons and cation-radicals. Only a minor fraction of metastable ND4. from neutralization of ND4+ is formed in ionizable electronic states, The dominant fraction is formed in the ground (2)A(1)(3s) state which is p hotodissociated to ND3 and ND2.. Trimethylamine from neutralization of its cation radical is stable towards photoionization and photolysis a nd is likely to be formed in its (1)A(1) ground electronic state.