THE 355 NM PHOTODISSOCIATION OF JET-COOLED CH3SNO - ALIGNMENT OF THE NO PHOTOFRAGMENT

The photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled methyl thionitrite (CH3SN O) have been studied using 355 nm polarised laser photolysis and probi ng of the NO photofragment by polarised laser-induced fluorescence. Th e alignment A(0)((2)) between the electronic transition dipole moment involved in the absorption of the parent molecule and the rotational a ngular momentum J of the nascent NO(v '' = 0 and v '' = 1) photofragme nt has been measured as a function of J up to J = 44.5. The A(0)((2)) values found are negative and approach the high-J limit confirming tha t the S-2 <-- S-0 continuum transition of CH3SNO in the near-UV arises from a pi <-- pi transition to a repulsive excited state. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.