Photodissociation of silver-coronene cluster cations

Gas phase complexes of coronene and silver are produced in a molecular beam and studied with time-of-flight mass spectrometry and laser photodissociat ion. The cation complexes are produced in a pulsed nozzle laser vaporizatio n cluster source using a silver rod coated with a sublimed film of coronene . Cluster masses of the form Ag-x-(cor)(y)(+) are observed for x = 0, 1, 2 and y = 1-3. Mass-selected photodissociation experiments probe the structur e and bonding in these new cluster species. These studies demonstrate that silver binds weakly to coronene and that cation clusters of pure coronene h ave substantial stability. (Int J Mass Spectrom 185/186/187 (1999) 617-624) (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.