The photodissociation dynamics of [CpFe(CO)(2)](2) in the gas phase is inve
stigated with femtosecond time resolution. Using femtosecond laser pulses a
t 400 and 800 nm, the parent molecular ion and corresponding fragment ions
are observed with a reflectron time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer. Employing
the pump-probe technique their ionization transients are measured. We find
that the photodissociation dynamics of this molecule having two different
metal-ligand bonds and one metal-metal bond is dominated by the dynamics of
three different intermediate states. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri
ghts reserved.