Spectroscopy and photochemistry of Al+(C2H4)(O-2) clusters

We report on the photodissociation spectroscopy of the weakly-bound complex Al+(C2H4)(O-2). Continuum molecular absorption bands are observed in the 2 18-290 nm spectral region and are assigned to the photoinduced metal-to-eth ylene charge-transfer process. Al+ is the dominant photofragment observed a t all wavelengths. Two minor chemical dissociation channels are also observ ed resulting in AlOH+ and AlCH2+ reactive photoproducts. Our experimental i nvestigations are supported by ab initio electronic structure calculations using the Gaussian '94 package. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.