TEA CO2 laser-induced reaction of CH3NO2 with CF2HCl: A mechanistic study

Dissociation of nitromethane has been observed when a mixture of CF2HCl and CH3NO2 is irradiated using pulsed TEA CO2 laser at 9R (24) line (1081 cm–1), which is strongly absorbed by CF2HCl but not by CH3NO2. Under low laser fluence conditions, only nitromethane dissociates, whereas at high fluence CF2HCl also undergoes dissociation, showing that dissociation occurs via the vibrational energy transfer processes from the TEA CO2 laser-excited CF2HCl to CH3NO2. Time-resolved infrared fluorescence from vibrationally excited CF2HCl and CH3NO2 molecules as well as UV absorption of CF2 radicals are carried out to elucidate the dynamics of excitation/dissociation and the chemical reactions of the dissociation products.