Photodissociation dynamics of dimethyl sulfoxide-d6 at 210 nm: experimental evidence for a prompt anisotropic CD3 channel

The photodissociation of dimethyl sulfoxide-d6 has been studied at 210 nm by REMPI-TOFMS spectroscopy. The anisotropy of a fast CD3 dissociation channel has been characterized for the first time. This channel corresponds to the formation of CD3 and electronically excited CD3SO(Ã) with an anisotropy parameter β = 0.28 ± 0.05. About 38% of the primary CD3 fragments are formed via this fast dissociative channel with a large translational energy release. A slow isotropic primary CD3 channel as well as a secondary CD3 channel arising from internally hot CD3SO(X̃) have been detected in accordance to previous studies at 210 nm.