Metal and multimetal complexes with polyaromatic hydrocarbons:: Formation and photodissociation of Fex-(coronene)y cations

Gas-phase cluster complexes containing coronene and iron are produced in a molecular beam and studied with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Cation complexes are produced in a pulsed nozzle laser vaporization cluster source using a metal rod coated with a sublimed film of coronene. Cluster masses of the form [Fe(x-)cor(y)](+) are observed for x 1-3 and y 1,2. Additional masses are observed for the complexes [Fe-cor(y)](+) for y = 1-7. Mass-selected laser photodissociation experiments probe the structure and bonding in these new cluster species. Evidence is presented for stable sandwich structures and for the existence of multi-iron species as separated atoms on the coronene surface.