Analysis of the 1A′ S1 ← 1A′ S0 and 2A′ D0 ← 1A′ S1 band systems in 1,2-dichloro-4-fluorobenzene by means of resonance-enhanced-multi-photonionization (REMPI) and mass-analyzed-threshold-ionization (MATI) spectroscopy

Resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and mass analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy have been applied in order to investigate the vibrational structure of 1,2-dichloro-4-fluorobenzene (1,2,4-DCFB) in its first excited state (S-1) and the cationic ground state (D-0). The selection of the state prior to ionization resulted in MATI spectra with different intensity distributions thus giving access to many vibrational levels. To support the experimental findings, geometry optimizations and frequency analyses at DFT (density functional) and TDDFT (time-dependent density functional) levels of theory have been applied. Additionally, a multidimensional Franck-Condon approach has been used to calculate the vibrational intensities from the DFT calculations. An excellent agreement between simulated and measured REMPI and MATI spectra allowed for a confident assignment of vibrational levels and mechanisms active during excitation and ionization. In order to avoid any ambiguity regarding the assignment of the vibrational bands to normal modes, Duschinsky normal mode analysis has been performed to correlate the ground state (S-0) normal modes of 1,2,4-DCFB with the benzene derived Wilson nomenclature. From the REMPI spectra the electronic excitation energy (EE) of 1,2-dichloro-4-fluorobenzene could be determined to be 35 714 +/- 2 cm(-1) while the MATI spectra yielded the adiabatic ionization energy (IE) of 1,2-dichloro-4-fluorobenzene which could be determined to be 73 332 +/- 7 cm (1).