The valence shell photoelectron spectrum, threshold photoelectron spectrum, and threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) mass spectra of acetone have been measured using synchrotron radiation. New vibrational progressions have been observed and assigned in the X 2B2 state photoelectron bands of acetone-h6 and acetone-d6, and the influence of resonant autoionization on the threshold electron yield has been investigated. The dissociation thresholds for fragment ions up to 31 eV have been measured and compared to previous values. In addition, kinetic modeling of the threshold region for CH3* and CH4 loss leads to new values of 78 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1) and 75 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1), respectively, for the 0 K activation energies for these two processes. The result for the methyl loss channel is in reasonable agreement with, but slightly lower than, that of 83 +/- 1 kJ mol(-1) derived in a recent TPEPICO study by Fogleman et al. The modeling accounts for both low-energy dissociation channels at two different ion residence times in the mass spectrometer. Moreover, the effects of the ro-vibrational population distribution, the electron transmission efficiency, and the monochromator band-pass are included. The present activation energies yield a Delta(f)H298 for CH3CO+ of 655 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1), which is 4 kJ mol(-1) lower than that reported by Fogleman et al. The present Delta(f)H298 for CH3CO+ can be combined with the Delta(f)H298 for CH2CO (-47.5 +/- 1.6 kJ mol(-1)) and H+ (1530 kJ mol(-1)) to yield a 298 K proton affinity for ketene of 828 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1), in good agreement with the value (825 kJ mol(-1)) calculated at the G2 level of theory. The measured activation energy for CH4 loss leads to a Delta(f)H298 (CH2CO+*) of 873 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1).

The 1,1-dimethylhydrazine ion ((CH3)2NNH2+*) has two low-energy dissociation channels, the loss of a hydrogen atom to form the fragment ion m/z 59, (CH3)(CH2)NNH2+, and the loss of a methyl radical to form the fragment ion m/z 45, the methylhydrazyl cation, CH3NNH2+. The dissociation of the 1,1-dimethylhydrazine ion has been investigated using threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) spectroscopy, in the photon energy range 8.25-31 eV, and tandem mass spectrometry. Theoretical breakdown curves have been obtained from a variational transition state theory (VTST) modeling of the two reaction channels and compared to those obtained from experiment. Seven transition states have been found at the B3-LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory for the methyl radical loss channel in the internal energy range of 2.32-3.56 eV. The methyl loss channel transition states are found at R(N-C) = 4.265, 4.065, 3.965, 3.165, 2.765, 2.665, and 2.565 A over this internal energy range. Three transition states have been found for the hydrogen atom loss channel: R(H-C) = 2.298, 2.198, and 2.098 A. The DeltaS++(45) value, at an internal energy of 2.32 eV and a bond distance of R(N-C) = 4.265 A, is 65 J K-1 mol-1. As the internal energy increases to 3.56 eV the variational transition state moves to lower R value so that at R(N-C) = 2.565 A, the DeltaS++ decreases to 29 J K-1 mol-1. For the hydrogen atom loss channel the variation in DeltaS++ is less than that for the methyl loss channel. To obtain agreement with the experimental breakdown curves, DeltaS++(59) = 26-16 J K-1 mol-1 over the studied internal energy range. The 0 K enthalpies of formation (DeltafH0) for the two fragment ions m/z 45 and m/z 59 have been calculated from the 0 K activation energies (E0) obtained from the fitting procedure: DeltafH0[CH3NNH2+] = 906 +/- 6 kJ mol-1 and DeltafH0[(CH3)(CH2)NNH2+] = 822 +/- 7 kJ mol-1. The calculated G3 values are DeltafH0[CH3NNH2+] = 911 kJ mol-1 and DeltafH0[(CH3)(CH2)NNH2+] = 825 kJ mol-1. In addition to the two low-energy dissociation products, 21 other fragment ions have been observed in the dissociation of the 1,1-dimethylhydrazine ion as the photon energy was increased. Their appearance energies are reported.

The valence shell electronic structures of methylhydrazine (CH(3)NHNH(2)), 1,1-dimethylhydrazine ((CH(3))(2)NNH(2)) and tetramethylhydrazine ((CH(3))(4)N(2)) have been studied by recording threshold and conventional (kinetic energy resolved) photoelectron spectra. Ab initio calculations have been performed on ammonia and the three methyl substituted hydrazines, with the structures being optimized at the B3-LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory. The ionization energies of the valence molecular orbitals were calculated using the Green's function method, allowing the photoelectron bands to be assigned to specific molecular orbitals. The ground-state adiabatic and vertical ionization energies, as determined from the threshold photoelectron spectra, were IE(a) = 8.02 +/- 0.16 eV and IE(v) = 9.36 +/- 0.02 eV for methylhydrazine, IE(a) = 7.78 +/- 0.16 eV and IE(v) = 8.86 +/- 0.01 eV for 1,1-dimethylhydrazine and IE(a) = 7.26 +/- 0.16 eV and IE(v) = 8.38 +/- 0.01 eV for tetramethylhydrazine. Due to the large geometry change that occurs upon ionization, these IE(a) values are all higher than the true thresholds. New features have been observed in the inner valence region and these have been compared with similar structure in the spectrum of hydrazine. The effect of resonant autoionization on the threshold photoelectron yield is discussed. New heats of formation (Delta(f)H) are proposed for the three hydrazines on the basis of G3 calculations: 107, 94, and 95 kJ/mol for methylhydrazine, 1,1-dimethyhydrazine and tetramethylhydrazine, respectively. The previously reported Delta(f)H for tetramethylhydrazine is shown to be erroneous.