The interaction of ethylene adsorbed on Ni(111) with
gas-phase H atoms has been investigated. The major
adsorbed reaction product is identified by high-resolution electron
energy loss spectroscopy to be ethylidyne
(C−CH3). This study is the first direct
spectroscopic observation of a C−CH3 species adsorbed on
Ni in an
ultrahigh-vacuum environment. Spectra of four isotopomers,
C−CH3,
13C−13CH3,
C−CD3, and
13C−13CD3,
are reported, and a complete and consistent vibrational assignment of
their fundamental modes is presented.
Based on this assignment, a force field is derived from the
measured vibrational frequencies using a normal-modes analysis and is found to be in good agreement with that deduced
from IR spectra of an ethylidyne
species in an organometallic complex. Inspection of the
eigenvectors of the normal-mode displacements
reveals that substantial mixing of harmonic bond motions is the origin
of the unusual upshift in frequency of
the C−C stretching mode upon deuteration. A quantitative
determination of the relative dynamic bond dipole
moments demonstrates that the changes in intensity and dipole activity
of the C−C stretching and symmetric
CH3 deformation modes upon deuteration, phenomena common to
all C−CD3 spectra, also arise from extensive
mixing of bond motions. A detailed analysis of the spectra
strongly suggests a C
3
v
or C
3 local environment
for ethylidyne and a 3-fold hollow adsorption site.