Phosphorescence of C5N− in Rare Gas Solids

Abstract

Phosphorescence of C5N− was discovered following the ArF-laser (193 nm) photolysis of cyanodiacetylene (HC5N) isolated in cryogenic argon, krypton, and xenon matrices. This visible emission, with an origin around 460 nm, is vibrationally resolved, permitting the measurement of frequencies for eight ground-state fundamental vibrational modes, including the three known from previous IR absorption studies. Phosphorescence lifetime amounts to tens or even hundreds of ms depending on the matrix host; it is five times longer than in the case of HC5N.