FLUORINE SUBSTITUTION EFFECTS ON THE PHOTODISSOCIATION DYNAMICS OF IODOBENZENE AT 304 NM

The photodissociation dynamics of pentafluoroiodobenzene are investigated by state-selective one-dimensional translation spectroscopy at 304 nm. We have determined the one-dimensional recoil distribution and the spatial distribution in the form of the anisotropy parameter, β, as well as the photodissociation relative yields of both ground-state I(3P3/2) and excited-state I*(2P1/2) iodine photofragments. The results are compared to those observed for iodobenzene at 304 nm. As in iodobenzene, two velocity distributions were observed for the dissociation channel which gives ground-state iodine:  a sharp, high recoil velocity peak assigned previously to n,σ* excitation and a slow recoil velocity distribution peak assigned previously to π,π* excitation. Unlike in C6H5I, the I* distribution is relatively strong and its spatial anisotropy can be measured. The fluorine perturbation has led to a number of different observations that can be summarized as follows:  (1) The high velocity distribution has a lower aver...