Synthesis of polyyne molecules from hexane by irradiation of intense femtosecond laser pulses

Abstract Hydrogen-capped polyynes have been synthesized by femtosecond laser irradiation of hexane liquid. We used UV absorption to identify and high performance liquid chromatography to separate polyynes up to C 12 H 2 , and then confirmed with resonance Raman spectroscopy. The shortest hydrogen-terminated chain is found to be C 6 H 2 . A supplementary experiment on decane indicates that the formation via single step rearrangement of the parent molecule is not likely.