Gas-phase electronic spectra of HC2n 1H (n = 2–6) chains

Abstract

Highly unsaturated carbon chains are generated in combustion processes and electrical discharges, and are confirmed constituents of the interstellar medium. In hydrogen-rich environments smaller carbon clusters tend to exist as linear chains, capped on each end by hydrogen atoms. Although the HC2nH+ polyacetylene chains have been extensively characterized spectroscopically, the corresponding odd HC2n+1H+ chains have received far less attention. Here we use two-colour resonance enhanced photodissociation spectroscopy to measure electronic spectra for HC2n+1H+ (n = 2–6) chains contained in a cryogenically cooled quadrupole ion trap. The HC2n+1H+ chains are formed either top-down by ionizing an..