The Carbonate, Co3−·, in Solution Studied by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

The carbonate radical (Co 3 − ·) is of biological significance acting as an intermediate infree radical-mediated damage and is capable of oxidising amino acids and proteins. Inorder to distinguish between the four possible structures ofCo 3 − ·, nanosecond timeresolvedresonance Raman (TR 3 ) experiments were undertaken. Photolysis ofpersulphate at 250 nm generated theSo 4 − ·radical which then oxidised sodium carbonate.Resonance Raman spectra of the resultingCo 3 − ·radical were obtained using a probewavelength of 620 nm. Point group theory calculations and interpretation of the TR 3 spectra suggest that the radical hasC 2 v molecular symmetry.