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Brute Force Orientation of Matrix‐Isolated Molecules: Reversible Reorientation of Formaldehyde in an Argon Matrix toward Perfect Alignment
Author(s) -
Park Youngwook,
Kang Hani,
Kang Heon
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201610948
Subject(s) - molecule , electric field , formaldehyde , matrix (chemical analysis) , infrared , orientation (vector space) , field (mathematics) , chemical physics , infrared spectroscopy , chemistry , stark effect , phase (matter) , spectroscopy , materials science , atomic physics , molecular physics , optics , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , geometry , mathematics , chromatography , pure mathematics
Brute force orientation by an electric field is a promising way of controlling the orientation of polar molecules in the gas phase, but its application to condensed‐phase molecules has been very limited. We studied the reorientation of formaldehyde molecules in a solid Ar matrix under the influence of a strong electric field using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. Asymptotically perfect alignment of the formaldehyde molecules along the field was achieved at field strengths exceeding 1×10 8 V m −1 . The vibrational bands of the aligned molecules exhibited a unidirectional Stark shift proportional to the field strength. The reorientation of the molecules was reversible despite the cryogenic solid environment of the system.