INFRARED MULTIPHOTON DISSOCIATION OF CHFCL2

We have studied the dependence of the IR laser induced multiphoton dissociation of CHFCl2 on laser wavelength and fluence, number of laser pulses and initial CHFCl2 pressure. Multiphoton dissociation spectrum presents a broad maximum centered at 9.342 μm. Dissociation has a strongly dependence on initial CHFCl2 pressure and laser fluence. There exists a pressure lower limit (≈ 0.4 mb) below which no significant dissociation occurs. Up to 2.1 J/cm2 no unimolecular dissociation takes place in a significant proportion. The only radical we have been able to clearly detect by real time optical absorption technique is CFCl. This supports the mechanism reaction CHFCl2 + nhν → CFCl + HCl. © 1990.