MATRIX INFRARED-SPECTRA OF THE PRODUCTS OF THE P2 AND O3 REACTION

Molecular P2 evaporated from heated GaP was codeposited with an argon/ozone stream at 12 K. Strong infrared product absorptions verify the spontaneous reaction of P2 and O3. Isotopic substitution, concentration variation, photolysis, and annealing behavior provide the basis for identification of primary reaction products PO and PO2 and the new molecule P2O and secondary products PO3, P2O5, and cyclic P4O2. Photolysis produced further secondary reaction products oxo-bridged P2O4 and a new cyclic P4O isomer, and annealing gave still another oxo-bridged P2O4 isomer. Infrared bands for these products are in good agreement with predictions from ab initio calculations.