Direct observation of an isopolyhalomethane O-H insertion reaction with water: Picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman (ps-TR 3) study of the isobromoform reaction with water to produce a CHBr 2OH product

Abstract

The spectroscopic observation of an isopolyhalomethane O-H insertion reaction with water was obtained using picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy. It was observed that photolysis of low concentrations of bromoform in aqueous solution resulted in noticeable formation of HBr strong acid. It was shown by ab initio calculations that isobromoform can react with water to produce a CHBr 2(OH) O-H insertion reaction product and a HBr leaving group. The implications of the results for the phase dependent behavior of polyhalomethane photochemistry in the gas phase versus water solvated environments were discussed.published_or_final_versio