An Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Prototypical Conjugated Hydrocarbons

Abstract

The work presented in this thesis concerns the study of several conjugated aromatic systems through infrared spectroscopy. By using several techniques, the infrared spectra of various gas phase species have been obtained and some other quantities have also been measured. The studied species are the cationic benzene-argon complex and its fully deuterated version, aniline -- rare gas complexes, neutral and cationic toluene-argon, and the radicals benzyl and tropyl. The infrared spectra give an insight into the structure of the molecules. Through theoretical modelling of the studied species, we can gain an understanding of spectra and identify certain system-specific proporties. By performing infrared absorption spectroscopy with FELIX (the Free Electron Laser for Infrared Experiments) on these gas phase species, the infrared spectra of the isolated species have been obtained.