Characterization of the transition metal carbon bond in small organometallic molecules by resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy

Resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy was employed to investigate the electronic and geometric structure of several small organometallic molecules in the gas phase. The collection and analysis of the vibronic and rovibronic optical spectra of three transition metal monocarbides (FeC, MoC, and NiC) and of five polyatomic species (CrCCH, CrCH;The polyatomic organometallic species CrCCH, CrCH;For the monocarbides FeC, MoC, and NiC, the ground state and many excited electronic states have been characterized. Six electronic states were identified among 22 rotationally resolved bands in the 10,400 cm...