On the Photoabsorption by Permanganate Ions in Vacuo and the Role of a Single Water Molecule. New Experimental Benchmarks for Electronic Structure Theory

Abstract

We report electronic spectra of mass-selected MnO4(-) and MnO4(-)⋅H2O using electronic photodissociation spectroscopy. Bare MnO4(-) fragments by formation of MnO3(-) and MnO2(-), while the hydrated complex predominantly decays by loss of the water molecule. The band in the visible spectral region shows a well-resolved vibrational progression consistent with the excitation of a Mn-O stretching mode. The presence of a single water molecule does not significantly perturb the spectrum of MnO4(-). Comparison with the UV/Vis absorption spectrum of permanganate in aqueous solution shows that complete hydration causes a small blueshift, while theoretical models including a dielectric medium have predicted a redshift. The experimental data can be used as benchmarks for electronic structure theory methods, which usually predict electronic spectra in the absence of a chemical environment.