Ricerc@Sapienza

Nitromidazoles are relevant compounds of multidisciplinary interest, and knowledge of their physical-chemical parameters as well as their decomposition under photon irradiation is needed. Here we report an experimental and theoretical study of the mechanisms of VUV photofragmentation of 2- and 4(5)-nitromidazoles, compounds used as radiosensitizers in conjunction with radiotherapy as well as high-energy density materials.

Dihalomethanes XCH2Y (X and Y= F, Cl, Br and I) are a class of compounds involved in several processes leading to the release of halogen atoms, ozone consumption and aerosol particle formation. Neutral dihalomethanes have been largely studied, but chemical physics properties and processes involving their radical ions, like the pathways of their decomposition, have not been completely investigated. In this work the photodissociation dynamics of the ClCH2I molecule has been explored in the photon energy range 9-21 eV using both VUV rare gas discharge lamps and synchrotron radiation.