Formation and identification of borane radical anions isolated in solid argon

Abstract

The infrared (IR) spectrum of borane(3) anions (BH3-) isolated in solid Ar was recorded; two vibrational modes were observed at 2259.4 and 606.6 cm(-1), which were assigned to the BH2 stretching (nu(3)) and out-of-plane large-amplitude (nu(2)) modes, respectively. These anions were produced by the electron bombardment of an Ar matrix sample containing a small proportion of B2H6 and H-2 during matrix deposition or by the photolysis of single-bridged-B2H5 fi in an Ar matrix with the selected ultraviolet light. The band positions, relative intensity ratios, isotopic splitting pattern, and isotopic shift ratios of the observed IR features of BH3- are generally in good agreement with those predicted by the B2PLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ method.