Induced HSiCl emission in the UV photodissociation of 2-chloroethenylsilane

The laser induced fluorescence of the HSiCl radical, detected in the 525–600 nm range, has been observed in the photolysis of 2-chloroethenylsilane at 193 and 212 nm. The results indicate that this radical is produced with considerable rotational and vibrational excitation in the electronic ground state. Quenching with Argon of the excited electronic state A 1A″ is very slow, on the order of 8×10−13 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. The implications of these observations for the primary photofragmentation paths of the 2-chloroethenylsilane molecule are discussed.