IR induced isomerisation of HDO complexes: a method for the observation of FIR spectra of matrix isolated water complexes Original Research Article

The OD- and OH-stretching fundamentals of the HDO dimer and the HDO-formaldehyde complex have been irradiated with a monochromatic, tunable source. When the OD (OH) fundamental of HDO deuterium (hydrogen) bonded to water or formaldehyde in nitrogen matrices, is irradiated, HDO changes from D- to H-bonding (from H to D). By the irradiation, we can change most HDO complexes in a set of sites from D-bonding to H-bondingand reverse. This has been used to obtain infrared spectra in the region from 190 to 600 cm−1. The out-of-plane shear vibration of HDO, H- and D- bonded to another water molecule and to formaldehyde has been observed.