Bond energies of transition metal dimers: TiZr, TiNb, and ZrV

The bond dissociation energies of TiZr, TiNb, and ZrV have been determined by the abrupt onset of predissociation in an extremely congested vibronic spectrum of these molecules. From these predissociation thresholds the dissociation energies are determined to be D0(TiZr) = 2.183 ± 0.001 eV, D0(TiNb) = 3.092 ± 0.001 eV, and D0(ZrV) = 2.663 ± 0.003 eV. After making a correction for the promotion energies required to prepare the atoms for bonding, the intrinsic bond energies of these molecules are compared and periodic trends in the bonding of the 3d-4d mixed transition metal dimers are discussed.