Three-body dissociation dynamics of (SO2)3 studied through dissociative photodetachment of (SO2)3−

The dissociative photodetachment dynamics of (SO2)3− were studied by photoelectron–photofragment coincidence spectroscopy at 258 nm. Correlation between the photoelectron and photofragment translational energies was observed as previously seen in the dimer system, implying the presence of a dimer core. The three-body dissociation dynamics of (SO2)3 after photodetachment are consistent with a dimer core solvated by a spectator SO2 molecule with a broad distribution in initial geometry.