Reactions of boron atoms with molecular oxygen. Infrared spectra of BO, BO2, B2O2, B2O3, and BO−2 in solid argon

Boron atoms from Nd:YAG laser ablation of the solid have been codeposited with Ar/O2 samples on a 11±1 K salt window. The product infrared spectrum was dominated by three strong 11B isotopic bands at 1299.3, 1282.8, and 1274.6 cm−1 with 10B counterparts at 1347.6, 1330.7, and 1322.2 cm−1. Oxygen isotopic substitution (16O18O and 18O2 ) confirms the assignment of these strong bands to ν3 of linear BO2. Renner–Teller coupling is evident in the ν2 bending motion. A sharp medium intensity band at 1854.7 has appropriate isotopic ratios for BO, which exhibits a 1862.1 cm−1 gas phase fundamental. A sharp 1931.0 cm−1 band shows isotopic ratios appropriate for another linear BO2 species; correlation with spectra of BO−2 in alkali halide lattices confirms this assignment. A weak 1898.9 cm−1 band grows on annealing and shows isotopic ratios for a BO stretching mode and isotopic splittings for two equivalent B and O atoms, which confirms assignment to B2O2. A weak 2062 cm−1 band grows markedly on annealing and shows isotope shifts appropriate for a terminal–BO group interacting with another oxygen atom; the 2062 cm−1 band is assigned to B2O3 in agreement with earlier work. A strong 1512.3 cm−1 band appeared on annealing; its proximity to the O2 fundamental at 1552 cm−1 and pure oxygen isotopic shift suggest that this absorption is due to a B atom–O2 complex.