Vibrational selectivity in the single-photon infrared photochemistry of matrix-isolated 2-fluoroethanol

Relative quantum efficiencies for the IR-induced G′g to Tt conformer interconversion of 2-fluoroethanol in solid argon are reported. Laser excitation was used to investigate ten vibrational bands of 2-fluoroethanol with frequencies between 952 and 7121 cm−1. Three bands of the deuterated (OD) analog were also investigated using laser and filtered glower excitation. Deviations of the quantum efficiencies from a smooth, monotonic function of energy were significantly larger than the experimental uncertainties. Anomalously high quantum efficiencies were found for modes with strong coupling to the COH torsion.