Two-proton migration in 1,3-butadiene in intense laser fields

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2010 Oct 28;12(40):12939-42. doi: 10.1039/c0cp00628a. Epub 2010 Aug 23.

Abstract

Ultrafast proton migration in 1,3-butadiene in an intense laser field (40 fs, 4.5 × 10(14) W cm(-2)) is investigated by using Coulomb explosion coincidence momentum imaging. The spatial distribution maps of a migrating proton reconstructed for the two three-body Coulomb explosion pathways, C(4)H(6)(3+)→ H(+) + CH(3)(+) + C(3)H(2)(+) and C(4)H(6)(3+)→ H(+) + C(2)H(+) + C(2)H(4)(+), reveal that two protons migrate within a 1,3-butadiene molecule, prior to the three body decomposition.