Presenters: Seth Weston ; Bryant Pace
Authors: Seth Weston, Bryant Pace, Jacob Dean
Faculty Advisor: Jacob Dean
Institution: Southern Utah University
In contrast to other spectroscopy methods, the use of a high-powered laser coupled with a supersonic expansion, time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer allows for the pinpointing of molecules cooled to approximately 2K. Advantages of this method include a more accurate analysis of intermolecular forces, molecular/electronic structure, and a number o other physical characteristics at molecular resolution. Prior to loading the sample, characteristics such as the melting point, UV-vis, molecular weight, and time-of-flight were determined. According to the absorption wavelength of the sample in solution, a specific dye was used to analyze at said wavelength. With the sample in a vacuum chamber, the near 2K temperature is reached and a spectrum is recorded by scanning the wavelength of laser light. Samples of interest for this method of spectroscopy include novel crown ethers, pyrimidinones, pyridines, and pyrimidine molecules which have been previously synthesized. Future analysis of crown ethers include clustering with single water molecules at different molecular locations and the resulting conformational changes.