News
Overview of all news from the Controlled Molecule Imaging Group
Conformer-specific polar Diels–Alder cycloadditions published and selected as Highlight by Nat. Comm.
18 October 2021
There has been a long-standing discussion whether Diels–Alder cycloadditions proceed via stepwise or concerted mechanisms. By combining a conformationally controlled molecular beam with trapped ions, we explored the mechanism of the model polar cycloaddition of conformer-specific 2,3-dibromo-1,3-butadiene with propene ions under single-collision conditions in the gas phase. Both conformers of the diene are reactive with capture-limited reaction rates and a simultaneous competition of concerted and stepwise reaction pathways was found.
Publication on actively learning potential-energy surfaces of molecules
13 October 2021
Using the Born-Oppenheimer approximation requires potential energy surface (PES) for reliable simulations of nuclear dynamics in molecules. Calculating PESs for weakly-bound complexes is especially difficult and computationally expensive due to the loosely bound nature of the intermolecular interactions, which results in a complicated shape of the PESs with potentially several local minima and saddle points.
Novel procedure for spinning molecules
07 June 2021
Researchers from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY proposed a novel procedure for spinning molecules to tremendously high speeds of several trillion times per second, while keeping control over the axis of their rotation. The results were reported in an article "Controlling rotation in the molecular-frame with in optical centrifuge”, recently published in the Physical Review Research Journal.
Helen Bieker successfully defended her doctoral thesis
29 January 2021
Helen Bieker successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Dissociation dynamics of size-selected water dimer” on Friday, 29th January 2021.