Mass-analyzed Threshold Ionization Spectroscopy of Rotamers of p-ethoxyphenol Cations and Configuration Effect

Two-color resonant two-photon mass-analyzed threshold ionization （MATI） spectroscopy was used to record the vibrationally resolved cation spectra of the selected rotamers of p- ethoxyphenol. The adiabatic ionization energies of the trans and cis rotamers are determined to be 61565±5 and 61670±5 cm^-1, which are less than that of p-methoxyphenol by 645 and 643 cm^-1, respectively. Analysis on the MATI spectra of the selected rotamers of p-ethoxyphenol cation shows that the relative orientation of the ethoxy group has little effect on the in-plane ring vibrations. The low-frequency OC2H5 bending vibrations appear to be active for both forms of the cation.