Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of Mg ⁺(H ₂O)Ar _n complexes: Isomers in progressive microsolvation

Ion-molecule complexes of the form Mg(H ₂O)Ar _n ⁺ (n = 1-8) are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed-nozzle cluster source. These complexes are mass-selected and studied with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the O-H stretch region. The spectra are interpreted with the aid of ab initio calculations on the n = 1-5 complexes, including examination of various isomeric structures. The combined spectroscopic and theoretical studies reveal the presence of multiple isomeric structures at each cluster size, as the argon atoms assemble around the Mg ⁺(H ₂O) unit. Distinct infrared resonances are measured for argon-on-metal, argon-on-OH and argon-on-two-OH isomers.