Spectroscopic study of polyynes obtained by laser ablation in liquids

Short polyyne chains (<= C8H2) were produced by laser ablation of graphite rods in water. The results are compared with those obtained by ablation in acetonitrile using vibrational and UV absorption spectroscopy. Since silver surfaces are able to stabilize the obtained sp-hybridized molecules, surface-enhanced Raman spectra were recorded and are discussed in terms of surface-molecule interactions. The degradation of the produced species are also considered to support the conclusions. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.