Vibrational resonant inelastic X-ray scattering in liquid acetic acid: a ruler for molecular chain lengths

Quenching of vibrational excitations in resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra of liquid acetic acid is observed. At the oxygen core resonance associated with localized excitations at the O-H bond, the spectra lack the typical progression of vibrational excitations observed in RIXS spectra of comparable systems. We interpret this phenomenon as due to strong rehybridization of the unoccupied molecular orbitals as a result of hydrogen bonding, which however cannot be observed in x-ray absorption but only by means of RIXS. This allows us to address the molecular structure of the liquid, and to determine a lower limit for the average molecular chain length.

Automated summary

Quenching of vibrational excitations in liquid acetic acid's RIXS spectra was observed, attributed to strong rehybridization of unoccupied molecular orbitals due to hydrogen bonding. This phenomenon allows for the investigation of the liquid's molecular structure and determination of a lower limit for the average molecular chain length.