Valence photoionization dynamics in circular dichroism of chiral free molecules: The methyl-oxirane

The dynamical behavior of circular dichroism for valence photoionization processes in pure enantiomers of randomly oriented methyl-oxirane molecules has been studied by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation. Experimental results of the dichroism coefficient obtained for valence photoionization processes as a function of photon energy have been compared with theoretical values predicted by state-of-the-art ab initio density-functional theory. The circular dichroism measured at low electron kinetic energies was as large as 11%. Trends in the experimental dynamical behavior of the dichroism coefficients D-i(omega) have been observed. Agreement between experimental and theoretical results permits unambiguous identification of the enantiomer and of the individual orbitals. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.