Imaging intramolecular Coulomb repulsions in multiply charged anions

The properties of multiply charged anions are dominated by intramolecular Coulomb repulsion (ICR). Using photoelectron imaging, we show the effect of ICR on photoelectron angular distributions for a series of dianions, (-)O(2)C(CH(2))(n)CO(2)(-) (D(n)(2-)). The observed photoemission band of D(n)(2-) was due to a perpendicular transition from the charged end group. However, photoemission intensities were observed to peak along the laser polarization for smaller n due to the strong ICR that forces electrons to be emitted along the molecular axis. This emission pattern weakens with increasing n and at D(11)(2-) the angular distribution reverses back to peak at the perpendicular direction due to the reduced ICR.