Photoelectron spectroscopy of microjets expanded into vacuum allows access to orbital energies for solute or solvent molecules in the liquid phase. Microjets of water, acetonitrile and alcohols have previously been studied; however, it has been unclear whether jets of low temperature molecular solvents could be realized. Here we demonstrate a stable 20 μm jet of liquid ammonia (-60 °C) in a vacuum, which we use to record both valence and core-level band photoelectron spectra using soft X-ray synchrotron radiation. Significant shifts from isolated ammonia in the gas-phase are observed, as is the liquid-phase photoelectron angular anisotropy. Comparisons with spectra of ammonia in clusters and the solid phase, as well as spectra for water in various phases potentially reveal how hydrogen bonding is reflected in the condensed phase electronic structure.

Department of Chemistry University of Southern California Los Angeles California 90089 0482 United States

Faculty of Mathematics and Physics Charles University Ke Karlovu 3 121 16 Prague 2 Czech Republic

Fritz Haber Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft D 14195 Berlin Germany

Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie D 14109 Berlin Germany

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo nam 2 16610 Prague 6 Czech Republic

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