The solvation shell probed by resonant intermolecular Coulombic decay

Abstract Molecules involved in solvation shells have properties differing from those of the bulk solvent, which can in turn affect reactivity. Among key properties of these molecules are their nature and electronic structure. Widely used tools to characterize this type of property are X-ray-based spectroscopies, which, however, usually lack the capability to selectively probe the solvation-shell molecules. A class of X-ray triggered “non-local” processes has the recognized potential to provide this selectivity. Intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) and related processes involve neighbouring molecules in the decay of the X-ray-excited target, and are thus naturally sensitive to its immediate environment. Applying electron spectroscopy to aqueous solutions, we explore the resonant flavours of ICD and demonstrate how it can inform on the first solvation shell of excited solvated cations. One particular ICD process turns out to be a potent marker of the formation of ion pairs. Another gives a direct access to the electron binding energies of the water molecules in the first solvation shell, a quantity previously elusive to direct measurements. The resonant nature of the processes makes them readily measurable, providing powerful new spectroscopic tools.