Infrared Spectroscopy of Cluster Anions Containing Aromatic Molecules J. Mathias Weber, JILA, NIST, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440 Rationale: Little structural information is available on interaction motifs of anionic clusters involving aromatic molecules. Significance (examples): Interaction of important anions (e.g. O2-) with functional groups in proteins; hydration of large charge distributions; substitution chemistry and supramolecular assemblies; anion molecular recognition Approach: Infrared spectroscopy of mass selected cluster ions in a molecular beam Some key questions: How are aromatic anions solvated? How does water interact with graphene-like molecules and materials? How do aromatic molecules interact with anions ? Example: Water molecules and clusters stabilize excess electrons in the p* system of naphthalene Example: O2-C6H6 structure dictated by p* orbital of O2-; interaction is preferentially with one CH group, only weakly tethered to a neighboring CH.