IR spectrum of protonated ovalene (7-C_32_H_15_^+^)

Large protonated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (H^+^PAHs) were proposed as possible carriers, but no spectrum of an H^+^PAH has been shown to exactly match the UIR bands. Here, we report the IR spectrum of protonated ovalene (7-C_32_H_15_^+^) measured in a para-hydrogen (p-H_2_) matrix at 3.2K, generated by bombarding a mixture of ovalene and p-H_2_ with electrons during matrix deposition.

Spectral assignments were made based on the expected chemistry and on the spectra simulated with the wavenumbers and infrared intensities predicted with the B3PW91/6-311++G(2d,2p) method. The close resemblance of the observed spectral pattern to that of the UIR bands suggests that protonated ovalene may contribute to the UIR emission, particularly from objects that emit Class A spectra, such as the IRIS reflection nebula, NGC 7023.