Abstract
Aromatic Infrared Bands, the footprint of molecules like neutral and ionic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been observed in several astrophysical environments.We present the experimental results of the photoionization and photodissociation of the methyl-benzene (or toluene) molecule, a basic unit for the methylated PAHs, using synchrotron radiation at C1s resonance, ∼ 285 eV (soft X-ray) and time-of-flight mass-spectrometry. Absolute photoionization and photodissociation cross sections have been determined. Then the ionization and destruction rates and half-life of the toluene molecule were also obtained for the X-ray photon flux of the pre-planetary nebula CRL 618.
