High-pressure transformations of ortho-xylene probed by combined infrared and Raman spectroscopies

Here, we report high-pressure investigations of ortho-xylene (o-xylene) using combined infrared (IR) and Raman spectral measurements at room temperature and pressures up to 32.1 GPa, respectively. Liquid o-xylene visually crystallized at around 0.4 GPa. Upon compression, the spectra changed; including splitting, disappearing, broadening of modes, and the appearance of new modes. We found four more phase transitions in o-xylene to phases III, IV, V, and VI at around 1.4, 3.9, 12.3, and 16.8 GPa, respectively. The final product recovered from over 20 GPa was preserved at ambient conditions and the mass spectrometry experiment indicated phase transition are polymerization.