Vibrational and structural dynamics of two transition metal carbonyl complexes, Mn（CO）5Br and Re（CO）5Br were examined in DMSO, using ultrafast infrared pump-probe spectroscopy, steady-state linear infrared spectroscopy and quantum chemistry computations. Two car- bonyl stretching vibrational modes （a low-frequency A1 mode and two high-frequency degenerate E modes） were used as vibrational probes. Central metal effect on the CO bond order and force constant was responsible for a larger E-A1 frequency separation and a generally more red-shifted E and A1 peaks in the Re complex than in the Mn complex. A generally broader spectral width for the A1 mode than the E mode is believed to be partially due to vibrational lifetime effect. Vibrational mode-dependent diagonal anharmonicity was observed in transient infrared spectra, with a generally smaller anharmonicity found for the E mode in both the Mn and Re complexes.
