Structure, stability, thermodynamic properties, and infrared spectra of the protonated water octamer H(+)(H2O)8

We investigated various two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) structures of H (+)(H 2O) 8, using density functional theory (DFT), Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2), and coupled cluster theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)). The 3D structure is more stable than the 2D structure at all levels of theory on the Born-Oppenheimer surface. With the zero-point energy (ZPE) correction, the predicted structure varies depending on the level of theory. The DFT employing Becke's three parameters with Lee-Yang-Parr functionals (B3LYP) favors the 2D structure. At the complete basis set (CBS) limit, the MP2 calculation favors the 3D structure by 0.29 kcal/mol, and the CCSD(T) calculation favors the 3D structure by 0.27 kcal/mol. It is thus expected that both 2D and 3D structures are nearly isoenergetic near 0 K. At 100 K, all the calculations show that the 2D structure is much more stable in free binding energy than the 3D structure. The DFT and MP2 vibrational spectra of the 2D structure are consistent with the experimental spectra. First-principles Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) simulations show that the 2D Zundel-type vibrational spectra are in good agreement with the experiment.     

Structures, energetics, vibrational spectra of NH4+ (H2O)(n=4,6) clusters: Ab initio calculations and first principles molecular dynamics simulations

Important structural isomers of NH(4) (+)(H(2)O)(n=4,6) have been studied by using density functional theory, Moller-Plesset second order perturbation theory, and coupled-cluster theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. The zero-point energy (ZPE) correction to the complete basis set limit of the CCSD(T) binding energies and free energies is necessary to identify the low energy structures for NH(4) (+)(H(2)O)(n=4,6) because otherwise wrong structures could be assigned for the most probable structures. For NH(4) (+)(H(2)O)(6), the cage-type structure, which is more stable than the previously reported open structure before the ZPE correction, turns out to be less stable after the ZPE correction. In first principles Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations around 100 K, the combined power spectrum of three lowest energy isomers of NH(4) (+)(H(2)O)(4) and two lowest energy isomers of NH(4) (+)(H(2)O)(6) explains each experimental IR spectrum.     

On the contribution of vibrational anharmonicity to the binding energies of water clusters

The second-order vibrational perturbation theory method has been used together with the B3LYP and MP2 electronic structure methods to investigate the effects of anharmonicity on the vibrational zero-point energy (ZPE) contributions to the binding energies of (H2O)n, n = 2-6, clusters. For the low-lying isomers of (H2O)6, the anharmonicity correction to the binding energy is calculated to range from -248 to -355 cm(-1). It is also demonstrated that although high-order electron correlation effects are important for the individual vibrational frequencies, they are relatively unimportant for the net ZPE contributions to the binding energies of water clusters.     

Dissociative recombination of H+(H2O)3 and D+(D2O)3 water cluster ions with electrons: cross sections and branching ratios

Dissociative recombination (DR) of the water cluster ions H(+)(H(2)O)(3) and D(+)(D(2)O)(3) with electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). For the first time, absolute DR cross sections have been measured for H(+)(H(2)O)(3) in the energy range of 0.001-0.8 eV, and relative cross sections have been measured for D(+)(D(2)O)(3) in the energy range of 0.001-1.0 eV. The DR cross sections for H(+)(H(2)O)(3) are larger than previously observed for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=1,2), which is in agreement with the previously observed trend indicating that the DR rate coefficient increases with size of the water cluster ion. Branching ratios have been determined for the dominating product channels. Dissociative recombination of H(+)(H(2)O)(3) mainly results in the formation of 3H(2)O+H (probability of 0.95+/-0.05) and with a possible minor channel resulting in 2H(2)O+OH+H(2) (0.05+/-0.05). The dominating channels for DR of D(+)(D(2)O)(3) are 3D(2)O+D (0.88+/-0.03) and 2D(2)O+OD+D(2) (0.09+/-0.02). The branching ratios are comparable to earlier DR results for H(+)(H(2)O)(2) and D(+)(D(2)O)(2), which gave 2X(2)O+X (X=H,D) with a probability of over 0.9.     

Infrared spectroscopy of Cu+(H2O)(n) and Ag+(H2O)(n): coordination and solvation of noble-metal ions

M(+)(H(2)O)(n) and M(+)(H(2)O)(n)Ar ions (M=Cu and Ag) are studied for exploring coordination and solvation structures of noble-metal ions. These species are produced in a laser-vaporization cluster source and probed with infrared (IR) photodissociation spectroscopy in the OH-stretch region using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Density functional theory calculations are also carried out for analyzing the experimental IR spectra. Partially resolved rotational structure observed in the spectrum of Ag(+)(H(2)O)(1) x Ar indicates that the complex is quasilinear in an Ar-Ag(+)-O configuration with the H atoms symmetrically displaced off axis. The spectra of the Ar-tagged M(+)(H(2)O)(2) are consistent with twofold coordination with a linear O-M(+)-O arrangement for these ions, which is stabilized by the s-d hybridization in M(+). Hydrogen bonding between H(2)O molecules is absent in Ag(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar but detected in Cu(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar through characteristic changes in the position and intensity of the OH-stretch transitions. The third H(2)O attaches directly to Ag(+) in a tricoordinated form, while it occupies a hydrogen-bonding site in the second shell of the dicoordinated Cu(+). The preference of the tricoordination is attributable to the inefficient 5s-4d hybridization in Ag(+), in contrast to the extensive 4s-3d hybridization in Cu(+) which retains the dicoordination. This is most likely because the s-d energy gap of Ag(+) is much larger than that of Cu(+). The fourth H(2)O occupies the second shells of the tricoordinated Ag(+) and the dicoordinated Cu(+), as extensive hydrogen bonding is observed in M(+)(H(2)O)(4) x Ar. Interestingly, the Ag(+)(H(2)O)(4) x Ar ions adopt not only the tricoordinated form but also the dicoordinated forms, which are absent in Ag(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar but revived at n=4. Size dependent variations in the spectra of Cu(+)(H(2)O)(n) for n=5-7 provide evidence for the completion of the second shell at n=6, where the dicoordinated Cu(+)(H(2)O)(2) subunit is surrounded by four H(2)O molecules. The gas-phase coordination number of Cu(+) is 2 and the resulting linearly coordinated structure acts as the core of further solvation processes.     

Ab initio MO study on the global minimum structure of C3H3 anion: propynl-1-yl versus allenyl anions

The geometrical structures of the C₃H⁻₃ anion are surveyed at the coupled-cluster doubles (CCD) level of theory with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. To clarify the CCD geometries, the stable two isomers -- propynl-l-yl 1 and allenyl 2 anions -- are further optimized at the coupled-cluster singles, doubles (triples) (CCSD(T)) level of theory both with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The final energies are calculated at the CCSD(T) and the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) multi-reference internally contracted CI (MRCI) levels of theory with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. At the MRCI level of theory including both the corrections due to the cluster energies (MRCI+Q) and the zero-point vibrational energies, the allenyl anion 2 is about 1.3 kcal mol⁻¹ lower in energy than the propynl-l-yl anion 1. These results contrast with the previous theoretical estimates, where the propynl-l-yl anion 1 is 2-3 kcal mol⁻¹ lower in energy than the allenyl anion 2. The activation energies of the intramolecular hydrogen transfer in the 1 → 2 conversion reactions are 63.5 kcal mol⁻¹ at the MRCI+Q level of theory with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set including the zero-point energy corrections. The adiabatic electron affinity of the planer propargyl (H₂CCCH) radical, which is the global minimum of the C₃H₃ radical, is calculated to be 0.976 eV (after correction for the zero-point energy changes) at the CCSD(T) level of theory with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. The present electron affinity is in fairly good agreement with the experimental one (0.893 eV) observed by Oakes and Ellison.     

Ab initio studies on Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), and the size-dependent H(2) elimination reaction

We report computational studies on Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), and HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), n = 6-14, by the density functional theory based ab initio molecular dynamics method, employing a planewave basis set with pseudopotentials, and also by conventional methods with Gaussian basis sets. The mechanism for the intracluster H(2) elimination reaction is explored. First, a new size-dependent insertion reaction for the transformation of Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), into HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1) is discovered for n > or = 8. This is because of the presence of a fairly stable six-water-ring structure in Al(+)(H(2)O)(n) with 12 members, including the Al(+). This structure promotes acidic dissociation and, for n > or = 8, leads to the insertion reaction. Gaussian based BPW91 and MP2 calculations with 6-31G* and 6-31G** basis sets confirmed the existence of such structures and located the transition structures for the insertion reaction. The calculated transition barrier is 10.0 kcal/mol for n = 9 and 7.1 kcal/mol for n = 8 at the MP2/6-31G** level, with zero-point energy corrections. Second, the experimentally observed size-dependent H(2) elimination reaction is related to the conformation of HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), instead of Al(+)(H(2)O)(n). As n increases from 6 to 14, the structure of the HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1) cluster changes into a caged structure, with the Al-H bond buried inside, and protons produced in acidic dissociation could then travel through the H(2)O network to the vicinity of the Al-H bond and react with the hydride H to produce H(2). The structural transformation is completed at n = 13, coincident approximately with the onset of the H(2) elimination reaction. From constrained ab initio MD simulations, we estimated the free energy barrier for the H(2) elimination reaction to be 0.7 eV (16 kcal/mol) at n = 13, 1.5 eV (35 kcal/mol) at n = 12, and 4.5 eV (100 kcal/mol) at n = 8. The existence of transition structures for the H(2) elimination has also been verified by ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31G** level. Finally, the switch-off of the H(2) elimination for n > 24 is explored and attributed to the diffusion of protons through enlarged hydrogen bonded H(2)O networks, which reduces the probability of finding a proton near the Al-H bond.     

Exploring the rich energy landscape of sulfate-water clusters SO4(2-) (H2O)(n=3-7): an electronic structure approach

We present a reinvestigation of sulfate-water clusters SO4(2-) (H2O)(n=3-7), which involves several new aspects. Using a joint molecular mechanics/first principles approach, we perform exhaustive searches for stable cluster geometries, showing that the sulfate-water landscape is much richer than anticipated previously. We check the compatibility of the new structures with experiment by comparing vertical detachment energies (VDEs) calculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory and determine the energetic ordering of the isomers at the RI-MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. Our results are bench-marked carefully against reference energies of estimated CCSD(T)/aug-cc-VTZ quality and VDEs of CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ quality. Furthermore, we calculate anharmonic vibrational corrections for up to the n = 6 clusters, which are shown to be significant for isomer energy ordering. We use energy decomposition analysis (EDA) based on the absolutely localized fragment (ALMO) expansion to gain chemical insight into the binding motifs.     

Quantum chemical calculations of reduction potentials of AnO2(2+)/AnO2+ (An = U, Np, Pu, Am) and Fe3+/Fe2+ couples

The reduction potentials of the AnO(2)(H(2)O)(5)(2+)/AnO(2)(H(2)O)(5)(+) couple (An = U, Np, Pu, and Am) and Fe(H(2)O)(6)(3+) to Fe(H(2)O)(6)(2+) in aqueous solution were calculated at MP2, CASPT2, and CCSD(T) levels of theory. Spin-orbit effects for all species were estimated at the CASSCF level. Solvation of the hydrated metal cations was modeled both by polarizable conductor model (PCM) calculation and by solvating the solutes with over one thousand TIP3P water molecules in the QM/MM framework. The redox reaction energy calculated by QM/MM method agreed well with the PCM method after corrections using the classical Born formula for the contribution from the rest of the solvation sphere and correction for dynamic response of solvent polarization in the MM region. Calculated reduction potentials inclusive of spin-orbit effect, zero-point energy, thermal corrections, entropy effect, and PCM solvation energy were found to be comparable with experimental data. The difference between CASPT2 calculated and experimental reduction energies were less than 35 kJ/mol in all cases, which ensures that CASPT2 (and CCSD(T)) calculations provide reasonable estimates of the thermochemistry of these reactions.     

Accurate ab initio predictions of ionization energies of hydrocarbon radicals: CH2, CH3, C2H, C2H3, C2H5, C3H3, and C3H5

The ionization energies for methylene (CH2), methyl (CH3), ethynyl (C2H), vinyl (C2H3), ethyl (C2H5), propargyl (C3H3), and allyl (C3H5) radicals have been calculated by the wave-function-based ab initio CCSD(T)/CBS approach, which involves the approximation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit at the coupled-cluster level with single and double excitations plus a quasiperturbative triple excitation [CCSD(T)]. When it is appropriate, the zero-point vibrational energy correction, the core-valence electronic correction, the scalar relativistic effect correction, the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction, and the high-order correlation correction have also been made in these calculations. The comparison between the computed ionization energy (IE) values and the highly precise experimental IE values determined in previous pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE) studies indicates that the CCSD(T)/CBS method is capable of providing accurate IE predictions for these hydrocarbon radicals achieving error limits well within +/-10 meV. The benchmarking of the CCSD(T)/CBS IE predictions by the PFI-PE experimental results also lends strong support for the conclusion that the CCSD(T)/CBS approach with high-level energy corrections can serve as a valuable alternative for reliable IE determination of radicals, particularly for those radicals with very unfavorable Franck-Condon factors for photoionization transitions near their ionization thresholds.     

Ab initio potential energy and dipole moment surfaces of (H2O)2

A full-dimensional ab initio potential energy surface (PES) and dipole moment surface (DMS) are reported for the water dimer, (H2O)2. The CCSD(T)-PES is a very precise fit to 19,805 ab initio energies obtained with the coupled-cluster (CCSD(T)) method, using an aug-cc-pVTZ basis. The standard counterpoise correction was applied to approximately eliminate basis set superposition errors. The fit is based on an approach that incorporates the permutational symmetry of identical atoms [Huang, X.; Braams, B.; Bowman, J. M. J. Chem.Phys. 2005, 122, 044308]. The DMS is a fit to the dipole moment obtained with M?ller-Plesset (MP2) theory, using an aug-cc-pVTZ basis. The PES has an RMS fitting error of 31 cm(-1) for energies below 20,000 cm(-1), relative to the global minimum. This surface can describe various internal floppy motions, including various monomer inversions, and isomerization pathways. Ten characteristic stationary points have been located on the surface, four of which are transition structures and the rest are higher order saddle points. Their geometrical and vibrational properties are presented and compared with available previous theoretical work. The CCSD(T)-PES and MP2-DMS dissociate correctly (and symmetrically) to two H2O monomers, with D(e) = 1665.7 cm(-1) (19.93 kJ/mol). Accurate quantum calculations of the zero-point energy of the dimer (using diffusion Monte Carlo) and the monomers (using a vibrational configuration interaction approach) are reported, and these together with D(e) give a value of D0 of 1042 cm(-1) (12.44 kJ/mol). A best estimated value is 1130 cm(-1) (13.5 kJ/mol).     

Tuning of the internal energy and isomer distribution in small protonated water clusters H(+)(H2O)(4-8): an application of the inert gas messenger technique

Infrared spectroscopy of gas-phase hydrated clusters provides us much information on structures and dynamics of water networks. However, interpretation of spectra is often difficult because of high internal energy (vibrational temperature) of clusters and coexistence of many isomers. Here we report an approach to vary these factors by using the inert gas (so-called "messenger")-mediated cooling technique. Protonated water clusters with a messenger (M), H(+)(H(2)O)(4-8)·M (M = Ne, Ar, (H(2))(2)), are formed in a molecular beam and probed with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the OH stretch region. Observed spectra are compared with each other and with bare H(+)(H(2)O)(n). They show clear messenger dependence in their bandwidths and relative band intensities, reflecting different internal energy and isomer distribution, respectively. It is shown that the internal energy follows the order H(+)(H(2)O)(n) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·(H(2))(2) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ar > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ne, while the isomer-selectivity, which changes the isomer distribution in the bare system, follows the order H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ar > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·(H(2))(2) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ne ~ (H(+)(H(2)O)(n)). Although the origin of the isomer-selectivity is unclear, comparison among spectra measured with different messengers is very powerful in spectral analyses and makes it possible to easily assign spectral features of each isomer.     

Isotope exchange in reactions between D2O and size-selected ionic water clusters containing pyridine, H+ (pyridine)m(H2O)n

Pyridine containing water clusters, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), have been studied both experimentally by a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and by quantum chemical calculations. In the experiments, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n) with m = 1-4 and n = 0-80 are observed. For the cluster distributions observed, there are no magic numbers, neither in the abundance spectra, nor in the evaporation spectra from size selected clusters. Experiments with size-selected clusters H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 0-3, reacting with D(2)O at a center-of-mass energy of 0.1 eV were also performed. The cross-sections for H/D isotope exchange depend mainly on the number of water molecules in the cluster and not on the number of pyridine molecules. Clusters having only one pyridine molecule undergo D(2)O/H(2)O ligand exchange, while H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 2, 3, exhibit significant H/D scrambling. These results are rationalized by quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP and MP2) for H(+)(pyridine)(1)(H(2)O)(n) and H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n), with n = 1-6. In clusters containing one pyridine, the water molecules form an interconnected network of hydrogen bonds associated with the pyridinium ion via a single hydrogen bond. For clusters containing two pyridines, the two pyridine molecules are completely separated by the water molecules, with each pyridine being positioned diametrically opposite within the cluster. In agreement with experimental observations, these calculations suggest a "see-saw mechanism" for pendular proton transfer between the two pyridines in H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n) clusters.     

Theoretical Study of Nascent Hydration in the Fe+(H2O)n system

The interactions of the iron monocation with water molecules and argon atoms in the gas phase were studied computationally to elucidate recent infrared vibrational spectroscopy on this system. These calculations employ first-principles all-electron methods performed with B3LYP/DZVP density functional theory. The ground state of Fe(+)(H(2)O) is found to be a quartet (M = 2S + 1 = 4, S is the total spin). Different binding sites for the addition of one or two argon atoms produce several low-lying states of different geometry and multiplicity in a relatively small energy range for Fe(+)(H(2)O)-Ar(2) and Fe(+)(H(2)O)(2)-Ar. In both species, quartet states are lowest in energy, and sextets and doublets lie at higher energies from the respective ground states. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the experimentally determined infrared photodissociation spectra (IRPD) of Fe(+)(H(2)O)-Ar(2) and Fe(+)(H(2)O)(2)-Ar are complicated because of the presence of multiple isomeric structures. The estimated IR bands for the symmetric and asymmetric O-H stretches from different isomers provide new insight into the observed IRPD spectra.     

Examination of the structures,energetics, and vibrational frequencies of small sulfur-containing prototypical dimers, (H2S)2 and H2O/H2S

The optimized geometries, vibrational frequencies, and dissociation energies from MP2 and CCSD(T) computations with large correlation consistent basis sets are reported for (H₂S)₂ and H₂O/H₂S. Anharmonic vibrational frequencies have also been computed with second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2). As such, the fundamental frequencies, overtones, and combination bands reported in this study should also provide a useful road map for future spectroscopic studies of the simple but important heterogeneous H₂O/H₂S dimer in which the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor can interchange, leading to two unique minima with very similar energies. Near the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit, the HOH⋯SH₂ configuration (H₂O donor) lies only 0.2 kcal mol⁻¹ below the HSH⋯OH₂ structure (H₂S donor). When the zero-point vibrational energy is included, however, the latter configuration becomes slightly lower in energy than the former by <0.1 kcal mol⁻¹. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Accurate ab initio structure, dissociation energy, and vibrational spectroscopy of the F(-)-CH4 anion complex

Accurate equilibrium structure, dissociation energy, global potential energy surface (PES), dipole moment surface (DMS), and the infrared vibrational spectrum in the 0-3000 cm(-1) range of the F(-)-CH4 anion complex have been obtained. The equilibrium electronic structure calculations employed second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) and coupled-cluster (CC) method up to single, double, triple, and perturbative quadruple excitations using the aug-cc-p(C)VXZ [X = 2(D), 3(T), 4(Q), and 5] correlation-consistent basis sets. The best equilibrium geometry has been obtained at the all-electron CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pCVQZ level of theory. The dissociation energy has been determined based on basis set extrapolation techniques within the focal-point analysis (FPA) approach considering (a) electron correlation beyond the all-electron CCSD(T) level, (b) relativistic effects, (c) diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections (DBOC), and (d) variationally computed zero-point vibrational energies. The final D(e) and D0 values are 2398 +/- 12 and 2280 +/- 20 cm(-1), respectively. The global PES and DMS have been computed at the frozen-core CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ and MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ levels of theory, respectively. Variational vibrational calculations have been performed for CH4 and F(-)-CH4 employing the vibrational configuration interaction (VCI) method as implemented in Multimode.     

Femtosecond dynamics of Cu(H(2)O)(2)

The ultrafast relaxation dynamics of Cu(H(2)O)(2) is investigated using femtosecond photodetachment-photoionization spectroscopy. In addition, stationary points on the Cu(H(2)O)(2) anion, neutral, and cation potential energy surfaces are characterized by ab initio electronic structure calculations. Electron photodetachment from Cu(-)(H(2)O)(2) initiates the dynamics on the ground-state potential energy surface of neutral Cu(H(2)O)(2). The resulting Cu(H(2)O)(2) complexes experience large-amplitude H(2)O reorientation and dissociation. The time evolution of the Cu(H(2)O)(2) fragmentation products is monitored by time-resolved resonant multiphoton ionization. The parent ion, Cu(+)(H(2)O)(2), is not detected above background levels. The rise to a maximum of the Cu(+) signal from Cu(-)(H(2)O)(2), and the decay of the Cu(+)(H(2)O) signal from Cu(-)(H(2)O)(2) have similar tau approximately 10 ps time dependences to the corresponding signals from Cu(-)(H(2)O), but display clear differences at very short and long times. The experimental observations can be understood in terms of the following picture. Prompt dissociation of H(2)O from nascent Cu(H(2)O)(2) gives rise to a vibrationally excited Cu(H(2)O) complex, which dissociates to Cu+H(2)O due to coupling of H(2)O internal rotation to the dissociation coordinate. This prompt dissociation removes all intra-H(2)O vibrational excitation from the intermediate Cu(H(2)O) fragment, which quenches the long time vibrational predissociation to Cu+H(2)O previously observed in analogous experiments on Cu(-)(H(2)O).     

Mono- and dibridged isomers of Si2H3 and Si2H4: the true ground state global minima. Theory and experiment in concert

Highly correlated ab initio coupled-cluster theories (e.g., CCSD(T), CCSDT) were applied on the ground electronic states of Si(2)H(3) and Si(2)H(4), with substantive basis sets. A total of 10 isomers, which include mono- and dibridged structures, were investigated. Scalar relativistic corrections and zero-point vibrational energy corrections were included to predict reliable energetics. For Si(2)H(3), we predict an unanticipated monobridged H(2)Si-H-Si-like structure (C(s), (2)A') to be the lowest energy isomer, in constrast to previous studies which concluded that either H(3)Si-Si (C(s), (2)A') or near-planar H(2)Si-SiH (C(1), (2)A) is the global minimum. Our results confirm that the disilene isomer, H(2)Si-SiH(2), is the lowest energy isomer for Si(2)H(4) and that it has a trans-bent structure (C(2)(h), (1)A(g)). In addition to the much studied silylsilylene, H(3)Si-SiH, we also find that a new monobridged isomer H(2)Si-H-SiH (C(1), (1)A, designated 2c) is a minimum on the potential energy surface and that it has comparable stability; both isomers are predicted to lie about 7 kcal/mol above disilene. By means of Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of a supersonic molecular beam, the rotational spectrum of this novel Si(2)H(4) isomer has recently been measured in the laboratory, as has that of the planar H(2)Si-SiH radical. Harmonic vibrational frequencies as well as infrared intensities of all 10 isomers were determined at the cc-pVTZ CCSD(T) level.     

Ab initio potential energy surfaces and nonadiabatic collision dynamics in H(+)+O(2) system

The adiabatic potential energy surfaces for the lowest five electronic states of (3)A" symmetry for the H(+)+O(2) collision system have been obtained at the multireference configuration interaction level of accuracy using Dunning's correlation consistent polarized valence triple zeta basis set. The radial nonadiabatic coupling terms and the mixing angle between the lowest two electronic states (1 (3)A" and 2 (3)A"), which adiabatically correlate in the asymptotic limit to H((2)S)+O(2) (+)(X (2)Pi(g)) and H(+)+O(2)(X (3)Sigma(g)(-)), respectively, have been computed using ab initio procedures at the same level of accuracy to yield the corresponding quasidiabatic potential energy matrix. The computed strengths of the vibrational coupling matrix elements reflect the trend observed for inelastic vibrational excitations of O(2) in the experiments at collision energy of 9.5 eV. The quantum dynamics has been preformed on the newly obtained coupled quasidiabatic potential energy surfaces under the vibrational close-coupling rotational infinite-order sudden framework at the experimental collision energy of 9.5 eV. The present theoretical results for vibrational elastic/inelastic excitations of O(2) are in overall good agreement with the available experimental data obtained from the proton energy-loss spectra in molecular beam experiments [F. A. Gianturco et al., J. Phys. B 14, 667 (1981)]. The results for the complementary charge transfer processes are also presented at this collision energy.     

Infrared predissociation spectroscopy of M+ (C6H6)(1-4)(H2O)(1-2)Ar(0-1) cluster ions, M = Li, Na

Infrared predissociation (IRPD) spectra of Li(+)(C(6)H(6))(1-4)(H(2)O)(1-2)Ar(0-1) and Na(+)(C(6)H(6))(2-4)(H(2)O)(1-2)Ar(1) are presented along with ab initio calculations. The results indicate that the global minimum energy structure for Li(+)(C(6)H(6))(2)(H(2)O)(2) has each water forming a π-hydrogen bond with the same benzene molecule. This bonding motif is preserved in Li(+)(C(6)H(6))(3-4)(H(2)O)(2)Ar(0-1) with the additional benzene ligands binding to the available free OH groups. Argon tagging allows high-energy Li(+)(C(6)H(6))(2-4)(H(2)O)(2)Ar isomers containing water-water hydrogen bonds to be trapped and detected. The monohydrated, Li(+) containing clusters contain benzene-water interactions with varying strength as indicated by shifts in OH stretching frequencies. The IRPD spectra of M(+)(C(6)H(6))(1-4)(H(2)O)(1-2)Ar are very different for lithium-bearing versus sodium-bearing cluster ions emphasizing the important role of ion size in determining the most favorable balance of competing noncovalent interactions.