Impact of nuclear quantum effects on the molecular structure of bihalides and the hydrogen fluoride dimer

The structural impact of nuclear quantum effects is investigated for a set of bihalides, [XHX](-), X = F, Cl, and Br, and the hydrogen fluoride dimer. Structures are calculated with the vibrational self-consistent-field (VSCF) method, the second-order vibrational perturbation theory method (VPT2), and the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) approach. In the VSCF and VPT2 methods, the vibrationally averaged geometries are calculated for the Born-Oppenheimer electronic potential energy surface. In the NEO approach, the hydrogen nuclei are treated quantum mechanically on the same level as the electrons, and mixed nuclear-electronic wave functions are calculated variationally with molecular orbital methods. Electron-electron and electron-proton dynamical correlation effects are included in the NEO approach using second-order perturbation theory (NEO-MP2). The nuclear quantum effects are found to alter the distances between the heavy atoms by 0.02-0.05 A for the systems studied. These effects are of similar magnitude as the electron correlation effects. For the bihalides, inclusion of the nuclear quantum effects with the NEO-MP2 or the VSCF method increases the X-X distance. The bihalide X-X distances are similar for both methods and are consistent with two-dimensional grid calculations and experimental values, thereby validating the use of the computationally efficient NEO-MP2 method for these types of systems. For the hydrogen fluoride dimer, inclusion of nuclear quantum effects decreases the F-F distance with the NEO-MP2 method and increases the F-F distance with the VSCF and VPT2 methods. The VPT2 F-F distances for the hydrogen fluoride dimer and the deuterated form are consistent with the experimentally determined values. The NEO-MP2 F-F distance is in excellent agreement with the distance obtained experimentally for a model that removes the large amplitude bending motions. The analysis of these calculations provides insight into the significance of electron-electron and electron-proton correlation, anharmonicity of the vibrational modes, and nonadiabatic effects for hydrogen-bonded systems.     

On the extent of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in gas-phase and hydrated 1,2-ethanediol

We investigate the quantum dynamical nature of hydrogen bonding in 1,2-ethanediol and monohydrated 1,2-ethanediol using different levels of ab initio theory. Global full-dimensional potential energy surfaces were constructed from PW91/cc-pVDZ, B3LYP/cc-pVDZ, and MP2/cc-pVDZ ab initio data for gas-phase and monohydrated 1,2-ethanediol, using a modified Shepard interpolation scheme. Zero-point energies and nuclear vibrational wave functions were calculated on these surfaces using the quantum diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm. The nature of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding in these molecules was investigated by considering a ground-state nuclear vibrational wavefunction with reduced complete nuclear permutation and inversion (CNPI) symmetry. Separate wavefunction histograms were determined from the ground-state nuclear vibrational wavefunction by projection into bondlength coordinates. The O-H and O-O wavefunction histograms and vibrationally averaged distances were then used to probe the extent of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding. From these data, we conclude that gas-phase ethanediol may possess a weak hydrogen bond, with a relatively short O-O distance but no detectable proton delocalization. Monohydrated ethanediol was found to exhibit no intramolecular hydrogen bonding but instead possessed two intermolecular hydrogen bonds, indicated by both shortening of the O-O distance and significant proton delocalization. The degree of proton delocalization and shortening of the vibrationally averaged O-O distance was found to be dependent on the ab initio method used to generate the potential energy surface (PES) data set.     

HF in clusters of molecular hydrogen: II. Quantum solvation by H2 isotopomers, cluster rigidity, and comparison with CO-doped parahydrogen clusters

We present a comprehensive theoretical study of the quantum solvation of the HF molecule by small clusters of the H2 isotopomers, p-H2, HD, and o-D2, with up to 13 hydrogen solvent molecules. This complements our earlier work on the HF-doped parahydrogen clusters [H. Jiang and Z. Bacic, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 244306 (2005)]. The ground-state properties of the clusters are calculated exactly using the diffusion Monte Carlo method. Detailed information is obtained regarding the size and isotopomer dependences of the energetics, vibrationally averaged structures, and their rigidity. The rigidity of these clusters is investigated further by analyzing the distributions of their principal moments of inertia from the diffusion Monte Carlo simulations. The clusters are found to be rather rigid, especially when compared with the pure parahydrogen clusters of the same size. Extensive comparison is made with the quantum Monte Carlo results for the CO-doped parahydrogen clusters and significant differences are observed in the size evolution of certain properties, notably the chemical potential.     

Electron and hydrogen transfer in small hydrogen fluoride anion clusters

A new stable structure has been found for the anion clusters of hydrogen fluoride. The ab initio method was used to optimize the structures of the (HF)(3)(-), (HF)(4)(-), (HF)(5)(-), and (HF)(6)(-) anion clusters with an excess "solvated" electron. Instead of the well-known "zig-zag" (HF)(n)(-) structure, a new form, (HF)(n-1)F(-)···H, was found with lower energy. In this new form, the terminal hydrogen atom in the (HF)(n)(-) chain is separated from the other part of the cluster and the inner hydrogens transfer along the hydrogen bonds toward the outside fluoride. The negative charge also transfers from the terminal HF molecule of the chain to the center fluoride atoms. The (HF)(n)(-) clusters for n = 4, 5, and 6 have not yet been observed experimentally. These results should assist in the search for these systems and also provide a possible way to study the proton and electron transfer in some large hydrogen bonding systems.     

Ab initio calculations of anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy for hydrogen fluoride (HF)n (n = 3, 4) and mixed hydrogen fluoride/water (HF)n(H2O)n (n = 1, 2, 4) clusters

Anharmonic vibrational frequencies and intensities are computed for hydrogen fluoride clusters (HF)n, with n = 3, 4 and mixed clusters of hydrogen fluoride with water (HF)n(H2O)n where n = 1, 2. For the (HF)4(H2O)4 complex, the vibrational spectra are calculated at the harmonic level, and anharmonic effects are estimated. Potential energy surfaces for these systems are obtained at the MP2/TZP level of electronic structure theory. Vibrational states are calculated from the potential surface points using the correlation-corrected vibrational self-consistent field method. The method accounts for the anharmonicities and couplings between all vibrational modes and provides fairly accurate anharmonic vibrational spectra that can be directly compared with experimental results without a need for empirical scaling. For (HF)n, good agreement is found with experimental data. This agreement shows that the M?ller-Plesset (MP2) potential surfaces for these systems are reasonably reliable. The accuracy is best for the stiff intramolecular modes, which indicates the validity of MP2 in describing coupling between intramolecular and intermolecular degrees of freedom. For (HF)n(H2O)n experimental results are unavailable. The computed intramolecular frequencies show a strong dependence on cluster size. Intensity features are predicted for future experiments.     

19F-19F spin-spin coupling constant surfaces for (HF)2 clusters: the orientation and distance dependence of the sign and magnitude of J(F-F)

Ab initio calculations using the equation-of-motion coupled cluster method have been carried out to investigate 19F-19F spin-spin coupling constants for a pair of HF molecules. The overall features of the J(F-F) coupling surface with respect to the F-F distance and the orientation of the pair of HF molecules reflect those of the Fermi-contact (FC) surface, although the FC term may not be a good quantitative estimate of J(F-F). The hydrogen-bonded HF dimer exhibits unusual behavior compared to other hydrogen-bonded complexes, since both the FC term and 2hJ(F-F) exhibit variations in sign and magnitude as the F-F distance changes and the linearity of the hydrogen bond is destroyed. The FC term for F-F coupling is relative small and negative for the equilibrium dimer. At the dimer F-F distance, the maximum negative value for the FC term is found for the linear arrangement F-H...H-F, while the maximum positive value is found for the linear H-F...F-H arrangement, despite the fact that neither of these structures is bound. Changes in the sign and magnitude of the FC term are analyzed using the nuclear magnetic resonance triplet wave function model, which relates the orientation of magnetic nuclei to the phases of the wave functions for excited triplet states that couple to the ground state. The FC term for a particular orientation is a result of competing positive and negative contributions from different triplet states, the sign of each contribution being determined by the alignment of the nuclear magnetic moments in that state. Factors are identified which must play a role in determining which types of wave functions dominate.     

The OH-anion acting as an acid

In the crystalline state, the OH- anion is shown to be capable of acting as a base or as an acid with respect to waters of crystallization to which it is linked by hydrogen bonds. We examined the OH- anion in three crystalline samples and studied its behavior using quantum mechanics. Four quantum mechanical approximations were employed (HF, B3LYP, SVWN, and MP2) to obtain the relative stability of isomers of the H3O2- molecule in the three crystals considered. In one crystal state (LICQIX), the H3O2- anion corresponds to a geometry in which OH- acts as an acid, but not so as a free molecule. The free anion H3O2- has two qualitatively different structures. In one structure, the hydrogen bond is long, while in the other structure, the hydrogen bond is shorter and the hydrogen atom lies at an equal distance between donor and acceptor oxygen atoms.     

Theoretical studies of group 1 metal complexes with hydrogen fluoride, M(HF)n, M = Li, Na, and K: a new type of electrides

Small clusters of group 1 metal complexes with hydrogen fluoride molecules M(HF)n, M = Li, Na, and K, are studied with the ab initio molecular orbital method. The trimer M(HF)3 forms a C3v cluster, in which the metal atom is ionized and the ejected electron is trapped on the top of three equivalent HF molecules. The optimized geometric structure of Li(HF)3 is almost identical with that of the ion pair Li+(HF)3Cl- by replacing a Cl- anion with an ejected electron {e-}; thus Li(HF)3 can be described as Li+(HF)3{e-}. The entity {e-} is trapped under the electrostatic field created by three HF bond dipoles; and at the same time, the HF bonds are polarized and weakened. A triplet anion {e-}(HF)3Li+(HF)3{e-} is stable and is a possible anion unit of electrides.     

Structures and infrared spectra of fluoride-hydrogen sulfide clusters from ab initio calculations: F(-)-(H2S)n, n = 1-5

Clusters formed between a fluoride anion and several hydrogen sulfide molecules have been investigated via ab initio calculations at the MP2 level of theory, using Dunning's augmented correlation consistent basis sets. Optimised geometries, vibrational frequencies, and enthalpy changes for the ligand association reactions are presented for clusters with up to five H2S ligands interacting with a F- anion. The minimum energy structure for the 1:1 F(-)-H2S complex features proton transfer from the H2S to the F- anion, forming a planar C(s) symmetry FH...SH- structure. For the F(-)-(H2S)2 cluster, the FH...SH- core remains and is solvated by a perturbed H2S ligand. For the larger F(-)-(H2S)(3-5) clusters, in addition to the FH...SH(-)-(H2S)n cluster forms, other minima featuring a 'solvated F-' anion are predicted. Calculated infrared spectra for the minima of each cluster size are presented to aid in assigning spectra from future experimental studies.     

Prying apart a water molecule with anionic H-bonding: a comparative spectroscopic study of the X-.H2O (X = OH, O, F, Cl, and Br) binary complexes in the 600-3800 cm(-1) region

A detailed picture of the structural distortions suffered by a water molecule in direct contact with small inorganic anions (e.g., X = halide) is emerging from a series of recent vibrational spectroscopy studies of the gas-phase X-.H2O binary complexes. The extended spectral coverage (600-3800 cm(-1)) presently available with tabletop laser systems, when combined with versatile argon "messenger" techniques for acquiring action spectra of cold complexes, now provides a comprehensive survey of how the interaction evolves from an ion-solvent configuration into a three-center, two-electron covalent bond as the proton affinity of the anion increases. We focus on the behavior of H2O in the X-.H2O (X = Br, Cl, F, O, and OH) complexes, which all adopt asymmetric structures where one hydrogen atom is H-bonded to the ion while the other is free. The positions and intensities of the bands clearly reveal the mechanical consequences of both (zero-point) vibrationally averaged and infrared photoinduced excess charge delocalization mediated by intracluster proton transfer (X-.H2O --> HX.OH-). The fundamentals of the shared proton stretch become quite intense, for example, and exhibit extreme red-shifts as the intracluster proton-transfer process becomes available, first in the vibrationally excited states (F-.H2O) and then finally at the zero-point level (OH-.H2O). In the latter case, the loss of the water molecule's independent character is confirmed through the disappearance of the approximately 1600 cm(-1) HOH intramolecular bending transition and the dramatic (>3000 cm(-1)) red-shift of the shared proton stretch. An unexpected manifestation of vibrationally mediated charge transfer is also observed in the low frequency region, where the 2 <-- 0 overtones of the out-of-plane frustrated rotation of the water are remarkably intense in the Cl-.H2O and Br-.H2O spectra. This effect is traced to changes in the charge distribution along the X-.O axis as the shared proton is displaced perpendicular to it, reducing the charge transfer character of the H-bonding interaction and giving rise to a large quadratic contribution to the dipole moment component that is parallel to the bond axis. Thus, all of these systems are found to exhibit distinct spectral characteristics that can be directly traced to the crucial role of vibrationally mediated charge redistribution within the complex.     

Association patterns in (HF)(m)(H2O)(n) (m + n = 2-8) clusters

In an attempt to understand the phase behavior of aqueous hydrogen fluoride, the clustering in the mixture is investigated at the molecular level. The study is performed at the mPW1B95/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. Several previous studies attempted to describe the dissociation of HF in water, but in this investigation, the focus is only on the association patterns that are present in this binary mixture. A total of 214 optimized geometries of (HF)n(H2O)m clusters, with m + n as high as 8, were investigated. For each cluster combination, several different conformations are investigated, and the preferred conformations are presented. Using multiple linear regressions, the average strengths of the four possible H-bonding interactions are obtained. The strongest H-bond interaction is reported to be the H2O...H-F interaction. The most probable distributions of mixed clusters as a function of composition are also deduced. It is found that the larger (HF)n(H2O)m clusters are favored both energetically and entropically compared to the ones that are of size m + n < or = 3. Also, the clusters with equimolar contributions of HF and H2O are found to have the strongest interactions.     

Dissociation of hydrogen fluoride in HF(H(2)O)(7)

We have previously demonstrated that H-bond arrangement has a significant influence on the energetics, structure and chemistry of water clusters. In this work, the effect of H-bond orientation on the dissociation of hydrogen fluoride with seven water molecules is studied by means of graph theory and high level ab initio methods. It is found that cubic structures of HF(H(2)O)(7) are more stable than structures of other topologies reported in the literature. Electronic calculations on all possible H-bond orientations of cubie-HF(H(2)O)(7) show that ionized structures are energetically more favorable than nonionized ones. This is an indication that seven water molecules might be capable of ionizing hydrogen fluoride.     

Hydration and dissociation of hydrogen fluoric acid (HF)

The hydration and dissociation phenomena of HF(H(2)O)(n)() (n < or = 10) clusters have been studied by using both the density functional theory with the 6-311++G[sp] basis set and the M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory with the aug-cc-pVDZ+(2s2p/2s) basis set. The structures for n > or = 8 are first reported here. The dissociated form of the hydrogen-fluoric acid in HF(H(2)O)(n) clusters is found to be less stable at 0 K than the undissociated form until n = 10. HF may not be dissociated at 0 K solely by water molecules because the HF H bond is stronger than the OH H bond, against the expectation that the dissociated HF(H(2)O)(n) would be more stable than the undissociated one in the presence of a number of water molecules. The dissociation would be possible for only a fraction of a number of hydrated HF clusters by the Boltzmann distribution at finite temperatures. This is in sharp contrast to other hydrogen halide acids (HCl, HBr, HI) showing the dissociation phenomena at 0 K for n > or = 4. The IR spectra of dissociated and undissociated structures of HF(H(2)O)(n) are compared. The structures and binding energies of HF(H(2)O)(n) are found to be similar to those of (H(2)O)(n+1). It is interesting that HF(H(2)O)(n=5,6,10) are slightly less stable compared with other sizes of clusters, just like the fact that (H(2)O)(n=6,7,11) are slightly less stable. The present study would be useful for the experimental/spectroscopic investigation of not only the dissociation phenomena of HF but also the similarity of the HF-water clusters to the water clusters.     

Proposed fluorination mechanism of CB(5)H(6)(-) and CB(9)H(10)(-) with HF. Evidence of kinetic control in the formation of 2-CB(5)H(5)F(-) and 6-CB(9)H(9)F(-)

Two pathways have been considered in the fluorination of CB(5)H(6)(-) and CB(9)H(10)(-) by HF. In the ionic HF fluorination pathway, the monocarborane anion cage is first protonated in a BBB face followed by H(2) elimination and fluoride anion addition. In the covalent HF fluorination pathway, HF is first coordinated through hydrogen to the BBB face. Next, the fluorine can add to either an axial or equatorial boron atom which opens the cage to a nido structure with an endo fluoride substituent. Endo to exo rearrangement occurs with a small activation barrier followed by H(2) elimination. In both pathways, fluorination at the equatorial boron position is predicted to have smaller activation barriers even though substitution at the axial position leads to the more stable products.     

Cooperativity in hydrogen-bonded interactions: ab initio and "atoms in molecules" analyses

The H(2)CO...(HF)(n) (n = 1, ..., 9) complexes were investigated using the MP2 method and the following basis sets: 6-311++G(d,p), aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ. It was found that the cooperativity effect enhances significantly the F-H...O hydrogen bond; in some of cases one can detect the covalent nature of hydrogen bonding. To deepen the nature of the interactions investigated, the scheme of decomposition of the interaction energy was applied; for stronger H-bonds where the cooperativity is more important, the delocalization energy term increases. The ratio of delocalization energy to electrostatic energy increases for stronger hydrogen bonds where the proton...acceptor distance is shorter. The Bader theory was also applied, and it was found that for stronger H-bonds the electronic energy density at the proton...acceptor bond critical point is negative and may be attributed to the partly covalent interaction.     

Investigation of electronic interactions in solid hydrogen fluoride

Intermolecular interactions in solid hydrogen fluoride are studied by the combined quantum chemical and X- ray diffraction method. The structure of crystalline HF is modeled by (HF)_n chains (n =2, 3,...,20, by an (HF)₄₅ cluster consisting of five (HF)₉ chains, and by an (HF)₁₀₈ cluster consisting of twelve (HF)₉ chains with nearly zero dipole moment. The quantum chemical calculations of the clusters are performed by the semiempirical AM1 method, which is most suitable for electronic structure investigations of hydrogen fluoride, as shown by comparing the X- ray experimental and theoretical spectra. The theoretical X- ray spectra are also compared with the experimental FK_α spectra of gaseous and solid hydrogen fluoride. For more detailed studies of electronic interactions in crystalline HF, fragrnent analysis of MOs of the clusters with respect to the MOs of the central molecule is carried out. Translated fromZhumal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 686–695, July–August, 1997.     

Novel CFCs-substitutes recommended by EPA (hydrofluorocarbon-245fa and hydrofluoroether-7100): Ion chemistry in air plasma and reactions with atmospheric ions

The ion chemistry of the title compounds, a nonafluorobutyl methyl ether and a hydrofluoropropane, is elucidated by a combination of studies using atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. In the positive ion mode, the hydrofluoroether readily forms an [M - F]+ ion, attributable to hydronium ion induced dehydrofluorination, the product of which can be further hydrated to give a protonated hydrofluoroester. By contrast, the hydrofluoropropane does not react with the hydronium ion but rather gives hydrofluoroalkenylium cations via H atom and F atom abstraction by the dioxygen radical cation. In the negative ion mode, the fluorobutyl methyl ether undergoes dissociative electron capture with O2-*, O2-*(H2O), O3-*, and NO2- to generate the fluorobutoxy anion, which can dissociate by CF2[doublebond]O loss to give the perfluorocarbanion when the precursor ions are internally excited. The hydrofluoropropane reacts readily with common atmospheric anions to form molecular complexes with F-, O2-*, and O3-* and the strongly H-bonded species, O2-*(HF) and F-(HF). Interestingly, isomeric pentafluoropropanes form in the reaction with O2-*, either O2-*(HF) or F-(HF), depending on the specific pattern of the fluoro substitution.     

Anion-selective interaction and colorimeter by an optical metalloreceptor based on ruthenium(II) 2,2'-biimidazole: hydrogen bonding and proton transfer

A new anion sensor [Ru(bpy)2(H2biim)](PF6)2 (1) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and H2biim = 2,2'-biimidazole) has been developed, in which the Ru(II)-bpy moiety acts as a chromophore and the H2biim ligand as an anion receptor via hydrogen bonding. A systematic investigation shows that 1 is an eligible sensor for various anions. It donates protons for hydrogen bonding to Cl-, Br-, I-, NO3-, HSO4-, H2PO4-, and OAc- anions and further actualizes monoproton transfer to the OAc- anion, changing color from yellow to orange brown. The fluoride ion has a high affinity toward the N-H group of the H2biim ligand for proton transfer, rather than hydrogen bonding, because of the formation of the highly stable HF2- anion, resulting in stepwise deprotonation of the two N-H fragments. These processes are signaled by vivid color changes from yellow to orange brown and then to violet because of second-sphere donor-acceptor interactions between Ru(II)-H2biim and the anions. The significant color changes can be distinguished visually. The processes are not only determined by the basicity of anion but also by the strength of hydrogen bonding and the stability of the anion-receptor complexes. The design strategy and remarkable photophysical properties of sensor 1 help to extend the development of anion sensors.     

Direct assessment of quantum nuclear effects on hydrogen bond strength by constrained-centroid ab initio path integral molecular dynamics

The impact of quantum nuclear effects on hydrogen (H-) bond strength has been inferred in earlier work from bond lengths obtained from path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) simulations. To obtain a direct quantitative assessment of such effects, we use constrained-centroid PIMD simulations to calculate the free energy changes upon breaking the H-bonds in dimers of HF and water. Comparing ab initio simulations performed using PIMD and classical nucleus molecular dynamics (MD), we find smaller dissociation free energies with the PIMD method. Specifically, at 50 K, the H-bond in (HF)(2) is about 30% weaker when quantum nuclear effects are included, while that in (H(2)O)(2) is about 15% weaker. In a complementary set of simulations, we compare unconstrained PIMD and classical nucleus MD simulations to assess the influence of quantum nuclei on the structures of these systems. We find increased heavy atom distances, indicating weakening of the H-bond consistent with that observed by direct calculation of the free energies of dissociation.