Accurate determination of the structure of cyclohexane by femtosecond rotational coherence spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

We combine femtosecond time-resolved rotational coherence spectroscopy with high-level ab initio theory to obtain accurate structural information for the nonpolar molecules cyclohexane (C(6)H(12)) and cyclohexane-d(12) (C(6)D(12)). We measured the rotational B(0) and centrifugal distortion constants D(J), D(JK) of the v = 0 states of C(6)H(12) and C(6)D(12) to high accuracy, for example, B(0)(C(6)H(12)) = 4306.08(5) MHz, as well as B(v) for the vibrationally excited states ν(32), ν(6), ν(16) and ν(24) of C(6)H(12) and additionally ν(15) for C(6)D(12). To successfully reproduce the experimental RCS transient, the overtone and combination levels 2ν(32), 3ν(32), ν(32) + ν(6), and ν(32) + ν(16) had to be included in the RCS model calculations. The experimental rotational constants are compared to those obtained at the second-order M?ller-Plesset (MP2) level. Combining the experimental and calculated rotational constants with the calculated equilibrium bond lengths and angles allows determination of accurate semiexperimental equilibrium structure parameters, for example, r(e)(C-C) = 1.526 ± 0.001 ?, r(e)(C-H(axial)) = 1.098 ± 0.001 ?, and r(e)(C-H(equatorial)) = 1.093 ± 0.001 ?. The equilibrium C-C bond length of C(6)H(12) is only 0.004 ? longer than that of ethane. The effect of ring strain due to the unfavorable gauche interactions is mainly manifested as small deviations from the C-C-C, C-C-H(axial), and C-C-H(equatorial) angles from the tetrahedral value.     

High-accuracy structure of cyclobutane by femtosecond rotational Raman four-wave mixing

The femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs-DFWM) technique is applied for the measurement of accurate rotational constants of cyclobutane (C4H8). The vibrational levels of C4H8 exhibit tunneling splitting due to the ring-puckering interconversion between the symmetry-equivalent D2d minima via a planar D4h barrier. For the v = 0 ground state, the fs-DFWM method yields a rotational constant B + 0 = 10663.452(18) MHz. The ring-puckering tunneling leads to slightly different rotational constants for the 0+ and 0- levels, B + 0 - B -0 = 33 +/- 2 kHz. This difference increases by a factor of approximately 90 in the v = 1+/1- ring-puckering states to B +1 - B -1 = -3059 +/- 4 kHz. Combining the experimental rotational constants with the structure parameters and rotational constants calculated by high-level ab initio calculations allows us to determine accurate equilibrium and vibrationally averaged structure parameters for cyclobutane, for example, re(C-C) = 1.5474 A, re(C-Haxial) = 1.0830 A, re(C-Hequatorial) = 1.0810 A, and ring puckering angle theta e = 29.8 degrees .     

Femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing of carbon disulfide: high-accuracy rotational constants

Femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs-DFWM) rotational coherence spectroscopy (RCS) has been used to determine the rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of the 00 (0)0 ground and 01 (1)0 vibrationally excited states of gas-phase CS(2). RCS transients were recorded over the 0-3300 ps optical delay range, allowing the observation of 87 recurrences. The fits yield rotational constants B(00 (0)0)=3.271 549 2(18) GHz for (12)C(32)S(2) and B(00 (0)0)=3.175 06(21) GHz for the (12)C(32)S(34)S isotopomer. The rotational constants of the degenerate 01 (1)0 bending level of (12)C(32)S(2) are B(01 (1)0)=3.276 72(40) and 3.279 03(40) GHz for the e and f substrates, respectively. These fs-DFWM rotational constants are ten times more accurate than those obtained by CO(2) laser/microwave heterodyne measurements and are comparable to those obtained by high-resolution Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations were performed at two levels, second-order Moller-Plesset theory and coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and iterative triples [CCSD(T)]. The equilibrium and vibrationally averaged C=S distances were calculated using large Dunning basis sets. An extrapolation procedure combining the ab initio rotational constants with the experiment yields an equilibrium C=S bond length of 155.448 pm to an accuracy of +/-20 fm. The theoretical C=S bond length obtained by a complete basis set extrapolation at the CCSD(T) level is r(e)(C=S)=155.579 pm, or 0.13 pm longer than that in the experiment.     

Femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing of cyclopropane

Femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs-DFWM) is applied for the measurement of rotational constants of cyclopropane (C3H6). The rotational coherence method yields a very accurate B0 = 20,093.322(12) MHz and centrifugal distortion constants D(J) and D(JK). To exploit the full resolution of the fs-DFWM method, the accuracy of the optical delay measurement was increased by nearly two orders of magnitude, including elimination of effects from the refractive index of air. The fs-DFWM molecular constants are comparable in accuracy to those from high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and are only surpassed by those of dipole distortion microwave spectroscopy. In parallel, the equilibrium structure, vibrationally averaged structure parameters and rotational constants were calculated using high-level ab initio methods and large basis sets. Combining these with the results of previous calculations and the measured rotational constants yields r(e)(C-C) = 1.5034(3) A, r(e)(C-H) = 1.0775(5) A, and alpha(e)(H-C-H) = 115.09(10) degrees.     

Molecular structure and conformational composition of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone studied by combined analysis of gas-phase electron diffraction data, rotational constants, and results of theoretical calculations. Ideal gas thermodynamic properties of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone

The molecular structure of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA) has been studied by gas-phase electron diffraction (GED), combined analysis of GED and microwave (MW) data, ab initio, and density functional theory calculations. The equilibrium re structure of DHA was determined by a joint analysis of the GED data and rotational constants taken from the literature. The anharmonic vibrational corrections to the internuclear distances (re-ra) and to the rotational constants (B(i)e-B(i)0) needed for the estimation of the re structure were calculated from the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ cubic force field. It was found that the experimental data are well reproduced by assuming that DHA consists of a mixture of three conformers. The most stable conformer of C2v symmetry has two hydrogen bonds, whereas the next two lowest energy conformers (Cs and C1 symmetry) have one hydrogen bond and their abundance is about 30% in total. A combined analysis of GED and MW data led to the following equilibrium structural parameters (re) of the most abundant conformer of DHA (the uncertainties in parentheses are 3 times the standard deviations): r(C=O)=1.215(2) A, r(C-C)=1.516(2) A, r(C-O)=1.393(2) A, r(C-H)=1.096(4) A, r(O-H)=0.967(4) A, angleC-C=O=119.9(2) degrees, angleC-C-O=111.0(2) degrees, angleC-C-H=108.2(7) degrees, angleC-O-H=106.5(7) degrees. These structural parameters reproduce the experimental B(i)0 values within 0.05 MHz. The experimental structural parameters are in good agreement with those obtained from theoretical calculations. Ideal gas thermodynamic functions (S degrees (T), C degrees p(T), and H degrees (T)-H degrees (0)) of DHA were calculated on the basis of experimental and theoretical molecular parameters obtained in this work. The enthalpy of formation of DHA, -523+/-4 kJ/mol, was calculated by the atomization procedure using the G3X method.     

High-resolution infrared spectroscopy in the 1,200-1,300 cm(-1) region and accurate theoretical estimates for the structure and ring-puckering barrier of perfluorocyclobutane

We present experimental infrared spectra and theoretical electronic structure results for the geometry, anharmonic vibrational frequencies, and accurate estimates of the magnitude and the origin of the ring-puckering barrier in C4F8. High-resolution (0.0015 cm-1) spectra of the nu12 and nu13 parallel bands of perfluorocyclobutane (c-C4F8) were recorded for the first time by expanding a 10% c-C4F8 in helium mixture in a supersonic jet. Both bands are observed to be rotationally resolved in a jet with a rotational temperature of 15 K. The nu12 mode has b2 symmetry under D2d that correlates to a2u symmetry under D4h and consequently has +/- <-- +/- ring-puckering selection rules. A rigid rotor fit of the nu12 band yields the origin at 1292.56031(2) cm-1 with B' = 0.0354137(3) cm-1 and B' ' = 0.0354363(3) cm-1. The nu13 mode is of b2 symmetry under D2d that correlates to b2g under D4h, and in this case, the ring-puckering selection rules are +/- <-- -/+ . Rotational transitions from the ground and first excited torsional states will be separated by the torsional splitting in the ground and excited vibrational states, and indeed, we observe a splitting of each transition into strong and weak intensity components with a separation of approximately 0.0018 cm-1. The strong and weak sets of transitions were fit separately again using a rigid rotor model to give nu13(strong) = 1240.34858(4) cm-1, B' = 0.0354192(7) cm-1, and B' ' = 0.0354355(7) cm-1 and nu13(weak) = 1240.34674(5) cm-1, B' = 0.0354188(9) cm-1, and B' ' = 0.0354360(7) cm-1. High-level electronic structure calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory with the family of correlation consistent basis sets of quadruple-zeta quality, developed by Dunning and co-workers, yield best estimates for the vibrationally averaged structural parameters r(C-C) = 1.568 A, r(C-F)alpha = 1.340 A, r(C-F)beta = 1.329 A, alpha(F-C-F) = 110.3 degrees , thetaz(C-C-C) = 89.1 degrees , and delta(C-C-C-C) = 14.6 degrees and rotational constants of A = B = 0.03543 cm-1 and C = 0.02898 cm-1, the latter within 0.00002 cm-1 from the experimentally determined values. Anharmonic vibrational frequencies computed using higher energy derivatives at the MP2 level of theory are all within <27 cm-1 (in most cases <5 cm-1) from the experimentally measured fundamentals. Our best estimate for the ring-puckering barrier at the CCSD(T)/CBS (complete basis set) limit is 132 cm-1. Analysis of the C4F8 electron density suggests that the puckering barrier arises principally from the sigmaCC-->sigmaCF hyperconjugative interactions that are more strongly stabilizing in the puckered than in the planar form. These interactions are, however, somewhat weaker in C4F8 than in C4H8, a fact that is consistent with the smaller barrier in the former (132 cm-1) with respect to the latter (498 cm-1).     

High-resolution infrared spectroscopy of trans- and cis-H(18)ON(18)O: equilibrium structures of the nitrous acid isomers

In this paper, we present the first high-resolution spectra and analysis of the nu 4 fundamental bands of fully (18)O-substituted nitrous acid, trans- and cis-H(18)ON(18)O. These bands are not perturbed by neighboring vibrational levels and were used to determine for the first time accurate rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of the ground and nu 4 = 1 states of trans- and cis-H(18)ON(18)O. The ground-state rotational constants were then used, together with the rotational constants of other HONO isotopic species and with rotation-vibration parameters from ab initio calculations, to determine accurate semi-experimental equilibrium structures of trans- and cis-HONO. Our study confirms the results of a recent work by Demaison et al. (J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 13609-13617) concerning the structure of trans-HONO, whereas the new structure of cis-HONO obtained in this paper is a significant improvement compared with the previous work of Cox et al. (J. Mol. Struct. 1994, 320, 91-106). The recommended parameters for the equilibrium structure of cis-HONO are r(e)(ON) = 1.1816(10) A, r(e)(N-O) = 1.3887(10) A, r(e)(O-H) = 0.9744(7) A, angle(e)(ONO) = 113.18(1) degrees, and angle(e)(HON) = 104.67(4) degrees.     

Prediction of spectroscopic constants for diatomic molecules in the ground and excited states using time-dependent density functional theory

Spectroscopic constants of the ground and next seven low-lying excited states of diatomic molecules CO, N2, P2, and ScF were computed using the density functional theory SAOP/ATZP model, in conjunction with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and a recently developed Slater type basis set, ATZP. Spectroscopic constants, including the equilibrium distances r(e), harmonic vibrational frequency omega(e), vibrational anharmonicity omega(e)x(e), rotational constant B(e), centrifugal distortion constant D(e), the vibration-rotation interaction constant alpha(e), and the vibrational zero-point energy E(n)0 were generated in an effort to establish a reliable database for electron spectroscopy. By comparison with experimental values and a similar model with an established larger Slater-type basis set, et-QZ3P-xD, it was found that this model provides reliably accurate results at reduced computational costs, for both the ground and excited states of the molecules. The over all errors of all eight lowest lying electronic states of the molecules under study using the effective basis set are r(e)(+/-4%), omega(e)(+/-5% mostly without exceeding +/-20%), omega(e)x(e)(+/-5% mostly without exceeding 20%, much more accurate than a previous study on this constant of +/-30%), B(e)(+/-8%), D(e)(+/-10%), alpha(e)(+/-10%), and E(n)0(+/-10%). The accuracy obtained using the ATZP basis set is very competitive to the larger et-QZ3P-xD basis set in particular in the ground electronic states. The overall errors in r(e), omega(e)x(e), and alpha(e) in the ground states were given by +/-0.7, +/-10.1, and +/-8.4%, respectively, using the efficient ATZP basis set, which is competitive to the errors of +/-0.5, +/-9.2, and +/-9.1%, respectively for those constants using the larger et-QZ3P-xD basis set. The latter basis set, however, needs approximately four times of the CPU time on the National Supercomputing Facilities (Australia). Due to the efficiency of the model (TD-DFT, SAOP and ATZP), it will be readily applied to study larger molecular systems.     

Study of the H-F stretching band in the absorption spectrum of (CH3)2O...HF in the gas phase

The absorption spectra of the (CH3)2O...HF complex in the range of 4200-2800 cm(-1) were recorded in the gas phase at a resolutions of 0.1 cm(-1) at T = 190-340 K. The spectra obtained were used to analyze their structure and to determine the temperature dependencies of the first and second spectral moments. The band shape of the (CH3)2O...HF complex in the region of the nu1(HF) stretching mode was reconstructed nonempirically. The nu1 and nu3 stretching vibrations and four bending vibrations responsible for the formation of the band shape were considered. The equilibrium geometry and the 1D-4D potential energy surfaces were calculated at the MP2 6-311++G(2d,2p) level with the basis set superposition error taken into account. On the basis of these surfaces, a number of one- and multidimensional anharmonic vibrational problems were solved by the variational method. Solutions of auxiliary 1D and 2D vibrational problems showed the strong coupling between the modes. The energy levels, transition frequencies and intensities, and the rotational constants for the combining vibrational states necessary to reconstruct the spectrum were obtained from solutions of the 4D problem (nu1, nu3, nu5(B2), nu6(B2)) and the 2D problem (nu5(B1), nu6(B1)). The theoretical spectra reconstructed for different temperatures as a superposition of rovibrational bands associated with the fundamental, hot, sum, and difference transitions reproduce the shape and separate spectral features of the experimental spectra. The calculated value of the nu1 frequency is 3424 cm(-1). Along with the frequencies and absolute intensities, the calculation yields the vibrationally averaged values of the separation between the centers of mass of the monomers Rc.-of-m., R(O...F), and r(HF) for different states. In particular, upon excitation of the nu1 mode, Rc.-of-m. becomes shorter by 0.0861 A, and r(HF) becomes longer by 0.0474 A.     

High-resolution FTIR, microwave, and ab initio investigations of CH2 79BrF: ground, v(5) = 1, and v(6) = 1, 2 state constants

A spectroscopic study of CH279BrF in the infrared and microwave regions has been carried out. The rovibrational spectrum of the nu5 fundamental interacting with 2nu6 has been investigated by high-resolution FTIR spectroscopy. Owing to the weakness of the 2nu6 band, the v6 = 2 state constants have been derived from v6 = 1. For this reason, the rotational spectra of the ground and v6 = 1 states have been observed by means of microwave spectroscopy. Highly accurate ab initio computations have also been performed at the CCSD(T) level of theory in order to support the experimental investigation. As far as the nu5 band is concerned, the analysis of the rovibrational structure led to the identification of more than 3000 transitions, allowing the determination of a set of spectroscopic parameters up to sextic distortion terms and pointing out first-order c-type Coriolis interaction with the v6 = 2 state. With regard to the pure rotational spectra measurements, the assignment of several DeltaJ = 0, +1 transitions allowed the determination of the rotational, all the quartic, and most of the sextic centrifugal distortion constants, as well as the full bromine quadrupole coupling tensor for both the ground and v6 = 1 states.     

Pulsed discharge jet electronic spectroscopy of the aluminum dicarbide (AlC2) free radical

Laser-induced fluorescence and wavelength resolved emission spectra of the C ?(2)B(2)-X? (2)A(1) band system of the gas phase aluminum dicarbide free radical have been obtained using the pulsed discharge jet technique. The radical was produced by electron bombardment of a precursor mixture of trimethylaluminum in high-pressure argon. The three vibrational frequencies of T-shaped AlC(2) have been determined in both the combining states along with several of the anharmonicity constants. The 0(0)(0) band has been recorded with high resolution and rotationally analyzed. The spectrum is complicated by partially resolved spin-rotation and aluminum hyperfine splittings. Where necessary, we have fixed the spin-rotation constants used in the rotational analysis at the values predicted by density functional theory. The derived molecular structures are: r(0)(')(C-C) = 1.271(2) ?, r(0)(')(Al-C) = 1.926(1) ?, θ(")(C-Al-C) = 38.5(2)°, r(0)(')(C-C) = 1.323(2) ?, r(0)(')(Al-C) = 1.934(1) ?, and θ(')(C-Al-C) = 40.0(2)°. Unlike SiC(2), aluminum dicarbide shows no spectroscopic evidence of facile isomerization to the linear structure in the ground electronic state.     

Imaging study of vibrational predissociation of the HCl-acetylene dimer: pair-correlated distributions

The state-to-state predissociation dynamics of the HCl-acetylene dimer were studied following excitation in the asymmetric C-H (asym-CH) stretch and the HCl stretch. Velocity map imaging (VMI) and resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) were used to determine pair-correlated product energy distributions. Different vibrational predissociation mechanisms were observed for the two excited vibrational levels. Following excitation in the of the asym-CH stretch fundamental, HCl fragments in upsilon = 0 and j = 4-7 were observed and no HCl in upsilon = 1 was detected. The fragments' center-of-mass (c.m.) translational energy distributions were derived from images of HCl (j = 4-7), and were converted to rotational state distributions of the acetylene co-fragment by assuming that acetylene is generated with one quantum of C-C stretch (nu(2)) excitation. The acetylene pair-correlated rotational state distributions agree with the predictions of the statistical phase space theory, restricted to acetylene fragments in 1nu(2). It is concluded that the predissociation mechanism is dominated by the initial coupling of the asym-CH vibration to a combination of C-C stretch and bending modes in the acetylene moiety. Vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) between acetylene bending and the intermolecular dimer modes leads to predissociation that preserves the C-C stretch excitation in the acetylene product while distributing the rest of the available energy statistically. The predissociation mechanism following excitation in the Q band of the dimer's HCl stretch fundamental was quite different. HCl (upsilon = 0) rotational states up to j = 8 were observed. The rovibrational state distributions in the acetylene co-fragment derived from HCl (j = 6-8) images were non-statistical with one or two quanta in acetylene bending vibrational excitation. From the observation that all the HCl(j) translational energy distributions were similar, it is proposed that there exists a constraint on conversion of linear to angular momentum during predissociation. A dimer dissociation energy of D(0) = 700 +/- 10 cm(-1) was derived.     

Molecular structure and conformation of cyclopropylbenzene as determined by ab initio molecular orbital calculations, pulsed-jet fourier transform microwave spectroscopic, and gas-phase electron diffraction investigations

Ab initio computational, microwave spectroscopic, and electron diffraction techniques have been used to study the gas-phase structure of cyclopropylbenzene. Theoretical calculations at the HF, B3LYP, and MP2 levels for basis sets 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d) have been carried out. Both MP2 and B3LYP calculations showed the bisected form to be lower in energy (245/157 and 660/985 cal mol(-1), respectively, for basis sets 6-311G(d)/6-31G(d)). Rotational constants for the bisected form of the parent and eight singly substituted (13)C isotopic species were obtained. The selection rules of the observed rotational transitions and the facts that eight (rather than six) singly substituted (13)C isotopers are observed and assigned and that seven of the compound's nine carbon atoms lie in the molecule's symmetry plane required the molecule to exist in the bisected conformation. No transition from the perpendicular form was observed in the pulsed-jet microwave experiment. Gas-phase electron diffraction data were collected at a nozzle-tip temperature of 265 K. Least squares analyses were carried out using ED data alone and with the inclusion of microwave rotational constants. The principal structural results (r(g) and angle(alpha)) obtained from the combined ED/MW least-squares analysis are r(C-H)(av) = 1.093(6) A, r(C(7)-C(8))(v) = 1.514(20) A, r(C(8)-C(9))(d) = 1.507(26) A, r(C(7)-C(1)) = 1.520(25) A, r(C-C)(Ph) = 1.395(1) A, angleC(1)C(7)C(8) = 119.6(17) degrees, angleC(2)C(1)C(7) = 122.5(25) degrees, angleC(1)C(2)C(3) = 120.9(35) degrees, angleHC(8)C(9) = 116.7(20) degrees, angleHCC(Ph) = 120.0 degrees (assumed).     

Jet cooled spectroscopy of H2DO+: Barrier heights and isotope-dependent tunneling dynamics from H3O+ to D3O+

The first high resolution spectroscopic data for jet cooled H2DO+ are reported, specifically via infrared laser direct absorption in the OH stretching region with a slit supersonic jet discharge source. Transitions sampling upper (0-) and lower (0+) tunneling states for both symmetric (nu1+ <-- 0+, nu1- <-- 0-, and nu1- <-- 0+) and antisymmetric (nu3+ <-- 0+ and nu3- <-- 0-) OH stretching bands are observed, where +/- refers to wave function reflection symmetry with respect to the planar umbrella mode transition state. The spectra can be well fitted to a Watson asymmetric top Hamiltonian, revealing band origins and rotational constants for benchmark comparison with high-level ab initio theory. Of particular importance are detection and assignment of the relatively weak band (nu1- <-- 0+) that crosses the inversion tunneling gap, which is optically forbidden in H3O+ or D3O+, but weakly allowed in H2DO+ by lowering of the tunneling transition state symmetry from D(3h) to C(2v). In conjunction with other H2DO+ bands, this permits determination of the tunneling splittings to within spectroscopic precision for each of the ground [40.518(10) cm(-1)], nu1 = 1 [32.666(6) cm(-1)], and nu3 = 1 [25.399(11) cm(-1)] states. A one-dimensional zero-point energy corrected potential along the tunneling coordinate is constructed from high-level ab initio CCSD(T) calculations (AVnZ, n = 3,4,5) and extrapolated to the complete basis set limit to extract tunneling splittings via a vibrationally adiabatic treatment. Perturbative scaling of the potential to match splittings for all four isotopomers permits an experimental estimate of DeltaV0 = 652.9(6) cm(-1) for the tunneling barrier, in good agreement with full six-dimensional ab initio results of Rajamaki, Miani, and Halonen (RMH) [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 10929 (2003)]. (DeltaV0 (RMH) = 650 cm(-1)). The 30%-50% decrease in tunneling splitting observed upon nu1 and nu3 vibrational excitations arises from an increase in OH stretch frequencies at the planar transition state, highlighting the transition between sp2 and sp3 hybridizations of the OHD bonds as a function of inversion bending angle.     

A stimulated emission pumping study of the first excited singlet state of germylidene (H2C=Ge)

The A (1)A(2) states of H(2)CGe and D(2)CGe have been explored for the first time by A-X laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy of the orbitally forbidden S(1)-S(0) transition and stimulated emission pumping (SEP) and wavelength resolved fluorescence studies of the allowed B-A electronic transition. Medium-resolution SEP studies gave the excited A state nu(2), nu(3), nu(4), and nu(6) vibrational frequencies for H(2)C(74)Ge and D(2)C(74)Ge. The 4(1) and 6(1) levels and higher combination and overtone states are strongly Coriolis coupled, which perturbs the rotational subband structure, limiting the accuracy of the determination of the vibrational frequencies. High-resolution SEP studies of the B-A 0(0) (0) band have allowed us to determine the rotational constants of the A state of H(2)C(74)Ge, from which we were able to calculate an approximate r(0) structure with the CH bond length constrained to the ground state value. The zero-point level of D(2)C(74)Ge is substantially perturbed, most plausibly by interaction with an excited vibrational level of the nearby triplet (a (3)A(2)) state.     

Structure of tetracarbonylethyleneosmium: ethylene structure changes upon complex formation

Rotational spectra of seven isotopomers of tetracarbonylethyleneosmium, Os(CO)4(eta2-C2H4), were measured in the 4-12 GHz range using a Flygare-Balle-type pulsed-beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer system. Olefin-transition metal complexes of this type occur extensively in recent organic syntheses and serve as important models for transition states in the metal-mediated transformations of alkenes. Three osmium ((192)Os, (190)Os, and (188)Os) and three unique 13C isotopomers (13C in ethylene, axial, and equatorial positions) were observed in natural abundance. Additional spectra were measured for a perdeuterated sample, Os(CO)4(eta2-C2D4). The measured rotational constants for the main osmium isotopomer ((192)Os) are A = 929.3256(6), B = 755.1707(3), and C = 752.7446(3) MHz, indicating a near-prolate asymmetric top molecule. The approximately 140 assigned b-type transitions were fit using a Watson S-reduced Hamiltonian including A, B, C, and five centrifugal distortion constants. A near-complete r0 gas-phase structure has been determined from a least-squares structural fit using eight adjustable structural parameters to fit the 21 measured rotational constants. Changes in the structure of ethylene on coordination to Os(CO)4 are large and well-determined. For the complex, the experimental ethylene C-C bond length is 1.432(5) A, which falls between the free ethylene value of 1.3391(13) A and the ethane value of 1.534(2) A. The angle between the plane of the CH2 group and the extended ethylene C-C bond ( angleout-of-plane) is 26.0(3) degrees , indicating that this complex is better described as a metallacyclopropane than as a pi-bonded olefin-metal complex. The Os-C-C-H dihedral angle is 106.7(2) degrees , indicating that the ethylene carbon atoms have near sp3 character in the complex. Kraitchman analysis of the available rotational constants gave principal axis coordinates for the carbon and hydrogen atoms in excellent agreement with the least-squares fit results. The new results on this osmium complex are compared with earlier work on the similar complex, tetracarbonylethyleneiron (Fe(CO)4(eta2-C2H4)). The ethylene structural changes upon coordination to the metal are found to be larger for the ethylene-osmium complex than for the analogous ethylene-iron complex, consistent with the expected greater pi donation for the osmium atom.     

Rovibrational-state-selected pulsed field ionization-photoelectron study of methyl iodide using two-color infrared-vacuum ultraviolet lasers

The preparation of methyl iodide (CH(3)I) in selected rovibrational states [nu(7)=1 (C-H stretch); J] by infrared (IR) excitation prior to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization has greatly simplified the observed pulsed field ionization-photoelectron (PFI-PE) spectra, allowing the direct determination of the rotational constants B(+)(C(+))=0.254+/-0.003 cm(-1) for CH(3)I(+)(X (2)E(3/2);nu(7) (+)) and the ionization energy (76 896.9+/-0.2 cm(-1)) for CH(3)I(+)(X (2)E(3/2);nu(7) (+)=1,J(+)=3/2)<--CH(3)I(X (1)A(1);nu(7)=1,J=0). The IR-VUV-PFI-PE and IR-VUV-photoion measurements also provide relative state-to-state (nu(7) (+)=1, J(+)<--nu(7)=1, J) cross sections for the photoionization process.     

Comparison of the experimental, semi-experimental and ab initio equilibrium structures of acetylene: influence of relativisitic effects and of the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections

The equilibrium structure of acetylene (also named ethyne) has been reinvestigated to resolve the small discrepancies noted between different determinations. The size of the system as well as the large amount of available experimental data provides the quite unique opportunity to check the magnitude and relevance of various contributions to equilibrium structure as well as to verify the accuracy of experimental results. With respect to pure theoretical investigation, quantum-chemical calculations at the coupled-cluster level have been employed together with extrapolation to the basis set limit, consideration of higher excitations in the cluster operator, inclusion of core correlation effects as well as relativistic and diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections. In particular, it is found that the extrapolation to the complete basis set limit, the inclusion of higher excitations in the electronic-correlation treatment and the relativistic corrections are of the same order of magnitude. It also appears that a basis set as large as a core-valence quintuple-zeta set is required for accurately accounting for the inner-shell correlation contribution. From a pure experimental point of view, the equilibrium structure has been determined using very accurate rotational constants recently obtained by a "global analysis" (that is to say that all non-negligible interactions are explicitly included in the Hamiltonian matrix) of rovibrational spectra. Finally, a semi-experimental equilibrium structure (where the equilibrium rotational constants are obtained from the experimental ground state rotational constants and computed rovibrational corrections) has been obtained from the available experimental ground-state rotational constants for ten isotopic species corrected for computed vibrational corrections. Such a determination led to the revision of the ground-state rotational constants of two isotopologues, thus showing that structural determination is a good method to identify errors in experimental rotational constants. The three structures are found in a very good agreement, and our recommended values are r(CC) = 120.2958(7) pm and r(CH) = 106.164(1) pm.     

Vibronic interaction in metalloporphyrin pi-anion radicals

The vibronic (vibrational-electronic) interactions in the pi-anion radicals of the metalloporphyrins (M=Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn), which show delocalized D4h structures in the neutral states, are discussed using B3LYP density-functional-theory calculations. The B1g and B2g modes of vibration can remove the degenerate 2Eg state of the pi-anion radicals in the D4h symmetric structures to lead to rectangular and diamond D2h distortions, respectively. Calculated vibronic coupling constants demonstrate that the B1g modes of vibration better couple with the degenerate electronic state, leading to the rectangular D2h distortion. In particular, the B1g modes of nu10 and nu11, which have dominant contributions from Calpha-Cm and Cbeta-Cbeta stretching, give large vibronic coupling constants in the pi-anion radicals. The vibronic coupling constant can be viewed as the Jahn-Teller distortion force, and therefore these C-C stretching B1g modes will play a central role in the Jahn-Teller effect of the pi-anion radicals of the metalloporphyrins.     

Infrared emission spectra and equilibrium bond lengths of gaseous ZnH2 and ZnD2

A detailed analysis of the high resolution infrared emission spectra of gaseous ZnH2 and ZnD2 in the 800-2200 cm(-1) spectral range is presented. The nu3 antisymmetric stretching fundamental bands of 64ZnH2, 66ZnH2, 67ZnH2, 68ZnH2, 64ZnD2, 66ZnD2 and 68ZnD2, as well as several hot bands involving nu1, nu2 and nu3 were rotationally analyzed, and spectroscopic constants were obtained. Rotational l-type doubling and l-type resonance, local perturbations, and Fermi resonances were observed in the vibration-rotation bands of both ZnH2 and ZnD2, and equilibrium vibrational frequencies (omega1, omega2 and omega3) were estimated. Using the rotational constants of the 000, 100, 01(1)0 and 001 vibrational levels, the equilibrium rotational constants (B(e)) of 64ZnH2 and 64ZnD2 were determined to be 3.600 269(31) cm(-1) and 1.801 985(25) cm(-1), respectively, and the associated equilibrium bond lengths (r(e)) are 1.524 13(1) angstroms and 1.523 94(1) angstroms, respectively. The difference between the r(e) values of 64ZnH2 and 64ZnD2 is about 0.01%, and is mainly due to the breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation.