Fulvenallenyl cation (C7H5(+)) and its complex with an argon atom: results of high-level quantum-chemical calculations

The fulvenallenyl cation (C(7)H(5)(+)) and its complex with an argon atom have been studied by explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T)-F12x(x = a, b) level and by the double-hybrid density functional B2PLYP-D. For the free cation, an accurate equilibrium structure has been established and ground-state rotational constants of A(0) = 8116.4 MHz, B(0) = 2004.3 MHz, and C(0) = 1606.9 MHz are predicted. The equilibrium dipole moment is calculated to be μ(e) = 1.305 D, with the positive end of the dipole at the acetylenic hydrogen site. Anharmonic wavenumbers of C(7)H(5)(+) were obtained by combination of harmonic CCSD(T*)-F12a values and B2PLYP-D anharmonic contributions. The most intense vibration is the pseudoantisymmetric CC stretching vibration at 2083 cm(-1). The potential energy surface of the complex C(7)H(5)(+)·Ar is characterized by two energy minima of C(s) symmetry which are separated by a very low energy barrier. The dissociation energy of the most stable structure is predicted to be D(0) = 530 ± 30 cm(-1).     

Complexes of type C6H7(+)·L (L = N2 and CO2) studied by explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory

Complexes of the benzenium ion (C(6)H(7)(+)) with N(2) or CO(2) have been studied by explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T)-F12x (x = a, b) level [T. B. Adler et al., J. Chem. Phys. 127, 221106 (2007)] and the double-hybrid density functional B2PLYP-D [T. Schwabe and S. Grimme, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 9, 3397 (2007)]. Improved harmonic vibrational wavenumbers for C(6)H(7)(+) have been obtained by CCSD(T?)-F12a calculations with the VTZ-F12 basis set. Combining them with previous B2PLYP-D anharmonic contributions we arrive at anharmonic wavenumbers which are in excellent agreement with recent experimental data from p-H(2) matrix isolation IR spectroscopy [M. Bahou et al., J. Chem. Phys. 136, 154304 (2012)]. The energetically most favourable conformer of C(6)H(7)(+)·N(2) shows a π-bonded structure similar to C(6)H(7)(+)·Rg (Rg = Ne, Ar) [P. Botschwina and R. Oswald, J. Phys. Chem. A 115, 13664 (2011)] with D(e) ≈ 870 cm(-1). For C(6)H(7)(+)·CO(2), a slightly lower energy is calculated for a conformer with the CO(2) ligand lying in the ring-plane of the C(6)H(7)(+) moiety (D(e) ≈ 1508 cm(-1)). It may be discriminated from other conformers through a strong band predicted at 1218 cm(-1), red-shifted by 21 cm(-1) from the corresponding band of free C(6)H(7)(+).     

Weak interactions in ion–ligand complexes of C3H3(+) isomers: competition between H-bound and C-bound structures in c-C3H3(+)·L and H2CCCH(+)·L (L = Ne, Ar, N2, CO2, and O2)

Explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T)-F12x level (T. B. Adler, G. Knizia, and H.-J. Werner, J. Chem. Phys.127, 221106, 2007) has been employed to study structures and vibrations of complexes of type c-C(3)H(3)(+)·L and H(2)C(3)H(+)·L (L = Ne, Ar, N(2), CO(2), and O(2)). Both cations have different binding sites, allowing for the formation of weak to moderately strong hydrogen bonds as well as "C-bound" or "π-bound" structures. In contrast to previous expectations, the energetically most favourable structures of all H(2)C(3)H(+)·L complexes investigated are "C-bound", with the ligand bound to the methylenic carbon atom. The theoretical predictions enable a more detailed interpretation of infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra than was possible hitherto. In particular, the bands observed in the range 3238-3245 cm(-1) (D. Roth and O. Dopfer, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.4, 4855, 2002) are assigned to essentially free acetylenic CH stretching vibrations of the propargyl cation in "C-bound" H(2)C(3)H(+)·L complexes.     

On the equilibrium structures of the complexes H2C3H+ · Ar and c-C3H3(+) · Ar: results of explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations

Explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T)-F12x (x = a, b) level [T. B. Adler et al., J. Chem. Phys. 127, 221106 (2007)] has been employed in a study of the potential energy surfaces for the complexes H(2)C(3)H(+) · Ar and c-C(3)H(3)(+) · Ar. For the former complex, a pronounced minimum with C(s) symmetry was found (D(e) ≈ 780 cm(-1)), well below the local "H-bound" minimum with C(2v) symmetry (D(e) ≈ 585 cm(-1)). The absorption at 3238 cm(-1) found in the recent infrared photodissociation spectra [A. M. Ricks et al., J. Chem. Phys. 132, 051101 (2010)] is, thus, interpreted as an essentially free acetylenic CH stretching vibration of the propargyl cation. A global minimum of C(s) symmetry was also obtained for c-C(3)H(3)(+) (D(e) ≈ 580 cm(-1)), but the energy difference with respect to the local C(2v) minimum is only 54 cm(-1).     

Structural and spectroscopic study of the van der Waals complex of CO with HCO+ and the isoelectronic complex of CS with HCS+

This work reports the results of high level ab initio calculations of the OC-HCO(+) complex and the SC-HCS(+) complex and their hydrogen migration transition states. Geometry optimizations are performed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV5Z level of theory. Subsequent frequency calculations are carried out at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ level of theory. Additional geometry optimizations and harmonic frequency calculations for all the species involved in this study have been done with the explicitly correlated CCSD(T)-F12 method with the aug-cc-pVTZ and VTZ-F12 basis set. The geometries, rotational constants, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and energetics of the species involved in the complex are reported. These methods result in accurate computational predictions that have mean deviations for bond lengths, rotational constants, and vibrational frequencies of 0.001 A?, 163 MHz, and 46 cm(-1), respectively. These results provide essential spectroscopic properties for the complexes that can facilitate both laboratory and interstellar observations, and they also provide a comparison between oxygen and sulfur complex observability based on thermodynamic stability.     

Explicit correlation and intermolecular interactions: investigating carbon dioxide complexes with the CCSD(T)-F12 method

We have optimized the lowest energy structures and calculated interaction energies for the CO(2)-Ar, CO(2)-N(2), CO(2)-CO, CO(2)-H(2)O, and CO(2)-NH(3) dimers with the recently developed explicitly correlated coupled cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)]-F12 methods and the associated VXZ-F12 (where X = D,T,Q) basis sets. For a given cardinal number, we find that results obtained with the CCSD(T)-F12 methods are much closer to the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit than the conventional CCSD(T) results. The relatively modest increase in the computational cost between explicit and conventional CCSD(T) is more than compensated for by the impressive accuracy of the CCSD(T)-F12 method. We recommend use of the CCSD(T)-F12 methods in combination with the VXZ-F12 basis sets for the accurate determination of equilibrium geometries and interaction energies of weakly bound electron donor acceptor complexes.     

Accurate ab initio predictions of ionization energies and heats of formation for the 2-propyl, phenyl, and benzyl radicals

The ionization energies (IEs) for the 2-propyl (2-C(3)H(7)), phenyl (C(6)H(5)), and benzyl (C(6)H(5)CH(2)) 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 quasiperturbative triple excitation [CCSD(T)]. The zero-point vibrational energy correction, the core-valence electronic correction, and the scalar relativistic effect correction have been also made in these calculations. Although a precise IE value for the 2-C(3)H(7) radical has not been directly determined before due to the poor Franck-Condon factor for the photoionization transition at the ionization threshold, the experimental value deduced indirectly using other known energetic data is found to be in good accord with the present CCSD(T)/CBS prediction. The comparison between the predicted value through the focal-point analysis and the highly precise experimental value for the IE(C(6)H(5)CH(2)) determined in the previous pulsed field ionization photoelectron (PFI-PE) study shows that the CCSD(T)/CBS method is capable of providing an accurate IE prediction for C(6)H(5)CH(2), achieving an error limit of 35 meV. The benchmarking of the CCSD(T)/CBS IE(C(6)H(5)CH(2)) prediction suggests that the CCSD(T)/CBS IE(C(6)H(5)) prediction obtained here has a similar accuracy of 35 meV. Taking into account this error limit for the CCSD(T)/CBS prediction and the experimental uncertainty, the CCSD(T)/CBS IE(C(6)H(5)) value is also consistent with the IE(C(6)H(5)) reported in the previous HeI photoelectron measurement. Furthermore, the present study provides support for the conclusion that the CCSD(T)/CBS approach with high-level energy corrections can be used to provide reliable IE predictions for C(3)-C(7) hydrocarbon radicals with an uncertainty of +/-35 meV. Employing the atomization scheme, we have also computed the 0 K (298 K) heats of formation in kJ/mol at the CCSD(T)/CBS level for 2-C(3)H(7)/2-C(3)H(7) (+) ,C(6)H(5)/C(6)H(5) (+), and C(6)H(5)CH(2)/C(6)H(5)CH(2) (+) to be 105.2/822.7 (90.0/806.4), 351.4/1148.5 (340.4/1138.8), and 226.2/929.0 (210.3/912.7), respectively. Comparing these values with the available experimental values, we find that the discrepancies for the 0 and 298 K heats of formation values are < or =2.6 kJ/mol for 2-C(3)H(7)/2-C(3)H(7) (+),< or =4.1 kJ/mol for C(6)H(5)/C(6)H(5) (+), and < or =3.2 kJ//mol for C(6)H(5)CH(2)C(6)H(5)CH(2) (+).     

Capturing a synergistic effect of a conical push and an inward pull in fluoro derivatives of Li@B10H14 basket: toward a higher vertical ionization potential and nonlinear optical response

We present the design of fluoro derivatives of B(10)H(14) and Li@B(10)H(14) baskets. A synergistic effect of conical push and inward pull (reported independently in previous lithium nonlinear optical (NLO) complexes) has been explored in these derivatives to achieve a robustly large NLO response and a higher vertical ionization potential. Li@1,3,6,9-F(4)B(10)H(10), Li@6,9-F(2)B(10)H(12), and Li@2,4,6,9-F(4)B(10)H(10) exhibit first hyperpolarizability (β(0)) values as large as 181?624, 133?199, and 32?314 au; their vertical ionization potentials are 6.45, 6.30, and 6.78 eV, respectively. These values are significantly higher than those previously reported in Li-doped fluorocarbon chains at the same MP2/6-31+G* level of theory (Xu, H. L.; Li, Z. R.; Wu, D.; Wang, B. Q.; Li, Y.; Gu, F. L.; Aoki, Y. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 2967). They also exceed those from our earlier designed Li@B(10)H(14) basket (Muhammad, S.; Xu, H. L.; Liao, Y.; Kan, Y. H.; Su , Z. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 2967). In addition, new quantum chemical calculations of enthalpies of reaction (Δ(r)H°) at 298 K for B(10)H(14) and its lithium/fluoro derivatives highlight the changes in their thermodynamical aspects. The calculated enthalpies of lithiation reactions are -10.04, -11.29, and -13.18 kcal/mol for B(10)H(14), 6,9-F(2)B(10)H(12), and 2,4-F(2)B(10)H(12), respectively, demonstrating a higher probability of fluoro decaboranes for reaction with lithium. The obtained results not only explain the effect of position and number dependence of substituted fluoro atom(s) in B(10)H(14) and Li@B(10)H(14) but also elucidate a synergistic behavior to polarize a lithium excess electron for high NLO responses and vertical ionization potentials.     

Theoretical characterization of the SiC3H- anion

Highly correlated ab initio methods are used to predict the equilibrium structures and spectroscopic parameters of the SiC(3)H(-) anion. The total energies and physical properties are reported using CASSCF/MRCI, RCCSD(T), and RCCSD(T)-F12 approaches and extended basis sets. The search of stable geometries leads to a total of 12 isomers (4 linear and 8 cyclic), for which electronic ground states have close-shell configurations. The stability of the linear form, l-SiC(3)H(-), is prominent. For the most stable linear isomer, the B(e) equilibrium rotational constant has been calculated with RCCSD(T) and a complete basis set. Core-correlation and vibrational effects have been taken into account to predict a B(0) of 2621.68 MHz for l-SiC(3)H(-) and 2460.48 MHz for l-SiC(3)D(-). The dipole moment of l-SiC(3)H(-) was found to be 2.9707 D with CASSCF/aug-cc-pV5Z and the electron affinity to be 2.7 eV with RCCSD(T)-F12A/aug-cc-pVTZ. Anharmonic spectroscopic parameters are derived from a quadratic, cubic, and quartic RCCSD(T)-F12A force field and second order perturbation theory. CASSCF/MRCI vertical excitations supply three metastable electronic states, (1)Σ(+) (3)Σ(+) and (3)Δ. Electron affinities calculated for a series of chains type SiC(n)H and SiC(n) (n=1-5) allow us to discuss the anion formation probabilities.     

Frontier orbital consistent quantum capping potential (FOC-QCP) for bulky ligand of transition metal complexes

Chemically reasonable models of PR3 (R = Me, Et, iPr, and tBu) were constructed to apply the post Hartree-Fock method to large transition metal complexes. In this model, R is replaced by the H atom including the frontier orbital consistent quantum capping potential (FOC-QCP) which reproduces the frontier orbital energy of PR3. The steric effect is incorporated by the new procedure named steric repulsion correction (SRC). To examine the performance of this FOC-QCP method with the SRC, the activation barriers and reaction energies of the reductive elimination reactions of C2H6 and H2 from M(R1)2(PR2(3))2 (M = Ni, Pd, or Pt; R1 = Me for R2 = Me, Et, or iPr, or R1 = H for R2 = tBu) were evaluated with the DFT[B3PW91], MP4(SDQ), and CCSD(T) methods. The FOC-QCP method reproduced well the DFT[B3PW91]- and MP4(SDQ)-calculated energy changes of the real complexes with PMe3. For more bulky phosphine, the SRC is important to present correct energy change, in which the MP2 method presents reliable steric repulsion correction like the CCSD(T) method because the systems calculated in the SRC do not include a transition metal element. The monomerization energy of [RhCl(PiPr3)2]2 and the coordination energies of CO, H2, N2, and C2H4 with [RhCl(PiPr3)2]2 were theoretically calculated by the CCSD(T) method combined with the FOC-QCP and the SRC. The CCSD(T)-calculated energies agree well with the experimental ones, indicating the excellent performance of the combination of the FOC-QCP with the SRC. On the other hand, the DFT[B3PW91]-calculated energies of the real complexes considerably deviate from the experimental ones.     

Reactions between M+ (M = Si,Ge, Sn and Pb) and benzene in the gas phase

Using a laser ablation/inert buffer gas ion source coupled with a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer, the gas-phase reactions between the IVA group element ions M(+) (M = Si, Ge, Sn and Pb) and benzene seeded in argon gas were studied. In addition to the association reaction pathway (forming [M(C(6)H(6))(x)](+), x = 1, 2, etc.), benzene was dissociated to form complex ions [M(C(5)H(5))](+), [M(C(7)H(5))](+) and [M(C(9)H(x))](+) (x = 5, 7 and 9), etc. DFT theoretical calculations indicated that, in the association products [M(C(6)H(6))](+), the M atom is close to one carbon atom of benzene, while in most of the dissociation complexes, pentagonal structures (M/cyclopentadienyl derivatives) were formed, with the M atom situated near the fivefold axis of the five-membered ring. The bond patterns in these complexes are discussed.     

Explicit correlation and basis set superposition error: the structure and energy of carbon dioxide dimer

We have investigated the slipped parallel and t-shaped structures of carbon dioxide dimer [(CO(2))(2)] using both conventional and explicitly correlated coupled cluster methods, inclusive and exclusive of counterpoise (CP) correction. We have determined the geometry of both structures with conventional coupled cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples theory [CCSD(T)] and explicitly correlated cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples theory [CCSD(T)-F12b] at the complete basis set (CBS) limits using custom optimization routines. Consistent with previous investigations, we find that the slipped parallel structure corresponds to the global minimum and is 1.09 kJ mol(-1) lower in energy. For a given cardinal number, the optimized geometries and interaction energies of (CO(2))(2) obtained with the explicitly correlated CCSD(T)-F12b method are closer to the CBS limit than the corresponding conventional CCSD(T) results. Furthermore, the magnitude of basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the CCSD(T)-F12b optimized geometries and interaction energies is appreciably smaller than the magnitude of BSSE in the conventional CCSD(T) results. We decompose the CCSD(T) and CCSD(T)-F12b interaction energies into the constituent HF or HF CABS, CCSD or CCSD-F12b, and (T) contributions. We find that the complementary auxiliary basis set (CABS) singles correction and the F12b approximation significantly reduce the magnitude of BSSE at the HF and CCSD levels of theory, respectively. For a given cardinal number, we find that non-CP corrected, unscaled triples CCSD(T)-F12b/VXZ-F12 interaction energies are in overall best agreement with the CBS limit.     

On the viability of small endohedral hydrocarbon cage complexes: X@C4H4, X@C8H8, X@C8H14, X@C10H16, X@C12H12, AND X@C16H16

Small hydrocarbon complexes (X@cage) incorporating cage-centered endohedral atoms and ions (X = H(+), H, He, Ne, Ar, Li(0,+), Be(0,+,2+), Na(0,+), Mg(0,+,2+)) have been studied at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) hybrid HF/DFT level of theory. No tetrahedrane (C(4)H(4), T(d)()) endohedral complexes are minima, not even with the very small hydrogen atom or beryllium dication. Cubane (C(8)H(8), O(h)()) and bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (C(8)H(14), D(3)(h)()) minima are limited to encapsulating species smaller than Ne and Na(+). Despite its intermediate size, adamantane (C(10)H(16), T(d)()) can enclose a wide variety of endohedral atoms and ions including H, He, Ne, Li(0,+), Be(0,+,2+), Na(0,+), and Mg(2+). In contrast, the truncated tetrahedrane (C(12)H(12), T(d)()) encapsulates fewer species, while the D(4)(d)() symmetric C(16)H(16) hydrocarbon cage (see Table of Contents graphic) encapsulates all but the larger Be, Mg, and Mg(+) species. The host cages have more compact geometries when metal atoms, rather than cations, are inside. This is due to electron donation from the endohedral metals into C-C bonding and C-H antibonding cage molecular orbitals. The relative stabilities of endohedral minima are evaluated by comparing their energies (E(endo)) to the sum of their isolated components (E(inc) = E(endo) - E(cage) - E(x)) and to their exohedral isomer energies (E(isom) = E(endo) - E(exo)). Although exohedral binding is preferred to endohedral encapsulation without exception (i.e., E(isom) is always exothermic), Be(2+)@C(10)H(16) (T(d)(); -235.5 kcal/mol), Li(+)@C(12)H(12) (T(d)(); 50.2 kcal/mol), Be(2+)@C(12)H(12) (T(d)(); -181.2 kcal/mol), Mg(2+)@C(12)H(12) (T(d)(); -45.0 kcal/mol), Li(+)@C(16)H(16) (D(4)(d)(); 13.3 kcal/mol), Be(+)@C(16)H(16) (C(4)(v)(); 31.8 kcal/mol), Be(2+)@C(16)H(16) (D(4)(d)(); -239.2 kcal/mol), and Mg(2+)@C(16)H(16) (D(4)(d)(); -37.7 kcal/mol) are relatively stable as compared to experimentally known He@C(20)H(20) (I(h)()), which has an E(inc) = 37.9 kcal/mol and E(isom) = -35.4 kcal/mol. Overall, endohedral cage complexes with low parent cage strain energies, large cage internal cavity volumes, and a small, highly charged guest species are the most viable synthetic targets.     

Femtosecond rotational Raman coherence spectroscopy of cyclohexane in a pulsed supersonic jet

We combine the technique of femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs-DFWM) with a high repetition-rate pulsed supersonic jet source to obtain the rotational coherence spectrum (RCS) of cold cyclohexane (C(6)H(12)) with high signal/noise ratio. In the jet expansion, the near-parallel flow pattern combined with rapid translational cooling effectively eliminate dephasing collisions, giving near-constant RCS signal intensities over time delays up to 5 ns. The vibrational cooling in the jet eliminates the thermally populated vibrations that complicate the RCS coherences of cyclohexane at room temperature [Brügger, G.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2011, 115, 9567]. The rotational cooling reduces the high-J rotational-state population, yielding the most accurate ground-state rotational constant to date, B(0) = 4305.859(9) MHz. Based on this B(0), a reanalysis of previous room-temperature gas-cell RCS measurements of cyclohexane gives improved vibration-rotation interaction constants for the ν(32), ν(6), ν(16), and ν(24) vibrational states. Combining the experimental B(0)(C(6)H(12)) with CCSD(T) calculations yields a very accurate semiexperimental equilibrium structure of the chair isomer of cyclohexane.     

Neutral helium compounds: theoretical evidence for a large class of polynuclear complexes

Ab initio calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory disclose the conceivable existence of neutral complexes containing up to four helium atoms. These species are formally obtained by replacing the hydrogen atoms of parent molecules such as CH(4), SiH(4), NH(3), PH(3), H(2)O, H(2)S, C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4), and C(6)H(6) with -NBeHe moieties, which behave as monovalent functional groups containing helium. The geometries and vibrational frequencies of these M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1; M=central moiety) polyhelium complexes have been investigated at the MP2(full)/6-31G(d) level of theory, and their stability with respect to the loss of helium atom(s) has been evaluated by means of single-point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Molecules such as H(n)C(NBeHe)(4-n) and H(n)Si(NBeHe)(4-n) (n=0-3), C(2)(NBeHe)(2), and ortho-, meta-, and para-C(6)H(4)(NBeHe)(2) were invariably characterized as energy minima, and were found to be stable with respect to the loss of helium atom(s) by approximately 4-5 kcal mol(-1). On the other hand, species such as C(2)(NBeHe)(4) and C(6)(NBeHe)(6) were characterized as high-order saddle points on the potential-energy surface, and were unstable with respect to helium atom(s) loss owing to the bending motion of the -NBeHe groups. The molecules containing N, P, O, or S as the central atom also showed a variable topology and include second-order saddle points such as S(NBeHe)(2), third-order saddle points such as HN(NBeHe)(2), but also minimum-energy structures such as O(NBeHe)(2) and HP(NBeHe)(2), which are also stable by approximately 5 kcal mol(-1) with respect to the helium atom(s) loss. These results suggest the conceivable existence of an, in principle, very large class of M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1) polyhelium complexes, whose stability may be substantially affected by the nature and the size of the central moiety M. Atoms-in-Molecules (AIM) calculations on selected species invariably suggest that, in our investigated M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1) compounds, the beryllium-helium interaction is essentially electrostatic.     

Reliable predictions of the thermochemistry of boron-nitrogen hydrogen storage compounds: BxNxHy, x = 2, 3

Thermochemical data calculated using ab initio molecular orbital theory are reported for 16 BxNxHy compounds with x = 2, 3 and y > or = 2x. Accurate gas-phase heats of formation were obtained using coupled cluster with single and double excitations and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) valence electron calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit with additional corrections including core/valence, scalar relativistic, and spin-orbit corrections to predict the atomization energies and scaled harmonic frequencies to correct for zero point and thermal energies and estimate entropies. Computationally cheaper calculations were also performed using the G3MP2 and G3B3 variants of the Gaussian 03 method, as well as density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP functional. The G3MP2 heats of formation are too positive by up to approximately 6 kcal/mol as compared with CCSD(T)/CBS values. The more expensive G3B3 method predicts heats of formation that are too negative as compared with the CCSD(T)/CBS values by up to 3-4 kcal/mol. DFT using the B3LYP functional and 6-311+G** basis set predict isodesmic reaction energies to within a few kcal/mol compared with the CCSD(T)/CBS method so isodesmic reactions involving BN compounds and the analogous hydrocarbons can be used to estimate heats of formation. Heats of formation of c-B3N3H12 and c-B3N3H6 are -95.5 and -115.5 kcal/mol at 298 K, respectively, using our best calculated CCSD(T)/CBS approach. The experimental value for c-B3N3H6 appears to be approximately 7 kcal/mol too negative. Enthalpies, entropies, and free energies are calculated for many dehydrocoupling and dehydrogenation reactions that convert BNH6 to alicyclic and cyclic oligomers and H2(g). Generally, the reactions are highly exothermic and exergonic as well because of the release of 1 or more equivalents of H2(g). For c-B3N3H12 and c-B3N3H6, available experimental data for sublimation and vaporization lead to estimates of their condensed phase 298 K heats of formation: DeltaHf degrees [c-B3N3H12(s)] = -124 kcal/mol and DeltaHf degrees [c-B3N3H6(l)] = -123 kcal/mol. The reaction thermochemistries for the dehydrocoupling of BNH6(s) to c-B3N3H12(s) and the dehydrogenation of c-B3N3H12(s) to c-B3N3H6(l) are much less exothermic compared with the gas-phase reactions due to intermolecular forces which decrease in the order BNH6 > cyclo-B3N3H12 > cyclo-B3N3H6. The condensed phase reaction free energies are less negative compared with the gas-phase reactions but are still too favorable for BNH6 to be regenerated from either c-B3N3H12 or c-B3N3H6 by just an overpressure of H2.     

Singly and doubly lithium doped silicon clusters: geometrical and electronic structures and ionization energies

The geometric structures of neutral and cationic Si(n)Li(m)(0/+) clusters with n = 2-11 and m = 1, 2 are investigated using combined experimental and computational methods. The adiabatic ionization energy and vertical ionization energy (VIE) of Si(n)Li(m) clusters are determined using quantum chemical methods (B3LYP/6-311+G(d), G3B3, and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVxZ with x = D,T), whereas experimental values are derived from threshold photoionization experiments in the 4.68-6.24 eV range. Among the investigated cluster sizes, only Si(6)Li(2), Si(7)Li, Si(10)Li, and Si(11)Li have ionization thresholds below 6.24 eV and could be measured accurately. The ionization threshold and VIE obtained from the experimental photoionization efficiency curves agree well with the computed values. The growth mechanism of the lithium doped silicon clusters follows some simple rules: (1) neutral singly doped Si(n)Li clusters favor the Li atom addition on an edge or a face of the structure of the corresponding Si(n)(-) anion, while the cationic Si(n)Li(+) binds with one Si atom of the bare Si(n) cluster or adds on one of its edges, and (2) for doubly doped Si(n)Li(2)(0/+) clusters, the neutrals have the shape of the Si(n+1) counterparts with an additional Li atom added on an edge or a face of it, while the cations have both Li atoms added on edges or faces of the Si(n)(-) clusters.     

An explicitly correlated local coupled cluster method for calculations of large molecules close to the basis set limit

A new explicitly correlated local coupled-cluster method with single and double excitations and a perturbative treatment of triple excitations [DF-LCCSD(T0)-F12x (x = a,b)] is presented. By means of truncating the virtual orbital space to pair-specific local domains (domain approximation) and a simplified treatment of close, weak and distant pairs using LMP2-F12 (pair approximation) the scaling of the computational cost with molecular size is strongly reduced. The basis set incompleteness errors as well as the errors due to the domain approximation are largely eliminated by the explicitly correlated terms. All integrals are computed using efficient density fitting (DF) approximations. The accuracy of the method is investigated for 52 reactions involving medium size molecules. A comparison of DF-LCCSD(T0)-F12x reaction energies with canonical CCSD(T)-F12x calculations shows that the errors introduced by the domain approximation are indeed very small. Care must be taken to keep the errors due to the additional pair approximation equally small, and appropriate distance criteria are recommended. Using these parameters, the root mean square (RMS) deviations of DF-LCCSD(T0)-F12a calculations with triple-ζ basis sets from estimated CCSD(T) complete basis set (CBS) limits and experimental data amount to only 1.5 kJ mol(-1) and 2.9 kJ mol(-1), respectively. For comparison, the RMS deviation of the CCSD(T)/CBS values from the experimental values amounts to 3.0 kJ mol(-1). The potential of the method is demonstrated for five reactions of biochemical or pharmacological interest which include molecules with up to 61 atoms. These calculations show that molecules of this size can now be treated routinely and yield results that are close to the CCSD(T) complete basis set limits.     

Reactivity of vanadocene with a nitrile -C identical to N bond activated by a tris(fluorophenyl)borane as Lewis acid: formation of borane adducts of vanada(IV)azirine complexes--EPR evidence for an intramolecular C-F...V interaction

Reaction of vanadocene [V(Cp)2] with "activated" nitrile R1CN.L (L: Lewis acid), obtained by the reaction of borane adducts (L = BR3; R = C6F5, 2,6-F2C6H3, 3,4,5-F3C6H2) with nitriles (CH3CN, F3CC6H4CN), yields the borane adduct of vanada(IV)azirine complexes [V(Cp)2(eta 2-R1C = N.L)]. EPR studies of a fluid solution were conducted on these complexes. A doublet of octets due to the coupling of one unpaired electron of the vanadium with the 51V (I = 7/2) nucleus and to an additional hyperfine coupling to the ortho-F atom borne by the phenyl ring of the borane was elucidated by means of the different Lewis acids used in this work. This EPR behaviour gives evidence for the presence of a C-F...V interaction in a fluid solution with L = B(C6F5)3 and B(2,6-F2C6H3)3. In contrast, the expected eight line EPR pattern is observed with L = B(3,4,5-F3C6H2)3, in which no ortho-F atoms are present in the phenyl ring. A model can be drawn to take into account this flexibility and V...F distances between V and ortho-F atoms are in the expected range for such an interaction.     

Rotational spectra of the van der Waals complexes of molecular hydrogen and OCS

The a- and b-type rotational transitions of the weakly bound complexes formed by molecular hydrogen and OCS, para-H2-OCS, ortho-H2-OCS, HD-OCS, para-D2-OCS, and ortho-D2-OCS, have been measured by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. All five species have ground rotational states with total rotational angular momentum J=0, regardless of whether the hydrogen rotational angular momentum is j=0 as in para-H2, ortho-D2, and HD or j=1 as in ortho-H2 and para-D2. This indicates quenching of the hydrogen angular momentum for the ortho-H2 and para-D2 species by the anisotropy of the intermolecular potential. The ground states of these complexes are slightly asymmetric prolate tops, with the hydrogen center of mass located on the side of the OCS, giving a planar T-shaped molecular geometry. The hydrogen spatial distribution is spherical in the three j=0 species, while it is bilobal and oriented nearly parallel to the OCS in the ground state of the two j=1 species. The j=1 species show strong Coriolis coupling with unobserved low-lying excited states. The abundance of para-H2-OCS relative to ortho-H2-OCS increases exponentially with decreasing normal H2 component in H2He gas mixtures, making the observation of para-H2-OCS in the presence of the more strongly bound ortho-H2-OCS dependent on using lower concentrations of H2. The determined rotational constants are A=22 401.889(4) MHz, B=5993.774(2) MHz, and C=4602.038(2) MHz for para-H2-OCS; A=22 942.218(6) MHz, B=5675.156(7) MHz, and C=4542.960(7) MHz for ortho-H2-OCS; A=15 970.010(3) MHz, B=5847.595(1) MHz, and C=4177.699(1) MHz for HD-OCS; A=12 829.2875(9) MHz, B=5671.3573(7) MHz, and C=3846.7041(6) MHz for ortho-D2-OCS; and A=13 046.800(3) MHz, B=5454.612(2) MHz, and C=3834.590(2) MHz for para-D2-OCS.