Ab-initio calculations on the 1-imidazolyl radical

Ab-initio calculations on the 1-imidazolyl radical with a minimal basis set were performed. The ground state symmetry is calculated to be ²B₁(π); the first excited state is ²A₂(π) and lies at 0.359 eV. The σ-state shows a double minimum potential having its well 0.626 eV above the C_2v ground state minimum. The height of the inner hill, peaking at C_2v symmetry, is 0.612 eV; the state is of B₂ character. The reason for the distortion is discussed.     

Ab initio potential energy surfaces for BH+2

Preliminary ab initio calculations for the BH⁺₂ potential surface are presented. The reaction B⁺¹S) + H₂ → BH⁺ (B₂ (B²σ⁺) + H is shown to be most likely to occur for C_2v and near C_2v geometrics where there are avoided crossings between the 1 ¹A₁ and 2 ¹A₁ surfaces and between the 2 ¹A₁ and 3 ¹A₁ surfaces which should facilitate non-adiabatic transitions. Bent geometries are alos preferred for the reaction B⁺(¹S) + H₂ → BH⁺(A²π) + H for which there are avoided crossings in C₂ sysmmetry between surfaces correlating with 1 ¹A₁ and 1 ¹B₂ surfaces.     

FSGO calculations of octahydrotriborate anion and tetraborane

The FSGO quantum mechanical model is used to makeab initio calculations of the geometrical structures and energies of the ground state configurations of the octahydrotriborate anion, B₃H ₈ ⁻ , and tetraborane, B₄H₁₀. Both molecules are assumed to belong to theC _2v symmetry point group during these computations. Comparisons with available experimental data show good agreement. B₄H₁₀ calculations are also compared with results of SCF calculations.     

High‐Resolution Photoelectron Imaging of IrB3−: Observation of a π‐Aromatic B3+ Ring Coordinated to a Transition Metal

In a high‐resolution photoelectron imaging and theoretical study of the IrB₃^? cluster, two isomers were observed experimentally with electron affinities (EAs) of 1.3147(8) and 1.937(4) eV. Quantum calculations revealed two nearly degenerate isomers competing for the global minimum, both with a B₃ ring coordinated with the Ir atom. The isomer with the higher EA consists of a B₃ ring with a bridge‐bonded Ir atom (C_s , ²A′), and the second isomer features a tetrahedral structure (C_3v , ²A₁). The neutral tetrahedral structure was predicted to be considerably more stable than all other isomers. Chemical bonding analysis showed that the neutral C_3v isomer involves significant covalent Ir?B bonding and weak ionic bonding with charge transfer from B₃ to Ir, and can be viewed as an Ir–(η³‐B₃⁺) complex. This study provides the first example of a boron‐to‐metal charge‐transfer complex and evidence of a π‐aromatic B₃⁺ ring coordinated to a transition metal.     

CEPA Calculations of potential energy surfaces for open-shell systems. II. The reaction of C+ Ions with molecular hydrogen

Ab initio calculations including electron correlation effects (mainly on CEPA-PNO level) have been performed for the potential energy surface (PES) of the reaction of ²P carbon ions with molecular hydrogen. For the collinear abstraction reactions (C_∞v symmetry: ²σ⁺, ²Π-2) the minimum energy paths have been determined. The vertical insertion reaction (C_2v; ²A₁,B₁, ²B₂) has been investigated with particular emphasis (minimum energy path, barrier heights, intersystem crossing). The influence of the size of the orbital basis and of electron correlation has been studied in some detail. The interaction of the ²A₁, and ²B₂ surfaces has been analyzed, leading to the conclusion that close to C_2v symmetry a low energy path exists by which CH₂⁺(²A₁)can be easily formed, with a barrier (²B₂ → ²A₁) ≈ 18 kcal/mol below the asymptote. The analysis of electron correlation effects reveals that it is compulsory to correlate the whole valence shell if one wants to obtain reliable surfaces. The influence of singly excited configurations for getting the correct behaviour of the PES is generally small.     

A theoretical comparison of the lowest-lying singlet and triplet states of H2CBe and of HCBeH

The low-lying singlet and triplet states of H₂CBe and HCBeH are examined using ab inito molecular orbital theory. In agreement with earlier results, the lowest-lying structure of H₂CBe has C_2v symmetry and is a triplet with one π electron (³ B₁). The results presented here suggest that the lowest-energy singlet structure is the (¹B₁) open-shell singlet, also with C_2v symmetry, at least 2.5 kcal/mol higher in energy. The singlet C_2v structure with two π electrons (¹A₁) is 15.9 kcal/mol higher than ³B₁. All of these structures are bound with respect to the ground state of methylene and the beryllium atom. In HCBeH, linear equilibrium geometries are found for the triplet (³Σ) and singlet (¹Δ) states. The triplet is more stable than the singlet (¹Δ) by 35.4 kcal/mol, and is only 2.9 kcal/mol higher in energy than triplet H₂ CBe. Since the transition structure connecting these two triplet molecules is found to be 50.2 kcal/mol higher in energy than H₂ CBe, both triplet equilibrium species might exist independently. The harmonic vibrational frequencies of all structures are also reported.     

Cage‐Like B41+ and B422+: New Chiral Members of the Borospherene Family

The newly discovered borospherenes B₄₀^?/0 and B₃₉^? mark the onset of a new class of boron nanostructures. Based on extensive first‐principles calculations, we introduce herein two new chiral members to the borospherene family: the cage‐like C₁ B₄₁⁺ ( 1 ) and C₂ B₄₂²⁺ ( 2 ), both of which are the global minima of the systems with degenerate enantiomers. These chiral borospherene cations are composed of twelve interwoven boron double chains with six hexagonal and heptagonal faces and may be viewed as the cuborenes analogous to cubane (C₈H₈). Chemical bonding analyses show that there exists a three‐center two‐electron σ bond on each B₃ triangle and twelve multicenter two‐electron π bonds over the σ skeleton. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that C₁ B₄₁⁺ ( 1 ) fluctuates above 300 K, whereas C₂ B₄₂²⁺ ( 2 ) remains dynamically stable. The infrared and Raman spectra of these borospherene cations are predicted to facilitate their experimental characterizations.     

IR matrix spectra of CsNO2, RbNO2, KNO2, and NaNO2. The structure of CsNO2

The IR spectra of alkali nitrites were studied in Ar matrices at the temperature of 7 K. The spectra of CsNO₂ were investigated with the aid of ¹⁵N and ¹⁸O isotopes in order to determine the structure of the gaseous molecules. The IR spectra of ¹⁸O-enriched CsNO₂ samples were recorded and the results interpreted by means of normal coordinate calculations. CsNO₂ has a planar ring structure of C_2v, symmetry. The bond angle ONO of this molecule was calculated to be 116 ± 5°. NaNO₂ as well as the remaining alkali nitrites have C_2v, symmetry structures. Far-IR spectra of alkali nitries were recorded in order to measure the interionic stretching vibrations; in some case low-frequency bands were observed and assigned to the A₁ and B₁ interionic stretching modes.     

Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Structures of X−⋅⋅⋅CH2O (X=F,Cl, Br,I) Complexes

A combined experimental and theoretical approach has been used to investigate X⁻⋅⋅⋅CH₂O (X=F, Cl, Br, I) complexes in the gas phase. Photoelectron spectroscopy, in tandem with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, has been used to determine electron binding energies for the Cl⁻⋅⋅⋅CH₂O, Br⁻⋅⋅⋅CH₂O, and I⁻⋅⋅⋅CH₂O species. Additionally, high-level CCSD(T) calculations found a C_2v minimum for these three anion complexes, with predicted electron detachment energies in excellent agreement with the experimental photoelectron spectra. F⁻⋅⋅⋅CH₂O was also studied theoretically, with a C_s hydrogen-bonded complex found to be the global minimum. Calculations extended to neutral X⋅⋅⋅CH₂O complexes, with the results of potential interest to atmospheric CH₂O chemistry.     

Ab initio study of structures and energies of Al2H4 and Al2H 4 −

The low-lying isomers of Al₂H₄ and their anions are investigated with the hybrid density functional B3LYP, the coupled-cluster CCSD and CCSD(T) methods, and the electron propagator theory. The positive adiabatic electron affinities 5,798 and 10,112 cm⁻¹ are predicted for the neutral C_2v and D_2d symmetric isomers, respectively. The D_2h symmetric anion is more stable by 852 cm⁻¹ than the C_2v symmetric anion. The photodetachment spectra for Al₂H₄⁻ anions at the C_2v and D_2h symmetries are simulated on the basis of the Franck–Condon factor calculations, indicating a reasonable way to study the transition state of the intramolecular torsion process     

π-Aromatic B<Subscript>16</Subscript>H<Subscript>6</Subscript>: A Neutral Boron Hydride Analogue of Naphthalene

Systematic ab inito calculations are carried out in this work to investigate the geometrical and electronic structures of B₁₆H₆ neutral and its anion B₁₆H₆ ⁻. The quasi-planar C_2v B₁₆H₆(¹A₁) with 10 delocalized π-electrons proves to be the neutral boron hydride analogue of naphthalene (D_2h C₁₀H₈). This π-aromatic neutral may be obtained from the experimentally known π-antiaromatic C_2h B₁₆ (Sergeeva et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130:7244, 2008) upon hydrogenation at the six corner positions and is expected to be undistinguishable from a perfect planar D_2h B₁₆H₆ in experiments. Detailed adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) analyses clearly reveal the bonding pattern of B₁₆H₆ and the calculated nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS) strongly support its global π-aromaticity. C_2v B₁₆H₆ ⁻(²B₂) anion with one extra electron appears to have a similar quasi-planar structure with even a less severe out-of-plane distortion. Ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectrum of B₁₆H₆ and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) spectrum of B₁₆H₆ ⁻ are simulated to facilitate their spectroscopic characterizations.     

Theoretical studies on quinones I. The structure of p-benzoquinone and two of its excited triplet states

Ab initio calculations on the ground and two excited triplet states (³B_1g and ³B_1u) of p-benzoquinone are described. The geometries of the three states were fully optimised at the SCF level using the 3-21G basis set. For the excited states, both D_2h and C_2v geometries were investigated. Comparison was made between UHF and ROHF levels of theory.     

Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence of the iodine B3π(0u+) state: Study of the second maximum of predissociation

Fluorescence decay lifetimes for specific rovibrational levels of the I₂ B³π(0_u⁺) state, have been obtained by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence. Gyroscopic and hyperfine predissociation parameters C_v² and a_v², for vibrational levels of the B³π(0_u⁺) state around the second maximum of predissociation, v' = 24, 25, have been determined. Results are discussed in terms of the dependence of the predissociation paramaters on the Franck-Condon densities and the corresponding electronic matrix elements.     

Diatomics-in-molecules correlation diagrams for (BH2)+

The diatomics-in-molecules method is applied to calculate potential energy surfaces of the system B⁺(¹S, ³P) + H₂ (X¹ Σ_g⁺. Results are presented as correlation diagrams following the approximate minimum energy paths for C_∞v and C_2v geometries of the reactants. Two possible non-adiabatic mechanisms of complex formation are discussed.     

Stability of polyhedral borane anions and carboranes

Polyhedral borane anions and carboranes that can be constructed formally from the interaction of rings and caps will be stable with six interstitial electrons. Interstitial electron count is obtained by summing the number of π electrons of the ring and the electrons of the caps involved in ring cap binding. Thus B₇H₇ ⁻² (D_5h) has 6 interstitial electrons (none from the B₅H₅ ring, two each from the twobh caps and two negative charge),mndo calculations on isoelectronic pyramidal molecules B₆H₆ ⁻⁴ (C_5v), B₅H₅CH⁻³ (C_5v), B₅H₅ ⁻⁴ (C_4v), B₄H₄CH⁻³ (C_4v), B₄H₄ ⁻⁴ (T _d) and B₃H₃CH⁻³ (C_3v) suggests a criterion based on the out-of-plane bendings of the ring B-H bonds to select the best combination of borocycles and BH or CH caps. Three-membered borocycle prefers CH cap, five-membered borocycle prefers BH cap. The preference of four-membered ring for BH or CH cap is not as pronounced. The extra stability of B₁₂H₁₂ ⁻² arises from the geometry of the icosahedron. The relative stabilities ofnido andcloso carboranes follow from these rules.     

An ab initio potential energy surface for the reaction N+ + H2 → NH+ + H

Preliminary results of ab initio unrestricted Hartree-Fock calculations for the potential energy surface for the reaction N⁺ + H₂ → NH⁺ + H are reported. For the collinear approach of N⁺ to H₂, the ³Σ^? surface has no activation barrier and has a shallow well (ca. 1 eV). For perpendicular approach (C_2v symmetry) the ³B₂ state is of high energy, the ³A₂ state has a shallow well but as the bond angle increases the ³B₁ state decreases in energy to become the state of lowest energy. Neither the collinear nor the perpendicular approaches give adiabatic pathways to the deep potential well of ³B₁ (HNH)⁺.     

Quantum chemistry study on B32 and B32H2–32

The structures of B32 and B₃₂H^2–₃₂ with I_h symmetry have been investigated by means of ab initio calculations at STO-3G level. The relationship between molecular orbitals of them has been analyzed and their bonding properties have been discussed. Then the possibility of their existence, as well as the similarity and difference between B₃₂ (B₃₂H^2–₃₂) and C₆₀ (C₆₀H₆₀) have been inferred.     

An ab initio theoretical study of the optical spectrum of CF2

The ab initio calculation methods have been used to calculate the spectral and electronic characteristics of difluorocarbene in the ground electronic state (¹A₁), the lowest-lying singlet (¹B₁) and triplet (³B₁) states. The optimized equilibrium geometries, rotational constants, harmonic vibrational frequencies and energy gaps, electronic charges, dipole moments of these states have been computed with different basis sets. The calculated vibrational frequency of ³B₁ state (v₂=522 cm^?1) and the energy separation (2.26 eV) between ³B₁ and ¹A₁ states are in good agreement with the experimental results (519 cm^?1, 2.46 eV respectively). According to the calculations the previous assignment of vibrational symmetries of ¹B₁ state was corrected, and some experimentally undetermined vibrational frequencies were predicted.     

New examples of ternary rare-earth metal boride carbides containing finite boron-carbon chains: The crystal and electronic structure of RE15B6C20 (RE=Pr, Nd)

The ternary rare-earth metal boride carbides RE₁₅B₆C₂₀ (RE=Pr, Nd) were synthesized by co-melting the elements. They exist above 1270 K. Their crystal structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Both crystallize in the space group P1¯, Z=1, a=8.3431(8) Å, b=9.2492(9) Å, c=8.3581(8) Å, α=84.72(1)°, β=89.68(1)°, γ =84.23(1)° (R1=0.041 (wR2=0.10) for 3291 reflections with I_o>2σ(I_o)) for Pr₁₅B₆C₂₀, and a=8.284(1) Å, b=9.228(1) Å, c=8.309(1) Å, α=84.74(1)°, β=89.68(1)°, γ=84.17(2)° (R1=0.033 (wR2=0.049) for 2970 reflections with I_o>2σ(I_o)) for Nd₁₅B₆C₂₀. Their structure consists of a three-dimensional framework of rare-earth metal atoms resulting from the stacking of slightly corrugated and distorted square nets, leading to cavities filled with unprecedented B₂C₄ finite chains, disordered C₃ entities and isolated carbon atoms, respectively. Structural and theoretical analyses suggest the ionic formulation (RE³⁺)₁₅([B₂C₄]⁶⁻)₃([C₃]⁴⁻)₂(C⁴⁻)₂·11ē. Accordingly, density functional theory calculations indicate that the compounds are metallic. Both structural arguments as well as energy calculations on different boron vs. carbon distributions in the B₂C₄ chains support the presence of a CBCCBC unit. Pr₁₅B₆C₁₈ exhibits antiferromagnetic order at T_N=7.9 K, followed by a meta-magnetic transition above a critical external field B>0.03 T. On the other hand, Nd₁₅B₆C₁₈ is a ferromagnet below T_C≈40 K.     

Theoretical Study on Resonance Raman Spectra of Tetraoxaporphyrin Dication by TDDFT Calculation

The B state excited resonance Raman scattering of tetraoxaporphyrin dication (TOP²⁺) was theoretically studied with DFT/TDDFT calculations and the sum-over-states approach of polarizability including both the A and B terms contributions. The resonance Raman spectra calculated with PBE1PBE, B3LYP, Cam-B3LYP, and B3LYP-D3 functionals are similar to each other in general, with PBE1PBE and B3LYP being better in reproducing resonance Raman intensities in comparison with the experiment. The calculated relative intensities of the totally symmetric modes are excellently consistent with the experiment. The TDDFT calculations manifested a considerable deformation of the B state along theυ2,υ6, υ7, and υ8 modes, which is responsible for the strong resonance Raman intensities of these modes. The resonance Raman intensities of non-totally symmetric modes were calculated to be weaker than the totally symmetric modes by one or two order of magnitude, whichqualitatively agrees with the experiment. However, the resonance Raman intensity of the υ10 mode (C_βC_β stretch, B_1g symmetry) predicted by TDDFT calculations is unexpectedly small whereas that of the υ11 mode (symmetric C_αC_m stretch, B_1g symmetry) is too large, which is assumed to be caused by the Jahn-Teller instability for the B state of TOP²⁺.