Mechanisms of inelastic scattering of low-energy protons by C6H6, C60, C6F12, and C60F48 molecules

The mechanisms of inelastic scattering of low-energy protons with a kinetic energy of 2–7 eV by C₆H₆, C₆F₁₂, C₆₀, and C₆₀F₄₈ molecules are studied using the methods of quantum chemistry and nonempirical molecular dynamics. It is shown that, for the C₆H₆ + proton and C₆₀ + proton systems, starting from a distance of 6 Å from the carbon skeleton, the electronic charge transfer from the aromatic molecule to H⁺ occurs with a probability close to unity and transforms the H⁺ ion into a hydrogen atom and the neutral C₆H₆ and C₆₀ molecules into cation radicals. The mechanism of interaction of low-energy protons with C₆F₁₂ and C₆₀F₄₈ molecules has a substantially different character and can be considered qualitatively as the interaction between a neutral molecule and a point charge. The Coulomb perturbation of the system arising from the interaction of the noncompensated proton charge with the Mulliken charges of fluorine atoms results in an inversion of the energies of the electronic states localized, on the one hand, on the positively charged hydrogen ion and, on the other hand, on the C₆F₁₂ and C₆₀F₄₈ molecules. As a result, the neutral molecule + proton state becomes the ground state. In turn, this inversion makes the electronic charge transfer energetically unfavorable. Quantum-chemical and molecular-dynamics calculations on different levels of theory showed that, for fluorine derivatives of some aromatic structures (C₆F₁₂, C₆₀F₄₈), the barriers to proton penetration through carbon hexagons are two to four times lower than for the corresponding parent systems (C₆H₆, C₆₀). This effect is explained by the absence of active π-electrons in the case of fluorinated molecules.     

Structure and bonding of the (C6H6)+ 2 radical

To elucidate the relative stability of various structures of the benzene dimer cation radical, (C₆H₆)⁺ ₂ in its ground and low-lying excited states, ab initio complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF), multi-reference singly and doubly excited configuration interaction (MRSDCI), and multi-reference coupled pair approximation (MRCPA) calculations were performed. Full optimization was performed at the CASSCF level for various structures of the dimer cation, followed by MRSDCI and MRCPA calculations. It was found that the global minimum of the cation is at a slipped C_2h sandwich structure but there are some other sandwich structures with almost the same stability, being within about kcal mol^?1. T-shape structures are less stable than the sandwich structures, by more than 5 kcal mol^?1 by MRCPA calculations. Low lying electronic excited states in various structures are also discussed.     

Comparisons of some molecular properties calculated with basis sets of Slater-type orbitals and floating spherical gaussian orbitals for BH3, BH4 -, B2H6, B4H4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, CH4, and C3H4

Some one-electron molecular properties are calculated for BH₃, BH₄ ^-, B₂H₆, B₄H₄, CH₄, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and C₃H₄. The wave functions used are constructed from minimal basis sets of STO's and FSGO's. The results obtained from the latter wave functions show that the good agreement with the STO values of the molecular energy is not always maintained with one-electron properties.     

The universality of the electron spin relaxation in C60 mono radical anion salts: EPR studies of the model system [P(C6H5)4]2C60X

The C₆₀ radical anion salts [P(C₆H₅)₄]₂C₆₀X (X=Cl, Br, I) are grown via electrocrystallization and used as a model system to study the electron spin and nuclear spin dynamics as well as the molecular dynamics of C₆₀ mono anions in the solid state, which obey universal laws. It is shown that [P(C₆H₅)₄]₂C₆₀X is an exception among the fullerides, since the temperature dependence of the JT distortion, predicted for ionic C₆₀, can be deduced.     

Hyperfine and magnetic properties of 19e− (electron reservoir) sandwiches of Fe(I), C5R5FeC6R6 (where R=H or CH3) and (C6(CH3)6)2Fe+: Mössbauer experiments and molecular orbital calculations

The four compounds C₅H₅FeC₆H₆, C₅H₅Fe(CH₃₎₆, C₅(CH₃₎₅FeC₆(CH₃₎₆ and (C₆(CH₃₎₆₎₂Fe⁺ were studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy on powders. On the basis of semi-empirical molecular orbital calculation (Iterative Extended Hückel with self-consistence of the charge) in which parameters derived from X-ray data are used, we have modelized the thermal behaviour of the electric field gradient (EFG) tensor from 4 K to 300 K. The reduction in magnitude of electronic observables (e.g. spin orbit coupling constant and EFG magnitude) gave evidence for a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect. Spectra in a high magnetic field (6 teslas) confirmed the paramagnetic behaviour of the compounds. The sign of the EFG tensor, the magnetic hyperfine field tensor and its orientation with respect to the EFG tensor were determined.     

Geometric and electronic structures of B12C6N6 fullerene

An electron deficient fullerene B₁₂C₆N₆ is studied by using ab initio calculations. The structure is generated by replacing N with C in the B₁₂N₁₂ cage to ensure only B–C and B–N bonds are formed. All the possible isomers are optimized and the low energy structures are determined. C and N atoms in the low energy isomers are inclined to segregate and form B₂C₂ and B₂N₂ squares. Natural bond analysis shows that the atomic orbitals of B, C and N in this cage hybrid approximately in sp^2.3 and then form B–C and B–N bonds. The 2p orbitals perpendicular to the cage surface are partially occupied and the molecular orbitals formed by these orbitals are highly delocalized. The natural charge on N is about −1.17 in both B₁₂N₁₂ and B₁₂C₆N₆, and the charge on C is −0.72 to −0.60. The molecular orbital compositions show that the B–N bonds are the same in B₁₂N₁₂ and B₁₂C₆N₆, and the B–C bonds possess stronger covalent character. The HOMO of B₁₂C₆N₆ is formed by 2p of B and C, and the LUMO is formed by 2p of C. The energy gap of C₂₄, B₁₂N₁₂ and B₁₂C₆N₆ is 2.52, 6.84 and 3.22 eV, respectively.     

The effect of the hydrogen fluoride chain on the aromaticity of C6H6 in the C6H6···(HF)1–4 complexes

The effect of the hydrogen fluoride chain ((HF)_n) on the aromaticity and π character of C–C bonds of C₆H₆ in the C₆H₆···(HF)_n (n = 1–4) complexes were investigated using density functional theory employing RM05 functional. It was found that the binding energy between C₆H₆ and different (HF)_n chains showed a maximum at n = 3 (C₆H₆···(HF)₃). Also, the π–hydrogen interaction (πHI) and the bifurcated fluorine interaction (BFI) increased and decreased the π character of the C–C bond of C₆H₆, respectively. In addition, the change of aromaticity of the C₆H₆ due to the interaction with the HF chains was also studied using three different aspects such as aromatic fluctuation index (FLU), average two centre index (ATI) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (HNMR) spectrum. The most change in the aromaticity happens when the C₆H₆ interacts with (HF)₃ chain. The variation of aromaticity with the binding energy and the summation of two-body terms were investigated and very good linear correlations were observed.     

Probing the isomer,fluorination and bond effects in C<Subscript>3</Subscript>H<Subscript>6</Subscript>, cyclo-C<Subscript>3</Subscript>H<Subscript>6</Subscript> and C<Subscript>3</Subscript>F<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules using electron impact

We have carried out experimental and theoretical studies on electron scattering from the C₃H₆ isomers and C₃F₆ molecules and we report on total, differential as well as theoretical integral elastic cross-sections for these molecules. Vibrational excitation functions are also presented for the typical vibrational peaks in C₃H₆ and cyclo-C₃H₆ for the angle of 90^○, impact energy range of 1–16 eV and loss energies of 0.12 eV and 0.13 eV, respectively. In the cross-sections, clear differences in peak positions and magnitudes between the C₃H₆ isomers can be viewed as the isomer effect. The same is observed between C₃H₆ and C₃F₆ in a clear manifestation of the fluorination effect. The resemblance of the π^* shape resonance in the cross-sections, observed at about 2.2 eV for C₃H₆ and 3.5 eV for C₃F₆, to those in C₂H₄ and C₂F₄ clearly points to the effect of the double bond in the molecular structures for these molecules. Theoretical analysis is performed to provide rationales for the scattering dynamics.     

The plastic state of C2Cl6

A model structure of the plastic phase of C₂Cl₆ generated by a Monte Carlo method is compared with single crystal neutron data. The model simulates the bcc-structure by an (8 + 1) molecular cluster with a gaussian a priori molecular centre of mass distribution and hard core Cl-Cl interaction. The effective closest Cl-Cl approach is about 10 per cent smaller than the van der Waals radius observed in the low temperature normal crystalline phase of C₂Cl₆. The effect of the hard core interaction on the distribution of the molecular axes, the density of Cl, and the centre of mass distribution is clearly demonstrated.     

Variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunnelling and kinetic isotope effects in the reactions of C2H6, C2H5D and C2D6 with .CCl3 to produce CHCl3 and CDCl3

ABSTRACT

Rate constants for the reactions of C₂H₆, C₂H₅D and C₂D₆ with .CCl₃. for the production of CHCl₃ and CDCl₃ (k₁, k₂, k₃ and k₄) were computed using variational transition state theory coupled with hybrid-meta density functional theory (MPWB1K) over the temperature range of 200–2900 K. The ground-state vibrational adiabatic potential was plotted for all channels. Small- and large-curvature tunnelling were determined to include quantum effects in the calculation of rate constants. Harmonic vibrational frequencies along the reaction path were calculated in curvilinear coordinates with scaled frequencies. Anharmonicity was included in the lowest-frequency torsion. The position of formation and dissociation of bonds was specified using the variation in harmonic vibrational frequencies along the reaction path. Representative tunnelling energy and the thermally averaged transmission probability at 298 K (P(E)exp?( ? ΔE/RT)) were determined for the reactions in which tunnelling is important. The kinetic isotope effect was used to calculate the considerable contributions of tunnelling and vibration. The expressions for rate constants were determined using nonlinear least-square fitting over the temperature range of 200–2900 K.     

Analysis of newly synthesized disulfides of aryldithiocarbonates and vanadium(V) and niobium(V) complexes of aryldithiocarbonates based on spectroscopic,thermogravimetric, SEM and DFT studies

ABSTRACT

Oxidation of the sodium salt of 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl and 4-chloro-3-methylphenyldithiocarbonic acid by I₂ affords the disulfides of respective dithiocarbonates [(ArOCS₂)₂] (Ar?=?2-CH₃C₆H₄, 3-CH₃C₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄ and 4-Cl-3-CH₃C₆H₃. Vanadium(V) and Niobium(V) complexes of 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl and 4-chloro-3-methylphenyldithiocarbonates have also been synthesised by one-step synthetic route. The metal salt (VOCl₃ and NbCl₅) were reacted with 2-CH₃C₆H₄, 3-CH₃C₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄ and 4-Cl-3-CH₃C₆H₃OCS₂Na in 1:2 stoichiometric molar ratio yielding the complexes corresponding to the molecular formula [(ArOCS₂)₂VO(Cl)] and [(ArOCS₂)₂NbCl₃] [Ar?=?2-CH₃C₆H₄, 3-CH₃C₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄ and 4-Cl-3-CH₃C₆H₃OCS₂)]. The compounds were characterised by elemental analyses, infrared, mass and heteronuclear NMR (¹H and ¹³C) spectroscopic studies. Thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopic analyses were also carried out for deeper investigation of the structural features. Comprehensive theoretical investigation was performed by applying density functional theory (DFT) calculations on vanadium and niobium complexes by the DFT/B3LYP/LANL2DZ method to obtain the optimised molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), thermodynamic properties and various other quantum-mechanical parameters.     

SEMICRYSTALLINE AND SUPERLATTICE STRUCTURES IN BINARY MIXTURE OF LONG CHAIN n-ALKANES C194H390 AND C294H590

Binary mixtures of long chain n-alkanes from C₁₂₂H₂₄₆ to C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ have been found to form solid solutions despite their large chain length differences [Zeng and Ungar. Novel Layered Superstructures in Mixed Ultralong n-Alkanes. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2001, 86, 4875–4978]. In this article we describe a study of the binary mixture of C₁₉₄H₃₉₀+C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ (50:50 w/w) using small angle x-ray scattering. The molecular chain length difference between the two components is 100 C-atoms, the largest so far studied. In accordance with the findings on some other binary mixtures, two types of lamellar structures are found: the semicrystalline form (SCF) at high temperatures (>105°C) and the triple-layer superlattice at low temperatures (<95°C). The SCF consists of alternating crystalline and amorphous layers: C₁₉₄H₃₉₀ molecules are fully crystallized in the crystalline layer while C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ molecules traverse the crystalline layer and are only partially crystalline; their protruding tails, or cilia, constitute the amorphous layer. The superlattice is a periodic 1-D array of triple-layer units: the two outer layers in the unit contain a mixture of C₁₉₄H₃₉₀ and C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ while the surplus tails of C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ coalesce and interdigitate in the center and form the third, thinner crystalline layer. In the superlattice form, the unusual diffraction order dependence of the linewidth is interpreted in terms of a particular type of stacking faults.     

Infrared intensity analysis of molecules C2H6, C2D6, C2F6 and CF4 zero and first order approximations

Infrared intensity formulae for C₂H₆ and C₂D₆ are derived following the first order approximations. Using the experimental intensities in the intensity equations, the first order coefficients are calculated. They are observed to be negligible compared to the accuracy limits within which the intensities can be measured. Correlating the experimental intensities to the intensity expressions of C₂F₆ and following the zero-order approximations, the bond dipole moment μ and its derivative e are calculated for the C–F bond. Substituting these in the intensity equations of CF₄, transferability of the bond moment parameters is discussed.     

Hyperfine coupling constants of muonium-substituted cyclohexadienyl radicals in the gas phase: C6H6Mu, C6D6Mu, C6F6Mu

Muon spin rotation (μSR) and avoided level crossing resonance (ALCR) have been used to determine the hyperfine coupling constants (hfcs) of the muonium-substituted cyclohexadienyl radicals C₆H₆Mu, C₆D₆Mu and C₆F₆Mu in the gas phase, at pressures ～1 and 15 atm and temperatures in the range 40–80°C. Equivalent studies of polyatomic free radicals in gases, by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, are generally not possible in this pressure range. The present gas phase results support the findings of earlier studies of cyclohexadienyl radicals in the condensed phase, by both μSR and ESR. Minor but not insignificant (～1%) effects on the hfcs are observed, which can be qualitatively understood for such nonpolar media in terms of their differing polarizabilities. This is the first time that comparisons of this nature have been possible between different phases at the same temperatures. These μSR/ALCR gas-phase results provide a valuable benchmark for computational studies on radicals, free from possible effects of solvent or matrix environments.     

Hidden chemistry in phenoxyl radical (C6H5O•) coupling reaction mechanism revealed

A novel hidden reaction of the phenoxyl radical (C₆H₅O^?) with a specific daughter is found to significantly alter its hitherto accepted coupling reactions' scheme. Transient characterizations and mechanistic evaluations in highly acidic to strongly alkaline aqueous medium reveal this concurrent reaction competing favorably in nanosecond–microsecond time‐scale with the five distinct C₆H₅O^? + C₆H₅O^? reactions, which produce various phenolic end‐products as reported earlier (M. Ye and R. H. Schuler, J. Phys. Chem. 1989, 93, 1898). Presently, only the symmetric 4,4′‐dioxo transient precursor, O?C₆H₅? H₅C₆?O that leads to the stable 4,4′‐biphenol product, gets partially oxidized by a fraction of remaining C₆H₅O^?. The resulting secondary transient ^?C₁₂H₉O₂ radical is generated at diffusion‐controlled rate, k > 5.0 × 10⁹ M^?1 s^?1, and follows an independent chemistry. Consequently, when the previously reported five coupled end product distribution ratios were appropriately updated, the respective fractional values revealed a closer match for the symmetric 2,2′‐ and 4,4′‐biphenols with their suggested coupling reaction branching probabilities based on the atomic spin‐density distributions in the C₆H₅O^? radical (P. Neta, R. W. Fessenden, J. Phys. Chem., 1974, 78, 523). Results also suggest that in the remaining fraction, differential solvation in aqueous medium of various orientation‐related encounter complexes (C₆H₅O…C₆H₅O) formed during coupling favors rearrangement only toward 2,4′‐biphenolic product, at the cost of 2‐ and 4‐phenoxyphenolic species. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dielectric properties of C60 molecular complexes

The permittivity ? of the molecular complexes (BTX)C₆₀CS₂, (DAN)C₆₀(C₆H₆)₃, and (S₄N₄)_1.2C₆₀(C₆H₆)_0.8 has been studied at 100 MHz. A maximum has been observed to appear in the temperature dependence ?(T) at T≈90 K, which can be assigned to freezing of the orientational disorder. A region of anomalous growth of ? with decreasing temperature has been found in the low-temperature range T≤25 K, this feature being apparently sensitive to the actual packing pattern of C₆₀ spheres in the molecular complex.     

Positrons — an alternative probe to electron scattering

Interaction of positrons with atoms and molecules differs from electron interaction due to the difference in polarity of the charge. This makes positrons an alternative tool to study atomic and molecular structure. Recent measurements of the total cross-sections for positron scattering at low energies on He, Ar, H₂, N₂, C₆H₆, C₆H₁₂, C₆H₇N carried out at Trento University [Karwasz et al., Acta Phys. Pol. 127, 666 (2005)] are discussed and compared to electron scattering results. All measured total cross-sections exhibit an increase with decreasing positron energy in the limit of zero energy; H₂, N₂, Ar, show regions of constant cross-section which are a few eV-wide, characteristic of scattering on a hard-sphere potential. Helium shows two resonant structures much below the positronium formation threshold. They may be attributed to virtual positronium formation. In conclusion, positron scattering is complementary to electron scattering. The total cross-sections do not show Ramsuaer minima but constant values, and new resonances appear.     

One-axis molecular rotation and phonon scattering in solid C2H6 and C2F6

Using solid C₂H₆ and C₂F₆ as an example, the one-axis molecular rotation effect on thermal conductivity has been considered in orientationally-ordered (OO) and orientationally-disordered (OD) phases of simple molecular crystals. The influence of molecular rotation on the heat transfer processes has been studied by a modified method of reduced coordinates, which permitted separating phonon-phonon and phonon-rotation contributions to the total thermal resistance.     

Optical,structural characterization and dielectric relaxation of [C2H5NH3]2ZnCl4 compound

ABSTRACT

The new organic-inorganic compound [C₂H₅NH₃]₂ZnCl₄ has been grown by the slow evaporation at room temperature. The zero-dimensional (0-D) structure for this compound was determined by the single X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes at room temperature in the non-centrosymmetric space group Pna2₁ and consists of ethylammonium cations [C₂H₅NH₃]⁺ and [ZnCl₄]^2? tetrahedra anions. That is interconnected by means of hydrogen bonding contacts N-H···Cl. The molecular geometry and vibrational frequencies of [ZnCl₄]^2? and [C₂H₅NH₃]⁺ in the ground state was calculated using density functional method (B3LYP) with 6–31G(d) and 6–311G (d,p) basis set. The optimized geometric bond lengths and bond angles, obtained by using B3LYP/6–311G (d,p), show the best agreement with the experimental data. The optical absorbance was measured in order to deduce the absorption coefficient α, optical band gap E_g. The optical band gap is determined by extrapolating the plotted graph of (αhυ)^1/2 vs. (hυ). The large value of indirect optical band gap energy indicates the insulating nature of this material. Moreover, the extinction coefficient, refractive index and the dielectric permittivity of [C₂H₅NH₃]₂ZnCl₄ compound were calculated and the results are discussed. The evolution of the dielectric loss as a function of frequency revealed a distribution of relaxation times, probably ascribed to the reorientational dynamics of alkyl chains in this compound, and then analyzed with the Cole–Cole formalism.