Vibrational dependence of the NH3 (v2)+NO and NO(v)+NH3 charge transfer cross sections

A tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer is used to study the charge transfer reactions NH₃⁺ + NO and NO⁺ + NH₃ over a collision energy range 1.5–13 eV. The vibrational state of the reagent ions is selected by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. For the 0.9 eV exothermic process NH₃⁺ + NO → NH₃ + NO⁺ excitation of the v₂ umbrella bending mode (v₂ = 0–12) causes no marked change in the charge transfer cross section, while in the reverse process NO⁺ + NH₃ → NO + NH₃⁺ excitation of the NO⁺ vibration (v = 0–6) strongly enhanced the charge transfer cross section.     

Observation Of Mode Selective Vibrational Excitation Of SF6 By Collisions With 4–10 eV Li And H Ions

Structured time of flight spectra of both Li⁺ and H⁺ ions scattered from ground state SF₆, have been measured at angles (5.0° v_c.m. 16.6°) less than the rainbow angle at E_c.m., = 4.3 eV and 9.7 eV, respectively. The structure can be arttributed to vibrational excitation of the v₃ mode by H⁺ and excitation of the v₄ mode by Li⁺. The relative transition probabilities obey a Poisson distribution and can be explained by a simple forced oscillator model.     

The vibrational state distributions in both products of the reaction: O(P) + NO2 → O2 + NO

A laser pulse-and-probe method has been used to determine the nascent vibrational populations in NO(v=0–4) and O₂(v=6–11) formed in the thermal reaction: O(³P) + NO₂ → O₂(v) + NO(v). A frequency-tripled Nd: YAG laser is used to photolyse NO₂, diluted tenfold in Ar, and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy in the NO A ²Σ⁺-X ²Π and O₂ B ³Σ⁻_u -X ³Σ⁻_g electronic band system is used both to follow the kinetics of individual vibrational states and to determine the nascent vibrational distributions. The majority of the NO product is formed in v = 0 and the average vibrational yield is ≈ 4.6%. The O₂ populations fall monotonically from v = 6 to 11 in a distribution close to what is expected on prior grounds. Based on a surprisal analysis, the average vibrational energy yield in O₂ is ≈ 26%. The nature of the reaction dynamics is discussed.     

FTIR studies of the CH3CN–BF3 complex in solid Ar, N2, and Xe: Matrix effects on vibrational spectra

FTIR spectra of the four isotopically substituted 1:1 complexes of acetonitrile and boron trifluoride were recorded in Ar, N₂ and Xe matrices. In Ar, previously unreported three vibrational modes of the complex were clearly observed. Several significant vibrational bands were also observed in N₂ and Xe. The observed frequency shifts on complexation, Δν, were qualitatively in good agreement with the computational results, which were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level using the optimized geometry of the C_3v eclipsed conformation. The observed magnitudes of Δν for most of the complex bands were larger than the calculated values. The BF₃ symmetric deformation mode is an exception. The observed frequency shits for this mode were smaller than the calculated values, especially in N₂. This suggests that even an inert matrix can significantly affect the vibrational spectrum of the complex.     

Ab initio molecular orbital study of Fe2Cl6 and FeAlCl6

Ab initio molecular orbital theory was used to determine the equilibrium structure and vibrational frequencies of Fe₂Cl₆ and FeAlCl₆. The equilibrium structure the Fe₂Cl₆ dimer has D_2h symmetry with a planar arrangement of the four membered {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring, similar to the Al₂Cl₆ dimer. The calculated bond distances and vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with experiment. The potential energy surface for the puckering of the {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring is extremely flat. This prevents an unambiguous assignment of either D_2h or C_2v symmetry to the Fe₂Cl₆ structure in electron diffraction measurements. The FeAlCl₆ molecule is found to have a C_2v structure similar to Fe₂Cl₆ with vibrational frequencies in good agreement with experiment.     

On the mechanism of intermode vibration-to-vibration energy transfer in CH3F excited by a tea CO2 laser

The v₃ mode of CH₃F was excited by irradiation with a TEA CO₂ laser pulse, and the time-resolved emission spectra of the v₃ overtone and the 3 μ;m region were observed. The results indicate that the population of the v₄ level behaves kinetically in the same manner as that of 2v₃ or 3v₃. This suggests an efficient energy transfer between these levels.     

Identification of a new progression of the Cl2 molecule with Σu symmetry

Synchrotron radiation is used to excite selectively the chlorine molecule in a Ne buffer gas. Due to the fast relaxation induced by the buffer gas, in the excitation spectrum of the D′→A′ emission at 258 nm, a new progression is observed. It is attributed to the 3 ¹Σ_u⁺ state which is the result of an avoided crossing between the Rydberg state π_g→5pπ and the valence state (1441) (σ_g→σ_u). It is characterized by T_e=83251 cm⁻¹, ω_e=783 cm⁻¹, ω_ex_e=29.6 cm⁻¹ and r_e=1.844 Å.     

Autoionization spectra of Li2 and the XΣg ground state of Li2: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Autoionizing Rydberg levels of Li₂ molecules in a supersonic molecular beam are populated by stepwise excitation with two tunable pulsed dye lasers. The observed autoionization spectra show severe perturbations. Based on calculations of quantum defects and a perturbation treatment of l-uncoupling a tentative assignment of Rydberg series up to n = 32 is proposed. The convergence limits of these series yield a value of IP = 41475 cm⁻¹ for the adiabatic ionization potential and a vibrational constant ω_e = 263 cm⁻¹ for the X²Σ⁺_g ground state of Li⁺₂. The experimental results are compared with ab initio calculations combined with a core polarization potential, which yield the potential curve. the dissociation energy, the quadrupole moment and the vibrational frequency for the X²Σ⁺_g ground state of Li⁺₂, in the excellent agreement with experimental findings.     

Theoretical study on the aromaticity of the bimetallic clusters X2M2 (X=Si, Ge, M=Al, Ga)

Four neutral bimetallic clusters X₂M₂ (X=Si, Ge, M=Al, Ga) are investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and post-HF methods. The calculated results show that each of four X₂M₂ species has two energetically close stable isomers with rhombic structure (D_2h symmetry) and trapezoidal structure (C_2v symmetry) respectively. For the Ge₂Al₂ species the rhombic (D_2h) isomer is the ground state, whereas for other three species Ge₂Ga₂, Si₂Al₂, and Si₂Ga₂, the trapezoidal (C_2v) isomers are the ground states. The calculated magnetic susceptibility anisotropy (χ_anis) and nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) indicate that a strong diatropic ring current exists in the two heterocyclic planar isomers, suggesting they are highly aromatic. A detailed molecular orbital analysis further reveals that both heterocyclic isomers possess multiple aromaticity derived from one delocalized π MOs and two delocalized σ MOs.     

Light absorption saturation studies of H20 and HDO near 3400 cm with intense laser radiation

The effect of significant decrease of water absorptivity for the intense picosecond laser radiation at λ=2.79 and 2.94 μm being near the centre of the OH stretching mode absorption band was discovered. In the case of pure water a thermal mechanism dominated: a very fast temperature rise led to weakening of H-bonds and consequently to the absorption band shift towards higher frequencies. As a result a considerable (up to 10 times) decrease in the optical density at the laser frequency was obtained. In the second case of HDO diluted in D₂O the temperature effects were eliminated and a pure spectroscopic saturation of the v = 0 to v =1 vibrational transition was displayed. The value of the saturation intensity as high as I_s=2.5 × 10¹¹W cm⁻² in this case gives the value of energy relaxation time of the OH excited state to be T₁=0.6 ps. The width of the homogeneously broadened component of the fundamental OH band in HDO is evaluated to be greater than or equal to 50 cm⁻¹.     

Luminescent properties of carbon-rich starburst gold(I) acetylide complexes. Crystal structure of [TEE][Au(PCy3)]4 ([TEE]H4=tetraethynylethene)

Two carbon-rich starburst gold(I) acetylide complexes [TEE][Au(PCy₃)]₄ (3, [TEE]H₄=tetraethynylethene) and [TEB][Au(PCy₃)]₃ (6, [TEB]H₃=1,3,5-triethynylbenzene) were prepared and their UV–vis absorption, emission and excitation spectra have been recorded. In fluid CH₂Cl₂ solutions, 3 exhibits prompt ¹(ππ*) fluorescence with λ_0–0 and λ_max at 413 and 428 nm, respectively, while 6 displays ³(ππ*) phosphorescence with λ_0–0 and λ_max at 446 and 479 nm, respectively. The crystal structure of 3·CH₂Cl₂ has been determined.     

The molecular structure of beryllocene, (C5H5)2Be. A reinvestigation by gas phase electron diffraction

The electron scattering pattern of gaseous dicyclopentadienylberyllium, Cp₂Be, has been recorded from s = 2.00 to 39.00 Å⁻¹ with a nozzle temperature of about 120°C. Molecular models of D_5d symmetry or models containing one π-bonded and one σ-bonded Cp ring are not compatible with the data. The possibility the gaseous Cp₂Be consists fo a mixture D_5d and π-Cp, σ-Cp conformers is considered and rejected. A model of C_5v symmetry can be brought into satisfactory agreement with the data. It is also found that a slip sandwich model obtained from the C_5v model by moving sideways the ring which is at the greatest distance from Be, while keeping the two rings essentially parallel is compatible with the electron diffraction data. The best fit between experimental and calculated intensity curves is obtained with a model with a sideways slip of 0.8(1) Å. This model is similar to that indicated by the X-ray diffraction investigations by Wong and coworkers [4,5]. It is suggested that the potential energy of the molecule does not change much as the magnitude of the slip changes and that the molecule thus undergoes large amplitude vibration.     

Photochemical synthesis and structural characterization of (η-C5Me5)3Mo3(CO)4(μ2-H)(μ3-O): an unprecedented 46-electron trimolybdenum cluster containing a localized monoprotonated Mo---Mo double bond

Irradiation of the 30-electron Mo₂(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂(CO)₄ and Re₂(CO)₁₀ in toluene solution (containing H₂O) afforded (in 1–2% yields) a novel triangular metal cluster, (η⁵-C₅Me₅)₃Mo₃(CO)₄(η₂-H)(η₃-O) (1), which was characterized by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Compound 1, of pseudo C_s-m symmetry, has a triangulo-Mo₃(η₃-O) core with composite Mo---H---Mo and Mo---Mo electron-pair bonds along one unusually short edge (2.660(1) Å) and Mo--- electron-pair bonds along the other two edges (2.916(1) and 2.917(1) Å). The edge-bridged hydride ligand, which displays a characteristic high-field proton NMR resonance at δ −17.79 ppm, was not found from the crystallographic determination but was located via a quantitative potential-energy-minimization method. This procedure unambiguously established that the optimized hydrogen position, which corresponds to a distinct coordination site with identical Mo---H distances of 1.85 Å, is the only one that can be sterically occupied by a metal-bound hydride ligand. This 46-electron species is the first electron-deficient trimolybdenum cluster containing a monoprotonated Mo---Mo double bond; its existence is attributed to ligand overcrowding due to the bulky pentamethylcyclopentadienyl rings. Black (η⁵- C₅Me₅)₃Mo₃(CO)₄(η₂-H)(η₃-O) · 1/2THF crystallizes with two formula species in a triclinic unit cell of P1 symmetry with a 8.603(4), b 11.115(4), c 19.412(11) Å, 80.69(4)°, β 101.10(4)°, and γ 98.88(3)° at −40° C. Least-squares refinement (RAELS with 221 variables) of one independent Mo₃ molecule and a centrosymmetrically-disordered THF molecule converged at R₁(F) 5.62%, R₂(F 6.88% for 8460 independent diffractometry data (I₀ ρ 3σ(I₀ collected at −40° C with Mo-K radiation     

1.54 and 1.75 μm infrared luminescence of Y2O3:Er

A new 1.75 μm infrared emission transition of Y₂O₃:Er³⁺ is assigned to the ⁴S_3/2 → ⁴I_9/2 transition of Er³⁺ ions situated at the C₂ sites of cubic RE₂O₃ (RE = Y, Gd, Lu). The intensities of features in the 1.54 μm ⁴I_15/2–⁴I_13/2 absorption transition due to Er³⁺ at S₆ and C₂ sites are consistent with the site occupation ratio and the relative magnetic dipole–electric dipole intensity contributions of Er³⁺ at the different sites. The 1.54 μm emission lines are predominantly from Er³⁺ ions at C₂ sites. The different behaviours of the emission intensities 1.75 and 1.54 μm groups with change in Er³⁺ dopant ion concentration, preparation technique, Yb³⁺ co-doping, temperature change and different excitation line are rationalized.     

Multidimensional anharmonic calculation of the vibrational frequencies and intensities for the trans and cis isomers of HONO with the use of normal coordinates

The equilibrium geometry and the potential energy and dipole moment surfaces have been determined for the cis and trans isomers of the HONO molecule by an ab initio Moller–Plesset (MP2) calculation with a wide set of atomic orbitals. The multidimensional anharmonic vibrational Schrodinger equations are solved using the variational method with the Hamiltonian and wave functions written in the normal coordinates of cis and trans isomers. All one- and two-dimensional and a number of three-dimensional vibrational problems are solved to obtain the energy levels and vibrational eigenfunctions. The frequencies and intensities for the fundamental, overtone and some combination bands are determined in good agreement with the available experimental results. The calculation shows the strength of coupling between different vibrational modes and reveals the presence of strong resonances between the (v₁, v₃, v₆) and (v₁, v₃−1, v₆+2) states of cis-HONO. This fact may be important for understanding the energy redistribution between the intermolecular degrees of freedom. The magnitude and direction of vibrationally averaged ground-state dipole moment of both isomers, as well as the direction of transition dipole moments, are in good agreement with the experimental findings. The changes in the values of dipole moment and some geometrical parameters of cis- and trans-HONO on vibrational excitation are also computed.     

Structures and conformations of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, (CF3SO2)2O, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)difluoromethane, (CF3SO2)2CF2

The geometric structures and conformational properties of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, (CF₃SO₂)₂O, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)difluoromethane, (CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂ have been studied by gas electron diffraction (GED) and ab initio calculations (HF/3–21G*). The calculations predict for both systems two stable conformers with C₂ symmetry and one with C₁ symmetry. In both compounds structures with C₂ symmetry and dihedral angles SOSC ≈ 100° ((CF₃SO₂)₂O) and SCSC ≈ 150° ((CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂) are lowest in energy. According to the GED analyses the dominant conformer of (CF₃SO₂)₂O possesses C₂ symmetry with SOSC dihedral angles of 99.1(14)°. The presence of up to 30% of the two other conformers cannot be excluded; for (CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂ only one conformer with C₂ symmetry and SCSC dihedral angles of 143(2)° is observed. A complete set of geometric parameters is given.     

Concerning the crystal structure of BrF3·AuF3

Crystals of the adduct, BrF₃·AuF₃, are monoclinic, with: a=5.356(4) Å, b=5.766(4) Å, c=8.649(3) Å, β=101.39(4)°, V=261.8(5) Å³, z=2, D_c=4.96 g/cm³. An ordered structure in P2₁ was found, but is of low precision (R₁=0.082) because of crystal deformation. The structure has planar BrF₄ units sharing F ligands cis with planar AuF₄ groups, each AuF₄ being similarly linked to two BrF₄. This generates a ribbon, creased at the bridging F along y, the gold on one side of the crease, the bromine on the other. Such ribbons are stacked parallel along y, with nearest neighbors related by twofold screw axes. This sandwiches each AuF₄ strip of a ribbon symmetrically between like strips. These contacts between the Au-strips bring up, to each Au-atom, two “non-bridging Au–F ligands” of each of the two neighboring strips, to give eight coordination in F. The bromine side of the creased ribbon is unsymmetrically sandwiched between a screw-axis related relative, and the edge of a Au-containing strip oriented almost perpendicular to it. This brings two non-bridging F of the nearest-strip BrF₄ and two non-bridging F of the AuF₄ strip into the secondary cordination sphere of the Br atom. Raman spectra of the BrF₃·AuF₃, molecular BrF₃, and polymeric AuF₃ suggest that the Br–F and Au–F stretching vibrations of BrF₃·AuF₃ are shifted slightly from those of the parent BrF₃ and AuF₃, and indicate some BrF₂⁺AuF₄⁻ character.     

Ab initio molecular orbital study of potential energy surface for the H2NO(B1)→NO(Π)+H2 reaction

The mechanism of the H₂NO(²B₁)→NO(²Π)+H₂ reaction has been examined using ab initio molecular orbital methods. Ground-state and first-excited-state potential surfaces were plotted at the FOCI/cc-pVTZ level of theory as functions of two appropriate internal degrees of freedom. A conical intersection was found on the C_s pathway that is symmetric with respect to the plane perpendicular to the molecular plane of C_2v H₂NO(²B₁). It is therefore considered that trajectories that start from H₂NO(²B₁) towards the product region detour around the conical intersection, pass through the neighborhood of the transition state that is located at the saddle point on the C_s pathway, and finally reach the products, NO(²Π)+H₂. Thus we can explain the mechanism of the H₂NO(²B₁)→NO(²Π)+H₂ reaction, which has remained unclear to date.     

Measurement of atomic L shell fluorescence (ω1, ω2, ω3) and Auger (a1, a2 and a3) yields for some elements in the atomic number range 59≤Z≤85

A comprehensive set of theoretical Coster–Kronig and fluorescence yields are presented for atomic numbers 18≤Z≤100. These quantities are based on ab initio relativistic calculations. Agreement with experimental values is fair for ω₁ and generally good for ω₂, ω₃ (Z≥54) [1]. Therefore, atomic L shell fluorescence (ω₁, ω₂, ω₃) and Auger yields (a₁, a₂ and a₃) for some elements in the atomic number range 59≤Z≤85 were determined. These selected measured semi-empirical values were also fitted by least squares to polynomials in the Z of the form ∑_na_nZⁿ and compared with theoretical and with earlier fitted values.     

Structures and conformations of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, (CF3SO2)2O, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)difluoromethane, (CF3SO2)2CF2

The geometric structures and conformational properties of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, (CF₃SO₂)₂O, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)difluoromethane, (CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂ have been studied by gas electron diffraction (GED) and ab initio calculations (HF/3–21G*). The calculations predict for both systems two stable conformers with C₂ symmetry and one with C₁ symmetry. In both compounds structures with C₂ symmetry and dihedral angles SOSC ≈ 100° ((CF₃SO₂)₂O) and SCSC≈ 150° ((CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂ are lowest in energy. According to the GED analyses the dominant conformer of (CF₃SO₂)₂O₂ possesses C₂ symmetry with SOSC dihedral angles of 99.1(14)°. The presence of up to 30% of the two other conformers cannot be excluded; for (CF₃SO₂)₂CF₂ only one conformer with C₂ symmetry and SCSC dihedral angles of 143(2)° is observed. A complete set of geometric parameters is given.