Reactivity of hydrogen atoms with liquid water

The reactivity of hydrogen atoms with liquid water was investigated by determination of the final products obtained by the photolysis (λ = 184.9 nm) of two systems in the range pH 10 – 13: (a) OH⁻/N₂O/H₂O and (b) OH⁻/H₂O (air free). Based on the product yields of the two systems, non-linear fitting computations were performed including all possible reactions; a value of k(H + H₂O) = 10 ± 2 dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ was determined. The share of each individual reaction leading to the formation of H₂ was also deduced.     

Quenching of metastable hydrogen atoms by low energy collisions with hydrogen molecules: comparison of experiments with theory

The experimental velocity dependence of the quenching cross section of metastable H(2S) atoms in low energy collisions with hydrogen molecules is compared with theoretical calculations using the formalism of Gersten. This formalism takes into account possible changes of the molecular rotational energy and is in good agreement with experiments at low energies where other theories fail. A dependence of this cross section on the temperature of the molecular gas is predicted which is due to the temperature dependent population of the molecular rotational levels.     

Temperature dependence of the quasiclassical reactivity for vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules colliding with hydrogen atoms

A discussion of reactants vibrational energy and temperature dependence of reactive rate constants for the hydrogen atom hydrogen molecule reaction is presented for a matrix of values calculated at 0 < v <10 and temperatures in the range from 300 K to 4000 K. A parametrization ofthe results is attempted. A comparison with rate constant values obtained from an approximate quantum treatment is also reported.     

The reactions of energetic tritium atoms with water molecules

Hard sphere excitation functions are derived for the reactions of T atoms with H₂O molecules, and the results compared with the available experimental data.     

Rotational quenching of monodeuterated water by hydrogen molecules

Cross sections and rate coefficients for low lying rotational transitions in HDO induced by para and ortho-H(2) collisions are presented for the first time. Calculations have been performed at the close-coupling and coupled-states levels with the deuterated variant of the H(2)O-H(2) interaction potential of Valiron et al. [J. Chem. Phys., 2008, 129, 134306]. Rate coefficients are presented for temperatures between 5 and 100 K and are compared to the corresponding rates for H(2)O and D(2)O. Significant differences caused by the isotopic substitution, in particular the C(2v) symmetry breaking, are observed. Finally, our rates are found to be significantly larger (by up to three orders of magnitude at 50 K) than the corresponding HDO-He rates and should lead to a thorough re-estimation of the abundance of interstellar HDO.     

Vibrattonal excitation of molecules by collisions with “hot” hydrogen atoms from laser photolysis

Excimer laser (ArF) photolysis of diatomic and triatomic hydrides produces hydrogen atoms with translational energies in excess of 15000 cm^?1 per atom. Subsequent collisions of these “hot” atoms with CO₂ and N₂O produces vibrationally excited molecules which can be detected by their characteristic infrared emission.     

Low-temperature inelastic collisions between hydrogen molecules and helium atoms

Inelastic H(2):He collisions are studied from the experimental and theoretical points of view between 22 and 180 K. State-to-state cross sections and rates are calculated at the converged close-coupling level employing recent potential energy surfaces (PES): The MR-PES [J. Chem. Phys. 100, 4336 (1994)], and the MMR-PES and BMP-PESs [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 3187 (2003)]. The fundamental rates k(2-->0) and k(3-->1) for H(2):He collisions are assessed experimentally on the basis of a master equation describing the time evolution of rotational populations of H(2) in the vibrational ground state. These populations are measured in the paraxial region of supersonic jets of H(2)+He mixtures by means of high-sensitivity and high spatial resolution Raman spectroscopy. Good agreement between theory and experiment is found for the k(2-->0) rate derived from the MR-PES, but not for the BMP-PES. For the k(3-->1) rate, which is about one-third to one-half of k(2-->0), the result is less conclusive. The experimental k(3-->1) rate is compatible within experimental error with the values calculated from both PESs. In spite of this uncertainty, the global consistence of experiment and theory in the framework of Boltzmann equation supports the MR-PES and MMR-PESs, and the set of gas-dynamic equations employed to describe the paraxial region of the jet at a molecular level.     

On the representation of atoms and molecules as self-interacting field with internal structure

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation with Gaussian convolution kernel K₂ induces the group SU₃ with reference to the classification of the multiplet structure of the eigenstates. Such a field can be used to describe some atoms (where the outermost electrons are related tos-orbitals) as a self-interacting, extended particle with an internal structure. In the case of those atoms, where the valence electrons are described byp-orbitals, and almost all molecules the Gaussian kernel K₂ has to be generalized by Hermite polynomials. By that, we can formulate a nonlinear field theory, establishing the spatial symmetry of a system via basis structure functions. Thus the symmetry represents the most essential starting-point for treating molecules as quasi-particles with an internal structure. It will be shown that there is some connection with the concept of chirality functions and the Ginzburg — Landau theory of super-conductivity. The latter theory indicates that we can consider the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and its generalizations as a classical field theory being associated with phase transitions.     

Production of negatively charged fragments in collisions of swift positive hydrogen ions with molecules

A first detection and analysis of negatively charged fragments produced in collisions of fast (20–150 keV) positive hydrogen ions (H⁺, H ₂ ⁺ and H ₃ ⁺ ) with gas-phase molecules is presented. The fragments and their abundances were determined by means of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Negative ions did emerge from every investigated target molecule species, such as halomethanes, sulfur hexafluoride, propane and propene, but in all cases with distinctly lower probability (cross sections in the range 10^?20?10^?18 cm²) than positively charged fragments (approximately on the scale 10^?3 or even less). Another essential result is that stable collisionally induced negative fragments are mostly monatomic ions, whereas positive fragments are in their majority more complex polyatomic ions. Furthermore, we observed a direct electron capture from a positively charged but not totally stripped projectile (here: H ₂ ⁺ and H ₃ ⁺ ) into stable or very longlived states of the molecular ions SF ₆ ^? and O ₂ ^? , the latter with the largest cross section (10^?18?10^?17 cm²) found up to now.     

Pseudopotential studies of the water and hydrogen fluoride molecules

A model pseudopotential is used to calculate valence electron properties for H₂O and HF. The calculated geometries, force constants, and ionization potentials are in excellent agreement with the results of corresponding all-electron calculations.     

Communication: Rotational excitation of interstellar heavy water by hydrogen molecules

Cross sections and rate coefficients for low lying rotational transitions in D(2)O induced by para-H(2) collisions are presented for the first time. Calculations have been performed at the close-coupling level with the deuterated variant of the H(2)O-H(2) interaction potential of Valiron et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 129, 134306 (2008)]. Rate coefficients are presented for temperatures between 1 and 30 K and are compared to the corresponding rate coefficients for H(2)O. Significant differences caused by the isotopic substitution are observed and are attributed to both kinematics and intramolecular geometry effects. Astrophysical implications are briefly discussed in view of the very recent detection of D(2)O by the Herschel Space Observatory.     

Reaction of hydrogen atoms with hydroxide ions in high-temperature and high-pressure water

The rate constant for the reaction of hydrogen atoms (H(*)) with hydroxide ions (OH(-)) in aqueous solution has been measured from 100 to 300 degrees C by direct measurement of the hydrated electron ((e(-))(aq)) product growth rate. In combining these measurements with previous results, the reaction is observed to display Arrhenius behavior in two separate temperature regions, 3-100 and 100-330 degrees C, where the data above 100 degrees C show an obvious decrease in activation energy from 38.2 +/- 0.6 to 25.4 +/- 0.8 kJ mol(-1). The value of the rate constant is smaller than that estimated previously in the 200-300 degrees C range. The very unusual activation energy behavior of the forward and backward reactions is discussed in the context of transition state theory.     

The role of rotation in the vibrational relaxation of water by hydrogen molecules

Vibrational relaxation cross sections of the H(2)O(upsilon(2) = 1) bending mode by H(2) molecules are calculated on a recent high-accuracy ab initio potential-energy surface using quasiclassical trajectory calculations. The role of molecular rotation is investigated at a collisional energy of 3500 cm(-1) and it is shown that initial rotational excitation significantly enhances the total (rotationally summed) vibrational relaxation cross sections. A strong and complex dependence on the orientation of the water angular momentum is also observed, suggesting the key role played by the asymmetry of water. Despite the intrinsic limitations of classical mechanics, these exploratory results suggest that quantum approximations based on a complete decoupling of rotation and vibration, such as the widely used vibrational close-coupling (rotational) infinite-order-sudden method, would significantly underestimate rovibrationally inelastic cross sections. We also present some rationale for the absence of dynamical chaos in the scattering process.     

Nodal structure of the electronic Wigner function of many-electron atoms and molecules

On the example of several atomic and small molecular systems, the regular behavior of nodal patterns in the electronic one-particle reduced Wigner function is demonstrated. An expression found earlier relates the nodal pattern solely to the dot-product of the position and the momentum vector, if both arguments are large. An argument analogous to the “bond-oscillatory principle” for momentum densities links the nuclear framework in a molecule to an additional oscillatory term in momenta parallel to bonds. It is shown that these are visible in the Wigner function in terms of characteristic nodes. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Computational study of the interaction of indole-like molecules with water and hydrogen sulfide

The characteristics of the interaction between water and hydrogen sulfide with indole and a series of analogs obtained by substituting the NH group of indole by different heteroatoms have been studied by means of ab initio calculations. In all cases, minima were found corresponding to structures where water and hydrogen sulfide interact by means of X-H···π contacts. The interaction energies for all these π complexes are quite similar, spanning from -13.5 to -18.8 kJ/mol, and exhibiting the stability sequence NH > CH(2) ≈ PH > Se ≈ S > O, for both water and hydrogen sulfide. Though interaction energies are similar, hydrogen sulfide complexes are slightly favored over their water counterparts when interacting with the π cloud. σ-Type complexes were also considered for the systems studied, but only in the case of water complexes this kind of complexes is relevant. Only for complexes formed by water and indole, a significantly more stable σ-type complex was found with an interaction energy amounting to -23.6 kJ/mol. Oxygen and phosphorous derivatives also form σ-type complexes of similar stability as that observed for π ones. Despite the similar interaction energies exhibited by complexes with water and hydrogen sulfide, the nature of the interaction is very different. For π complexes with water the main contributions to the interaction energy are electrostatic and dispersive contributing with similar amounts, though slightly more from electrostatics. On the contrary, in hydrogen sulfide complexes dispersion is by far the main stabilizing contribution. For the σ-type complexes, the interaction is clearly dominated by the electrostatic contribution, especially in the indole-water complex.     

The spin population difference of hydrogen atoms dissociated from mercury hydride molecules

The spin population difference between m(s) = 1/2 and - 1/2, (malpha - mbeta)(t) of the hydrogen atoms dissociated from the mercury hydride molecules is calculated as a function of time for the reaction of Hg* + H2 in a magnetic field. Starting from zero value, the population difference increases to a certain limit that is equal to the room temperature population difference. The H/D electron spin resonance (ESR) signal ratio obtained from the isotopic experiment, Hg* + H2/D2, is also explained by comparing the ratio of (malpha - mbeta)H(t) and (malpha - mbeta)D(t). The isotopic effect is interpreted to originate mostly from spin-rotation constant energies of mercury hydride molecules.     

On the hydrogen bonding between water and ammonia molecules

The hydrogen bond N·HO between the water and ammonia molecules has been investigated ab initio using the SCF LCAO MO method. The minimal and extended basis sets of Slater type orbitals were used. It was found that the energy of the hydrogen bond is equal to 6.44 kcal/mole and the equilibrium separation of the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the dimer is 5.72 au. At this intermolecular distance there is only one minimum in the potential energy curve for the motion of proton.     

Relationship between the critical points found by the electron localization function and atoms in molecules approaches in adducts with hydrogen bonds

In this work, 11 adducts with hydrogen bonds were studied by using the B3LYP exchange-correlation functional of the Kohn-Sham approach and the M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory MP2. With both approaches, the geometry of each adduct was optimized with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. The binding energies of the considered systems, found by the MP2 method, range from 1.2 to 8.3 kcal/mol. By using the atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis and the electron localization function (ELF) we found that the critical points positions characteristic of hydrogen bonds obtained by AIM and ELF are very similar each other. Besides, we found a linear correlation between the critical points positions found by AIM and those obtained by ELF with the B3LYP method and also with the MP2 method. The slope of such a linear relationship was close to 1 and the y-intercept close to 0.     

Scattering of nitrogen molecules by silver atoms

We present a quantal study of the rotationally elastic and inelastic scattering of Ag and N(2), with the nitrogen molecule treated as a rigid rotor. The two-dimensional potential energy surface of the AgN(2) complex is obtained ab initio by means of the spin unrestricted coupled-cluster method with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations. The global minimum is found to be located at an internuclear distance of 8.13 a(0) and an angle of 127.2°. The long-range part of the potential is constructed from the dynamic electric dipole polarizabilities of Ag and N(2). Elastic, excitation, and relaxation cross sections and rates are calculated for energies between 0.1 and 5000 cm(-1). The momentum transfer cross sections and rates are also computed. Finally, we compare the cross sections for Ag-N(2) and Na-N(2) to explore the possibility of using silver instead of sodium in experimental tests.     

The contribution of water molecules to the hydrogen evolution reaction

Traditionally,water molecules act as solvents in most chemical reactions,whereas they act as solvents and reactants in the alkaline electrolyte for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).It is well known that there is a current plateau in the linear potential–current dependence for HER in neutral or near-neutral electrolytes,showing that the HER is governed by the mass transport of reactive hydronium species at a given overpotential.The sharp rise in the current signal after the plateau at a sligh...