Molecules in high spin states II: the pure rotational spectrum of MnF (XΣ)

The pure rotational spectrum of MnF has been measured in its X⁷Σ⁺ ground state using millimeter/sub-millimeter direct absorption methods. Five and six rotational transitions, respectively, were recorded for this radical in its v=0 and v=1 states in the range 338–630 GHz. MnF was created from SF₆ and manganese vapor, produced in a Broida-type oven. The species exhibited a complex pattern where the fine and ⁵⁵Mn and ¹⁹F hyperfine structures are intermixed. Rotational, spin–rotation, spin–spin and hyperfine parameters have been determined for MnF. These constants have been interpreted in terms of bonding and electronic structure in metal fluorides.     

The rotational spectrum of the NiI radical in the X 2Delta(5/2) and A 2Pi(3/2) states

The millimeter- and submillimeter-wave spectra of the NiI radical in the X (2)Delta(5/2) and A (2)Pi(3/2) states were observed by a source-modulated microwave spectrometer. The NiI radical was generated by a dc glow discharge in the mixture of CH(3)I vapor and Ar gas through the sputtering reaction with a Ni cathode. Observed transition frequencies for each electronic state were independently analyzed using a polynomial energy expression based on Hund's case (c) approximation. The deperturbed rotational constants were also estimated by the perturbation analysis including interaction terms between the ground state and the lowest excited state.     

Measurements of density and sticking probability of CN(X(2)Sigma(+)) radicals by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy

CN(X(2)Sigma(+)) radicals were produced by the decomposition of BrCN with the microwave discharge flow of Ar under the conditions of Ar pressure in the range of 0.40-0.70 Torr. The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra of the CN(A(2)Pi(i)-X(2)Sigma(+)), 4-0, 5-1, and 7-2 bands were observed, and their intensities were calibrated against Rayleigh-scattering intensity by Ar atoms, from which the CN(X(2)Sigma(+)) radical density (n(CN(X))) was determined as (0.67+/-0.25) x 10(18) to (4.42+/-0.83) x 10(18) m(-3). Hydrogenated amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN(x):H) films were formed by depositing the CN(X(2)Sigma(+)) radicals on Si substrates in the same reaction system as LIF. The sticking probability (s) of the CN(X(2)Sigma(+)) radicals onto the a-CN(x):H films was determined by using n(CN(X)), the flow speed, and the weight (w) of a-CN(x):H. The s value was determined as (6.4+/-6.4) x 10(-2) to (2.5+/-1.2) x 10(-2), where the errors are predominantly determined by those in n(CN(X)) and w. The procedure described in the present study will provide a methodology to determine the sticking probability of the precursor radicals of the film formation based on the gas-phase LIF spectroscopy.     

Raising the spin of Fe(III)7 disklike clusters: the power of molecular spin frustration

Two clusters with a new type of Fe(III)(7) disklike structure have been prepared; in contrast to other Fe(III)(7) disks, they possess high ground-state spins (S = (15)/(2) and (21)/(2)), which have been rationalized by analysis of the spin-frustration patterns.     

On the structure and spin states of Fe(III)-EDDHA complexes

DFT methods are suitable for predicting both the geometries and spin states of EDDHA-Fe(III) complexes. Thus, extensive DFT computational studies have shown that the racemic-Fe(III) EDDHA complex is more stable than the meso isomer, regardless of the spin state of the central iron atom. A comparison of the energy values obtained for the complexes under study has also shown that high-spin (S = 5/2) complexes are more stable than low-spin (S = 1/2) ones. These computational results matched the experimental results of the magnetic susceptibility values of both isomers. In both cases, their behavior has been fitted as being due to isolated high-spin Fe(III) in a distorted octahedral environment. The study of the correlation diagram also confirms the high-spin iron in complex 2b. The geometry optimization of these complexes performed with the standard 3-21G* basis set for hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen and the Hay-Wadt small-core effective core potential (ECP) including a double-xi valence basis set for iron, followed by single-point energy refinement with the 6-31G* basis set, is suitable for predicting both the geometries and the spin-states of EDDHA-Fe(III) complexes. The presence of a high-spin iron in Fe(III)-EDDHA complexes could be the key to understanding their lack of reactivity in electron-transfer processes, either chemically or electrochemically induced, and their resistance to photodegradation.     

Correlation of spin states and spin delocalization with the dioxygen reactivity of catecholatoiron(III) complexes

A series of catecholatoiron(III) complexes, [Fe(III)L(4Cl-cat)]BPh4 (L = (4-MeO)2TPA (1), TPA (2), (4-Cl)2TPA (3), (4-NO2)TPA (4), (4-NO2)2TPA (5); TPA = tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine; 4Cl-cat = 4-chlorocatecholate), have been characterized by magnetic susceptibility measurements and EPR, 1H NMR, and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopies to clarify the correlation of the spin delocalization on the catecholate ligand with the O2 reactivity as well as the spin-state dependence of the O2 reactivity. EPR spectra in frozen CH3CN at 123 K clearly showed that introduction of electron-withdrawing groups effectively shifts the spin equilibrium from a high-spin to a low-spin state. The effective magnetic moments determined by the Evans method in a CH3CN solution showed that 5 contains 36% of low-spin species at 243 K, while 1-4 are predominantly in a high-spin state. Evaluation of spin delocalization on the 4Cl-cat ligand by paramagnetic 1H NMR shifts revealed that the semiquinonatoiron(II) character is more significant in the low-spin species than in the high-spin species. The logarithm of the reaction rate constant is linearly correlated with the energy gap between the catecholatoiron(III) and semiquinonatoiron(II) states for the high-spin complexes 1-3, although complexes 4 and 5 deviate negatively from linearity. The lower reactivity of the low-spin complex, despite its higher spin density on the catecholate ligand compared with the high-spin analogues, suggests the involvement of the iron(III) center, rather than the catecholate ligand, in the reaction with O2.     

The electron spin polarized (CIDEP) spectrum of the propan-2-olyl radical

It is demonstrated that the origin of the absorptive contribution observed in the spin polarized esr spectrum of the propan-2-olyl radical when it is created by flash-photolysis of propan-2-one (acetone) in a hydrogen-donating solvent is not the triplet mechanism of CIDEP, as previously assumed. It is shown to arise not in the photochemistry or photophysics of the parent molecule, but rather to be a property of the radical pair itself. Arguments are presented to demonstrate that its origins may lie in an unidentified novel polarization process, rather than the possible redistribution of level populations via very fast relaxation processes.     

Application of direct potential fitting to line position data for the X (1)Sigma(+) and A (1)Sigma(+) states of LiH

A collection of 9089 spectroscopic LiH line positions, of widely varying precision, which sample 84.9% and 98.6% of the A and X state well depths, respectively, have been employed in a direct least-squares fit of the effective potential energy and Born-Oppenheimer breakdown functions for the two states. For the four isotopomers (6)LiH, (7)LiH, (6)LiD, and (7)LiD, the data comprise both pure rotational and vibration-rotational transitions within the ground state, as well as rotationally resolved transitions in the A-X system. Despite the unusual shape and associated anomalous properties of the A state potential, no special features or considerations were required in the direct potential fitting approach. The reduced standard deviation of the fit was close to unity, indicating that the quantum mechanical eigenvalues calculated from the fully analytical functions of the Hamiltonians of the two states, which are characterized by a total of only 53 fitted parameters, represent the line positions, on average, to within the estimated uncertainties. A quantum mechanical calculation of the molecular constants G(nu), B(nu), D(nu), H(nu), L(nu), M(nu), N(nu), and O(nu) from the fitted potential for the A state of (7)LiH confirms that the usual polynomial expansion in J(J+1) is an unsatisfactory representation for the rotational terms of the lowest vibrational levels.     

The Sigma(-) states of the molecular hydrogen

A class of doubly excited electronic states of the hydrogen molecule is reported. The states are of Sigma(-) symmetry and are located ca. 200,000 cm(-1) above the ground state and about 75,000 cm(-1) above the ionization threshold. The electronic wave functions employed to described these states have been expanded in the basis of exponentially correlated Gaussian (ECG) functions with the nonlinear parameters variationally optimized. The lowest (3)Sigma and (1)Sigma states dissociate into hydrogen atoms in the n = 2 state, whereas the lowest (3)Sigma and (1)Sigma states have H(n = 2) and H(n = 3) as the dissociation products. All the four states are attractive and accommodate vibrational levels. The location of the vibrational energy levels has been determined by solving the radial Schr?dinger equation within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation.     

Comparison of density functionals for the study of the high spin low spin gap in Fe(III) spin crossover complexes

A detailed investigation of the accuracy of different quantum mechanical methods for the study of iron(III) spin crossover complexes is presented. The energy spin state gap between the high and low spin states; ΔE (HS‐LS) of nine iron(III) quinolylsalicylaldiminate complexes were calculated with nine different DFT functionals, then compared. DFT functionals: B3LYP, B3LYP‐D3, B3LYP*, BH&HLYP, BP86, OLYP, OPBE, M06L, and TPSSh were tested with six basis sets: 3‐21G*, dgdzvp, 6‐31G**, cc‐pVDZ, Def2TZVP, and cc‐pVTZ. The cations from the X‐ray crystal structures of [Fe(qsal‐OMe)₂]Cl·MeCN·H₂O, [Fe(qsal‐OMe)₂]Cl·2MeOH·0.5H₂O, [Fe(qsal‐OMe)₂]BF₄·MeOH, [Fe(qsal‐OMe)₂]NCS·CH₂Cl₂, [Fe(qsal‐F)₂]NCS, [Fe(qsal‐Cl)₂]NCS·MeOH, [Fe(qsal‐Br)₂]NCS·MeOH, [Fe(qsal‐I)₂]OTf·MeOH, and [Fe(qsal)₂]NCS?CH₂Cl₂ were used as starting structures. The results show that B3LYP, B3LYP‐D3, OLYP, and OPBE with a 6‐31G**, Def2TZVP, and cc‐pVTZ basis set give reasonable results of ΔE (HS‐LS) compared with the experimental data. The enthalpy of [Fe(qsal‐I)₂]⁺ calculated with an OLYP functional and cc‐pVTZ basis set (1.48 kcal/mol) most closely matches the experimental data (1.34 kcal/mol). B3LYP* yields an enthalpy of 5.92 kcal/mol suggesting it may be unsuitable for these Fe(III) complexes, mirroring recent results by Kepp (Inorg . Chem ., 2016, 55 , 2717–2727).     

Superoxide anion radical generation in the NaOH/H(2)O(2)/Fe(III) system: a spin trapping ESR study

Formation of free radical intermediates in a NaOH/H(2)O(2)/Fe(III) system has been studied by ESR spectroscopy in the presence of the spin trap 5,5-dimethy-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). DMPO/O(2(*) ) (-) and DMPO/(*)OH signals were simultaneously detected in this system, but only the DMPO/(*)OH signal could be observed in the absence of Fe(III). Effects of pH values and Fe(III) concentrations on the ESR signal intensities were investigated in detail. Formation of DMPO/O(2(*) ) (-) adduct was inhibited by the addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase or nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT), and by chelating the Fe(III) with some chelators, including ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and desferrioxamine (DFO). Deoxygenation from the NaOH/H(2)O(2)/Fe(III) mixture had a slight effect on the formation of DMPO/O(2(*) ) (-). DMPO/O(2(*) ) (-) signal was also detected from the NaOH/H(2)O(2)/Fe(II) mixture, but it can be totally suppressed under anaerobic conditions. Considering the hydrolysis of Fe(III) into polymerization iron species with oxide phases in the alkaline medium, Fe(2)O(3) was directly suspended into a mixture of NaOH/H(2)O(2) for comparison. Fortunately, the presence of Fe(2)O(3) suspension was found to be of benefit to the production of DMPO/O(2(*) ) (-). Influence of aging time of hydrolytic iron species on the superoxide anion radical generation was also studied. These results suggest that the generation of O(2(*) ) (-) from the NaOH/H(2)O(2)/Fe(III) system was probably caused by the heterogeneous surface catalysis initiated by hydrolytic iron species.     

Ab initio analytical potential energy surface and quasiclassical trajectory study of the O(+)((4)S)+H(2)(X (1)Sigma(g) (+))-->OH(+)(X (3)Sigma(-))+H((2)S) reaction and isotopic variants

An analytical potential energy surface (PES) representation of the O(+)((4)S)+H(2)(X (1)Sigma(g) (+)) system was developed by fitting around 600 CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ ab initio points. Rate constant calculations for this reaction and its isotopic variants (D(2) and HD) were performed using the quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method, obtaining a good agreement with experimental data. Calculations conducted to determine the cross section of the title reaction, considering collision energies (E(T)) below 0.3 eV, also led to good accord with experiments. This PES appears to be suitable for kinetics and dynamics studies. Moreover, the QCT results show that, although the hypotheses of a widely used capture model are not satisfied, the resulting expression for the cross section can be applied within a suitable E(T) interval, due to errors cancellation. This could be a general situation regarding the application of this simple model to ion-molecule processes.     

Perturbation analysis for the rotational spectrum of the NiBr radical in the X2Pi3/2 and A2Delta5/2 states

The millimeter- and submillimeter-wave spectra of the NiBr radical in the X (2)Pi(3/2) and A (2)Delta(5/2) states were observed by a source-modulated microwave spectrometer. The NiBr radical was generated in a dc glow discharge through the mixture of Br(2) vapor and Ar gas by the sputtering reaction with a Ni cathode. Observed transition frequencies were independently analyzed for both electronic states using a standard polynomial expression of a Hund's case (c) approximation. Anomalous behavior of the effective molecular constants in the X (2)Pi(3/2) state was interpreted as the result of the perturbation between the X (2)Pi(3/2) and A (2)Delta(5/2) states. The deperturbed molecular constants were derived using a simplified supermultiplet Hamiltonian including the interaction terms between the two electronic states.     

Completing the 3d metal fluoride series: the pure rotational spectrum of ZnF (X2Sigma+)

The pure rotational spectrum of the ZnF radical has been recorded in the range of 176-527 GHz using millimeter/submillimeter direct absorption techniques. This study is the first gas-phase spectroscopic investigation of this species. Between 5 and 11 transitions were measured for each of five isotopologues of this radical (64ZnF, 66ZnF, 67ZnF, 68ZnF, and 70ZnF) in the ground and several excited vibrational (v=1, 2, and 3) states. Each transition consists of spin-rotation doublets with a splitting of approximately 150 MHz, indicating that the electronic ground state of ZnF is 2Sigma+, as predicted by theory. Fluorine hyperfine splitting was observed in three isotopologues (64ZnF, 66ZnF, and 67ZnF), and hyperfine structure from the zinc-67 nucleus (I=52) was additionally resolved in 67ZnF. Rotational, fine structure, and 19F and 67Zn hyperfine constants were determined for ZnF, as well as equilibrium parameters. The bond length of the main isotopologue 64ZnF was calculated to be re=1.7677 A. Evaluation of the hyperfine constants indicates that the sigma orbital containing the unpaired electron is approximately 80% 4s(Zn) in character with approximately 10% contributions from each of the 2p(F) and 4p(Zn) orbitals. These results imply that ZnF is somewhat less ionic than CaF, as suggested by theory.     

A millimeter/sub-millimeter-wave spectroscopic study of the FeCl radical (XΔi)

Pure rotational spectroscopy of the FeCl radical (X⁶Δ_i) has been carried out using millimeter/sub-millimeter direct absorption techniques. The species was created by the reaction of chlorine with iron vapor. All six spin-orbit components were observed in the majority of the twenty-one rotational transition recorded. Chlorine hyperfine structure was resolved in the Ω = 9/2 and 7/2 components, and lambda-type doubling observed in the Ω = 3/21/2, and −1/2 ladders. The data were analyzed with a ⁶Δ Hamiltonian, and rotational, fine structure, lambda-doubling, and hyperfine parameters determined. The hyperfine and lambda-doubling interactions in FeCl appear to be different from those in the FeF radical.     

Hyperfine structures of the 2 (3)Sigma(g) (+), 3 (3)Sigma(g) (+), and 4 (3)Sigma(g) (+) states of Na(2)

The hyperfine structures of the 2 (3)Sigma(g) (+), 3 (3)Sigma(g) (+), and 4 (3)Sigma(g) (+) states of Na(2) have been resolved with sub-Doppler continuous wave perturbation facilitated optical-optical double resonance spectroscopy via A (1)Sigma(u) (+) approximately b (3)Pi(u) mixed intermediate levels. The hyperfine patterns of these three states are similar. The hyperfine splittings of the low rotational levels are all very close to the case b(betaS) limit. As the rotational quantum number increases, the hyperfine splittings become more complicated and the coupling cases become intermediate between cases b(betaS) and b(beta J) due to spin-rotation interaction. We present a detailed analysis of the hyperfine structures of these three (3)Sigma(g) (+) states, employing both case b(betaS) and b(beta J) coupling basis sets. The results show that the hyperfine splittings of the (3)Sigma(g) (+) states are mainly due to the Fermi-contact interaction. The Fermi contact constants for the two d sigma Rydberg states, the 2 (3)Sigma(g) (+) and 4 (3)Sigma(g) (+), are 245+/-5 MHz and 225+/-5 MHz, respectively, while the Fermi contact constant of the s sigma 3 (3)Sigma(g) (+) Rydberg state is 210+/-5 MHz. The diagonal spin-spin and spin-rotation constants, and nuclear spin-electronic spin dipolar interaction parameters of the 3 (3)Sigma(g) (+) and 4 (3)Sigma(g) (+) states are also obtained.     

High‐spin states in tetrahedral X4 clusters (X = H,Li, Na,K)

The high‐spin electronic states for lithium, sodium, and potassium four‐atom clusters were studied. In particular, we performed coupled cluster geometry optimization of the quintet state in tetrahedral geometry. The quintet state of these systems is characterized by having all the valence electron unpaired, giving rise to the so‐called no‐pair bonding. Single‐point full configuration interaction computations on the equilibrium geometries for the various clusters are also presented. The analysis of the valence orbitals in a localized representation confirms the importance of the p atomic orbitals to explain this unusual type of bond. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Electronic spectrum of the AlC(2) radical

An electronic transition of the AlC2 radical (C2v structure) has been observed using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The molecule was prepared in a supersonic expansion by ablation of an aluminum rod in the presence of acetylene gas. A spectrum was recorded in the 451-453 nm region and assigned to the C 2B2-X 2A1 system (T0 = 22,102.7 cm(-1)) based on a rotational analysis and agreement with calculated molecular parameters and excitation energies. Ab initio results obtained using couple cluster methods are in accord with previous theoretical work which concludes that ground-state AlC2 possesses a T-shaped C2v 2A1 geometry, with the linear 2Sigma+ AlCC isomer 0.70 eV higher in energy. A fit of the experimental spectrum yields rotational constants in the ground and electronically excited states that are in reasonable agreement with the calculated values: A' = 1.7093(107), B' = 0.4052(50), C' = 0.3228(49) cm(-1) for the X 2A1 state, and A' = 1.5621(137), B' = 0.4028(46), C' = 0.3201(54) cm(-1) for C 2B2. Variation in individual fluorescence lifetimes suggests that the emitting C 2B2 state undergoes rovibronic mixing with lower lying electronic states.     

Full configuration interaction potential energy curves for the X (1)Sigma(g) (+), B (1)Delta(g), and B(') (1)Sigma(g) (+) states of C(2): a challenge for approximate methods

The C(2) molecule exhibits unusual bonding and several low-lying excited electronic states, making the prediction of its potential energy curves a challenging test for quantum chemical methods. We report full configuration interaction results for the X (1)Sigma(g) (+), B (1)Delta(g), and B(') (1)Sigma(g) (+) states of C(2), which exactly solve the electronic Schrodinger equation within the space spanned by a 6-31G( *) basis set. Within the D(2h) subgroup used by most electronic structure programs, these states all have the same symmetry ((1)A(g)), and all three states become energetically close for interatomic distances beyond 1.5 A. The quality of several single-reference ab initio methods is assessed by comparison to the benchmark results. Unfortunately, even coupled-cluster theory through perturbative triples using an unrestricted Hartree-Fock reference exhibits large nonparallelity errors (>20 kcal mol(-1)) for the ground state. The excited states are not accurately modeled by any commonly used single-reference method, nor by configuration interaction including full quadruple substitutions. The present benchmarks will be helpful in assessing theoretical methods designed to break bonds in ground and excited electronic states.