Quantum mechanical study of electronic transitions in collinear atom—diatom collisions

Quantum mechanical calculations are reported for model, nonreactive, collinear collision systems composed of the H₂ diatom and the halogen atom X = F, Cl, Br or I. The model involves two electronic potential energy surfaces, obtained in a diatomics-in-molecules formulation, that correspond asymptotically to the two spin-orbit states of X. On each surface the calculations include as many vibrational states of H₂ as are asymptotically allowed, up to a limiting number of five. The first two collision systems, FH₂ and ClH₂, are characterized by electronic splittings much smaller than any vibrational spacing included in the diatom spectrum, and as a result they show a high degree of vibrational elasticity with essentially all transition activity testricted to spin—orbit switching in the halogen. This pattern is broken for BrH₂ collisions, where the near-equality between electronic and vibrational quanta apparently leads to a resonant exchange of energy between the two modes. The greater spinorbit splitting in iodine (～ 2 vibrational quanta) results in largely elastic behavior in IH₂ collisions for both vibrational and electronic transitions. A modified Massey criterion is exhibited for some of the FH₂ and BrH₂ transitions.     

Intramolecular vibrational dynamics of diacetylene and diacetylene-d1 via eigenstate-resolved overtone spectroscopy

The high resolution spectra of several CH overtone bands in diacetylene and diacetylene-d₁ were measured using optothermally detected excitation of a collimated molecular beam. The first overtone of the acetylenic CH stretches in these two molecules were recorded in a single resonance scheme using a 1.5 μm color center laser. The second overtone spectra were taken using sequential infrared/infrared double resonance with a 3.0 and a 1.5 μm color center lasers. The perturbations in the spectra have been analyzed to obtain information about the nature and timescales of the underlying intramolecular vibrational redistribution processes. The uncovered dynamical features appear to be dominated by anharmonic couplings and exhibit regular, not chaotic, behavior. The first and second overtone spectra of diacetylene-d₁ are consistent with a coupling model which involves coupling through a doorway state and then subsequent coupling to the bath. In diacetylene, a combination band was also recorded which, in the local mode picture, is equivalent to putting two quanta in one acetylenic CH stretch and one quanta at the other end of the molecule. Comparison of this spectrum with the spectrum obtained by putting three quanta in the same CH stretch, is consistent with earlier observations that delocalized combination bands are less perturbed than nearly isoenergetic pure overtone states.     

Infrared spectra of X-.CO(2).Ar cluster anions (X=Cl,Br,I)

Ion-molecule clusters of the heavier halide anions X-.CO(2) (X=Cl-,Br-,I-) with CO2 have been studied by gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy, using Ar evaporation from the complexes X-.CO2.Ar upon infrared excitation. We observe that the asymmetric stretch vibrational mode of the CO(2) molecule is red-shifted from the frequency of free CO2, with the red-shift increasing toward the lighter halide ions. A similar trend is repeated in the region of the Fermi resonance of the combination bands of the asymmetric stretch vibration with two quanta of the bending vibration and the symmetric stretch vibration. We discuss our findings in the framework of ab initio and density functional theory calculations.     

The Huggins band of ozone: assignment of hot bands

The "hot bands" of the Huggins band of ozone are assigned, in both the 218 K and the 295 K spectrum. The assignment is based on intensities calculated with three-dimensional vibrational wave functions for the electronic ground state (X) and the excited state (B). The hot-band structures in the 218 K spectrum all can be assigned to transitions starting from vibrational states with one quantum of stretching excitation in the ground electronic state. The 295 K spectrum shows new structures, which are due to transitions originating from vibrational states in the X state with two quanta of excitation of the stretching modes--despite very small Boltzmann factors. All structures in the low-energy range of the 295 K spectrum, even the very weak ones, thus can be uniquely interpreted. The significance of hot bands results from the strong increase of Franck-Condon factors with excitation of the stretching modes in both the lower and/or the upper electronic states, whose equilibrium bond lengths differ significantly.     

B(2)A(')-X(2)A(') detection of vibrationally excited HCO produced by the O((3)P)+C(2)H(4) reaction

The distribution of rotational and vibrational energy in HCO produced by the O((3)P)+C(2)H(4) reaction has been measured using laser-induced fluorescence detection via the B(2)A(')-X(2)A(') transition. Over a detection wavelength range of 248-290 nm, our experiments have shown that HCO is formed in both the ground state and in at least six vibrationally excited states with up to two quanta of energy in the C-O stretch and the bending mode. Dispersed fluorescence experiments were conducted to positively assign all of the HCO vibrational bands. The experiments confirmed that many bands, including the B(000)-X(000) band, are affected by overlap with other HCO bands. Spectral modeling was used to separate the contributions of overlapping HCO B-X bands and to determine a nascent HCO rotational temperature of approximately 600 K, corresponding to approximately 6% of the total energy from the O((3)P)+C(2)H(4) reaction. HCO vibrational distributions were determined for two different average collision energies and were fit with vibrational temperatures of 1850+/-80 K and 2000+/-100 K, corresponding to approximately 15% of the total energy. The observed Boltzmann distribution of vibrational energy in HCO indicates that HCO and CH(3) are formed by the dissociation of an energized intermediate complex.     

Experimental and theoretical studies of the vibrational spectra of cis-1-bromo-2-fluoroethene

The gas-phase infrared spectrum of cis-1-bromo-2-fluoroethene has been studied at low resolution in the range 200-6500 cm(-1), leading to a complete assignment of the fundamentals, except the lowest vibrational mode nu9 predicted at 167 cm(-1). The remaining vibrational structure has been mainly interpreted in terms of first overtone or two quanta combination bands. Isotopic (79/91)Br shift has been observed only in the nu8 fundamental. The equilibrium structure and the quadratic force field have been investigated theoretically at CCSD(T) level of theory employing Dunning's correlation consistent triple-zeta basis set. Cubic and semidiagonal quartic force field have been calculated using second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory and Ahlrich' split valence (SV) contracted basis set. After a minor scaled quantum mechanical (SQM) adjustment of the quadratic force constants, the vibrational analysis, based on the second-order perturbation theory, has been carried out with the calculated force constants.     

Stepwise two-photon excitation of molecular iodine: the E state vindicated

The E ↔ B system of iodine has been examined by a stepwise two-photon process in which iodine molecules are excited first to individual vibrational—rotational levels of the B state, then to E state vibrational bands. In contrast to an earlier two-photon study by Danyluk and King, our data support the analysis of the emission spectra given by Wieland et al.     

Density functional theory study of vibronic structure of the first absorption Qx band in free-base porphin

Harmonic vibrational frequencies and vibronic intensities in the first S(0)-->S(1) (pipi( *)) absorption band of free-base porphin (H(2) P) are investigated by hybrid density functional theory (DFT) with the standard B3LYP functional. The S(0)-S(1) transition probability is calculated using time-dependent DFT with account of Franck-Condon (FC) and Herzberg-Teller (HT) contributions to the electric-dipole transition moments including displacements along all 108 vibrational modes. Two weak wide bands observed in the gas phase absorption spectra of the H(2) P molecule at 626 and 576 nm are interpreted as the 0-0 band of the X(1) A(g)-->1B(3u) transition and the 0-1 band with largest contributions from the nu(10)(a(g))=1610 cm(-1) and nu(19)(b(1g))=1600 cm(-1) modes, respectively, in agreement with previous tentative assignments. Both bands are induced by the HT mechanism, while the FC contributions are negligible. A number of fine structure bands, including combination of two vibrational quanta, are obtained and compared with available spectra from supersonic jet and Shpolskij matrices. Both absorption and fluorescence spectra are interpreted on ground of the linear coupling model and a good fulfillment of the mirror-symmetry rule.     

Ultraviolet absorption and vibrational spectra of 2-fluoro-5-bromopyridine

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum in the range 340-185 nm in the vapour and solution phase has been measured for 2-fluoro-5-bromopyridine. Three fairly intense band systems identified as the pi* <-- pi transitions II, III and IV have been observed. A detailed vibronic analysis of the vapor and solution spectra is presented. The first system of bands is resolved into about sixty-two distinct vibronic bands in the vapour-phase spectrum. The 0,0 band is located at 35944 cm(-1). Two well-developed progressions, in which the excited state frequencies nu'25 (283 cm(-1)) and nu'19 (550 cm(-1)) are excited by several quanta, have been observed. The corresponding excited state vibrational and anharmonicity constants are found to be omega'i = 292 cm(-1), x'ii = 4.5 cm(-1) (i = 25) and omega'i = 563.8 cm(-1), x'ii = 6.9 cm(-1) (i = 19). The other two band systems show no vibronic structure, the band maxima being located at 48346 and 52701 cm(-1), respectively. The oscillator strength of the band systems in different solutions and the excited state dipole moments associated with the first two transitions have been determined by the solvent-shift method. The infrared spectrum in the region 4000-130 cm(-1) and the laser Raman spectrum of the molecule in the liquid state have been measured and a complete vibrational assignment of the observed frequencies is given. A correlation of the ground and excited state fundamental frequencies observed in the UV absorption spectrum with the Raman or infrared frequencies is presented.     

Vibrational (FT-IR and FT-Raman) and NMR studies on selected metal (Ca, Mn, Zn) complexes with ortho-, meta-, and para-iodobenzoic acids

The vibrational (FT-IR and FT-Raman) and NMR (¹H and ¹³C) spectra of Ca, Mn, and Zn complexes with ortho-, meta-, and para-iodobenzoic acids have been studied. The solid state samples of all complexes have been measured within the range 4000–400 cm⁻¹, while water solutions of ortho-iodobenzoates within the range 4000–800 cm⁻¹. Based on previous experimental data and normal mode calculations for simpler complexes the assignment of bands observed in vibrational spectra of studied compounds has been done. Some significant differences in vibrational structure (frequency and intensity of selected bands) have been observed and discussed. The effect of metal on ring vibrations and carboxylic anion stretching and deformation has been investigated. Also, influence of iodine substitution on the aromatic ring and carboxylic anion, depending on iodine ring position, has been discussed. In case of soluble compounds, wavenumbers of characteristic bands of water solution samples have been compared with wavenumbers of corresponding bands of solid state samples.     

High order corrections to vibrational energy transfer in collisions between two diatomic molecules

This paper analyses the validity of the first Born approximation for the study of the vibrational transitions brought about during a collision between two diatomic molecules. The work shows the importance of the alteration of the molecular parameters during the collision and the anharmonicity of the potential of the two molecules on the transfers VT with one quantum and VV with two quanta.     

Water Confined in the Local Field of Ions

Interionic distances are shorter in concentrated ionic solutions, thus instigating the interaction and overlap of hydration shells, as ions become separated by only one or two layers of water molecules. The simultaneous interaction of water with two oppositely charged ions has, so far, only been investigated by computer simulation studies, because the isolated vibrational spectroscopic signature of these molecules remains undetected. Our combined near‐infrared spectroscopic and molecular dynamics simulation studies of alkali halide solutions present a distinct spectral feature, which is highly responsive to depletion of bulk water and merging of hydration shells. The analysis of this spectral feature demonstrates that absorption trends are in good agreement with the law of matching affinities, thus providing the first successful vibrational spectroscopic treatment of this topic. Combined with commonly observed near‐infrared bands, this feature provides a spectral pattern that describes some relevant aspects of ionic hydration.     

Vibrationally promoted electron emission at a metal surface: electron kinetic energy distributions

We report the first direct measurement of the kinetic energy of exoelectrons produced by collisions of vibrationally excited molecules with a low work function metal surface exhibiting electron excitations of 64% (most probable) and 95% (maximum) of the initial vibrational energy. This remarkable efficiency for vibrational-to-electronic energy transfer is in good agreement with previous results suggesting the coupling of multiple vibrational quanta to a single electron.     

Geometries and molecular properties of phosphaethyne cations

Franck-Condon analyses were carried out on vibrational intensity distributions of the first two photoelectron bands of phosphaethyne (HCP). The CH and CP bond lengths of HCP⁺ were found to be respectively 1.073 Å and 1.600 A in the X²π state and 1.077 Å and 1.572 Å in the A²Σ⁺ state. The calculated structural parameters were compared with those from experimental work and molecular orbital calculations. In addition, force constants for the first two lowest energy ionic states were determined from observed vibrational frequencies. Bonding properties of the ions are discussed in the light of the molecular parameters obtained.     

High-resolution laser spectroscopy of the AΠu-XΠg system of Br2

The laser excitation spectrum of the Br₂⁺ molecular ion was observed at rotational resolution for the first time, with the ions being generated by Penning ionization. In contrast to Cl₂⁺ and F₂⁺ but in agreement with recent theoretical work, no vibrational or rotational perturbations are observed. The data from a number of vibrational bands are fitted simultaneously to give reliable estimates of the Dunham rotational and vibrational constants. This fit indicates that the vibrational numbering used in previous studies should be increased by 1 in the upper state.     

An experimental study of the energetics of fragmentation of H3

Spatial beam profile measurements indicate that transient H₃ molecules, formed in electron capture collisions of 3–4 keV H⁺₃ ions with Mg atoms, fragment to H atoms and H₂ molecules with up to five vibrational quanta. The experimental H₃ fragmentation energy (?2.2 ± 0.1 eV) is in good agreement with theoretical predictions.     

Ultrasensitive SERS nanoprobes for hazardous metal ions based on trimercaptotriazine-modified gold nanoparticles

Trimercaptotriazine-modified gold nanoparticles exhibit strong SERS effects, yielding vibrational profiles very sensitive to the presence of heavy metal ions. Because of the contrasting response observed for selected vibrational bands in the SERS profiles, they provide useful nanoprobes for Hg2+ and Cd2+ ions, allowing direct quantitative assays by employing relative peak intensity ratios instead of using internal standards.     

Water adsorption on tin hydrodioxide and its effect on the contour of the infrared absorption band ν(OH)

Tin hydrodioxide SnO₂ · nH₂O (THO, n = 1.5) pellets in potassium bromide were studied by IR absorption spectroscopy. Water adsorption by tin hydrodioxide was shown to give rise to a prominent strong and broad band of stretching vibrations ν(OH) with a peak at 3430 cm^?1. Absorption intensity of this band decreases with distance from the peak rapidly toward higher frequencies and very slowly toward lower frequencies; therefore, the contour is distinguished by very high asymmetry. Analysis of the reasons for this asymmetry taking into account the computer decomposition of the contour into components implies that the unresolved bands from two types of water molecules in THO are superimposed onto the weak bands from two types of hydroxide groups. First type molecules are involved in physisorption to form, with one another, hydrogen bonds that are similar to weak bonds in zeolite and liquid water. Second type molecules are involved in chemisorption and are coordinated to tin ions. Coordination enhances the strengthening of acidic properties and promotes the appearance of strong H-bonds. The peak intensity of the THO ν(OH) band depends primarily on the contribution of vibrational transitions of first type molecules and to a lesser extent on the contribution of vibrational transitions of the first type hydroxide groups. The vibrational transitions in second type molecules and second type groups influence the curvature of the contour on the low-frequency side of the peak.     

Vibrational dynamics of pyrrole via frequency-domain spectroscopy

The N-H stretch overtones of pyrrole, a key constituent of biologic building blocks, were studied by room temperature photoacoustic and jet-cooled action spectroscopies to unravel their intramolecular dynamics. Contrary to "isolated" states excited with two and three N-H stretch quanta, the one with four quanta shows strong accidental resonances with two other states involving three quanta of N-H stretch and one quantum of C-H stretch. The inhomogeneously reduced features in the action spectra provide the means for getting insight into the intramolecular interactions and the factors controlling energy flow within pyrrole. The time dependence of the survival probability of the 4ν(1) N-H stretch, deduced from the vibrational Hamiltonian, shows an initial decay in ~0.3 ps with ensuing quantum beats from the N-H-C-H resonance and their decay with a time constant of about 5 ps as a result of weaker coupling to bath states.     

The vibrational spectra of [15N2]-succinonitrile

For the first time, the infrared and Raman spectra of [15N2]-succinonitrile are presented and discussed in detail. Assignments of the vibrational bands of its two rotational conformers gauche and trans, respectively, have been made for both infrared and Raman spectra. The assignments were based on a recent ab-initio force field calculation for succinonitrile, taking into account the vibrational frequencies of other succinonitrile isotopomers. There are differences in the frequencies of the vibrational bands due to the mass increase in the cyanide groups, which have been analysed in depth.