Production of C2H4Cl+ by dissociative photoionization of weak molecular complexes in C2H4+HCl mixtures

The photoionization efficiency (PIE) spectrum from 600 to 1200 Å for the production of the ion C₂H₄Cl⁺ by dissociative photoionization of the products of room-temperature jet expansions of a 1:4 mixture of C₂H₄ and HCl was measured at several nozzle pressures. The results were resolved into the PIE yield curve for the heterodimer process C₂H₄·HCl+hv→C₂H₄Cl⁺+H+e. This reaction is necessarily characterized by a large change in geometry between neutral complex and ionic product. The observed spectrum exhibits an unusual and conspicuous peak at 15.2 eV that is characterized by a sharp cutoff to the high energy side. This feature points to the onset of strongly nonstatistical channels for the production of C₂H₄Cl⁺ at this energy such that product formation proceeds through very few states. The observed onset of C₂H₄Cl⁺ at 11.92±0.24 eV is 17±6 kcal mol^?1 above the true threshold. An important conclusion is that at all energies above the onset the yield of dissociative ionization of the heterodimer to the cation C₂H₄Cl⁺ is determined by dynamical factors.     

Exploring the dynamics of reaction C(3P) + C2H4 with crossed beam/photoionization experiments and quantum chemical calculations

We investigated the title reaction at collision energy 3.5 kcal mol(-1) in a crossed molecular beam apparatus using undulator radiation as an ionization source. Time-of-flight (TOF) spectra of product C(3)H(3) were measured in laboratory angles from 20° to 100° using two photoionization energies 9.5 and 11.6 eV. These two sets of experimental data exhibit almost the same TOF distributions and laboratory angular distributions. From the best simulation, seven angle-specific kinetic-energy distributions and a nearly isotropic angular distribution are derived for product channel C(3)H(3) + H that has an average kinetic-energy release of 15.5 kcal mol(-1), corresponding to an average internal energy of 33.3 kcal mol(-1) in C(3)H(3). Furthermore, TOF spectra of product C(3)H(3) were measured at laboratory angle 52° with ionizing photon energies from 7 to 12 eV. The appearance of TOF spectra remains almost the same, indicating that a species exclusively contributes to product C(3)H(3); the species is identified as H(2)CCCH (propargyl) based on the ionization energy of 8.6 ± 0.2 eV and the maximal kinetic-energy release of 49 kcal mol(-1). Theoretical calculations indicate that the rapid inversion mechanism and rotation in intermediate H(2)CCCH(2) can result in a forward-backward symmetric angular distribution for product C(3)H(3) + H. The present work avoids the interference of reactions of C((1)D) and C(2) radicals with C(2)H(4) and rules out the probability of production of other isomers like c-C(3)H(3) and H(3)CCC proposed in the previous work at least at the investigated collision energy.     

Mixed quantum-classical reaction path dynamics of C2H5F --> C2H4 + HF

A mixed quantum-classical method for calculating product energy partitioning based on a reaction path Hamiltonian is presented and applied to HF elimination from fluoroethane. The goal is to describe the effect of the potential energy release on the product energies using a simple model of quantized transverse vibrational modes coupled to a classical reaction path via the path curvature. Calculations of the minimum energy path were done at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) and MP2/6-311++G** levels of theory, followed by energy-partitioning dynamics calculations. The results for the final HF vibrational state distribution were found to be in good qualitative agreement with both experimental studies and quasiclassical trajectory simulations.     

Ionization efficiencies of C3H6, C4H8, C6H12, C2H6O,and C3H8O isomers

Ionization efficiencies of 14 organic compounds have been measured in the wavelength region from 105 to 134nm using an ionization chamber. The compounds examined are cyclopropane, propylene, l-butene, isobutene, cis-and trans-2-butenes, cyclohexane, 1-hexane, tetramethylethylene, ethyl alcohol, dimethyl ether, n-, and iso-propyl alcohol, and ethyl methyl ether. The ionization efficiencies of cyclopropane and cyclohexane monotonically increase with increasing photon energy, but those for the others show a peak or a shoulder in the wavelength region of the present work.     

Reaction mechanism of HCN+ + C2H4: a theoretical study

The complex doublet potential energy surface for the ion-molecule reaction of HCN(+) with C(2)H(4) is investigated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2pd) (single-point) levels. The initial association between HCN(+) and C(2)H(4) forms three energy-rich addition intermediates, 1 (HCNCH(2)CH(2)(+)), 2 (HC-cNCH(2)CH(2)(+)), and 3 (N-cCHCH(2)CH(2)(+)), which are predicted to undergo subsequent isomerization and decomposition steps. A total of nine kinds of dissociation products, including P(1) (HCN + C(2)H(4)(+)), P(2) (HCNCHCH(2)(+) + H), P(3) (NCCH(2) + CH(3)(+)), P(4) (CN + C(2)H(5)(+)), P(5) (NCCHCH(2)(+) + H(2)), P(6) (HNCCHCH(2)(+) + H), P(7) (c-CHCCH(2)N(+) + H(2)), P(8) (c-NHCCH(2)C(+) + H(2)), and P(9) (HNCCCH(+) + H(2) + H), are obtained. Among the nine products, P(1) is the most abundant product. P(2) is the second feasible product but is much less competitive than P(1). P(3), P(4), P(5), and P(6) may have the lowest yields observed. Other products, P(7), P(8), and P(9), may become feasible at high temperature. Because the intermediates and transition states involved in the most favorable pathway all lie below the reactant, the HCN(+) + C(2)H(4) reaction is expected to be rapid, which is confirmed by experiment. The present calculation results may provide a useful guide for understanding the mechanism of HCN(+) toward other unsaturated hydrocarbons.     

Theoretical study of the dynamics of the H+CH4 and H+C2H6 reactions using a specific-reaction-parameter semiempirical Hamiltonian

We present a theoretical study of the reactions of hydrogen atoms with methane and ethane molecules and isotopomers. High-accuracy electronic-structure calculations have been carried out to characterize representative regions of the potential-energy surface (PES) of various reaction pathways, including H abstraction and H exchange. These ab initio calculations have been subsequently employed to derive an improved set of parameters for the modified symmetrically-orthogonalized intermediate neglect of differential overlap (MSINDO) semiempirical Hamiltonian, which are specific to the H+alkane family of reactions. The specific-reaction-parameter (SRP) Hamiltonian has then been used to perform a quasiclassical-trajectory study of both the H+CH4 and H+C2H6 reactions. The calculated values of dynamics properties of the H+CH4-->H2+CH3 reaction and isotopologues, including alkyl product speed distributions, diatomic product internal-state distributions, and cross sections, are generally in good agreement with experiment and with the results provided by the ZBB3 PES [Z. Xie et al., J. Chem. Phys. 125, 133120 (2006)]. The results of trajectories propagated with the SRP Hamiltonian for the H+C2H6-->H2+C2H5 reaction also agree with experiment. The level of agreement between the results calculated with the SRP Hamiltonian and experiment in both the H+methane and H+ethane reactions indicates that semiempirical Hamiltonians can be improved for not only a specific reaction but also a family of reactions.     

Higher hydrogen uptake capacity of C2H4Ti+ than C2H4Ti: a quantum chemical study

Using density functionals theory, we show that gravimetric hydrogen uptake of C₂H₄Ti complex and its cation, C₂H₄Ti⁺, differ by about 2 wt%. Six and five hydrogen molecules are found to be adsorbed on C₂H₄Ti⁺ and C₂H₄Ti complexes thereby showing a hydrogen-uptake capacity of 13.74 and 11.72 wt%, respectively. All hydrogen molecules are adsorbed in molecular form on C₂H₄Ti⁺ ion with an increase in metal bond strength, whereas in some cases, the hydrogen molecules are found to be dissociated on C₂H₄Ti neutral complex. The uptake capacity of neutral C₂H₄Ti complex shown in this work is in excellent agreement with that reported experimentally, Phillips and Shivaram (Phys Rev Lett 100:105505, 2008). The H₂ adsorption energy and its dependence on exchange and correlation functions in density functionals method were illustrated. Even after the adsorption of maximum number of hydrogen molecules on C₂H₄Ti and C₂H₄Ti⁺ complexes, Ti and Ti⁺ remain strongly bound to C₂H₄ substrate.     

Gas-phase nitrosation of ethylene and related events in the C2H4NO+ landscape

The C2H4NO(+) system has been examined by means of quantum chemical calculations using the G2 and G3B3 approaches and tandem mass spectrometry experiments. Theoretical investigation of the C2H4NO(+) potential-energy surface includes 19 stable C2H4NO(+) structures and a large set of their possible interconnections. These computations provide insights for the understanding of the (i) addition of the nitrosonium cation NO(+) to the ethylene molecule, (ii) skeletal rearrangements evidenced in previous experimental studies on comparable systems, and (iii) experimental identification of new C2H4NO(+) structures. It is predicted from computation that gas-phase nitrosation of ethylene may produce C2H4(*)NO(+) adducts, the most stable structure of which is a pi-complex, 1, stabilized by ca. 65 kJ/mol with respect to its separated components. This complex was produced in the gas phase by a transnitrosation process involving as reactant a complex between water and NO(+) (H2O.NO(+)) and the ethylene molecule and fully characterized by collisional experiments. Among the other C 2H 4NO (+) structures predicted by theory to be protected against dissociation or isomerization by significant energy barriers, five were also experimentally identified. These finding include structures CH3CHNO(+) (5), CH 3CNOH (+) ( 8), CH3NHCO(+) (18), CH3NCOH(+) (19), and an ion/neutral complex CH2O...HCNH(+) (12).     

Ab initio direct dynamics trajectory simulation of C2H5F-->C2H4 + HF product energy partitioning

Direct dynamics classical trajectory simulations were performed to study product energy partitioning in C(2)H(5)F-->C(2)H(4)+HF dissociation. The intrinsic reaction coordinate potential energy curve, reaction energetics, and transition state (TS) properties were calculated for this reaction at different levels of electronic structure theory, and MP2/6-31G( *) was chosen as a meaningful and practical method for performing the direct dynamics. The trajectories show that the HF bond, uncoupled from the other degrees of freedom, is formed within the first 10 fs as the system moves from the TS towards products. The populations of the HF vibration states, determined from the simulations, decrease monotonically as found from experiments. However, the simulation's populations for the low and high energy vibration states are larger and smaller, respectively, than the experimental results. The HF rotational temperature found from the simulations is in agreement with experiment. Increasing the TS's excess energy gives higher rotational temperatures for both C(2)H(4) and HF. Energy is partitioned to the products from both the excess energy in the TS and the potential energy release in the exit channel. Partitioning from these two energy sources is distinguished by varying the TS's excess energy. An analysis of the simulation's energy disposal shows that the fractions of the excess energy partitioned to relative translation, C(2)H(4) vibration, C(2)H(4) rotation, HF vibration, and HF rotation, are 0.17, 0.64, 0.076, 0.067, and 0.046, respectively, and are in good agreement with previous simulations on empirical potentials and experiments. The partitioning found for the potential energy release is 81%, <0.05%, 5%, 11%, and 3% to relative translation, C(2)H(4) vibration, C(2)H(4) rotation, HF vibration, and HF rotation. This result is substantially different than the deduction from experiments, which summarizes the partitioning as 20%, 45%, 24%, and <12% to relative translation, C(2)H(4) vibration+rotation, HF vibration, and HF rotation. Possible origins of the difference between the simulations and experiments in the release of the potential energy is discussed.     

H atom yields from the reactions of CN radicals with C2H2, C2H4, C3H6, trans-2-C4H8, and iso-C4H8

The kinetics and H atom channel yield at both 298 and 195 K have been determined for reactions of CN radicals with C2H2 (1.00+/-0.21, 0.97+/-0.20), C2H4 (0.96+/-0.032, 1.04+/-0.042), C3H6 (pressure dependent), iso-C4H8 (pressure dependent), and trans-2-C4H8 (0.039+/-0.019, 0.029+/-0.047) where the first figure in each bracket is the H atom yield at 298 K and the second is that at 195 K. The kinetics of all reactions were studied by monitoring both CN decay and H atom growth by laser-induced fluorescence at 357.7 and 121.6 nm, respectively. The results are in good agreement with previous studies where available. The rate coefficients for the reaction of CN with trans-2-butene and iso-butene have been measured at 298 and 195 K for the first time, and the rate coefficients are as follows: k298K=(2.93+/-0.23)x10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), k195K=(3.58+/-0.43)x10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) and k298K=(3.17+/-0.10)x10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), k195K=(4.32+/-0.35)x10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively, where the errors represent a combination of statistical uncertainty (2sigma) and an estimate of possible systematic errors. A potential energy surface for the CN+C3H6 reaction has been constructed using G3X//UB3LYP electronic structure calculations identifying a number of reaction channels leading to either H, CH3, or HCN elimination following the formation of initial addition complexes. Results from the potential energy surface calculations have been used to run master equation calculations with the ratio of primary:secondary addition, the average amount of downward energy transferred in a collision DeltaEd, and the difference in barrier heights between H atom elimination and an H atom 1, 2 migration as variable parameters. Excellent agreement is obtained with the experimental 298 K H atom yields with the following parameter values: secondary addition complex formation equal to 80%, DeltaEd=145 cm(-1), and the barrier height for H atom elimination set 5 kJ mol(-1) lower than the barrier for migration. Finally, very low temperature master equation simulations using the best fit parameters have been carried out in an increased precision environment utilizing quad-double and double-double arithmetic to predict H and CH3 yields for the CN+C3H6 reaction at temperatures and pressures relevant to Titan. The H and CH3 yields predicted by the master equation have been parametrized in a simple equation for use in modeling.     

Study of the B"B 1Sigmau+ state of H2: transition probabilities from the ground state, dissociative widths, and Fano parameters

The transition probabilities, the dissociation widths, and the associated Fano parameters for rovibronic lines with J"=0,...,3 of the absorption bands of the B"B 1Sigmau+ state out of the X 1Sigmag+ v"=0 ground state were measured over the complete vibrational progression, showing clearly that only the inner-well state with B" 4psigma character can absorb vuv light and predissociate efficiently. The absolute values of these transition probablities, predissociation widths, and Fano parameters were found to agree well with ab initio calculations if one takes into account that the calculations neglect nonadiabatic couplings.     

An ab initio study of the vibronic structure in the a1Delta g electronic state of C2H2++

The results of an ab initio study of the vibronic structure in the a1Deltag electronic state of C2H2++ and its deuterated species (C2D2++) are presented. They are generated employing a simple model that incorporates the minimal number of terms contributing to the Renner-Teller effect. The trans- and cis-bending potential curves at planar nuclear arrangements are obtained by means of large-scale configuration interaction calculations. The corresponding harmonic vibrational frequencies are 717 and 650 cm-1 for C2H2++, and 549 and 477 cm-1 in the case of C2D2++. It is found that the splitting of the potential surfaces is moderate at trans-distortions of linearity, while it is extremely small at cis-bending vibrations. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the model Hamiltonian employed are obtained by means of a perturbative and a variational approach.     

Primary branching ratios for the low-temperature reaction of state-prepared N2+ with CH4, C2H2, and C2H4

Product branching ratios (BRs) are reported for ion-molecule reactions of state-prepared nitrogen cation (N(2)(+)) with methane (CH(4)), acetylene (C(2)H(2)). and ethylene (C(2)H(4)) at low temperature using a modified ion imaging apparatus. These reactions are performed in a supersonic nozzle expansion characterized by a rotational temperature of 40 ± 5K. For the N(2)(+) + CH(4) reaction, a BR of 0.83:0.17 is obtained for the dissociative charge-transfer (CT) reaction that gives rise to the formation of CH(3)(+) and CH(2)(+) product ions, respectively. The N(2)(+) + C(2)H(2) ion-molecule reaction proceeds through a nondissociative CT process that results in the sole formation of C(2)H(2)(+) product ions. The reaction of N(2)(+) with C(2)H(4) leads to the formation of C(2)H(3)(+) and C(2)H(2)(+) product ions with a BR of 0.74:0.26, respectively. The reported BR for the N(2)(+) + C(2)H(4) reaction is supportive of a nonresonant dissociative CT mechanism similar to the one that accompanies the N(2)(+) + CH(4) reaction. No dependence of the branching ratios on N(2)(+) rotational level was observed. In addition to providing direct insight into the dynamics of the state-prepared N(2)(+) ion-molecule reactions with the target neutral hydrocarbon molecules, the reported low-temperature BRs are also important for accurate modeling of the nitrogen-dominated upper atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan.     

Reactive scattering dynamics in atom+polyatomic systems: F+C2H6-->HF(v,J)+C2H5

State-to-state scattering dynamics of F+C2H6-->HF(v,J)+C2H5 have been investigated at Ecom=3.2(6) kcalmol under single-collision conditions, via detection of nascent rovibrationally resolved HF(v,J) product states with high-resolution infrared laser absorption methods. State-resolved Doppler absorption profiles are recorded for multiple HF(v,J) transitions originating in the v=0,1,2,3 manifold, analyzed to yield absolute column-integrated densities via known HF transition moments, and converted into nascent probabilities via density-to-flux analysis. The spectral resolution of the probe laser also permits Doppler study of translational energy release into quantum-state-resolved HF fragments, which reveals a remarkable linear correlation between (i) HF(v,J) translational recoil and (ii) the remaining energy available, Eavail=Etot-E(HF(v,J)). The dynamics are interpreted in the context of a simple impulsive model based on conservation of linearangular momentum that yields predictions in good agreement with experiment. Deviations from the model indicate only minor excitation of ethyl vibrations, in contrast with a picture of extensive intramolecular vibrational energy flow but consistent with Franck-Condon excitation of the methylene CH2 bending mode. The results suggest a relatively simple dynamical picture for exothermic atom+polyatomic scattering, i.e., that of early barrier dynamics in atom+diatom systems but modified by impulsive recoil coupling at the transition state between translationalrotational degrees of freedom.     

The ground and excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n-1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13): a valence bond study.

The semiempirical valence bond (VB) method, VBDFT(s), is applied to the ground states and the covalent excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n - 1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13). The method uses a single scalable parameter with a value that carries over from the study of the covalent excited states of polyenes (W. Wu, D. Danovich, A. Shurki, S. Shaik, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2000, 104, 8744). Whenever comparison is possible, the VB excitation energies are found to be in good accord with sophisticated molecular orbital (MO)-based methods like CASPT2. The symmetry-adapted Rumer structures are used to discuss the state-symmetry and VB constitution of the ground and excited states, and the expansion to VB determinants is used to gain insight on spin density patterns. The theory helps to understand in a coherent and lucid manner the properties of polyenyl radicals, such as the makeup of the various states, their geometries and energies, and the distribution of the unpaired electrons (the neutral solitons).     

Measurement of the rotational energy distribution of ground state N+2 ions from H+2N2 collisions by laser-induced fluorescence

The rotational energy distribution of ground state N⁺₂ ions produced by interaction of a principally H⁺₂ ion beam with N₂ has been measured at projectile ion energies of 10 and 2.5 keV by observation of the laser induced fluorescence in the N⁺₂ first negative system (0, 0) band. At 10 keV, the rotational energy distribution is Boltzmann (432 K), due to heating of the gas by the intense ion beam. At 2.5 keV, rotational excitation is definitely observed.     

Decay dynamics of the long-range H1Sigmag+ state of D2 and H2: experiment and theory

We present accurate experimental measurements of the lifetimes of rovibrational levels of the long-range H1Sigmag+ state for both D2 and H2, obtained directly from the observation of the time-dependent decay of the fluorescence from these excited levels. These results improve upon and extend those of Reinhold et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 112, 10754 (2000)]. Several decay pathways are open to these levels including fluorescence, predissociation, and autoionization. We present theoretical results for each of these processes, each calculated using the simplest but still appropriate level of theory. In particular, the theoretical calculations provide a quantitative explanation of the dramatic vibrational dependence of the observed lifetimes, the isotope dependence of the lifetimes for levels well localized within the H potential well and therefore not subject to significant tunneling, and an insight into the role of enhanced tunneling in autoionization. In these calculations each of the rovibrational levels of the H state is treated individually, without having to engage in a global coupled-state calculation.     

Energy-flow dynamics in the molecular channel of propanal photodissociation, C2H5CHO --> C2H6 + CO: direct ab initio molecular dynamics study

Direct ab initio molecular dynamics calculations have been carried out for the molecular channel of the photodissociation of propanal, C2H5CHO --> C2H6 + CO, at the RMP2(full)/cc-pVDZ level of ab initio molecular orbital theory. The initial conditions were generated using the microcanonical sampling to put the excess energy randomly into all vibrational modes of the TS. Starting from the TS, a total of approximately 700 trajectories were numerically integrated for 100 fs. The obtained final energy distributions for the C2H6 and CO fragments and their relative translational motion were found to be quite similar to those obtained for the acetaldehyde reaction, CH3CHO --> CH4 + CO, in our previous study (Chem. Phys. Lett. 2006, 421, 549) despite the fact that the number of degree of freedom for C2H6 is larger than that for CH4. The coupling between the intrinsic reaction coordinate and one of the generalized normal modes orthogonal to it was predicted substantially strong around s = 1.4 amu(1/2) bohr, and it is expected that the energy flow out of C2H6 proceeds through this coupling. However, the obtained energy distributions strongly suggest that the coupling among the modes in C2H6 is quite small and the intramolecular energy redistribution does not occur efficiently in this molecule.     

Infrared spectra of chlorinated ethylene cations: C2Cl4+, C2HCl3+, 1,1-C2H2Cl2+, and trans-C2H2Cl2+ in solid argon

Infrared spectra of chlorinated ethylene cations: C2Cl4+, C2HCl3+, 1,1-C2H2Cl2+, and trans-C2H2Cl2+ isolated in solid argon are presented. These cations were produced by co-deposition of chlorinated ethylene/Ar mixtures with high-frequency-discharged Ar at 4 K. Photosensitive absorptions are assigned to different vibrational modes of the cations on the basis of observed chlorine isotopic shifts and quantum chemical frequency calculations. With the removal of one electron from the HOMO of chlorinated ethylene neutrals that is C=C bonding and C-Cl antibonding in character, the observed C-Cl stretching vibrational frequencies of the cations are blue-shifted relative to those of the chlorinated ethylene neutrals. The results also show that the cations can be regarded as "isolated" with the vibrational frequencies only slightly shifted when compared to the available gas-phase values.