Converged quantum dynamics calculations of vibrational energies of CH4 and CH3D using an ab initio potential

Exact variational calculations of vibrational energies of CH4 and CH3D are carried out using a two-layer Lanczos algorithm based on the ab initio potential energy surface of D. W. Schwenke and H. Partridge, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A 57, 887 (2001). The convergence of the calculated vibrational energies is discussed in detail. In addition, we report all well converged vibrational energy levels up to 6600 cm(-1) for CH4, and those up to 5000 cm(-1) for CH3D, respectively. These results clearly outperform previous theoretical calculations. And a comparison with experimental results available is also made.     

The (CH2)2O-H2O hydrogen bonded complex. Ab Initio calculations and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy from neon matrix and a new supersonic jet experiment coupled to the infrared AILES beamline of synchrotron SOLEIL

A series of hydrogen bonded complexes involving oxirane and water molecules have been studied. In this paper we report on the vibrational study of the oxirane-water complex (CH(2))(2)O-H(2)O. Neon matrix experiments and ab initio anharmonic vibrational calculations have been performed, providing a consistent set of vibrational frequencies and anharmonic coupling constants. The implementation of a new large flow supersonic jet coupled to the Bruker IFS 125 HR spectrometer at the infrared AILES beamline of the French synchrotron SOLEIL (Jet-AILES) enabled us to record first jet-cooled Fourier transform infrared spectra of oxirane-water complexes at different resolutions down to 0.2 cm(-1). Rovibrational parameters and a lower bound of the predissociation lifetime of 25 ps for the v(OH)(b) = 1 state have been derived from the rovibrational analysis of the ν(OH)(b) band contour recorded at respective rotational temperatures of 12 K (Jet-AILES) and 35 K (LADIR jet).     

Overtone-induced dissociation and isomerization dynamics of the hydroxymethyl radical (CH2OH and CD2OH). I. A theoretical study

The dissociation of the hydroxymethyl radical, CH(2)OH, and its isotopolog, CD(2)OH, following the excitation of high OH stretch overtones is studied by quasi-classical molecular dynamics calculations using a global potential energy surface (PES) fitted to ab initio calculations. The PES includes CH(2)OH and CH(3)O minima, dissociation products, and all relevant barriers. Its analysis shows that the transition states for OH bond fission and isomerization are both very close in energy to the excited vibrational levels reached in recent experiments and involve significant geometry changes relative to the CH(2)OH equilibrium structure. The energies of key stationary points are refined using high-level electronic structure calculations. Vibrational energies and wavefunctions are computed by coupled anharmonic vibrational calculations. They show that high OH-stretch overtones are mixed with other modes. Consequently, trajectory calculations carried out at energies about ~3000 cm(-1) above the barriers reveal that despite initial excitation of the OH stretch, the direct OH bond fission is relatively slow (10 ps) and a considerable fraction of the radicals undergoes isomerization to the methoxy radical. The computed dissociation energies are: D(0)(CH(2)OH → CH(2)O + H) = 10,188 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CD(2)O + H) = 10,167 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CHDO + D) = 10,787 cm(-1). All are in excellent agreement with the experimental results. For CH(2)OH, the barriers for the direct OH bond fission and isomerization are: 14,205 and 13,839 cm(-1), respectively.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, ab initio calculations of structure and vibrational assignment of 1-fluoro-2-butyne.

The infrared spectra (3500-50 cm(-1)) of the gas and solid and the Raman spectra (3500-50 cm(-1)) of the liquid and solid have been recorded for 1-fluoro-2-butyne, CH3-C-triple bond-C-CH2F. Equilibrium geometries and energies have been determined by ab initio and hybrid DFT methods using a number of basis sets. A vibrational assignment is proposed based on the force constants, relative intensities, depolarization ratios from the ab initio and DFT calculations and on vibrational-rotational band contours obtained using the calculated equilibrium geometries. From calculated energies it is shown that the CH3 group exhibits almost completely free rotation which is in agreement with the observation of Coriolis sub-band structure in two of the degenerate methyl vibrations. The results are compared to the corresponding quantities for some similar molecules.     

IR and FTMW-IR spectroscopy and vibrational relaxation pathways in the CH stretch region of CH3OH and CH3OD

Infrared spectra of jet-cooled CH(3)OD and CH(3)OH in the CH stretch region are observed by coherence-converted population transfer Fourier transform microwave-infrared (CCPT-FTMW-IR) spectroscopy (E torsional species only) and by slit-jet single resonance spectroscopy (both A and E torsional species, CH(3)OH only). Twagirayezu et al. reported the analysis of ν(3) symmetric CH stretch region (2750-2900 cm(-1); Twagirayezu et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2010, 114, 6818), and the present work addresses the more complicated higher frequency region (2900-3020 cm(-1)) containing the two asymmetric CH stretches (ν(2) and ν(9)). The additional complications include a higher density of coupled states, more extensive mixing, and evidence for Coriolis as well as anharmonic coupling. The overall observed spectra contain 17 interacting vibrational bands for CH(3)OD and 28 for CH(3)OH. The sign and magnitude of the torsional tunneling splittings are deduced for three CH stretch fundamentals (ν(3), ν(2), ν(9)) of both molecules and are compared to a model calculation and to ab initio theory. The number and distribution of observed vibrational bands indicate that the CH stretch bright states couple first to doorway states that are binary combinations of bending modes. In the parts of the spectrum where doorway states are present, the observed density of coupled states is comparable to the total density of vibrational states in the molecule, but where there are no doorway states, only the CH stretch fundamentals are observed. Above 2900 cm(-1), the available doorway states are CH bending states, but below, the doorway states also involve OH bending. A time-dependent interpretation of the present FTMW-IR spectra indicates a fast (～200 fs) initial decay of the bright state followed by a second, slower redistribution (about 1-3 ps). The qualitative agreement of the present data with the time-dependent experiments of Iwaki and Dlott provides further support for the similarity of the fastest vibrational relaxation processes in the liquid and gas phases.     

Intermolecular vibrations of fluorobenzene-Ar up to 130 cm(-1) in the ground electronic state

Sixteen intermolecular vibrational levels of the S(0) state of the fluorobenzene-Ar van der Waals complex have been observed using dispersed fluorescence. The levels range up to ～130 cm(-1) in vibrational energy. The vibrational energies have been modelled using a complete set of harmonic and quartic anharmonic constants and a cubic anharmonic coupling between the stretch and long axis bend overtone that becomes near ubiquitous at higher energies. The constants predict the observed band positions with a root mean square deviation of 0.04 cm(-1). The set of vibrational levels predicted by the constants, which includes unobserved bands, has been compared with the predictions of ab initio calculations, which include all vibrational levels up to 70-75 cm(-1). There are small differences in energy, particularly above 60 cm(-1), however, the main differences are in the assignments and are largely due to the limitations of assigning the ab initio wavefunctions to a simple stretch, bend, or combination when the states are mixed by the cubic anharmonic coupling. The availability of these experimental data presents an opportunity to extend ab initio calculations to higher vibrational energies to provide an assessment of the accuracy of the calculated potential surface away from the minimum. The intermolecular modes of the fluorobenzene-Ar(2) trimer complex have also been investigated by dispersed fluorescence. The dominant structure is a pair of bands with a ～35 cm(-1) displacement from the origin band. Based on the set of vibrational modes calculated from the fluorobenzene-Ar frequencies, they are assigned to a Fermi resonance between the symmetric stretch and symmetric short axis bend overtone. The analysis of this resonance provides a measurement of the coupling strength between the stretch and short axis bend overtone in the dimer, an interaction that is not directly observed. The coupling matrix elements determined for the fluorobenzene-Ar stretch-long axis bend overtone and stretch-short axis bend overtone couplings are remarkably similar (3.8 cm(-1) cf. 3.2 cm(-1)). Several weak features seen in the fluorobenzene-Ar(2) spectrum have also been assigned.     

Fundamental vibrational frequencies and dominant resonances in methylamine isotopologues by ab initio and density functional theory methods

Ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed for obtaining fundamental vibrational frequencies of methylamine, CH3NH2, and its deuterated variants CH3ND2, CD3NH2, and CD3ND2. The calculations were carried out using the CCSD(T) coupled cluster approximation with cc-pVTZ and cc-pVQZ basis sets, and by the DFT method with the semiempirical hybrid functional B97-1 with polarization consistent pc-2 and pc-3 basis sets. Reasonable performance of the DFT harmonic and ab initio harmonic calculations was found, which improved considerably upon combination of the harmonic fundamental frequencies with anharmonic corrections from the smaller, pc-2, basis. The computed anharmonic fundamental frequencies of methylamine isotopologues agree very well with the experimental values and represent a useful tool for assignment and analysis of the dominant resonances.     

Axial and equatorial hydrogen-bond conformers between (CH2)3S and H(D)F: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

The coexistence of axial and equatorial hydrogen-bonded conformers of 1?:?1 (CH(2))(3)S-HF (and -DF) has been observed in the same adiabatic expansion of a supersonic jet seeded with argon and in a static absorption cell at room temperature. High level calculations computed the axial conformer to be the most stable one with a small energy difference with respect to the equatorial one, in full agreement with previous microwave experiments. On the grounds of band contour simulations of FTIR spectra and ab initio energetic and anharmonic vibrational calculations, two pairs of ν(s) HF donor stretching bands, observed in a series of jet-FTIR spectra at 3457.9 and 3480.5 cm(-1) have been respectively assigned to the axial and equatorial forms of the 1?:?1 complex. In the jet-FTIR spectra series with HF, the assignment of an additional broad band (about 200 cm(-1) higher in frequency with respect to ν(s)) to a 1?:?2 complex has been supported by theoretical investigations. Experimental detection of both axial and equatorial forms of a cyclic trimer has been confirmed by calculated energetic and vibrational properties. The nature of hydrogen bonding has been examined within topological frameworks. The energetic partitioning within the 1?:?1 dimers has been elucidated with SAPT techniques. Interestingly, the interconversion pathway between two 1?:?1 structures has been explored and it was seen that the formation of the 1?:?1 complex affects the interconversion barrier on the ring puckering motion. The band contour analysis of gas phase FTIR experiments provided a consistent set of vibrational frequencies and anharmonic coupling constants, in good agreement with ab initio anharmonic vibrational calculations. Finally, from a series of cell-FTIR spectra recorded at different partial pressures of (CH(2))(3)S and HF monomers, the absorption signal of the 1?:?1 complex could be isolated which enabled to estimate the equilibrium constant K(p) = 0.023 at 298 K for the dimerization.     

The infrared spectrum of Au-.CO2

The Au-.CO2 ion-molecule complex has been studied by gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy. Several sharp transitions can be identified as combination bands involving the asymmetric stretch vibrational mode of the CO2 ligand. Their frequencies are redshifted by several hundred cm(-1) from the frequencies of free CO2. We discuss our findings in the framework of ab initio and density-functional theory calculations, using anharmonic corrections to predict vibrational transition energies. The infrared spectrum is consistent with the formation of an aurylcarboxylate anion with a strongly bent CO2 subunit.     

Conformational stability of CH3CH2PH2BH3 from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of xenon solutions and r0 structural parameters

Variable temperature (-55--100 degrees C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500-400 cm(-1)) of ethylphosphine-borane, CH3CH2PH2BH3, and ethylphosphine-borane-d5 dissolved in liquid xenon have been recorded. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 86 +/- 8 cm(-1) (1.03 +/- 0.10 kJ/mol), with the trans conformer the more stable rotamer. Complete vibrational assignments are presented for both conformers, which are consistent with the predicted frequencies obtained from the ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been obtained from RHF/6-31G(d) and/or MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations. These quantities are compared to the corresponding experimental quantities when appropriate as well as with some corresponding results for some similar molecules. The r0 structural parameters have been obtained from a combination of the previously reported microwave rotational constants and ab initio predicted parameters.     

Gas-phase vibrational spectroscopy and ab initio study of organophosphorus compounds: discrimination between species and conformers

Gas phase vibrational spectra of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), trimethyl phosphate (TMP), and triethyl phosphate (TEP) have been measured using FTIR spectroscopy. For DMMP, TMP, and TEP, most of the infrared active vibrational modes have been observed in the 50-5000 cm (-1) spectral range, allowing an unambiguous discrimination between the three molecules. The vibrational analysis of the spectra was performed by comparing with MP2 and B3LYP harmonic and anharmonic force field ab initio calculations. The extension to anharmonic calculations provides the best agreement for the mid-infrared and the near-infrared spectra, but they do not improve the harmonic frequency predictions in the far-infrared domain. This part of the vibrational spectra associated with collective and nonlocalized vibrational modes presents the largest frequency differences between the two lowest energy conformers of DMMP and TMP. These two conformers were taken into account in the vibrational assignment of the spectra. Their experimental evidence was obtained by deconvoluting vibrational bands in the mid-infrared and in the far-infrared regions, respectively. For TEP, the conformational landscape appears very complicated at ambient temperature, and a further analysis at low temperature is required to explain the vibrational features of each conformer.     

CCSD(T) study of CD3-O-CD3 and CH3-O-CD3 far-infrared spectra

From a vibrationally corrected 3D potential energy surface determined with highly correlated ab initio calculations (CCSD(T)), the lowest vibrational energies of two dimethyl-ether isotopologues, (12)CH(3)-(16)O-(12)CD(3) (DME-d(3)) and (12)CD(3)-(16)O-(12)CD(3) (DME-d(6)), are computed variationally. The levels that can be populated at very low temperatures correspond to the COC-bending and the two methyl torsional modes. Molecular symmetry groups are used for the classification of levels and torsional splittings. DME-d(6) belongs to the G(36) group, as the most abundant isotopologue (12)CH(3)-(16)O-(12)CH(3) (DME-h(6)), while DME-d(3) is a G(18) species. Previous assignments of experimental Raman and far-infrared spectra are discussed from an effective Hamiltonian obtained after refining the ab initio parameters. Because a good agreement between calculated and experimental transition frequencies is reached, new assignments are proposed for various combination bands corresponding to the two deuterated isotopologues and for the 020 → 030 transition of DME-d(6). Vibrationally corrected potential energy barriers, structural parameters, and anharmonic spectroscopic parameters are provided. For the 3N - 9 neglected vibrational modes, harmonic and anharmonic fundamental frequencies are obtained using second-order perturbation theory by means of CCSD and MP2 force fields. Fermi resonances between the COC-bending and the torsional modes modify DME-d(3) intensities and the band positions of the torsional overtones.     

Highly accurate potential-energy and dipole moment surfaces for vibrational state calculations of methane

Full-dimensional ab initio potential-energy surface (PES) and dipole moment surface are constructed for a methane molecule at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ and MP2/cc-pVTZ levels of theory, respectively, by the modified Shepard interpolation method based on the fourth-order Taylor expansion [MSI(4th)]. The reference points for the interpolation have been set in the coupling region of CH symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes so as to reproduce the vibrational energy levels related to CH stretching vibrations. The vibrational configuration-interaction calculations have been performed to obtain the energy levels and the absorption intensities up to 9000 cm(-1) with the use of MSI(4th)-PES. The calculated fundamental frequencies and low-lying vibrational energy levels show that MSI(4th) is superior to the widely employed quartic force field, giving a better agreement with the experimental values. The absorption bands of overtones as well as combination bands, which are caused by purely anharmonic effects, have been obtained up to 9000 cm(-1). Strongly coupled states with visible intensity have been found in the 6500-9000 cm(-1) region where the experimental data are still lacking.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of protonated imidazole and its complexes with water molecules: ab initio anharmonic calculations and experiments

The results of anharmonic frequency calculations on neutral imidazole (C3N2H4, Im), protonated imidazole (ImH+), and its complexes with water (ImH+)(H2O)n, are presented and compared to gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy (IRPD) data. Anharmonic frequencies are obtained via ab initio vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) calculations taking into account pairwise interactions between the normal modes. The key results are: (1) Prediction of anharmonic vibrational frequencies on an MP2 ab initio potential energy surface show excellent agreement with experiment and outstanding improvement over the harmonic frequencies. For example, the ab initio calculated anharmonic frequency for (ImH+)(H2O)N2 exhibits an overall average percentage error of 0.6% from experiment. (2) Anharmonic vibrational frequencies calculated on a semiempirical potential energy surface fitted to ab initio harmonic data represents spectroscopy well, particularly for water complexes. As an example, anharmonic frequencies for (ImH+)H2O and (ImH+)(H2O)2 show an overall average deviation of 1.02% and 1.05% from experiment, respectively. This agreement between theory and experiment also supports the validity and use of the pairwise approximation used in the calculations. (3) Anharmonic coupling due to hydration effects is found to significantly reduce the vibrational frequencies for the NH stretch modes. The frequency of the NH stretch is observed to increase with the removal of a water molecule or replacement of water with N2. This result also indicates the ability of the VSCF method to predict accurate frequencies in a matrix environment. The calculation provides insights into the nature of anharmonic effects in the potential surface. Analysis of percentage anharmoncity in neutral Im and ImH+ shows a higher percentage anharmonicity in the NH and CH stretch modes of neutral Im. Also, we observe that anharmonicity in the NH stretch modes of ImH+ have some contribution from coupling effects, while that of neutral Im has no contribution whatsoever from mode-mode coupling. It is concluded that the incorporation of anharmonic effects in the calculation brings theory and experiment into much closer agreement for these systems.     

Absolute intensities of CH stretching overtones in alkenes

We have measured the CH stretching vibrational spectrum of ethene gas in the regions corresponding to 1-5 quanta in the CH stretching vibration with Fourier transform infrared and conventional absorption spectroscopy and have determined the corresponding oscillator strengths. We have calculated the CH stretching vibrational oscillator strengths for a series of alkenes: ethene, propene, 1,3-butadiene, cis-2-butene, and trans-2-butene. The CH stretching intensities are calculated with a simple Morse oscillator local mode model for CH groups and with the harmonically coupled anharmonic oscillator local mode model for CH2 and CH3 groups. The local mode parameters, frequencies, and anharmonicities are obtained from experiments. The harmonic coupling coefficients and the dipole moment functions are calculated with a range of ab initio methods. These include self-consistent-field Hartree-Fock, density functional, correlated, and multireference theories, combined with basis sets ranging from double- to quadruple-zeta quality augmented with polarization and diffuse functions. Variation in calculated oscillator strengths with the choice of ab initio method is systematically studied and compared with observed intensities. From this comparison between the calculated and observed values, we can quantitatively understand the relative usefulness of various ab initio dipole moment functions in calculations of vibrational oscillator strength for alkenes.     

Spectrum and dynamics of the CH chromophore in CD2HF. II. Ab initio calculations of the potential and dipole moment functions

We report ab initio (SCF-MP2 and CI) calculations on the three-dimensional anharmonic potential and dipole functions of the coupled vibrational modes of the CH chromopore in CD₂HF. Predictions of fundamental and overtone spectra are obtained from 3D solutions of the vibrational Schrödinger equation and are compared with experiment. The dominant Fermi and Darling-Dennison coupling constants in the effective Hamiltonian representation of experiment and theory agree well. Predicted overtone band strengths are satisfactory and very sensitive to the dipole function used.     

Anharmonic rovibrational analysis for disilacyclopropenylidene (Si2CH2)

The global minimum on the Si(2)CH(2) electronic singlet potential energy surface has been theoretically predicted to be a peculiar hydrogen bridged (Si···H···Si) disilacyclopropenylidene structure (Si(2)CH(2)). An accurate quartic force field for Si(2)CH(2) has been determined employing ab initio coupled-cluster theory with single and double excitations and a perturbative treatment for triple excitations [CCSD(T)], in combination with the correlation consistent core-valence quadruple zeta (cc-pCVQZ) basis set. The vibration-rotation coupling constants, equilibrium and zero-point vibration corrected rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and harmonic and fundamental vibrational frequencies for six isotopologues of Si(2)CH(2) are predicted using vibrational second-order perturbation theory (VPT2). The anharmonic corrections for the vibrational motions involving the H bridged bonds are found to be more than 5% with respect to the corresponding harmonic vibrational frequencies. In this light, an experimental detection and characterization of disilacyclopropenylidene (Si(2)CH(2)) is highly desired.     

High resolution TDL spectroscopy of the Ar-CH4 complex

The spectrum of the weakly bound complex Ar-CH4 in the 7 microm region was discovered, analysed, and compared with a spectrum, predicted from ab initio calculations. The measurements were made by probing a supersonic gas expansion with a tunable diode laser (TDL). Several bands of Ar-CH4 associated with different ro-vibrational transitions of the v4 vibration of CH4 were recorded and analysed in a spectral region from 1295 to 1330 cm(-1). In particular the following transitions were studied: j = 1 <-- 0 (at 1311 cm(-1)) reported in Pak et al. [Z. Naturforsch. 53 (1998) 725], j = 0 <-- 1 (at 1301 cm(-1)), j = 2 <-- 1 (at 1316 cm(-1)), and j = 3 <-- 2 transitions (at 1322 cm(-1)). Here, j denotes the angular momentum of the methane unit inside the complex. Analysis of the recently recorded j = 1 <-- 1 transitions at about 1306 cm(-1) in the region of methane Q(1) is in progress. The experimental results are compared with ab initio calculations. The close agreement between observed and ab initio spectra is convincingly demonstrated with respect to the gross spectral features, including many details of the spectra.     

High-level ab initio potential energy surfaces and vibrational energies of H2CS

Six-dimensional (6D) potential energy surfaces (PESs) of H(2)CS have been generated ab initio using the recently proposed explicitly correlated (F12) singles and doubles coupled cluster method including a perturbational estimate of connected triple excitations, CCSD(T)-F12b [T. B. Adler, G. Knizia, and H.-J. Werner, J. Chem. Phys. 127, 221106 (2007)] in conjunction with F12-optimized correlation consistent basis sets. Core-electron correlation, high-order correlation, scalar relativistic, and diagonal Born-Oppenheimer terms were included as additive high-level (HL) corrections. The resulting 6D PESs were represented by analytical functions which were used in variational calculations of the vibrational term values below 5000 cm(-1). The best PESs obtained with and without the HL corrections, VQZ-F12(*HL) and VQZ-F12?, reproduce the fundamental vibrational wavenumbers with mean absolute deviations of 1.13 and 1.22 cm(-1), respectively. A detailed analysis of the effects of the HL corrections shows how the VQZ-F12 results benefit from error cancellation. The present purely ab initio PESs will be useful as starting points for empirical refinements towards an accurate "spectroscopic" PES of H(2)CS.     

Explicitly correlated treatment of H2NSi and H2SiN radicals: electronic structure calculations and rovibrational spectra

Various ab initio methods are used to compute the six dimensional potential energy surfaces (6D-PESs) of the ground states of the H(2)NSi and H(2)SiN radicals. They include standard coupled cluster (RCCSD(T)) techniques and the newly developed explicitly correlated RCCSD(T)-F12 methods. For H(2)NSi, the explicitly correlated techniques are viewed to provide data as accurate as the standard coupled cluster techniques, whereas small differences are noticed for H(2)SiN. These PESs are found to be very flat along the out-of-plane and some in-plane bending coordinates. Then, the analytic representations of these PESs are used to solve the nuclear motions by standard perturbation theory and variational calculations. For both isomers, a set of accurate spectroscopic parameters and the vibrational spectrum up to 4000 cm(-1) are predicted. In particular, the analysis of our results shows the occurrence of anharmonic resonances for H(2)SiN even at low energies.