Density functional theory and ab initio studies of the structure and energetics of digallium tetraoxide, Ga2O4, in the gas phase

A systematic investigation on the neutral and anionic digallium tetraoxide, Ga(2)O(4) has been carried out by using density functional theory (DFT), second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), and the coupled cluster approach with single and double substitutions and a perturbative treatment of the triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. The geometry of neutral Ga(2)O(4) has been proposed earlier, from an experimental study, to adopt a D(2d) symmetry (J. Phys. Chem. 1979, 83, 656). However, the current research reveals that, out of the several isomers considered for neutral and anionic digallium tetraoxide, the (3)B(1u) and (2)B(3g) of the planar D(2h) geometry (7a-D(2h)) are the lowest-energy states for Ga(2)O(4) and Ga(2)O(4)(-). Our computations rule out the D(2d) geometry (3-D(2d)) as a viable contender for neutral Ga(2)O(4). The (3)B(2) (3-D(2d)) state is located above the (3)B(1u) (7-D(2h)) state by at least 4.26 eV. The energies of the low lying states, geometrical parameters, and energetic features (VEDE, AEDE, and AEA) are reported. The AEA of Ga(2)O(4) is calculated to be 3.94 eV (B3LYP), 3.24 eV (MP2), 3.42 eV [CCSD(T)//B3LYP], and 3.38 eV [CCSD(T)//MP2], respectively. In addition, the dissociation energy, D(e), for the process Ga(2)O(4) ((3)B(1u)) → 2GaO(2) ((2)A(2)) is 3.59 eV (B3LYP), 5.08 eV (MP2), 4.82 eV [CCSD(T)//B3LYP], and 4.80 eV [CCSD(T)//MP2]. The results obtained in this work are critically analyzed, discussed, and compared with those of the analogous metal oxides.     

理论研究V2O6-的结构和电子性质

The geometrical and electronic properties of the anionic and neutral V2O6 clusters were studied with the spin unrestricted hybrid density functional B3LYP method. The calculated ground states of both clusters are different from the previous theoretical results. The ground state of V2O6- is found to be a doublet with C2v symmetry, while a doublet with D2h symmetry was previously obtained by Vyboishchikov and Sauer. For neutral V2O6, the ground state is an open-shell singlet with D2h symmetry whose energy is very close to that of the triplet state. In contrast, a closed-shell singlet with D2h symmetry was obtained by Vyboishchikov and Sauer, and Calatayud et al. found a triplet ground state with Cs symmetry. Moreover,the calculated adiabatic and vertical detachment energies of the anion cluster are in much better agreement with the experimental results of photoelectron spectroscopy than previous theoretical values.     

Theoretical study of the electronic states of Nb4, Nb5 clusters and their anions (Nb4-,Nb5-)

Geometries and energy separations of the various low-lying electronic states of Nb(n) and Nb(n) (-) (n=4,5) clusters with various structural arrangements have been investigated. The complete active space multiconfiguration self-consistent field method followed by multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) calculations that included up to 52x10(6) configuration spin functions have been used to compute several electronic states of these clusters. The ground states of both Nb(4) ((1)A('), pyramidal) and Nb(4) (-) ((2)B(3g), rhombus) are low-spin states at the MRSDCI level. The ground state of Nb(5) cluster is a doublet with a distorted trigonal bipyramid (DTB) structure. The anionic cluster of Nb(5) has two competitive ground states with singlet and triplet multiplicities (DTB). The low-lying electronic states of these clusters have been found to be distorted due to Jahn-Teller effect. On the basis of the energy separations of our computed electronic states of Nb(4) and Nb(5), we have assigned the observed photoelectron spectrum of Nb(n) (-) (n=4,5) clusters. We have also compared our MRSDCI results with density functional calculations. The electron affinity, ionization potential, dissociation and atomization energies of Nb(4) and Nb(5) have been calculated and the results have been found to be in excellent agreement with the experiment.     

Evolution of lone pair of excess electrons inside molecular cages with the deformation of the cage in e2@C60F60 systems

For unusual e(2)@C(60)F(60)(I(h), D(6h), and D(5d)) cage structures with two excess electrons, it is reported that not only the lone pair in singlet state but also two single excess electrons in triplet state can be encapsulated inside the C(60)F(60) cages to form single molecular solvated dielectrons. The interesting relationship between the shape of the cage and the spin state of the system has revealed that ground states are singlet state for spherical shaped e(2)@C(60)F(60)(I(h)) and triplet states for short capsular shaped e(2)@C(60)F(60)(D(6h)) and long capsular shaped e(2)@C(60)F(60)(D(5d)), which shows a spin evolution from the singlet to triplet state with the deformation of the cage from spherical to capsular shape. For these excess electron systems, the three ground state structures have large vertical electron detachment energies (VDEs (I) of 1.720-2.283 eV and VDEs (II) of 3.959-5.288 eV), which shows their stabilities and suggests that the large C(60)F(60) cage is the efficient container of excess electrons.     

Quantum chemical modeling of photoadsorption properties of the nitrogen-vacancy point defect in diamond

Quantum chemical calculations of geometric and electronic structure and vertical transition energies for several low-lying excited states of the neutral and negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy point defect in diamond (NV(0) and NV(-)) have been performed employing various theoretical methods and basis sets and using finite model NC(n)H(m) clusters. Unpaired electrons in the ground doublet state of NV(0) and triplet state of NV(-) are found to be localized mainly on three carbon atoms around the vacancy and the electronic density on the nitrogen and rest of C atoms is only weakly disturbed. The lowest excited states involve different electronic distributions on molecular orbitals localized close to the vacancy and their wave functions exhibit a strong multireference character with significant contributions from diffuse functions. CASSCF calculations underestimate excitation energies for the anionic defect and overestimate those for the neutral system. The inclusion of dynamic electronic correlation at the CASPT2 level leads to a reasonable agreement (within 0.25 eV) of the calculated transition energy to the lowest excited state with experiment for both systems. Several excited states for NV(-) are found in the energy range of 2-3 eV, but only for the 1(3)E and 5(3)E states the excitation probabilities from the ground state are significant, with the first absorption band calculated at approximately 1.9 eV and the second lying 0.8-1 eV higher in energy than the first one. For NV(0), we predict the following order of electronic states: 1(2)E (0.0), 1(2)A(2) (approximately 2.4 eV), 2(2)E (2.7-2.8 eV), 1(2)A(1), 3(2)E (approximately 3.2 eV and higher).     

On the triplet ground state of tetrahedral X4 clusters (X = Li, Na, K, Cu)

The lowest electronic state of distorted tetrahedral X(4) clusters (with X = Li, Na, K, Cu) is studied at coupled-cluster level using high-quality atomic basis sets. The ground state is found to have a triplet spin symmetry for this kind of geometry and for all the considered atomic species. The equilibrium geometries correspond to Jahn-Teller-distorted oblate tetrahedra having D(2d) symmetry, and tetrahedric structures are local minima on the potential-energy surfaces for the triplet states. Their energies lie between 0.2 eV (for the K(4) cluster) and 0.9 eV (for Cu(4)) above the absolute minimum of the corresponding systems, which is a spin singlet having a rhombus geometry.     

Quantum chemical study of the electronic structure of NiCH2 + in its ground state and low-lying electronic excited states

The electronic structure of NiCH(2) (+), representative of transition metal carbene ions, is investigated by means of several methods of quantum chemistry. The relative stabilities of the four low-lying doublet electronic states ((2)A(1), (2)A(2), (2)B(1), and (2)B(2)) are determined at the coupled cluster singles and doubles level (CCSD) and triples level [CCSD(T) and CCSDT-3] with both a Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (Kohn-Sham) reference. The equation-of-motion coupled cluster for treatment of excited states in singles and doubles approximation (EOM-CCSD) is used to characterize the transition energies from the (2)A(1) electronic ground state to the low-lying doublet excited states. The (2)A(2) and (2)B(1) states are nearly degenerate, found to be separated by 940 cm(-1) at the EOM-CCSD level, in agreement with the CASSCF energy ordering. The (2)B(2) state is calculated to be higher in energy by more than 1.0 eV. The spin purity of the low-lying doublet and quadruplet states described by CCSD calculations based on the unrestricted open-shell Hartree-Fock reference is discussed.     

Electronic states of Ga(3)Si, GaSi(3), and their ions

The equilibrium geometries and electronic states of Ga(3)Si, GaSi(3), and their ions are investigated using the complete active space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) and DFT(B3LYP)/CCSD(T) techniques. The (2)B(1), (3)B(1), and (1)A(1) states in C(2v) symmetry with a planar quadrilateral geometry are found to be the ground states of Ga(3)Si, Ga(3)Si(+), and Ga(3)Si(-), respectively. On the other hand, the ground states of GaSi(3), GaSi(3)(-) are also predicted to undergo Jahn-Teller distortion to the (2)A' and (1)A' states in C(s) with a distorted triangular pyramid geometry, respectively, whereas that of GaSi(3)(+) is found to be the (1)A(1) state in C(3v) with symmetric triangular pyramid structure. Binding energies, electron affinities, ionization energies of Ga(3)Si and GaSi(3) are computed at the CCSD(T)/QCISD(T) level and discussed.     

Dissociative addition of water to a main group 13 metal cluster: computational study of the reaction of gallium dimer with H2O

We have investigated the lowest triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the reaction of Ga(2) dimer with water. Under thermal conditions, we predict formation of the triplet ground state addition complex Ga(2)···OH(2)((3)B(1)) involving Ga···O···Ga bridge interaction. At the coupled cluster CCSD(T)/AE (CCSD(T)/ECP) computational levels, Ga(2)···OH(2)((3)B(1)) is bound by 5.5 (5.7) kcal/mol with respect to the ground state reactants Ga(2)((3)Π(u)) + H(2)O. Identification of the addition complex is in agreement with the experimental evidence from matrix isolation infrared (IR) spectroscopy reported recently by Macrae and Downs. The located minimum energy crossing points (MECPs) between the triplet and singlet energy surfaces on the entrance channel of Ga(2) + H(2)O are not expected to be energetically accessible under the matrix conditions, consistent with the lack of occurrence of Ga(2) insertion into the O-H bond under such conditions. The computed energies and harmonic and anharmonic vibrational frequencies for the triplet and singlet Ga(2)(H)(OH) insertion isomers indicate the singlet double-bridged Ga(μ-H)(μ-OH)Ga isomer to be the most stable and support the experimental IR identification of this species. The energy barrier for elimination of H(2) from the second most stable singlet HGa(μ-OH)Ga insertion isomer found to be 13.9 (12.9) kcal/mol is also consistent with the available experimental data.     

Small clusters of aluminum and tin: highly correlated calculations and validation of density functional procedures

We present results of molecular electronic structure treatments of multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) type for clusters Al(n) and Sn(n) in the range up to n = 4, and of coupled cluster singles and doubles with perturbative triples corrections (CCSD(T)) type in the range up to n = 10. Basis sets of quadruple zeta size are employed, computed energy differences, such as cohesive energies, E(coh), or dissociation energies for the removal of a single atom, D(e), differ from the complete basis set limit by only a few 0.01 eV. MRCI and CCSD(T) results are then compared to those obtained from density functional theory (DFT) treatments, which show that all computational procedures agree with the general features of D(e) and E(coh). The best agreement of DFT with CCSD(T) is found for the meta-GGA (generalized gradient approximation) TPSS (Tao, Perdew, Staroverov, Scuseria) for which D(e) differs from CCSD(T) by at most 0.15 eV for Al(n) and 0.21 eV for Sn(n). The GGA PBE (Perdew, Burke, Ernzerhof) is slightly poorer with maximum deviations of 0.23 and 0.24 eV, whereas hybrid functionals are not competitive with GGA and meta-GGA functionals. A general conclusion is that errors of D(e) and/or energy differences of isomers computed with DFT procedures may easily reach 0.2 eV and errors for cohesive energies E(coh) 0.1 eV.     

The Ni + O2 reaction: a combined IR matrix isolation and theoretical study of the formation and structure of NiO2

The reaction of Ni atoms with molecular oxygen has been reinvestigated experimentally in neon matrices and theoretically at the DFT PW91PW91/6311G(3df) level. Experimental results show that i) the nature of the ground electronic state of the superoxide metastable product is the same in neon and argon matrices, ii) two different photochemical pathways exist for the conversion of the superoxide to the dioxide ground state (involving 1.6 or 4 eV photons) and iii) an important matrix effect exists in the Ni + O(2)--> Ni(O(2)) or ONiO branching ratios. Theoretical results confirm that the electronic ground state of the metastable superoxide corresponds to the singlet state, in agreement with former CCSD(T) calculations, but in contradiction with other recent works. Our results show that the ground electronic state of the dioxide is (1)Sigma(+)(g) with the lowest triplet and quintet states at slightly higher energy, consistent with the observation of weak vibronic transitions in the near infrared. The potential energy profiles are modelled for the ground state and nine electronic excited states and a pathway for the Ni(triplet) + O(2)(triplet) --> Ni(O(2)) or ONiO (singlet) reaction is proposed, as well as for the Ni(O(2)) --> ONiO photochemical reaction, accounting for the experimental observations.     

Spectroscopic properties of novel aromatic metal clusters: NaM4 (M=Al,Ga,In) and their cations and anions

The ground- and several excited states of metal aromatic clusters, namely NaM(4) and NaM(4) (+/-) (M=Al,Ga,In) clusters have been investigated by employing complete active-space self-consistent-field followed by multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction computations that included up to 10 million configurations and other methods. The ground states NaM(4) (-) of aromatic anions are found to be symmetric C(4nu) ((1)A(1)) electronic states with ideal square pyramid geometries. While the ground state of NaIn(4) is also predicted to be a symmetric C(4nu) ((2)A(1)) square pyramid, the ground state of the NaAl(4) cluster is found to have a C(2nu) ((2)A(1)) pyramid with a rhombus base, and the ground state of NaGa(4) possesses a C(2nu) ((2)A(1)) pyramid with a rectangle base. In general, these structures exhibit two competing geometries, viz., an ideal C(4nu) structure and a distorted rhomboidal or rectangular pyramid structure (C(2nu)). All of the ground states of the NaM(4) (+) (M=Al,Ga,In) cations are computed to be C(2nu) ((3)A(2)) pyramids with rhombus bases. The equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, dissociation energies, adiabatic ionization potentials, adiabatic electron affinities for the electronic states of NaM(4) (M=Al,Ga,In), and their ions are computed and compared with experimental results and other theoretical calculations. On the basis of our computed excited states energy separations, we have tentatively suggested assignments to the observed X and A states in the anion photoelectron spectra of Al(4)Na(-) reported by Li et al. [X. Li, A. E. Kuznetov, H. F. Zheng, A. I. Boldyrev, and L. S. Wang, Science 291, 859 (2001)]. The X state can be assigned to a C(2nu) ((2)A(1)) rhomboidal pyramid. The A state observed in the anion spectrum is assigned to the first excited state ((2)B(1)) of the neutral NaAl(4) with the C(4nu) symmetry. The assignments of the excited states are consistent with the experimental excitation energies and the previous Green's function-based methods for the vertical transition energy separations between the X and A bands.     

The triplet state of cytosine and its derivatives: electron impact and quantum chemical study

The excitation of the lowest electronic states and vibrational excitation of cytosine (C) have been studied using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS, 0-100 eV) with angular analysis. The singlet states have been found to be in good agreement with UV-VIS absorption results on sublimed films, slightly blueshifted by about 0.1 eV. The EEL spectra recorded at residual energy below 2 eV show clear shoulders at energy losses of 3.50 and 4.25 eV (+/-0.1 eV). They are assigned to the lowest triplet electronic states of cytosine. Energies and molecular structures of the lowest-lying triplet state of C and its methylated and halogenated 5-X-C, 6-X-C, and 5-X, 6-X-C substituted derivatives (X=CH3, F, Cl, and Br) have been studied using quantum chemical calculations with both molecular orbital and density functional methods, in conjunction with the 6-311++G(d,p), 6-311++G(3df,2p), and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The triplet-singlet energy gap obtained using coupled-cluster theory [CCSD(T)] and density functional theory (DFT) methods agrees well with those derived from EELS study. The first C's vertical triplet state is located at 3.6 eV, in good agreement with experiment. The weak band observed at 4.25 eV is tentatively assigned to the second C's vertical triplet excitation. For the substituted cytosines considered, the vertical triplet state is consistently centered at 3.0-3.2 eV above the corresponding singlet ground state but about 1.0 eV below the first excited singlet state. Geometrical relaxation involving out-of-plane distortions of hydrogen atoms leads to a stabilization of 0.6-1.0 eV in favor of the equilibrium triplet. The lowest-lying adiabatic triplet states are located at 2.3-3.0 eV. Halogen substitution at both C(5) and C(6) positions tends to reduce the triplet-singlet separations whereas methylation tends to enlarge it. The vibrational modes of triplet cytosine and the ionization energies of substituted derivatives were also evaluated.     

Small carbon clusters doped with early transition metals: a theoretical study of ScCn, ScCn+, and ScCn- (n = 1-8) open-chain clusters

A theoretical study of the ScCn, ScCn+, and ScCn- (n = 1-8) open-chain clusters has been carried out. Predictions for their electronic energies, rotational constants, dipole moments and vibrational frequencies have been made using the B3LYP method with different basis set including effective core potentials, ECPs. For the ScCn open-chain clusters the lowest-lying states correspond to quartet states for n-odd members, whereas for n-even species the ground state is found to be a doublet. In the cationic and anionic species, the electronic ground state is found to be a singlet for even n and a triplet for odd n. An even-odd parity effect (n-even clusters being more stable than n-odd ones) is observed in neutral and charged clusters. Ionization energies and electron affinities also exhibit a clear parity alternation trend, with n-even clusters having higher values than n-odd ones.     

Structures of tin cluster cations Sn3(+) to Sn15(+)

We employ a combination of ion mobility measurements and an unbiased systematic structure search with density functional theory methods to study structure and energetics of gas phase tin cluster cations, Sn(n)(+), in the range of n = 3-15. For Sn(13)(+) we also carry out trapped ion electron diffraction measurements to ascertain the results obtained by the other procedures. The structures for the smaller systems are most easily described by idealized point group symmetries, although they are all Jahn-Teller distorted: D(3h) (trigonal bipyramid), D(4h) (octahedron), D(5h) (pentagonal bipyramid) for n = 5, 6, and 7. For the larger systems we find capped D(5h) for Sn(8)(+) and Sn(9)(+), D(3h) (tricapped trigonal prism) and D(4d) (bicapped squared antiprism) plus adatoms for n = 10, 11, 14, and 15. A centered icosahedron with a peripheral atom removed is the dominant motif in Sn(12)(+). For Sn(13)(+) the calculations predict a family of virtually isoenergetic isomers, an icosahedron and slightly distorted icosahedra, which are about 0.25 eV below two C(1) structures. The experiments indicate the presence of two structures, one from the I(h) family and a prolate C(1) isomer based on fused deltahedral moieties.     

Theoretical study of electronic structures and spectroscopic properties of Ga3Sn, GaSn3, and their ions

Ground and excited states of mixed gallium stannide tetramers (Ga3Sn, Ga3Sn+, Ga3Sn-, GaSn3, GaSn3+, and GaSn3-) are investigated employing the complete active space self-consistent-field (CASSCF), density function theory (DFT), and the coupled-cluster single and double substitution (including triple excitations) (CCSD(T)) methods. The ground states of Ga3Sn, Ga3Sn+, and Ga3Sn- are found to be the 2A1, 3B1, and 1A1 states in C2v symmetry with a planar quadrilateral geometry, respectively. The ground states of GaSn3 and GaSn3- is predicted to be the 2A1 and 1A1 states in C2v point group with a planar quadrilateral structure, respectively, while the ground state of GaSn3+ is the 1A1 state with ideal triangular pyramid C3v geometry. Equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, binding energies, electron affinities, ionization energies, and other properties of Ga3Sn and GaSn3 are computed and discussed. The anion photoelectron spectra of Ga3Sn- and GaSn3- are also predicted. It is interesting to find that the amount of charge transfer between Ga and Sn2 atoms in the 1A1 state of GaSn3+ greatly increases upon electron ionization from the 2A1 state of GaSn3, which may be caused by large geometry change. On the other hand, the results of the low-lying states of Ga3Sn and GaSn3 are compared with those of Ga3Si and GaSi3.     

Electronic structure and reactivity of cobalt oxide dimers and their hexacarbonyl complexes: a density functional study

The dimers of cobalt oxide (CoO)(2) with cyclic and open bent structure are studied with the B1LYP density functional; the ordering of states is validated by the CCSD(T) method. The D(2h)-symmetry rhombic dioxide Co(2)O(2) with antiferromagnetically ordered electrons on cobalt centers is the global minimum. The cyclic peroxide Co(2)(O(2)) with side-on-bonded dioxygen in (7)B(2) ground state is separated from the global minimum by an energy gap of 3.15 eV. The dioxide is highly reactive as indicated by the high value of proton affinity and chemical reactivity indices. The four-member ring structures are more stable than those with three-member ring or chain configuration. The thermodynamic stability toward dissociation to CoO increases upon carbonylation, whereas proton affinity and reactivity with release of molecular oxygen also increase. The global minimum of Co(2)O(2)(CO)(6) corresponds to a triplet state (3)A" with oxygen atoms shifted above the molecular plane of the rhombic dioxide Co(2)O(2). The SOMO-LUMO gap in the ground-state carbonylated dioxide is wider, compared to the same gap in the bare dicobalt dioxide. The peroxo-isomer Co(2)(O(2))(CO)(6) retains the planar Co(2)(O(2)) ring and is only stable in a high-spin state (7)A". The carbonylated clusters have increased reactivity in both redox and nucleophilic reactions, as a result of the increased electron density in the Co(2)O(2)-ring area.     

Behavior of Ag3 clusters inside a nanometer-sized space of ZSM-5 zeolite

We found from DFT calculations that Ag-Ag orbital interactions as well as Ag-O electrostatic interactions determine the structures of three silver cations inside a nanometer-sized cavity of ZSM-5 (Ag(3)-ZSM-5) in lower and higher spin states. Both interactions strongly depend on the number of Al atoms substituted for Si atoms on the ZSM-5 framework (ZSM-5(Al(n))), where n ranges from 1 to 3. In smaller n, stronger Ag-Ag orbital interactions and weaker Ag-O electrostatic interactions operate. Accordingly, there are significant dependencies of the structures of three silver cations on the number of Al atoms. In lower spin states of Ag(3)-ZSM-5(Al(1)) and Ag(3)-ZSM-5(Al(2)), D(3h)-like triangle clusters are contained inside ZSM-5 whereas their higher spin states have triangle clusters distorted significantly from the D(3h) structure. In lower spin states, the totally symmetric orbital consisting of 5s(Ag) orbitals is responsible for cluster formation, whereas in higher spin states occupation of a 5s(Ag)-based orbital with one node results in significant distortion of the triangle clusters. The distortion can be partially understood by analogies to Jahn-Teller distortion of the bare D(3h) Ag(3)(+) cluster in the triplet spin state. When n is 3, we found that three silver cations are isolated in a lower spin state and that a linear cluster consisting of two silver cations is formed in a higher spin state. Thus, we demonstrate from DFT calculations that the number of Al atoms can control the properties of three silver cations inside a ZSM-5 cavity. Since the structural and electronic features of the enclosed silver clusters can link to their catalytic properties, the DFT findings can help us to understand the catalytic activity of Ag-ZSM-5.     

Low-lying quartet electronic states of nitrogen dioxide

The environmentally active molecule nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has been systematically studied using high level theoretical methods. The electronic ground state and the low-lying quartet states of NO2 have been investigated. Single reference restricted open-shell self-consistent field (SCF), complete active space SCF (CASSCF), spin-restricted (R) and spin-unrestricted (U) configuration interaction with single and double excitations (CISD), coupled cluster with single and double excitations (CCSD), CCSD with perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)], and internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (ICMRCI) methods along with Dunning's correlation consistent polarized valence cc-pVXZ and augmented cc-pVXZ (where X=T,Q,5) basis sets were used in this research. At the aug-cc-pV5Z/UCCSD(T) level the classical adiabatic excitation energies (Te values) of the three lowest-lying quartet excited states were predicted to be 83.3 kcalmol (3.61 eV, 29 200 cm(-1)) for the ? 4A2 state, 93.3 kcalmol (4.05 eV, 32 600 cm(-1)) for the b 4B2 state, and 100.8 kcalmol (4.37 eV, 35 300 cm(-1)) for the c 4A1 state. The quantum mechanical excitation energies (T 0 values) were determined to be 81.6 kcalmol (3.54 eV, 28 500 cm(-1)) for the a 4A2 state and 90.7 kcalmol (3.93 eV, 31 700 cm(-1)) for the b 4B2 state. The lowest quartet linear Renner-Teller 4Pi state gives rise to the a 4A2 state with 112.8 degrees and the b 4B2 state with 124.4 degrees <(ONO) bond angles upon bending. The b state shows some peculiar behavior. Although CASSCF, RCISD, UCISD, RCCSD, UCCSD, and RCCSD(T) methods predicted the presence of a Cs equilibrium geometry (a double minimum 4A' state), SCF, UCCSD(T), and ICMRCI wave functions predicted the C2v structure for the b 4B2 state. The importance of both dynamical and nondynamical correlation treatments for the energy difference between C2v and Cs structures of b state is highlighted in this context. The c 4A1 state is predicted to have a very small bond angle of 85.8 degrees . Potential energy diagrams with respect to the bond angles of the ground state and four quartet states are presented.