The electronic structure of heteroaromatic molecules; ab initio calculations and photoelectron spectra for the isomeric-oxazoles and some -oxadiazoles

The UV photoelectron spectra are reported for isoxazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole (He(I) region), oxazole and 1,2,5-oxadiazole (He(I) and He(II) regions). Marked fine structure is apparent on some of the spectra. The spectra have been assigned on the basis of ab initio calculations, and by comparison with the azoles and thiazoles. Variations in the lone pairs levels at O-, S- and N- across the azoles, oxazoles, thiazoles and azines are discussed. It is suggested that “through-bond” interactions are more widespread in the azines than previously noted.     

Collision-energy-resolved Penning ionization electron spectroscopy of bromomethanes (CH3Br, CH2Br2, and CHBr3) by collision with He*(2(3)S) metastable atoms

Ionization of bromomethanes (CH3Br, CH2Br2, and CHBr3) upon collision with metastable He*(2(3)S) atoms has been studied by means of collision-energy-resolved Penning ionization electron spectroscopy. Lone-pair (nBr) orbitals of Br4p characters have larger ionization cross sections than sigma(C-Br) orbitals. The collision-energy dependence of the partial ionization cross sections shows that the interaction potential between the molecule and the He*(2(3)S) atom is highly anisotropic around CH3Br or CH2Br2, while isotropic attractive interactions are found for CHBr3. Bands observed at electron energies of approximately 2 eV in the He*(2(3)S) Penning ionization electron spectra (PIES) of CH2Br2 and CHBr3 have no counterpart in ultraviolet (He I) photoionization spectra and theoretical (third-order algebraic diagrammatic construction) one-electron and shake-up ionization spectra. Energy analysis of the processes involved demonstrates that these bands and further bands overlapping with sigma(C-Br) or piCH2 levels are related to autoionization of dissociating (He+ - Br-) pairs. Similarly, a band at an electron energy of approximately 1 eV in the He*(2(3)S) PIES spectra of CH3Br has been ascribed to autoionizing Br** atoms released by dissociation of (unidentified) excited states of the target molecule. A further autoionization (S) band can be discerned at approximately 1 eV below the lone-pair nBr bands in the He*(2(3)S) PIES spectrum of CHBr3. This band has been ascribed to the decay of autoionizing Rydberg states of the target molecule (M**) into vibrationally excited states of the molecular ion. It was found that for this transition, the interaction potential that prevails in the entrance channel is merely attractive.     

Spin violation in double-electron capture by Ar4+ ions

Translational energy spectroscopy has been employed to study state-selective double-electron capture by 8 keV Ar⁴⁺ in He and Ne targets, and 12 keV Ar⁴⁺ in He. The capture spectra are dominated by reaction channels which violate spin conservation. The double capture spectra for Ar⁴⁺ in He contain intense peaks which involve capture from the metastable quintet ⁵S⁰ state of Ar⁴⁺, recently identified in single capture spectra for Ar⁴⁺ in He and Ne.     

Photoelectron spectroscopic study of sulfur—sulfur interactions in macrocyclic thioethers

He I photoelectron spectra of 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane, 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane, 1,4,7,10-tetrathiacyclododecane, 1,4,8,11-tetrathiacyclotetradecane, 1,5,9,13-tetrathiacyclohexadecane and 1,5,9,13-tetrathiacyclohexadecane-3,11-diol were measured and used to obtain information on sulphur—sulphur lone pair interactions. Comparisons with spectra of oxygen macrocyclic analogs allowed several general trends in electronic structures of these ligands to be established.     

n-π Interactions in homoallylic methyl ethers a photoelectron spectroscopic study

The He I photoelectron spectra of several monocyclic and bicyclic methoxy compounds have been interpreted in terms of inductive effects and n-π interactions between the π_cc molecular orbital and the oxygen lone pair orbital n_o. The n-π interactions appear to be small, and are mainly through bond.     

Photoelectron spectra of the gauche and trans conformers of 1,2-dibromoethane

The He I photoelectron spectra of the gauche and trans conformers of 1,2-dibromo-ethane have been obtained. Time-averaged spectra of 1,2-dibromoethane recorded at different temperatures have been analyzed by a spectrum-stripping procedure to give resulting spectra which represent each of the two stable conformers. The correlation of the ionization potentials of the two conformers is consistent with data obtained from MO calculations. In comparison with the case of 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2-dibromoethane shows different non-bonded Br—Br interactions and generally larger resonance splittings of the ethane orbitals.     

Unraveling the absorption spectra of alkali metal atoms attached to helium nanodroplets

The absorption spectra of the first electronic exited state of alkali metal atoms on helium nanodroplets formed of both 4He and 3He isotopes were studied experimentally as well as theoretically. In the experimental part new data on the 2p<--2s transition of lithium on 3He nanodroplets are presented. The absorption spectrum changes drastically when compared to 4He droplets, in contrast to sodium where only marginal differences were observed in former studies. To explain these large differences and to answer some still open questions concerning the interaction of alkali metal atoms with helium nanodroplets, a model calculation was performed. New helium density profiles as well as a refined model allowed us to achieve good agreement with the experimental findings. For the first time the red-shifted intensities in the lithium and sodium spectra are explained in terms of enhanced binding configurations in the excited state displaced spatially from the ground state configurations.     

Combined experimental/theoretical investigation of the He+ICl interactions. I. Rovibronic spectrum of He...ICl complexes in the ICl B-X, 3-0 region

Transitions of two different stereoisomers of the He...ICl(X,v" = 0) weakly bound complex, one with a T-shaped orientation and another that is most likely linear, have been observed in laser-induced fluorescence experiments performed in the ICl B-X region. Here we present experimental and theoretical results aimed at confirming the previous assignments and at gaining additional insights into the He+ICl interactions. High resolution action spectra were recorded in the same region to identify those features that could be attributed to transitions of the He...I35Cl(X,v" = 0) isomers and not to higher-order complexes, Hen...I35Cl, where n > or = 2, or I37Cl containing species. Calculations of the rovibronic spectra of the He...I35Cl complexes in the ICl B-X, 2-0 and 3-0 regions were performed using an ab initio potential energy surface for the He+ICl(X,v" = 0) ground state and two different pairwise additive potentials for the He+ICl(B,v' = 2,3) excited states. The rotation-vibration energies and wave functions for the He cdots, three dots, centered I35Cl complexes were obtained for all bound states with total angular momentum J < 10 using both of these potentials. Electronic spectra were generated using these results, assuming that the transition moment lies along the ICl bond and is not perturbed by the presence of the helium atom. The calculations qualitatively reproduce the He cdots, three dots, centered I35Cl action spectrum and strongly support the previous assignments. The calculations also indicate that some of the spectral congestion observed near the linear band may be attributed to transitions of the linear isomer to multiple intermolecular levels in the excited state. Coriolis coupling strongly mixes He cdots, three dots, centered ICl(B,v') states with rotational excitation, making simulations and assignments of the linear band observed in the experimental spectrum difficult.     

Photoelectron spectra of diamondoid molecules : Adamantane,silamantane and urotropine

The He(1) PE spectra of the title compounds have been measured and bands attributable to CC, SiC, NC and CH ionizations identified. In accordance with recent thermochemical studies, analysis of the spectra in terms of an equivalent orbital (EO) treatment indicates that adamantane is by no means strain-free. Manifestations of its steric discomfort include: (i) a splitting of 2 eV between formally degenerate orbitals localized in the methylene groups, (ii) a similar gap between orbitals correlating with the tertiary CH bonds, and (iii) a CC level ordering strikingly different from that expected on the basis of nearest neighbour CCCC interactions only. These findings are interpreted in terms of through-space CH?CH and transannular CC?CC interactions. The relevant EO parameters are reported.     

Spectres photoélectroniques He(I) et He(II) du benzo[b]sélénophène et du benzo[b]tellurophène

He(I) and He(II) photoelectron spectra of benzo[b]selenophene and benzo[b]tellurophene The photoelectron spectra of benzo[b]selenophene ( 2 ) and benzo[b]tellurophene ( 1 ) have been recorded with He(I) and He(II) radiation and been compared to those of benzo[b]thiophene ( 3 ), benzo[b]furan ( 4 ), indole ( 5 ) and indene ( 6 ). The first four bands are correlated with π-orbitals, of which the highest occupied one is strongly localized on the heteroatom in the case of 1 . The results are in agreement with semi-empirical PPP-calculations.     

Photoionization and imaging spectroscopy of rubidium atoms attached to helium nanodroplets

Highly excited states of rubidium (Rb) atoms attached to helium (He) nanodroplets are studied by two-photon ionization spectroscopy in combination with electron and ion imaging. We find high yields of RbHe and RbHe(2) exciplexes when exciting to the 4D and 6P bands but not at the 6S band, in accord with a direct formation of exciplexes in binding RbHe pair potentials. Photoion spectra and angular distributions are in good agreement with a pseudodiatomic model for the RbHe(N) complex. Repulsive interactions in the excited states entail fast dissociation followed by ionization of free Rb atoms as well as of RbHe and RbHe(2) exciplexes.     

Interaction between Oxygen Lone-Pair Orbitals of Ether and α,β-Unsaturated Ketone Functions in 3,5,6-Trimethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one and 3,6-Dimethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,5-dione: A PE-Spectroscopic Investigation

Controlled ozonolysis of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ( 1 ) afforded 3,5,6-trimethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one ( 2 ). Ozonolysis of 2 gave a 1:1 mixture of 3,5-dimethylidene-7-oxa-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,6-dione ( 3 ) and 3,6-dimethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,5-dione ( 4 ). The He(Iα) photoelectron (PE) spectra of 2 and 4 have been recorded. Comparison with the PE data of related systems, and with the result of ab initio STO-3G calculations, confirm the existence of significant through-bond interactions between the oxygen lone-pair orbitals n(CO) of the carbonyl functions and n(O) of the O(7) ether bridge.     

The structure and energetics of 3He and 4He nanodroplets doped with alkaline earth atoms

We present systematic results, based on density functional calculations, for the structure and energetics of 3He and 4He nanodroplets doped with alkaline earth atoms. We predict that alkaline earth atoms from Mg to Ba go to the center of 3He drops, whereas Ca, Sr, and Ba reside in a deep dimple at the surface of 4He drops, and Mg is at their center. For Ca and Sr, the structure of the dimples is shown to be very sensitive to the He-alkaline earth pair potentials used in the calculations. The 5s5p <-- 5s2 transition of strontium atoms attached to helium nanodroplets of either isotope has been probed in absorption experiments. The spectra show that strontium is solvated inside 3He nanodroplets, supporting the calculations. In the light of our findings, we emphasize the relevance of the heavier alkaline earth atoms for analyzing mixed 3He-4He nanodroplets, and in particular, we suggest their use to experimentally probe the 3He-4He interface.     

Electronic Structures of Copper(I) and Silver(I) beta-Diketonate Complexes

The valence electronic structures of [Cu(hfac)L] (hfac = CF(3)C(O)CHC(O)CF(3); L = PMe(3), CNMe), [Ag(hfac)(PMe(3))], and [Ag(fod)(PEt(3))] (fod = t-BuC(O)CHC(O)C(3)F(7)) have been studied by recording their photoelectron spectra and by performing Xalpha-SW calculations on the model compounds [M(dfm)(PH(3))] (dfm = HC(O)CHC(O)H; M = Cu, Ag) and [Cu(dfm)(CNH)]. For the copper complexes, the spectra were recorded between 21 and 160 eV using He I, He II and synchrotron radiation; while, for the silver complexes, He I and He II, spectra were recorded. Assignments were made by comparison of experimental and calculated values of band energies, and, for the copper complexes, by similar comparison of experimental and theoretical branching ratios as a function of photon energy. For the silver complexes, a more limited comparison of band intensities in the He I and He II spectra was made. In analogous compounds, it is shown that the binding energies follow the sequence Ag 4d > Cu 3d, with an energy difference of almost 2 eV.     

Sizes of large He droplets

Helium droplets spanning a wide size range, N(He) = 10(3)-10(10), were formed in a continuous-nozzle beam expansion at different nozzle temperatures and a constant stagnation pressure of 20 bars. The average sizes of the droplets have been obtained by attenuation of the droplet beam through collisions with argon and helium gases at room temperature. The results obtained are in good agreement with previous measurements in the size range N(He) = 10(5)-10(7). Moreover, the measurements give the average sizes in the previously uncharacterized range of very large droplets of 10(7)-10(10) atoms. The droplet sizes and beam flux increase rapidly at nozzle temperatures below 6 K, which is ascribed to the formation of droplets within the nozzle interior. The mass spectra of the droplet beam upon electron impact ionization have also been obtained. The spectra show a large increase in the intensity of the He(4) (+) signal upon increase of the droplet size, an effect which can be used as a secondary size standard in the droplet size range N(He) = 10(4)-10(9) atoms.     

The electronic structure of aromatic molecules: ab inito molecular orbital studies and photoelectron spectra for the aza-derivatives of indole,benzofuran and benzothiophen

The He(I) photoelectron spectra for the aza-derivatives of benzofuran (4 and 7), benzothiophen (8) and indole (3a, 3b, 6a, 9b), and combined He(I) and He(II) spectra of the 1,2-benzisothiazole (5), 1,2,3-benzothiadiazole (11) and benzotriazole (9a) have been obtained and assigned by a combination of heteroatom substituent effects and ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The variations in lone pair levels (LP_NLP_O, LP_S) and π-levels, between these and the monocyclic compounds are discussed.     

Solvation structure and rotational dynamics of LiH in 4He clusters

We present results of path integral Monte Carlo simulations of LiH solvated in superfluid 4He clusters of size up to N = 100. Despite the light mass of LiH and the strongly anisotropic LiH-He potential with a large repulsion at the hydrogen end, LiH is solvated inside the cluster for sufficiently large N. Using path integral correlation function analysis, we have determined the dipole (J = 1) rotational excitations of the cluster and a corresponding effective rotational constant Beff of the solvated LiH. We predict that Beff is greatly reduced with respect to the gas-phase rotational constant B, to a value of only about 6% of B. This exceptionally large reduction of the rotational constant is due to the highly anisotropic 4He solvation structure around LiH. It does not follow the previously established trend of a relatively small B reduction for light molecules, showing the strongest reduction of all molecules in 4He to date. Comparison of the calculated rotational spectra of LiH in helium obeying Bose and Boltzmann statistics, respectively, demonstrates that the Bose statistics of helium is an essential requirement for obtaining well-defined molecule rotational spectra in helium-4.     

The resonance raman effects of VCl4 and SnI4

Raman spectra of VCl₄ and SnI₄ in solution are obtained using the exciting lines of a HeNe and an Ar⁺ laser. The spectra show a pre-resonance Raman effect with an enhancement of the stretching vibrations for shorter wavelengths of excitation. The features of the intensity variation are discussed quantitatively in terms of the frequency factors given by Albrecht and Hutley.     

UV photoelectron spectra of 5- and 6-azauracil

The He(I) photoelectron spectra of 5-azauracil (1,3,5-triazine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione) and 6-azauracil (1,2,4-triazine-3, 5(2H,4H)-dione) are presented. The spectra are assigned by using INDO/S calculations and comparison arguments with uracil. The first ionization energy in the title compounds is higher than in the usual nucleic acid bases.     

Rovibrational spectra for the HCCCN*HCN and HCN*HCCCN binary complexes in 4He droplets

Rovibrational spectra are measured for the HCCCN*HCN and HCN*HCCCN binary complexes in helium droplets at low temperature. Though no Q-branch is observed in the infrared spectrum of the linear HCN*HCCCN dimer, which is consistent with previous experimental results obtained for other linear molecules, a prominent Q-branch is found in the corresponding infrared spectrum of the HCCCN*HCN complex. This Q-branch, which is reminiscent of the spectrum of a parallel band of a prolate symmetric top, implies that some component of the total angular momentum is parallel to the molecular axis. The appearance of this particular spectroscopic feature is analyzed here in terms of a nonsuperfluid helium density induced by the molecular interactions. Finite temperature path integral Monte Carlo simulations are performed using potential energy surfaces calculated with second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory, to investigate the structural and superfluid properties of both HCCCN*HCN(4He)N and HCN*HCCCN(4He)N clusters with N < or = 200. Explicit calculation of local and global nonsuperfluid densities demonstrates that this difference in the rovibrational spectra of the HCCCN*HCN and HCN*HCCCN binary complexes in helium can be accounted for by local differences in the superfluid response to rotations about the molecular axis, i.e., different parallel nonsuperfluid densities. The parallel and perpendicular nonsuperfluid densities are found to be correlated with the locations and strengths of extrema in the dimer interaction potentials with helium, differences between which derive from the variable extent of polarization of the CN bond in cyanoacetylene and the hydrogen-bonded CH unit in the two isomers. Calculation of the corresponding helium moments of inertia and effective rotational constants of the binary complexes yields overall good agreement with the experimental values.