Infrared laser spectroscopy of the CH3-HCN radical complex stabilized in helium nanodroplets

The CH3-HCN and CD3-HCN radical complexes have been formed in helium nanodroplets by sequential pickup of a CH3 (CD3) radical and a HCN molecule and have been studied by high-resolution infrared laser spectroscopy. The complexes have a hydrogen-bonded structure with C3v symmetry, as inferred from the analysis of their rotationally resolved nu = 1 <-- 0 H-CN vibrational bands. The A rotational constants of the complexes are found to change significantly upon vibrational excitation of the C-H stretch of HCN within the complex, DeltaA = A'-A" = -0.04 cm(-1) (for CH3-HCN), whereas the B rotational constants are found to be 2.9 times smaller than that predicted by theory. The reduction in B can be attributed to the effects of helium solvation, whereas the large DeltaA is found to be a sensitive probe of the vibrational averaging dynamics of such weakly bound systems. The complex has a permanent electric dipole moment of 3.1 +/- 0.2 D, as measured by Stark spectroscopy. A vibration-vibration resonance is observed to couple the excited C-H stretching vibration of HCN within the complex to the lower-frequency C-H stretches of the methyl radical. Deuteration of the methyl radical was used to detune these levels from resonance, increasing the lifetime of the complex by a factor of 2. Ab initio calculations for the energies and molecular parameters of the stationary points on the CN+CH4 --> HCN+CH3 potential-energy surface are also presented.     

Infrared laser spectroscopy of CH3...HF in helium nanodroplets: The exit-channel complex of the F + CH4 reaction

High-resolution infrared laser spectroscopy is used to study the CH3...HF and CD3...HF radical complexes, corresponding to the exit-channel complex in the F + CH4 --> HF + CH3 reaction. The complexes are formed in helium nanodroplets by sequential pickup of a methyl radical and a HF molecule. The rotationally resolved spectra presented here correspond to the fundamental v = 1 <-- 0 H-F vibrational band, the analysis of which reveals a complex with C(3v) symmetry. The vibrational band origin for the CH3...HF complex (3797.00 cm(-1)) is significantly redshifted from that of the HF monomer (3959.19 cm(-1)), consistent with the hydrogen-bonded structure predicted by theory [E. Ya. Misochko et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117, 11997 (1995)] and suggested by previous matrix isolation experiments [M. E. Jacox, Chem. Phys. 42, 133 (1979)]. The permanent electric dipole moment of this complex is experimentally determined by Stark spectroscopy to be 2.4+/-0.3 D. The wide amplitude zero-point bending motion of this complex is revealed by the vibrational dependence of the A rotational constant. A sixfold reduction in the line broadening associated with the H-F vibrational mode is observed in going from CH3...HF to CD3...HF. The results suggest that fast relaxation in the former case results from near-resonant intermolecular vibration-vibration (V-V) energy transfer. Ab initio calculations are also reported (at the MP2 level) for the various stationary points on the F + CH4 surface, including geometry optimizations and vibrational frequency calculations for CH3...HF.     

Negative-ion photoelectron spectroscopy, gas-phase acidity, and thermochemistry of the peroxyl radicals CH(3)OO and CH(3)CH(2)OO

Methyl, methyl-d(3), and ethyl hydroperoxide anions (CH(3)OO(-), CD(3)OO(-), and CH(3)CH(2)OO(-)) have been prepared by deprotonation of their respective hydroperoxides in a stream of helium buffer gas. Photodetachment with 364 nm (3.408 eV) radiation was used to measure the adiabatic electron affinities: EA[CH(3)OO, X(2)A' '] = 1.161 +/- 0.005 eV, EA[CD(3)OO, X(2)A' '] = 1.154 +/- 0.004 eV, and EA[CH(3)CH(2)OO, X(2)A' '] = 1.186 +/- 0.004 eV. The photoelectron spectra yield values for the term energies: Delta E(X(2)A' '-A (2)A')[CH(3)OO] = 0.914 +/- 0.005 eV, Delta E(X(2)A' '-A (2)A')[CD(3)OO] = 0.913 +/- 0.004 eV, and Delta E(X(2)A' '-A (2)A')[CH(3)CH(2)OO] = 0.938 +/- 0.004 eV. A localized RO-O stretching mode was observed near 1100 cm(-1) for the ground state of all three radicals, and low-frequency R-O-O bending modes are also reported. Proton-transfer kinetics of the hydroperoxides have been measured in a tandem flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube (FA-SIFT) to determine the gas-phase acidity of the parent hydroperoxides: Delta(acid)G(298)(CH(3)OOH) = 367.6 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1), Delta(acid)G(298)(CD(3)OOH) = 367.9 +/- 0.9 kcal mol(-1), and Delta(acid)G(298)(CH(3)CH(2)OOH) = 363.9 +/- 2.0 kcal mol(-1). From these acidities we have derived the enthalpies of deprotonation: Delta(acid)H(298)(CH(3)OOH) = 374.6 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1), Delta(acid)H(298)(CD(3)OOH) = 374.9 +/- 1.1 kcal mol(-1), and Delta(acid)H(298)(CH(3)CH(2)OOH) = 371.0 +/- 2.2 kcal mol(-1). Use of the negative-ion acidity/EA cycle provides the ROO-H bond enthalpies: DH(298)(CH(3)OO-H) = 87.8 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1), DH(298)(CD(3)OO-H) = 87.9 +/- 1.1 kcal mol(-1), and DH(298)(CH(3)CH(2)OO-H) = 84.8 +/- 2.2 kcal mol(-1). We review the thermochemistry of the peroxyl radicals, CH(3)OO and CH(3)CH(2)OO. Using experimental bond enthalpies, DH(298)(ROO-H), and CBS/APNO ab initio electronic structure calculations for the energies of the corresponding hydroperoxides, we derive the heats of formation of the peroxyl radicals. The "electron affinity/acidity/CBS" cycle yields Delta(f)H(298)[CH(3)OO] = 4.8 +/- 1.2 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(f)H(298)[CH(3)CH(2)OO] = -6.8 +/- 2.3 kcal mol(-1).     

Infrared absorption of gaseous CH3OO detected with a step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer

CH(3)OO radicals were produced upon irradiation of a flowing mixture of CH(3)I and O(2) with a KrF excimer laser at 248 nm. A step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was employed to record temporally resolved IR absorption spectra of reaction intermediates. Transient absorption bands with origins at 3033, 2954, 1453, 1408, 1183, 1117, 3020, and 1441 cm(-1) are assigned to nu(1)-nu(6), nu(9), and nu(10) modes of CH(3)OO, respectively, close to wavenumbers reported for CH(3)OO isolated in solid Ar. Calculations with density-functional theory (B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ) predicted the geometry and the vibrational wavenumbers of CH(3)OO; the vibrational wavenumbers and relative IR intensities of CH(3)OO agree satisfactorily with these observed features. The rotational contours of IR spectra of CH(3)OO, simulated based on ratios of predicted rotational parameters for the upper and lower states and on experimental rotational parameters of the ground state, agree satisfactorily with experimental results; the mixing ratios of a-, b-, and c-types of rotational structures were evaluated based on the direction of dipole derivatives predicted quantum chemically. A feature at 995 cm(-1), ascribed to CH(3)OOI from a secondary reaction of CH(3)OO with I, was also observed.     

Kinetics of the multichannel reaction of methanethiyl radical (CH3S*) with 3O2

The CH3S* + O2 reaction system is considered an important process in atmospheric chemistry and in combustion as a pathway for the exothermic conversion of methane-thiyl radical, CH3S*. Several density functional and ab initio computational methods are used in this study to determine thermochemical parameters, reaction paths, and kinetic barriers in the CH3S* + O2 reaction system. The data are also used to evaluate feasibility of the DFT methods for higher molecular weight oxy-sulfur hydrocarbons, where sulfur presents added complexity from its many valence states. The methods include: B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p), CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p)//MP2/6-31G(d,p), B3P86/6-311G(2d,2p)//B3P86/6-31G(d), B3PW91/6-311++G(3df,2p), G3MP2, and CBS-QB3. The well depth for the CH3S* + 3O2 reaction to the syn-CH3SOO* adduct is found to be 9.7 kcal/mol. Low barrier exit channels from the syn-CH3SOO* adduct include: CH2S + HO2, (TS6, E(a) is 12.5 kcal/mol), CH3 + SO2 via CH3SO2 (TS2', E(a) is 17.8) and CH3SO + O (TS17, E(a) is 24.7) where the activation energy is relative to the syn-CH3SOO* stabilized adduct. The transition state (TS5) for formation of the CH3SOO adduct from CH3S* + O2 and the reverse dissociation of CH3SOO to CH3S* + O2 is relatively tight compared to typical association and simple bond dissociation reactions; this is a result of the very weak interaction. Reverse reaction is the dominant dissociation path due to enthalpy and entropy considerations. The rate constants from the chemical activation reaction and from the stabilized adduct to these products are estimated as functions of temperature and pressure. Our forward rate constant and CH3S loss profile are in agreement with the experiments under similar conditions. Of the methods above, the G3MP2 and CBS-QB3 composite methods are recommended for thermochemical determinations on these carbon-sulfur-oxygen systems, when they are feasible.     

Infrared spectrum of the CH3OCH2 radical in solid argon

The methoxymethyl radical, CH(3)OCH(2), is prepared via hydrogen photodissociation from dimethyl ether during codeposition of CH(3)OCH(3) in excess argon at 4 K with laser-excited metal plume radiation. The spectrum of this radical is characterized by four infrared absorptions at 1468.1, 1253.9, 1226.6, and 944.4 cm(-1), which are assigned by deuterium substitution as well as frequency and intensity calculations using density functional theory. The O-CH(2) bond length is calculated to be 0.07 ? shorter than the CH(3)-O bond due to additional π bonding interactions. In the matrix near-UV irradiation destroys the CH(3)OCH(2) radical with the formation of HCO radical and CH(4), which is different from the decomposition mechanism of CH(3)OCH(2) radical to H(2)CO and CH(3) radical proposed for the gas phase process.     

Intramolecular H-transfer in CH2OO and cis-HO3

Intramolecular H-transfer reactions in cis-HO₃ and CH₂OO were studied at the MP2 and B3LYP levels of theory. Activation energies (E _a) and Gibbs free energies of activation (?G ^#) of the H-transfer reactions were calculated. The activation energies of the H-transfer in cis-HO₃ and CH₂OO were about 110 and 130 kJ/mol, respectively. Catalytic effects of some protic molecules including HCOOH, CH₃OH, NH₃, CH₃NH₂, HOCl, H₂O₂, and H₂O, on the activation energies and transition state structures were studied. The more stable transition state structures were obtained in the presence of the protic molecules. Our calculations showed that the protic molecules decrease the activation energies of the H-transfer reactions about 50 kJ/mol.     

Unimolecular dissociation of the CH3OCO radical: an intermediate in the CH3O + CO reaction

This work investigates the unimolecular dissociation of the methoxycarbonyl, CH(3)OCO, radical. Photolysis of methyl chloroformate at 193 nm produces nascent CH(3)OCO radicals with a distribution of internal energies, determined by the velocities of the momentum-matched Cl atoms, that spans the theoretically predicted barriers to the CH(3)O + CO and CH(3) + CO(2) product channels. Both electronic ground- and excited-state radicals undergo competitive dissociation to both product channels. The experimental product branching to CH(3) + CO(2) from the ground-state radical, about 70%, is orders of magnitude larger than Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM)-predicted branching, suggesting that previously calculated barriers to the CH(3)OCO --> CH(3) + CO(2) reaction are dramatically in error. Our electronic structure calculations reveal that the cis conformer of the transition state leading to the CH(3) + CO(2) product channel has a much lower barrier than the trans transition state. RRKM calculations using this cis transition state give product branching in agreement with the experimental branching. The data also suggest that our experiments produce a low-lying excited state of the CH(3)OCO radical and give an upper limit to its adiabatic excitation energy of 55 kcal/mol.     

The reaction of CH3O2 with SO2

Mixtures of Cl₂, CH₄, and O₂ were flash photolyzed at room temperature and pressures of ∽60–760 Torr to produce CH₃O₂. The CH₃O₂ radicals decay by the second-order process with k₆ = (3.7 ± 0.3) × 10^?13 cm³/sec in good agreement with other studies. This value ignores any removal by secondary radicals produced as a result of reaction (6), and therefore the true value might be as much as 30% lower. The value is independent of total pressure or the presence of H₂O vapor. With SO₂ also present, the CH₃O₂ decay becomes pseudo first order at sufficiently high SO₂ pressure which indicates the reaction The value of (8.2 ± 0.5) × 10^?15 cm³/sec at about 1 atm total pressure (mostly CH₄) was found for CH₃O₂ removal by SO₂, in good agreement with another recent measurement. This value can be equated with k₁, unless the products rapidly remove another CH₃O₂ radical, in which case k₁ would be a factor of 2 smaller.     

Infrared absorption of CH3SO2 detected with time-resolved Fourier-transform spectroscopy

A step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer coupled with a 6.4 m multipass absorption cell was employed to detect time-resolved infrared absorption spectra of the reaction intermediate CH3SO2 radical, produced upon irradiation of a flowing gaseous mixture of CH3I and SO2 in CO2 at 248 nm. Two transient bands with origins at 1280 and 1076 cm(-1) were observed and are assigned to the SO2-antisymmetric and SO2-symmetric stretching modes of CH3SO2, respectively. Calculations with density-functional theory (B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ and B3P86/aug-cc-pVTZ) predicted the geometry, vibrational, and rotational parameters of CH3SO2 and CH3OSO. Based on predicted rotational parameters, the simulated absorption band of the SO2-antisymmetric stretching mode that is dominated by the b-type rotational structure agrees satisfactorily with experimental results. In addition, a band near 1159 cm(-1) observed at a later period is tentatively attributed to CH3SO2I. The reaction kinetics of CH3 + SO2 --> CH3SO2 and CH3SO2 + I --> CH3SO2I based on the rise and decay of absorption bands of CH3SO2 and CH3SO2I agree satisfactorily with previous reports.     

Product branching from the CH2CH2OH radical intermediate of the OH + ethene reaction

Using a crossed laser-molecular beam scattering apparatus and tunable photoionization detection, these experiments determine the branching to the product channels accessible from the 2-hydroxyethyl radical, the first radical intermediate in the addition reaction of OH with ethene. Photodissociation of 2-bromoethanol at 193 nm forms 2-hydroxyethyl radicals with a range of vibrational energies, which was characterized in our first study of this system ( J. Phys. Chem. A 2010 , 114 , 4934 ). In this second study, we measure the relative signal intensities of ethene (at m/e = 28), vinyl (at m/e = 27), ethenol (at m/e = 44), formaldehyde (at m/e = 30), and acetaldehyde (at m/e = 44) products and correct for the photoionization cross sections and kinematic factors to determine a 0.765:0.145:0.026:0.063:<0.01 branching to the OH + C(2)H(4), H(2)O + C(2)H(3), CH(2)CHOH + H, H(2)CO + CH(3), and CH(3)CHO + H product asymptotes. The detection of the H(2)O + vinyl product channel is surprising when starting from the CH(2)CH(2)OH radical adduct; prior studies had assumed that the H(2)O + vinyl products were solely from the direct abstraction channel in the bimolecular collision of OH and ethene. We suggest that these products may result from a frustrated dissociation of the CH(2)CH(2)OH radical to OH + ethene in which the C-O bond begins to stretch, but the leaving OH moiety abstracts an H atom to form H(2)O + vinyl. We compare our experimental branching ratio to that predicted from statistical microcanonical rate constants averaged over the vibrational energy distribution of our CH(2)CH(2)OH radicals. The comparison suggests that a statistical prediction using 1-D Eckart tunneling underestimates the rate constants for the branching to the product channels of OH + ethene, and that the mechanism for the branching to the H(2)O + vinyl channel is not adequately treated in such theories.     

Photodissociation spectroscopy and dynamics of the CH2CFO radical

The photodissociation spectroscopy and dynamics resulting from excitation of the B (2)A(")<--X (2)A(") transition of CH(2)CFO have been examined using fast beam photofragment translational spectroscopy. The photofragment yield spectrum reveals vibrationally resolved structure between 29 870 and 38 800 cm(-1), extending approximately 6000 cm(-1) higher in energy than previously reported in a laser-induced fluorescence excitation spectrum. At all photon energies investigated, only the CH(2)F+CO and HCCO+HF fragment channels are observed. Both product channels yield photofragment translational energy distributions that are characteristic of a decay mechanism with a barrier to dissociation. Using the barrier impulsive model, it is shown that fragmentation to CH(2)F+CO products occurs on the ground state potential energy surface with the isomerization barrier between CH(2)CFO and CH(2)FCO governing the observed translational energy distributions.     

Isomerization of CH3O+=CHCH3 to CH2=O+CH2CH3

Ab initio calculations establish that CH₃O⁺=CHCH₃ (1) rearranges in gas phase isolation to CH₂=O⁺C₂H₅ (2) directly rather than through CH₃OCH₂CH ₂ ⁺ (3). The reaction is predicted to be antarafacial, in accord with the Woodward-Hoffmann (W-H) predictions. We predict an activation energy of 212.0 kJ/mol for this process at the QCISD(T)/6-311G**//MP2/6-311G** level. We also reinvestigated the degenerate rearrangement of CH₃O=CH ₂ ⁺ by a 1,3-sigmatropic shift. The W-H model is not a good one for the transition state (TS) for the latter reaction because the π bonding has been completely broken off. That TS is stabilized by three-center bonding between the carbons and the hydrogen being transferred. We also examined the questions of the importance of polarization functions on hydrogen and a set of outer valence functions on all the atoms in describing these hydrogen transfer TSs, and whether it is necessary to include these functions in the TS optimization runs. For the rearrangements we studied, polarization functions on hydrogen are crucial only for 1,2 hydrogen shifts. The 6-31G* basis set is adequate and good for the optimization of TSs of other ring sizes. For the 1,3 and 1,4 shifts we examined, a combination of both outer valence functions and polarization functions on hydrogen causes reductions in the computed activation energies ranging from 5.9 kJ/mol for the 1,4 shift at the RHF level to 15.6 kJ/mol for the 1,3 shift at the MP2 level.     

The reaction of CH3O2 radicals with NO2

The rate constant for the reaction CH₃O₂ + NO₂ → (products) has been measured directly by flash photolysis and kinetic spectroscopy. At room temperature and at total pressures between 53 and 580 Torr, k₃ = (9.2 ± 0.4) × 10⁸ liter/mole sec so that the rate of formation of the probable primary product peroxymethyl nitrate (CH₃O₂NO₂) may be significant in urban atmospheres.     

甲烷-空气-H2O模拟光化学反应体系中CH3OO

在1.013×105 Pa,(298±2)K及O2-N2气氛下,研究了羟基自由基*OH引发的甲烷光化学反应体系中过氧甲基自由基CH3OO*自身复合反应.反应物和产物采用长光路Fourier红外光谱(LP-FTIR)和高效液相色谱(HPLC)测定.证实产物中有甲基过氧化氢(CH3OOH,MHP)和过氧甲醚(CH3OOCH3,DMP)存在并首次在该体系中发现了羟甲基过氧化氢(HOCH2OOH,HMHP).HMHP的检出表明,CH3OO*自身复合的可能途径之一生成了Criegee中间体过氧次甲基双自由基*CH2OO*.采用G2,G2(MP2)和G2(ful)方法对一些反应的标准焓变和标准Gibbs自由能变化进行了理论计算.结果表明CH3OO*自身复合生成*CH2OO*及*CH2OO*与H2O反应生成HMHP的途径在热力学上是可能的.     

The isomers of HF-HCN formed in helium nanodroplets: Infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

Binary complexes containing hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen fluoride are formed in helium nanodroplets, and studied using high-resolution infrared laser spectroscopy. Rotationally resolved spectra are reported for the H-F and C-H stretches of the linear HCN-HF complex, a system that has been thoroughly studied in the gas phase. We report the high-resolution spectra of the higher energy, bent HF-HCN isomer, which is also formed in helium. Stark spectra are reported for both isomers, providing dipole moments of these complexes. The experimental results are compared with ab initio calculations, also reported here. Spectra are reported for several ternary complexes, including (HCN)2-HF, HCN-(HF)2, HF-(HCN)2, and HF-HCN-HF.     

Temperature dependence of the reaction of NO with CFCl2CH2O2 and CH3CFClO2 radicals

The reaction of NO with the peroxy radical CFCl₂CH₂O₂, and with CH₃CFClO₂ was investigated at 8(SINGLEBOND)20 torr and 263(SINGLEBOND)321 K by UV flash photolysis of CFCl₂CH₃/O₂/NO gas mixtures. The kinetics were determined from observations of the growth rate of the CFCl₂CH₂O radical and the decay rate of NO by time-resolved mass spectrometry. The temperature dependence of the bimolecular rate coefficients, with their statistical uncertainties, can be expressed as (2.9 ± 0.7) e^(435±96)/T × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule ⁻¹s⁻¹, or (1.3 ± 0.2) (T/300)^{&minus(1.5±0.2)} × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for NO + CFCl₂CH₂O₂, and (3.3 ± 0.6)e^(516±73)/T × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, or (2.0 ± 0.3) (T/300)^{&minus(1.8±0.3)} × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for NO + CH₃CFClO₂. No pressure dependence of the rate coefficients could be detected over the 8(SINGLEBOND)20 torr range investigated. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mechanistic and kinetic study of the CH3CO + O2 reaction

Potential-energy surface of the CH3CO + O2 reaction has been calculated by ab initio quantum chemistry methods. The geometries were optimized using the second-order Moller-Plesset theory (MP2) with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set and the coupled-cluster theory with single and double excitations (CCSD) with the correlation consistent polarized valence double zeta (cc-pVDZ) basis set. The relative energies were calculated using the Gaussian-3 second-order Moller-Plesset theory with the CCSD/cc-pVDZ geometries. Multireference self-consistent-field and MP2 methods were also employed using the 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311++G(3df,2p) basis sets. Both addition/elimination and direct abstraction mechanisms have been investigated. It was revealed that acetylperoxy radical [CH3C(O)OO] is the initial adduct and the formation of OH and alpha-lactone [CH2CO2(1A')] is the only energetically accessible decomposition channel. The other channels, e.g., abstraction, HO2 + CH2CO, O + CH3CO2, CO + CH3O2, and CO2 + CH3O, are negligible. Multichannel Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and transition state theory (E-resolved) were employed to calculate the overall and individual rate coefficients and the temperature and pressure dependences. Fairly good agreement between theory and experiments has been obtained without any adjustable parameters. It was concluded that at pressures below 3 Torr, OH and CH2CO2(1A') are the major nascent products of the oxidation of acetyl radicals, although CH2CO2(1A') might either undergo unimolecular decomposition to form the final products of CH2O + CO or react with OH and Cl to generate H2O and HCl. The acetylperoxy radicals formed by collisional stabilization are the major products at the elevated pressures. In atmosphere, the yield of acetylperoxy is nearly unity and the contribution of OH is only marginal.     

Infrared spectra of the CH3-MX and CH2-MHX complexes formed by reactions of laser-ablated group 3 metal atoms with methyl halides

Reactions of laser-ablated group 3 metal atoms with methyl halides have been carried out in excess of Ar during condensation and the matrix infrared spectra studied. The metals are as effective as other early transition metals in providing insertion products (CH3-MX) and higher oxidation state methylidene complexes (CH2-MHX) (X = F, Cl, Br) following alpha-hydrogen migration. Unlike the cases of the group 4-6 metals, the calculated methylidene complex structures show little evidence for agostic distortion, consistent with the previously studied group 3 metal methylidene hydrides, and the C-M bond lengths of the insertion and methylidene complexes are comparable to each other. However, the C-Sc bond lengths are 0.013, 0.025, and 0.029 A shorter for the CH2-ScHX complexes, respectively, and the spin densities are consistent with weak C(2p)-Sc(3d) pi bonding. The present results reconfirm that the number of valence electrons on the metal is important for agostic interaction in simple methylidene complexes.