Structural and electronic properties of boron-doped lithium clusters: ab initio and DFT studies

The lowest-energy structures and electronic properties of the BLi(n) (n = 1-7) clusters are reported using the B3LYP, MP2, and CCSD(T) methods with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. Though the results at the B3LYP level agree well with those at the CCSD(T) level, the MP2 method is rather unsatisfactory. The first three-dimensional ground state in the BLi(n) clusters occurs for BLi(4), and the impurity B atom is seen to be trapped in a Li cage from the BLi(6) cluster onwards. The evolution of the binding energies, vertical ionization potentials, and polarizability with size of cluster shows the BLi(5) cluster to be most stable among the BLi(n) clusters. Besides, the BLi(5) cluster is also found to have the largest reaction enthalpy (49.8 kcal/mol) upon losing a Li atom, which is different from the previous prediction. The unique stability of the 8-valence electron BLi(5) can be understood from the cluster electronic shell model (CSM). However, in contradiction to the prediction of the CSM, the 2s level is filled prior to the 1d level in the BLi(n) clusters.     

Coordination structures of lithium-methylamine clusters from infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

Spectra of clusters formed between lithium atoms and methylamine molecules are reported for the first time. Mass-selective infrared spectra of Li(NH(2)CH(3))(n) have been recorded in both the N-H and C-H stretching fundamental regions. The infrared spectra are broadly in agreement with ab initio predictions, showing redshifted N-H stretching bands relative to free methylamine and a strong enhancement of the N-H stretching fundamentals relative to the C-H stretching fundamentals. The ab initio calculations suggest that, for n=3, the methylamine molecules bunch together on one side of the lithium atom to minimize repulsive interactions with the unpaired electron density. The addition of a fourth methylamine molecule results in closure of the inner solvation shell and, thus, Li(NH(2)CH(3))(5) is forced to adopt a two-shell coordination structure. This is consistent with neutron diffraction studies of concentrated lithium/methylamine solutions, which also suggest that the first solvation shell around the lithium atom can contain a maximum of four methylamine molecules.     

Structure, electronic, and optical properties of TiO2 atomic clusters: an ab initio study

Atomic clusters of TiO(2) are modeled by means of state-of-the-art techniques to characterize their structural, electronic and optical properties. We combine ab initio molecular dynamics, static density functional theory, time-dependent density functional theory, and many body techniques, to provide a deep and comprehensive characterization of these systems. TiO(2) clusters can be considered as the starting seeds for the synthesis of larger nanostructures, which are of technological interest in photocatalysis and photovoltaics. In this work, we prove that clusters with anatase symmetry are energetically stable and can be considered as the starting seeds to growth much larger and complex nanostructures. The electronic gap of these inorganic molecules is investigated, and shown to be larger than the optical gap by almost 4 eV. Therefore, strong excitonic effects appear in these systems, much more than in the corresponding bulk phase. Moreover, the use of various levels of theory demonstrates that charge transfer effects play an important role under photon absorption, and therefore the use of adiabatic functionals in time dependent density functional theory has to be carefully evaluated.     

Thermochemical properties of HxNO molecules and ions from ab initio electronic structure theory

Coupled-cluster calculations through noniterative triple excitations were used to compute optimized structures, atomization energies at 0 K, and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K for NH2O, HNOH, NH2O-, NH2OH+, NH3OH+, HNO-, and HON. These molecules are important in the gas-phase oxidation of NH3, as well as its solution-phase chemistry. The O-H, N-H, and N-O bond energies of these molecules are given and compared. The N-H and O-H bond energies are quite low, and, for NH2OH, the O-H bond is weaker than the N-H bond (by 7.5 kcal/mol). The energetics for a variety of ionic chemical processes in the gas phase, including the electron affinities of NH2O and HNO, the proton affinities of NH2O and NH2OH, and the acidities of NH2OH and NH2O, are given. The compounds are weak bases and weak acids in the gas phase. Solvation effects were included at the PCM and COSMO levels. The COSMO model gave better values than the PCM model. The relative values for pKa for NH2O and NH2OH are in good agreement with the experimental values, showing both compounds to be very strong bases in aqueous solution with NH2OH being the stronger base by 1.8 pK units at the COSMO level, compared to the experimental pK difference of 1.1+/-0.3 pK units. We predict that NH2OH+ will not be formed in aqueous solution, because it is a very strong acid. Based on the known acidity of NH3OH+, we predict pKa(NH2OH+)=-5.4 at the COSMO level, which is in good agreement with the experimental estimate of pKa(NH2OH+)=-7+/-2.     

Cyanogen isocyanate and dicyanoether: ab initio studies of geometries and electronic structures

Complete geometry optimizations, employing a minimal STO-3G basis set, have been applied to the recently-prepared cyanogen isocyanate [NCNCO] and to the isomeric dicyanoether [NCOCN]. Cyanogen isocyanate is found to be a rather flexible molecule with the computed barrier to inversion about the central nitrogen being ~5 k cal mol^?1. In addition, the inversion motion is found to be coupled to the bending of the NCN and OCN linkages away from colinearity. On the other hand, dicyanoether is predicted to be a fairly rigid molecule, with no important inversion motions. Both molecules are predicted to have planar trans bent equilibrium structures similar to that found for the simpler HNCO-HOCN isomers. Cyanogen isocyanate is predicted to be the more stable isomer. Electronic structures of these molecules are discussed in the light of the results of a Mulliken population analysis.     

Approach of charge disproportionation in the perovskite oxide TlNiO3 from ab initio electronic structures

The experimentally observed phenomenon of charge disproportionation (CD) of nickel in the perovskite TlNiO₃ is addressed from band theoretical computations within the augmented spherical wave (ASW) method of the respective distorted orthorhombic and monoclinic structures. From a careful analysis of the chemical bonding as derived from the covalent bond energy ECOV approach an integration of the DOS within the valence band leads to an imbalance of charge of ∼±0.35 electrons pointing to a CD within range of experimentally obtained values through Mössbauer spectroscopy of ⁵⁷Fe probe and bond valence calculations.     

Ab initio study on structural and electronic properties of BanOm clusters

Density-functional calculation within local density approximation, shows that the electronic property of a barium oxide cluster is strongly correlated with its equilibrium structure. The ground-state structures of BanOm (4 < or = n < or = 9,m < or = n) clusters can be classified into four categories: (a) compact, (b) dangling state, (c) F-center, and (d) stoichiometric. The compact cluster is metallic, almost no energy gap exists between the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals. The energy gap for the dangling state cluster is larger than that for the F-center cluster, while the stoichiometric cluster has the largest energy gap.     

The geometric and electronic structures of oxocarbons. An ab initio molecular orbital study

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations with the STO-3G and 4-31G basis sets have been carried out for the neutral oxocarbons C_nO_n (n = 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7), the dianions C_nO_n^2- (n = 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7), the monoanions C_nO_nH^? (n = 3 and 4) and the related acids C_nO_nH₂ (n = 3 and 4). Fully optimised geometries have been obtained for all species. The geometries, stabilities and acidities are discussed.     

Bond contributions to ab initio electronic energies

Analysis of the numerical values for total electronic energies obtained within the STO 3G basis for a variety of molecu- les shows that partitioning of such energies yields quantities characteristic of groups of bonds within the molecule, and as such, these group contributions may be employed in the estimation of molecular electronic energies.     

Some recent applications of ab initio electronic structure methods to metal,semimetal, and molecular clusters

Recent experimental and theoretical cluster studies are reviewed. Areas of current and developing interest in theoretical and computational chemistry are identified. Some promising methods applied to metal clusters, main group clusters, molecular clusters, spectroscopy, and models of cluster-molecule reactions are indicated. Results of calculations on small hydrogenated lithium clusters and hydrated sodium clusters are discussed in some detail.     

Size-expanded DNA bases: an ab initio study of their structural and electronic properties

The size-expanded DNA bases, xA, xC, xG, and xT, are benzo-homologue forms of the natural DNA bases; i.e., their structure can be seen as the fusion of a natural base and a benzene ring. Recently, a variety of DNAs, known as xDNAs, have been synthesized in which size-expanded and natural bases are paired. In this paper we use second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory and density functional theory to investigate the structural and electronic properties of xA, xC, xG, and xT and their natural counterparts. We find that whereas natural and size-expanded bases have both nonplanar amino groups the latter have also nonplanar aromatic rings. When density functional theory is used to investigate the electronic properties of size-expanded and natural bases, it is found that the HOMO-LUMO gap of the size-expanded bases is smaller than that of the natural bases. Also, xG should be easier to oxidize than G.     

Chemistry at surfaces: from ab initio structures to quantum dynamics

Recent years have witnessed an ever growing interest in theoretically studying chemical processes at surfaces. Apart from the interest in catalysis, electrochemistry, hydrogen economy, green chemistry, atmospheric and interstellar chemistry, theoretical understanding of the molecule–surface chemical bonding and of the microscopic dynamics of adsorption and reaction of adsorbates are of fundamental importance for modeling known processes, understanding new experimental data, predicting new phenomena, controlling reaction pathways. In this work, we review the efforts we have made in the last few years in this exciting field. We first consider the energetics and the structural properties of some adsorbates on metal surfaces, as deduced by converged, first-principles, plane-wave calculations within the slab-supercell approach. These studies comprise water adsorption on Ru(0001), a subject of very intense debate in the past few years, and oxygen adsorption on aluminum, the prototypical example of metal passivation. Next, we address dynamical processes at surfaces with classical and quantum methods. Here the main interest is in hydrogen dynamics on metallic and semi-metallic surfaces, because of its importance for hydrogen storage and interstellar chemistry. Hydrogen sticking is studied with classical and quasi-classical means, with particular emphasis on the relaxation of hot–atoms following dissociative chemisorption. Hot atoms dynamics on metal surfaces is investigated in the reverse, hydrogen recombination process and compared to Eley–Rideal dynamics. Finally, Eley–Rideal, collision-induced desorption, and adsorbate-induced trapping are studied quantum mechanically on a graphite surface, and unexpected quantum effects are observed.     

Accurate ab initio binding energies of alkaline earth metal clusters

The effects of basis set superposition error (BSSE) and core-correlation on the electronic binding energies of alkaline earth metal clusters Y(n) (Y = Be, Mg, Ca; n = 2-4) at the Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2) and the single and double coupled cluster method with perturbative triples correction (CCSD(T)) levels are examined using the correlation consistent basis sets cc-pVXZ and cc-pCVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5). It is found that, while BSSE has a negligible effect for valence-electron-only-correlated calculations for most basis sets, its magnitude becomes more pronounced for all-electron-correlated calculations, including core electrons. By utilizing the negligible effect of BSSE on the binding energies for valence-electron-only-correlated calculations, in combination with the negligible core-correlation effect at the CCSD(T) level, accurate binding energies of these clusters up to pentamers (octamers in the case of the Be clusters) are estimated via the basis set extrapolation of ab initio CCSD(T) correlation energies of the monomer and cluster with only the cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ sets, using the basis set and correlation-dependent extrapolation formula recently devised. A comparison between the CCSD(T) and density functional theory (DFT) binding energies is made to identify the most appropriate DFT method for the study of these clusters.     

Gold adatoms and clusters on PPV: An ab initio investigation

We have performed an ab initio investigation of the energetic, structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of Au atoms and clusters adsorbed on poly-p-phenylene vinylene (PPV) chains, Au(n)/PPV (with n =?1, 2, 6, 7, 10, and 12). We find that the Au(n)/PPV systems are energetically stable by 0.5 eV, compared with the isolated systems, viz., PPV chain and Au(n) clusters, thus supporting the formation of Au(n)/PPV nanocomposites. Further support to the formation of Au(n)/PPV has been provided by examining the vibrational properties of pristine PPV and Au(n)/PPV systems. In agreement with experimental measurements, we find a reduction on the in-plane vibrational frequency of C-C bonds of Au(n)/PPV, when compared with the same vibrational modes of pristine PPV. The electronic properties of isolated Au(n) clusters are modified when adsorbed on PPV. The highest occupied states of Au(n)/PPV are mostly concentrated on the Au(n) cluster, while the lowest unoccupied states are mainly localized along the PPV chain. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap of the Au(n)/PPV systems are smaller than the energy gap of the isolated systems, Au(n) clusters, and pristime PPV chains.     

Size dependence of the structures and energetic and electronic properties of gold clusters

The structures and stabilities of gold clusters with up to 14 atoms have been determined by density-functional theory. The structure optimizations and frequency analysis are performed with the Perdew-Wang 1991 gradient-corrected functional combined with the effective core potential and corresponding valence basis set (LANL2DZ). The turnover point from two-dimensional to three-dimensional geometry for gold clusters occurs at Au12. The energetic and electronic properties of the small gold clusters are strongly dependent on sizes and structures, which are in good agreement with experiment and other theoretical calculations. The even-odd oscillation in cluster stability and electronic properties predicted that the clusters with even numbers of atoms were more stable than the neighboring clusters with odd numbers of atoms. The stability and electronic structure properties of gold clusters are also characterized by the maximum hardness principle of chemical reactivity and minimum polarizability principle.     

ab initio calculations of the electronic effects in chloropyrimidines and chloropyrazines

RHF/6-31G(d) calculations for 2- and 5-chloropyrimidines and 2-chloropyrazine show alternation of charge and -electron density on the ring atoms in the pyrimidine derivatives and absence of such alternation in the pyrazine derivative. This finding is in accord with bond polarization by the charge of the geminal atom directly through space. The³⁵Cl NQR frequencies estimated from the calculation data for these molecules were similar to the experimental values.Institute of Technical Chemistry, Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 61400 Perm, Russia. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 782–785, June, 1999.     

An ab initio study of the electronic structure of diimide

Ab initio calculations on the structure and geometry of the three isomers of N₂H₂ (trans-diimide, cis-diimide, and 1,1-dihydrodiazine) were performed both on HF and CI level using gaussian basis sets with polarization functions. The trans and cis isomers have singlet ground states; the trans isomer is found to be lower in energy than the cis isomer by 6.9 kcal/mol (HF) and 5.8 kcal/mol (CI), respectively. The barrier for the trans-cis isomerization is predicted to be 56 (HF) and 55 (CI) kcal/mol. H₂ N=N has a triplet ground state with a non-planar equilibrium geometry and a rather long NN bond of 1.34 Å. Its lowest singlet state, however, is planar with an NN double bond of 1.22 Å; it is found to lie about 3 kcal/mol above the triplet and 26 kcal/mol above the singlet ground state of trans-diimide.     

Thermodynamic properties of the C5, C6, and C8 n-alkanes from ab initio electronic structure theory

The heats of formation for the n-alkanes C(n)H(n+2) for n = 5, 6, and 8 have been calculated using ab initio molecular orbital theory. Coupled-cluster calculations with perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) were employed for the total valence electronic energies. Correlation-consistent basis sets were used, up through the augmented quadruple zeta, to extrapolate to the complete basis set limit. Geometries were optimized at the B3LYP/TZVP and MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ levels. The MP2 geometries were used in the CCSD(T) calculations. Frequencies were determined at the density functional level (B3LYP/TZVP), and scaled zero point energies were calculated from the B3LYP frequencies. Core/valence, scalar relativistic, and spin-orbit corrections were included in an additive fashion to predict the atomization energies. The core/valence corrections are not small, (approximately 1.1 kcal/mol per carbon unit) and cannot be neglected for chemical accuracy. The calculated deltaH(298)f values are -35.0, -40.2, and -50.2 kcal/mol for C5H12, C6H14, and C8H18, respectively, in excellent agreement with the respective experimental values of -35.11 +/- 0.19, -39.89 +/- 0.19, and -49.90 +/- 0.31 kcal/mol. Isodesmic reaction energies are presented for some simple reactions involving C8H18 and are shown not to be strongly method dependent.     

Molecular and electronic structure of some binary polyhedral clusters

The molecular and electronic structures of some polyhedral alternate molecules X_nY_n, where n=12, 16; X=B, Al, Si; Y=N,P,C, and of homoatomic clusters C₂₄, Si₂₄, C₃₂, and Si₃₂ are calculated in a valence approximation by the MNDO method. It is suggested that the σ-frameworks of these molecules are formed of four- and six-membered rings, with each X atom having only Y atoms as neighbors. The singlet states of all these systems have local minima on the corresponding potential energy surfaces with T_h symmetry for n=12 and T_d symmetry for n=16. The main structural parameters, heats of formation, ionization potentials, and effective charge distributions are given. It is concluded that the X_nY_n heteroatomic clusters can exist when X and Y are atoms of Group III and V elements, respectively, or both are atoms of Group IV elements. A. N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 36, No. 6, pp.976–982, November–December, 1995. Translated by L. Smolina     

Theoretical analysis of the electronic spectrum of GeH4 from ab initio CI calculations

Ab initio CI calculations using pseudopotentials to describe germanium inner electrons are carried out on the low-lying excited singlet states (T₂) of GeH₄. A theoretical analysis of these states in terms of Mulliken population of Rydberg orbitals for each state and oscillator strengths allow us to reinterpret its experimental Vacuum UV electronic spectrum.