Ab initio treatment of the chemical reaction precursor complex Cl(2P)-HF. 1. Three-dimensional diabatic potential energy surfaces

The three adiabatic potential surfaces of the Cl(2P)-HF complex that correlate with the 2P ground state of the Cl atom were calculated with the ab initio RCCSD(T) method (partially spin-restricted coupled cluster theory including single and double excitations and perturbative correction for the triples). With the aid of a geometry-dependent diabatic mixing angle, calculated by the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multireference configuration-interaction (MRCI) methods, these adiabatic potential surfaces were converted to a set of four distinct diabatic potential surfaces required to define the full 3 x 3 matrix of diabatic potentials. Each of these diabatic potential surfaces was expanded in terms of the appropriate spherical harmonics in the angle theta between the HF bond axis r and the Cl-HF intermolecular axis R. The dependence of the expansion coefficients on the Cl-HF distance R and the HF bond length r(HF) was fit to an analytic form. The strongest binding occurs for the hydrogen-bonded linear Cl-HF geometry, with D(e) = 676.5 cm(-1) and R(e) = 6.217 a0 when r(HF) = r(e) = 1.7328 a0. This binding energy D(e) depends strongly on r(HF), with larger r(HF) causing stronger binding. An important contribution to the binding energy is provided by the interaction between the quadrupole moment of the Cl(2P) atom and the dipole of HF. In agreement with this electrostatic picture, the ground state of linear Cl-HF is a 2-fold degenerate electronic Pi state. For the linear Cl-FH geometry the states are in opposite order, i.e., the Sigma state is lower in energy than the Pi state. The following paper in this issue describes full three-dimensional computations of the bound states of the Cl-HF complex, based on the ab initio diabatic potentials of this paper.     

Rovibrational states of the H2O-H2 complex: an ab initio calculation

All bound rovibrational levels of the H(2)O-H(2) dimer are calculated for total angular momentum J = 0-5 on two recent intermolecular potential surfaces reported by Valiron et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 129, 134306 (2008)] and Hodges et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 120, 710 (2004)] obtained through ab initio calculations. The method used handles correctly the large amplitude internal motions in this complex; it involves a discrete variable representation of the intermolecular distance coordinate R and a basis of coupled free rotor wave functions for the hindered internal rotations and the overall rotation of the dimer. The basis is adapted to the permutation symmetry associated with the para/ortho (p/o) nature of both H(2)O and H(2) as well as to inversion symmetry. Dimers containing oH(2) are more strongly bound than dimers with pH(2), as expected, with dissociation energies D(0) of 33.57, 36.63, 53.60, and 59.04 cm(-1)for pH(2)O-pH(2), oH(2)O-pH(2), pH(2)O-oH(2), and oH(2)O-oH(2), respectively, on the potential of Valiron et al. that corresponds to a binding energy D(e) of 235.14 cm(-1). Rovibrational wave functions are computed as well and the nature of the bound states in the four different dimer species is discussed. Converged rovibrational levels on both potentials agree well with the high-resolution spectrum reported by Weida and Nesbitt [J. Chem. Phys. 110, 156 (1999)]; the hindered internal rotor model that was used to interpret this spectrum is qualitatively correct.     

Rotationally resolved infrared spectrum of the Li+-D2 cation complex

The infrared spectrum of mass selected Li(+)-D(2) cations is recorded in the D-D stretch region (2860-2950 cm(-1)) in a tandem mass spectrometer by monitoring Li(+) photofragments. The D-D stretch vibration of Li(+)-D(2) is shifted by -79 cm(-1) from that of the free D(2) molecule indicating that the vibrational excitation of the D(2) subunit strengthens the effective Li(+)cdots, three dots, centeredD(2) intermolecular interaction. Around 100 rovibrational transitions, belonging to parallel K(a)=0-0, 1-1, and 2-2 subbands, are fitted to a Watson A-reduced Hamiltonian to yield effective molecular parameters. The infrared spectrum shows that the complex consists of a Li(+) ion attached to a slightly perturbed D(2) molecule with a T-shaped equilibrium configuration and a 2.035 A vibrationally averaged intermolecular separation. Comparisons are made between the spectroscopic data and data obtained from rovibrational calculations using a recent three dimensional Li(+)-D(2) potential energy surface [R. Martinazzo, G. Tantardini, E. Bodo, and F. Gianturco, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 11241 (2003)].     

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.     

Infrared diode laser spectroscopy of the Ne-D2O van der Waals complex: strong Coriolis and angular-radial coupling

Four internal-rotation/vibration bands of the Ne-D(2)O complex have been measured in the v(2) bend region of D(2)O using a tunable infrared diode laser spectrometer to probe a slit supersonic expansion. Three ortho bands are excited from the ground state Σ(0(00)) to the Σ and Π(1(11), υ(2) = 1) internal rotor states and the n = 1, Σ(0(00), υ(2) = 1) stretching-internal rotor combination state. Strong perturbations between the excited vibrational states are evident. The observed spectra are analyzed separately with a three-state J-dependent Coriolis plus J-independent angular-radial coupling model [M. J. Weida and D. J. Nesbitt, J. Chem. Phys. 106, 3078 (1997)] and a three-state Coriolis coupling model [R. C. Cohen and R. J. Saykally, J. Chem. Phys. 95, 7891 (1991)]. The former model works more successfully than the latter. Molecular constants for the ground and excited vibrational states of ortho (20)Ne-D(2)O isotopomer as well as the Coriolis and angular-radial coupling constants are determined accurately. The van der Waals stretching frequency is estimated to be ν(s) = 24.85 cm(-1) in the ground state and decreases to about 20.8 cm(-1) upon vibrational excitation of the D(2)O bend.     

Ab initio potential-energy surface and rovibrational states of the HCN-HCl complex

A four-dimensional intermolecular potential-energy surface has been calculated for the HCN-HCl complex, with the use of the coupled cluster method with single and double excitations and noniterative inclusion of triples. Data for more than 13,000 geometries were represented by an angular expansion in terms of coupled spherical harmonics; the dependence of the expansion coefficients on the intermolecular distance R was described by the reproducing kernel Hilbert space method. The global minimum with De=1565 cm(-1) and Re=7.47a0 has a linear HCN-HCl hydrogen-bonded structure with HCl as the donor. A secondary hydrogen-bonded equilibrium structure with De=564 cm(-1) and Re=8.21a0 has a T-shaped geometry with HCN as the donor and the acceptor HCl molecule nearly perpendicular to the intermolecular axis. This potential surface was used in a variational approach to compute a series of bound states of the isotopomers HCN-H35Cl, DCN-H35Cl, and HCN-H37Cl for total angular momentum J=0,1,2 and spectroscopic parities e, f. The results could be analyzed in terms of the approximate quantum numbers of a linear polyatomic molecule with two coupled bend modes, plus a quantum number for the intermolecular stretch vibration. They are in good agreement with the recent high resolution spectrum of Larsen et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 7, 1953 (2005)] in the region of 330 cm(-1) corresponding to the HCl libration. The (partly anomalous) effects of isotopic substitutions on the properties of the complex were explained with the aid of the calculations.     

Rotationally resolved infrared spectrum of the Na(+)-D2 complex: an experimental and theoretical study

The infrared spectrum of mass-selected Na(+)-D(2) complexes is recorded in the D-D stretch vibration region (2915-2972 cm(-1)) by detecting Na(+) photofragments resulting from photo-excitation of the complexes. Analysis of the rotationally resolved spectrum confirms a T-shaped equilibrium geometry for the complex and a vibrationally averaged intermolecular bond length of 2.461 A?. The D-D stretch band centre occurs at 2944.04 cm(-1), representing a -49.6 cm(-1) shift from the Q(1)(0) transition of the free D(2) molecule. Variational rovibrational energy level calculations are performed for Na(+)-D(2) utilising an ab initio potential energy surface developed previously for investigating the Na(+)-H(2) complex [B. L. J. Poad et al., J. Chem. Phys. 129, 184306 (2008)]. The theoretical approach predicts a dissociation energy for Na(+)-D(2) of 923 cm(-1) with respect to the Na(+)+ D(2) limit, reproduces the experimental rotational constants to within 1-2%, and gives a simulated spectrum closely matching the experimental infrared spectrum.     

Infrared spectra of C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) dimers: identification of proton-bound c-C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) and H(2)CCCH(+)-N(2) isomers.

Mid-infrared photodissociation spectra of mass selected C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) ionic complexes are obtained in the vicinity of the C-H stretch fundamentals (2970-3370 cm(-1)). The C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) dimers are produced in an electron impact cluster ion source by supersonically expanding a gas mixture of allene, N(2), and Ar. Rovibrational analysis of the spectra demonstrates that (at least) two C(3)H(3)(+) isomers are produced in the employed ion source, namely the cyclopropenyl (c-C(3)H(3)(+)) and the propargyl (H(2)CCCH(+)) cations. This observation is the first spectroscopic detection of the important c-C(3)H(3)(+) ion in the gas phase. Both C(3)H(3)(+) cations form intermolecular proton bonds to the N(2) ligand with a linear -C-H...N-N configuration, leading to planar C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) structures with C(2v) symmetry. The strongest absorption of the H(2)CCCH(+)-N(2) dimer in the spectral range investigated corresponds to the acetylenic C-H stretch fundamental (v(1) = 3139 cm(-1)), which experiences a large red shift upon N(2) complexation (Delta(v1) approximately -180 cm(-1)). For c-C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2), the strongly IR active degenerate antisymmetric stretch vibration (v4)) of c-C(3)H(3)(+) is split into two components upon complexation with N(2): v4)(a(1)) = 3094 cm(-1) and v4)(b(2)) = 3129 cm(-1). These values bracket the yet unknown v4) frequency of free c-C(3)H(3)(+) in the gas phase, which is estimated as 3125 +/- 4 cm(-1) by comparison with theoretical data. Analysis of the nuclear spin statistical weights and A rotational constants of H(2)CCCH(+)-N(2) and c-C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) provide for the first time high-resolution spectroscopic evidence that H(2)CCCH(+) and c-C(3)H(3)(+) are planar ions with C(2v) and D(3h) symmetry, respectively. Ab initio calculations at the MP2(full)/6-311G(2df,2pd) level confirm the given assignments and predict intermolecular separations of R(e) = 2.1772 and 2.0916 A and binding energies of D(e) = 1227 and 1373 cm(-1) for the H-bound c-C(3)H(3)(+)-N(2) and H(2)CCCH(+)-N(2) dimers, respectively.     

Time-sliced velocity-mapped imaging studies of the predissociation of single ro-vibronic energy levels of N2 in the extreme ultraviolet region using vacuum ultraviolet photoionization

The predissociation of N(2) from the rotational levels in the o(1)∏(u) (v(') = 2) and b(') (1)Σ(u) (v(') = 8) bands has been studied in the wavenumber (or energy) range from 109?350 cm(-1) (13.5577 eV) to 109?580 cm(-1) (13.5862 eV) by time-sliced velocity-mapped imaging technique with VUV photoionization detection of the fragments. These levels were excited from the ground state of N(2) (X(1)Σ(g) (+), v(") = 0) levels using an unfocused vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser via a one-photon process. The same VUV laser is used to ionize the metastable N ((2)D(o)) produced from the predissociation process and the time-sliced velocity-mapped imaging technique is used to determine their velocity and angular distributions. Two different theoretical methods developed, respectively, by Kim et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 125, 133316 (2006) and Zande [J. Chem. Phys. 107, 9447 (1997)] were used to calculate the anisotropic parameters for the predissociation to the channel N((4)S(o)) + N((2)D(o)) to compare with the observed value for each of the rotational levels. Very good agreement with the experimental results was obtained for both methods. Possible predissociation mechanisms were predicted from the measurements and calculations.     

Infrared spectra of the Li+-(H2)n (n=1-3) cation complexes

The Li+-(H2)n n=1-3 complexes are investigated through infrared spectra recorded in the H-H stretch region (3980-4120 cm-1) and through ab initio calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVQZ level. The rotationally resolved H-H stretch band of Li+-H2 is centered at 4053.4 cm-1 [a -108 cm-1 shift from the Q1(0) transition of H2]. The spectrum exhibits rotational substructure consistent with the complex possessing a T-shaped equilibrium geometry, with the Li+ ion attached to a slightly perturbed H2 molecule. Around 100 rovibrational transitions belonging to parallel Ka=0-0, 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3 subbands are observed. The Ka=0-0 and 1-1 transitions are fitted by a Watson A-reduced Hamiltonian yielding effective molecular parameters. The vibrationally averaged intermolecular separation in the ground vibrational state is estimated as 2.056 A increasing by 0.004 A when the H2 subunit is vibrationally excited. The spectroscopic data are compared to results from rovibrational calculations using recent three dimensional Li+-H2 potential energy surfaces [Martinazzo et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 11241 (2003); Kraemer and Spirko, Chem. Phys. 330, 190 (2006)]. The H-H stretch band of Li+-(H2)2, which is centered at 4055.5 cm-1 also exhibits resolved rovibrational structure. The spectroscopic data along with ab initio calculations support a H2-Li+-H2 geometry, in which the two H2 molecules are disposed on opposite sides of the central Li+ ion. The two equivalent Li+...H2 bonds have approximately the same length as the intermolecular bond in Li+-H2. The Li+-(H2)3 cluster is predicted to possess a trigonal structure in which a central Li+ ion is surrounded by three equivalent H2 molecules. Its infrared spectrum features a broad unresolved band centered at 4060 cm-1.     

Imaging the nature of the mode-specific chemistry in the reaction of Cl atom with antisymmetric stretch-excited CH4

Following up our preliminary communication [Kawamata et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 10, 4378 (2008)], the effects of the antisymmetric-stretching excitation of methane on the Cl((2)P(3/2))+CH(4) reaction are examined here over a wide range of initial collision energy in a crossed molecular beam imaging experiment. The antisymmetric stretch of CH(4) is prepared in a single rovibrational state of (v(3)=1, j=2) by direct infrared absorption, and the major product states of CH(3)(v=0) are probed by a time-sliced velocity-map imaging method. We find that at fixed collision energies, the stretching excitation promotes reaction rate. Compared to the ground-state reaction, this vibrational enhancement factor is, however, no more effective than the translational enhancement. The correlated HCl(v'=1) vibrational branching fraction shows a striking dependence on collision energies, varying from 0.7 at E(c)=2 kcal mol(-1) to about 0.2 at 13 kcal mol(-1). This behavior resembles the previously studied Cl+CH(2)D(2)(v(6)=1), but is in sharp contrast to the Cl+CHD(3)(v(1)=1) and CH(2)D(2)(v(1)=1) reactions. Dependences of experimental results on the probed rotational states of CH(3)(v=0) are also elucidated. We qualitatively interpret those experimental observations based on a conceptual framework proposed recently.     

Experimental and ab initio study of the HO2.CH3OH complex: thermodynamics and kinetics of formation

Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor HO2 formed by pulsed laser photolysis of Cl2-O2-CH3OH-N2 mixtures. On the microsecond time scale, [HO2] exhibited a time dependence consistent with a mechanism in which [HO2] approached equilibrium via HO2 + HO2.CH3OH (3, -3). The equilibrium constant for reaction 3, K(p), was measured between 231 and 261 K at 50 and 100 Torr, leading to standard reaction enthalpy and entropy values (1 sigma) of delta(r) = -37.4 +/- 4.8 kJ mol(-1) and delta(r) = -100 +/- 19 J mol(-1) K(-1). The effective bimolecular rate constant, k3, for formation of the HO2.CH3OH complex is .10(-15).exp[(1800 +/- 500)/T] cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) at 100 Torr (1 sigma). Ab initio calculations of the optimized structure and energetics of the HO2.CH3OH complex were performed at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,3pd)//MP2(full)/6-311++G(2df,2pd) level. The complex was found to have a strong hydrogen bond (D(e) = 43.9 kJ mol(-1)) with the hydrogen in HO2 binding to the oxygen in CH3OH. The calculated enthalpy for association is delta(r) = -36.8 kJ mol(-1). The potentials for the torsion about the O2-H bond and for the hydrogen-bond stretch were computed and 1D vibrational levels determined. After explicitly accounting for these degrees of freedom, the calculated Third Law entropy of association is delta(r) = -106 J mol(-1) K(-1). Both the calculated enthalpy and entropy of association are in reasonably good agreement with experiment. When combined with results from our previous study (Christensen et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 2002, 29; doi:10.1029/2001GL014525), the rate coefficient for the reaction of HO2 with the complex, HO2 + HO2.CH3OH, is determined to be (2.1 +/- 0.7) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). The results of the present work argue for a reinterpretation of the recent measurement of the HO2 self-reaction rate constant by Stone and Rowley (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2005, 7, 2156). Significant complex concentrations are present at the high methanol concentrations used in that work and lead to a nonlinear methanol dependence of the apparent rate constant. This nonlinearity introduces substantial uncertainty in the extrapolation to zero methanol.     

Reclassifying exciton-phonon coupling in molecular aggregates: evidence of strong nonadiabatic coupling in oligothiophene crystals

Exciton-phonon (EP) coupling in molecular aggregates is reexamined in cases where extended intermolecular interactions result in low-energy excitons with high effective masses. The analysis is based on a single intramolecular vibrational mode with frequency omega0 and Huang-Rhys factor lambda2. When the curvature Jc at the exciton band bottom is much smaller than the free-exciton Davydov splitting W, the strength of the EP coupling is determined by comparing the nuclear relaxation energy lambda2omega0 with the curvature. In this way, weak (lambda2omega0<4piJc), intermediate I (lambda2omega0 approximately 4piJc), and strong I (lambda2omega0>4piJc) coupling regimes are introduced. The conventional intermediate (lambda2omega0 approximately W) and strong (lambda2omega0>W) EP coupling regimes originally defined by Simpson and Peterson [J. Chem. Phys. 26, 588 (1957)] are based solely on the Davydov splitting and are referred to here as intermediate II and strong II regimes, respectively. Within the intermediate I and strong I regimes the near degeneracy of the low-energy excitons allows efficient nonadiabatic coupling, resulting in a spectral splitting between the b- and ac-polarized first replicas in the vibronic progression characterizing optical absorption. Such spectral signatures are clearly observed in OT4 thin films and crystals, where splittings for the lowest energy mode with omega0=161 cm(-1) are as large as 30 cm(-1) with a small variation due to sample disorder. Numerical calculations using a multiphonon BO basis set and a Hamiltonian including linear EP coupling yield excellent agreement with experiment.     

Communication: determination of the bond dissociation energy (D0) of the water dimer, (H2O)2, by velocity map imaging

The bond dissociation energy (D(0)) of the water dimer is determined by using state-to-state vibrational predissociation measurements following excitation of the bound OH stretch fundamental of the donor unit of the dimer. Velocity map imaging and resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) are used to determine pair-correlated product velocity and translational energy distributions. H(2)O fragments are detected in the ground vibrational (000) and the first excited bending (010) states by 2 + 1 REMPI via the C? (1)B(1) (000) ← X? (1)A(1) (000 and 010) transitions. The fragments' velocity and center-of-mass translational energy distributions are determined from images of selected rovibrational levels of H(2)O. An accurate value for D(0) is obtained by fitting both the structure in the images and the maximum velocity of the fragments. This value, D(0) = 1105 ± 10 cm(-1) (13.2 ± 0.12 kJ/mol), is in excellent agreement with the recent theoretical value of D(0) = 1103 ± 4 cm(-1) (13.2 ± 0.05 kJ∕mol) suggested as a benchmark by Shank et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 130, 144314 (2009)].     

Potential energy surface and rovibrational calculations for the Mg+-H2 and Mg+-D2 complexes

A three-dimensional potential energy surface is developed to describe the structure and dynamical behavior of the Mg(+)-H(2) and Mg(+)-D(2) complexes. Ab initio points calculated using the RCCSD(T) method and aug-cc-pVQZ basis set (augmented by bond functions) are fitted using a reproducing kernel Hilbert space method [Ho and Rabitz, J. Chem. Phys. 104, 2584 (1996)] to generate an analytical representation of the potential energy surface. The calculations confirm that Mg(+)-H(2) and Mg(+)-D(2) essentially consist of a Mg(+) atomic cation attached, respectively, to a moderately perturbed H(2) or D(2) molecule in a T-shaped configuration with an intermolecular separation of 2.62 A? and a well depth of D(e) = 842 cm(-1). The barrier for internal rotation through the linear configuration is 689 cm(-1). Interaction with the Mg(+) ion is predicted to increase the H(2) molecule's bond-length by 0.008 A?. Variational rovibrational energy level calculations using the new potential energy surface predict a dissociation energy of 614 cm(-1) for Mg(+)-H(2) and 716 cm(-1) for Mg(+)-D(2). The H-H and D-D stretch band centers are predicted to occur at 4059.4 and 2929.2 cm(-1), respectively, overestimating measured values by 3.9 and 2.6 cm(-1). For Mg(+)-H(2) and Mg(+)-D(2), the experimental B and C rotational constants exceed the calculated values by ～1.3%, suggesting that the calculated potential energy surface slightly overestimates the intermolecular separation. An ab initio dipole moment function is used to simulate the infrared spectra of both complexes.     

Vibrational predissociation in the HCl dimer

We present results of a combined theoretical and experimental study on the vibrational predissociation of the HCl dimer. On the theoretical side, photodissociation linewidths and product-state distributions for monomer stretch excited states with total angular momentum J=0 were computed, using the Fermi golden rule approximation. The resonances investigated include excitation of the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor stretches, as well as combinations of one of these modes with the intermolecular stretch and geared bend modes, for both even and odd permutation symmetry. Line strengths for the transitions from the J=1, K=0 ground state to excited states with J=0 were computed using quasibound states. On the experimental side, the photofragment angular distribution method was employed to obtain complete final-state distributions for the monomer stretch excited states. Three different transitions were probed, all starting from the lower tunneling component of the ground state: the (R)Q(0)(1) transition for excitation of the acceptor stretch and the (Q)R(0)(0) transition and unresolved (R)Q(0) branch for the donor stretch excitation. We find that, in contrast to the HF dimer, the excited-state alignment of the HCl dimer, resulting from excitation using a polarized laser beam, is completely lost on the time scale of the dissociation. The agreement between theory and experiment for the product-state distributions and line strengths is reasonable. The computed lifetimes are 1-2 orders of magnitude too small, which is attributed to a deficiency in the potential energy surface.     

Theoretical study of the He-HF+ complex. I. The two asymptotically degenerate ground state potential energy surfaces

Two three-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PESs) are reported for the cationic complex He-HF+; they are degenerate for linear geometries of the complex and correlate with the doubly degenerate X2Pi ground state of the HF+monomer. The PESs are computed from the interaction energies of the neutral dimer and the ionization potentials of the He-HF complex and the HF molecule. Ionization potentials are obtained from the outer valence Green's function (OVGF) method, while the energies of the neutral species are computed by means of the single and double coupled-cluster method with perturbative triples [CCSD(T)]. For comparison, interaction energies of the ionic complex were computed also by the use of the partially spin-restricted variant of the CCSD(T) method. After asymptotic scaling of the OVGF results, good agreement is found between the two methods. A single global minimum is found in the PES, for the linear He-HF+ geometry. The well depth and equilibrium separation are 2.240 A and 1631.3 cm(-1), respectively, at an HF+ bond length r=1.0012 A, in rather good agreement with results of Schmelz and Rosmus [Chem. Phys. Lett. 220, 117 (1994)]. The well depth depends much more strongly on the internuclear H-F separation than in the neutral He-HF complex and the global minimum in a full three-dimensional PES occurs at r=1.0273 A.     

Stabilization and rovibronic spectra of the T-shaped and linear ground-state conformers of a weakly bound rare-gas-homonuclear dihalogen complex: He...Br2

Laser-induced fluorescence spectra of Br(2) entrained in a He supersonic expansion have been recorded in the Br(2) B-X, 8-0, 12-0, and 21-0 spectral regions at varying downstream distances, and thus different temperature regimes. Features associated with transitions of the T-shaped and linear He...Br(2)(X,nu(") = 0) complexes are identified. The changes in the relative intensities of the T-shaped and linear features with cooling in the expansion indicate that the linear conformer is energetically more stable than the T-shaped conformer. A He + Br(2)(X,nu(") = 0) ab initio potential-energy surface, computed at the coupled cluster level of theory with a large, flexible basis set, is used to calculate the binding energies of the two conformers, 15.8 and 16.5 cm(-1) for the T-shaped and linear complexes, respectively. This potential and an excited-state potential [M. P. de Lara-Castells, A. A. Buchachenko, G. Delgado-Barrio, and P. Villareal, J. Chem. Phys. 120, 2182 (2004)] are used to calculate the excitation spectra of He...(79)Br(2)(X,nu(") = 0) in the Br(2) B-X, 12-0 region. The calculated spectra are used to make spectral assignments and to determine the energies of the excited-state intermolecular vibrational levels accessed in the observed transitions. Temperature-dependent laser-induced fluorescence spectra and a simple thermodynamic model [D. S. Boucher, J. P. Darr, M. D. Bradke, R. A. Loomis, and A. B. McCoy, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 6, 5275 (2004)] are used to estimate that the linear conformer is 0.4(2) cm(-1) more strongly bound than the T-shaped conformer. Two-laser action spectroscopy experiments reveal that the binding energy of the linear He...(79)Br(2)(X,nu(") = 0) conformer is 17.0(8) cm(-1), and that of the T-shaped He...(79)Br(2)(X,nu(") = 0) conformer is then 16.6(8) cm(-1), in good agreement with the calculated values.     

Anharmonic vibrational frequencies and vibrationally averaged structures and nuclear magnetic resonance parameters of FHF-

The anharmonic vibrational frequencies of FHF(-) were computed by the vibrational self-consistent-field, configuration-interaction, and second-order perturbation methods with a multiresolution composite potential energy surface generated by the electronic coupled-cluster method with various basis sets. Anharmonic vibrational averaging was performed for the bond length and nuclear magnetic resonance indirect spin-spin coupling constants, where the latter computed by the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method. The calculations placed the vibrational frequencies at 580 (nu(1)), 1292 (nu(2)), 1313 (nu(3)), 1837 (nu(1) + nu(3)), and 1864 cm(-1) (nu(1) + nu(2)), the zero-point H-F bond length (r(0)) at 1.1539 A, the zero-point one-bond spin-spin coupling constant [(1)J(0)(HF)] at 124 Hz, and the bond dissociation energy (D(0)) at 43.3 kcal/mol. They agreed excellently with the corresponding experimental values: nu(1) = 583 cm(-1), nu(2) = 1286 cm(-1), nu(3) = 1331 cm(-1), nu(1) + nu(3) = 1849 cm(-1), nu(1) + nu(2) = 1858 cm(-1), r(0) = 1.1522 A, (1)J(0)(HF) = 124+/-3 Hz, and D(0) = 44.4+/-1.6 kcal/mol. The vibrationally averaged bond lengths matched closely the experimental values of five excited vibrational states, furnishing a highly dependable basis for correct band assignments. An adiabatic separation of high- (nu(3)) and low-frequency (nu(1)) stretching modes was examined and found to explain semiquantitatively the appearance of a nu(1) progression on nu(3). Our calculations predicted a value of 186 Hz for experimentally inaccessible (2)J(0)(FF).     

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

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