Photoelectron spectroscopic study of the hydrated nucleoside anions: Uridine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0-2), cytidine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0-2), and thymidine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0,1)

The hydrated nucleoside anions, uridine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0-2), cytidine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0-2), and thymidine(-)(H(2)O)(n=0,1), have been prepared in beams and studied by anion photoelectron spectroscopy in order to investigate the effects of a microhydrated environment on parent nucleoside anions. Vertical detachment energies (VDEs) were measured for all eight anions, and from these, estimates were made for five sequential anion hydration energies. Excellent agreement was found between our measured VDE value for thymidine(-)(H(2)O)(1) and its calculated value in the companion article by S. Kim and H. F. Schaefer III.     

The mechanism of proton exchange: guided ion beam studies of the reactions, H(H2O)n+ (n=1-4)+D2O and D(D2O)n+ (n=1-4)+H2O

Reactions of protonated water clusters, H(H(2)O)(n) (+) (n=1-4) with D(2)O and their "mirror" reactions, D(D(2)O)(n) (+) (n=1-4) with H(2)O, are studied using guided-ion beam mass spectrometry. Absolute reaction cross sections are determined as a function of collision energy from thermal energy to over 10 eV. At low collision energies, we observe reactions in which H(2)O and D(2)O molecules are interchanged and reactions where H-D exchange has occurred. As the collision energy is increased, the H-D exchange products decrease and the water exchange products become dominant. At high collision energies, processes in which one or more water molecules are lost from the reactant ions become important, with simple collision-induced dissociation processes, i.e., those without H-D exchange, being dominant. Threshold energies of endothermic channels are measured and used to determine binding energies of the proton bound complexes, which are consistent with those determined by thermal equilibrium measurements and previous collision-induced dissociation studies. A kinetic scheme that relies only on the ratio of isomerization and dissociation rate constants successfully accounts for the kinetic energy dependence observed in the branching ratios for H-D and water exchange products in all systems. Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and ab initio calculations confirm the feasibility and establish the details of this kinetic model.     

Theoretical studies of UO2(H2O)n(2+), NpO2(H2O)n(+), and PuO2(H2O)n(2+) complexes (n=4-6) in aqueous solution and gas phase

Extensive ab initio calculations both in gas phase and solution have been carried out to study the equilibrium structure, vibrational frequencies, and bonding characteristics of various actinyl (UO2(2+), NpO2(+), and PuO2(2+)) and their hydrated forms, AnO2(H2O)n(z+) (n=4, 5, and 6). Bulk solvent effects were studied using a continuum method. The geometries were fully optimized at the coupled-cluster singles + doubles (CCSD), density-functional theory (DFT), and M?ller-Plesset (MP2) level of theories. In addition vibrational frequencies have been obtained at the CCSD as well as MP2/DFT levels. The results show that both the short-range and long-range solvent effects are important. The combined discrete-continuum model, in which the ionic solute and the solvent molecules in the first and second solvation shells are treated quantum mechanically while the solvent is simulated by a continuum model, can predict accurately the bonding characteristics. Moreover, our values of solvation free energies suggest that five- and six-coordinations are equally preferred for UO2(2+), and five-coordinated species are preferred for NpO2(+) and PuO2(2+). On the basis of combined quantum-chemical and continuum treatments of the hydrated complexes, we are able to determine the optimal cavity radii for the solvation models. The coupled-cluster computations with large basis sets were employed for the vibrational spectra and equilibrium geometries both of which compare quite favorably with experiment. Our most accurate computations reveal that both five- and six-coordination complexes are important for these species.     

Electron scattering on OH-(H2O)n clusters (n = 0-4)

The cross sections for electron scattering on OH-(H2O)n for n = 0-4 were measured from threshold to approximately 50 eV. All detachment cross sections were found to follow the classical prediction given earlier [Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 892 (1995)] with a threshold energy for electron-impact detachment that increased upon sequential hydration, yielding values in the range from 4.5 eV +/- 0.2 eV for OH- to 12.10 eV +/- 0.5 eV for OH-(H2O)4. For n > or = 1, we found that approximately 80% of the total reaction events lead to electron detachment plus total dissociation of the clusters into the constituent molecules of OH and H2O. Finally, we observed resonances in the cross sections for OH-(H2O)3 and for OH-(H2O)4. The resonances were located at approximately 15 eV and were ascribed to the formation of dianions in excited states.     

Theoretical dynamic studies on the reactions of CH3C(O)CH3-nCl(n) (n = 0-3) with the chlorine atom

The theoretical investigations were performed on the reaction mechanisms for the title reactions CH(3)C(O)CH(3) + Cl --> products (R1), CH(3)C(O)CH(2)Cl + Cl --> products (R2), CH(3)C(O)CHCl(2) + Cl --> products (R3), and CH(3)C(O)CCl(3) + Cl --> products (R4) by ab initio direct dynamics approach. Two different reaction channels have been found: abstract of the H atom from methyl (--CH(3)) group or chloromethyl (--CH(3-n)Cl(n)) group of chloroacetone and addition of a Cl atom to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group of chloroacetone followed by methyl or chloromethyl eliminations. Because of the higher potential energy barrier, the contribution of addition-elimination reaction pathway to the total rate constants is very small and thus this pathway is insignificant in atmospheric conditions. The rate constants for the H-abstraction reaction channels are evaluated by using canonical variational transition state theory incorporating with the small-curvature tunneling correction. Theoretical overall rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental values and decrease in the order of k(1) > k(2) > k(3) > k(4). The results indicate that for halogenated acetones the substitution of halogen atom (F or Cl) leads to the decrease in the C--H bond reactivity and more decrease of reactivity is caused by F-substitution.     

Theoretical studies on structures of neptunyl carbonates: NpO2(CO3)m(H2O)n(q-) (m = 1-3, n = 0-3) in aqueous solution

Extensive ab inito computations have been carried out to study the equilibrium structure, infrared spectra, and bonding characteristics of a variety of hydrated NpO2(CO3)m(q-) complexes by considering the solvent as a polarizable dielectric continuum as well as the corresponding anhydrate complexes in the gas phase. The computed structural parameters and vibrational results at the MP2 level in aqueous solution are in good agreement with Clark et al.'s experiments and provide realistic pictures of the neptunyl complexes in an aqueous environment. Our computed hydration energies reveal that the complex with water molecules directly bound to it yields the best results. Our analysis of the nature of the bonding of neptunyl complexes provides insight into the nature of 6d and 5f bonding in actinide complexes.     

Theoretical investigation of ground and excited states of the methylene amidogene radical (H(2)CN)

The excited states and the absorption spectrum of the methylene amidogene radical are studied by high-level ab initio calculations. The multireference configuration interaction method was used in combination with different basis sets and basis set extrapolation to compute equilibrium geometries, harmonic frequencies, and excitation energies of the four lowest doublet electronic states of the title species. Potential curves and transition dipole moment functions were determined along the normal mode coordinates of the electronic ground state. These functions were employed to determine vibronic absorption spectra. The intensities of dipole forbidden but vibronically allowed transitions were calculated by explicitly evaluating integrals over the vibrational wave functions and the transition dipole functions of the involved electronic states. By this method the oscillator strengths of the dipole allowed (2)A(1)<--(2)B(2) and the dipole forbidden (2)B(1)<--(2)B(2) bands were computed. It turns out that the dipole forbidden transition is two orders of magnitude weaker than the dipole allowed one. The 0-0 excitation energies are found to be 30 256 cm(-1) for the (2)B(1) state and 34,646 cm(-1) for the (2)A(1) state. From the combined results of the excitation energies and oscillator strengths it is concluded that the experimentally observed peaks must be due to the (2)A(1) state, in contradiction to earlier assignments.     

The ground and excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n-1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13): a valence bond study.

The semiempirical valence bond (VB) method, VBDFT(s), is applied to the ground states and the covalent excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n - 1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13). The method uses a single scalable parameter with a value that carries over from the study of the covalent excited states of polyenes (W. Wu, D. Danovich, A. Shurki, S. Shaik, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2000, 104, 8744). Whenever comparison is possible, the VB excitation energies are found to be in good accord with sophisticated molecular orbital (MO)-based methods like CASPT2. The symmetry-adapted Rumer structures are used to discuss the state-symmetry and VB constitution of the ground and excited states, and the expansion to VB determinants is used to gain insight on spin density patterns. The theory helps to understand in a coherent and lucid manner the properties of polyenyl radicals, such as the makeup of the various states, their geometries and energies, and the distribution of the unpaired electrons (the neutral solitons).     

Collision-induced dissociation studies of protonated ether--(H2O)n (n = 1-3) clusters

We have studied the protonated ether-(H2O)n (n = 1-3) complexes containing tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl, diethyl, dibutyl, and butylmethyl ethers using a flowing afterglow triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. Collision-induced dissociation, CID, of all clusters with n = 1, 2 shows sequential water loss. The n = 3 cluster of dimethyl ether shows sequential water loss, while all other ether clusters display selective product formation. The CID spectra are interpreted based on known energetics, and theoretical studies of the dimethyl and diethyl ether systems.     

Theoretical study of Al(n) and Al(n)O (n = 2-10) clusters

The stable structures, energies, and electronic properties of neutral, cationic, and anionic clusters of Al(n) (n = 2-10) are studied systematically at the B3LYP/6-311G(2d) level. We find that our optimized structures of Al5(+), Al9(+), Al9(-), Al10, Al10(+), and Al10(-) clusters are more stable than the corresponding ones proposed in previous literature reports. For the studied neutral aluminum clusters, our results show that the stability has an odd/even alternation phenomenon. We also find that the Al3, Al7, Al7(+), and Al7(-) structures are more stable than their neighbors according to their binding energies. For Al7(+) with a special stability, the nucleus-independent chemical shifts and resonance energies are calculated to evaluate its aromaticity. In addition, we present results on hardness, ionization potential, and electron detachment energy. On the basis of the stable structures of the neutral Al(n) (n = 2-10) clusters, the Al(n)O (n = 2-10) clusters are further investigated at the B3LYP/6-311G(2d), and the lowest-energy structures are searched. The structures show that oxygen tends to either be absorbed at the surface of the aluminum clusters or be inserted between Al atoms to form an Al(n-1)OAl motif, of which the Al(n-1) part retains the stable structure of pure aluminum clusters.     

Computational study on the negative electron affinities of NO2 -.(H2O)n clusters (n=0-30)

Here we report negative electron affinities of NO(2)(-).(H2O)n clusters (n=0-30) obtained from density functional theory calculations and a simple correction to Koopmans' theorem. The method relies on the calculation of the detachment energy of the monoanion and its highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies, and explicit calculations on the dianion itself are avoided. A good agreement with resonances in the cross section for neutral production in electron scattering experiments is found for n=0, 1, and 2. We find several isomeric structures of NO(2)(-).(H2O)2 of similar energy that elucidate the interplay between water-water and ion-water interactions. The topology is predicted to influence the electron affinity by 0.5 and 0.4 eV for NO(2)(-).(H2O) and NO(2)(-).(H2O)2, respectively. The electron affinity of larger clusters is shown to follow a (n+delta)-1/3 dependence, where delta=3 represents the number of water molecules that in volume, could replace NO(2) (-).     

Theoretical studies of O2−:(H2O)n clusters

The interaction of superoxide ion O₂^? with up to four water molecules [O₂^?: (H₂O)_n, n = 1, 2, 4] has been investigated using ab initio molecular orbital theory. The binding energy of O₂^?: H₂O is calculated to be ?20.6 kcal/mol in good agreement with gas phase experimental data. At the MP3/6-31G^* level the O₂^?:H₂O complex has a C_2v structure with a double (cyclic) hydrogen bond between O₂^? and H₂O. A C_s structure with a single hydrogen bond is only 0.7 kcal/mol less stable. Interaction of H₂O with the doubly occupied π^* orbital of O₂^? is preferred slightly over interaction with the singly occupied π^* orbital. Natural bond orbital analysis suggests that both electrostatic and charge transfer interactions are important in anionic complexes. The charge transfer occurs predominantly in the O₂^? → H₂O direction and is important in determining the relative stabilities of the different structures and states. Singly and doubly hydrogen-bonded structures for the O₂^?: (H₂O)₂ and O₂^?: (H₂O)₄ clusters were found to be similar in stability and the increase in binding of the cluster becomes smaller as each additional water molecule is added to the cluster.     

Theoretical study on (Al2O3)n (n = 1-10 and 30) fullerenes and H2 adsorption properties

The structures and stabilities of (Al2O3)n (n = 1-10 and 30) clusters were studied by means of first principles calculations. The calculated results reveal that the global minima of small (Al2O3)n (n = 1-5) clusters are cage structures with high symmetries, in which Al and O atoms are three- and two-coordinated, respectively, and are linked to neighbors via single bonds. Beyond (Al2O3)5, we calculated both cage and cage-dimer structures for (Al2O3)n (n = 6-10), and the results show that, at this size range, cage-dimer structures are more stable than cage structures. Furthermore, an onion-like motif for (Al2O3)10 was studied, and it is interesting to find that, at this size, the onion structure is more favorable than cage and cage-dimer structures. For large clusters, a shell structure of Al60O90 is suggested. Electronic properties and calculations on hydrogen adsorption of these aluminum oxide structures are reported, and we discuss their possible use as hydrogen storage materials.     

Microsolvation of the dicyanamide anion: [N(CN)(2)(-)](H(2)O)n (n = 0-12)

Photoelectron spectroscopy is combined with ab initio calculations to study the microsolvation of the dicyanamide anion, N(CN)(2)(-). Photoelectron spectra of [N(CN)(2)(-)](H2O)n (n = 0-12) have been measured at room temperature and also at low temperature for n = 0-4. Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra are obtained for N(CN)(2)(-), allowing the electron affinity of the N(CN)2 radical to be determined accurately as 4.135 +/- 0.010 eV. The electron binding energies and the spectral width of the hydrated clusters are observed to increase with the number of water molecules. The first five waters are observed to provide significant stabilization to the solute, whereas the stabilization becomes weaker for n > 5. The spectral width, which carries information about the solvent reorganization upon electron detachment in [N(CN)(2)(-)](H2O)n, levels off for n > 6. Theoretical calculations reveal several close-lying isomers for n = 1 and 2 due to the fact that the N(CN)(2)(-) anion possesses three almost equivalent hydration sites. In all the hydrated clusters, the most stable structures consist of a water cluster solvating one end of the N(CN)(2)(-) anion.     

TinC2n(n=1-6)分子簇的量子化学从头算研究

用量子化学从头计算方法研究了TinC2n(n=1-6)分子簇的几何构型和电子结构。这些TinC2n分子簇以TiC2为结构单元, 通过C-C或Ti-C键进一步连接而逐渐长大。研究结果可以较好地解释实验现象, 并说明Metcars的形成机理。     

Experimental and theoretical study of the structures and binding energies of eugenol (H2O)n, n=0-2

Eugenol (4-Allyl-2-methoxyphenol), a phenol-derivative with an intramolecular -OH ...OCH(3) hydrogen bond (H bond), has been studied in a supersonic expansion using a number of complementary laser spectroscopic techniques. The mass-resolved excitation spectrum of eugenol and its water complexes are reported for the first time. The most intense set of bands on the resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectrum of eugenol originate in a conformer whose S(1)<--S(0) transition is at 35 202 cm(-1) and the ionization threshold at (I(0)<--S(0)) 62 544+/-150 cm(-1) (7.755+/-0.019 eV). In addition, two low intensity features redshifted with respect to the 0(0) (0) transition have been identified as due to a second, less stable conformer. Ab initio calculations show that the potential energy landscape depicts at least three minima associated with one folded and two extended conformers, one of which is the most stable. Clusters of eugenol/water were prepared in a supersonic expansion by seeding eugenol and water in noble gas He and examined by two-color REMPI (R2PI) and IR-UV double resonance spectroscopies. Only one single isomer was observed for both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, in contrast with the several stable conformers provided by the computations. The dissociation energies of the 1:1 and 1:2 complexes have been determined by the fragmentation threshold method and the results compared with those from ab initio calculations conducted at the B3LYP and MP2 levels with a variety of basis sets.     

s-四嗪-水簇复合物的理论研究

用量子化学B3LYP方法和6-31＋＋G**基函数研究了s-四嗪-水簇复合物基态分子间相互作用, 并进行了构型优化和频率计算, 分别得到无虚频稳定的s-四嗪-(水)₂复合物、s-四嗪-(水)₃复合物和s-四嗪-(水)₄复合物6个、9个和12个. 复合物存在较强的氢键作用, 复合物结构中形成一个N…H—O氢键并终止于O…H—C氢键的氢键水链构型最稳定. 经基组重叠误差和零点振动能校正后, 最稳定的1∶2, 1∶3和1∶4(摩尔比)复合物的结合能分别是41.35, 70.9和 94.61 kJ/mol. 振动分析显示氢键的形成使复合物中水分子H—O键对称伸缩振动频率减小(红移). 研究表明N…H键越短, N…H—O键角越接近直线, 稳定化能越大, 氢键作用越强. 同时, 用含时密度泛函理论方法在TD-B3LYP/6-31＋＋G**水平计算了s-四嗪单体及其氢键复合物的第一¹(n, p*)激发态的垂直激发能.     

Theoretical study of the desorption of neutral and ionic alkali metal atoms from the excited Li+(H2O)n = 1-4 and Na+(H2O)n = 1-4 cluster models: Electronic excitation charge transfer

In this work, the potential energy curves of several low-lying excited states of M⁺(H₂O)_{n = 1-4} (M = Li and Na) clusters with one M─O bond, related to the stretching of their M─O bond, were calculated in the gas phase. The time-dependent density functional theory and direct-symmetry-adapted cluster-configuration interaction were used in this study separately. Theoretical calculations showed that the charge transfer occurred between M⁺ and (H₂O)_n in the excited clusters so that the neutral metal atom was obtained at the dissociation limit of the potential curves. The excited potential curves of clusters were also calculated in the presence of the electrostatic field of water (EFW), and it was found that the charge transfer was blocked in the presence of EFW. The effect of the size of the (H₂O)_n cluster on the shape of the excited potential curves was investigated to observe how the M─O bond was affected in the excited states depending on the (H₂O)_n size. It was found that the increase in the size of the (H₂O)_n cluster increased the number of bonding excited potential curves. The difference between the electron density of the excited and ground electronic states was calculated to see how the charge transfer was affected by the size of the (H₂O)_n cluster.     

Theoretical study of [Li(H2O)n]+ and [K(H2O)n]+ (n = 1−4) complexes

The geometries, successive binding energies, vibrational frequencies, and infrared intensities are calculated for the [Li(H₂O)_n]⁺ and [K(H₂O)_n]⁺ (n = 1?4) complexes. The basis sets used are 6-31G* and LANL 1DZ (Los Alamos ECP +DZ ) at the SCF and MP 2 levels. There is an agreement for calculated structures and frequencies between the MP 2/6-31G* and MP 2/LANL 1DZ basis sets, which indicates that the latter can be used for calculations of water complexes with heavier ions. Our results are in a reasonable agreement with available experimental data and facilitate experimental study of these complexes. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Infrared spectra of HC2-.(C2H2)n and O2-.(C2H2)n clusters (n=2-5)

We study the solvation of HC2- and O2- with acetylene ligands by means of midinfrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the CH stretching region, monitoring C2H2 evaporation upon infrared photon absorption by the parent cluster ions. Our findings are interpreted with the help of density functional theory. The infrared spectra indicate that while the binding generally occurs through ionic H bonds, there are two different classes of ligands which differ in their binding strength. This holds true for both core ions, even though their electronic structures and charge distributions are very different.