Dynamics of the D+ + H2 and H+ + D2 reactions: a detailed comparison between theory and experiment

An extensive set of experimental measurements on the dynamics of the H(+) + D(2) and D(+) + H(2) ion-molecule reactions is compared with the results of quantum mechanical (QM), quasiclassical trajectory (QCT), and statistical quasiclassical trajectory (SQCT) calculations. The dynamical observables considered include specific rate coefficients as a function of the translational energy, E(T), thermal rate coefficients in the 100-500 K temperature range. In addition, kinetic energy spectra (KES) of the D(+) ions reactively scattered in H(+) + D(2) collisions are also presented for translational energies between 0.4 eV and 2.0 eV. For the two reactions, the best global agreement between experiment and theory over the whole energy range corresponds to the QCT calculations using a gaussian binning (GB) procedure, which gives more weight to trajectories whose product vibrational action is closer to the actual integer QM values. The QM calculations also perform well, although somewhat worse over the more limited range of translational energies where they are available (E(T) < 0.6 eV and E(T) < 0.2 eV for the H(+) + D(2) and D(+) + H(2) reactions, respectively). The worst agreement is obtained with the SQCT method, which is only adequate for low translational energies. The comparison between theory and experiment also suggests that the most reliable rate coefficient measurements are those obtained with the merged beams technique. It is worth noting that none of the theoretical approaches can account satisfactorily for the experimental specific rate coefficients of H(+) + D(2) for E(T)≤ 0.2 eV although there is a considerable scatter in the existing measurements. On the whole, the best agreement with the experimental laboratory KES is obtained with the simulations carried out using the state resolved differential cross sections (DCSs) calculated with the QCT-GB method, which seems to account for most of the observed features. In contrast, the simulations with the SQCT data predict kinetic energy spectra (KES) considerably cooler than those experimentally determined.     

Tunneling chemical reactions D + H2 --> DH + H and D + DH --> D2 + H in solid D2-H2 and HD-H2 mixtures: an electron-spin-resonance study

Tunneling chemical reactions D + H2 --> DH + H and D + DH --> D2 + H in solid HD-H2 and D2-H2 mixtures were studied in the temperature range between 4 and 8 K. These reactions were initiated by UV photolysis of DI molecules doped in these solids for 30 s and followed by measuring the time course of electron-spin-resonance (ESR) intensities of D and H atoms. ESR intensity of D atoms produced by the photolysis decreases but that of H atoms increases with time. Time course of the D and H intensities has the fast and slow processes. The fast process, which finishes within approximately 300 s after the photolysis, is assigned to the reaction of D atom with one of its nearest-neighboring H2 molecules, D(H2)n(HD)(12-n) --> H(H2)(n-1)(HD)(13-n) or D(H2)n(D2)(12-n) --> H(HD)(H2)(n-1)(D2)(12-n) for 12 > or = n > or = 1. Rate constant for the D + H2 reaction between neighboring D atom-H2 molecule pair is determined to be (7.5 +/- 0.7) x 10(-3) s(-1) in solid HD-H2 and (1.3+/-0.3) x 10(-2) s(-1) in D2-H2 at 4.1 K, which is very close to that calculated based on the theory of chemical reaction in gas phase by Hancock et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 91, 3492 (1989)] and Takayanagi and Sato [J. Chem. Phys. 92, 2862 (1990)]. This rate constant was found to be independent of temperature up to 7 K within experimental error of +/-30%. The slow process is assigned to the reaction of D atom produced in a cage fully surrounded by HD or D2 molecules, D(HD)12 or D(D2)12. This D atom undergoes the D + DH reaction with one of its nearest-neighboring HD molecules in solid HD-H2 or diffuses to the neighbor of H2 molecules to allow the D + H2 reaction in solid HD-H2 and D2-H2. The former is the main channel in solid HD-H2 below 6 K where D atoms diffuse very slowly, whereas the latter dominates over the former above 6 K. Rate for the reactions in the slow process is independent of temperature below 6 K but increases with the increase in temperature above 6 K. We found that the increase is due to the increase in hopping rate of D atoms to the neighbor of H2 molecules. Rate constant for the D + DH reaction was found to be independent of temperature up to 7 K as well.     

Product spin-orbit state resolved dynamics of the H+H2O and H+D2O abstraction reactions

The product state-resolved dynamics of the reactions H+H(2)O/D(2)O-->OH/OD((2)Pi(Omega);v',N',f )+H(2)/HD have been explored at center-of-mass collision energies around 1.2, 1.4, and 2.5 eV. The experiments employ pulsed laser photolysis coupled with polarized Doppler-resolved laser induced fluorescence detection of the OH/OD radical products. The populations in the OH spin-orbit states at a collision energy of 1.2 eV have been determined for the H+H(2)O reaction, and for low rotational levels they are shown to deviate from the statistical limit. For the H+D(2)O reaction at the highest collision energy studied the OD((2)Pi(3/2),v'=0,N'=1,A') angular distributions show scattering over a wide range of angles with a preference towards the forward direction. The kinetic energy release distributions obtained at 2.5 eV also indicate that the HD coproducts are born with significantly more internal excitation than at 1.4 eV. The OD((2)Pi(3/2),v'=0,N'=1,A') angular and kinetic energy release distributions are almost identical to those of their spin-orbit excited OD((2)Pi(1/2),v'=0,N'=1,A') counterpart. The data are compared with previous experimental measurements at similar collision energies, and with the results of previously published quasiclassical trajectory and quantum mechanical calculations employing the most recently developed potential energy surface. Product OH/OD spin-orbit effects in the reaction are discussed with reference to simple models.     

Overtone spectroscopy of butanol

Overtone spectra of CH and OH stretching vibrations in normal, secondary and tertiary butanol have been studied. A large number of combination and overtone bands, along with the fundamentals have been measured and assigned in the three cases. These data have been used to obtain the vibrational frequency, anharmonicity constant and dissociation energy for the CH and OH stretch motions in the respective molecules. Effect of dilution on the OH fundamental frequency in n-butanol causes a blue shift.     

Full-dimensional quantum dynamics study of exchange processes for the D + H2O and D + HOD reactions

The exchange processes of D + H(2)O and D + HOD reactions are studied using initial state-selected time-dependent wave packet approach in full dimension. The total reaction probabilities for different partial waves, together with the integral cross sections, are obtained both by the centrifugal sudden (CS) approximation and exact coupled-channel (CC) calculations, for the H(2)O(HOD) reactant initially in the ground rovibrational state. In the CC calculations, small resonance peaks in the reaction probabilities and quick diminishing of the resonance peaks with the increase of total angular momenta J do not lead to clear step-like features just above the threshold in the cross sections for the title reactions, which are different in other isotopically substituted reactions where the hydrogen atom was included as the reactant instead of the deuterium atom [B. Fu, Y. Zhou, and D. H. Zhang, Chem. Sci. 3, 270 (2012); B. Fu and D. H. Zhang, J. Phys. Chem. A 116, 820 (2012)]. It is interesting that the shape resonance-induced features resulting from the reaction tunneling are significantly diminished accordingly in the reactions of the deuterium atom and H(2)O or HOD, owing to the weaker tunneling capability of the reagent deuterium atom in the title reactions than the reagent hydrogen atom in other reactions. In the CS calculations, the resonance peaks persist in many partial waves but cannot survive the partial-wave summations. The cross sections for the D(') + H(2)O → D(')OH + H and D(') + HOD → D(')OD + H reactions are substantially larger than those for the D(') + HOD → HOD(') + D reaction, indicating that the D(')/H exchange reactions are much more favored than the D(')/D exchange.     

Resonant States of H3+ and D2H+

Vibrational resonances for H(3) (+) and D(2)H(+), as well as H(3) (+) at J=3, are calculated using a complex absorbing potential (CAP) method with an automated procedure to find stability points in the complex plane. Two different CAP functional forms and different CAP extents are used to analyze the consistency of the results. Calculations are performed using discrete variable representation continuum basis elements calculated to high levels of accuracy by diagonalizing large, dense, Hamiltonian matrices. For D(2)H(+), two energy regions are analyzed: the one where D(2)+H(+) is the only dissociation product and the one where HD+D(+) can also be formed. Branching ratios are obtained in the latter case by using different CAPs. It is shown that H(3) (+) and D(2)H(+) support some narrow Feshbach-type resonances but that higher angular momentum states must be studied to model the pre-dissociation spectrum recorded by Carrington and co-workers [J. Chem. Phys. 98, 1073 (1993)].     

Study of the HNO + HNO and HNO + NO reactions by intracavity laser spectroscopy

Flash photolysis of CH₃CHO and H₂CO in the presence of NO has been investigated by the intracavity laser spectroscopy technique. The decay of HNO formed by the reaction HCO + NO → HNO + CO was studied at NO pressures of 6.8–380 torr. At low NO pressure HNO was found to decay by the reaction HNO + HNO → N₂O + H₂O. The rate constant of this reaction was determined to be k₁ = (1.5 ± 0.8) × 10^?15 cm³/s. At high NO pressure the reaction HNO + NO → products was more important, and its rate constant was measured to be k₂ = (5 ± 1.5) × 10^?19 cm³/s. NO₂ was detected as one of the products of this reaction. Alternative mechanisms for this reaction are discussed.     

Gas-phase H/D exchange reactions of polyamine complexes: (M + H)+, (M + alkali metal+), and (M + 2H)2+

Gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange reactions between noncovalent polyamine complexes and D2O, CH3OD, or ND3 are undertaken in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Structural features of the protonated polyamines can be differentiated by the rates and overall extent of exchange, specifically the presence of propylene units and/or a cyclic structure noticeably decreases exchange compared to the exchange observed for acyclic polyamines with only ethylene bridges between amino groups. Significant differences are observed for singly protonated vs. doubly protonated complexes, where the doubly protonated complexes undergo more efficient exchange at a higher rate than the analogous singly protonated complexes. Molecular modeling calculations suggest that more diffuse conformations may exist for the higher charge states, thus facilitating H/D exchange. In addition, H/D exchange reactions between the alkali metal cationized complexes and ND3 are nearly quenched, compared to the significant exchange seen for singly protonated complexes. A conformational change or the loss of a low energy reaction pathway may explain the limited exchange reactions seen when a bulky cation replaces a proton in the complex.     

The state-to-state-to-state model for direct chemical reactions: application to D+H2-->HD+H

A simple theoretical model is developed to predict the state-to-state dynamics of direct chemical reactions. Motivated by traditional ideas from transition state theory, expressions are derived for the reactive S matrix that may be computed using the local transition state dynamics. The key approximation involves the use of quantum bottleneck states to represent the near separable dynamics taking place near the transition state. Explicit expressions for the S matrix are obtained using a Franck-Condon treatment for the inelastic coupling between internal states of the collision complex. It is demonstrated that the energetic thresholds for various initial reagent states of the D+H(2) reaction can be understood in terms of our theory. Specifically, the helicity of the reagent states are found to correlate directly to the symmetry of the quantum bottleneck states, which thus possess very different thresholds. Furthermore, the rotational product state distributions for D+H(2) are found to be associated with interfering pathways through the quantum bottleneck states.     

Quantum approaches for the insertion dynamics of the H+ + D2 and D+ + H2 reactive collisions

The H(+)+D(2) and D(+)+H(2) reactive collisions are studied using a recently proposed adiabatic potential energy surface of spectroscopic accuracy. The dynamics is studied using an exact wave packet method on the adiabatic surface at energies below the curve crossing occurring at approximately 1.5 eV above the threshold. It is found that the reaction is very well described by a statistical quantum method for a zero total angular momentum (J) as compared with the exact ones, while for higher J some discrepancies are found. For J >0 different centrifugal sudden approximations are proposed and compared with the exact and statistical quantum treatments. The usual centrifugal sudden approach fails by considering too high reaction barriers and too low reaction probabilities. A new statistically modified centrifugal sudden approach is considered which corrects these two failures to a rather good extent. It is also found that an adiabatic approximation for the helicities provides results in very good agreement with the statistical method, placing the reaction barrier properly. However, both statistical and adiabatic centrifugal treatments overestimate the reaction probabilities. The reaction cross sections thus obtained with the new approaches are in rather good agreement with the exact results. In spite of these deficiencies, the quantum statistical method is well adapted for describing the insertion dynamics, and it is then used to evaluate the differential cross sections.     

Analytical energy surfaces for the collinear H+H2 and Li+H2 exchange reactions

A simple four-parameter function is shown to possess adequate flexibility to fit the H + H₂ →H₂ + H and Li + H₂ → LiH + H exchange reaction energy surfaces to good accuracy along the reaction paths.     

Overtone spectroscopy of sulfonic acid derivatives

Vapor-phase OH-stretching overtone spectra of methanesulfonic acid and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid were recorded in the Deltav(OH) = 4 and 5 regions using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. We compare these spectra to those of sulfuric acid to consider the effect on vibrational overtone spectra of replacing one of the OH groups with a more or less electronegative group. We complement our experimental work with anharmonic oscillator local mode calculations of the OH-stretching frequencies and intensities. The presence of a weak intramolecular interaction between the hydrogen atom of the OH group and the oxygen atom of the adjacent S=O group in methanesulfonic acid lowers its OH-stretching frequency from what would otherwise be predicted based on the electronegativity of the methyl group.     

Fast analysis of wood preservers using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used for the investigation of wood preservers in timber and in furniture. Both experiments in laboratory and practical applications in recycling facilities and on a building site prove the new possibilities for the fast detection of harmful agents in wood. A commercial system was developed for mobile laser-plasma-analysis as well as for industrial use in sorting plants. The universal measuring principle in combination with an Echelle optics permits real simultaneous multi-element-analysis in the range of 200–780 nm with a resolution of a few picometers. It enables the user to detect main and trace elements in wood within a few seconds, nearly independent of the matrix, knowing that different kinds of wood show an equal elemental composition. Sample preparation is not required. The quantitative analysis of inorganic wood preservers (containing, e.g. Cu, Cr, B, As, Pb, Hg) has been performed exactly using carbon as reference element. It can be shown that the detection limits for heavy metals in wood are in the ppm-range. Additional information is given concerning the quantitative analysis. Statistical data, e.g. the standard deviation (S.D.), were determined and calibration curves were used for each particular element. A comparison between ICP-AES and LIBS is given using depth profile correction factors regarding the different penetration depths with respect to the different volumes in wood analyzed by both analytical methods.     

A study of the nearly thermoneutral reactions of N+ with H2, HD and D2

The rate coefficients k for the nearly thermoneutral atom abstraction reactions of N⁺ ions with H₂, HD and D₂ have been determined as a function of ion-molecule centre-of-mass energy, KE_cm, in a SIFDT apparatus, over the range of KE_cm from thermal energy at 300 K to ≈ 0.5 eV. From Arrhenius-type plots of ln k versus (KE_cm)⁻¹, values of the thermicities of the reactions, ΔE, have been determined. The differences in the values of ΔE obtained for the reactions are accounted for by differences in the vibrational zero-point energies of the reactant and product molecules. From the data, the absolute proton affinity of the N atom is found to be 3.531 eV.     

Jet cooled spectroscopy of H2DO+: Barrier heights and isotope-dependent tunneling dynamics from H3O+ to D3O+

The first high resolution spectroscopic data for jet cooled H2DO+ are reported, specifically via infrared laser direct absorption in the OH stretching region with a slit supersonic jet discharge source. Transitions sampling upper (0-) and lower (0+) tunneling states for both symmetric (nu1+ <-- 0+, nu1- <-- 0-, and nu1- <-- 0+) and antisymmetric (nu3+ <-- 0+ and nu3- <-- 0-) OH stretching bands are observed, where +/- refers to wave function reflection symmetry with respect to the planar umbrella mode transition state. The spectra can be well fitted to a Watson asymmetric top Hamiltonian, revealing band origins and rotational constants for benchmark comparison with high-level ab initio theory. Of particular importance are detection and assignment of the relatively weak band (nu1- <-- 0+) that crosses the inversion tunneling gap, which is optically forbidden in H3O+ or D3O+, but weakly allowed in H2DO+ by lowering of the tunneling transition state symmetry from D(3h) to C(2v). In conjunction with other H2DO+ bands, this permits determination of the tunneling splittings to within spectroscopic precision for each of the ground [40.518(10) cm(-1)], nu1 = 1 [32.666(6) cm(-1)], and nu3 = 1 [25.399(11) cm(-1)] states. A one-dimensional zero-point energy corrected potential along the tunneling coordinate is constructed from high-level ab initio CCSD(T) calculations (AVnZ, n = 3,4,5) and extrapolated to the complete basis set limit to extract tunneling splittings via a vibrationally adiabatic treatment. Perturbative scaling of the potential to match splittings for all four isotopomers permits an experimental estimate of DeltaV0 = 652.9(6) cm(-1) for the tunneling barrier, in good agreement with full six-dimensional ab initio results of Rajamaki, Miani, and Halonen (RMH) [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 10929 (2003)]. (DeltaV0 (RMH) = 650 cm(-1)). The 30%-50% decrease in tunneling splitting observed upon nu1 and nu3 vibrational excitations arises from an increase in OH stretch frequencies at the planar transition state, highlighting the transition between sp2 and sp3 hybridizations of the OHD bonds as a function of inversion bending angle.     

Theoretical study of the dynamics of the H+CH4 and H+C2H6 reactions using a specific-reaction-parameter semiempirical Hamiltonian

We present a theoretical study of the reactions of hydrogen atoms with methane and ethane molecules and isotopomers. High-accuracy electronic-structure calculations have been carried out to characterize representative regions of the potential-energy surface (PES) of various reaction pathways, including H abstraction and H exchange. These ab initio calculations have been subsequently employed to derive an improved set of parameters for the modified symmetrically-orthogonalized intermediate neglect of differential overlap (MSINDO) semiempirical Hamiltonian, which are specific to the H+alkane family of reactions. The specific-reaction-parameter (SRP) Hamiltonian has then been used to perform a quasiclassical-trajectory study of both the H+CH4 and H+C2H6 reactions. The calculated values of dynamics properties of the H+CH4-->H2+CH3 reaction and isotopologues, including alkyl product speed distributions, diatomic product internal-state distributions, and cross sections, are generally in good agreement with experiment and with the results provided by the ZBB3 PES [Z. Xie et al., J. Chem. Phys. 125, 133120 (2006)]. The results of trajectories propagated with the SRP Hamiltonian for the H+C2H6-->H2+C2H5 reaction also agree with experiment. The level of agreement between the results calculated with the SRP Hamiltonian and experiment in both the H+methane and H+ethane reactions indicates that semiempirical Hamiltonians can be improved for not only a specific reaction but also a family of reactions.     

Full-dimensional quantum dynamics study of the H + H2O and H + HOD exchange reactions

The initial state-selected time-dependent wave packet approach is employed to study the H' + H(2)O → H'OH + H and H' + HOD → H'OD + H, HOH' + D exchange reactions with both OH bonds in the H(2)O reactant and OH(D) bond in the HOD reactant treated as reactive bonds. The total reaction probabilities for different partial waves, as well as the integral cross sections, which are the exact CC (coupled-channel) results, are first obtained in this study for the H(2)O(HOD) reactant initially in the ground rovibrational state. Because of the shallow C(3v) minimum along the reaction path, the reaction probabilities for the three reactions present several resonance peaks, with one dominant resonance peak just above the threshold. The cross sections for the H' + HOD → HOH' + D reaction are substantially smaller than those for the H' + H(2)O → H'OH + H and H' + HOD → H'OD + H reactions, indicating that the H'/H exchange reactions are much more favored. In the CC calculations, the resonance peaks in the reaction probabilities diminish quickly with the increase in total angular momenta J, resulting in the existence of a clear step-like feature just above the threshold in the cross sections for the title reactions, which manifests the signature of shape resonances in these reactions. In the CS calculations, the resonance peaks on reaction probabilities persist in many partial waves, and thus the resonance structures can no longer survive the partial-wave summation and are washed out completely in the CS cross sections for the title reactions.     

Reactivity of C10H7+ and C10D7+ with H2 AND D2

We have investigated, both theoretically and experimentally, the reactions of naphthylium C10H7+ and d-naphthylium C10D7+ ions with H2 and D2. Cross sections as functions of the collision energy have been measured for a variety of reaction channels. Theoretical calculations have been carried out at the density functional theory level which utilizes the hybrid functional B3LYP and the split-valence 6-31G* basis set. The key features of the potential energy surfaces and the relevant thermochemical parameters have been calculated and they provide insights on the reaction mechanisms. The bimolecular reactivity of C10H7+ with H2 is dominated by the production of naphthalene cation C10H8+. The reaction is not a direct atom-abstraction process, but instead it proceeds via the formation of a stable intermediate complex C10H9+ of sigma type geometry, with a significant mobility of hydrogen along the ring. This mobility allows the scrambling of the hydrogen atoms and causes the successive statistical fragmentation of the complex into a variety of product channels. Elimination of one H(D) atom appears to be favored over elimination of one H2 or HD molecule. Alternatively, the intermediate complex can be stabilized either by collision with a third body or by emission of a photon.