Two-photon absorption spectroscopy of iodine monochloride in the 5 eV region

Two-photon high resolution sequential spectroscopy has been used to excite iodine monochloride from X¹Σ⁺ ground state to the intermediate A³Π₁ state and thence to a final electronic state at 4.82 eV. Vibrational and rotational analyses of this state have been carried out for both isotopic species. For I³⁵Cl, T_e = 38916.0 cm^?1 ω_e = 168.99 cm^?1, ω_ex_e = 0.357 cm^?1 and B_e = 0.05685 cm^?1. The state probably has Ω = 1 in case (c) coupling approximation. It is also shown how to two-photon technique enables rotational line structure of the A ← X transition to be selectively excited for either isotopic species at a resolution of 500000, from an absorption mixture containing natural iodine monochloride plus its iodine dissociation product at equilibrium vapour pressure.     

Ionization and protonation of MgC3: A theoretical study

A theoretical study of the MgC₃⁺ and MgC₃H⁺ species has been carried out. Predictions for their geometries and vibrational frequencies have been made at both second‐order Møller–Plesset (MP2) and B3LYP levels, whereas electronic energies have been computed at G2 and coupled cluster single and double excitation model augmented with a noniterative triple excitation conection (CCSD(T)) levels. The predicted global minimum for MgC₃⁺ is a rhombic structure (²A₁ electronic state), whereas a T‐shaped structure and an open‐chain isomer lie about 10 and 12 kcal/mol, respectively, higher in energy. In the case of MgC₃H⁺ the predicted global minimum is also a four‐membered ring obtained upon protonation of the most stable neutral isomer. Low ionization potentials and high proton affinities are generally obtained, especially for the most stable MgC₃⁺ isomer. The estimated values at the CCSD(T) level for the predicted global minimum are 7.20 eV [ionization potential (IP)] and 256.5 kcal/mol [proton affinities (PA)]. Therefore, if present in the interstellar medium, MgC₃ should be easily ionized and would react quite easily to give the protonated species. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

Surface oxidation and H deposition at ruthenium electrodes: Resolution of component processes in potential-sweep experiments

The catalytic and electrochemical reduction of perchlorate ions has been studied using tungsten carbide powder. The rate of catalytic hydrogenation has been studied at different temperatures, hydrogen ion and ClO₄^? concentrations. A rate equation obtained from the experimental results is given.It has been shown that results obtained from steady state polarization measurements carried out under different experimental conditions do not allow the existence of a simple rate determining step in the reduction process to be assumed.     

Gas‐phase reactivity study of O(3P) atoms with trans‐CHClCHCl and CHClCCl2 at 298 K: Comparison to reactions with some other substituted ethenes

Absolute rate coefficients for the gas‐phase reactions of trans‐dichloroethene and trichloroethene with O(³P) atoms have been measured at 298 K using a discharge flow tube coupled to a chemiluminescence detection system. The observed rate constant values are (2.2 ± 0.4) × 10^?13 and (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively. The experiments were carried out under pseudo‐first‐order conditions with [O(³P)]_o ? [alkene]_o. These results are compared to those of O atom reactions with other chloroethenes and with different electrophiles, such as OH and NO₃. Different factors that affect the rate of addition to the double bond are considered. The rate constants for these reactions do not correlate in a simple manner with the experimental ionization potential, as is the case in the alkene and methyl‐substituted alkene reactions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 415–421, 2001     

Extraction of plutonium from acidic media using various phosphine oxides

Extraction, loading and stripping studies of Pu(IV) have been carried out using three phosphine oxides namely Cyanex^Ò-923 (cyn-923), Cyanex^Ò-925 (cyn-925) and TOPO in dodecane from nitric acid medium. All the three phosphine oxides have shown very high extraction of Pu. The order of extraction for Pu by these compounds is cyn-923 > TOPO - cyn-925. Loading of Pu (30.0 mg/l) in 3.0M HNO₃ was carried out using 5% solution of each of the phosphine oxides in dodecane. It was found that even at an organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:10, the loading of Pu is >96%. From the loaded organic phase, Pu could be almost quantitatively stripped using 0.1 or 0.5M oxalic acid. The extraction of Pu(IV) with cyn-925 has also been carried out from HCl, HNO₃ or HClO₄ (0.5 to 9.1M). The species extracted into the cyn-925/dodecane phase from 3.0M HNO₃ or HCl media was found to be Pu(L)₄ ^.2 cyn-925 where L = NO₃ ^– or Cl^–. Similar species were observed to be formed when dodecane was replaced by xylene, chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene.     

Interaction of singlet oxygen and superoxide radical anion with guanine and formation of its mutagenic modification 8‐oxoguanine

Formation of 8‐oxoguanine (8OG) from guanine in biological systems is known to cause lethal mutation and cancer. It has been suggested earlier, on the basis of experimental studies, that the oxygen molecule in its lowest singlet excited state (¹O₂) plays an important role in the formation of 8OG. In order to understand the possible mechanisms in this context, B3LYP/6‐31+G* and MP2/6‐31+G* calculations were carried out on the structures and stabilities of different molecules and complexes involved in the formation of 8OG. All the molecules, complexes, and transition states studied in the present report were solvated in aqueous media. Guanine has been found to make a strong complex with ¹O₂ with the latter species located above the imidazole ring plane, and the complex of guanine with ³O₂ is much weaker than that with ¹O₂. Transition state calculations were carried out to study formation of 7,8‐dihydro,8‐hydroxyguanine (8OHG) and 2‐oxo‐imidazole. It has been shown that 8OG can be formed in two different ways: (i) due to interaction of the radical cation of guanine with O where 8OHG complexed with ¹O₂ would occur as an intermediate, and (ii) due to interaction of guanine with ¹O₂ leading to the formation of guanine hydroperoxide that would react with a water molecule in the presence of two ¹O₂ molecules serving as a source of energy to overcome the barrier. It is shown that because the interaction strengths of ³O₂ and ¹O₂ with other molecules, e.g., guanine, are very different, a crossing of their potential energy surfaces takes place in both gas phase and aqueous media, as a result of which the lifetime of ¹O₂ is strongly decreased. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Ion Exchange Between Ammonium Zeolite and the Supporting Matrix in KBr Pellets

Abstract

An investigation of the solid state ion exchange of NH₄ ⁺ adsorbed by Zeolite with the K⁺ of the KBr pellets has been carried out. This ion exchange process can be a source of serious error in using infrared measurement for the quantitative analysis of species adsorbed on solid matrix. Methods for avoiding this error are described.     

Theoretical investigation of the cyclic GaO2 and GaS2 molecules at DFT and correlated wave function levels

The geometries and the bonding properties have been predicted for cyclic GaO₂ and GaS₂ species at density functional theory (DFT), MPn (n=2,3,4 with different substitutions), QCISD(T), and CCSD(T) all‐electron correlation levels with 6‐311+G* basis set. The geometrical optimizations and the harmonic vibrational frequency analysis are performed using DFT and second‐order Møller–Plesset (MP2) methods. The relevant energy quantities are also calibrated at the high‐order electron correlation levels [MP3, MP4, quadratic configuration interaction (QCI), and coupled cluster (CC)]. Each species possesses a ²A₂ ground state with a higher energy level ²A₁ state. The corresponding state–state separations are about 32 kcal/mol for GaO₂ species and about 20 kcal/mol for GaS₂ species at the QCISD(T)/6‐311+G* level. The QCISD(T) and CCSD(T) calculations yield dissociation energies of 42.0 and 59.0 kcal/mol for two species, respectively, and other methods yield dissociation energies within ∼5 kcal/mol. Result analysis has indicated that the cyclic GaO₂ should be classified as superoxide and the GaS₂ species should be classified as supersulfide in their ground state, and those in the excited state (²A₁) should not be. However, the cyclic GaS₂ (²A₂) is less ionic than the GaO₂ (²A₂) and they are far less ionic than NaO₂. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 81: 222–231, 2001     

Theoretical evidence for bound electronic excited states of ozone

Extensive configuration interaction calculations (up to 1532 spin eigenfunctions) have been carried out on ozone with both minimal and extended bases. Vertical and adiabatic excitation energies to 14 excited states are reported, including seven states with vertical excitation energies less than 4 eV. Our calculations indicate that in addition to the ground state there are four other states of ozone (³B₂, ³A₂, ¹A₂ and ³B₁) bound with respect to dissociation to ground state O₂ and O (by 0.4, 0.3, 0.1 and 0.0 eV, respectively). With such small bonding energies, the current results cannot be said to show definitively (except perhaps for ³B₂) these four states to be bound with respect to O₂ + O. However, the theoretical evidence is sufficiently strong as to warrant careful experimental studies. Such bound excited electronic states could play important roles in the chemistry of the upper atmosphere and in the chemistry of oxygen discharge systems. One (or more) of these states may be responsible for the short-lived intermediate (‘ozone precursor’) recently observed in oxygen radiolysis.     

Theoretical studies of photodissociation and rydbergization in the first triplet state (3s3A″2) of ammonia

Ab initio investigations at the RHF and CI levels have been carried out on a section of the potential energy surface of the Rydberg 3s³A″₂ state of NH₃ leading to dissociation into NH₂(²B₁) and H(²S). It was found that the barrier towards dissociation is due to a Rydberg-valence transformation. The barrier height calculated with the CI wavefunction is significantly smaller than at the RHF level The results may explain the difficulties associated with experimental observation of the 3s³A″₂ state.     

Etude cinetique de la polymerisation cationique du cyclopentadiene amorcee par l'hexachloroantimoniate de triphenylmethyle

A study of cyclopentadiene polymerization, initiated by φ₃C⁺SbCl₆^? in methylene chloride solution, has been carried out at temperatures between ?70 and +20° using a dilatometric method. An overall external second order with respect to monomer has been found. At very low temperature (?70°), the concentration of active centres remains low and roughly constant, in agreement with a quasi-stationary state assumption. Between ?50 and + 10°, experimental determination of (k_p. M^*), obtained from variation of v_p and [M] with time, shows that the concentration of centres goes through a maximum, sharper and more rapidly reached as the temperature is raised. Initiation is slower than propagation and active centres are rapidly destroyed when termination becomes faster than initiation. This explains the partial conversions and the observed maximum for concentration of active centres. Propagation and unimolecular termination rate constants have been determined at each temperature: activation energies are E_p = ?8 ± 0·5 kcal mole^?1 and E_p = ?0·3 ± 0·1 kcal mole^?1. These negative values can be explained by an exothermic process of solvation of active centres, leading to more reactive propagating species.     

Theoretical Study of the Electronic Excited States and Fluorescence Spectra of Squaraine in Solution

Bis[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]squaraine (SQ-DMA) has been used as a long wavelength fluorescence dye. In spite of various experimental and theoretical studies, its excited state properties and the relaxation mechanism have not been elucidated. In this work, we tried to clarify these points from a theoretical point of view. The heats of reaction from the planar to possible twisted conformers in the first excited state S₁ in solvents were calculated to be significantly endothermic, thus the twisted structures turn out to be less important, which contradicts earlier proposals made in experimental studies. This behavior is in a sharp contrast with that of the related molecule 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzonitrile, and is explained by the difference in their electronic characters of their relevant excited states; the S₁ state of SQ-DMA is a simple HOMO-to-LUMO excited state with a delocalized character. Furthermore, the theoretically simulated absorption and fluorescence spectra with the planar structure of SQ-DMA are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental results. These results suggest that the responsible S₁ state is the lowest ¹B_1u state with a planar D_2h structure.     

Diagnosis of Active Species in Reactive Acetylene Plasma by Laser-Ionization Molecular-Beam Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

This work reports a new laser molecular beam time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LMB-TOFMS) instrument built at Plasma Spectroscopy Lab in Dalian University of Technology (DUT). The preliminary investigation of the intermediate species distribution of acetylene plasma in an atmospheric-pressure fast-flow nanosecond-pulsed dc-discharge has been carried out. The C_xH₂ species (x = 4,6,8), believed to be the dominant source of negative ions in C₂H₂ plasma, have been detected with relatively intense peak signals and some complex radical species like C₇H₇, C₉H₅, C₁₀H₅ are also observed. The addition of Ar gas significantly influenced the detection of the intermediate species. This is might be due to the metastable Ar^* with energies of 11.5 and 11.7 eV and a long lifetime. The potentialities of LMB-TOFMS for hydrocarbon plasmas diagnosis have been discussed.     

Ab initio MRD-CI study of the rydberg states of methylene

Potential curves have been calculated for the low-lying Rydberg states of CH₂ as well as for a number of its valence-shell species by employing the ab initio MRD-CI method. The first Rydberg transition is found to occur with a vertical energy of 6.38 eV (1b₁ → 3s), but the corresponding upper state is believed to be strongly predissociated since it correlates directly with the CH(²II) + H(²S_g) ground state fragments at lower energy. The assignment of the first observed Rydberg transition at 8.757 eV by Herzberg as 1b₁ → 3dπ is confirmed almost quantitatively in the calculations, while the corresponding minimum 1P value is computed to be 10.21 eV compared to the experimental result of 10.3 ± 0.1 eV. The dissociation energy of methylene in its ground state is calculated to be 4.47 eV, and this result also fits in well with experimental evidence, which determines a lower limit for this quantity of D₀ > 4.23 eV. Finally, it is found that none of the Rydberg states nor any of the higher-lying valence-shell species of methylene are of sufficiently low energy to play a significant role in the experimental determination of the ¹A₁-³B₁ splitting of this system.     

Mechanistic disparity in the electron transfer reactions of thiosulfate with di‐μ‐oxo‐bis(1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane)‐dimanganese(III,IV) and di‐μ‐oxo‐bis(1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane)‐dimanganese(III,IV) complexes

A comparative kinetic study of the reactions of two mixed valence manganese(III,IV) complexes of macrocyclic ligands, [L¹Mn^IV(O)₂Mn^IIIL¹], 1 (L¹ = 1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane) and [L²Mn^IV(O)₂Mn^IIIL²], 2 (L² = 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane) with thiosulfate has been carried out by spectrophotometry in aqueous buffer at 30°C. Reaction between complex 1 and thiosulfate follows a first‐order rate saturation kinetics. The pH dependency and kinetic evidences suggest the participation of two complex species of Mn^III(μ‐O)₂Mn^IV under the experimental conditions. Detailed kinetic study shows that reduction of 2 proceeds through an autocatalytic path where the intermediate (Mn^III)₂ species has been assumed to catalyze the reaction. The difference in the reaction mechanisms is ascribed to the difference in stability of the intermediate complex species, the evidence for which comes from the electrochemical behavior of the complexes and time dependent EPR spectroscopic measurements during the reduction of 2 . © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 119–128, 2004     

Species-specific isotope-ratio measurements of volatile tin and antimony compounds using capillary GC–ICP–time-of-flight MS

The analytical performance of an axial inductively-coupled-plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ICP–TOFMS) as a detector for fast transient chromatographic signals resulting from the coupling to capillary gas chromatography (CGC) was investigated. A cryotrapping GC–ICP–TOFMS method for the determination of volatile metal(loid) compounds (VOMs) in gases was used and the suitability of the TOF mass analyzer for multi-elemental speciation analysis and multi-isotope ratio determinations was studied in terms of accuracy and precision. Isotope ratios ¹¹⁸Sn/¹²⁰Sn and ¹²¹Sb/¹²³Sb have been determined in in-house gas standard atmospheres in Tedlar bags at two different levels (100 pg and 1 ng) for different elemental species (SnH₄, MeSnH₃, Me₂SnH₂, Me₃SnH, BuSnH₃, SbH₃, and MeSbH₂). A limitation arising from counting statistics in both detection modes could be shown. A solution containing rhodium (10 ng mL^–1) and cadmium (40 ng mL^–1) was introduced simultaneously to the GC outlet. Rhodium acts as a continuous internal standard and Cd is used for mass-bias correction (by measuring the ¹¹¹Cd/¹¹³Cd ratio). The detection system in both pulse counting and analog mode was examined. The best attainable precision was established for Me₂SnH₂ (analog mode, 12 replicates, 1 ng, RSD 0.34%, accuracy 0.31%) whereas most other species ranged between 0.4 and 0.5% RSD if higher concentrations were used. The limitations of the pulse counting system are clearly seen, with peak heights of more than 2000 counts reaching saturation (for an integration time of 100 ms), which reduces the accuracy of isotope ratio determinations. A dozen VOM could be detected in an aged landfill gas sample; several unidentified Sn compounds were present. Although their isotope ratios are within the confidence value of the standards, it is not yet clear if the acquired precision is good enough to identify isotopic fractionation of metal(loid)s through biovolatilization processes. With the precision achieved, the combination of cryotrapping GC and ICP–TOFMS is a powerful tool for monitoring volatile multi-element species in multi-tracer experiments and isotope dilution methodology. Received: 23 November 2000 / Revised: 19 February 2001 / Accepted: 24 February 2001     

Theoretical study on the vertical electronic spectrum of carbonyl fluoride,F2CO

Ab initio self-consistent-field (SCF ) and configuration interaction (CI ) calculations on the ground and excited states of carbonyl fluoride (F₂CO) were carried out at its experimental ground-state equilibrium geometry. Vertical transition energies deduced from the CI results provide assignments for the electronic systems I–IV, experimentally observed by Workman and Duncan. The singlet excited state, ¹A₁ (π→π*), is found to be a mixed valence–Rydberg state and to he 1 to 1.2 eV above the suggested experimental value, irrespective of the choice of the basis used for the CI calculations.     

Probing the Catalytically Active Species in POM-Catalysed DNA-Model Hydrolysis**

Phosphoester hydrolysis is an important chemical step in DNA repair. One archetypal molecular model of phosphoesters is para-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP). It has been shown previously that the presence of molecular metal oxide [Mo₇O₂₄]⁶⁻ may catalyse the hydrolysis of pNPP through the partial decomposition of polyoxomolybdate framework resulting in a [(PO₄)₂Mo₅O₁₅]⁶⁻ product. Real-time monitoring of the catalytic system using electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) provided a glance into the species present in the reaction mixture and identification of potential catalytic candidates. Following up on the obtained spectrometric data, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to characterise the hypothetical intermediate [Mo₅O₁₅(pNPP)₂(H₂O)₆]⁶⁻ that would be required to form under the hypothesised transformation. Surprisingly, our results point to the dimeric [Mo₂O₈]⁴⁻ anion resulting from the decomposition of [Mo₇O₂₄]⁶⁻ as the active catalytic species involved in the hydrolysis of pNPP rather than the originally assumed {Mo₅O₁₅} species. A similar study was carried out involving the same species but substituting Mo by W. The mechanism involving W species showed a higher barrier and less stable products in agreement with the non-catalytic effect found in experimental results.     

Far infrared spectra,vibrational assignment and normal coordinate analysis of the tricyanomethanideion

Far infrared spectra of the tricyanomethanide ion C(CN)₃^? in solution and in the solid state have been investigated. The results allow a complete vibrational assignment to be made. A normal coordinate analysis has been carried out, the results of which are compatible with the existence of some double bond character in the C-C bonds of C(CN)₃^?.