Low-lying electronic states of the Ti2 dimer: electronic absorption spectroscopy in rare gas matrices in concert with quantum chemical calculations

Absorption spectra were measured for Ti2 in Ne and Ar matrices. The spectra give evidence for several electronic transitions in the region between 4000 and 10 000 cm(-1) and provide important information about some excited electronic states of Ti2 in proximity to the ground state. The vibrational fine structure measured for these transitions allowed to calculate the force constants and the anharmonicity of the potential energy curves of the excited states, and to estimate changes in the internuclear Ti-Ti distances relative to the electronic ground state. The quantum chemical studies confirm the previously suggested (3)Delta(g) state as the ground state of Ti2. The equilibrium bond distance is calculated to be 195.4 pm. The calculated harmonic frequency of 432 cm(-1) is in good agreement with the experimental value of 407.0 cm(-1). With the aid of the calculations it was possible to assign the experimentally observed transitions in the region between 4000 and 10 000 cm(-1) to the 1 (3)Pi(u)<--(3)Delta(g), 1 (3)Phi(u)<--(3)Delta(g), 2 (3)Pi(u)<--(3)Delta(g), 2 (3)Phi(u)<--(3)Delta(g), and (3)Delta(u)<--(3)Delta(g) excitations (in the order of increasing energy). The calculated relative energies and harmonic frequencies are in pleasing agreement with the experimentally obtained values, with deviations of less than 5% and 2%, respectively. The bond distances estimated on the basis of the experimental spectra tally satisfactorily with the predictions of our calculations.     

Stability of N4(2-)-based sandwich-like energetic complexes [N4TiN4]2-: effect of spins and counterions

Design and assembly of new aromatic units has received growing attention due to its fundamental and application interests. Recently, a series of singlet sandwich-like complexes [N(4)MN(4)](q) (M = Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni) based on the energetic all-nitrogen 6pi-aromatic species N(4)(2-) have been devised. However, how the electronic spins and counterions influence the kinetic stability of sandwich-like complexes has been very little understood, though it is very important to assess their potential use. In this article, we report our DFT study on the stability of the charged [N(4)TiN(4)](2-) and [N(4)TiN(4)TiN(4)](2-) systems as well as the neutral [N(4)TiN(4)]Li(2) system in both singlet and triplet electronic states. We found that the ground state structures of di-deckered [N(4)TiN(4)](2-) and [N(4)TiN(4)]Li(2) as well as the tri-deckered [N(4)TiN(4)TiN(4)](2-) are all in triplet state, rather than the previously reported singlet ones. Therefore, the N(4)(2-) and Ti(2+)-based sandwich-like complexes should be in high spins and may have potential use for new paramagnetic materials. Moreover, our calculations indicate that although the counterions can induce the electronic stabilization, they on the other hand can lead to the considerable kinetic destabilization of the N(4)(2-)-based sandwich-like complexes because the counterions can structurally destroy the perfectness of aromatic N(4)(2-). Thus, in study of the sandwich-like complexes, the effect of counterions cannot be neglected for assessment of the kinetic stability.     

TiN12团簇的合成研究

以高纯氮气为载气,通过532nm的激光轰击由Ti、BN粉末混合压制成的样品,生成了钛氮团簇,确定了最稳定钛氮团簇的组成为TiN12。以四氟化钛和三甲基叠氮硅烷为原料,在液氮冷却下开展了钛氮团簇的化学法合成,对所得产物进行了IR、NMR表征,确定其结构为Ti(N3)4。用密度泛函理论(DFT)对TiN12的结构进行了优化,发现存在一种Ti(N3)4形式的具有对称的正四面体结构的稳定构型,这与化学法合成的TiN12的IR和NMR谱相符。不过,仍需进一步确定激光轰击法和化学合成法产生的TiN12是否具有相似的结构。     

On the low-lying electronic states of BiF

Relativistic CI calculations on the low-lying states of BiF(0⁺, 1, 2, 0⁺(II)) arising from the σ²π² configuration are carried out. Comparison calculations of the λ-s states without spin-orbit interaction (³Σ⁻, ¹Σ⁺ and ¹Δ) are also presented. These calculations enable the assignment of three experimentally observed low-lying states. In addition, the properties of a new state (2) are calculated (yet to be observed). The calculated dissociation energy of the ground state is 2.63 eV. The potential energy surfaces of the low-lying electronic states of BiF reveal interesting avoided crossings. Our calculations clarify the earlier assignment of the electronic transitions of BiF.     

Spectroscopic characterization of the ground and low-lying electronic states of Ga2N via anion photoelectron spectroscopy

Anion photoelectron spectra of Ga(2)N(-) were measured at photodetachment wavelengths of 416 nm(2.978 eV), 355 nm(3.493 eV), and 266 nm(4.661 eV). Both field-free time-of-flight and velocity-map imaging methods were used to collect the data. The field-free time-of-flight data provided better resolution of the features, while the velocity-map-imaging data provided more accurate anisotropy parameters for the peaks. Transitions from the ground electronic state of the anion to two electronic states of the neutral were observed and analyzed with the aid of electronic structure calculations and Franck-Condon simulations. The ground-state band was assigned to a transition between linear ground states of Ga(2)N(-)(X (1)Sigma(g) (+)) and Ga(2)N(X (2)Sigma(u) (+)), yielding the electron affinity of Ga(2)N, 2.506+/-0.008 eV. Vibrationally resolved features in the ground-state band were assigned to symmetric and antisymmetric stretch modes of Ga(2)N, with the latter allowed by vibronic coupling to an excited electronic state. The energy of the observed excited neutral state agrees with that calculated for the A (2)Pi(u) state, but the congested nature of this band in the photoelectron spectrum is more consistent with a transition to a bent neutral state.     

Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory for Transition Metal Silicide Bond Dissociation Energies,Bond Lengths,and State Orderings

Transition metal silicides are promising materials for improved electronic devices, and this motivates achieving a better understanding of transition metal bonds to silicon. Here we model the ground and excited state bond dissociations of VSi, NbSi, and TaSi using a complete active space (CAS) wave function and a separated-pair (SP) wave function combined with two post-self-consistent field techniques: complete active space with perturbation theory at second order and multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory. The SP approximation is a multiconfiguration self-consistent field method with a selection of configurations based on generalized valence bond theory without the perfect pairing approximation. For both CAS and SP, the active-space composition corresponds to the nominal correlated-participating-orbital scheme. The ground state and low-lying excited states are explored to predict the state ordering for each molecule, and potential energy curves are calculated for the ground state to compare to experiment. The experimental bond dissociation energies of the three diatomic molecules are predicted with eight on-top pair-density functionals with a typical error of 0.2 eV for a CAS wave function and a typical error of 0.3 eV for the SP approximation. We also provide a survey of the accuracy achieved by the SP and extended separated-pair approximations for a broader set of 25 transition metal–ligand bond dissociation energies.     

Ab initio scf and CI study of the ground and excited states of the HN2 radical

Non-empirical SCF and CI calculations are reported for the HN₂, free radical in various low-lying electronic states. The nature of the angular and N-N and N-H stretching potential curves of each of these species is investigated, including a study of the dissociative behavior of such states. The ground state is found to be only very slightly bound with respect to NH stretch, in contrast to what is observed for isoelectronic HCO, The vertical electronic spectrum of HN₂, appears to be marked by a single long wavelength transition (1.95 eV) from the bent (124°) ‘A’ ground state to the linear ²Π excited species, but at least four other intra-valence and an additional n → 3s Rydberg species are indicated in the 5.5–8.0 eV absorbing region.     

The Ni2+O2 reaction: the IR spectrum and structure of Ni2O2. A combined IR matrix isolation and theoretical study

The formation of Ni2O2 can be observed from the condensation of effusive beams of Ni and O2 in neon or argon matrices. Observation of 58Ni(2)16O2, 58Ni60Ni16O2, 60Ni2(16)O2, Ni(2)18O2 and Ni(2)16O18O isotopic data for five fundamental transitions enable a discussion of structural parameters for matrix-isolated Ni2O2 in its cyclic ground state. Analysis of the nickel isotopic effects on the 58,60Ni2(16)O18O fundamentals suggest an elongated rhombic structure with a Ni-O bond force constant (240+/-10 N m-1) and NiONi bond angles around 79 degrees. The latter points to a Ni-Ni internuclear distance shorter than the O-O one. Low-lying singlet, triplet and quintet states have been studied using density functional theory with an unrestricted wave function and broken symmetry formalism. The high spin states and closed shell singlet states have been also investigated at the CCSD(T) level. The Ni2O2 ground state is calculated to be an antiferromagnetic singlet state with all the hybrid functionals. The first order properties (energies, geometry) calculated with a hybrid functional are very similar when different exchange-correlation functionals with different exact exchange fractions are used and the calculated ground state geometry (NiONi bond angle near 80 degrees, NiO bond distance around 179.5 pm) is in good agreement with the experimental estimate. Nevertheless, a correct reproduction of the experimental vibrational properties is found only when a hybrid functional containing an exact exchange fraction in the 0.4-0.5 range is used. The orbital and topological bonding analyses of Ni2O2 reveal that the relatively short Ni-Ni internuclear distance within the molecule should not be interpreted as a remaining metal-metal bonding interaction, but clearly indicate that the bonding driving force is due to the formation of four strong and highly polarized Ni-O bonds. Even in such an early stage of metal oxidation, the Ni-Ni interaction has virtually disappeared.     

C2v对称性簇Ru2N2的理论计算

采用密度泛函(B3LYP)方法计算了Ru2的部分低能电子组态，得到Ru2基态的电子谱项为7Δu，平衡核间距re=0.228 nm，振动频率ωe=338 cm－1，离解能De=1.92 eV. 同时计算了具有C2v对称性的Ru2N2簇中氮的活化情况，得到了各个优化几何构型下的键参数和体系能量.计算结果表明，氮氮键的活化程度由Ru2对氮起反馈作用的轨道数目决定.一般来说，氮氮键活化越强，体系能量越高，在相同的活化程度下，自旋多重度高的体系较稳定.     

Theoretical investigation of excited states of C(3)

In this work, we present ab initio calculations for the potential energy surfaces of C(3) in different electronic configurations, including the singlet ground state [X (1)Sigma(g) (+),((1)A(1))], the triplet ground state [a (3)Pi(u),((3)B(1), (3)A(1))], and some higher excited states. The geometries studied include triangular shapes with two identical bond lengths, but different bond angles between them. For the singlet and triplet ground states in the linear geometry, the total energies resulting from the mixed density functional--Hartree-Fock and quadratic configuration interaction methods reproduce the experimental values, i.e., the triplet occurs 2.1 eV above the singlet. In the geometry of an equilateral triangle, we find a low-lying triplet state with an energy of only 0.8 eV above the energy of the singlet in the linear configuration, so that the triangular geometry yields the lowest excited state of C(3). For the higher excited states up to about 8 eV above the ground state, we apply time-dependent density functional theory. Even though the systematic error produced by this approach is of the order of 0.4 eV, the results give different prospective to insight into the potential energy landscape for higher excitation energies.     

铁原子与氮分子间的相互作用——单端位构型

用杂化密度泛函B3LYP方法在6-311+G(d)基组水平上研究了Fe 原子与N2分子相互作用的单端位构型的直线形和弯曲形两种结构的平衡几何结构、电子结构、轨道布局及红外光谱等性质. 计算结果表明, 由于强的σ-σ电子对互斥作用, 基组态4s²3d⁶的Fe原子不能与N2分子发生化学作用; 当Fe 原子呈现可与N2之间发生σ-π授予反馈作用的激发组态时, Fe 与N2分子之间可形成稳定的结构; 在得到的多个电子态中, 能量最低的是直线形的1³∑^-, 比Fe(a⁵D)和N2(¹∑⁺g )能量高21.6 kJ·mol-1, 同时存在几个能量相近的电子态, 如1³∏、1³Φ; 弯曲形都是不稳定态, 可能是连接直线形和单侧双配位构型的过渡态; 单端位构型产物相对于基态的反应物均是热力学不稳定的; 单端位构型中Fe对N2的活化作用很小, N—N 键长增加不超过7 pm.     

Slow electron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy of the 1-propynyl radical

High resolution photoelectron spectra of the 1-propynyl and 1-propynyl-d(3) anions acquired with slow electron velocity-map imaging are presented. The electron affinity is determined to be 2.7355+/-0.0010 eV for the 1-propynyl radical and 2.7300+/-0.0010 eV for 1-propynyl-d(3). Several vibronic transitions are observed and assigned using the isotopic shifts and results from ab initio calculations. Good agreement between experimental spectra and calculations suggests a C(3v) geometry for the 1-propynyl radical. No evidence is found for strong vibronic coupling between the ground electronic state and the low-lying first excited state.     

Interaction of diatomic germanium with lithium atoms: electronic structure and stability

Quantum chemical calculations were applied to investigate the electronic structure of mono-, di-, and trilithiated digermanium (Ge2Lin) and their cations (n=0-3). Computations using a multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation approach based on complete active space self-consistent-field wave functions, and density functional theory reveal that Ge2Li has a 2B1 ground state with a doublet-quartet energy gap of 33 kcal/mol. Ge2Li2 has a singlet ground state with a 3Au-1A1 gap of 29 kcal/mol, and Ge2Li3 a doublet ground state with a 4B2-2A2 separation of 22 kcal/mol. The cation Ge2Li+ has a 3B1 ground state, being 13 kcal/mol below the open-shell 1B1 state. The computed electron affinities for diatomic germanium are EA(1)=1.9 eV, EA(2)=-2.5 eV, and EA(3)=-6.0 eV, for Ge2-, Ge2 (2-), and Ge2 (3-), respectively, indicating that only the monoanion is stable with respect to electron detachment, in such a way that Ge2Li is composed by Ge2-Li+ ions. An "atoms-in-molecules" analysis shows the absence of a ring critical point in Ge(2)Li. An electron localization function analysis on Ge2Li supports the view that the Ge-Li bond is predominantly ionic; however, a small covalent character could be anticipated from the analysis of the Laplacian at the Ge-Li bond critical point. The ionic picture of the Ge-Li bond is further supported by a natural-bond-order analysis and the Laplacian of the electron density. The calculated Li affinity value for Ge2 is 2.08 eV, while the Li+ cation affinity value for Ge2- is 5.7 eV. The larger Li+ cation affinity value of Ge2- suggests a Ge2-Li+ interaction and thus supports the ionic nature of Ge-Li bond. In GeLi4 and Ge2Li, the presence of trisynaptic basins indicates a three-center bond connecting the germanium and lithium atoms.     

Dissociation energy of ekaplutonium fluoride E126F: the first diatomic with molecular spinors consisting of g atomic spinors

Our ab initio all-electron fully relativistic Dirac-Fock (DF) and nonrelativistic (NR) Hartree-Fock (HF) self-consistent field (SCF) calculations predict the superheavy diatomic ekaplutonium fluoride E126F to be bound with the calculated dissociation energy of 7.44 and 10.46 eV at the predicted E126-F bond lengths of 2.03 and 2.18 Angstroms, respectively. The antibinding effects of relativity to the dissociation energy of E126F are approximately 3 eV. The predicted dissociation energy with both our NR HF and relativistic DF SCF wave functions is fairly large and is comparable to that for very stable diatomics. This is the first case, where in a diatomic, an atom has g orbital (l = 4) occupied in its ground state electronic configuration and such superheavy diatomics would have occupied molecular spinors (orbitals) consisting of g atomic spinors (orbitals). This opens up a whole new field of chemistry where g atomic spinors (orbitals) may be involved in electronic structure and chemical bonding of systems of superheavy elements with Z> or =122.     

Analysis of the effect of spin-orbit coupling on the electronic structure and excitation spectrum of the Bi2(2-) anion in (K-crypt)2Bi2 on the basis of relativistic electronic structure calculations

The Bi2(2-) anions that have been characterized in (K-crypt)2Bi2 are isoelectronic with O2 but are diamagnetic and EPR-silent, unlike O2. The UV-vis spectrum measured for (K-crypt)2Bi2 shows two broad absorption peaks located at 2.05 and 2.85 eV, but no absorption at lower energies down to 0.62 eV. To account for these observations, the electronic structures of the isoelectronic diatomic dianions Q2(2-) (Q = N, P, As, Sb, Bi) were compared on the basis of relativistic density functional theory calculations, and the electronic excitations of Bi2(2-) were analyzed on the basis of relativistic configuration interaction calculations. The extent of spin-orbit coupling, brought about by the relativistic effect, increases steadily in the order N < P < As < Sb < Bi such that the "closed-shell" state is more stable than the "open-shell" state for Bi2(2-), while the opposite is the case for N2(2-), P2(2-), As2(2-), and Sb2(2-). The nature of the electronic excitations of Bi2(2-) was assigned and discussed from the viewpoint of molecular orbitals in the absence of spin-orbit coupling.     

时间域方法分析镍卟啉的共振拉曼强度与S2激发态结构

研究了入射光波长与S0→S2跃迁共振的情形下,卟啉镍配合物（NiP）的振动拉曼光谱。用时间域方法计算了NiP的共振拉曼强度和吸收光谱。结果表明,相对于基态,S2态NiP的分子构型沿着ν8和ν2简正坐标有较大的位移。这些简正坐标主要涉及卟啉环的CαCm键和CβCβ键伸缩运动,以及CαCmCα变角运动。与基态相比, S2态的CβCβ、 CαCm和CαN键分别增大0.27、 0.14、 0.07 pm,而CαCβ键则减小0.20 pm,与前人的赝势分子轨道计算（SPMO）结果相近。还从RR强度角度讨论了S2态的Jahn-Teller畸变。     

A SCF Xα MO study of the optical and Ti2p core photoemission spectra of TiCl4

SCF Xα MO calculations on the ground state and optical excitation transition states of TiCl₄ accurately predict the energies of its UV absorption peaks. Calculations on the Ti2p core ion state and associated transition states indicate that the recently observed low energy (4.0 eV) Ti2p satellite arises from ligand to metal charge transfer excitations while the satellite at high energy (9.4 eV), similar to those previously observed in Ti(IV) compounds, can be attributed to transitions from the highest filled orbitals to empty orbitals with Cl3pTi4s. 4p antibonding character.     

Exploring the actinide-actinide bond: theoretical studies of the chemical bond in Ac2, Th2, Pa2, and U2

Multiconfigurational quantum chemical methods (CASSCF/CASPT2) have been used to study the chemical bond in the actinide diatoms Ac2, Th2, Pa2, and U2. Scalar relativistic effects and spin-orbit coupling have been included in the calculations. In the Ac2 and Th2 diatoms the atomic 6d, 7s, and 7p orbitals are the significant contributors to the bond, while for the two heavier diatoms, the 5f orbitals become increasingly important. Ac2 is characterized by a double bond with a 3Sigmag-(0g+) ground state, a bond distance of 3.64. A, and a bond energy of 1.19 eV. Th2 has quadruple bond character with a 3Dg(1g) ground state. The bond distance is 2.76 A and the bond energy (D0) 3.28 eV. Pa2 is characterized by a quintuple bond with a 3Sigmag-(0g+) ground state. The bond distance is 2.37 A and the bond energy 4.00 eV. The uranium diatom has also a quintuple bond with a 7Og (8g) ground state, a bond distance of 2.43 A, and a bond energy of 1.15 eV. It is concluded that the strongest bound actinide diatom is Pa2, characterized by a well-developed quintuple bond.     

The Ni + O2 reaction: a combined IR matrix isolation and theoretical study of the formation and structure of NiO2

The reaction of Ni atoms with molecular oxygen has been reinvestigated experimentally in neon matrices and theoretically at the DFT PW91PW91/6311G(3df) level. Experimental results show that i) the nature of the ground electronic state of the superoxide metastable product is the same in neon and argon matrices, ii) two different photochemical pathways exist for the conversion of the superoxide to the dioxide ground state (involving 1.6 or 4 eV photons) and iii) an important matrix effect exists in the Ni + O(2)--> Ni(O(2)) or ONiO branching ratios. Theoretical results confirm that the electronic ground state of the metastable superoxide corresponds to the singlet state, in agreement with former CCSD(T) calculations, but in contradiction with other recent works. Our results show that the ground electronic state of the dioxide is (1)Sigma(+)(g) with the lowest triplet and quintet states at slightly higher energy, consistent with the observation of weak vibronic transitions in the near infrared. The potential energy profiles are modelled for the ground state and nine electronic excited states and a pathway for the Ni(triplet) + O(2)(triplet) --> Ni(O(2)) or ONiO (singlet) reaction is proposed, as well as for the Ni(O(2)) --> ONiO photochemical reaction, accounting for the experimental observations.     

An ab initio potential energy surface and predissociative resonances of HArF

A three-dimensional potential energy surface of the ground electronic state HArF is constructed from more than 2000 ab initio points at the multireference averaged quadratic coupled-cluster level employing an augmented large basis set. The calculations indicate that the linear HArF molecule is metastable with a barrier of 0.643 eV in the atomization (HArF --> H + Ar + F) channel and a barrier of 1.017 eV in the dissociation (HArF --> Ar + HF) channel. Variational calculations of low-lying predissociative resonances of both HArF and DArF are performed on the three-dimensional potential energy surface using a complex-symmetric Lanczos propagation method, which yields both positions and widths of the resonance states. The resonance lifetime generally decreases with energy, but strong mode selectivity exists. Reasonably good agreement with experiment confirms the accuracy of our potential. These calculations provide valuable information on the stability and dynamics of HArF/DArF in its ground electronic state.