Revelation of non-statistical behavior in HO2 vibration by a new ab initio potential energy surface

The hydroperoxyl radical (HO2) has long been considered as a prototype for statistical vibrational dynamics. In this work, however, it is shown that the bound state energy levels (up to the dissociation threshold) and low-lying resonances of the HO2 system (J=0) obtained on a new ab initio potential energy surface exhibit surprisingly large regularity. The implications of the non-statistical behavior of the HO2 system in unimolecular and bimolecular reactions are discussed.     

Unimolecular rovibrational bound and resonance states for large angular momentum: J=20 calculations for HO2

We explore the calculation of unimolecular bound states and resonances for deep-well species at large angular momentum using a Chebychev filter diagonalization scheme incorporating doubling of the autocorrelation function as presented recently by Neumaier and Mandelshtam [Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5031 (2001)]. The method has been employed to compute the challenging J=20 bound and resonance states for the HO2 system. The methodology has firstly been tested for J=2 in comparison with previous calculations, and then extended to J=20 using a parallel computing strategy. The quantum J-specific unimolecular dissociation rates for HO2-->H+O2 in the energy range from 2.114 to 2.596 eV have been reported for the first time, and comparisons with the results of Troe and co-workers [J. Chem. Phys. 113, 11019 (2000) Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2, 631 (2000)] from statistical adiabatic channel method/classical trajectory calculations have been made. For most of the energies, the reported statistical adiabatic channel method/classical trajectory rate constants agree well with the average of the fluctuating quantum-mechanical rates. Near the dissociation threshold, quantum rates fluctuate more severely, but their average is still in agreement with the statistical adiabatic channel method/classical trajectory results.     

Time-resolved studies of neutral and ionized Nan clusters with femtosecond light pulses

The real-time dynamics of Na_n (n=3–21) cluster multiphoton ionization and fragmentation has been studied in beam experiments applying femtosecond pump-probe techniques in combination with ion and electron spectroscopy. Three dimensional wave packet motions in the trimer Na₃ ground state X and excited state B have been observed. We report the first study of cluster properties (energy, bandwidth and lifetime of intermediate resonancesNa _n ^* ) with femtosecond laser pulses. The observation of four absorption resonances for the cluster Na₈ with different energy widths and different decay patterns is more difficult to interpret by surface plasmon like resonances than by molecular structure and dynamics. Time-resolved fragmentation of cluster ions Na _n ⁺ indicates that direct photo-induced fragmentation processes are more important at short times than the statistical unimolecular decay.     

Metastable anions of dinitrobenzene: resonances for electron attachment and kinetic energy release

Attachment of free, low-energy electrons to dinitrobenzene (DNB) in the gas phase leads to DNB(-) as well as several fragment anions. DNB(-), (DNB-H)(-), (DNB-NO)(-), (DNB-2NO)(-), and (DNB-NO(2))(-) are found to undergo metastable (unimolecular) dissociation. A rich pattern of resonances in the yield of these metastable reactions versus electron energy is observed; some resonances are highly isomer-specific. Most metastable reactions are accompanied by large average kinetic energy releases (KER) that range from 0.5 to 1.32 eV, typical of complex rearrangement reactions, but (1,3-DNB-H)(-) features a resonance with a KER of only 0.06 eV for loss of NO. (1,3-DNB-NO)(-) offers a rare example of a sequential metastable reaction, namely, loss of NO followed by loss of CO to yield C(5)H(4)O(-) with a large KER of 1.32 eV. The G4(MP2) method is applied to compute adiabatic electron affinities and reaction energies for several of the observed metastable channels.     

A wave packet based statistical approach to complex-forming reactions

A wave packet based statistical model is suggested for complex-forming reactions. This model assumes statistical formation and decay of the long-lived reaction complex and computes reaction cross sections and their energy dependence from capture probabilities. This model is very efficient and reasonably accurate for reactions dominated by long-lived resonances, as confirmed by its application to the C((1)D)+H(2) reaction.     

Converged quantum calculations of HO2 bound states and resonances for J=6 and 10

Bound and resonance states of HO(2) are calculated quantum mechanically using both the Lanczos homogeneous filter diagonalization method and the real Chebyshev filter diagonalization method for nonzero total angular momentum J=6 and 10, using a parallel computing strategy. For bound states, agreement between the two methods is quite satisfactory; for resonances, while the energies are in good agreement, the widths are in general agreement. The quantum nonzero-J specific unimolecular dissociation rates for HO(2) are also calculated.     

Metastable transitions in n-butane and n-butane-d7

Metastable ions have been investigated for n-butane d₇ molecular ions using a tandem mass spectrometer which samples unimolecular decay processes occuring during the time interval of c.2 μs to 4 ms after ion formation. Some 37% of ions formed by 70 eV electron impact decay on this time scale. The competing unimolecular processes observed, in order of relative importance, are methance, methyl radical and hydrogen atom elimination. The slow metastables sample the threshold energy regime of unimolecular reactions responsible for forming the ordinary mass spectrum of butance and very large isotope effect are noted for the deuterated molecule.     

Photoabsorption and S 2p photoionization of the SF6 molecule: resonances in the excitation energy range of 200-280 eV

Photoabsorption and S 2p photoionization of the SF(6) molecule have been studied experimentally and theoretically in the excitation energy range up to 100 eV above the S 2p ionization potentials. In addition to the well-known 2t(2g) and 4e(g) shape resonances, the spin-orbit-resolved S 2p photoionization cross sections display two weak resonances between 200 and 210 eV, a wide resonance around 217 eV, a Fano-type resonance around 240 eV, and a second wide resonance around 260 eV. Calculations based on time-dependent density functional theory allow us to assign the 217-eV and 260-eV features to the shape resonances in S 2p photoionization. The Fano resonance is caused by the interference between the direct S 2p photoionization channel and the resonant channel that results from the participator decay of the S 2s(-1)6t(1u) excited state. The weak resonances below 210-eV photon energy, not predicted by theory, are tentatively suggested to originate from the coupling between S 2p shake-up photoionization and S 2p single-hole photoionization. The experimental and calculated angular anisotropy parameters for S 2p photoionization are in good agreement.     

Direct versus indirect H atom elimination from photoexcited phenol molecules

The active role of the optically dark pi sigma* state, following UV absorption, has been implicated in the photochemistry of a number of biomolecules. This work focuses on the role of the pi sigma* state in the photochemistry of phenol upon excitation at 200 nm. By probing the neutral hydrogen following UV excitation, we show that hydrogen elimination along the dissociative pi sigma* potential energy surface occurs within 103 +/- 30 fs, indicating efficient coupling at the S1/S2 and S0/S2 conical intersections, with no identifiable role of statistical unimolecular decay of vibronically excited (S0) phenol in the timeframe of our measurements.     

Unimolecular and bimolecular calculations for HN2

Using a recently reported double many-body expansion potential energy surface, quasi-classical, statistical mechanics, and quantum resonance calculations have been performed for the HN(2) system by focusing on the determination of bimolecular (N + NH and H + N(2)) and unimolecular (decomposition of HN(2)) rate constants as well as the relevant equilibrium constants.     

Sequential bond energies of Fe+ (CO2)n, n = 1-5, determined by threshold collision-induced dissociation and ab initio theory

Collision-induced dissociation of the Fe+ (CO2)n complexes for n = 1-5 is studied using kinetic energy dependent guided ion beam mass spectrometry. In all cases, the primary products are endothermic loss of an intact neutral ligand from the complex. The cross section thresholds are interpreted to yield 0 K bond energies after accounting for the effects of multiple ion-molecule collisions, internal energy of the complexes, and unimolecular decay rates. These values are compared with density functional theoretical values for all five complexes. Theory provides bond energies in reasonable agreement with experiment for n = 1-4 and predictions for the infrared spectroscopy of these complexes that agree nicely with experimental results of Gregoire and Duncan (J. Chem. Phys. 2002, 117, 2120). Our thermochemical results are also compared with the Fe+ (CO)n and Fe+ (N2)n complexes, previously studied.     

Overlapping Resonances,Multiple Time Regime Evolution Laws and the Sampling of Phase Space in Unimolecular Processes

Unimolecular processes can be described as the decay of an ensemble of N excited resonances coupled to K decay channels. Resonances are metastable states characterized by a complex energy whose real part is the position of the state along the energy axis while the imaginary part gives the individual decay rate of the state. Resonances usually overlap in the RRKM regime. The degree of overlap is measured by the parameter R = <I>/dE where <I> is the average of the individual decay rates of the excited resonances and dE is the average spacing between their position. In the exact degeneracy limit, that is, for an infinite value of R, (N-K) resonances have a zero width, so that a fraction of the initial excitation remains permanently trapped in the bound subspace. This trapping effect subsists in the non degenerate case but is not complete. We use a random coupling effective Hamiltonian model to discuss the effect of the degree of overlapping R, and of the number of resonances N and decay channels K, on the temporal evolution laws of the bound subspace and of the fragments. The decay law of the bound subspace and the temporal evolution of the yields in fragments exhibit several time regimes. This is due to the fact that after the diagonalization of the effective Hamiltonian, the decay widths of the resonances cluster into one group of K large widths and one group of (N-K) small ones. The trapping effect is due to the (N-K) small widths. The amount of trapping depends on the value of the degree of overlapping R, and for a given value of R, on the ratio N/K: large values of R and of N/K correspond to a large amount of trapping in the bound subspace for times long when compared to ?/<I>. The temporal evolution laws of the yields in fragment are also strongly affected by the degree of overlapping and the value of the ratio N/K. Due to the reorganization of the partial widths which follows the diagonalization of the effective Hamiltonian, we show that the nature of the dominant product can change while increasing the value of R and N/K. We also discuss the time evolution of the sampling of phase space for a specific preparation in terms of these two parameters. The volume sampled is computed using an entropic measure. When the resonances overlap, there is not enough time to completely sample phase space prior to dissociation. The fraction sampled decreases as the amount of trapping in the bound phase space increases.     

Effective Hamiltonian models and unimolecular decomposition

Partitioning Hilbert space into two subspaces by using orthogonal projection operators yields compact forms for effective Hamiltonians for each of the subspaces. When one (the Q space) contains molecular bound states and the other (the P space) contains dissociative continua, a simple form for the non-Hermitian Q-space effective Hamiltonian, H(eff), can be obtained, subject to reasonable approximations. Namely, H(eff) = H0 - ivariant Planck's/2pi Gamma/2, where H0 is Hermitian, and the width operator variant Planck's/2pi Gamma accounts for couplings of the Q-space levels to the P-space continua. The P/Q partitioning procedure has been applied in many areas of atomic, molecular, and nuclear physics with widespread success. Inputting into this formalism ideas from random matrix theory in order to model independent open channels yields the random matrix H(eff) model. Despite numerous efforts, this model has failed to model satisfactorily the statistical transition-state theory of unimolecular decomposition (hereafter referred to as TST) in the regime of overlapping resonances, where nearly all such reactions occur. All statistical models of unimolecular decomposition are premised on rapid intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) for a given set of good quantum numbers. The phase space thus accessed results in a threshold reaction rate of 1/h rho, and for K independent open channels, the rate is K/h rho. This reaction rate corresponds to a resonance width of K/2pi rho, and when K increases, the resonances (which are rho(-1) apart) overlap. In this regime, the random matrix H(eff) model fails because it does not introduce independent open channels. To illustrate the source of the problem, an analysis is carried out of a simple model that is obviously and manifestly inconsistent with TST. This model is solved exactly, and it is then put in the form of the random matrix H(eff) model, illustrating the one-to-one correspondence. This reveals the deficiencies of the latter. In manipulating this model into the form H0 - ivariant Planck's/2pi Gamma/2, it becomes clear that the independent open channels in the random matrix H(eff) model are inconsistent with TST. Rather, this model is one of gateway states (i.e., bound states that are coupled to their respective continua as well as to a manifold of zero-order bound states, none of which are coupled directly to the continua). Despite the fact that the effective Hamiltonian method is, by itself, beyond reproach, the random matrix H(eff) model is flawed as a model of unimolecular decomposition in several respects, most notably, bifurcations of the distributions of resonance widths in the regime of overlapping resonances.     

On the statistical nature of collision and surface-induced dissociation: a theoretical investigation of aluminum clusters

The unimolecular dissociation dynamics of aluminum clusters following collision with either a rare gas atom or a surface is investigated by classical trajectory simulations with model potentials. Two conformers of Al(6) with very distinct shapes, i.e., the spherical O(h) and planar C(2)(h) clusters, are considered in this work. The initial vibrational energy and angular momentum distributions resulting from collision, as well as the energy and angular momentum resolved lifetime distributions, of excited clusters were determined for both collision-induced dissociation (CID) and surface-induced dissociation (SID) processes. The partitioning of excitation energy acquired upon collision was found to depend on the excitation mechanism (CID or SID), as well as on the cluster molecular shape, especially in the case of CID. For both types of processes, the energy and angular momentum resolved excited cluster lifetime distributions were found to decay exponentially, in agreement with statistical theories of chemical reactions, suggesting intrinsic Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) behavior. Moreover, the simulated microcanonical rate constants determined from the cluster lifetime distributions are in good agreement with the predictions of the orbiting transition state model of phase space theory (OTS/PST), which further supports the statistical character of cluster CID and SID. Thus, in the CID and SID of highly fluxional systems such as aluminum clusters, the rate of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) is much faster than the dissociation rate, which validates one of the key assumptions, i.e., post-collision statistical behavior, underlying the models that are routinely used to determine cluster binding energies from experimental CID/SID cross sections.     

Excited state dynamics and spectroscopy of the 1A″ state of NSF vapor — comparisons with SO2

The fluorescence emission spectrum and analysis of NSF vapor is presented. Single vibronic level excitation near the S₁ origin gives rise to a 10 μs radiative decay. The fluorescence lifetime for excitation of levels with ? 4500 cm^?1 excess vibrational energy becomes controlled by a unimolecular radiationless process which is likely photodissociation; the dependence of this radiationless rate on energy and vibrational mode is investigated. The perturbations resulting from coupling of zero-order S₁ states with other vibronic levels which control the excited state dynamics of SO₂ are apparently not operative for NSF. Attempts are made to rationalize the grossly different dynamic behavior of the S₁ levels of these two otherwise very similar systems.     

The decomposition of C4H8 complexes at controlled internal energies

A coincidence technique is used to study the influence of the internal energy of the reactant ion on the cross section of the ion-molecule reactions in the C₂H₄⁺ + C₂H₄ system. The experiment is performed at thermal collision energies. In the ion-molecule reactions of C₂H₄⁺ + C₂H₄ our measurements indicate a barrier between the initially formed collision complex (C₂H₄)₂⁺* and a tight complex (C₄H₈⁺)*. Using an extension of our earlier developed statistical model, now including a potential barrier between the initially formed loose complex (C₂H₄)₂⁺* and the tight complex (C₄H₈⁺)*, our experimental data can be reproduced. For comparison also the internal energy dependence of the unimolecular decomposition of photoionised 1-C₄H₈⁺ is measured. Assuming that the photoionised 1-C₄H₈⁺ is identical with the tight (C₄H₈⁺)* complex, the model applied to the ion-molecule reactions describes also the unimolecular decay of 1-C₄H₈⁺ correctly, using the same set of parameters.     

Influence of Thermal Radiation on Hot Cluster Decay Rates and Abundances

The influence of radiative cooling on the unimolecular decay rates of free, hot clusters and molecules with unspecified excitation energies is quantified. Two different regimes, dedined by the magnitude of the energy of the photons emitted, are identified and the boundary between them is given. The boundary is determined in terms of the photon emission rate constants and thermal properties of the particles. Also the abundance spectra are calculated for the continuous cooling case, corresponding to small photon energies. The two regimes correspond to continuous cooling and single photon quenching of the unimolecular decay. The radiative effect can be parametrized by a redefinition of the time each individual cluster has available to undergo evaporation, expressed by an effective radiative time constant.     

Time-resolved velocity map imaging of methyl elimination from photoexcited anisole

To date, H-atom elimination from heteroaromatic molecules following UV excitation has been extensively studied, with the focus on key biological molecules such as chromophores of DNA bases and amino acids. Extending these studies to look at elimination of other non-hydride photoproducts is essential in creating a more complete picture of the photochemistry of these biomolecules in the gas-phase. To this effect, CH(3) elimination in anisole has been studied using time-resolved velocity map imaging (TR-VMI) for the first time, providing both time and energy information on the dynamics following photoexcitation at 200 nm. The extra dimension of energy afforded by these measurements has enabled us to address the role of πσ* states in the excited state dynamics of anisole as compared to the hydride counterpart (phenol), providing strong evidence to suggest that only CH(3) fragments eliminated with high kinetic energy are due to direct dissociation involving a (1)πσ* state. These measurements also suggest that indirect mechanisms such as statistical unimolecular decay could be contributing to the dynamics at much longer times.     

The solvation of Mg2+ with gas-phase clusters composed of alcohol molecules

The dication Mg2+ has been clustered with a range of different alcohols to form [Mg(ROH)N]2+ complexes, where N lies in the range 2-10. Observations on the chemistry of the complexes reveal two separate patterns of behavior: (i) unimolecular metastable decay, where at small values of N the complexes undergo rapid charge separation via Coulomb explosion; and (ii) electron capture-induced decay, where collisional activation promotes bond-breaking processes via charge reduction. For the latter it has been possible to identify a generic set of reactions that are common to all of the different [Mg(ROH)N]2+ complexes; however, there are examples of reactions that are specific to individual alcohols and values of N. For metastable decay, it is shown that there is a clear correlation between the value of N at which a complex ceases to be metastable and the ionization energy of R, the radical that forms the complementary ion in the Coulomb explosion step. Metastable decay in two of the [Mg(ROH)N]2+ complexes follows a very different pathway that eventually results in proton abstraction. It is suggested that this difference is due to the precursor complexes adopting geometries that have at least one ROH molecule in a secondary solvation shell.