Dissociative recombination of fully deuterated protonated acetonitrile, CD3CND+: product branching fractions, absolute cross section and thermal rate coefficient

The dissociative recombination of fully deuterated protonated acetonitrile, CD(3)CND(+), has been investigated at the CRYRING heavy ion storage ring, located at the Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden. Branching fractions were measured at approximately 0 eV relative collision energy between the ions and the electrons and in 65% of the DR events there was no rupture of bonds between heavy atoms. In the remaining 35%, one of the bonds between the heavy atoms was broken. The DR cross-section was measured between approximately 0 eV and 1 eV relative collision energy. In the energy region between 1 meV and 0.1 eV the cross section data were best fitted by the expression sigma = 7.37 x 10(-16) (E/eV)(-1.23) cm(2), whereas sigma = 4.12 x 10(-16) (E/eV)(-1.46) cm(2) was the best fit for the energy region between 0.1 and 1.0 eV. From the cross section a thermal rate coefficient of alpha(T) = 8.13 x 10(-7) (T/300)(-0.69) cm(3) s(-1) was deduced.     

Dissociative recombination of water cluster ions with free electrons: cross sections and branching ratios

Dissociative recombination (DR) of water cluster ions H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=4-6) with free electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). For the first time, branching ratios have been determined for the dominating product channels and absolute DR cross sections have been measured in the energy range from 0.001 to 0.7 eV. Dissociative recombination is concluded to result in extensive fragmentation for all three cluster ions, and a maximum number of heavy oxygen-containing fragments is produced with a probability close to unity. The branching ratio results agree with earlier DR studies of smaller water cluster ions where the channel nH(2)O+H has been observed to dominate and where energy transfer to internal degrees of freedom has been concluded to be highly efficient. The absolute DR cross sections for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=4-6) decrease monotonically with increasing energy with an energy dependence close to E(-1) in the lower part of the energy range and a faster falloff at higher energies, in agreement with the behavior of other studied heavy ions. The cross section data have been used to calculate DR rate coefficients in the temperature range of 10-2000 K. The results from storage ring experiments with water cluster ions are concluded to partly confirm the earlier results from afterglow experiments. The DR rate coefficients for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=1-6) are in general somewhat lower than reported from afterglow experiments. The rate coefficient tends to increase with increasing cluster size, but not in the monotonic way that has been reported from afterglow experiments. The needs for further experimental studies and for theoretical models that can be used to predict the DR rate of polyatomic ions are discussed.     

Low-energy electron scattering cross section for the production of CO within solid films of carbon dioxide

We report absolute electron scattering cross sections sigma(p) for the production of CO within thin solid film of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) condensed on a solid Ar substrate. The CO fragments, which remain trapped within the bulk of the carbon dioxide film, are detected in situ by recording energy losses to their lowest triplet electronic state a (3)Pi using high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. The production of CO is studied as a function of the electron exposure, film thickness, and incident electron energy between 2 and 30 eV, a range within which most of the secondary electrons are created in systems irradiated by high-energy particles. The energy dependence is characterized by a feature around 4 eV with sigma(p)=(7.0+/-4.0)x10(-18) cm(2), a minimum around 7 eV, a strong rise up to a large and broad maximum around 15 eV with sigma(p)=(5.4+/-2.5)x10(-17) cm(2), a decrease to a minimum around 18.5 eV, and finally a monotonous increase up to 30 eV. The CO production is discussed in terms of the formation of electron resonances or transient anion states, which may lead directly to the fragmentation of the molecule via dissociative electron attachment or indirectly by decaying into an entirely repulsive part of the corresponding excited neutral and positive ion states.     

Dissociative recombination study of Na+ (D2O) in a storage ring

The dissociative recombination of Na(+)(D(2)O) ion has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). The cross section has been measured as a function of center-of-mass energy ranging from 1 meV to 0.1 eV and found to have an E(-1.37) dependence. The rate coefficient has been deduced to be (2.3+/-0.32)x10(-7)(T(e)/300)(-0.95+/-0.01) cm(3) s(-1) for T(e)=50-1000 K. The branching ratios have been measured at 0 eV. Of the four energetically accessible dissociation channels, three channels are found to occur although the channel that breaks the weak Na(+)-D(2)O bond is by far dominant.     

Induction of strand breaks by low-energy electrons (8-68 eV) in a self-assembled monolayer of oligonucleotides: effective cross sections and attenuation lengths

Self-assembled monolayers of 5'-32P-labeled 3'-thiolated oligonucleotides chemisorbed on gold were bombarded by low-energy electrons (LEE) of 8-68 eV. Shorter 5'-32P-oligonucleotides produced by LEE-induced strand breaks were separated with denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantified by phosphor imaging. The yields of short oligonucleotides (y) decrease exponentially with their length (n), following the equation y=ae-bn, where a and b are constants, which are related to the average effective cross section per nucleotide for DNA strand break (sigmaeff) and the attenuation length (AL=1b) of LEE, respectively. The AL decreases with LEE energies from 2.5+/-0.6 nm at 8 eV to 0.8+/-0.1 nm at 68 eV, whereas sigmaeff increases from (3+/-1)x10(-18) to (5.1+/-1.6)x10(-17) cm2 within the same energy range. The energy dependence of sigmaeff shows a resonance peak of (2.8+/-0.9)x10(-17) cm2 at 18 eV superimposed on a monotonically rising curve. Transient electron attachment to a sigma* anion state of the deoxyribose group, followed by dipolar dissociation into H- and the corresponding positive-ion radical, leading to C-O bond cleavage, is proposed to account for this maximum.     

Ultraviolet photochemistry of trichlorovinylsilane and allyltrichlorosilane: vinyl radical (HCCH2) and allyl radical (H2CCHCH2) production in 193 nm photolysis

The absolute gas phase ultraviolet absorption spectra of trichlorovinylsilane and allyltrichlorosilane have been measured from 191 to 220 nm. Over this region the absorption spectra of both species are broad and relatively featureless, and their cross sections increase with decreasing wavelength. The electronic transitions of trichlorovinylsilane were calculated by ab initio quantum chemical methods and the observed absorption bands assigned to the A(1)A'<-- X[combining tilde](1)A' transition. The maximum absorption cross section in the region, at 191 nm, is sigma = (8.50 +/- 0.06) x 10(-18) cm(2) for trichlorovinylsilane and sigma = (2.10 +/- 0.02) x 10(-17) cm(2) for allyltrichlorosilane. The vinyl radical and the allyl radical are formed promptly from the 193 nm photolysis of their respective trichlorosilane precursors. By comparison of the transient visible absorption and the 1315 nm I atom absorption from 266 nm photolysis of vinyl iodide and allyl iodide, the absorption cross sections at 404 nm of vinyl radical ((2.9 +/- 0.4) x 10(-19) cm(2)) and allyl radical ((3.6 +/- 0.8) x 10(-19) cm(2)) were derived. These cross sections are in significant disagreement with literature values derived from kinetic modeling of allyl or vinyl radical self-reactions. Using these cross sections, the vinyl radical yield from trichlorovinylsilane was determined to be phi = (0.9 +/- 0.2) per 193 nm photon absorbed, and the allyl radical yield from allyltrichlorosilane phi = (0.7 +/- 0.2) per 193 nm photon absorbed.     

Investigating the breakup dynamics of dihydrogen sulfide ions recombining with electrons

This paper presents results concerning measurements of the dissociative recombination (DR) of dihydrogen sulfide ions. In combination with the ion storage ring CRYRING an imaging technique was used to investigate the breakup dynamics of the three-body channel in the DR of 32SD2(+). The two energetically available product channels S(3P) + 2D(2S) and S(1D) + 2D(2S) were both populated, with a branching fraction of the ground-state channel of 0.6(0.1). Information about the angle between the two deuterium atoms upon dissociation was obtained together with information about how the available kinetic energy was distributed between the two light fragments. The recombination cross sections as functions of energy in the interval of 1 meV to 0.3 eV in the center-of-mass frame are presented for 34SH2(+). The thermal rate coefficient for the DR of 34SH2(+) was determined to be (4.8+/-1.0) x 10(-7)(T/300)(-0.72+/-0.1) cm3 s(-1) over this interval.     

Novel ET-coordinated copper(I) complexes: syntheses, structures, and physical properties (ET = BEDT-TTF = Bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene)

New molecular charge-transfer complexes of bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (ET), (ET)Cu(2)Br(4) (1), (ET)(2)Cu(6)Br(10) (2), (ET)(2)[Cu(4)Br(6)ET] (3), (ET)(2)Cu(2)Br(4) (4), (ET)(2)Cu(3)Br(7)(H(2)O) (5), and (ET)(2)Cu(6)Br(10)(H(2)O)(2) (6), have been synthesized by diffusing reaction of ET and Cu(II)Br(2). Their crystal structures and physical properties have been investigated. X-ray analyses revealed that ET molecules coordinated to the copper ions with the sulfur atoms of the ethylenedithio groups in all compounds. The Cu-S distances are found in the range 2.268(5)-2.417(8) A, being close to the typical Cu(I)-S coordination bond distances. Strong d-pi interactions between d-electrons of the copper ions and pi-electrons of the ET molecules can be expected through the Cu-S coordination bonds. ET molecules behave as trans-bidentate ligands bonding to two different copper ions in 1 and 3, as cis-bidentate ligands in 2, 5, and 6, and as monodentate ligands in 4. In the crystal structure of 3, there are two types of ET molecules in the crystal structure, where the first type is a trans-bidentate ligand and the second forms a stacking structure by itself. Compounds 1, 2, 4, and 6 show semiconducting behavior down to low temperature (sigma(RT) = 1.6 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) and E(a) = 122 meV for 1, sigma(RT) = 2.1 S cm(-1) and E(a) = 21 meV for 2, sigma(RT) = 5.4 x 10(-4) S cm(-1) and E(a) = 239 meV for 4, and sigma(RT) = 5.1 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) and E(a) = 207 meV for 6). On the other hand, in 3, a metal-like region is observed along the b-axis and c-axis, due to the contribution of stacked ET molecules, and a metal-semiconductor transition occurs at 280 and 270 K, respectively. Also, 5 exhibits metallic conductivity in the temperature ranges 240-300 and 200-300 K along the b-axis and c-axis, respectively, despite the oxidation state of ET with 2+.     

Absolute photoionization cross-section of the methyl radical

The absolute photoionization cross-section of the methyl radical has been measured using two completely independent methods. The CH3 photoionization cross-section was determined relative to that of acetone and methyl vinyl ketone at photon energies of 10.2 and 11.0 eV by using a pulsed laser-photolysis/time-resolved synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry method. The time-resolved depletion of the acetone or methyl vinyl ketone precursor and the production of methyl radicals following 193 nm photolysis are monitored simultaneously by using time-resolved synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry. Comparison of the initial methyl signal with the decrease in precursor signal, in combination with previously measured absolute photoionization cross-sections of the precursors, yields the absolute photoionization cross-section of the methyl radical; sigma(CH3)(10.2 eV) = (5.7 +/- 0.9) x 10(-18) cm(2) and sigma(CH3)(11.0 eV) = (6.0 +/- 2.0) x 10(-18) cm(2). The photoionization cross-section for vinyl radical determined by photolysis of methyl vinyl ketone is in good agreement with previous measurements. The methyl radical photoionization cross-section was also independently measured relative to that of the iodine atom by comparison of ionization signals from CH3 and I fragments following 266 nm photolysis of methyl iodide in a molecular-beam ion-imaging apparatus. These measurements gave a cross-section of (5.4 +/- 2.0) x 10(-18) cm(2) at 10.460 eV, (5.5 +/- 2.0) x 10(-18) cm(2) at 10.466 eV, and (4.9 +/- 2.0) x 10(-18) cm(2) at 10.471 eV. The measurements allow relative photoionization efficiency spectra of methyl radical to be placed on an absolute scale and will facilitate quantitative measurements of methyl concentrations by photoionization mass spectrometry.     

Communication: rovibrationally selected study of the N2+(X; v+=1, N+= 0-8) + Ar charge transfer reaction using the vacuum ultraviolet laser pulsed field ionization-photoion method

By employing an electric field pulsing scheme for vacuum ultraviolet laser pulsed field ionization-photoion (PFI-PI) measurements, we have been able to prepare a rovibrationally selected PFI-PI beam of N(2)(+)(v(+) = 1, N(+)) with not only high intensity and high quantum state purity, but also high kinetic energy resolution, allowing absolute total cross sections [σ(v(+) = 1, N(+))] for the N(2)(+)(X; v(+) = 1, N(+)) + Ar, N(+) = 0-8 charge transfer reaction to be measured at center-of-mass collision energies (E(cm)) down to thermal energies. The σ(v(+) = 1, N(+) = 0-8) values determined at E(cm) = 0.04-10.00 eV are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions based on the Landau-Zener-Stu?ckelberg formulism. Taking into account the experimental uncertainties, the σ(v(+) = 1, N(+)), N(+) = 0-8, measured at E(cm) = 1.56 eV are found to be independent of N(+).     

XUV free-electron laser desorption of NO from graphite (0001)

We report results of femtosecond laser induced desorption of NO from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite using XUV photon energies of hν = 38 eV and hν = 57 eV. Femtosecond pulses with a pulse energy of up to 40 μJ and about 30 fs duration generated at FLASH are applied. The desorbed molecules are detected with rovibrational state selectivity by (1 + 1) REMPI in the A(2)Σ(+) ← X(2)Π γ-bands around λ = 226 nm. A nonlinear desorption yield of neutral NO is observed with an exponent of m = 1.4 ± 0.2. At a fluence of about 4 mJ/cm(2) a desorption cross section of σ(1) = (1.1 ± 0.4) × 10(-17) cm(2) is observed, accompanied with a lower one of σ(2) = (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10(-19) cm(2) observable at higher total fluence. A nonthermal rovibrational population distribution is observed with an average rotational energy of = 38.6 meV (311 cm(-1)), a vibrational energy of = 136 meV (1097 cm(-1)) and an electronic energy of = 3.9 meV (31 cm(-1)).     

Computational studies on stable triplet states of heteroacetylenes and the effects of halogen substituents

This paper describes theoretical studies of halogen-substituted heteroacetylenes (XCMY, M = Si and Ge; X, Y = H, Cl and F) performed at the QCISD(T)/6-311G//QCISD/6-31G level of theory. The electronegative halogen substituents destabilize the singlet state such that the triplet state tends to become favorable. The triplet state has the bifunctional electronic structure of a triplet carbene joined to a heavy singlet carbene. We found that the substituents effectively reduce the energy of the donor-acceptor interactions (E(D-A)) between the two in-plane lone pairs of electrons of the singlet state; therefore, the remaining pi bond is less favorable energetically than the triplet state with a sigma bond. A related phenomenon occurs for the homonuclear heavy acetylenes in singlets in which the lead compound RPbPbR switches to a Pb-Pb sigma bond from the pi bonds observed for the lighter acetylenes.     

Electronic structure and chain-length effects in diplatinum polyynediyl complexes trans,trans-[(X)(R3P)2Pt(C triple bond C)(n)Pt(PR3)2(X)]: a computational investigation

Structure and bonding in the title complexes are studied using model compounds trans,trans-[(C6H5)(H3P)2Pt(C triple bond C)(n)Pt(PH3)2(C6H5)] (PtCxPt; x = 2n = 4-26) at the B3LYP/LACVP* level of density functional theory. Conformations in which the platinum square planes are parallel are very slightly more stable than those in which they are perpendicular (DeltaE = 0.12 kcal mol(-1) for PtC8Pt). As the carbon-chain length increases, progressively longer C triple bond C triple bonds and shorter triple bond C-C triple bond single bonds are found. Whereas the triple bonds in HCxH become longer (and the single bonds shorter) as the interior of the chain is approached, the PtC triple bond C triple bonds in PtCxPt are longer than the neighboring triple bond. Also, the Pt-C bonds are shorter at longer chain lengths, but not the H-C bonds. Accordingly, natural bond orbital charge distributions show that the platinum atoms become more positively charged, and the carbon chain more negatively charged, as the chain is lengthened. Furthermore, the negative charge is localized at the two terminal C triple bond C atoms, elongating this triple bond. Charge decomposition analyses show no significant d-pi* backbonding. The HOMOs of PtCxPt can be viewed as antibonding combinations of the highest occupied pi orbital of the sp-carbon chain and filled in-plane platinum d orbitals. The platinum character is roughly proportional to the Pt/Cx/Pt composition (e.g., x = 4, 31 %; x = 20, 6 %). The HOMO and LUMO energies monotonically decrease with chain length, the latter somewhat more rapidly so that the HOMO-LUMO gap also decreases. In contrast, the HOMO energies of HCxH increase with chain length; the origin of this dichotomy is analyzed. The electronic spectra of PtC4Pt to PtC10Pt are simulated. These consist of two pi-pi* bands that redshift with increasing chain length and are closely paralleled by real systems. A finite HOMO-LUMO gap is predicted for PtCinfinityPt. The structures of PtCxPt are not strictly linear (average bond angles 179.7 degrees -178.8 degrees ), and the carbon chains give low-frequency fundamental vibrations (x = 4, 146 cm(-1); x = 26, 4 cm(-1)). When the bond angles in PtC12Pt are constrained to 174 degrees in a bow conformation, similar to a crystal structure, the energy increase is only 2 kcal mol(-1). The above conclusions should extrapolate to (C triple bond C)(n) systems with other metal endgroups.     

Branching ratio deviations from statistical behavior in core photoionization

Accurate calculations of carbon 1s photoionization cross sections have been performed at the density functional level with the B-spline linear combination of atomic orbitals approach. The molecules considered are FC[triple bond]CH, FC[triple bond]CCH3, FC[triple bond]CCN, F2C=CH2, CF3COOCH2CH3, and C3H5O. The variation of the branching ratios relative to inequivalent C 1s ionizations have been evaluated from threshold to about 100 eV photoelectron kinetic energy. Large deviations from the statistical ratios are observed at low energies, which remain often significant several tens of eV above threshold. The importance of taking into account core branching ratios for peak deconvolution and quantitative analysis, as well as an additional tool for structural information, is pointed out. Strong shape resonant effects are found to largely cancel in branching ratios. Their nature and variation along the series is analyzed in the framework of excitations into sigma* valence orbitals.     

Why do the heavy-atom analogues of acetylene E2H2 (E = Si-Pb) exhibit unusual structures?

DFT calculations at BP86/QZ4P have been carried out for different structures of E(2)H(2) (E = C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) with the goal to explain the unusual equilibrium geometries of the heavier group 14 homologues where E = Si-Pb. The global energy minima of the latter molecules have a nonplanar doubly bridged structure A followed by the singly bridged planar form B, the vinylidene-type structure C, and the trans-bent isomer D1. The energetically high-lying trans-bent structure D2 possessing an electron sextet at E and the linear form HEEH, which are not minima on the PES, have also been studied. The unusual structures of E(2)H(2) (E = Si-Pb) are explained with the interactions between the EH moieties in the (X(2)Pi) electronic ground state which differ from C(2)H(2), which is bound through interactions between CH in the a(4)Sigma(-) excited state. Bonding between two (X(2)Pi) fragments of the heavier EH hydrides is favored over the bonding in the a(4)Sigma(-) excited state because the X(2)Pi --> a(4)Sigma(-) excitation energy of EH (E = Si-Pb) is significantly higher than for CH. The doubly bridged structure A of E(2)H(2) has three bonding orbital contributions: one sigma bond and two E-H donor-acceptor bonds. The singly bridged isomer B also has three bonding orbital contributions: one pi bond, one E-H donor-acceptor bond, and one lone-pair donor-acceptor bond. The trans-bent form D1 has one pi bond and two lone-pair donor-acceptor bonds, while D2 has only one sigma bond. The strength of the stabilizing orbital contributions has been estimated with an energy decomposition analysis, which also gives the bonding contributions of the quasi-classical electrostatic interactions.     

Dissociative recombination of H+(H2O)3 and D+(D2O)3 water cluster ions with electrons: cross sections and branching ratios

Dissociative recombination (DR) of the water cluster ions H(+)(H(2)O)(3) and D(+)(D(2)O)(3) with electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). For the first time, absolute DR cross sections have been measured for H(+)(H(2)O)(3) in the energy range of 0.001-0.8 eV, and relative cross sections have been measured for D(+)(D(2)O)(3) in the energy range of 0.001-1.0 eV. The DR cross sections for H(+)(H(2)O)(3) are larger than previously observed for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=1,2), which is in agreement with the previously observed trend indicating that the DR rate coefficient increases with size of the water cluster ion. Branching ratios have been determined for the dominating product channels. Dissociative recombination of H(+)(H(2)O)(3) mainly results in the formation of 3H(2)O+H (probability of 0.95+/-0.05) and with a possible minor channel resulting in 2H(2)O+OH+H(2) (0.05+/-0.05). The dominating channels for DR of D(+)(D(2)O)(3) are 3D(2)O+D (0.88+/-0.03) and 2D(2)O+OD+D(2) (0.09+/-0.02). The branching ratios are comparable to earlier DR results for H(+)(H(2)O)(2) and D(+)(D(2)O)(2), which gave 2X(2)O+X (X=H,D) with a probability of over 0.9.     

Absolute electronic excitation cross sections for low-energy electron (5-12 eV) scattering from condensed thymine

The absolute cross sections for electronic excitations of thymine by electron impact between 5 and 12 eV are determined by means of electron-energy loss (EEL) spectroscopy for the molecule deposited at submonolayer coverage on an inert Ar substrate. The lowest EEL features at 3.7 and 4.0 eV are attributed to the excitation of the triplet 1 3A'(pi --> pi*) and 1 3A'(n --> pi*) valence states of the molecule. The higher EEL features located at 4.9, 6.3, 7.3, and 9 eV with a weak shoulder around 6 eV are ascribed mostly to triplet valence (pi --> pi*) excitation manifold of the molecule. The energy dependence of the cross section for both the lowest triplet valence excitations shows essentially a peak at about 5 eV reaching a value of 2.9 x 10(-17) cm2. The cross sections for the higher EEL features are generally characterized by a common broad maximum around 8 eV. The latter reaches a value of 1.36 x 10(-16) cm2 for the combined 6 and 6.3 eV excitation region. The maxima in the present cross sections are found to correspond to the resonances that have been reported at about the same energies in the O- yield from electron impact on thymine in the gas phase.     

Accounting for the differences in the structures and relative energies of the highly homoatomic np pi-np pi (n > or = 3)-bonded S2I4 2+, the Se-I pi-bonded Se2I4 2+, and their higher-energy isomers by AIM, MO, NBO, and VB methodologies

The bonding in the highly homoatomic np pi-np pi (n > or = 3)-bonded S2I42+ (three sigma + two pi bonds), the Se-I pi-bonded Se2I42+ (four sigma + one pi bonds), and their higher-energy isomers have been studied using modern DFT and ab initio calculations and theoretical analysis methods: atoms in molecules (AIM), molecular orbital (MO), natural bond orbital (NBO), and valence bond (VB) analyses, giving their relative energies, theoretical bond orders, and atomic charges. The aim of this work was to seek theory-based answers to four main questions: (1) Are the previously proposed simple pi*-pi* bonding models valid for S2I42+ and Se2I42+? (2) What accounts for the difference in the structures of S2I42+ and Se2I42+? (3) Why are the classically bonded isolobal P2I4 and As2I4 structures not adopted? (4) Is the high experimentally observed S-S bond order supported by theoretical bond orders, and how does it relate to high bond orders between other heavier main group elements? The AIM analysis confirmed the high bond orders and established that the weak bonds observed in S2I42+ and Se2I42+ are real and the bonding in these cations is covalent in nature. The full MO analysis confirmed that S2I42+ contains three sigma and two pi bonds, that the positive charge is essentially equally distributed over all atoms, that the bonding between S2 and two I2+ units in S2I42+ is best described by two mutually perpendicular 4c2e pi*-pi* bonds, and that in Se2I42+, two SeI2+ moieties are joined by a 6c2e pi*-pi* bond, both in agreement with previously suggested models. The VB treatment provided a complementary approach to MO analysis and provided insight how the formation of the weak bonds affects the other bonds. The NBO analysis and the calculated AIM charges showed that the minimization of the electrostatic repulsion between EI2+ units (E = S, Se) and the delocalization of the positive charge are the main factors that explain why the nonclassical structures are favored for S2I42+ and Se2I42+. The difference in the structures of S2I42+ and Se2I42+ is related to the high strength of the S-S pi bond compared to the weak S-I sigma bond and the additional stabilization from increased delocalization of positive charge in the structure of S2I42+ compared to the structure of Se2I42+. The investigation of the E2X42+ series (E = S, Se, Te; X = Cl, Br, I) revealed that only S2I42+ adopts the highly np pi-np pi (n > or = 3)-bonded structure, while all other dications favor the pi-bonded Se2I42+ structure. Theoretical bond order calculations for S2I42+ confirm the previously presented experimentally based bond orders for S-S (2.1-2.3) and I-I (1.3-1.5) bonds. The S-S bond is determined to have the highest reported S-S bond order in an isolated compound and has a bond order that is either similar to or slightly less than the Si-Si bond order in the proposed triply bonded [(Me3Si)2CH]2(iPr)SiSi triple bond SiSi(iPr)[CH(SiMe3)2]2 depending on the definition of bond orders used.     

Enhancement of ammonia dehydrogenation by introduction of oxygen onto cobalt and iron cluster cations

Reactions of oxygen-chemisorbed cobalt and iron cluster cations (Co(n)O(m)(+) and Fe(n)O(m)(+); n = 3-6, m = 1-3) with an NH(3) molecule have been investigated in comparison with their bare metal cluster cations at a collision energy of 0.2 eV by use of a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. We have observed three kinds of reaction products, which come from NH(3) chemisorption with and without release of a metal atom from the cluster and dehydrogenation of the chemisorbed NH(3). Reaction cross sections and branching fractions are strongly influenced by the number of oxygen atoms introduced onto the metal clusters. Oxygen-chemisorbed metal clusters with particular compositions such as Co(4)O(+), Co(5)O(2)(+), and Fe(5)O(2)(+) are extremely reactive for NH(3) dehydrogenation, whereas Co(4)O(2)(+) and Fe(4)O(2)(+) exhibit high reactivity for NH(3) chemisorption with metal release. The enhancement of dehydrogenation for specific compositions can be interpreted in terms of competition between O-H and neighboring Co-H (or Fe-H) formation.     

Energy transfer of highly vibrationally excited naphthalene: collisions with CHF3, CF4, and Kr

Energy transfer of highly vibrationally excited naphthalene in the triplet state in collisions with CHF(3), CF(4), and Kr was studied using a crossed-beam apparatus along with time-sliced velocity map ion imaging techniques. Highly vibrationally excited naphthalene (2.0 eV vibrational energy) was formed via the rapid intersystem crossing of naphthalene initially excited to the S(2) state by 266 nm photons. The shapes of the collisional energy-transfer probability density functions were measured directly from the scattering results of highly vibrationally excited naphthalene. In comparison to Kr atoms, the energy transfer in collisions between CHF(3) and naphthalene shows more forward scatterings, larger cross section for vibrational to translational (V → T) energy transfer, smaller cross section for translational to vibrational and rotational (T → VR) energy transfer, and more energy transferred from vibration to translation, especially in the range -ΔE(d) = -100 to -800 cm(-1). On the other hand, the difference of energy transfer properties between collisional partners Kr and CF(4) is small. The enhancement of the V → T energy transfer in collisions with CHF(3) is attributed to the large attractive interaction between naphthalene and CHF(3) (1-3 kcal/mol).