Placement of H atoms in the crystal lattice of cubic titanium oxyhydride: Simulation and diffraction experiment

Possible models for the arrangement of hydrogen atoms in the sites of the cubic lattice of titanium oxyhydride TiO_yH_p with vacancies in the metallic and nonmetallic sublattices are considered for the first time. It has been established that interstitial H atoms in oxyhydrides occupy vacant octahedral sites 4(b) of the oxygen sublattice. No displacement of H atoms in tetrahedral sites 8(c) is observed.     

Ultrahigh Energy Density Realized by a Single‐Layer β‐Co(OH)2 All‐Solid‐State Asymmetric Supercapacitor

A conceptually new all‐solid‐state asymmetric supercapacitor based on atomically thin sheets is presented which offers the opportunity to optimize supercapacitor properties on an atomic level. As a prototype, β‐Co(OH)₂ single layers with five‐atoms layer thickness were synthesized through an oriented‐attachment strategy. The increased density‐of‐states and 100 % exposed hydrogen atoms endow the β‐Co(OH)₂ single‐layers‐based electrode with a large capacitance of 2028 F g^?1. The corresponding all‐solid‐state asymmetric supercapacitor achieves a high cell voltage of 1.8 V and an exceptional energy density of 98.9 Wh kg^?1 at an ultrahigh power density of 17 981 W kg^?1. Also, this integrated nanodevice exhibits excellent cyclability with 93.2 % capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles, holding great promise for constructing high‐energy storage nanodevices.     

Local Disorder in Hydrogen Storage Compounds: The Case of Lithium Amide/Imide

Amides and imides of alkali metals are a very promising class of materials for use as a hydrogen‐storage system, as they are able to store and release hydrogen via a chemical route at controllable temperatures and pressures. We critically revise the present picture of the atomic structure of the lightest member (LiNH₂/Li₂NH) by using a combined computational and experimental approach. Specifically, ab initio path integral molecular dynamics simulations and solid‐state ¹H NMR techniques are combined. The results show that the presently assumed local structure might be inconsistent or at least incomplete and needs considerable revision. In particular, the Li atoms turn out to be more mobile and more disordered than suggested by structural data obtained from X‐ray scattering. Also, the configuration of the hydrogen atoms, which is accessible via the NMR experiment and the corresponding first‐principles calculations, is different from the previously assumed data. The computed and experimentally observed ¹H NMR parameters are in very good mutual agreement and illustrate the unusual chemical environment of the hydrogen atoms in this system. Incorporating our results on the new lithium data, we show that the effect of nuclear quantum delocalization for the hydrogen atoms is considerably reduced compared to the perfect crystal structure.     

N‐tert‐Butyl‐N′‐(5,7‐di­methyl‐1,8‐naphthyridin‐2‐yl)­urea

The title compound, C₁₅H₂₀N₄O, has been synthesized as an AADD recognition unit for quadruple hydrogen bonds. All non‐H atoms of the mol­ecule apart from two methyl groups of the tert‐butyl group lie in a common plane. An intramolecular hydrogen bond is formed connecting two N atoms. In the solid state, the title compound crystallizes as a centrosymmetric dimer connected by N—H?O=C interactions with an N?O distance of 2.824 (2) Å.     

氢原子在Be(0001)表面吸附的密度泛函理论研究

采用第一性原理的密度泛函理论研究单个氢原子和多个氢原子在Be(0001)表面吸附性质.给出了氢吸附Be(0001)薄膜表面的原子结构、吸附能、饱和度、功函数、偶极修正等特性参数.同时也讨论了相关吸附性质与氢原子覆盖度(0.06-1.33ML)的关系.计算结果表明:氢原子的吸附位置与覆盖度之间有强烈的依赖关系,覆盖度低于0.67ML时,氢原子能量上易于占据fcc或hcp的中空位置;覆盖度为0.78ML时,中空位与桥位为氢原子的最佳吸附位;覆盖度在0.89到1.00ML时,桥位是氢原子吸附能量最有利的位置;以上覆盖度中Be(0001)表面最外层铍原子的结构均没有发生明显变化.当覆盖度为1.11-1.33ML,高覆盖度下Be(0001)表面的最外层铍原子部分发生膨胀,近邻氢原子渗入到铍表面次层,氢原子易于占据在hcp和桥位.吸附结构中的氢原子比氢分子中的原子稳定.当覆盖度大1.33ML时,计算结果没有发现相对于氢分子更稳定的吸氢结构.同时从分析偶极修正和氢原子吸附垂直高度随覆盖度的变化关系判断氢覆盖度为1.33ML时,在Be(0001)表面吸附达到饱和.     

Room-temperature structures of solid hydrogen at high pressures

By employing first-principles metadynamics simulations, we explore the 300 K structures of solid hydrogen over the pressure range 150-300 GPa. At 200 GPa, we find the ambient-pressure disordered hexagonal close-packed (hcp) phase transited into an insulating partially ordered hcp phase (po-hcp), a mixture of ordered graphene-like H(2) layers and the other layers of weakly coupled, disordered H(2) molecules. Within this phase, hydrogen remains in paired states with creation of shorter intra-molecular bonds, which are responsible for the very high experimental Raman peak above 4000 cm(-1). At 275 GPa, our simulations predicted a transformation from po-hcp into the ordered molecular metallic Cmca phase (4 molecules∕cell) that was previously proposed to be stable only above 400 GPa. Gibbs free energy calculations at 300 K confirmed the energetic stabilities of the po-hcp and metallic Cmca phases over all known structures at 220-242 GPa and >242 GPa, respectively. Our simulations highlighted the major role played by temperature in tuning the phase stabilities and provided theoretical support for claimed metallization of solid hydrogen below 300 GPa at 300 K.     

Tuning the Surface Chemistry of Pd by Atomic C and H: A Microscopic Picture

Palladium is crucial for industry‐related applications such as heterogeneous catalysis, energy production, and hydrogen technologies. In many processes, atomic H and C species are proposed to be present in the surface/near‐surface area of Pd, thus noticeably affecting its chemical activity. This study provides a detail and unified view on the interactions of the H and C species with Pd nanoparticles (NPs), which is indispensable for insight into their catalytic properties. Density functional calculations of the interplay of C and H atoms at various concentrations and sites on suitable Pd NPs have been performed, accompanied by catalysis‐relevant experiments on oxide‐supported bare and C‐modified Pd NPs. It is shown that on a Pd₇₉ NP a subsurface C atom destabilizes nearby atoms H at low coverage. Our experiments confirm that H atoms bind more weakly on C‐containing Pd NPs than on C‐free NPs. Various factors related to the presence of both H and C atoms on a Pd₇₉ surface, which may influence the penetration of H atoms from the surface into the subsurface area, have been investigated. Carbon atoms facilitate the subsurface penetration of atomic H both thermodynamically and kinetically when the surface is densely covered by H atoms. Moreover, subsurface H atoms are also energetically favored, even in the absence of C atoms, when several facets of the NP are covered by H atoms.     

Vibrational dynamics, intermolecular interactions, and compound formation in GeH4-H2 under pressure

Optical microscopy, spectroscopic and x-ray diffraction studies at high-pressure are used to investigate intermolecular interactions in binary mixtures of germane (GeH(4)) + hydrogen (H(2)). The measurements reveal the formation of a new molecular compound, with the approximate stoichiometry GeH(4)(H(2))(2), when the constituents are compressed above 7.5 GPa. Raman and infrared spectroscopic measurements show multiple H(2) vibrons substantially softened from bulk solid hydrogen. With increasing pressure, the frequencies of several Raman and infrared H(2) vibrons decrease, indicating anomalous attractive interaction for closed-shell, nonpolar molecules. Synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction measurements show that the compound has a structure based on face-centered cubic (fcc) with GeH(4) molecules occupying fcc sites and H(2) molecules likely distributed between O(h) and T(d) sites. Above ca. 17 GPa, GeH(4) molecules in the compound become unstable with respect to decomposition products (Ge + H(2)), however, the compound can be preserved metastably to ca. 27 GPa for time-scales of the order of several hours.     

MH4P6N12 (M=Mg,Ca): New Imidonitridophosphates with an Unprecedented Layered Network Structure Type

Isotypic imidonitridophosphates MH₄P₆N₁₂ (M=Mg, Ca) have been synthesized by high‐pressure/high‐temperature reactions at 8 GPa and 1000 °C starting from stoichiometric amounts of the respective alkaline‐earth metal nitrides, P₃N₅, and amorphous HPN₂. Both compounds form colorless transparent platelet crystals. The crystal structures have been solved and refined from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data. Rietveld refinement confirmed the accuracy of the structure determination. In order to quantify the amounts of H atoms in the respective compounds, quantitative solid‐state ¹H NMR measurements were carried out. EDX spectroscopy confirmed the chemical compositions. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of NH groups in both structures. The crystal structures reveal an unprecedented layered tetrahedral arrangement, built up from all‐side vertex‐sharing PN₄ tetrahedra with condensed dreier and sechser rings. The resulting layers are separated by metal atoms.     

K2[HCr2AsO10]: redetermination of phase II and the predicted structure of phase I

Our prediction that phase II of dipotassium hydrogen chromatoarsenate, K₂[HCr₂AsO₁₀], is ferroelectric, based on the analysis of the atomic coordinates by Averbuch‐Pouchot, Durif & Guitel [Acta Cryst. (1978), B 34 , 3725–3727], led to an independent redetermination of the structure using two separate crystals. The resulting improved accuracy allows the inference that the H atom is located in the hydrogen bonds of length 2.555 (5) Å which form between the terminal O atoms of shared AsO₃OH tetrahedra in adjacent HCr₂AsO₁₀²⁻ ions. The largest atomic displacement of 0.586 Å between phase II and the predicted paraelectric phase I is by these two O atoms. The H atoms form helices of radius ∼0.60 Å about the 3₁ or 3₂ axes. Normal probability analysis reveals systematic error in seven or more of the earlier atomic coordinates.     

1′‐Acetyl­ferrocene‐1‐carboxyl­ic acid: an instance of hydrogen bonding in the rare dimeric acid‐to‐ketone mode

The title compound, [Fe(C₆H₅O₂)(C₇H₇O)], adopts a conformation involving partial staggering of its rings and aggregates in the solid as acid‐to‐ketone hydrogen‐bonding dimers [O?O = 2.720 (4) Å and O—H?O = 164°] having centro­symmetrically related components. Close intermolecular C—H?O contacts were found to both carboxyl O atoms.     

Hydrogen–hydrogen interaction in planar biphenyl: A theoretical study based on the interacting quantum atoms and Hirshfeld atomic energy partitioning methods

The nature of H‐H interaction between ortho‐hydrogen atoms in planar biphenyl is investigated by two different atomic energy partitioning methods, namely fractional occupation iterative Hirshfeld (FOHI) and interacting quantum atoms (IQA), and compared with the traditional virial‐based approach of quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). In agreement with Bader's hypothesis of H? H bonding, partitioning the atomic energy into intra‐atomic and interatomic terms reveals that there is a net attractive interaction between the ortho‐hydrogens in the planar biphenyl. This falsifies the classical view of steric repulsion between the hydrogens. In addition, in contrast to the traditional QTAIM energy analysis, both FOHI and IQA show that the total atomic energy of the ortho‐hydrogens remains almost constant when they participate in the H‐H interaction. Although, the interatomic part of atomic energy of the hydrogens plays a stabilizing role during the formation of the H? H bond, it is almost compensated by the destabilizing effects of the intra‐atomic parts and consequently, the total energy of the hydrogens remains constant. The trends in the changes of intra‐atomic and interatomic energy terms of ortho‐hydrogens during H? H bond formation are very similar to those observed for the H₂ molecule. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Modulated structure and molecular dissociation of solid chlorine at high pressures

Among diatomic molecular halogen solids, high pressure structures of solid chlorine (Cl(2)) remain elusive and least studied. We here report first-principles structural search on solid Cl(2) at high pressures through our developed particle-swarm optimization algorithm. We successfully reproduced the known molecular Cmca phase (phase I) at low pressure and found that it remains stable up to a high pressure 142 GPa. At 150 GPa, our structural searches identified several energetically competitive, structurally similar, and modulated structures. Analysis of the structural results and their similarity with those in solid Br(2) and I(2), it was suggested that solid Cl(2) adopts an incommensurate modulated structure with a modulation wave close to 2∕7 in a narrow pressure range 142-157 GPa. Eventually, our simulations at >157 GPa were able to predict the molecular dissociation of solid Cl(2) into monatomic phases having body centered orthorhombic (bco) and face-centered cubic (fcc) structures, respectively. One unique monatomic structural feature of solid Cl(2) is the absence of intermediate body centered tetragonal (bct) structure during the bco → fcc transition, which however has been observed or theoretically predicted in solid Br(2) and I(2). Electron-phonon coupling calculations revealed that solid Cl(2) becomes superconductors within bco and fcc phases possessing a highest superconducting temperature of 13.03 K at 380 GPa. We further probed the molecular Cmca → incommensurate phase transition mechanism and found that the softening of the A(g) vibrational (rotational) Raman mode in the Cmca phase might be the driving force to initiate the transition.     

4,6‐Diaminopyrimidine‐2(1H)‐thione hemihydrate: a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded framework

In the title compound, C₄H₆N₄S·0.5H₂O, there are two independent pyrimidinethione units, both of which lie across mirror planes in the space group Cmca. Hence, the H atoms bonded to the ring N atoms in each molecule are disordered over two symmetry‐related sites, each having an occupancy of 0.5. The water molecule lies across a twofold rotation axis parallel to [010]. The molecular components of (I) are linked by seven independent hydrogen bonds, of N—H...N, N—H...S, N—H...O and O—H...S types. A combination of disordered N—H...N hydrogen bonds and ordered N—H...S hydrogen bonds links the pyrimidinethione units into a continuous tubular structure. The water molecule acts as both a double donor of hydrogen bonds and a double acceptor, forming hydrogen bonds with components of four distinct pyrimidinethione tubes, thus linking these tubes into a three‐dimensional structure.     

3‐Hydro­xy‐6‐[(4‐hydroxy­phenyl­amino)­methyl­ene]­cyclo­hexa‐2,4‐dienone and 2‐hydroxy‐6‐[(4‐hydroxy­phenyl­amino)­methyl­ene]­cyclo­hexa‐2,4‐dienone

The title compounds, both C₁₃H₁₁NO₃, exist as the keto–amine tautomers, and the formal hydroxyl H atoms, which display strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds, are located on the N atoms. This is a verification of the preference for the keto–amine tautomeric form in the solid state. The 2‐hydroxy isomer has two independent mol­ecules, with the mol­ecules linked by intramolecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O and intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into three‐dimensional networks.     

Hydro­gen‐bonded dimers of 1,8,10‐trihydroxy‐10‐(prop‐2‐enyl)­anthracen‐9(10H)‐one: S(6), R(10) and R(14) motifs

The central ring of the anthrone system in the title compound, C₁₇H₁₄O₄, has a shallow envelope conformation, and each of the two outer rings is inclined at an angle of 17.41 (3)°. In the solid state, the mol­ecules exist as centrosymmetrically related O—H⃛O hydrogen‐bonded dimers. Two intramolecular O—H⃛O hydrogen bonds, involving the central carbonyl O atom and having a graph‐set motif of S(6), are observed. These intramolecular interactions lead co‐operatively to an O—H⃛O⃛H—O pattern that has a binary graph‐set motif of (10).     

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Electron Density Study of Intra‐ and Intermolecular Interactions in Thiourea S,S‐Dioxide

The thiourea S,S‐dioxide molecule is recognized as a zwitterion with a high dipole moment and an unusually long C? S bond. The molecule has a most interesting set of intermolecular interactions in the crystalline state—a relatively strong O???H? N hydrogen bond and very weak intermolecular C???S and N???O interactions. The molecule has C_s symmetry, and each oxygen atom is hydrogen‐bonded to two hydrogen atoms with O???H? N distances of 2.837 and 2.826 Å and angles of 176.61 and 158.38°. The electron density distribution is obtained both from Xray diffraction data at 110 K and from a periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Bond characterization is made in terms of the analysis of topological properties. The covalent characters of the C? N, N? H, C? S, and S? O bonds are apparent, and the agreement on the topological properties between experiment and theory is adequate. The features of the Laplacian distributions, bond paths, and atomic domains are comparable. In a systematic approach, DFT calculations are performed based on a monomer, a dimer, a heptamer, and a crystal to see the effect on the electron density distribution due to the intermolecular interactions. The dipole moment of the molecule is enhanced in the solid state. The typical values of ρ_b and H_b of the hydrogen bonds and weak intermolecular C???S and N???O interactions are given. All the interactions are verified by the location of the bond critical point and its associated topological properties. The isovalue surface of Laplacian charge density and the detailed atomic graph around each atomic site reveal the shape of the valence‐shell charge concentration and provide a reasonable interpretation of the bonding of each atom.     

Quantum chemical study of H<Subscript>2</Subscript> adsorption on Pd<Subscript>21</Subscript> cluster

Modeling of the interaction of an H₂ molecule with the surface of the Pd₂₁ cluster in different spin states was performed using the DFT/PBE scalar relativistic approximation. The spin multiplicity of the system significantly affects the mechanism of adsorption, its parameters, and migration of hydrogen atoms. The H atoms can migrate over the cluster surface with low barriers (1.6 kcal mol^–1). The complex with C _2v symmetry, wherein the H atoms occupy adjacent fcc sites, is the most energetically stable.     

Segregation into Layers: A General Problem for Structural Instability under Pressure,Exemplified by SnH4

When a molecular compound is thermodynamically unstable (but kinetically persistent) with respect to the elements, structures that contain segregated layers of the elements may be favored at moderate pressures, as a compromise between the potential stability of novel electronic configurations and decomposition into the elements (or other stable compounds). We use stannane, SnH₄, to approach this quite general problem theoretically, since the heat of formation of SnH₄ is so positive. Our ground‐state DFT searches for optimal structures begin with slabs formed from 1–4 layers of tin atoms in the β‐Sn and bcc configurations, and also slabs of molecular hydrogen or hydrogen atoms, preserving the overall SnH₄ stoichiometry. As argued, segregated layers are an important structural feature in the lower‐ and moderate‐pressure regime (0 and 50 GPa). By 140 GPa (V/V₀=0.21) the coordination of tin and hydrogen increases and the slabs disappear, as judged from the optimized structures.     

Methyl 4‐[(1‐acetyl‐3‐tert‐butyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐5‐yl)amino]‐3‐nitrobenzoate

In the molecule of the title compound, C₁₇H₂₀N₄O₅, there are two intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds having amidic and nitro‐group O atoms as the acceptors and together forming a three‐centre N—H...(O)₂ system. These interactions appear to play an important role in controlling the relative orientation of the pyrazole and aryl rings. The bond distances provide evidence for some polarization of the electronic structure. Molecules are linked into simple chains by a single C—H...O hydrogen bond.