Theoretical study of the pyrolysis of methyltrichlorosilane in the gas phase. 2. Reaction paths and transition states

The kinetics for the previously proposed 114-reaction mechanism for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process that leads from methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) to silicon carbide (SiC) are examined. Among the 114 reactions, 41 are predicted to proceed with no intervening barrier. For the remaining 73 reactions, transition states and their corresponding barrier heights have been explored using second-order perturbation theory (MP2) with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. Final energies for the reaction barriers were obtained using both MP2 with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set and coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ energies were estimated by assuming additivity of basis set and correlation effects. Partition functions for the computation of thermodynamic properties of the transition states were calculated with MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ. Forward and reverse Gibbs free energy barriers were obtained at 11 temperatures ranging from 0 to 2000 K. Important reaction pathways are illustrated at 0 and 1400 K.     

An ab initio study of the Cl(P)+C2H6→C2H5+HCl abstraction reaction

Electronic energies, geometries, and harmonic vibration frequencies for the reactants, products, and transition state for the Cl(³P)+C₂H₆→C₂H₅+HCl abstraction reaction were evaluated at the HF and MP2 levels using several correlation consistent polarized-valence basis sets. Single-point calculations at PMP2, MP4, QCISD(T), and CCSD(T) levels were also carried out. The values of the forward activation energies obtained at the MP4/cc-pVTZ, QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ, and CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ levels using the MP2/cc-pVTZ structures are equal to −0.1, −0.4, and −0.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The experimental value is equal to 0.3±0.2 kcal/mol. We found that the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ adiabatic vibration energy for the reaction (−2.4 kcal/mol) agrees well with the experimental value −(2.2–2.6) kcal/mol. Rate constants calculated with the zeroth-order interpolated variational transition state (IVTST-0) method are in good agreement with experiment. In general, the theoretical rate constants differ from experiment by, at most, a factor of 2.6.     

An ab initio benchmark study of the H + CO --> HCO reaction

The H + CO --> HCO reaction has been characterized with correlation consistent basis sets at five levels of theory in order to benchmark the sensitivities of the barrier height and reaction ergicity to the one-electron and n-electron expansions of the electronic wave function. Single and multireference methods are compared and contrasted. The coupled cluster method RCCSD(T) was found to be in very good agreement with Davidson-corrected internally-contracted multireference configuration interaction (MRCI+Q). Second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) was also employed. The estimated complete basis set (CBS) limits for the barrier height (in kcal/mol) for the five methods, including harmonic zero-point energy corrections, are MP2, 4.66; RCCSD, 4.78; RCCSD(T), 4.15; MRCI, 5.10; and MRCI+Q, 4.07. Similarly, the estimated CBS limits for the ergicity of the reaction are: MP2, -17.99; RCCSD, -13.34; RCCSD(T), -13.79; MRCI, -11.46; and MRCI+Q, -13.70. Additional basis set explorations for the RCCSD(T) method demonstrate that aug-cc-pVTZ sets, even with some functions removed, are sufficient to reproduce the CBS limits to within 0.1-0.3 kcal/mol.     

Geometries and stabilities of various configurations of benzene dimer: details of novel V-shaped structure revealed

Benzene dimer configurations namely T-shaped, parallel-displaced, sandwich, and V-shaped that were proposed by experimental studies are investigated using second- and fourth-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory. The MP2 method with aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets unequivocally shows that the parallel-displaced configuration is considerably more stable than T-shaped structure. On the other hand, the MP4(SDTQ)/aug-cc-pVDZ level predicts that the T-shaped and parallel-displaced configurations are nearly isoenergetic, which is parallel to the previous results of estimated CCSD(T)/CBS level reported recently. The lowest energy T-shaped configuration is stabilized by 0.17 kcal/mol over the parallel-displaced configuration at the MP4(SDTQ)/aug-cc-pVDZ level. Although the structures of all the four different types of configurations are found to be stable at both MP2 and full MP4 methods, the V-shaped configuration is the least stable among them. The calculated interaction energy of ?2.3 kcal/mol for the lowest energy T-shaped structure at the MP4(SDTQ)/aug-cc-pVDZ level is in good agreement with the experimental value of ?2.4 ± 0.4 kcal/mol. We conclude that the MP4(SDTQ) with a reasonably good basis set can be used for systems involving π–π interactions to obtain qualitative and quantitative results.     

Elementary constituents of microdevices: the Ge2H fragment

Highly correlated ab initio electronic structure theory has been used to systematically investigate the linear (X 2Pi) GeGeH and H-bridged (X 2B1 and A 2A1) GeHGe structures and the isomerization transition state (A 2A') connecting X 2Pi with A 2A1. The equilibrium structures and physical properties have been predicted employing self-consistent field, configuration interaction with single and double excitations, coupled cluster with single and double excitations (CCSD), and CCSD with perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. Four correlation-consistent polarized valence-[cc-pVXZ and aug-cc-pVXZ (X=T and Q)] type basis sets were used in the study. For the H-bridged GeHGe isomer, the X 2B1 ground state is predicted to lie only 0.74 [0.95 with zero-point vibrational energy (ZPVE) corrections] kcal mol-1 below the A 2A1 excited state at the CCSD(T) level of theory with the augmented correlation-consistent polarized valence quadruple zeta (aug-cc-pVQZ) basis set. The X 2B1 state of the H-bridged GeHGe isomer lies 8.6 kcal mol-1 below the X 2Pi ground state of the linear GeGeH isomer. The forward isomerization barrier from the linear ground state to the A 2A' transition state is predicted to be 3.7 kcal mol-1. The reverse isomerization barrier between the A 2A1 GeHGe structure and the X 2Pi GeGeH structure is predicted to be 11.6 (10.8 with the ZPVE corrections) kcal mol-1 at the aug-cc-pVQZ CCSD(T) level of theory.     

Theoretical study of oxidative additions of H2 and MeCN to a nickel(0) complex: significantly large correlation effects and characteristic features of the reaction

Oxidative addition of H2 to Ni(PH3)2 was theoretically studied as a prototype of nickel-catalyzed sigma-bond activation reaction, where CASSCF, CASPT2, CCSD(T), broken symmetry (Bs) MP2 to MP4(SDTQ), and DFT methods were employed. The CASPT2 method yields a reliable potential energy curve (PEC) when the active space consists of 10 electrons and 10 orbitals including five outer 3d' orbitals. The CCSD(T) method presents almost the same PEC as the CASPT2-calculated one, when either the ANO or the cc-pVTZ basis set is used for Ni. Bs-MP4(SDTQ)-calculated PEC is similar to those calculated by the CASPT2/ANO method, while the PEC is not smooth around the transition state. In the DFT calculation, ANO, cc-pVTZ, and triple-zeta quality basis sets (SDB) with Stuttgart-Dresden-Bonn effective core potentials (ECPs) must be used for Ni. The DFT-calculated reaction energy is somewhat smaller than the CASPT2- and CCSD(T)-calculated values, while B3PW91 and mPW1PW91 present moderately better energy changes than BLYP, B1LYP, and B3LYP. Oxidative addition of MeCN to Ni(PH3)2 was investigated by the DFT(B3PW91) and CCSD(T) methods. Almost the same activation barrier was calculated by these methods, when cc-pVTZ was employed for Ni. However, the DFT method moderately underestimates the binding energy of the reactant complex and the reaction energy compared to the CCSD(T) method. This oxidative addition exhibits interesting characteristic features, as follows: The barrier height relative to infinite separation is lower, and the product is more stable than those of the oxidative addition of C2H6. These differences are discussed in detail in terms of Ni-Me and Ni-CN bond energies and the participation of the CN pi* orbital to stabilization interaction in the transition state.     

Electron affinity of Al13: a correlated electronic structure study

Neutral and anionic 13-atom aluminum clusters are studied with high-level, fully ab initio methods: second-order perturbation theory (MP2) and coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)). Energies and vibrational frequencies are reported for icosahedral and decahedral isomers, and are compared with density functional theory results. At the MP2 level of theory, with all of the basis sets employed, the icosahedral structure is energetically favored over the decahedral structure for both the neutral and anionic Al(13) clusters. Hessian calculations imply that only the icosahedral structures are potential energy minima. The CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ adiabatic electron affinity of Al(13) is found to be 3.57 eV, in excellent agreement with experiment.     

HNNC radical and its role in the CH+N2 reaction

A previously unreported channel in the spin-allowed reaction path for the CH+N2 reaction that involves the HNNC radical is presented. The structures and energetics of the HNNC radical and its isomers HCNN and HNCN and the relevant intermediates and transition states that are involved in the proposed mechanism are obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles level of theory with noniterative triples correction (CCSD(T)) using a converging series of basis sets aug-cc-pVDZ, aug-cc-pVTZ, and aug-cc-pVQZ. The aug-cc-pVQZ basis is used for all the final single point energy calculations using the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ optimized geometries. We find the HNNC radical to have a heat of formation of DeltafH0 (HNNC)=116.5 kcal mol(-1). An assessment of the quality of computed data of the radical species HNCN and HCNN is presented by comparison with the available experimental data. We find that HNNC can convert to HNCN, the highest barrier in this path being 14.5 kcal mol(-1) above the energy of the CH+N2 reactants. Thus, HNNC can play a role in the high-temperature spin-allowed mechanism for the reaction of CH+N2 proposed by Moskaleva, Xia, and Lin (Chem. Phys. Lett. 2000, 331, 269).     

Theoretical study of the mechanism of NO2 production from NO + ClO

The reaction of NO with ClO has been studied theoretically using density-functional and wave function methods (B3LYP and CCSD(T)). Although a barrier for cis and trans additions could be located at the RCCSD(T) and UCCSD(T) levels, no barrier exists at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level. Variational transition state theory on a CASPT2(12,12)/ANO-L//B3LYP/6-311+G(d) surface was used to calculate the rate constants for addition. The rate constant for cis addition was faster than that for trans addition (cis:trans 1:0.76 at 298 K). The rate constant data summed for cis and trans addition in the range 200-1000 K were fit to a temperature-dependent rate in the form kdi) = 3.30 x 10(-13)T(0.558) exp(305/T) cm3.molecule(-1).s(-1), which is in good agreement with experiment. When the data are fit to an Arrhenius plot in the range 200-400 K, an activation barrier of -0.35 kcal/mol is obtained. The formation of ClNO2 from ONOCl has a much higher activation enthalpy from the trans isomer compared to the cis isomer. In fact, the preferred decomposition pathway from trans-ONOCl to NO2 + Cl is predicted to go through the cis-ONOCl intermediate. The trans --> cis isomerization rate constant is kiso = 1.92 x 10(13) exp(-4730/T) s(-1) using transition state theory.     

Direct dynamics study on the reaction of N2H4 with F atom: a hydrogen abstraction reaction?

We present a systematic direct ab initio dynamics investigation of the reaction between N2H4 and F atom, which is predicted to have three possible reaction channels. The structures and frequencies at the stationary points and the points along the minimum energy paths (MEPs) of all reaction channels were calculated at the UB3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. Energetic information of stationary points and the points along the MEPs was further refined by means of the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ method. The calculated results revealed that the first two primary channels (N2H4+F-->N2H3+HF) are equivalent and occur synchronously via the formation of a pre-reaction complex with Cs symmetry rather than via the direct H abstraction. The pre-reaction complex then evolves into a hydrogen-bonding intermediate through a transition state with nearly no barrier and a high exothermicity, which finally makes the intermediate further decompose into N2H3 and HF. Another reaction channel of minor role (N2H4+F-->NH2F+NH2) was also found during the calculations, which has the same Cs pre-reaction complex but forms NH2F and NH2 via another transition state with high-energy barrier and low exothermicity. The rate constants of these channels were calculated using the improved canonical variational transition state theory with the small-curvature tunneling correction (ICVT/SCT) method. The three-parameter ICVT/SCT rate constant expressions of k(ICVT/SCT) at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//UB3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory within 220-3000 K were fitted as (7.64x10(-9))T (-0.87) exp(1180/T) cm3 mole-1 s-1 for N2H4+F-->N2H3+HF and 1.45x10(-12)(T/298)(2.17) exp(-1710/T) cm3 mole-1 s-1 for N2H4+F-->NH2F+NH2.     

Kinetic isotope effects for Cl + CH4 ⇌ HCl + CH3 calculated using ab initio semiclassical transition state theory

Calculations were carried out for 25 isotopologues of the title reaction for various combinations of (35)Cl, (37)Cl, (12)C, (13)C, (14)C, H, and D. The computed rate constants are based on harmonic vibrational frequencies calculated at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory and X(ij) vibrational anharmonicity coefficients calculated at the CCSD(T) /aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. For some reactions, anharmonicity coefficients were also computed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The classical reaction barrier was taken from Eskola et al. [J. Phys. Chem. A 2008, 112, 7391-7401], who extrapolated CCSD(T) calculations to the complete basis set limit. Rate constants were calculated for temperatures from ～100 to ～2000 K. The computed ab initio rate constant for the normal isotopologue is in good agreement with experiments over the entire temperature range (～10% lower than the recommended experimental value at 298 K). The ab initio H/D kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for CH(3)D, CH(2)D(2), CHD(3), and CD(4) are in very good agreement with literature experimental data. The ab initio (12)C/(13)C KIE is in error by ～2% at 298 K for calculations using X(ij) coefficients computed with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set, but the error is reduced to ～1% when X(ij) coefficients computed with the larger aug-cc-pVTZ basis set are used. Systematic improvements appear to be possible. The present SCTST results are found to be more accurate than those from other theoretical calculations. Overall, this is a very promising method for computing ab initio kinetic isotope effects.     

DFT and ab initio calculations on two reactions between hydrogen atoms and the fire suppressants 2-H heptafluoropropane and CF3Br

Reaction enthalpies and barrier heights of the reactions CF3Br+H-->CF3+HBr {reaction (1)} and CF3CHFCF3+H-->CF3CFCF3+H2 {reaction (2)} have been calculated at the near state-of-the-art ab initio level, and also by employing the B3LYP, BH&HLYP, BB1K, MPW1K, MPWB1K and TPSS1KCIS functionals. In addition, the integrated molecular orbital+molecular orbital (IMOMO) method has been used to study reaction (2). The ab initio benchmark values of the reaction enthalpy (298 K) and barrier height (0 K) of reaction (2) are reported for the first time {-(0.7+/-0.7) and 13.3+/-0.5 kcal/mole respectively}. When density functional theory (DFT) results are compared with ab initio benchmarks for both reactions (1) and (2), the MPWB1K functional is found to have the best performance of the six functionals used. The IMOMO method with the RCCSD/aug-cc-pVTZ and/or RCCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ levels, as the high levels of calculation on the model system, gives reaction enthalpies and barrier heights of reaction (2), which agree with ab initio benchmark values to within 1 kcal/mole. Computed key geometrical parameters and imaginary vibrational frequencies of the transition state structures of reactions (1) and (2) obtained at different levels of calculation are compared. The magnitudes of the computed imaginary vibrational frequencies of the transition states of both reactions considered are found to be very sensitive to the levels of calculation used to obtain them. The heat of formation (298 K) of CF3CFCF3 calculated at the near state-of-the-art level has a value of -(318+/-3) kcal/mole.     

Rate coefficients of the CF3CHFCF3 + H → CF3CFCF3 + H2 reaction at different temperatures calculated by transition state theory with ab initio and DFT reaction paths

The minimum energy path (MEP) of the reaction, CF₃CHFCF₃ + H → transition state (TS) → CF₃CFCF₃ + H₂, has been computed at different ab initio levels and with density functional theory (DFT) using different functionals. The computed B3LYP/6‐31++G**, BH&HLYP/cc‐pVDZ, BMK/6‐31++G**, M05/6‐31+G**, M05‐2X/6‐31+G**, UMP2/6‐31++G**, PUMP2/6‐31++G**//UMP2/6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ//UMP2/6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ(spd,sp)//UMP2//6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/CBS//M05/6‐31+G**, and RCCSD(T)/CBS//UMP2/6‐31++G** MEPs, and associated gradients and Hessians, were used in reaction rate coefficient calculations based on the transition state theory (TST). Reaction rate coefficients were computed between 300 and 1500 K at various levels of TST, which include conventional TST, canonical variational TST (CVT) and improved CVT (ICVT), and with different tunneling corrections, namely, Wigner, zero‐curvature, and small‐curvature (SCT). The computed rate coefficients obtained at different ab initio, DFT and TST levels are compared with experimental values available in the 1000–1200 K temperature range. Based on the rate coefficients computed at the ICVT/SCT level, the highest TST level used in this study, the BH&HLYP functional performs best among all the functionals used, while the RCCSD(T)/CBS//MP2/6‐31++G** level is the best among all the ab initio levels used. Comparing computed reaction rate coefficients obtained at different levels of theory shows that, the computed barrier height has the strongest effect on the computed reaction rate coefficients as expected. Variational effects on the computed rate coefficients are found to be negligibly small. Although tunneling effects are relatively small at high temperatures (～1500 K), SCT corrections are significant at low temperatures (～300 K), and both barrier heights and the magnitudes of the imaginary frequencies affect SCT corrections. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Mechanism of the hydration of carbon dioxide: direct participation of H2O versus microsolvation

Thermochemical parameters of carbonic acid and the stationary points on the neutral hydration pathways of carbon dioxide, CO 2 + nH 2O --> H 2CO 3 + ( n - 1)H 2O, with n = 1, 2, 3, and 4, were calculated using geometries optimized at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. Coupled-cluster theory (CCSD(T)) energies were extrapolated to the complete basis set limit in most cases and then used to evaluate heats of formation. A high energy barrier of approximately 50 kcal/mol was predicted for the addition of one water molecule to CO 2 ( n = 1). This barrier is lowered in cyclic H-bonded systems of CO 2 with water dimer and water trimer in which preassociation complexes are formed with binding energies of approximately 7 and 15 kcal/mol, respectively. For n = 2, a trimeric six-member cyclic transition state has an energy barrier of approximately 33 (gas phase) and a free energy barrier of approximately 31 (in a continuum solvent model of water at 298 K) kcal/mol, relative to the precomplex. For n = 3, two reactive pathways are possible with the first having all three water molecules involved in hydrogen transfer via an eight-member cycle, and in the second, the third water molecule is not directly involved in the hydrogen transfer but solvates the n = 2 transition state. In the gas phase, the two transition states have comparable energies of approximately 15 kcal/mol relative to separated reactants. The first path is favored over in aqueous solution by approximately 5 kcal/mol in free energy due to the formation of a structure resembling a (HCO 3 (-)/H 3OH 2O (+)) ion pair. Bulk solvation reduces the free energy barrier of the first path by approximately 10 kcal/mol for a free energy barrier of approximately 22 kcal/mol for the (CO 2 + 3H 2O) aq reaction. For n = 4, the transition state, in which a three-water chain takes part in the hydrogen transfer while the fourth water microsolvates the cluster, is energetically more favored than transition states incorporating two or four active water molecules. An energy barrier of approximately 20 (gas phase) and a free energy barrier of approximately 19 (in water) kcal/mol were derived for the CO 2 + 4H 2O reaction, and again formation of an ion pair is important. The calculated results confirm the crucial role of direct participation of three water molecules ( n = 3) in the eight-member cyclic TS for the CO 2 hydration reaction. Carbonic acid and its water complexes are consistently higher in energy (by approximately 6-7 kcal/mol) than the corresponding CO 2 complexes and can undergo more facile water-assisted dehydration processes.     

Computational study on the mechanism and thermodynamic of atmospheric oxidation of HCN with ozone

Oxidation of hydrogen cyanide with ozone on the singlet potential energy surface is carried out using the MP2 and CCSD(T)//MP2 theoretical approaches in connection with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. In this reaction, energy barrier of transition states are low, so the reaction of HCN with ozone can occur easily at atmospheric condition. With variety of pre-reactive complex, five types of products are obtained at the MP2 method which four types of them have enough thermodynamic stability at the standard condition. CO₂ + HNO are final adducts in a process that is computed to be exothermic by ?132.605 kcal/mol in standard enthalpy and spontaneous by ?144.166 kcal/mol in Gibbs free energy of reaction. In kinetic viewpoint, the production of OCN + HO₂ adducts path with one low level transition state is the most favored path.     

高级量子化学从头计算法研究N2和H2O分子间相互作用

在MP2/6-311++G(3d,3p)电子相关校正水平上,对N₂和H₂O分子间可能存在的氢键复合物进行全自由度能量梯度优化,发现了一个接近于直线的弱氢键总能量极小结构(1),进一步在高级电子相关校正的MP4SDTQ和CCSD(T)水平,用6-311++G(3d,3p)基组加上(3s3p2d1f)键函数,用MP4和CCSD(T)计算的结构1的结合能分别为-5.061kJ/mol和-4.715kJ/mol.     

Ab initio direct dynamics studies on the reaction of H atom with CH3CH2Cl

The multiple channel reaction H + CH(3)CH(2)Cl --> products has been studied by the ab initio direct dynamics method. The potential energy surface information is calculated at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The energies along the minimum energy path are further improved by single-point energy calculations at the PMP4(SDTQ)/6-311+G(3df,2p) level of theory. For the reaction, four reaction channels (one chlorine abstraction, one alpha-hydrogen abstraction, and two beta-hydrogen abstractions) have been identified. The rate constants for each reaction channel are calculated by using canonical variational transition state theory incorporating the small-curvature tunneling correction in the temperature range 298-5000 K. The total rate constants, which are calculated from the sum of the individual rate constants, are in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculated temperature dependence of the branching fractions indicates that for the title reaction, H-abstraction reaction is the major reaction channel in the whole temperature range 298-5000 K.     

Reactions of diborane with ammonia and ammonia borane: catalytic effects for multiple pathways for hydrogen release

High-level electronic structure calculations have been used to construct portions of the potential energy surfaces related to the reaction of diborane with ammonia and ammonia borane (B2H6 + NH3 and B2H6 + BH3NH3)to probe the molecular mechanism of H2 release. Geometries of stationary points were optimized at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. Total energies were computed at the coupled-cluster CCSD(T) theory level with the correlation-consistent basis sets. The results show a wide range of reaction pathways for H2 elimination. The initial interaction of B2H6 + NH3 leads to a weak preassociation complex, from which a B-H-B bridge bond is broken giving rise to a more stable H3BHBH2NH3 adduct. This intermediate, which is also formed from BH3NH3 + BH3, is connected with at least six transition states for H2 release with energies 18-93 kal/mol above the separated reactants. The lowest-lying transition state is a six-member cycle, in which BH3exerts a bifunctional catalytic effect accelerating H2 generation within a B-H-H-N framework. Diborane also induces a catalytic effect for H2 elimination from BH3NH3 via a three-step pathway with cyclic transition states. Following conformational changes, the rate-determining transition state for H2 release is approximately 27 kcal/mol above the B2H6 + BH3NH3 reactants, as compared with an energy barrier of approximately 37 kcal/mol for H2 release from BH3NH3. The behavior of two separated BH3 molecules is more complex and involves multiple reaction pathways. Channels from diborane or borane initially converge to a complex comprising the H3BHBH2NH3adduct plus BH3. The interaction of free BH3 with the BH3 moiety of BH3NH3 via a six-member transition state with diborane type of bonding leads to a lower-energy transition state. The corresponding energy barrier is approximately 8 kcal/mol, relative to the reference point H3BHBH2NH3 adduct + BH3. These transition states are 27-36 kcal/mol above BH3NH3 + B2H6, but 1-9 kcal/mol below the separated reactants BH3NH3 + 2 BH3. Upon chemical activation of B2H6 by forming 2 BH3, there should be sufficient internal energy to undergo spontaneous H2 release. Proceeding in the opposite direction, the H2 regeneration of the products of the B2H6 + BH3NH3reaction should be a feasible process under mild thermal conditions.     

Basis set convergence of the coupled-cluster correction, δ(MP2)(CCSD(T)): best practices for benchmarking non-covalent interactions and the attendant revision of the S22, NBC10, HBC6, and HSG databases

In benchmark-quality studies of non-covalent interactions, it is common to estimate interaction energies at the complete basis set (CBS) coupled-cluster through perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] level of theory by adding to CBS second-order perturbation theory (MP2) a "coupled-cluster correction," δ(MP2)(CCSD(T)), evaluated in a modest basis set. This work illustrates that commonly used basis sets such as 6-31G*(0.25) can yield large, even wrongly signed, errors for δ(MP2)(CCSD(T)) that vary significantly by binding motif. Double-ζ basis sets show more reliable results when used with explicitly correlated methods to form a δ(MP2-F12)(CCSD(T(*))-F12) correction, yielding a mean absolute deviation of 0.11 kcal mol(-1) for the S22 test set. Examining the coupled-cluster correction for basis sets up to sextuple-ζ in quality reveals that δ(MP2)(CCSD(T)) converges monotonically only beyond a turning point at triple-ζ or quadruple-ζ quality. In consequence, CBS extrapolation of δ(MP2)(CCSD(T)) corrections before the turning point, generally CBS (aug-cc-pVDZ,aug-cc-pVTZ), are found to be unreliable and often inferior to aug-cc-pVTZ alone, especially for hydrogen-bonding systems. Using the findings of this paper, we revise some recent benchmarks for non-covalent interactions, namely the S22, NBC10, HBC6, and HSG test sets. The maximum differences in the revised benchmarks are 0.080, 0.060, 0.257, and 0.102 kcal mol(-1), respectively.     

Modern valence-bond description of chemical reaction mechanisms: the 1,3-dipolar addition of diazomethane to ethene

The electronic mechanism for the gas-phase concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of diazomethane (CH2N2) to ethene (C2H4) is described through spin-coupled (SC) calculations at a sequence of geometries along the intrinsic reaction coordinate obtained at the MP2/6-31G(d) level of theory. It is shown that the bonding rearrangements occurring during the course of this reaction follow a heterolytic pattern, characterized by the movement of three well-identifiable orbital pairs, which are initially responsible for the pi bond in ethene and the C-N pi bond and one of the N-N pi bonds in diazomethane and are retained throughout the entire reaction path from reactants to product. Taken together with our previous SC study of the electronic mechanism of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of fulminic acid (HCNO) to ethyne (C2H2) (Theor. Chim. Acc. 1998, 100, 222), the results of the present work suggest strongly that most gas-phase concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions can be expected to follow a heterolytic mechanism of this type, which does not involve an aromatic transition state. The more conventional aspects of the gas-phase concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of diazomethane to ethene, including optimized transition structure geometry, electronic activation energy, activation barrier corrected for zero-point energies, standard enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy of activation, have been calculated at the HF/6-31G(d), B3LYP/6-31G(d), MP2/6-31G(d), MP2/6-31G(d,p), QCISD/6-31G(d) and CCD/6-31G(d) levels of theory. We also report the CCD/6-311++G(2d, 2p)//CCD/6-31G(d), MP4(SDTQ)/6-311++G(2d,2p)//CCD/6-31G(d) and CCSD(T)/6-311++G(2d, 2p)//CCD/6-31G(d) electronic activation energies.