On the excited state dynamics of vibronic transitions. High-resolution electronic spectra of acenaphthene and its argon van der Waals complex in the gas phase

Rotationally resolved fluorescence excitation spectroscopy has been used to study the dynamics, electronic distribution, and the relative orientation of the transition moment vector in several vibronic transitions of acenaphthene (ACN) and in its Ar van der Waals (vdW) complex. The 0(0)(0) band of the S(1) ← S(0) transition of ACN exhibits a transition moment orientation parallel to its a-inertial axis. However, some of the vibronic bands exhibit a transition moment orientation parallel to the b-inertial axis, suggesting a Herzberg-Teller coupling with the S(2) state. Additionally, some other vibronic bands exhibit anomalous intensity patterns in several of their rotational transitions. A Fermi resonance involving two near degenerate vibrations has been proposed to explain this behavior. The high-resolution electronic spectrum of the ACN-Ar vdW complex has also been obtained and fully analyzed. The results indicate that the weakly attached argon atom is located on top of the plane of the bare molecule at ~3.48 ? away from its center of mass in the S(0) electronic state.     

Excited and ground state vibrational dynamics revealed by two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy

Broadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) can assist in understanding complex electronic and vibrational signatures. In this paper, we use 2DES to examine the electronic structure and dynamics of a long chain cyanine dye (1,1-diethyl-4,4-dicarbocyanine iodide, or DDCI-4), a system with a vibrational progression. Using broadband pulses that span the resonant electronic transition, we measure two-dimensional spectra that show a characteristic six peak pattern from coherently excited ground and excited state vibrational modes. We model these features using a spectral density formalism and the vibronic features are assigned to Feynman pathways. We also examine the dynamics of a particular set of peaks demonstrating anticorrelated peak motion, a signature of oscillatory wavepacket dynamics on the ground and excited states. These dynamics, in concert with the general structure of vibronic two-dimensional spectra, can be used to distinguish between pure electronic and vibrational quantum coherences.     

Multimode Jahn-Teller and pseudo-Jahn-Teller interactions in the cyclopropane radical cation: complex vibronic spectra and nonradiative decay dynamics

The complex vibronic spectra and the nonradiative decay dynamics of the cyclopropane radical cation (CP+) are simulated theoretically with the aid of a time-dependent wave packet propagation approach using the multireference time-dependent Hartree scheme. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental photoelectron spectrum of cyclopropane. The ground and first excited electronic states of CP+ are of X2E' and A2E' type, respectively. Each of these degenerate electronic states undergoes Jahn-Teller (JT) splitting when the radical cation is distorted along the degenerate vibrational modes of e' symmetry. The JT split components of these two electronic states can also undergo pseudo-Jahn-Teller (PJT)-type crossings via the vibrational modes of e', a1' and a2' symmetries. These lead to the possibility of multiple multidimensional conical intersections and highly nonadiabatic nuclear motions in these coupled manifolds of electronic states. In a previous publication [J. Phys. Chem. A 2004, 108, 2256], we investigated the JT interactions alone in the X2E' ground electronic manifold of CP+. In the present work, the JT interactions in the A2E' electronic manifold are treated, and our previous work is extended by considering the coupling between the X2E' and A2E' electronic states of CP+. The nuclear dynamics in this coupled manifold of two JT split doubly degenerate electronic states is simulated by considering fourteen active and most relevant vibrational degrees of freedom. The vibronic level spectra and the ultrafast nonradiative decay of the excited cationic states are examined and are related to the highly complex entanglement of electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom in this prototypical molecular system.     

Diradicals, antiaromaticity, and the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect: electronic and rovibronic structures of the cyclopentadienyl cation

The electronic and rovibronic structures of the cyclopentadienyl cation (C(5)H(5) (+)) and its fully deuterated isotopomer (C(5)D(5) (+)) have been investigated by pulsed-field-ionization zero-kinetic-energy (PFI-ZEKE) photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. The vibronic structure in the two lowest electronic states of the cation has been determined using single-photon ionization from the X (2)E(1) (") ground neutral state and 1+1(') resonant two-photon ionization via several vibrational levels of the A (2)A(2) (") excited state. The cyclopentadienyl cation possesses a triplet ground electronic state (X(+) (3)A(2) (')) of D(5h) equilibrium geometry and a first excited singlet state (a(+) (1)E(2) (')) distorted by a pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect. A complete analysis of the Emultiply sign in circlee Jahn-Teller effect and of the (A+E)multiply sign in circlee pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect in the a(+) (1)E(2) (') state has been performed. This state is subject to a very weak linear Jahn-Teller effect and to an unusually strong pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect. Vibronic calculations have enabled us to partially assign the vibronic structure and determine the adiabatic singlet-triplet interval (1534+/-6 cm(-1)). The experimental spectra, a group-theoretical analysis of the vibronic coupling mechanisms, and ab initio calculations were used to establish the topology of the singlet potential energy surfaces and to characterize the pseudorotational motion of the cation on the lowest singlet potential energy surface. The analysis of the rovibronic photoionization dynamics in rotationally resolved spectra and the study of the variation of the intensity distribution with the intermediate vibrational level show that a Herzberg-Teller mechanism is responsible for the observation of the forbidden a(+) (1)E(2) (')<--A (2)A(2) (") photoionizing transition.     

Theoretical study of the electronic nonadiabatic transitions in the photoelectron spectroscopy of F2O

The photoelectron spectrum of F2O pertaining to ionizations to the ground (X2B1) and low-lying excited electronic states (A2B2, B2A1, and C2A2) of F2O+ is investigated theoretically. The near equilibrium potential energy surfaces of the ground electronic state (X2B1) of F2O and the mentioned ground and excited electronic states of F2O+ reported by Wang et al. ( J. Chem. Phys. 2001, 114, 10682) for the C2v configuration are extended for the Cs geometry assuming a harmonic vibration along the asymmetric stretching mode. The vibronic interactions between the A2B2 and B2A1 electronic states of F2O+ are treated within a linear coupling approach, and the strength of the vibronic coupling parameter is calculated by an ab initio method. The nuclear dynamics is simulated by both time-independent quantum mechanical and time-dependent wave packet approaches. Although the first photoelectron band exhibits resolved vibrational progression along the symmetric stretching mode, the second one is highly overlapping. The latter is attributed to the nonadiabatic interactions among the energetically close A2B2, B2A1, and C2A2 electronic states of F2O+. The theoretical findings are in good accord with the available experimental results.     

Communication: multistate quantum dynamics of photodissociation of carbon dioxide between 120 nm and 160 nm

UV absorption cross section of CO(2) is studied using high level ab initio quantum chemistry for electrons and iterative quantum dynamics for nuclear motion on interacting global full dimensional potential energy surfaces. Six electronic states-1, 2, 3(1)A(') and 1, 2, 3(1)A(")-are considered. At linearity, they correspond to the ground electronic state X?(1)Σ(g) (+) and the optically forbidden but vibronically allowed valence states 1(1)Δ(u), 1(1)Σ(u) (-), and 1(1)Π(g). In the Franck-Condon region, these states interact via Renner-Teller and conical intersections and are simultaneously involved in an intricate network of non-adiabatic couplings. The absorption spectrum, calculated for many rotational states, reproduces the distinct two-band shape of the experimental spectrum measured at 190 K and the characteristic patterns of the diffuse structures in each band. Quantum dynamics unravel the relative importance of different vibronic mechanisms, while metastable resonance states, underlying the diffuse structures, provide dynamically based vibronic assignments of individual lines.     

Multistate multimode vibronic dynamics: entanglement of electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom in the benzene radical cation

An earlier theoretical treatment of multimode and multistate vibronic coupling in the benzene radical cation [Koppel et al., J. Chem. Phys. 117, 2657 (2002)] is extended to investigate also the behavior of the nuclear degrees of freedom and to include additional electronic states. The five lowest doublet electronic states are considered which have been shown earlier to be all interconnected through a series of conical intersections of their potential-energy surfaces. In the most extensive calculations, they are all included simultaneously in the quantum dynamical calculations performed, which represent a system of unprecedented complexity treated in this way. The results are compared with various reduced-dimensionality treatments (i.e., employing reduced vibrational and electronic function spaces). The different temporal behavior of the various electronic populations is emphasized and traced to the different locations of the various seams of conical intersections: due to the coherent oscillations of the time-dependent wave packet this leads to an oscillatory behavior in some cases and to monotonous behavior in others. A seemingly irreversible behavior of the system dynamics in this strictly microscopic treatment is confirmed. The importance of this benchmark system to highlight complex, entangled multimode, and multistate vibronic dynamics is pointed out.     

A time-dependent wave packet study of the vibronic and spin-orbit interactions in the dynamics of Cl((2)P)+H(2)-->HCl(X (1)Sigma(g) (+))+H((2)S) reaction

We investigate the vibronic and spin-orbit (SO) coupling effects in the state-selected dynamics of the title reaction with the aid of a time-dependent wave packet approach. The ab initio potential energy surfaces of Capecchi and Werner [Science 296, 715 (2002)] have been employed for this purpose. Collinear approach of the Cl((2)P) atom to the H(2) molecule splits the degeneracy of the (2)P state and gives rise to (2)Sigma and (2)Pi electronic states. These two surfaces form a conical intersection at this geometry. These states transform as 1 (2)A('), 1 (2)A("), and 2 (2)A('), respectively, at the nonlinear configurations of the nuclei. In addition, the SO interaction due to Cl atom further splits these states into (2)Sigma(1/2), (2)Pi(3/2), and (2)Pi(1/2) components at the linear geometry. The ground-state reagent Cl((2)P(3/2))+H(2) correlates with (2)Sigma(1/2) and (2)Pi(3/2), where as the SO excited reagent Cl(*)((2)P(1/2))+H(2) correlates with (2)Pi(1/2) at the linear geometry. In order to elucidate the impact of the vibronic and SO coupling effects on the initial state-selected reactivity of these electronic states we carry out quantum scattering calculations based on a flux operator formalism and a time-dependent wave packet approach. In this work, total reaction probabilities and the time dependence of electronic population of the system by initiating the reaction on each of the above electronic states are presented. The role of conical intersection alone on the reaction dynamics is investigated with a coupled two-state model and for the total angular momentum J=0 (neglecting the electronic orbital angular momentum) both in a diabatic as well as in the adiabatic electronic representation. The SO interaction is then included and the dynamics is studied with a coupled three-state model comprising six diabatic surfaces for the total angular momentum J=0.5 neglecting the Coriolis Coupling terms of the Hamiltonian. Companion calculations are carried out for the uncoupled adiabatic and diabatic surfaces in order to explicitly reveal the impact of two different surface coupling mechanisms in the dynamics of this prototypical reaction.     

On quantifying the vibronic interaction between electronic states

An accurate estimation of the interstate vibronic coupling strength is of particular relevance for the treatment of nonadiabatic dynamics. This is not a trivial task because direct interactions between electronic states have to be separated from intrinsic frequency shifts. Surprisingly, this issue has not been discussed in detail in the literature so far. An analysis of the error dependence is given for two formulas derived from linear vibronic coupling theory. The difficulty in estimating the interstate coupling parameters is shown to originate from the initially unknown contribution of the diagonal quadratic coupling coefficients to the total vibronic coupling. An interpretation of the error analysis including a numerical case study is followed by a more general discussion of the different mechanisms that can shape adiabatic electronic potential energy functions. Qualitative criteria are formulated for the differentiation between interstate and intrastate vibronic coupling effects based on electronic structure information. These ideas are then applied to investigate vibronic coupling problems in pyrazine as well as trans- and cis-hexatriene.     

Vibrationally mediated photodissociation of ethylene cation by reflectron multimass velocity map imaging

A new imaging technique, reflectron multimass velocity map ion imaging, is used to study the vibrationally mediated photodissociation dynamics in the ethylene cation. The cation ground electronic state is prepared in specific vibrational levels by two-photon resonant, three-photon ionization via vibronic bands of (pi, nf) Rydberg states in the vicinity of the ionization potential of ethylene, then photodissociated through the (B 2A(g)) excited state. We simultaneously record spatially resolved images of parent C2H4+ ions as well as photofragment C2H3+ and C2H2+ ions originating in dissociation from the vibronic excitations in two distinct bands, 7f 4(0)2 and 8f 0(0)0, at roughly the same total energy. By analyzing the images, we directly obtain the total translation energy distributions for the two dissociation channels and the branching between them. The results show that there exist differences for competitive dissociation pathways between H and H2 elimination from C2H4+ depending on the vibronic preparation used, i.e., on the vibrational excitation in the ground state of the cation prior to photodissociation. Our findings are discussed in terms of the possible influence of the torsional excitation on competition between direct dissociation, isomerization, and radiationless transitions through conical intersections among the numerous electronic states that participate in the dissociation.     

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of NC3S

In a discharged supersonic jet of acetonitrile and carbon disulfide, we have for the first time observed an electronic transition of the NC(3)S radical using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy. A progression originating from the C-S stretching mode of the upper electronic state appears in the excitation spectrum. Each band of the progression has a polyad structure due to anharmonic resonances with even overtones of bending modes. Rotationally resolved spectra have been observed by high-resolution laser scans, and the electronic transition is assigned to A 2Pii-X 2Pii. For the vibronic origin band, the position and the effective rotational constant of the upper level have been determined to be 21 553.874(1) and 0.046 689(4) cm(-1), respectively. The dispersed fluorescence spectrum from the zero vibrational level of A 2Pi3/2 has also been observed; its vibrational structure is similar to that of the LIF excitation spectrum, showing a prominent C-S stretching progression with polyad structures. The vibrational frequencies of the C-S stretching mode in the ground and excited electronic states are determined to be 550 and 520 cm(-1), respectively. Fluorescence decay profiles have been measured for several vibronic levels of the A state.     

Resonance Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation study of photodecay dynamics of tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin

The 397.9 nm, 416.0 nm and 435.7 nm resonance Raman spectra were acquired for meso-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) in tetrahydrofuran solution, and the Raman effect of relaxation dynamics was analyzed according to Herzberg-Teller (vibronic coupling) contributions. Density functional calculations were done to help the elucidation of the Soret (B(x) and B(y)-band) electronic transitions and the corresponding photo relaxation dynamics of TCPP. The spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon region photo relaxation dynamics upon S(0) → S(4) electronic transition are predominantly along the totally symmetric C(m)-ph stretch and Porphin ring breath stretch, and simultaneously along the asymmetric ν(C(m)-Phenyl) + δ(N-H) and ν(C(α)-C(m)-C(α))(as) + def (pyr) vibrational relaxation processes. The excited state structural dynamics of TCPP determined from the resonance Raman spectra show that the internal conversion between the B(y) and B(x) electronic states occurs in tens of femtoseconds, and the electronic relaxation dynamics were firstly interpreted taking into account the time-dependent wave packet theory and Herzberg-Teller (vibronic coupling) contributions.     

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy of a mixed dimer between 2-pyridone and 7-azaindole

We report here the laser induced fluorescence excitation (FE) and dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectra of a 1:1 mixed dimer between 7-azaindole (7AI) and 2-pyridone (2PY) measured in a supersonic free jet expansion of helium. Density functional theoretical calculation at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level has been performed for predictions of the dimer geometry and normal mode vibrational frequencies in the ground electronic state. A planar doubly hydrogen-bonded structure has been predicted to be the most preferred geometry of the dimer. In the FE spectrum, sharp vibronic bands are observed only for excitation of the 2PY moiety. A large number of low-frequency vibronic bands show up in both the FE and DF spectra, and those bands have been assigned to in-plane hydrogen bond vibrations of the dimer. Spectral analyses reveal Duschinsky-type mixing among those modes in the excited state. No distinct vibronic band structure in the FE spectrum was observed corresponding to excitations of the 7AI moiety, and the observation has been explained in terms of nonradiative electronic relaxation routes involving the 2PY moiety.     

The D 1Sigma+ state of 7LiH: comparison of observations with vibronic theory

The excited D (1)Sigma(+) electronic state of (7)LiH has been observed up to near its dissociation limit by a pulsed optical-optical double resonance fluorescence depletion spectroscopic technique. An extensive vibronic calculation has been performed with a diabatic approach with purely potential couplings involving a set of eight diabatic states of (1)Sigma(+) symmetry, corresponding to seven neutral states and one ionic state. Twenty-six new vibrational levels have been observed. Both the derived vibrational energy spacings and the vibronic ones are similarly irregular. The observed spectral linewidths and vibronic resonance widths are found to vary similarly with increasing energy. Observed asymmetric spectral lineshapes may be attributed to the strong radial couplings between the discrete levels of the D (1)Sigma(+) electronic state and the continuum states of the C (1)Sigma(+) electronic state. The mutual agreement between the spectral results and the vibronic results demonstrates that the D (1)Sigma(+) electronic state of (7)LiH is better characterized by the vibronic approach.     

Theoretical study of excitations in furan: spectra and molecular dynamics

The excitation spectra and molecular dynamics of furan associated with its low-lying excited singlet states 1A2(3s), 1B2(V), 1A1(V'), and 1B1(3p) are investigated using an ab initio quantum-dynamical approach. The ab initio results of our previous work [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 737 (2003)] on the potential energy surfaces (PES) of these states indicate that they are vibronically coupled with each other and subject to conical intersections. This should give rise to complex nonadiabatic nuclear dynamics. In the present work the dynamical problem is treated using adequate vibronic coupling models accounting for up to four coupled PES and thirteen vibrational degrees of freedom. The calculations were performed using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method for wave-packet propagation. It is found that in the low-energy region the nuclear dynamics of furan is governed mainly by vibronic coupling of the 1A2(3s) and 1B2(V) states, involving also the 1A1(V') state. These interactions are responsible for the ultrafast internal conversion from the 1B2(V) state, characterized by a transfer of the electronic population to the 1A2(3s) state on a time scale of approximately 25 fs. The calculated photoabsorption spectrum of furan is in good qualitative agreement with experimental data. Some assignments of the measured spectrum are proposed.     

Potential-energy surface, dynamics of van der Waals motions, and vibronic transitions in p-difluorobenzene-argon complex

The dynamics of van der Waals vibrational motions and vibronic spectrum of the complex of argon with p-difluorobenzene (ArDFB) are investigated using the ab initio method. The electronic ground-state potential-energy surface of the complex is calculated at the second-order M?ller-Plesset level of theory using a well-balanced basis set aug-cc-pVDZ and its reduced version without tight polarization functions. The dissociation energy of 351 cm(-1) and the binding energy of 402 cm(-1) determined at the Ar distance of 3.521 Angstroms from the DFB ring well agree with the experimental data available. The character of calculated vibrational levels is analyzed and the effect of a strong coupling between the stretching and bending motions is investigated. A new class of hybrid states created by this coupling is found. To investigate the vibronic S(1)-S(0) spectrum, the surfaces of the electronic transition dipole moment are calculated using the ab initio method. From these surfaces, the vibronic transition intensities are determined and employed to assign the Franck-Condon- and Herzberg-Teller-induced transitions.     

Charge transfer vibronic transitions in uranyl tetrachloride compounds

The electronic and vibronic interactions of uranyl (UO(2))(2+) in three tetrachloride crystals have been investigated with spectroscopic experiments and theoretical modeling. Analysis and simulation of the absorption and photoluminescence spectra have resulted in a quantitative understanding of the charge transfer vibronic transitions of uranyl in the crystals. The spectra obtained at liquid helium temperature consist of extremely narrow zero-phonon lines (ZPL) and vibronic bands. The observed ZPLs are assigned to the first group of the excited states formed by electronic excitation from the 3σ ground state into the f(δ,?) orbitals of uranyl. The Huang-Rhys theory of vibronic coupling is modified successfully for simulating both the absorption and luminescence spectra. It is shown that only vibronic coupling to the axially symmetric stretching mode is Franck-Condon allowed, whereas other modes are involved through coupling with the symmetric stretching mode. The energies of electronic transitions, vibration frequencies of various local modes, and changes in the O═U═O bond length of uranyl in different electronic states and in different coordination geometries are evaluated in empirical simulations of the optical spectra. Multiple uranyl sites derived from the resolution of a superlattice at low temperature are resolved by crystallographic characterization and time- and energy-resolved spectroscopic studies. The present empirical simulation provides insights into fundamental understanding of uranyl electronic interactions and is useful for quantitative characterization of uranyl coordination.