Investigation of infrared calibration methods for application to the study of methyl methacrylate polymerization

Infrared spectroscopy has been used to monitor the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Concentrations of methyl methacrylate in the reaction mixture were determined by use of three calibration methods. Classical quantitative analysis was used to measure the height of the stretching vibration bands of the vinyl group at 1639 cm^–1. A calibration procedure using the considerably higher intensity of the C = O stretching vibration band of the carbonyl ester group at 1725 cm^–1 seemed useful only for high concentrations of methyl methacrylate, i.e. at the beginning of reaction, because this band overlaps that of poly(methyl methacrylate). Use of second-derivative spectra and measuring their values at 1725 cm^–1 enabled estimation of ten times lower concentrations of methyl methacrylate the calibration using the band from the vinyl group.     

A [4+2]-like cycloaddition of methyl methacrylate on Si(100)-2 x 1

The attachment of methyl methacrylate (MMA) on Si(100)-2x1 was investigated using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The HREELS spectra of chemisorbed MMA show the disappearance of characteristic vibrations of C=O (1725 cm(-1)) and C(sp(2))-H (3110, 1400, and 962 cm(-1)) coupled with the blue shift of the C=C stretching mode by 34 cm(-1) compared to those of physisorbed molecules. These results clearly demonstrate that both C=C and C=O in MMA directly participate in the interaction with the surface to form a SiCH(2)C(CH(3))=C(OCH(3))OSi species via a [4+2]-like cycloaddition. This binding configuration was further supported by XPS, UPS, and DFT studies.     

Raman spectroscopic study of a hydroxy-arsenate mineral containing bismuth-atelestite Bi2O(OH)(AsO4)

The Raman spectrum of atelestite Bi2O(OH)(AsO4), a hydroxy-arsenate mineral containing bismuth, has been studied in terms of spectra-structure relations. The studied spectrum is compared with the Raman spectrum of atelestite downloaded from the RRUFF database. The sharp intense band at 834 cm(-1) is assigned to the ν1 AsO4(3-) (A1) symmetric stretching mode and the three bands at 767, 782 and 802 cm(-1) to the ν3 AsO4(3-) antisymmetric stretching modes. The bands at 310, 324, 353, 370, 395, 450, 480 and 623 cm(-1) are assigned to the corresponding ν4 and ν2 bending modes and BiOBi (vibration of bridging oxygen) and BiO (vibration of non-bridging oxygen) stretching vibrations. Lattice modes are observed at 172, 199 and 218 cm(-1). A broad low intensity band at 3095 cm(-1) is attributed to the hydrogen bonded OH units in the atelestite structure. A weak band at 1082 cm(-1) is assigned to δ(BiOH) vibration.     

Ion core structure in (C(2)n+ and (CS2)n- (n=3-10) studied by infrared photodissociation spectroscopy

Infrared photodissociation spectra of (CS(2))(n) (+) and (CS(2))(n) (-) with n=3-10 are measured in the 1100-2000 cm(-1) region. All the (CS(2))(n) (+) clusters exhibit three bands at approximately 1410, approximately 1490, and approximately 1540 cm(-1). The intensity of the 1540 cm(-1) band relative to those of the other bands increases with increasing the cluster size, indicating that the band at 1540 cm(-1) is assignable to the antisymmetric CS stretching vibration of solvent CS(2) molecules in the clusters. On the basis of density functional theory calculations, the 1410 and 1490 cm(-1) bands of (CS(2))(n) (+) are assigned to CS stretching vibrations of the C(2)S(4) (+) cation core with a C(2) form. The (CS(2))(n) (-) clusters show two bands at around 1215 and 1530 cm(-1). Similar to the case of cation clusters, the latter band is ascribed to the antisymmetric CS stretching vibration of solvent CS(2) molecules. Vibrational frequency analysis of CS(2) (-) and C(2)S(4) (-) suggests that the 1215 cm(-1) band is attributed to the antisymmetric CS stretching vibration of the CS(2) (-) anion core with a C(2v) structure.     

The vibrational group frequency of the N-O* stretching band of nitroxide stable free radicals

The group frequency of the N-O radical stretching vibration has received scant attention in the literature. The few existing treatments of the vibrational spectroscopy of nitroxides are incomplete at best and potentially misleading to workers in the field. To close this gap in the available knowledge, the existing literature on the vibrational spectra of nitroxide stable free radicals is critically reviewed with particular reference to the wavenumber position of the N-O stretching vibration, nu(N-O). Poor evidentiary bases for the assignment nu(N-O) were found in many instances. Ab initio Density Field Theory calculations using a model chemistry of UB3LYP at the 6-311++G(d,p) level were performed to obtain a theoretical band position of nu(N-O) for comparison with the published data. Large discrepancies between the theoretical and experimental values were found for the radical 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-pyrrolin-1-yloxyl, which currently sets the lower limit of the accepted wavenumber range of nu(N-O), as well as for the nitronyl and iminyl nitroxides. The wavenumber position of nu(N-O) was found to occur in the range 1450-1420cm(-1) for 5-membered cyclic nitroxides and 1395-1340cm(-1) for 6-membered cyclic and acyclic nitroxides. In nitronyl nitroxides, the symmetric stretching vibration occurs in the region 1470cm(-1), but coupling to other modes makes specific band assignments problematic for the nitronyl nitroxide group.     

Infrared and infrared emission spectroscopy of the zinc carbonate mineral smithsonite

Infrared emission and infrared spectroscopy has been used to study a series of selected natural smithsonites from different origins. An intense broad infrared band at 1440cm(-1) is assigned to the nu(3) CO(3)(2-) antisymmetric stretching vibration. An additional band is resolved at 1335cm(-1). An intense sharp Raman band at 1092cm(-1) is assigned to the CO(3)(2-) symmetric stretching vibration. Infrared emission spectra show a broad antisymmetric band at 1442cm(-1) shifting to lower wavenumbers with thermal treatment. A band observed at 870cm(-1) with a band of lesser intensity at 842cm(-1) shifts to higher wavenumbers upon thermal treatment and is observed at 865cm(-1) at 400 degrees C and is assigned to the CO(3)(2-)nu(2) mode. No nu(2) bending modes are observed in the Raman spectra for smithsonite. The band at 746cm(-1) shifts to 743cm(-1) at 400 degrees C and is attributed to the CO(3)(2-)nu(4) in phase bending modes. Two infrared bands at 744 and around 729cm(-1) are assigned to the nu(4) in phase bending mode. Multiple bands may be attributed to the structural distortion ZnO(6) octahedron. This structural distortion is brought about by the substitution of Zn by some other cation. A number of bands at 2499, 2597, 2858, 2954 and 2991cm(-1) in both the IE and infrared spectra are attributed to combination bands.     

Measurement and revised analysis of the torsional combination band of the nonpolar N2O dimer at 2249 cm(-1)

The high-resolution infrared spectrum of the weakly-bound dimer (N(2)O)(2) is studied using a rapid-scan tunable-diode laser spectrometer to probe a pulsed supersonic jet expansion. An observed band with c-type rotational structure is assigned as a combination of the intramolecular N(2)O nu(1) stretching vibration and the intermolecular out-of-plane dimer torsional vibration, with a vibrational origin at 2249.360 cm(-1). The resulting torsional frequency for the nonpolar N(2)O dimer is about 21.5 cm(-1). The present rotational analysis is completely different from that reported previously for the same band [Hecker et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2003, 5, 2333], which gave a band origin some 1.53 cm(-1) lower.     

Raman spectroscopy of uranyl rare earth carbonate kamotoite-(Y)

Raman spectroscopy at 298 and 77K has been used to study the mineral kamotoite-(Y), a uranyl rare earth carbonate mineral of formula Y(2)(UO(2))(4)(CO(3))(3)(OH)(8).10-11H(2)O. The mineral is characterised by two Raman bands at 1130.9 and 1124.6 cm(-1) assigned to the nu(1) symmetric stretching mode of the (CO(3))(2-) units, while those at 1170.4 and 862.3 cm(-1) (77K) to the deltaU-OH bending vibrations. The assignment of the two bands at 814.7 and 809.6 cm(-1) is difficult because of the potential overlap between the symmetric stretching modes of the (UO(2))(2+) units and the nu(2) bending modes of the (CO(3))(2-) units. Only a single band is observed in the 77K spectrum at 811.6 cm(-1). One possible assignment is that the band at 814.7 cm(-1) is attributable to the nu(1) symmetric stretching mode of the (UO(2))(2+) units and the second band at 809.6 cm(-1) is due to the nu(2) bending modes of the (CO(3))(2-) units. Bands observed at 584 and 547.3 cm(-1) are attributed to water librational modes. An intense band at 417.7 cm(-1) resolved into two components at 422.0 and 416.6 cm(-1) in the 77K spectrum is assigned to an Y(2)O(2) stretching vibration. Bands at 336.3, 286.4 and 231.6 cm(-1) are assigned to the nu(2) (UO(2))(2+) bending modes. U-O bond lengths in uranyl are calculated from the wavenumbers of the uranyl symmetric stretching vibrations. The presence of symmetrically distinct uranyl and carbonate units in the crystal structure of kamotoite-(Y) is assumed. Hydrogen-bonding network related to the presence of water molecules and hydroxyls is shortly discussed.     

Resonance Raman detection of the Fe2+-C-N modes in heme-copper oxidases: a probe of the active site

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been employed to investigate the reduced cyano complexes of cytochrome aa(3) from bovine heart and Rhodobacter sphaeroides and of cytochrome bo(3) from E. coli. In the aa(3)-type oxidases, the frequency of the Fe-CN stretching mode is located at 468 cm(-1), and the bending Fe-C-N vibration, at 500 cm(-1). The fully reduced cytochrome bo(3)-CN complex gives rise to a stretching vibration at 468 cm(-1), a bending vibration at 491 cm(-1), and a stretching C-N vibration at 2037 cm(-1). The observed differences between aa(3) and bo(3) oxidases in the frequencies of the Fe-C-N group suggest a quantitative difference in the structure of the His-heme a(3)(2+)/Cu(B)(1+) and His-heme o(3)(2+)/Cu(B)(1+) binuclear pockets upon CN- binding.     

A Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl sulphate mineral johannite

Raman spectroscopy at 298 and 77K has been used to study the secondary uranyl mineral johannite of formula (Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 x 8H2O). Four Raman bands are observed at 3593, 3523, 3387 and 3234cm(-1) and four infrared bands at 3589, 3518, 3389 and 3205cm(-1). The first two bands are assigned to OH- units (hydroxyls) and the second two bands to water units. Estimations of the hydrogen bond distances for these four bands are 3.35, 2.92, 2.79 and 2.70 A. A sharp intense band at 1042 cm(-1) is attributed to the (SO4)2- symmetric stretching vibration and the three Raman bands at 1147, 1100 and 1090cm(-1) to the (SO4)2- anti-symmetric stretching vibrations. The nu2 bending modes were at 469, 425 and 388 cm(-1) at 77K confirming the reduction in symmetry of the (SO4)2- units. At 77K two bands at 811 and 786 cm(-1) are attributed to the nu1 symmetric stretching modes of the (UO2)2+ units suggesting the non-equivalence of the UO bonds in the (UO2)2+ units. The band at 786cm(-1), however, may be related to water molecules libration modes. In the 77K Raman spectrum, bands are observed at 306, 282, 231 and 210cm(-1) with other low intensity bands found at 191, 170 and 149cm(-1). The two bands at 282 and 210 cm(-1) are attributed to the doubly degenerate nu2 bending vibration of the (UO2)2+ units. Raman spectroscopy can contribute significant knowledge in the study of uranyl minerals because of better band separation with significantly narrower bands, avoiding the complex spectral profiles as observed with infrared spectroscopy.     

Vibrational assignment of the normal modes of 2-phenyl-4-(4-methoxy benzylidene)-2-oxazolin-5-one via FTIR and Raman spectra, and ab inito calculations

Raman and FTIR spectra of 2-phenyl-4-(4-methoxy benzylidene)-2-oxazolin-5-one were recorded in the regions, 100-3300 and 400-4000 cm(-1), respectively. Vibrational frequencies and intensities of the fundamental modes of this hetrocyclic organic molecule were computed using ab initio as well as AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital methods. Ab initio calculations were carried out with basis set up to RHF/6-311G. Conformational studies regarding the effect of moving the methoxy group in the 2-phenyl-4-(4-methoxy benzylidene)-2-oxazolin-5-one molecule to a different position on the ring was also carried out. Observed vibrational wavenumbers were found to be mostly consistent with ab initio values. The most intense mode of vibration observed at 1250 cm(-1) in Raman spectra, also observed as a strong band in FTIR, was assigned as C-O stretching vibration in the methoxy group. Asymmetric stretching vibrations between CC and CN bonds was predicted as most intense mode by our ab initio calculation.     

Infrared spectroscopic investigation of poly(2-methoxyethyl vinyl ether) during thermosensitive phase separation in water

Hydration changes of poly(2-methoxyethyl vinyl ether) (PMOVE) synthesized via living cationic polymerization have been investigated during a temperature-responsive phase separation in water by using infrared spectroscopy. An aqueous PMOVE solution has lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of 66 degrees C in H2O and 65 degrees C in D2O at approximately 15 wt %. During phase separation, the C-H stretching (nu(C-H)) bands of PMOVE shift downward (red shift). In particular, the IR band assigned to the antisymmetric stretching vibration of the terminal methyl groups exhibits a remarkably large red shift by 16 cm-1. The band also exhibits a red shift with increasing polymer concentration at T < Tp. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the models of hydrated PMOVE indicate that the shift is due mainly to the breaking of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between the oxygen of the methoxy groups and water and partially to the breaking of the CH...O H-bond to them.     

Enzymatic synthesis of sorbitan methacrylate according to acyl donors

Recently, sugar polymers have been considered for use as biomaterials in medical applications. These biomaterials are already used extensively in burn dressings, artificial membranes, and contact lenses. In this study, we investigated the optimum conditions under which the enzymatic synthesis of sorbitan methacrylate can be affected using Novozym 435 in t-butanol from sorbitan and several acyl donors (ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, and vinyl methacrylate). The enzymatic synthesis of sorbitan methacrylate, catalyzed by Novozym 435 in t-butanol, reached an approx 68% conversion yield at 50 g/L of 1,4-sorbitan, 5% (w/v) of enzyme content, and a 1∶5 molar ratio of sorbitan to ethyl methacrylate, with a reaction time of 36 h. Using methyl methacrylate as the acyl donor, we achieved a conversion yield of approx 78% at 50 g/L of 1,4-sorbitan, 7% (w/v) of enzyme content, at a 1∶5 molar ratio, with a reaction time of 36 h. Sorbitan methacrylate synthesis using vinyl methacrylate as the acyl donor was expected to result in a superior conversion yield at 3% (w/v) of enzyme content, and at a molar ratio greater than 1∶2.5. Higher molar ratios of acyl donor resulted in more rapid conversion rates. Vinyl methacrylate can be applied to obtain higher yields than are realized when using ethyl methacrylate or methyl methacrylate as acyl donors in esterification reactions catalyzed by Novozym 435 in organic solvents. Enzyme recycling resulted in a drastic reduction in conversion yields.     

Raman microscopy of autunite minerals at liquid nitrogen temperature

Uranyl micas are based upon (UO(2)PO(4))(-) units in layered structures with hydrated counter cations between the interlayers. Uranyl micas also known as the autunite minerals are of general formula M(UO2)2(XO4)2 x 8-12H2O where M may be Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe(2+), Mg, Mn(2+) or 1/2(HA1) and X is As or P. The structures of these minerals have been studied using Raman microscopy at 298 and 77K. Six hydroxyl stretching bands are observed of which three are highly polarised. The hydroxyl stretching vibrations are related to the strength of hydrogen bonding of the water OH units. Bands in the Raman spectrum of autunite at 998, 842 and 820 cm(-1) are highly polarised. Low intensity band at 915 cm(-1) is attributed to the nu(3) antisymmetric stretching vibration of (UO(2))(2+) units. The band at 820 cm(-1) is attributed to the nu(1) symmetric stretching mode of the (UO(2))(2+) units. The (UO(2))(2+) bending modes are found at 295 and 222 m(-1). The presence of phosphate and arsenate anions and their isomorphic substitution are readily determined by Raman spectroscopy. The collection of Raman spectra at 77K enables excellent band separation.     

Solvent effect on infrared spectra of methyl methacrylate in CCl4/C6H14, CHCl3/C6H14 and C2H5OH/C6H14 binary solvent systems

Research of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in three kinds of binary solvent systems (CCl4/C6H14, CHCl3/C6H14 and C2H5OH/C6H14) on the infrared (IR) spectra was reported. Two types of carbonyl stretching vibration bands for MMA in CHCl3/C6H14 or C2H5OH/C6H14 mixtures were found with the changing of the mole fraction of CHCl3 (XCHCl3) or C2H5OH (XC2H5OH). The carbonyl stretching vibration bands at lower frequencies in the above two mixtures were attributed to the formation of hydrogen bonding between MMA and CHCl3 or C2H5OH. While in CCl4/C6H14 mixtures there was only one type of carbonyl stretching vibration band of MMA. Good linear correlations between the frequencies of C=O or C=C stretching vibration band of MMA and XCCl4, XCHCl3 or XC2H5OH were found, respectively. The solute-solvent interactions in the three different binary solvent systems were discussed in detail.     

Melting behavior of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) investigated by two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy

The melting behavior of a bacterially synthesized biodegradable polymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), was investigated by using generalized two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation spectroscopy. Temperature-dependent spectral variations in the regions of the C-H stretching (3100-2850 cm(-1)), C=O stretching (1800-1680 cm(-1)), and C-O-C stretching (1320-1120 cm(-1)) bands were monitored during the melting process. The asynchronous 2D correlation spectrum for the C=O stretching band region resolved two crystalline bands at 1731 and 1723 cm(-1). The intense band at 1723 cm(-1) may be due to the highly ordered crystalline part of PHB, and the weak band at 1731 cm(-1) possibly arises from the crystalline part with a less ordered structure. These crystalline bands at 1731 and 1723 cm(-1) share asynchronous cross peaks with a band at around 1740 cm(-1) assignable to the C=O band due to the amorphous component. This observation indicates that the decreases in the crystalline components do not proceed simultaneously with the increase in the amorphous component. In the 3020-2915 cm(-1) region where bands due to the asymmetric CH3 stretching and antisymmetric CH2 stretching modes are expected to appear, eight bands are identified at 3007, 2995, 2985, 2975, 2967, 2938, 2934, and 2929 cm(-1). The bands at 2985 and 2938 cm(-1) are ascribed to the amorphous part while the rest come from crystal field splitting, which is a characteristic of polymers with a helical structure.     

Raman spectroscopic study of the tellurite minerals: rajite and denningite

Tellurites may be subdivided according to formula and structure. There are five groups based upon the formulae (a) A(XO3), (b) A(XO3).xH2O, (c) A2(XO3)3.xH2O, (d) A2(X2O5) and (e) A(X3O8). Raman spectroscopy has been used to study rajite and denningite, examples of group (d). Minerals of the tellurite group are porous zeolite-like materials. Raman bands for rajite observed at 740, and 676 and 667 cm(-1) are attributed to the nu1 (Te2O5)(2-) symmetric stretching mode and the nu3 (TeO3)(2-) antisymmetric stretching modes, respectively. A second rajite mineral sample provided a more complex Raman spectrum with Raman bands at 754 and 731 cm(-1) assigned to the nu1 (Te2O5)(2-) symmetric stretching modes and two bands at 652 and 603 cm(-1) are accounted for by the nu3 (Te2O5)(2-) antisymmetric stretching mode. The Raman spectrum of dennigite displays an intense band at 734 cm(-1) attributed to the nu1 (Te2O5)(2-) symmetric stretching mode with a second Raman band at 674 cm(-1) assigned to the nu3 (Te2O5)(2-) antisymmetric stretching mode. Raman bands for rajite, observed at (346, 370) and 438 cm(-1) are assigned to the (Te2O5)(2-)nu2 (A1) bending mode and nu4 (E) bending modes.     

Vibrational spectra of trimethylsilanol. The problem of the assignment of the SiOH group frequencies

The assignment of the SiOH group vibrations of trimethylsilanol, which is still controversial, is proposed. This assignment is based on theoretical B3LYP force field scaled using the constants of the (CH3)3Si group optimized to fit experimental vibrational frequencies of (CH3)3SiF and (CD3)3SiF molecules as well as the OH stretching scale factor from methanol. The ab initio force field defined in this way gives a good agreement of the theoretical vibrational frequencies of trimethylsilanol with the positions of IR and Raman bands observed in the gas phase. This force field predicts the greatest contribution of the delta SiOH coordinates to the vibration with frequency of 804 cm(-1). The elimination of the coupling of the SiOH deformation with methyl rocking modes by the normal coordinate treatment of (CD3)3SiOH gives 832 cm(-1) for silanol deformation which is in a good agreement with the 834 cm(-1) value proposed earlier for the bending mode of free silanol groups. The geometry and force field of the open chain H3SiOH trimer is computed to model the change of the delta SiOH frequencies upon formation of the hydrogen-bonded polymers. This model predicts a significant shift of SiOH bending frequencies to the 1000-1200 cm(-1) range while those of SiOD to the 800-850 cm(-1) range. These predictions allow us to ascribe the 1087 cm(-1) band observed in the IR spectrum of crystalline (CH3)3SiOH and the Raman 775 cm(-1) band of the liquid (CH3)3SiOD to deformations of the hydrogen-bonded silanol groups.     

Transmission infrared spectroscopy of methyl- and ethyl-terminated silicon(111) surfaces

Transmission infrared spectroscopy (TIRS) has been used to investigate the surface-bound species formed in the two-step chlorination/alkylation reaction of crystalline (111)-oriented Si surfaces. Spectra were obtained after hydrogen termination, chlorine termination, and reaction of the Cl-Si(111) surface with CH(3)MgX or C(2)H(5)MgX (X = Cl, Br) to form methyl (CH(3))- or ethyl (C(2)H(5))-terminated Si(111) surfaces, respectively. Freshly etched H-terminated Si(111) surfaces that were subsequently chlorinated by immersion in a saturated solution of PCl(5) in chlorobenzene were characterized by complete loss of the Si-H stretching and bending modes at 2083 and 627 cm(-1)(,) respectively, and the appearance of Si-Cl modes at 583 and 528 cm(-1). TIRS of the CH(3)-terminated Si(111) surface exhibited a peak at 1257 cm(-1) polarized perpendicular to the surface assigned to the C-H symmetrical bending, or "umbrella" motion, of the methyl group. A peak observed at 757 cm(-1) polarized parallel to the surface was assigned to the C-H rocking motion. Alkyl C-H stretch modes on both the CH(3)- and C(2)H(5)-terminated surfaces were observed near 2900 cm(-1). The C(2)H(5)-terminated Si(111) surface additionally exhibited broad bands at 2068 and 2080 cm(-1), respectively, polarized perpendicular to the surface, as well as peaks at 620 and 627 cm(-1), respectively, polarized parallel to the surface. These modes were assigned to the Si-H stretching and bending motions, respectively, resulting from H-termination of surface atoms that did not form Si-C bonds during the ethylation reaction.     

State-selected dynamics of the complex-forming bimolecular reaction Cl- +CH3 Cl'-->ClCH3+Cl'-: a four-dimensional quantum scattering study

Time-independent quantum scattering calculations have been carried out on the Walden inversion S(N)2 reaction Cl(-)+CH(3)Cl(')(v(1),v(2),v(3))-->ClCH(3)(v(1) ('),v(2) ('),v(3) ('))+Cl('-). The two C-Cl stretching modes (quantum numbers v(3) and v(3) (')) and the totally symmetric internal modes of the methyl group (C-H stretching vibration, v(1) and v(1) ('), and inversion bending vibration, v(2) and v(2) (')) are treated explicitly. A four-dimensional coupled cluster potential energy surface is employed. The scattering problem is formulated in hyperspherical coordinates using the exact Hamiltonian and exploiting the full symmetry of the problem. Converged state-selected reaction probabilities and product distributions have been calculated up to 6100 cm(-1) above the vibrational ground state of CH(3)Cl, i.e., up to initial vibrational excitation (2,0,0). In order to extract all scattering resonances, the energetic grid was chosen to be very fine, partly down to a resolution of 10(-12) cm(-1). Up to 2500 cm(-1) translational energy, initial excitation of the umbrella bending vibration, (0,1,0), is more efficient for reaction than exciting the C-Cl stretching mode, (0,0,1). The combined excitation of both vibrations results in a synergic effect, i.e., a considerably higher reaction probability than expected from the sum of both independent excitations, even higher than (0,0,2) up to 1500 cm(-1) translational energy. Product distributions show that the umbrella mode is strongly coupled to the C-Cl stretching mode and cannot be treated as a spectator mode. The reaction probability rises almost linearly with increasing initial excitation of the umbrella bending mode. The effect with respect to the C-Cl stretch is five times larger for more than two quanta in this mode, and in agreement with previous work saturation is found. Exciting the high-frequency C-H stretching mode, (1,0,0), yields a large increase for small energies [more than two orders of magnitude larger than (0,0,0)], while for translational energies higher than 2000 cm(-1), it becomes a pure spectator mode. For combined initial excitations including the symmetric C-H stretch, the spectator character of the latter is even more pronounced. However, up to more than 1500 cm(-1) translational energy, the C-H vibration does not behave adiabatically during the course of reaction, because only 20% of the initial energy is found in the same mode of the product molecule. The distribution of resonance widths and peak heights is discussed, and it is found that individual resonances pertinent to intermediate complexes Cl(-)...CH(3)Cl show product distributions independent of the initial vibrational state of the reactant molecule. The relatively high reactivity, of resonance states with respect to excitation of any mode, found in previous work is confirmed in the present calculations. However, reactivity of intermediate states and reactivity with respect to initial vibrational excitation have to be distinguished. There is a strong mixing between the vibrational states reflected in numerous avoided crossings of the hyperspherical adiabatic curves.