The ab initio ground-state potential energy function of beryllium monohydride, BeH

The accurate ground-state potential energy function of beryllium monohydride, BeH, has been determined from large-scale ab initio calculations using the multi-reference averaged coupled-pair functional (MR-ACPF) method in conjunction with the correlation-consistent core-valence basis sets up to septuple-zeta quality. The effects of electron correlation beyond the MR-ACPF level of approximation were taken into account. The scalar relativistic and adiabatic (the diagonal correction) effects, as well as some of the nonadiabatic effects, were also discussed. The vibration-rotation energy levels of three isotopologues, BeH, BeD, and BeT, were predicted to sub-cm(-1) accuracy.     

Electronic ground states of the V2O4+/0/- species from multireference correlation and density functional studies

The molecular and electronic structures of the V2O4+/0/- species are examined by multireference averaged coupled-pair functional (MR-ACPF) and density functional B3LYP calculations. For all three species, new conformers have been found. Shallow potential energy curves imply high mobility of the oxygen atoms in the neutral and anionic species for which antiferromagnetic coupling of the weakly interacting 3dV electrons is found. Good agreement between the MR-ACPF and B3LYP results for the molecular structures and the relative energies of states with different spin multiplicity, as well as for the ionization energy and electron affinity, is observed. For the computation of the height of the transition barriers between different conformers elaborated MR-ACPF calculations are required.     

Hydrazine bisalane is a potential compound for chemical hydrogen storage. A theoretical study

Electronic structure calculations suggest that hydrazine bisalane (AlH(3)NH(2)NH(2)AlH(3), alhyzal) is a promising compound for chemical hydrogen storage (CHS). Calculations are carried out using the coupled-cluster theory CCSD(T) with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. Potential energy surfaces are constructed to probe the formation of, and hydrogen release from, hydrazine bisalane which is initially formed from the reaction of hydrazine with dialane. Molecular and electronic characteristics of both gauche and trans alhyzal are determined for the first time. The gauche hydrazine bisalane is formed from starting reactants hydrazine + dialane following a movement of an AlH(3) group from AlH(3)AlH(3)NH(2)NH(2) rather than by a direct attachment of a separate AlH(3) group, generated by predissociation of dialane, to AlH(3)NH(2)NH(2). The energy barriers for dehydrogenation processes from gauche and transalhyzal are in the range of 21-28 kcal mol(-1), which are substantially smaller than those of ca. 40 kcal mol(-1) previously determined for the isovalent hydrazine bisborane (bhyzb) system. H(2) release from hydrazine bisalane is thus more favored over that from hydrazine bisborane, making the Al derivative an alternative candidate for CHS.     

Sigma- and pi-bond strengths in main group 3-5 compounds

The sigma- and pi-bond strengths for the molecules BH2NH2, BH2PH2, AlH2NH2, and AlH2PH2 have been calculated by using ab initio molecular electronic structure theory at the CCSD(T)/CBS level. The adiabatic pi-bond energy is defined as the rotation barrier between the equilibrium ground-state configuration and the C(s)symmetry transition state for torsion about the A-X bond. We also report intrinsic pi-bond energies corresponding to the adiabatic rotation barrier corrected for the inversion barrier at N or P. The adiabatic sigma-bond energy is defined as the dissociation energy of AH2XH2 to AH2 + XH2 in their ground states minus the adiabatic pi-bond energy. The adiabatic sigma-bond strengths for the molecules BH2NH2, BH2PH2, AlH2NH2, and AlH2PH2 are 109.8, 98.8, 77.6, and 68.3 kcal/mol, respectively, and the corresponding adiabatic pi-bond strengths are 29.9, 10.5, 9.2, and 2.7 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Short range hydrogen diffusion in Na3AlH6

Ab initio free energy and rate calculations are performed to investigate two activated mobility processes observed, respectively, in neutron scattering and anelastic spectroscopy experiments on sodium alanates. The system is modeled as a Na(3)AlH(6) crystal hosting one hydrogen vacancy. We identify the process observed via neutron scattering with a positively charged hydrogen vacancy diffusing from the AlH to one of the AlH groups. As for the anelastic spectroscopy experiments, our calculations negate the current hypothesis on the process, i.e. local rearrangement of the H vacancy around the pentacoordinated Al group.     

Thermodynamic properties of molecular borane phosphines, alane amines, and phosphine alanes and the [BH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)], [AlH(4)(-)][NH(4)(+)], and [AlH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)] salts for chemical hydrogen storage systems from ab initio electronic structure theory

The heats of formation for the molecules BH(3)PH(3), BH(2)PH(2), HBPH, AlH(3)NH(3), AlH(2)NH(2), HAlNH, AlH(3)PH(3), AlH(2)PH(2), HAlPH, AlH(4)(-), PH(3), PH(4), and PH(4)(+), as well as the diatomics BP, AlN, and AlP, have been calculated by using ab initio molecular orbital theory. The coupled cluster with single and double excitations and perturbative triples method (CCSD(T)) was employed for the total valence electronic energies. Correlation consistent basis sets were used, up through the augmented quadruple-zeta, to extrapolate to the complete basis set limit. Additional d core functions were used for Al and P. Core/valence, scalar relativistic, and spin-orbit corrections were included in an additive fashion to predict the atomization energies. Geometries were calculated at the CCSD(T) level up through at least aug-cc-pVTZ and frequencies were calculated at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The heats of formation of the salts [BH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)](s), [AlH(4)(-)][NH(4)(+)](s), and [AlH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)](s) have been estimated by using an empirical expression for the lattice energy and the calculated heats of formation of the two component ions. The calculations show that both AlH(3)NH(3)(g) and [AlH(4)(-)][NH(4)(+)](s) can serve as good hydrogen storage systems that release H(2) in a slightly exothermic process. In addition, AlH(3)PH(3) and the salts [AlH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)] and [BH(4)(-)][PH(4)(+)] have the potential to serve as H(2) storage systems. The hydride affinity of AlH(3) is calculated to be -70.4 kcal/mol at 298 K. The proton affinity of PH(3) is calculated to be 187.8 kcal/mol at 298 K in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 188 kcal/mol. PH(4) is calculated to be barely stable with respect to loss of a hydrogen to form PH(3).     

Formation and bonding of alane clusters on Al(111) surfaces studied by infrared absorption spectroscopy and theoretical modeling

Alanes are believed to be the mass transport intermediate in many hydrogen storage reactions and thus important for understanding rehydrogenation kinetics for alanates and AlH3. Combining density functional theory (DFT) and surface infrared (IR) spectroscopy, we provide atomistic details about the formation of alanes on the Al(111) surface, a model environment for the rehydrogenation reactions. At low coverage, DFT predicts a 2-fold bridge site adsorption for atomic hydrogen at 1150 cm(-1), which is too weak to be detected by IR but was previously observed in electron energy loss spectroscopy. At higher coverage, steps are the most favorable adsorption sites for atomic H adsorption, and it is likely that the AlH3 molecules form (initially strongly bound to steps) at saturation. With increasing exposures AlH3 is extracted from the step edge and becomes highly mobile on the terraces in a weakly bound state, accounting for step etching observed in previous STM studies. The mobility of these weakly bound AlH3 molecules is the key factor leading to the growth of larger alanes through AlH3 oligomerization. The subsequent decomposition and desorption of alanes is also investigated and compared to previous temperature programmed desorption studies.     

Hydrogen storage in LiAlH4: predictions of the crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of intermediate phases from quantum mechanics

We use the density functional theory and x-ray and neutron diffraction to investigate the crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of intermediate phases likely to be involved in decomposition of the potential hydrogen storage material LiAlH(4). First, we explore the decomposition mechanism of monoclinic LiAlH(4) into monoclinic Li(3)AlH(6) plus face-centered cubic (fcc) Al and hydrogen. We find that this reaction proceeds through a five-step mechanism with an overall activation barrier of 36.9 kcal/mol. The simulated x ray and neutron diffraction patterns from LiAlH(4) and Li(3)AlH(6) agree well with experimental data. On the other hand, the alternative decomposition of LiAlH(4) into LiAlH(2) plus H(2) is predicted to be unstable with respect to that through Li(3)AlH(6). Next, we investigate thermal decomposition of Li(3)AlH(6) into fcc LiH plus Al and hydrogen, occurring through a four-step mechanism with an activation barrier of 17.4 kcal/mol for the rate-limiting step. In the first and second steps, two Li atoms accept two H atoms from AlH(6) to form the stable Li-H-Li-H complex. Then, two sequential H(2) desorption steps are followed, which eventually result in fcc LiH plus fcc Al and hydrogen: Li(3)AlH(6)(monoclinic)-->3 LiH(fcc)+Al(fcc)+3/2 H(2) is endothermic by 15.8 kcal/mol. The dissociation energy of 15.8 kcal/mol per formula unit compares to experimental enthalpies in the range of 9.8-23.9 kcal/mol. Finally, we explore thermal decomposition of LiH, LiH(s)+Al(s)-->LiAl(s)+12H(2)(g) is endothermic by 4.6 kcal/mol. The B32 phase, which we predict as the lowest energy structure for LiAl, shows covalent bond characters in the Al-Al direction. Additionally, we determine that transformation of LiH plus Al into LiAlH is unstable with respect to transformation of LiH through LiAl.     

A first-principles analysis of hydrogen interaction in Ti-doped NaAlH4 surfaces: structure and energetics

First principles density functional theory studies have been carried out to investigate the hydrogen interactions in Ti-doped NaAlH4 (001) and (100) surfaces. In both surfaces, Ti was found to energetically favor the interstitial sites formed by three neighboring AlH4- units and interact directly with them. The resulting local structure corresponds to a formula of TiAl3Hx with x = 12 before hydrogen desorption starts. The hydrogen desorption energies from many positions of TiAl3Hx are reduced considerably as compared with that from the corresponding clean, undoped NaAlH4 surfaces. The almost invariant local environment surrounding Ti during dehydrogenation makes the TiAl3Hx complex a precursor state for the formation of experimentally observed TiAl3. The importance of the complex has been explored by analyzing the structures and energetics accompanying hydrogen desorption from the complex and from the neighboring AlH4- units. The TiAl3Hx has extended effects beyond the locally reducing hydrogen desorption energy. It facilitates low-energy hydrogen desorption by either transferring hydrogen to the TiAl3Hx complex or reducing hydrogen desorption energy in the neighboring AlH4- by linking these AlH4- units with the complex structure. The possible mechanisms for forming octahedral AlH6(3-) were also identified in the vicinity of TiAl3Hx. Desorbing hydrogen atoms between Ti and Al atoms causes a symmetrical expansion of Ti-Al bonds and leads to the formation of octahedral AlH6(3-).     

Structure and bonding in cyclic isomers of B2AlH(n)(m) (n = 3-6, m = -2 to +1): a comparative study with B3H(n)(m), BAl2H(n)(m) and Al3H(n)(m)

The structure, bonding and energetics of B(2)AlH(n)(m) (n = 3-6, m = -2 to +1) are compared with corresponding homocyclic boron, aluminum analogues and BAl(2)H(n)(m) using density functional theory (DFT). Divalent to hexacoordinated boron and aluminum atoms are found in these species. The geometrical and bonding pattern in B(2)AlH(4)(-) is similar to that for B(2)SiH(4). Species with lone pairs on the divalent boron and aluminum atoms are found to be minima on the potential energy surface of B(2)AlH(3)(2-). A dramatic structural diversity is observed in going from B(3)H(n)(m) to B(2)AlH(n)(m), BAl(2)H(n)(m) and Al(3)H(n)(m) and this is attributable to the preference of lower coordination on aluminum, higher coordination on boron and the higher multicenter bonding capability of boron. The most stable structures of B(3)H(6)(+), B(2)AlH(5) and BAl(2)H(4)(-) and the trihydrogen bridged structure of Al(3)H(3)(2-) show an isostructural relationship, indicating the isolobal analogy between trivalent boron and divalent aluminum anion.     

Theoretical exploration of hydrogen loss from Al3H9

The Al(3)H(9) and Al(3)H(7) potential energy surfaces were explored using quantum chemistry calculations to investigate the H(2) loss mechanism from Al(3)H(9), which provide new insights into hydrogen production from bulk alane, [AlH(3)](x), a possible energy storage material. We present results of B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations for the various Al(3)H(9) and Al(3)H(7) optimized local minima and transition state structures along with some reaction pathways for their interconversion. We find the energy for Al(3)H(9) decomposition into Al(2)H(6) and AlH(3) is slightly lower than that for H(2) loss and Al(3)H(7) formation, but the calculations show that H(2) loss from Al(3)H(9) is a lower energy process than for losing hydrogen from either Al(2)H(6) or AlH(3). We found four transition state structures and reaction pathways for Al(3)H(9) → Al(3)H(7) + H(2), where the lowest energy activation barrier is around 25-73 kJ/mol greater than the experimental value for H(2) loss from bulk alane. Intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations show that the H(2) loss pathway involves considerable rearrangement of the H atom positions around a single Al center. Three of the pathways start with the formation of an AlH(3) moiety, which then enables a terminal H on the AlH(3) to get within 1.1 to 1.2 ? of a nearby bridging H atom. The bridging and terminal H atoms eventually combine to form H(2) and leave Al(3)H(9). One implication of these H(2) loss reaction pathways is that, since the H atoms in bulk alanes are all at bridging positions, if a similar H(2) loss mechanism were to apply to bulk alane, then H(2) loss would most likely occur on the bulk alane surface or at a defect site where there should be more terminal H atoms available for reaction with nearby bridging H atoms.     

Size extensive modification of local multireference configuration interaction

We recently developed a reduced scaling multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) method based on local correlation in the internal (occupied) and external (virtual) orbital spaces. This technique can be used, e.g., to predict bond dissociation energies in large molecules with reasonable accuracy. However, the inherent lack of size extensivity of truncated CI is a disadvantage that in principle worsens as the system size grows. Here we implement an a priori size-extensive modification of local MRCI known as the averaged coupled pair functional (ACPF) method. We demonstrate that local MR-ACPF recovers more correlation energy than local MRCI, in keeping with trends observed previously for nonlocal ACPF. We test the size extensivity of local ACPF on noninteracting He atoms and a series of hydrocarbons. Basis set and core correlation effects are explored, as well as bond breaking in a variety of organic molecules. The local MR-ACPF method proves to be a useful tool for investigating large molecules and represents a further improvement in predictive accuracy over local MRCI.     

用量子力学研究膦化三氢化铝储氢材料在磷化氢催化作用下的释氢反应机理

利用量子力学第一原理研究了储氢材料膦化三氢化铝(AlH3PH3)在催化剂膦(PH3)作用下的释氢反应机理;首先在MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ水平上计算了反应物、过渡态和产物的几何构型和频率,进而利用内禀反应坐标理论确定了反应的最小能量路径,随后在CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ水平上对基于MP2优化的几何构型进行了能量校正.结果表明,AlH3PH3释氢的能垒高于Al―P键的离解能,而催化剂PH3不能降低AlH3PH3的释氢能垒.因此,需要寻找其他的催化剂以使AlH3PH3成为一种合用的储氢材料.     

Ca(AlH4)2, CaAlH5, and CaH2+6LiBH4: Calculated dehydrogenation enthalpy, including zero point energy, and the structure of the phonon spectra

The dehydrogenation enthalpies of Ca(AlH(4))(2), CaAlH(5), and CaH(2)+6LiBH(4) have been calculated using density functional theory calculations at the generalized gradient approximation level. Harmonic phonon zero point energy (ZPE) corrections have been included using Parlinski's direct method. The dehydrogenation of Ca(AlH(4))(2) is exothermic, indicating a metastable hydride. Calculations for CaAlH(5) including ZPE effects indicate that it is not stable enough for a hydrogen storage system operating near ambient conditions. The destabilized combination of LiBH(4) with CaH(2) is a promising system after ZPE-corrected enthalpy calculations. The calculations confirm that including ZPE effects in the harmonic approximation for the dehydrogenation of Ca(AlH(4))(2), CaAlH(5), and CaH(2)+6LiBH(4) has a significant effect on the calculated reaction enthalpy. The contribution of ZPE to the dehydrogenation enthalpies of Ca(AlH(4))(2) and CaAlH(5) calculated by the direct method phonon analysis was compared to that calculated by the frozen-phonon method. The crystal structure of CaAlH(5) is presented in the more useful standard setting of P2(1)c symmetry and the phonon density of states of CaAlH(5), significantly different to other common complex metal hydrides, is rationalized.     

Reaction Ergodography and Transition State Analyses of the Addition of AIH_3 to Acetylene

The present paper covers the reaction ergodography for the addition of AlH3 to acetylene investigated by ab initio calculation with RHF/3-21G basis set. The changes in some physical properties along the reaction path (IRC) are presented. The formations of FMOs of the transition state have been analyzed according to the Fukui' s method. On the basis of the perturbation theory and Wolfsborg Helmholtz formula, we calculated the FMO' s energy orders of TS and its formation that shows the HOMO of TS consists of LUMO, HOMO of AlH3 and HOMO of HCCH.     

Al(2Pu)+H2(X1Σ+g)的分子反应动力学

基于多体展式方法所导出的ＡｌＨ２（Ｘ＾２Ａ１）分析势能函数,用准经典的Ｍｏｎｔｅ－Ｃａｒｌｏ轨迹法对Ａｌ（＾２Ｐｕ）＋Ｈ２（Ｘ＾１∑＾＋ｇ,ｕ＝ｊ＝０）的分子反应动力学过程进行了计算。结果表明,此反应的主产物为交换反应Ａｌ（＾２Ｐｕ）＋Ｈ２（Ｘ＾１∑＾＋ｇ,ｖ＝ｊ＝０）→ＡｌＨ（Ｘ＾１∑＾＋,Ｖ’,ｊ’）＋Ｈ（＾２Ｓｇ）的ＡｌＨ（Ｘ＾１∑＾＋,ｖ’,ｊ’）没有发现ＡｌＨ２（Ｘ＾２Ａ１）的络合物。而     

Infrared spectra of aluminum hydrides in solid hydrogen: Al2H4 and Al2H6

The reaction of laser-ablated Al atoms and normal-H(2) during co-deposition at 3.5 K produces AlH, AlH(2), and AlH(3) based on infrared spectra and the results of isotopic substitution (D(2), H(2) + D(2) mixtures, HD). Four new bands are assigned to Al(2)H(4) from annealing, photochemistry, and agreement with frequencies calculated using density functional theory. Ultraviolet photolysis markedly increases the yield of AlH(3) and seven new absorptions for Al(2)H(6) in the infrared spectrum of the solid hydrogen sample. These frequencies include terminal Al-H(2) and bridge Al-H-Al stretching and AlH(2) bending modes, which are accurately predicted by quantum chemical calculations for dibridged Al(2)H(6), a molecule isostructural with diborane. Annealing these samples to remove the H(2) matrix decreases the sharp AlH(3) and Al(2)H(6) absorptions and forms broad 1720 +/- 20 and 720 +/- 20 cm(-1) bands, which are due to solid (AlH(3))(n). Complementary experiments with thermal Al atoms and para-H(2) at 2.4 K give similar spectra and most product frequencies within 2 cm(-1). Although many volatile binary boron hydride compounds are known, binary aluminum hydride chemistry is limited to the polymeric (AlH(3))( solid. Our experimental characterization of the dibridged Al(2)H(6) molecule provides an important link between the chemistries of boron and aluminum.     

Coordination preference of Ga in hydrides

Aluminum and gallium show some interesting differences in their coordination chemistry. Solid GaH3 is unknown, in contrast to solid AlH3. Ga equivalents of Li3AlH6, Na3AlH6, and other hydrides whose structure contain AlH(3-)6 ions, are unknown. We relate these differences to an instability of the hexacoordinated gallium moiety.     

Quantum chemical assessment of the binding energy of CuO+

We present a detailed theoretical investigation on the dissociation energy of CuO(+), carried out by means of coupled cluster theory, the multireference averaged coupled pair functional (MR-ACPF) approach, diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC), and density functional theory (DFT). At the respective extrapolated basis set limits, most post-Hartree-Fock approaches agree within a narrow error margin on a D(e) value of 26.0 kcal mol(-1) [coupled-cluster singles and doubles level augmented by perturbative triples corrections, CCSD(T)], 25.8 kcal mol(-1) (CCSDTQ via the high accuracy extrapolated ab initio thermochemistry protocol), and 25.6 kcal mol(-1) (DMC), which is encouraging in view of the disaccording data published thus far. The configuration-interaction based MR-ACPF expansion, which includes single and double excitations only, gives a slightly lower value of 24.1 kcal mol(-1), indicating that large basis sets and triple excitation patterns are necessary ingredients for a quantitative assessment. Our best estimate for D(0) at the CCSD(T) level is 25.3 kcal mol(-1), which is somewhat lower than the latest experimental value (D(0) = 31.1 ± 2.8 kcal mol(-1)[semicolon] reported by the Armentrout group) [Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 182/183, 99 (1999)]. These highly correlated methods are, however, computationally very demanding, and the results are therefore supplemented with those of more affordable DFT calculations. If used in combination with moderately-sized basis sets, the M05 and M06 hybrid functionals turn out to be promising candidates for studies on much larger systems containing a [CuO](+) core.     

Vibrational properties of CaAlH5 and α-AlH3 with different AlH6 networks studied by inelastic neutron scattering

We performed a combined study using inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and first-principles calculations of the vibrational properties of CaAlH(5) and α-AlH(3) with different AlH(6) networks, a zigzag one-dimensional AlH(6) network for CaAlH(5), and a three-dimensional AlH(6) network for α-AlH(3). Both materials showed qualitatively similar INS spectra, in which CaAlH(5)/α-AlH(3) was mainly divided into three regions: (i) the translational modes (318/316 cm(-1)), (ii) the librational modes of the octahedral AlH(6) units (external molecular motion) in the lower frequency range and H-Al-H bond-bending modes (intra molecular motion) at a higher frequency (420-1157/513-1038 cm(-1)), and (iii) the Al-H bond-stretching modes (1238-1750/1486-1942 cm(-1)). In region ii, the appearance of both librational and bond-bending modes was determined by the networked nature of the octahedral AlH(6) units. In addition, the librational modes of AlH(6) on α-AlH(3) exhibit higher frequencies than CaAlH(5) due to the tighter bonding between the octahedral AlH(6) units. With regard to average frequencies for the Al-H, ω(S), bond-stretching modes, and average Al-H bond distances on the aluminum-based hydrides including CaAlH(5) and α-AlH(3), ω(S) showed lower frequencies that correlate with lengthening of the Al-H bond distances.