Dynamics of the formation and decay of C2(a 3II u,v″=0) radical in a pulse discharge in methane

The plasma of a pulse discharge (0.05 J/cm³) in methane at low pressure (200 Pa) is studied. The dynamics of formation and decay of C₂(a³II_u, v=0) is monitored using a stroboscopic laser absorption method. It was found that substantial amounts of C₂, 10¹⁵ cm^–3, arise with a 1-µs delay after the current pulse.Notation _v absorption coefficient - wave number, cm^–1 - e electron charge - c velocity of light - h Planck's constant - m _e mass of electron - N _v concentration of molecules in the vibrational level v - f oscillator strength - l plasma column length - q _vv Franck-Condon factor - S _JJ Hönl-London factor - Q _rot rotational partition function - F(J) rotational term, cm^–1 - I _sig signal beam intensity - I _ref reference beam intensity - higher state index - lower state index - decay constant     

The ground and excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n-1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13): a valence bond study.

The semiempirical valence bond (VB) method, VBDFT(s), is applied to the ground states and the covalent excited states of polyenyl radicals C2n - 1H2n + 1 (n = 2-13). The method uses a single scalable parameter with a value that carries over from the study of the covalent excited states of polyenes (W. Wu, D. Danovich, A. Shurki, S. Shaik, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2000, 104, 8744). Whenever comparison is possible, the VB excitation energies are found to be in good accord with sophisticated molecular orbital (MO)-based methods like CASPT2. The symmetry-adapted Rumer structures are used to discuss the state-symmetry and VB constitution of the ground and excited states, and the expansion to VB determinants is used to gain insight on spin density patterns. The theory helps to understand in a coherent and lucid manner the properties of polyenyl radicals, such as the makeup of the various states, their geometries and energies, and the distribution of the unpaired electrons (the neutral solitons).     

Theoretical study on the HACA chemistry of naphthalenyl radicals and acetylene: The formation of C12H8, C14H8, and C14H10 species

The hydrogen-abstraction-C₂H₂-addition (HACA) chemistry of naphthalenyl radicals has been studied extensively, but there is a significant discrepancy in product distributions reported or predicted in literature regarding appearance of C₁₄H₈ and C₁₄H₁₀ species. Starting from ab initio calculations, a comprehensive theoretical model describing the HACA chemistry of both 1- and 2-naphthalenyl radicals is generated. Pressure-dependent kinetics are considered in the C₁₂H₉, C₁₄H₉, and C₁₄H₁₁ potential energy surfaces including formally direct well-skipping pathways. On the C₁₂H₉ PES, reaction pathways were found connecting two entry points: 1-naphthalenyl (1-C₁₀H₇) + acetylene (C₂H₂) and 2-C₁₀H₇ + C₂H₂. A significant amount of acenaphthylene is predicted to be formed from 2-C₁₀H₇ + C₂H₂, and the appearance of C₁₄H₈ isomers is predicted in the model simulation, consistent with high-temperature experimental results from Parker et al. At 1500 K, 1-C₁₀H₇ + C₂H₂ mostly generates acenaphthylene through a formally direct pathway, which predicted selectivity of 66% at 30 Torr and 56% at 300 Torr. The reaction of 2-C₁₀H₇ with C₂H₂ at 1500 K yields 2-ethynylnaphthalene as the most dominant product, followed by acenaphthylene mainly generated via isomerization of 2-C₁₀H₇ to 1-C₁₀H₇. Both the 1-C₁₀H₇ and 2-C₁₀H₇ reactions with C₂H₂ form some C₁₄H₈ products, but negligible phenanthrene and anthracene formation is predicted at 1500 K. A rate-of-production analysis reveals that C₁₄H₈ formation is strongly affected by the rates of H-abstraction from acenaphthylene, 1-ethynylnaphthalene, and 2-ethynylnaphthalene, so the kinetics of these reactions are accurately calculated at the high level G3(MP2,CC)//B3LYP/6-311G^** level of theory. At intermediate temperatures like 800 K, acenaphthylene + H are the leading bimolecular products of 1-C₁₀H₇ + C₂H₂, and 1-acenaphthenyl radical is the most abundant C₁₂H₉ isomer due to its stability. The predicted product distribution of 2-C₁₀H₇ + C₂H₂ at 800 K, in contrast to the results of Parker et al is predicted to consist primarily of species containing three fused benzene rings—for example, phenanthrene and anthracene—as the leading products, indicating HACA chemistry is valid from two to three ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under some conditions. Further experiments are needed for validation.     

Infrared diode laser absorption spectroscopy of C(2)H(2) and C(2)H(6) in capacitively coupled methane RF discharges

Low-temperature RF discharges with methane as feed gas are widely used for the deposition of hydrogenated films. The film properties depend strongly on the chemical composition and therefore two of the main stable products in this kind of discharge, namely ethane (C(2)H(6)) and acetylene (C(2)H(2)), have been measured for the understanding of the reaction kinetics in the plasma. An absorption spectrometer has been built up for the investigation of the concentrations of these as a function of the input power and the flow rate. The time scales for reaching steady state after the discharge is switched on and the depletion time scale after the plasma is switched off have been determined. Assuming the recombination of CH(3) molecules to be the only production mechanism for C(2)H(6) and using a simplified rate equation, the measured densities of C(2)H(6) can be reproduced very well by analytical fitting curves.     

Ring-polymer Molecular Dynamics Simulation for the Adsorption of H2 on Ice Clusters (H2O)n (n=8, 10, and 12)

In the interstellar medium, the H₂ adsorption and desorption on the solid water ice are crucial for chemical and physical processes. We have recently investigated the probabilities of H₂ sticking on the (H₂O)₈ ice, which has quadrilateral surfaces. We have extended the previous work using classical MD and ring-polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) simulations to the larger ice clusters, (H₂O)₁₀ and (H₂O)₁₂, which have pentagonal and hexagonal surfaces, respectively. The H₂ sticking probabilities decreased as the temperature increased for both cluster cases, whereas the cluster-size-independent profiles were observed. It is thought that the size independence of the probabilities is qualitatively understood from the similar binding energies for all the three cluster systems. Furthermore, the RPMD sticking probabilities are smaller than the classical ones because of the reduction in the binding energies owing to nuclear quantum effects, such as vibrational quantization.     

Theoretical studies of proton-transfer reactions of 2-hydroxypyridine--(H2O)n (n = 0-2) in the ground and excited states

The potential energy profiles for proton-transfer reactions of 2-hydroxypyridine and its complexes with water were determined by MP2, CASSCF and MR-CI calculations with the 6-31G** basis set. The tautomerization reaction between 2-hydroxypyridine (2HP) and 2-pyridone (2PY) does not take place at room temperature because of a barrier of approximately 35 kcal/mol for the ground-state pathway. The water-catalyzed enol-keto tautomerization reactions in the ground state proceed easily through the concerted proton transfer, especially for the two-water complex. The S1 tautomerization between the 2HP and 2PY monomers has a barrier of 18.4 kcal/mol, which is reduced to 5.6 kcal/mol for the one-water complex and 6.4 kcal/mol for the two-water complex. The results reported here predict that the photoinduced tautomerization reaction between the enol and keto forms involves a cyclic transition state having one or two water molecules as a bridge.     

Symmetry of the dissociation of hydrogen: angular dependence of the doppler profile of the excited hydrogen atom (n = 4) produced in e-H2 collisions

The angular dependence of the Doppler profile of the Balmer-β line indicates that the asymmetry parameter, b, is positive and the polarization of the electric vector, J_p, is 0.7 ± 0.1 for the formation of H¹(n=4) from H₂. Thus, H¹(n=4) is produced in a parallel transition, and the transition moment of H¹ lies along the dissociation axis. This result suggests that the intermediate states for the fast and anisotropic H¹(n=4) atoms should be of the type ¹Σ⁺_u(2pσ_u)(n/σ_g).     

Electronic basis of the comparable hydrogen bond properties of small H2CO/(H2O)n and H2NO/(H2O)n systems (n = 1, 2)

The electronic and structural properties of dihydronitroxide/water clusters are investigated and compared to the properties of formaldehyde/water clusters. Exploring the stationary points of their potential energy surfaces (structurally, vibrationally, and energetically) and characterizing their hydrogen bonds (by both atoms in molecules and natural bond orbitals methods) clearly reveal the strong similarity between these two kind of molecular systems. The main difference involves the nature of the hydrogen bond taking place between the X-H bond and the oxygen atom of a water molecule. All the properties of the hydrogen bonds occurring in both kind of clusters can be easily interpreted in terms of competition between intermolecular and intramolecular hyperconjugative interactions.     

Accurate benchmark calculation of the reaction barrier height for hydrogen abstraction by the hydroperoxyl radical from methane. Implications for C(n)H(2n+2) where n = 2 --> 4

The CH4 + HO2(*) reaction is studied by using explicitly correlated coupled-cluster theory with singles and doubles (CCSD-R12) in a large 19s14p8d6f4g3h basis (9s6p4d3f for H) to approach the basis-set limit at the coupled-cluster singles-doubles level. A correction for connected triple excitations is obtained from the conventional CCSD(T) coupled-cluster approach in the correlation-consistent quintuple-zeta basis (cc-pV5Z). The highly accurate results for the methane reaction are used to calibrate the calculations of the hydroperoxyl-radical hydrogen abstraction from other alkanes. For the alkanes C(n)H(2n+2) with n = 2 --> 4, the reactions are investigated at the CCSD(T) level in the correlation-consistent triple-zeta (cc-pVTZ) basis. The results are adjusted to the benchmark methane reaction and compared with those from other approaches that are commonly used in the field such as CBS-QB3, CBS-APNO, and density functional theory. Rate constants are computed in the framework of transition state theory, and the results are compared with previous values available.     

Plasma-chemical CO(2) decomposition in a non-self-sustained discharge with a controlled electronic component of plasma

Carbon dioxide decomposition in a non-self-sustained discharge was studied by the methods of diode laser spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. It was shown that the effective control of the mechanism of a plasmachemical reaction is possible by varying the parameter E/N. This allowed us to reduce the energy cost of dissociation CO(2) by more than on an order of magnitude as compared to the dissociation process in a self-sustained glow discharge.     

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.     

甲烷、氮、硫化氢、氨和水混合物的放电反应

以CH4、N2加热含氨、硫化氢水相混合物, 在3500V高压、电火花连续放电24h, 考察H2S在化学进化中的作用. 气相用质谱分析 , 水相经浓缩纯化并制成衍生物, 气相色谱测定有14种氨基酸. 体系中若无硫化氢时, 只生成六种氨基酸. 这表明硫是合成生命基础分子的必需元素, 可能在原始地球空间的化学进化过程中起重要作用.     

Fluxional and aromatic behavior in small magic silicon clusters: a full ab initio study of Si(n), Si(n) (1-), Si(n) (2-), and Si(n) (1+), n=6, 10 clusters

The structural, electronic, vibrational, optical, magnetic, and aromatic characteristics of Si(n), Si(n) (1-), Si(n) (2-), and Si(n) (1+), clusters have been calculated very accurately with a variety of high level ab initio techniques. These calculations have been performed with the aim to clarify existing ambiguities in the literature and to bring up the fluxional and aromatic characteristics of these species. The fluxional behavior, according to earlier conjecture of the present author, could be connected to the magic property. In addition such behavior could also explain the existence of conflicting results. The ab initio techniques include quadratic configuration interaction, coupled cluster, and multireference second order perturbation theory, together with density functional theory ("static" and time dependent) with the hybrid B3LYP functional. Various high quality correlation-consistent basis sets, ranging from 2Z up to 5Z quality, were employed. It is demonstrated that Si(6) is fluxional, fluctuating around a symmetric D(4h) structure. Si(10) is also fluxional but to a lesser degree, in contrast to Si(10) (1-) anion which is highly fluxional. For both clusters, in full agreement with Wade's and Lipscomb's rules for deltahedral boranes, the corresponding dianions have higher symmetry (O(h) and D(4d), respectively) and lower energy than the neutral clusters. The aromatic behavior of Si(6) fits better to a mixed conflicting aromaticity picture. This type of aromatic and fluxional behavior has also been observed in stable "magic" carbon clusters as C(6) and carbon fullerenes such as C(20). The present results, which support possible connection of fluxional and magic properties, are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements of ionization energies, electron affinities, and vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra.     

On the formation of H(n=3)dipole moments in collisions of protons on rare gas atoms

We have investigated proton-rare gas atom charge transfer collisions in the energy range from 20 to 100 keV and have extracted the electrostatic dipole moments (EDMs) of the collisionally produced H(n=3) atoms from the optical data. The results show that the EDM decreases with increasing atomic number of the rare gas atoms. Our data provide experimental evidence that post-collisional electrostatic forces do not influence the formation of the EDMs.     

Comprehensive analysis of the hydrogen bond network morphology and OH stretching vibrations in protonated methanol-water mixed clusters, H(+)(MeOH)1(H2O)n (n = 1-8)

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of protonated methanol-water mixed clusters, H (+)(MeOH) 1(H 2O) n ( n = 1-8), were extensively carried out to analyze the hydrogen bond structures of the clusters. Various structural isomers were energy optimized, and their relative energies with zero point energy corrections and temperature dependence of the free energies were examined. Coexistence of different morphological isomers was suggested. Infrared spectra were simulated on the basis of the optimized structures. The infrared spectra were also experimentally measured for n = 3-9 in the OH stretching vibrational region. The observed broad bands in the hydrogen-bonded OH stretch region were assigned in comparison with the simulations. From the DFT calculations, the preferential proton location was also investigated. Clear correlations between the excess proton location and the cluster morphology were found.     

HeLi^n^+(n=0, 1)簇合物的稳定性和垂直激发态光谱

本文用ab initio研究了簇合物HeLi^n^+(n=0, 1)的几何构型和成键性质。在MP2(FULL)/6-31G**, 水平优化所得LeLi^+的平衡键长为0.2062nm, 与实验值0.205nm十分吻合。比较了HeLi^+(X^1∑^+和a^3∑^+), HeLi(X^2∑^+和a^4II)以及HLi(X^1∑^+)的稳定性, 计算了HeLi^+基态的相关能, 势能曲线和垂直激发态光谱。计算采用了6-31G**, 6-311G**,6-311G(2df, 2pd), 6-311G(3df, 2pd)和6-311+G(3df, 2pd)基组; 采用的方法包括MP2(FULL), MP4, MCSCF, MRSDCI, CCD和ST4CCD。计算表明, 同价HeLi^n^+中激发态的离解能均远比基态的大, 其中HeLi^+(a^3∑^+)的离解能最高(60.49kj/mol),说明激发态是稳定束缚态。HeLi^+基态比等电子体HLi分子基态的稳定性小得多。HeLi^+由A^1∑^+到B^1II的垂直跃迁(3σ→1π)振子强度较大而垂直跃迁能较小。