Quantum mechanical valence study of a bond-breaking–bond-forming process in triatomic systems

The recently introduced set of the quadratic, two-electron covalent and ionic valence indices is used to investigate the bond-breaking–bond-forming (BB-BF ) process in an atom exchange reaction between H₂ and X (X = H, F—I) as well as in the O₂—H system. Valence changes accompanying selected charge reorganizations are examined within the three-orbital model and valence diagrams for symmetric transition states (TS s) are given. The UHF valence data for Li₂O and CO₂ and the H—H—X, O—O—H, and O—H—O (ABC) TS s (collinear and angular) are reported and compared to valence data in the separated fragments limits (SFL ), AB and BC. The overall valence, ν(ABC), and the total (ionic plus covalent) diatomic valences, ν_AB and ν_BC, are used as measures of the overall bond-order in a concerted BB–BF reaction, to test the postulate of the bond-energy–bond-order (BEBO ) model. In collinear TS s of H₂X, ν ? ?1, i.e., one bonding electron pari, is found to be roughly preserved, whereas in the angular H₂X and in collinear O—H—O TS s, the effect of increased valence at the saddle-point is observed, relative to that of diatomic fragments (reactiants or products). For the angular O—O—H TS , a similar increase in | ν (ABC)| relative to both O₂ and OH SFL s is detected; smaller changes relative to the O₂ data are found in the collinear TS . This observation is in agreement with earlier predictions from the intersecting-state model. The relative diatomic valences, ν/ν and ν/ν, are shown to conserve the overall relative bond multiplicity around 1 in both collinear and angular TS s of the H₂—X systems. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Accurate double many-body expansion potential energy surface for triplet H3+. II. The upper adiabatic sheet (2(3)A')

We report on a global potential energy hypersurface for the upper sheet of the lowest triplet state of H3+. The analytic representation is based on the double many-body expansion theory. The ab initio data points, calculated with a large cc-pV5Z basis, are represented with a root mean square deviation of only 5.54 cm(-1) in the energy region below the H(+)+2H(2S) dissociation threshold. The quasi-bound vibronic states supported by this surface have also been calculated.     

Accurate DMBE Potential Energy Surface For the N(2D) + H2(1Σ g + ) Reaction Using an Improved Switching Function Formalism

A single-sheeted double many-body expansion (DMBE) potential energy surface is reported for the 1 ² A′′ state of NH₂. To approximate its true multi-sheeted nature, a novel switching function that imposes the correct behavior at the H₂(X ¹Σ _g ⁺)+ N(² D) and NH(X ³Σ^-) + H(² S) dissociation limits has been suggested. The new DMBE form is shown to fit with high accuracy an extensive set of new ab initio points (calculated at the multi-reference configuration interaction level using the full valence complete active space as reference and aug-cc-pVQZ and aug-cc-pV5Z basis sets) that have been semiempirically corrected at the valence regions by scaling the n-body dynamical correlation terms such as to account for the finite basis set size and truncated configuration interaction expansion. A detailed study of the N(² D) ... H₂(X ¹Σ _g ⁺) van der Waals region has also been carried out. These calculations predict a nearly free rigid-rotor with two shallow van der Waals wells of C _2v and C _{∞ v} symmetries. Such a result contrasts with previous cc-pVTZ calculations which predict a single T-shaped van der Waals structure. Except in the vicinity of the crossing seam, which is replaced by an avoided intersection, the fit shows the correct physical behavior over the entire configurational space. The topographical features of the new DMBE potential energy surface are examined in detail and compared with those of other potential functions available in the literature. Amongst such features, we highlight the barrier for linearization (11,802 cm^-1) which is found to overestimate the most recent empirical spectroscopic estimate by only 28 cm^-1. Additionally, the T-shaped N(² D) ... H₂ van der Waals minimum is predicted to have a well depth of 90 cm^-1, being 11 cm^-1 deeper than the C _{∞ v} minimum. The title DMBE form is therefore recommendable for dynamics studies of both non-reactive and reactive N(² D)+H₂ collisions.     

Predicting catalysis: understanding ammonia synthesis from first-principles calculations

Here, we give a full account of a large collaborative effort toward an atomic-scale understanding of modern industrial ammonia production over ruthenium catalysts. We show that overall rates of ammonia production can be determined by applying various levels of theory (including transition state theory with or without tunneling corrections, and quantum dynamics) to a range of relevant elementary reaction steps, such as N(2) dissociation, H(2) dissociation, and hydrogenation of the intermediate reactants. A complete kinetic model based on the most relevant elementary steps can be established for any given point along an industrial reactor, and the kinetic results can be integrated over the catalyst bed to determine the industrial reactor yield. We find that, given the present uncertainties, the rate of ammonia production is well-determined directly from our atomic-scale calculations. Furthermore, our studies provide new insight into several related fields, for instance, gas-phase and electrochemical ammonia synthesis. The success of predicting the outcome of a catalytic reaction from first-principles calculations supports our point of view that, in the future, theory will be a fully integrated tool in the search for the next generation of catalysts.     

Nuclear dynamics in the vicinity of a crossing seam: Vibrational spectrum of HD2 revisited

So far, most studies of the geometric phase effect have presumed that the phase is path‐independent; hence, one must supply another restriction concerning the boundary condition on the nuclear wave functions when dealing with nonsymmetric isotopomers of X₃ systems. We report calculations of the vibrational spectra of HD₂ using a recently proposed generalized Born–Oppenheimer (GBO) formalism. The calculations demonstrate that there are significant differences between the results calculated from the present GBO method and those based on the preceding presumption. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 83: 279–285, 2001     

Copper and iron interactions with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. A study by fast-atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry

Fast atom bombardment, combined with high-energy collision-induced tandem mass spectrometry, has been used to investigate gas-phase metal-ion interactions with captopril, enalaprilat and lisinopril, all angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.Suggestions for the location of metal-binding sites are presented. For captopril, metal binding occurs most likely at both the sulphur and the nitrogen atom. For enalaprilat and lisinopril, binding preferably occurs at the amine nitrogen. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trivial and simple spectrum for SL(d, ℝ) cocycles with free base and fiber dynamics

Let AC_D(M,SL(d,R)) denote the pairs (f,A) so that f ∈ A ⊂ Diff¹(M) is a C¹-Anosov transitive diffeomorphisms and A is an SL(d,R) cocycle dominated with respect to f. We prove that open and densely in AC_D(M,SL(d,R)), in appropriate topologies, the pair (f,A) has simple spectrum with respect to the unique maximal entropy measure μ_f. Then, we prove prevalence of trivial spectrum near the dynamical cocycle of an area-preserving map and also for generic cocycles in AutLeb(M) × L^p(M,SL(d,R)).     

Quasiclassical trajectory study of the rotational distribution for the O+NO(v = 0) fundamental vibrational excitation

Quasiclassical trajectories have been run to study the fundamental one‐quantum vibrational transition formed from collisions of ground‐state nitric oxide with atomic oxygen at temperatures of 500, 750, and 1000 K. Two adiabatic potential energy surfaces of different symmetry (²A′ and ²A″ of NO₂) have been utilized. The rate constant for the title process is given along with the rotational distributions, and the results shown to corroborate previous atmospheric models that describe the nascent state by a Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution at the local temperature. © 2011 Wiley Peiodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 43: 345–352, 2011