FTIR and computational studies of pure and water containing SO3 species in solid argon matrices

The FT infrared spectrum in the 4000–400 cm⁻¹ range of SO₃ vapors, matrix isolated in argon and in water doped argon solid layers, is reported. Vibrational bands are assigned to pure SO₃ monomeric and polymeric species and to SO₃H₂O complexes, on the basis of theoretical B3LYP and MP2 calculations employing the aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The spectroscopic evidence suggests that in addition to the monomer, both the dimeric and the cyclic trimeric (SO₃)_n complexes are the only other SO₃ forms present in the matrix. The spectra also indicate the presence of the 1:1 and the 1:2 SO₃·H₂O complexes as well as traces of H₂S₂O₇ and water complexed H₂SO₄, but no evidence for a stable 2:1 SO₃H₂O complex was found. The occurrence of the various species is discussed in the light of their calculated energies.