CEPA Calculations of potential energy surfaces for open-shell systems. II. The reaction of C+ Ions with molecular hydrogen

Ab initio calculations including electron correlation effects (mainly on CEPA-PNO level) have been performed for the potential energy surface (PES) of the reaction of ²P carbon ions with molecular hydrogen. For the collinear abstraction reactions (C_∞v symmetry: ²σ⁺, ²Π-2) the minimum energy paths have been determined. The vertical insertion reaction (C_2v; ²A₁,B₁, ²B₂) has been investigated with particular emphasis (minimum energy path, barrier heights, intersystem crossing). The influence of the size of the orbital basis and of electron correlation has been studied in some detail. The interaction of the ²A₁, and ²B₂ surfaces has been analyzed, leading to the conclusion that close to C_2v symmetry a low energy path exists by which CH₂⁺(²A₁)can be easily formed, with a barrier (²B₂ → ²A₁) ≈ 18 kcal/mol below the asymptote. The analysis of electron correlation effects reveals that it is compulsory to correlate the whole valence shell if one wants to obtain reliable surfaces. The influence of singly excited configurations for getting the correct behaviour of the PES is generally small.