Theoretical Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Low-Valent Carbon Species: A ∼6 eV Range of Ionization Potentials among Carbenes, Ylides, and Carbodiphosphoranes

High-quality density functional theory calculations underscore a nearly 6 eV range for the ionization potentials (IPs) of neutral, low-valent carbon compounds, including carbenes, ylides, and zero-valent carbon compounds (carbones) such as carbodiphosphoranes (CDPs) and carbodicarbenes. Thus, adiabatic IPs as low as 5.5 ± 0.1 eV are predicted for CDPs, which are about 0.7-1.2 eV lower than those of simple phosphorus and sulfur ylides. In contrast, the corresponding values for N-heterocyclic carbenes are about 8.0 eV while those for simple singlet carbenes such as dichlorocarbene and difluorocarbene range from about 9.0 eV to well over 11.0 eV.

Photoelectron spectroscopy in molecular physical chemistry

Photoelectron spectroscopy has long been a powerful method in the toolbox of experimental physical chemistry and molecular physics. Recent improvements in coincidence methods, charged-particle imaging, and electron energy resolution have greatly expanded the variety of environments in which photoelectron spectroscopy can be applied, as well as the range of questions that can now be addressed. In this Perspectives Article, we focus on selected recent studies that highlight these advances and research areas. The topics include reactive intermediates and new thermochemical data, high-resolution comparisons of experiment and theory using methods based on pulsed-field ionisation (PFI), and the application of photoelectron spectroscopy as an analytical tool to monitor chemical reactions in complex environments, like model flames, catalytic or high-temperature reactors.

Photoionization Dynamics of the Tetraoxo Complexes OsO4 and RuO4

The photoionization dynamics of OsO₄ and RuO₄, chosen as model systems of small-size mononuclear heavy-metal complexes, has been theoretically studied by the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Accurate experimental measurements of photoionization dynamics as a benchmarking test for the theory are reported for the photoelectron asymmetry parameters of outer valence ionizations of OsO₄, measured in the 17–90 eV photon energy range. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the available experimental data. The observed dynamical behavior of partial cross sections and asymmetry parameters has been related to both the coupling to the continuum of discrete excited states, giving strong modulations in the photon energy dependency, and the atomic composition of the initial ionized states, which determines the rate of decay of ionization probability for increasing excitation energies. Overall, an extensive analysis of the photoionization dynamics for valence and core orbitals is presented, showing good agreement with all the available experimental data. This provides confidence for the validity of the TDDFT approach in describing photoionization of heavy transition element compounds, with the perspective of being used for larger systems. Further experimental work is suggested for RuO₄ to gather evidence of the sensitivity of the theoretical method to the nature of the metal atom.

In this work, the time-dependent density functional theory is used to calculate the photoionization dynamics of the valence and core ionizations of OsO₄ and RuO₄ complexes, which are chosen as model systems of small-size mononuclear heavy-metal complexes. Accurate experimental measurements of the branching ratios and photoelectron asymmetry parameters of outer valence ionizations of OsO₄ provide a sound benchmark of the computational methodology.

Accurate Quantum Chemical Calculation of Ionization Potentials: Validation of the DFT-LOC Approach via a Large Data Set Obtained from Experiments and Benchmark Quantum Chemical Calculations

Density functional theory (DFT) is known to often fail when calculating thermodynamic values, such as ionization potentials (IPs), due to nondynamical error (i.e., the self-interaction term). Localized orbital corrections (LOCs), derived from assigning corresponding corrections for the atomic orbitals, bonds, and paired and unpaired electrons, are utilized to correct the IPs calculated from DFT. Some of the assigned parameters, which are physically due to the contraction of and change of the environment around a bond, depend on identifying the location in the molecule from which the electron is removed using differences in the charge density between neutral and oxidized species. In our training set, various small organic and inorganic molecules from the literature with the reported experimental IP were collected using the NIST database. For certain molecules with uncertain or no experimental measurements, we obtain the IP using coupled cluster theory and auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo. After applying these corrections, as generated by least-squares regression, LOC reduces the mean absolute deviation (MAD) of the training set from 0.143 to 0.046 eV (R² = 0.895), and LOC reduces the MAD of the test set from 0.192 to 0.097 eV (R² = 0.833).

Photoionization studies of reactive intermediates using synchrotron radiation

Photoionization with synchrotron radiation enables sensitive and selective monitoring of reactive intermediates in environments such as flames and plasmas.

The kinetics and product state distributions from gas-phase reactions of small atomic and molecular cations with C2H4, C2H3F, 1,1-C2H2F2, C2HF3 and C2F4

The reactions of twenty one gas-phase cations with C2H3F, 1,1-C2H2F2, C2HF3 and C2F4 have been studied in a selected ion flow tube at 298 K. The cations are both atomic and molecular with recombination energies in the range 6-22 eV, and the kinetics and branching ratios into product ions are revealed for all the reactions. These data, together with that from an earlier study of reactions of C(x)F(y)(+) with these four fluorinated ethenes (J. Phys. Chem. A., 2012, 116, 8119), are compared with the reactions of these ions with C2H4, where available. Nearly all the reactions have a rate coefficient close to the collisional value calculated by either Langevin or modified average dipole orientation theories. The products of the reactions of N(+) and N2(+) with C2H4 are found to be anomalous, compared to their reactions with the four fluorinated ethenes. The branching ratios into product cations are compared with those from a high resolution (ca. 0.002 eV) photoionisation (hν = 10-22 eV) study of C2H3F, 1,1-C2H2F2, C2HF3 and C2F4 (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, 3935) in order to gauge the importance of electron transfer in ion-molecule reactions. The higher the recombination energy of the cation, the better the agreement between the two sets of product branching ratios. Where there is disagreement at lower recombination energies, it appears that there is more fragmentation of the products in the photoionisation experiment compared to the ion-molecule reactions.

Selected ion flow tube study of the gas-phase reactions of CF+, CF2+, CF3+, and C2F4+ with C2H4, C2H3F, CH2CF2, and C2HF3

We study how the degree of fluorine substitution for hydrogen atoms in ethene affects its reactivity in the gas phase. The reactions of a series of small fluorocarbon cations (CF(+), CF(2)(+), CF(3)(+), and C(2)F(4)(+)) with ethene (C(2)H(4)), monofluoroethene (C(2)H(3)F), 1,1-difluoroethene (CH(2)CF(2)), and trifluoroethene (C(2)HF(3)) have been studied in a selected ion flow tube. Rate coefficients and product cations with their branching ratios were determined at 298 K. Because the recombination energy of CF(2)(+) exceeds the ionization energy of all four substituted ethenes, the reactions of this ion produce predominantly the products of nondissociative charge transfer. With their lower recombination energies, charge transfer in the reactions of CF(+), CF(3)(+), and C(2)F(4)(+) is always endothermic, so products can only be produced by reactions in which bonds form and break within a complex. The trends observed in the results of the reactions of CF(+) and CF(3)(+) may partially be explained by the changing value of the dipole moment of the three fluoroethenes, where the cation preferentially attacks the more nucleophilic part of the molecule. Reactions of CF(3)(+) and C(2)F(4)(+) are significantly slower than those of CF(+) and CF(2)(+), with adducts being formed with the former cations. The reactions of C(2)F(4)(+) with the four neutral titled molecules are complex, giving a range of products. All can be characterized by a common first step in the mechanism in which a four-carbon chain intermediate is formed. Thereafter, arrow-pushing mechanisms as used by organic chemists can explain a number of the different products. Using the stationary electron convention, an upper limit for Δ(f)H°(298)(C(3)F(2)H(3)(+), with structure CF(2)═CH-CH(2)(+)) of 628 kJ mol(-1) and a lower limit for Δ(f)H°(298)(C(2)F(2)H(+), with structure CF(2)═CH(+)) of 845 kJ mol(-1) are determined.

Photoionization of iodine atoms: angular distributions and relative partial photoionization cross-sections in the energy region 11.0-23.0 eV

Relative partial photoionization cross-sections and angular distribution parameters, beta, have been measured for the first, I(+)((3)P(2))<--I((2)P(3/2)), and fourth, I(+)((1)D(2))<--I((2)P(3/2)), (5p)(-1) photoelectron (PE) bands of atomic iodine, by performing angle-resolved constant-ionic-state (CIS) measurements on these PE bands in the photon energy range 11.0-23.0 eV. Three Rydberg series, two ns and one nd series, which converge to the I(+) (3)P(1) limit at 11.33 eV and four Rydberg series, two ns and two nd series, which converge to the I(+) (1)D(2) limit at 12.15 eV were observed in the first PE band CIS spectra. The fourth band CIS spectrum showed structure in the 12.9-14.1 eV photon energy range, which is also seen in the first band CIS spectra. This structure arises from excitation to ns and nd Rydberg states that are parts of series converging to the I(+) (1)S(0) limit we reported on earlier, as well as 5s-->5p excitations in the photon energy range 17.5-22.5 eV. These atomic iodine CIS spectra show reasonably good agreement with the equivalent spectra obtained for atomic bromine. The beta-plots for the first PE band recorded up to the I(+) (3)P(1) and I(+) (1)D(2) limits only show resonances corresponding to some of the 5p-->nd excitations observed in the first band CIS spectra scanned to the I(+) (1)D(2) limit (12.15 eV). These plots are interpreted in terms of an angular momentum transfer model with the positive values of beta obtained on resonances corresponding to parity allowed j(t)=1 and 3 channels and the off-resonance negative beta values corresponding to parity unfavored channels, where j(t) is the quantum number for angular momentum transfer between the molecule, and the ion and photoelectron. The beta-plots recorded for iodine are significantly different from those obtained for atomic bromine. Comparison of the experimental CIS spectra and beta-plots with available theoretical results highlights the need for higher level calculations which include factors such as configuration interaction in the initial and final states, relativistic effects including spin-orbit interaction, and autoionization via resonant Rydberg states.