An improved anharmonic force field of CHClF2

CH-stretching Overtone Spectra of a Fast Rotating Methyl Group: 2-CH3 and 2-CHD2 Pyridines

The CH-stretching overtone spectra of the methyl group in gaseous 2-CH(3) and 2-CHD(2) methylpyridines are recorded with conventional Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy in the Deltav(CH) = 1-4 regions and by intracavity laser photoacoustic spectroscopy in the Deltav(CH) = 5 and 6 regions. All spectra exhibit a complex structure. They are analyzed with a theoretical model that incorporates, within the adiabatic approximation, the coupling of the anharmonic CH-stretch vibrations described by Morse potentials with the quasifree internal rotation of the methyl group and with isoenergetic combination states involving the six angle deformation modes of the methyl group. The molecular vibrations are calculated in terms of redundant internal coordinates in an unambiguous canonical form. A simultaneous analysis of different isotopic derivatives is thus achieved. The Fermi resonance coupling parameters are those previously determined for toluene. The technique of diabatic rotations is used to disentangle the multiple avoided crossings occurring along the internal rotation coordinate theta in the calculated spectra, which become rapidly very dense owing to the low symmetry of the system. This simulation is successful in reproducing the experimental spectra. In addition, the transferrability of the Fermi resonance coupling parameters between two parent molecules is demonstrated.

Absolute intensities of Raman trace scattering from bicyclo-[1.1.1]-pentane

Our previous theoretical studies have identified the Raman intensity parameter for the bridgehead C-H stretch in bicyclo-[1.1.1]-pentane as the largest for any saturated hydrocarbon yet considered, while the methylene C-H parameter is predicted to be ordinary. Theoretical methods including self-consistent field, static and time dependent density functional theory, and coupled cluster, all predict a large bridgehead intensity parameter, but differ widely in the actual value. We have synthesized bicyclo-[1.1.1]-pentane and recorded the absolute intensity Raman trace scattering spectra. The recorded intensity of a resonance polyad in the C-H stretching region has been resolved and distributed onto the fundamental modes through an anharmonic resonance analysis from a computed quartic force field. The experimental internal coordinate intensity parameters have been obtained and compared with those computed. Although the static and dynamic density functional values overestimate the parameter by 10%-18%, the values predicted at the coupled-cluster level are found to be correct to within experimental error.

The anharmonic potential energy surface of methyl fluoride

A large experimental spectroscopic data set sensitive to the cubic anharmonic potential energy surface (PES) of methyl fluoride has been compiled from the literature for six symmetric and asymmetric top isotopomers of methyl fluoride: 12CH3F, 13CH3FF, 12CD3F, 13CD3F, 12CHD2F and 12CH2DF. This empirical data set has been used to critically assess the best available literature ab initio cubic force field and various 'improved' theoretical force fields. A perturbation-resonance approach to the calculation of the observables from the force constants has been utilized and existing PESs were found to reproduce the data poorly. The careful treatment required for the correct theoretical reproduction of empirical spectroscopic constants arising from highly correlated least-squares fits to the original data is discussed. A new fit to the data has been performed (optimising 19 of the 38 cubic force constants) resulting in a much improved PES. The latter has been used to predict currently unknown spectroscopic constants for the least well-characterised isotopomer 12CH2DF. The prospects for a future empirical determination of the complete cubic force field of methyl fluoride are discussed and new data most likely to yield new information on the PES identified.

The angleICI Bending Satellites in the Millimeter-Wave Rotational Spectra of CH(2)I(2) and CD(2)I(2)

Rotational transitions in the first four excited states of the low-frequency angleICI bending mode, nu(4), have been assigned in the mm-wave rotational spectra of CH(2)I(2) and of CD(2)I(2). Measurements of transition frequencies, made over the frequency region 167-326 GHz and for J" up to 190, allowed determination of sextic level spectroscopic constants for all states. The changes in spectroscopic constants with vibrational excitation show very small anharmonicity, in spite of the very low frequency of this mode (121 cm(-1)). Vibrational excitation affects the moments of inertia in such a way that the planar moment P(b), about the plane perpendicular to both angleICI and angleHCH, is practically invariant. Vibrational change in P(c), the moment along the principal axis in the HCH plane and perpendicular to the angleHCH bisector, has been successfully reproduced with an ab initio harmonic force field so that there is no discernible vibrational change in angleHCH on excitation of angleICI. Finally, the change in P(a) leads to estimated vibrational change of +0.12 degrees in the value of angleICI itself. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

The Effectiveness of Newton's Method for Improving Ab Initio Force Fields with Applications to CO2 and H2CO

Ab initio force field parameters are refined using modifications to Newton's method in which a figure of merit function is approximated as a Taylor Series truncated at second order. We investigate two versions of Newton's method: the Discrete Newton method where the Hessian is approximated by finite differences and the Gauss-Newton method where the Hessian is approximated as the product of first derivatives. The applicability of both rests on the capability of current ab initio methods to calculate quartic force fields that accurately reproduce experimental observables such as band centers and inertial constants. As examples, we calculate refined potential energy surfaces for CO2 and H2CO. We show that an algorithm depending solely on Newton's methods requires only a small number of iterations. Additionally, Newton-based methods provide a great deal of information about the sensitivity of the force field parameters to the observables being fit. We also demonstrate that the less computationally demanding Gauss-Newton method gives results similar to the less approximate Discrete Newton method. Copyright 1998 Academic Press. Copyright 1998Academic Press