Four-nuclear mixed-valence vanadium clusters: divergence of phenomenological and molecular orbital models

Identification, Structure, and Spectroscopy of Neutral Vanadium Oxide Clusters

Neutral vanadium oxide clusters are studied by photoionization time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Mass spectra of vanadium oxide clusters are observed by photoionization with lasers of three different wavelengths: 118, 193, and 355 nm. Mechanisms of 118 nm single photon ionization and 193 and 355 nm multiphoton ionization/fragmentation of vanadium oxide clusters are discussed on the basis of observed mass spectral patterns and line widths of the mass spectral features. Only the 118 nm laser light can ionize vanadium oxide neutral species by single photon ionization without fragmentation. The stable vanadium oxide neutral clusters under saturated oxygen growth conditions are found to be of the form (VO2)x(V2O5)y. Structures of the first few members of this series of clusters are determined through high level DFT calculations. Fragmentation of this series of clusters through 355 and 193 nm multiphoton ionization processes is discussed in light of these calculated structures. The B(2)B2 <-- X(2)A1 transition is observed for the VO2 neutral species, and nu1 and nu2 vibrations are assigned for both electronic states. From this spectrum, the VO2 rotational and vibrational temperatures are found to be approximately 50 and approximately 700 K, respectively.

Exchange interactions in the three phases of vanadyl pyrophosphate (VO)(2)P(2)O(7)

The magnetic exchange constants of vanadyl pyrophosphate (VO)(2)P(2)O(7) have been calculated on the basis of a combined DFT/broken symmetry approach. The three reported phases, ambient-pressure orthorhombic, ambient-pressure monoclinic, and high-pressure orthorhombic, have been explicitly considered. Calculations have been performed on four types of model clusters extracted from the crystal lattices. The singularity of each phase is clearly reflected through the number and values of exchange parameters. Our results show that the exchange interactions can be described in first approximation within the alternating antiferromagnetic chain model. The largest exchange coupling along the chain occurs through O-P-O bridges. The interchain interactions are much weaker and are of ferromagnetic nature.