Lignell A, Khriachtchev L, Lignell H, Räsänen M. Protons solvated in noble-gas matrices: Interaction with nitrogen.
Phys Chem Chem Phys 2006;
8:2457-63. [PMID:
16721429 DOI:
10.1039/b603822k]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of a (NgHNg)(+) cation (Ng = Ar and Kr) with a nitrogen molecule is studied. The structure, energetics, and vibrational properties of these complexed systems are computationally studied at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory. The computations reveal two stable structures, linear and T-shaped configurations, with BSSE corrected interaction energies of the order of -1000 cm(-1). The (NgHNg)(+)[dot dot dot]N(2) complexes are characterized experimentally by IR absorption spectroscopy in solid Ar and Kr matrices. The spectra show that only one complex structure is present, as evidenced by the single nitrogen-induced nu(3) band. According to the computational results, the linear structure is more probable in the experiments. However, our results show that the one-to-one complex at the present computational level does not accurately agree with the matrix-isolation experiments, the differences originating possibly from the influence of the surrounding matrix. Based on the current data, the mechanism of cation decay in noble-gas matrices is discussed. The observed similar decay of (NgHNg)(+) and its N(2) complex indicates that the solvated proton is unable to tunnel and is therefore immobile in noble-gas matrices. The observations for the cation decay are consistent with the electron neutralization mechanism.
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