Matrix isolation studies of hydrogen bonding – An historical perspective

Probing the Structure of the 1:1 Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes of Metallocenes with HCl

Matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy combined with density functional calculations has been used to form, isolate, and characterize the 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complexes of HCl with ferrocene and ruthenocene. Two unique structures were calculated for each complex, analogous to the two binding sites proposed for the attachment of proton to these metallocenes. The spectra, combined with calculated shifts of the H-Cl stretching mode, support the formation of a complex with the HCl hydrogen bonding to one of the cyclopentadienyl rings, exo to the plane of the ring. Evidence also was obtained for a second structure with the hydrogen of the HCl subunit directed toward the Fe or Ru center between the two cyclopentadienyl rings. This structure is similar to the proposed metal-bound proton structure based on earlier mass spectrometric and computational studies. Importantly, these results were supported by parallel experiments with DCl and the two metallocenes.

UV Laser-Induced Phototransformations of Matrix-Isolated 5-Chloro-3-nitro-2-hydroxyacetophenone

Conformational changes of 5-chloro-3-nitro-2-hydroxyacetophenone were studied by experimental and theoretical methods. Phototransformations of the compound were induced in low-temperature argon matrices by using UV radiation, which was followed by FT-IR measurements. Two types of changes within the molecule were detected: rotations of the hydroxyl and acetyl groups. A new conformer without an intramolecular hydrogen bond was generated upon irradiation with λ = 330 nm, whereas the reverse reaction was observed at 415 nm.

Molecules of life: studying the interaction between water and phosphine in argon matrices

The interaction between water and phosphine isolated in solid argon matrices has been investigated. Infrared spectra of matrices containing water and phosphine, as well as their deuterium and ¹⁸O isotopologues, revealed that a weak hydrogen bonded complex is formed, with an O-H⋯P bonding motif. This was supported by high level ab initio calculations, which predict a binding energy of only 5.1 kJ mol^-1 (430 cm^-1).

Structure and IR Spectroscopic Properties of HNCO Complexes with SO2 Isolated in Solid Argon

FTIR spectroscopy was combined with the matrix isolation technique and quantum chemical calculations with the aim of studying complexes of isocyanic acid with sulfur dioxide. The structures of the HNCO⋯SO₂ complexes of 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1 stoichiometry were optimized at the MP2, B3LYPD3, B2PLYPD3 levels of theory with the 6-311++G(3df,3pd) basis set. Five stable 1:1 HNCO⋯SO₂ complexes were found. Three of them contain a weak N-H⋯O hydrogen bond, whereas two other structures are stabilized by van der Waals interactions. The analysis of the HNCO/SO₂/Ar spectra after deposition indicates that mostly the 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complexes are present in argon matrices, with a small amount of the van der Waals structures. Upon annealing, complexes of the 1:2 stoichiometry were detected, as well.

Polymorphism and Conformational Equilibrium of Nitro-Acetophenone in Solid State and under Matrix Conditions

Conformational and polymorphic states in the nitro-derivative of o-hydroxy acetophenone have been studied by experimental and theoretical methods. The potential energy curves for the rotation of the nitro group and isomerization of the hydroxyl group have been calculated by density functional theory (DFT) to estimate the barriers of the conformational changes. Two polymorphic forms of the studied compound were obtained by the slow and fast evaporation of polar and non-polar solutions, respectively. Both of the polymorphs were investigated by Infrared-Red (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, Incoherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering (IINS), X-ray diffraction, nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy (NQR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. In one of the polymorphs, the existence of a phase transition was shown. The position of the nitro group and its impact on the crystal cell of the studied compound were analyzed. The conformational equilibrium determined by the reorientation of the hydroxyl group was observed under argon matrix isolation. An analysis of vibrational spectra was achieved for the interpretation of conformational equilibrium. The infrared spectra were measured in a wide temperature range to reveal the spectral bands that were the most sensitive to the phase transition and conformational equilibrium. The results showed the interrelations between intramolecular processes and macroscopic phenomena in the studied compound.

Complexes of Formaldehyde and α-Dicarbonyls with Hydroxylamine: FTIR Matrix Isolation and Theoretical Study

The interactions of formaldehyde (FA), glyoxal (Gly) and methylglyoxal (MGly) with hydroxylamine (HA) isolated in solid argon and nitrogen were studied using FTIR spectroscopy and ab initio methods. The spectra analysis indicates the formation of two types of hydrogen-bonded complexes between carbonyl and hydroxylamine in the studied matrices. The cyclic planar complexes are stabilized by O–H⋯O(C), and C–H⋯N interactions and the nonplanar complexes are stabilized by O–H⋯O(C) bond. Formaldehyde was found to form with hydroxylamine, the cyclic planar complex and methylglyoxal, the nonplanar one in both argon and nitrogen matrices. In turn, glyoxal forms with hydroxylamine the most stable nonplanar complex in solid argon, whereas in solid nitrogen, both types of the complex are formed.

Unusual blue to red shifting of C-H stretching frequency of CHCl3 in co-operatively P⋯Cl phosphorus bonded POCl3-CHCl3 heterodimers at low temperature inert matrixes

Heterodimers of POCl₃-CHCl₃ were generated in Ne, Ar, and Kr matrixes at low temperatures and were studied using infrared spectroscopy. The remarkable role of co-operative pentavalent phosphorus bonding in the stabilization of the structure dictated by hydrogen bonding is deciphered. The complete potential energy surface of the heterodimer was scanned by ab initio and density functional theory computational methodologies. The hydrogen bond between the phosphoryl oxygen of POCl₃ and C-H group of CHCl₃ in heterodimers induces a blue-shift in the C-H stretching frequency within the Ne matrix. However, in Ar and Kr matrixes, the C-H stretching frequency is exceptionally red-shifted in stark contrast with Ne. The plausibility of the Fermi resonance by the C-H stretching vibrational mode with higher order modes in the heterodimers has been eliminated as a possible cause within Ar and Kr matrixes by isotopic substitution (CDCl₃) experiments. To evaluate the influence of matrixes as a possible cause of red-shift, self-consistent Iso-density polarized continuum reaction field model was applied. This conveyed the important role of the dielectric matrixes in inducing the fascinating vibrational shift from blue (Ne) to red (Ar and Kr) due to the matrix specific transmutation of the POCl₃-CHCl₃ structure. The heterodimer produced in the Ne matrix possesses a cyclic structure stabilized by hydrogen bonding with co-operative phosphorus bonding, while in Ar and Kr the generation of an acyclic open structure stabilized solely by hydrogen bonding is promoted. Compelling justification regarding the dispersion force based influence of matrix environments in addition to the well-known dielectric influence is presented.

THz spectroscopy of weakly bound cluster molecules in solid para-hydrogen: a sensitive probe of van der Waals interactions

The present work demonstrates that 99.9% enriched solid para-H2 below 3 K provides an excellent inert and transparent medium for the exploration of large-amplitude intermolecular vibrational motion of weakly bound van der Waals cluster molecules in the THz spectral region. THz absorption spectra have been generated for CO2/H2O and CS2/H2O mixtures embedded in enriched solid para-H2 and numerous observed transitions associated with large-amplitude librational motion of the weakly bound binary CO2H2O and CS2H2O van der Waals cluster molecules have been assigned together with tentative assignments for the ternary CS2(H2O)2 system. The interaction strength, directionality and anharmonicity of the weak van der Waals "bonds" between the molecules can be characterized via these THz spectral signatures and yield rigorous benchmarks for high-level ab initio methodologies. It is suggested that even a less stable linear conformation of the ternary CS2(H2O)2 system, where one H2O molecule is linked to each S atom of the CS2 subunit, may be formed due to the kinetics associated with the mobility of free H2O molecules in the soft para-H2 medium. In addition, the spectroscopic observations confirm a linear and planar global intermolecular potential energy minimum for the binary CS2H2O system with C2v symmetry, where the O atom on the H2O molecule is linked to one of the S atoms on the CS2 subunit. A semi-experimental value for the vibrational zero-point energy contribution of 1.93 ± 0.10 kJ mol-1 from the class of large-amplitude intermolecular vibrational modes is proposed. The combination with CCSD(T)/CBS electronic energy predictions provides a semi-experimental estimate of 5.08 ± 0.15 kJ mol-1 for the binding energy D0 of the CS2H2O van der Waals system.