Theoretical and Experimental Study of the Spectroscopy and Thermochemistry of UC+/0/

Wavefunction theory and density functional theory analysis of ground and excited electronic states of TaB and WB

Several low-lying electronic states of TaB and WB molecules were studied using ab initio multireference configuration interaction (MRCI), Davidson corrected MRCI (MRCI+Q), and coupled cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] methods. Their full potential energy curves (PECs), equilibrium electron configurations, equilibrium bond distances (res), dissociation energies (Des), excitation energies (Tes), harmonic vibrational frequencies (ωes), and anharmonicities (ωexes) are reported. The MRCI dipole moment curves (DMCs) of the first 5 electronic states of both TaB and WB are also reported and the equilibrium dipole moment (μ) values are compared with the CCSD(T) μ values. The most stable 13Π (1σ22σ23σ11π3) and 15Δ (1σ22σ23σ11π21δ1) electronic states of TaB lie close in energy with ∼62 kcal mol-1De with respect to the Ta(4F) + B(2P) asymptote. However, spin-orbit coupling effects make the 15Δ0+ state the true ground state of TaB. The ground electronic state of WB (16Π) has the 1σ22σ13σ11π31δ2 electron configuration and is followed by the excited 16Σ+ and 14Δ states. Finally, the MRCI De, re, ωe, and ωexe values of the 13Π state of TaB and 16Π and 14Δ states of WB are used to assess the density functional theory (DFT) errors on a series of exchange-correlation functionals that span multiple-rungs of the Jacob's ladder of density functional approximations (DFA).

Tri-n-butyl Phosphate vs Tri-iso-amyl Phosphate Complexation with Th(IV), U(VI), and Nd(III): From Theory to Experiment

The complexation behavior of tri-iso-amyl phosphate (TiAP) and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) ligands with U(VI), Th(IV), and Nd(III) was investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Quantum chemical calculations yielded identical coordination geometries for TBP and TiAP complexes. Calculated complexation energies indicated a preferential extraction of U(VI) followed by Th(IV) over Nd(III), aligning with solvent extraction experiments conducted in the cross-current mode. Notably, during the separation of Th(IV) from RE(III), an increase in Th(IV) loading in the organic phase suppressed RE(III) extraction. Further analysis highlighted the crucial role of structural features (symmetry and dipole moment) in the extraction behavior of complexes. Energy decomposition analysis underscored the essential role of geometric strain and dispersion interaction energies in deciding the stability of the complexes.

Energetic and Electronic Properties of UO0/± and UF0/±

High-level electronic structure calculations were conducted to examine the bonding and spectroscopic properties of the UO0/± and UF0/± diatomic molecules. The low-lying Ω states were described by using multireference SO-CASPT2 calculations. The adiabatic electronic affinity (AEA), adiabatic ionization energy (IE), and bond dissociation energy (BDE) were calculated at the Feller-Peterson-Dixon (FPD) level. The ground state of UO is predicted to be 5I4, and that of UF is 4I9/2. The calculated AEAs of UO and UF are 1.123 and 0.453 eV, respectively, and the corresponding IEs are 5.976 and 6.278 eV. The BDE of UO (749.5 kJ/mol) is predicted to be considerably higher than that of UF (627.2 kJ/mol), and both are higher than those predicted for UB, UC, and UN. NBO calculations show strong ionic character for the ground states of UO and UF and bond orders that range from 2 to 3 and from 1 to 2, respectively. Comparisons of the calculated properties to those of the series comprising UB, UC, and UN diatomic molecules are given.

Ab initio exploration of low-lying electronic states of linear and bent MNX+ (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra; X = O, S, Se, Te, Po) and their origins

High-level multireference and coupled cluster quantum calculations were employed to analyze low-lying electronic states of linear-MNX+ and side-bonded-M[NX]+ (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra; X = O, S, Se, Te, Po) species. Their full potential energy curves (PECs), dissociation energies (Des), geometric parameters, excitation energies (Tes), and harmonic vibrational frequencies (ωes) are reported. The first three chemically bound electronic states of MNX+ and M[NX]+ are 3Σ-, 1Δ, 1Σ+ and 3A″, 1A', 1A″, respectively. The 3Σ-, 1Δ, 1Σ+ of MNX+ originate from the M+(2D) + NX(2Π) fragments, whereas the 3A″, 1A', 1A″ states of M[NX]+ dissociate to M+(2S) + NX(2Π) as a result of avoided crossings. The MNX+ and M[NX]+ are real minima on the potential energy surface and their interconversions are possible. The M2+NX-/M2+[NX]- ionic structure is an accurate representation for their low-lying electronic states. The Des of MNX+ species were found to depend on the dipole moment (μ) of the corresponding NX ligands and a linear relationship between these two parameters was observed.

Understanding the Complexation Behavior of Carbamoylphosphine Oxide Ligands with Representative f-Block Elements

The complexation behavior of carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide ligands (CMPO), a bifunctional phosphine oxide, and their substituted derivatives with Ce(III), Eu(III), Th(IV), U(VI), and Am(III) was probed at the density functional theory (DFT) level. The enhanced extraction of trivalent rare earth elements by the 2-diphenylphosphinylethyl derivative over the conventional CMPO ligand is identified due to the availability of an additional P═O donor group in the former. In addition, the orbital and dispersive interactions play a vital role in the preference of Th(IV) over U(VI) during extraction using CMPO ligands. The better complexing ability of ligands having long alkyl chain substituents at the P atom is justified due to the observed enhanced dispersion interactions in these systems.

High Coordination Numbers of Actinides (An) in AnC13+ Rings (An = Th and U)

An intriguingly high abundance of both ThC13+ and UC13+ cluster cations was observed in a previous mass spectrometry experiment; however, the structural identification of these cations has not yet been completed. In this study, we determined the lowest lying structures of ThC13+ and UC13+ clusters using an unbiased structural search method. The 13-coordinate planar ring configuration was the most stable for both ThC13+ and UC13+ cluster cations. The C-An bonds in ThC13+ and UC13+ show a small degree of covalency, originating from the overlap of the s, d, and f orbitals of the An atoms with C 2p orbitals of both π and σ characteristics. The infrared and electronic absorption spectra of the most favorable planar ring configurations were theoretically simulated to facilitate the identification of the molecular structures in future experiments. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the experimental mass spectra.

Coupled Cluster Study of the Heats of Formation of UF6 and the Uranium Oxyhalides, UO2X2 (X = F, Cl, Br, I, and At)

The atomization enthalpies of the U(VI) species UF6 and the uranium oxyhalides UO2X2 (X = F, Cl, Br, I, and At) were calculated using a composite relativistic Feller-Peterson-Dixon (FPD) approach based on scalar relativistic DKH3-CCSD(T) with extrapolations to the CBS limit. The inherent multideterminant nature of the U atom was mitigated by utilizing the singly charged atomic cation in all calculations with correction back to the neutral asymptote via the accurate ionization energy of the U atom. The effects of SO coupling were recovered using full 4-component CCSD(T) with contributions due to the Gaunt Hamiltonian calculated using Dirac-Hartree-Fock. The final atomization enthalpy for UF6 (752.2 kcal/mol) was within 2.5 kcal/mol of the experimental value, but unfortunately the latter carries a ±2.4 kcal/mol uncertainty that is predominantly due to the experimental uncertainty in the formation enthalpy of the U atom. The analogous value for UO2F2 (607.6 kcal/mol) was in nearly exact agreement with the experiment, but the latter has a stated experimental uncertainty of ±4.3 kcal/mol. The FPD atomization enthalpy for UO2Cl2 (540.4 kcal/mol) was within the experimental error limit of ±5.5 kcal/mol. FPD atomization energies for the non-U-containing molecules (used for reaction enthalpies) H2O and HX (X = F, Cl, Br, I, and At) were within at most 0.3 kcal/mol of their experimental values where available. The FPD atomization enthalpies, together with FPD reaction enthalpies for two different reactions, were used to determine heats of formation for all species of this work, with estimated uncertainties of ±4 kcal/mol. The calculated heat of formation for UF6 (-511.0 kcal/mol) is within 2.5 kcal/mol of the accurately known (±0.45 kcal/mol) experimental value.

Probing the Chemical Bond between Lanthanides and Carbon: CeC, PrC, NdC, LuC, and TmC2

Resonant two-photon ionization experiments have been conducted to probe the bond dissociation energy (BDE) of the lanthanide-carbon bond, allowing the BDEs of CeC, PrC, NdC, LuC, and Tm-C₂ to be measured to high precision. Values of D₀(CeC) = 4.893(3) eV, D₀(PrC) = 4.052(3) eV, D₀(NdC) = 3.596(3) eV, D₀(LuC) = 3.685(4) eV, and D₀(Tm-C₂) = 4.797(6) eV are obtained. Additionally, the adiabatic ionization energy of LuC was measured, giving IE(LuC) = 7.05(3) eV. The electronic structure of these species, along with the previously measured LaC, has been further investigated using quantum chemical calculations. Despite LaC, CeC, PrC, and NdC having ground electronic configurations that differ only in the number of 4f electrons present and have virtually identical bond orders, bond lengths, fundamental stretching frequencies, and metallic oxidation states, a peculiar 1.30 eV range in bond dissociation energies exists for these molecules. A natural bond orbital analysis shows that the metal atoms in these molecules have a natural charge of +1 with a 5d² 4fⁿ 6s⁰ configuration while the carbon atom has a natural charge of -1 and a 2p³ configuration. The diabatic bond dissociation energies, calculated with respect to the lowest energy level of this separated ion configuration, show a greatly reduced energy range of 0.32 eV, with the diabatic BDE decreasing as the amount of 4f character in the σ-bond increases. Thus, the wide range of measured BDEs for these molecules is a consequence of the variation in atomic promotion energies at the separated ion limit. TmC₂ has a smaller BDE than the other LnC₂ molecules, due to the tiny amount of 5d participation in the valence molecular orbitals.

Bonding, Thermodynamics, and Spectroscopy of the Metal Borides UB0/+/- and WB0/+/

The bonding and spectroscopy of the UB^0/+/- and WB^0/+/- molecules were examined by performing high-level electronic structure calculation on their low-lying electronic states. The calculations were performed at the SO-CASPT2 level to obtain the low-lying excited states and at the FPD level to calculate the adiabatic electronic affinities (AEA), ionization energies (IE), and bond dissociation energies (BDE). Compared to UC and UN, UB has a much denser manifold of states below 1.7 eV. The ground state of UB is predicted to be ⁸I_5/2, and that of WB is ⁶Π_7/2. The calculated IEs of UB and WB are 6.241 and 7.314 eV, respectively, and the corresponding AEAs are 1.160 and 1.422 eV. The BDE of UB is predicted to be 223.1 kJ/mol, which is considerably lower than those predicted for UC and UN and ∼35 kJ/mol lower than the BDE of WB. NBO calculations show that the U and B are connected by two 1-electron π bonds and one 1-electron σ bond with substantial ionic character and a bond order of 1.5. There are three unpaired electrons in the 5f on U. WB has less ionic character than UB with a doubly occupied π bond and a singly occupied σ bond for a bond order of ∼1.5. The results show that the U in UB behaves more like an actinide and the W in WB more like a transition metal.