Theoretical Investigation of the Reactivity of Copper Atoms with Carbon Disulfide

Accurate DFT Descriptions for Weak Interactions of Molecules Containing Sulfur

Dispersion corrected atom centered potentials (DCACPs) have been shown to significantly improve the density functional theory (DFT) description of weak interactions. In this work, we have calibrated a DCACP for sulfur in combination with the widely used Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) BLYP, thereby augmenting the existing library of DCACPs for the first- and second-row elements H, C, N, O, and rare gases. Three weakly bound complexes as well as elemental (orthorhombic) sulfur are used as test cases to evaluate the transferability of the DCACP to different chemical environments. It is found that the sulfur DCACP systematically improves the agreement of DFT-calculated weak interactions with respect to MP2 and CCSD(T) level results.

Assessment of the CCSD and CCSD(T) Coupled-Cluster Methods in Calculating Heats of Formation for Cu Complexes

Heats of formation for nine complexes of the form CuX(n) (X = Cu, H, O, OH, S, F, F(2), Cl, Cl(2)) were calculated using the CCSD and CCSD(T) coupled cluster methods with the 6-31G** and TZVP basis sets as well as the LANL2DZ basis set/pseudopotential on Cu with both the 6-31G** and TZVP basis sets applied to the nonmetal atoms. These values were compared with literature heat of formation values. A second order Douglas-Kroll-Hess relativistic correction was applied at the CCSD/TZVP and CCSD(T)/TZVP levels of theory. Overall, the CCSD(T)/TZVP level of theory with the relativistic correction was most suited for the heat of formation calculations possessing low absolute average error and RMSD and the ability to analyze each copper complex, except for the problematic case of copper(II) fluoride. Finally, experimental geometric parameters were compared with the calculated structures in such cases where these data were available. None of the investigated levels of theory predicted bond lengths consistently better than other methods, and it was determined that the most accurate bond length does not necessarily result in the most accurate calculated heat of formation value for a given complex.

Reactions of Group 3 Transition Metal Atoms with CS2 and OCS: Matrix Isolation Infrared Spectra and Density-Functional Calculations of SMCS, SM-(η2-CS), SMCO, and SM-(η2-CO) in Solid Argon

Laser-ablated scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum atoms were reacted with CS2 and OCS molecules in an argon matrix. Products of the type SMCX and S-M(eta2-CX) (X = S or O) were formed on sample deposition. Photolysis favored the S-M(eta(2)-CX) complex, while annealing increased the more stable SMCX isomer. Product absorptions are identified by density-functional frequency calculations and isotopic substitutions. This work reports the first vibrational spectroscopic characterization of Sc, Y, and La reaction products with CS2 and OCS and the subsequent interconversion between SMCX and S-M(eta2-CX) structural isomers.

Theoretical Investigation of the Decarbonylation of Acetaldehyde by Fe+ and Cr+

We report a comprehensive theoretical study on the decarbonylation of acetaldehyde by Fe+ and Cr+. Various intermediates, transition states, and products involved in the decarbonylation reactions are fully optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2pd) level of theory. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) corresponding to [M,O,C2,H4]+(M=Cr and Fe) are examined in detail using B3LYP and CCSD(T) methods, respectively. The validity of these theoretical methods is calibrated with respect to the available thermochemical data. Calculations suggest that the Cr+ mediated decarbonylation of acetaldehyde takes place in four steps on the sextet surface: encounter complexation, C-C activation, aldehyde H-shift, and nonreactive dissociation, in good accordance with the Co+ mediated decarbonylation of acetaldehyde [Zhao, Zhang, Guo, Wu, Lu, Chem. Phys. Lett. 2005, 414, 28], while for the Fe+/acetaldehyde system decarbonylation can occur on both the quartet and the sextet PESs. The quartet pathway, which experiences spin-orbit coupling between the two surfaces, is energetically more favorable; whereas along the sextet decarbonylation coordinate several high-energy barriers are revealed. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental product kinetic energy and angular distributions of decarbonylation of acetaldehyde by Fe+ and Cr+ measured using a crossed-beam technique [Sonnenfroh, Farrar, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1986, 108, 3521].

Theoretical Investigation of the Reactivity of Copper Atoms with OCS: Comparison with CS2 and CO2

The reaction mechanism of the Cu atom with OCS and CO2 has been studied by means of density functional method (B3LYP). The overall energetics has been refined at the CCSD(T) level. In the case of the Cu + OCS reaction, the CS insertion route is found much more favorable than the CO insertion one. This later reaction is direct and involves an activation energy of 83.3 kcal/mol and is endothermic by 50.0 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T) level. The insertion into the CS bond proceeds through the eta1s and eta2cs coordination species as intermediates and is found exothermic by about 20 kcal/mol. The highest transition structure along this route is only 11.5 kcal/mol higher in energy than the reactant's ground states. In the case of the Cu + CO2 reaction, the insertion route into the CO bond is also found direct but with a lower endothermicity (30.6 kcal/mol) and smaller activation energy (61.1 kcal/mol) than that into the CO bond of OCS. In all cases, the insertion mechanism proceeds simultaneously with electron transfer from the Cu atom to OCS (or CO2) molecule.