Molecular Structures and Potential Energy Surfaces for IHI-·Arn (n = 1−7)

Preparation of vibrational quasi-bound states of the transition state complex BrHBr from the bihalide ion BrHBr. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022;24:21250-21260. [PMID: 36040431 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03120e]

Efficient strategies that allow the preparation of molecular systems in particular vibrational states are important in the application of quantum control schemes to chemical reactions. In this paper, we propose the preparation of quasi-bound vibrational states of the collinear transition state complex BrHBr, from vibrational states of the bihalide ion BrHBr^-, that favor the bond selective breakage of BrHBr. The results shown complement the investigation that we reported in a previous paper, [A. J. Garzón-Ramírez, J. G. López and C. A. Arango, Int. J. Quantum Chem., 2018, 24, e25784], in which we demonstrated the feasibility of controlling the bond selective decomposition of the collinear BrHBr using linear combinations of reactive resonances. We employed a dipole moment surface, calculated at the QCISD/d-aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, to simulate the interaction of the BrHBr^- ground vibrational state with heuristically optimized sequences of ultrashort infrared linear chirped laser pulses to achieve a target vibrational state, resulting from expanding a chosen linear combination of reactive resonances of BrHBr in terms of vibrational eigenstates of BrHBr^-. The results of our simulations show final states that capture the most relevant features of the target state with different levels of description depending on the sequence of laser pulses employed. We also discuss ways of improving the description of the target state and possible limitations of our approach.

Review: gas-phase ion chemistry of the noble gases: recent advances and future perspectives

This review article surveys recent experimental and theoretical advances in the gas-phase ion chemistry of the noble gases. Covered issues include the interaction of the noble gases with metal and non-metal cations, the conceivable existence of covalent noble-gas anions, the occurrence of ion-molecule reactions involving singly-charged xenon cations, and the occurrence of bond-forming reactions involving doubly-charged cations. Research themes are also highlighted, that are expected to attract further interest in the future.

Accurate ab initio potential energy curve of F2. I. Nonrelativistic full valence configuration interaction energies using the correlation energy extrapolation by intrinsic scaling method

The recently introduced method of correlation energy extrapolation by intrinsic scaling (CEEIS) is used to calculate the nonrelativistic electron correlations in the valence shell of the F(2) molecule at 13 internuclear distances along the ground state potential energy curve from 1.14 A to 8 A, the equilibrium distance being 1.412 A. Using Dunning's correlation-consistent double-, triple-, and quadruple-zeta basis sets, the full configuration interaction energies are determined, with an accuracy of about 0.3 mhartree, by successively generating up to octuple excitations with respect to multiconfigurational reference functions that strongly change along the reaction path. The energies of the reference functions and those of the correlation energies with respect to these reference functions are then extrapolated to their complete basis set limits. The applicability of the CEEIS method to strongly multiconfigurational reference functions is documented in detail.

Noble gas anions: a theoretical investigation of FNgBN- (Ng = He-Xe)

Noble gas anions of general formula FNgBN- (Ng = He-Xe) have been investigated by MP2, coupled-cluster, and multireference-CI calculations with correlation-consistent basis sets. These species reside in deep wells on the singlet potential energy surface and are thermodynamically stable with respect to the loss of F, F-, BN, and BN-. They are unstable with respect to Ng + FBN-, but at least for Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe, the involved energy barriers are high enough to suggest their conceivable existence as metastable species. The stability of FNgBN- arises from the strong F--stabilization of the elusive NgBN. The character of the boron-noble gas bond passes from purely ionic for FHeBN- and FNeBN- to covalent for FXeBN-.

Photoelectron Spectra of Arn·(IHI)- (n = 0−6, 12, 20), a Theoretical Study

The effects of the introduction of argon atoms on the photoelectron (PE) spectra of Ar(n).(IHI)- with n = 0-6, 12, and 20 are investigated. Time-independent quantum simulations of the spectra using a rigid cage approximation and allowing the motion of the IHI core are performed. As in our previous classical studies on this system, we find an increase in the confinement of the hydrogen atom motion as the number of argon atoms is increased. Comparison of the quantum and classical descriptions of this confinement provides evidence of the importance of quantum mechanical effects in this system. Three approaches are used to calculate the spectrum of the bare (IHI)- system. Excellent agreement is found between the simulated peaks in the = 2 region using a full three-dimensional quantum simulation of the PE spectrum, those from the corresponding experimental threshold photodetachment spectrum and those obtained by employing an adiabatic separation of the motions of the hydrogen and the iodine atoms. This provides further confirmation that these peaks are the result of motions of the iodine atoms. Simulations of the Ar(n).(IHI)- PE spectra show a shift of the spectra to lower electron kinetic energies as the number of argon atoms is increased. Similar shifts are found in the experimental spectra and in our previous study of this system using classical trajectory simulations. It is also found that the I-I motion mainly affects the spectrum features, whereas the progressions associated with hindered rotor transitions are less affected. Finally, an increase in the intensity of the = 0 peak and an accumulation of transitions in the low-frequency hindered rotor region with increasing number of argon atoms are observed.

Theoretical prediction of noble gas containing anions FNgO- (Ng = He, Ar, and Kr)

The structures and energies of the noble gas containing anions FNgO- (Ng = He, Ar, and Kr) have been calculated by high-level ab initio calculations. The FNgO- anions were found to be deep-energy minima at the singlet electronic state, and their energies are significantly lower than those at the triplet state. High dissociation energy barriers to Ng + OF- were also predicted. The unexpected stability of the FNgO- was due to the dramatic ion-induced O=Ng bond formation. The calculated results suggested possible experimental identification of the anionic species and even some related "ionic compounds" under cryogenic conditions.

Transition State Dynamics of Arn·(IHI) (n = 0−20)

Classical trajectory simulations of the dynamics of Ar(n).(IHI) with n = 0-20 are performed to investigate the effects of solvation on the transition state dynamics of the I + HI reaction. Initial conditions for the classical trajectories are sampled from the quantum ground-state phase space distribution for Ar(n).(IHI)-, given by the Wigner distribution function. Neumark and co-workers recently reported a shift of the Ar(n).(IHI)- photoelectron spectra to lower electron kinetic energies when the number of argon atoms was increased from 0 to 15. Analogous shifts are found in the present calculations, and excellent agreement between the experimental and calculated shifts is found. Longer lifetimes of the IHI complex and increasing energy transfer between the hydrogen atom and the argon and iodine atoms are also observed as the number of argon atoms is increased.