Low-Energy Vibrations of the Group 10 Metal Monocarbonyl MCO (M = Ni, Pd, and Pt): Rotational Spectroscopy and Force Field Analysis

10-Valence-Electron C≡O and the 14-VE C≡Pt: Two Triple-Bonded Isoelectronic Families Differing by a dδ4 Ring

10-VE A≡A' Diatomics, such as N≡N, C≡O, etc., have a strong σ2π4 triple bond plus a lone pair at each end. In our studies on 14-VE A≡B systems, such as C≡Pt, we find a similar bonding system plus a (5dδ)4 ring. Here, the A atom belongs to groups 13-17 and the B atom to groups 7-11. Also the BB' combinations, triatomics, such as PtCO or DsCO or uranyl, and longer chains, such as AuCN and [NC-Au-CN]-, are discussed. The δ ring directly contributes to nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, and DFT calculations using the BH and H or mPW1K functionals reproduce the experimental trends of the NQCC.

Photoelectron velocity map imaging spectroscopic and theoretical study of heteronuclear vanadium-nickel carbonyl anions VNi(CO) n - (n = 2-6)

Mass-selected heteronuclear vanadium-nickel carbonyl anions VNi(CO) _n ^- (n = 2-6) were investigated by photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations to obtain their chemical bonding and intrinsic electronic structure in the gas phase. The calculated energies (adiabatic detachment energies)/vertical detachment energies (VDEs) match well with experimental values: 1.30/1.49, 1.66/1.95, 2.22/2.48, 2.70/2.89, and 2.95/3.15 eV. The VDE value of VNi(CO) _n ^- increases with an increase of cluster size, implying that the negative electron is stabilized upon the bonding of CO molecules. VNi(CO)₂ ^- consists of one bridging carbonyl and one terminal carbonyl, whose feature is different from MNi(CO)₂ ^- (M = Sc, Y, La, and Ce) with the involvement of one side-on-bonded carbonyl and one terminal CO carbonyl. The building block composed of three bridging carbonyls is favored for VNi(CO)₃ ^-, the structure of which persists up to n = 6. The additional CO ligands are preferentially coordinated in the terminal mode to the Ni atom at n = 4 and then to the V atom at n = 5 and 6. The results obtained in this work would provide a molecular-level understanding about chemisorbed CO molecules on alloy surfaces/interfaces, which is important to understand CO molecule activation processes.

Fundamental peak disappears upon binding of a noble gas: a case of the vibrational spectrum of PtCO in an argon matrix

Anharmonic vibrational state calculations were performed for PtCO and Ar-PtCO via the direct vibrational configuration interaction (VCI) method based on CCSD(T) energies and CCSD dipole moments at tens of thousands of grids, to get insights into the anomalous effect of a solid argon matrix on the vibrational spectra of PtCO. It was shown that, through the binding of Ar to PtCO via a strong van der Waals interaction, the Pt-C-O bending fundamental level drastically loses the infrared intensity although the corresponding overtone band shows a relatively large intensity. The origin of this phenomenon was analyzed based on the dipole moment surfaces and electron densities around the equilibrium structure. The present computations have solved the inconsistency between the gas-phase and the matrix-isolation experiments for PtCO.

Investigation of challenging spin systems using Monte Carlo configuration interaction and the density matrix renormalization group

We investigate if a range of challenging spin systems can be described sufficiently well using Monte Carlo configuration interaction (MCCI) and the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) in a way that heads toward a more "black box" approach. Experimental results and other computational methods are used for comparison. The gap between the lowest doublet and quartet state of methylidyne (CH) is first considered. We then look at a range of first-row transition metal monocarbonyls: MCO when M is titanium, vanadium, chromium, or manganese. For these MCO systems we also employ partially spin restricted open-shell coupled-cluster (RCCSD). We finally investigate the high-spin low-lying states of the iron dimer, its cation and its anion. The multireference character of these molecules is also considered. We find that these systems can be computationally challenging with close low-lying states and often multireference character. For this more straightforward application and for the basis sets considered, we generally find qualitative agreement between DMRG and MCCI. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Infrared photodissociation spectra of mass selected homoleptic nickel carbonyl cluster cations in the gas phase

Infrared spectra of mass-selected homoleptic nickel carbonyl cluster cations including dinuclear Ni2(CO)7(+) and Ni2(CO)8(+), trinuclear Ni3(CO)9(+) and tetranuclear Ni4(CO)11(+) are measured via infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the carbonyl stretching frequency region. The structures are established by comparison of the experimental spectra with simulated spectra derived from density functional calculations. The Ni2(CO)7(+) cation is characterized to have an unbridged asymmetric (OC)4Ni-Ni(CO)3(+) structure with a Ni-Ni single bond. The Ni2(CO)8(+) cation has a Ni-Ni half-bonded D3d structure with both nickel centers exhibiting an 18-electron configuration. The trinuclear Ni3(CO)9(+) cluster cation is determined to have an open chain like (OC)4Ni-NiCO-Ni(CO)4 structure. The tetranuclear Ni4(CO)11(+) cluster cation is determined to have a tetrahedral structure with two-center and three-center bridge-bonded carbonyl units. These nickel carbonyl cluster cations all involve trigonal pyramid like Ni(CO)4 building blocks that satisfy the 18-electron configuration of the nickel centers.

Magnetostructural effects in ligand stabilized Pd13 clusters: a density functional theory study

We show computationally that ligation allows tuning of the magnetostructural properties of the Pd(13) cluster. The bare, phosphine and thiol capped clusters were investigated at the density functional level. The most stable conformers of the bare cluster are of high spin, septet and nonet and of distorted C(3v), C(s) and I(h) geometries. Ligation stabilizes the I(h) geometry and quenches the high spin states, down to a triplet for Pd(13)(PH(3))(12) and to a quintet for Pd(13)(SCH(3))(12).The influence of the two capping systems on the magnetostructural properties of the ligated clusters is analyzed in connection with their different bonding properties. The mixed ligand species Pd(13)(SCH(3))(6)(PH(3))(6) is also characterized. Due to the multiple energetically accessible spin states, unusual thermal behaviour of the average magnetic moment is predicted for these clusters.