A systematic ab initio optimization of monohydrates of HCl•HNO3•H2SO4 aggregates

Hydrates of HCl, HNO₃ and H₂SO₄ involved in polar stratospheric clouds capture the attention of researchers due to the mixtures composed with them. The molecular aggregates generated with these strong acids show different behaviors, geometries and nucleation reactions at atmospheric temperatures. Here is presented a systematic ab initio optimization study of monohydrates of HCl•HNO₃•H₂SO₄ using the Density Functional Theory, by means of geometry optimizations carried out with B3LYP hybrid method and aug-cc-pVTZ basis set, a high level of theory, within Gaussian 09 program. This systematic optimization procedure consists to situate systematically the H₂O molecule around the cluster in study, on the favorable positions to develop higher quantity of hydrogen bonds as possible, in order to obtain major quantity of different electronic structures of these monohydrates. Applying this systematic optimization methodology over previously optimized complexes of HCl, HNO₃ and H₂SO₄, the present theoretical approach provides thirty-two different optimized electronic structures of monohydrates that were yielded from seven initial groups of (HCl•HNO₃•H₂SO₄)-complex, placing the H₂O in eight positions around them. Moreover, their Infrared spectra have been predicted for all (HCl•HNO₃•H₂SO₄)-monohydrates achieved. Likewise, It is shown the outcomes of the electronic energies, relative Gibbs free energies, Infrared spectra, the wavenumbers of hydrogen bonds, inter-monomeric parameters, electronic structures of (HCl•HNO₃•H₂SO₄)-monohydrates. These monohydrates could be considered precursors of the atmospheric heterogeneous nucleation reactions. These results can be useful to experimentalists of Catalysis, Astrophysics, Corrosion of metals and ceramics, aromatic compounds reactions, even environmental pollution and industrial smog.

Quantum chemical study of atmospheric aggregates: HCl•HNO3•H2SO4

HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4 are implicated in atmospheric processes in areas such as polar stratospheric clouds in the stratosphere. Ternary complexes of HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4 were investigated by ab initio calculations at B3LYP level of theory with aug-cc-pVTZ and aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets, taking into account basis set superposition error (BSSE). The results were assessed in terms of structures (five hexagonal cyclic structures and two quasi-pentagonal cyclic structures), inter-monomeric parameters (all ternary complexes built three hydrogen bonds), energetics (seven minima obtained), infrared harmonic vibrational frequencies (red shifting of complexes from monomers), and relative stability of complexes, which were favorable when the temperature decreases under stratospheric conditions, from 298 K to 188 K, and in concrete, at 210 K, 195 K and 188 K.

Nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) in polar stratospheric clouds

A comprehensive investigation of polar stratospheric clouds was performed on 25 January 2000 with instruments onboard a balloon gondola flown from Kiruna, Sweden. Cloud layers were repeatedly encountered at altitudes between 20 and 24 kilometers over a wide range of atmospheric temperatures (185 to 197 kelvin). Particle composition analysis showed that a large fraction of the cloud layers was composed of nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) particles, containing water and nitric acid at a molar ratio of 3:1; this confirmed that these long-sought solid crystals exist well above ice formation temperatures. The presence of NAT particles enhances the potential for chlorine activation with subsequent ozone destruction in polar regions, particularly in early and late winter.