Rovibronic spectroscopy of PN from first principles

An ab initio diabatic study of rovibronic spectra of CN

An ab initio study of the rovibronic spectra for the cyano radical (CN) based on a diabatic representation is presented. This work considers 17 electronic states, 59 dipole moment curves, 88 spin-orbit coupling curves, and 30 electronic angular momentum coupling curves, which are obtained using the internally contracted multireference configuration interaction method including the Davidson correction (icMRCI + Q) with the aug-cc-pwCV5Z-DK basis set. The diabatic transformations are performed based on a property-based diabatization method to remove the avoided crossings for the D2Π-H2Π and b4Π-24Π pairs. Ab initio potential energy curves of the X2Σ+, B2Σ+, E2Σ+, A2Π, D2Π, H2Π, F2Δ and J2Δ electronic states are shifted to match the experimental electronic excitation energies and the equilibrium internuclear distances. The coupled nuclear motion Schrödinger equations are then solved to obtain the rovibronic spectra of CN for wavenumbers from 0 to 80 000 cm-1. At wavenumbers of 0-30 000 cm-1, our absorption cross sections agree well with available theoretical data. For wavenumbers above 30 000 cm-1, our cross sections are larger than previous data in view of the fact that the transitions involving high-lying electronic states are considered. This work provides an overall prediction of the rovibronic spectrum of CN. Our results are suitable for temperatures below 8000 K and could be useful for the investigations of planetary exploration.

Phosphine Reactivity and Its Implications for Pyrolysis Experiments and Astrochemistry

Despite the importance of phosphorus-bearing molecules for life and their abundance outside Earth, the chemistry of those compounds still is poorly described. The present study investigates phosphine (PH₃) decomposition and formation pathways. The reactions studied include phosphine thermal dissociation, conversion into PO(²Π), PN(¹Σ₊), and reactions in the presence of H₂O⁺. The thermodynamic and rate coefficients of all reactions are calculated in the range of 50-2000 K considering the CCSD(T)/6-311G(3df,3pd)//ωB97xD/6-311G(3df,3pd) electronic structure data. The rate coefficients were calculated by RRKM and semiclassical transition-state theory (SCTST). According to our results, PH₃ is stable to thermal decomposition at T < 100 K and can be formed promptly by a reaction network involving PH(³Σ_-), PO(²Π), and PN(¹Σ₊). In the presence of radiation or ions, PH₃ is readily decomposed. For this reason, it should be mainly associated with dust grains or icy mantles to be observed under the physical conditions prevailing in the interstellar medium (ISM). The intersystem crossing associated with the dissociation of the isomers PON, NPO, and PNO is accessed by multireference methods, and its importance for the gas-phase PH₃ formation/destruction is discussed. Also, the implications of the present outcomes on phosphorus astrochemistry are highlighted.

A global CHIPR potential energy surface of PH2(X2B1) via extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and the dynamics of P(2D) + H2(X1Σ+g) → PH(X3Σ−) + H(2S)

A global PEC of the ground state PH2 was constructed using the CHIPR method based on accurate MRCI(Q)/CBS(T, Q) energy points. The ICS and k(T) of P(2D) + H2(X1Σ+g) → PH(X3Σ−) + H(2S) were calculated based on the QCT method.