Negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy of the group 5 metal trimer monoxides V3O, Nb3O, and Ta3O

Structure of small yttrium monoxide clusters, chemical bonding, and photoionization: threshold photoionization and density functional theory investigations

The photoionization (PI) spectra of small gas-phase yttrium monoxide clusters, YnO (n = 1-8), are investigated, and the adiabatic ionization energies are determined. The stable structures are obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The ground state structures are further confirmed by the CCSD(T) method. The PI spectra are calculated for these stable structures and are compared with the experimental PI spectra. The ground-state structures of the neutral and cation clusters are experimentally assigned with confidence on the basis of a favourable agreement between the experimental and calculated PI spectra. New structures are proposed for Y2O, Y6O, and Y8O compared to the previous literature. Y2O is a linear molecule in the ground state that was previously proposed as a C2v bent molecule. The YnO clusters become 3-dimensional from n ≥ 3. The O atom stays outside, bridging a triangular face of yttrium clusters. Chemical bonding between the yttrium and oxygen atoms is mostly ionic. The excess charge on the oxygen atom is around 1.4e-, transferred from the yttrium atoms bonded with it. Yttrium atoms are mostly covalently bonded. However, for the bigger clusters, free charges of both polarities appear on yttrium atoms that are not bonded with oxygen, indicating ionic interactions. Frontier orbitals consist of mainly delocalized 4d electrons with some 5s contributions, forming Y-Y bonding interactions, but with little contribution and zero contribution from the oxygen orbitals, regardless of the cluster size. The lost electron of YnO+ mostly comes from the 5s orbitals of all Y atoms in the cluster up to size n = 4, and then from 4d-5s hybrid orbitals from n ≥ 5, with the d contribution increasing with size. This is contrary to the previous view in the literature that photoionization occurs from a localized 4d orbital.

An oxygen-passivated vanadium cluster [V@V10O15]− with metal–metal coordination produced by reacting Vn− with O2

An oxygen-passivated vanadium cluster [V@V₁₀O₁₅]⁻ is reported by reacting V_n⁻ with O₂, giving rise to superatom features of metal–metal coordination and 3D aromaticity.

The photoelectron-imaging spectroscopic study and chemical bonding analysis of VO2−, NbO2− and TaO2−

The transition-metal di-oxides, namely VO₂⁻, NbO₂⁻ and TaO₂⁻ have been studied using photoelectron velocity map imaging (PE-VMI) in combination with theoretical calculations. The adiabatic electron affinities of VO₂⁻, NbO₂⁻ and TaO₂⁻ are confirmed to be 2.029(8), 1.901(10) and 2.415(8) eV, respectively. By combining Franck–Condon (FC) simulation with theoretical calculations, the vibrational feature related to Nb–O and Ta–O stretching modes for the ground state has been unveiled. The photoelectron angular distribution (PAD) for VO₂⁻, NbO₂⁻ and TaO₂⁻ is correlated to the photo-detachment of the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs), which primarily gets involved in s- and d-orbitals of the V, Nb and Ta atoms. A variety of theoretical calculations have been used to analyze the chemical bonding features of VO₂^−1/0, NbO₂^−1/0 and TaO₂^−1/0, which show that the strong M–O (M = V, Nb and Ta) bond is mainly characterized as ionicity.

The transition-metal di-oxides, namely VO₂⁻, NbO₂⁻ and TaO₂⁻ have been studied using photoelectron velocity map imaging (PE-VMI) in combination with theoretical calculations.

Vanadium(V) oxide clusters synthesized by sublimation from bulk under fully inert conditions

While laser ablation in combination with electron impact mass spectroscopy yield numerous fragments and reaction products, helium-mediated mass analysis reveals the sublimation from bulk in units of (V₂O₅)₂.

Oxide nanoparticles in the size range of a few nanometers are typically synthesized in solution or via laser ablation techniques, which open numerous channels for structural change via chemical reactions or fragmentation processes. In this work, neutral vanadium oxide nanoparticles are instead synthesized by sublimation from bulk in combination with a pickup by superfluid helium droplets. Mass spectroscopy measurements clearly demonstrate the preservation of the bulk stoichiometric ratio of vanadium to oxygen in He-grown nanoparticles, indicating a tendency towards tetrahedral coordination of the vanadium centers in finite geometries. This unexpected finding opens up new possibilities for a combined on-the-fly synthesis of nanoparticles consisting of metal and metal-oxide layers. In comparison to mass spectra obtained via direct ionization of vanadium oxide in an effusive beam, where strong fragmentation occurred, we observe a clear preference for (V₂O₅)_n oligomers with even n inside the He nanodroplets, which is further investigated and explained using the electronic structure theory.

Multiple Metal-Metal Bond or No Bond? The Electronic Structure of V2 O2

Detailed knowledge of the electronic structure of vanadium oxide clusters provides the basis for understanding and tuning their significant catalytic properties. However, already for the simple four-atom V₂ O₂ molecule, there are contradictory reports in the literature regarding the electronic ground state and a possible vanadium-vanadium bond. We herein show through a combination of experimental (matrix isolation) studies and theoretical results that there is a multiple vanadium-vanadium bond in this benchmark vanadium oxide molecule.

High reactivity of nanosized niobium oxide cluster cations in methane activation: A comparison with vanadium oxides

The reactions between methane and niobium oxide cluster cations were studied and compared to those employing vanadium oxides. Hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) reactions were identified over stoichiometric (Nb2O5)N(+) clusters for N as large as 14 with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The reactivity of (Nb2O5)N(+) clusters decreases as the N increases, and it is higher than that of (V 2O5)N(+) for N ≥ 4. Theoretical studies were conducted on (Nb2O5)N(+) (N = 2-6) by density functional calculations. HAA reactions on these clusters are all favorable thermodynamically and kinetically. The difference of the reactivity with respect to the cluster size and metal type (Nb vs V) was attributed to thermodynamics, kinetics, the electron capture ability, and the distribution of the unpaired spin density. Nanosized Nb oxide clusters show higher HAA reactivity than V oxides, indicating that niobia may serve as promising catalysts for practical methane conversion.

On the structural and electronic properties of hexanuclear vanadium oxide clusters V6On(-/0) (n=12-15): is V6O12 cluster planar or cage-like?

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to investigate the structural and electronic properties of a series of hexanuclear vanadium oxide clusters V6On(-/0) (n=12-15). Generalized Koopmans' theorem is applied to predict the vertical detachment energies (VDEs) and simulate the photoelectron spectra (PES) for V6On(-) (n=12-15) clusters. Extensive DFT calculations are performed in search of the lowest-energy structures for both the anions and neutrals. All of these clusters appear to prefer the polyhedral cage structures, in contrast to the planar star-like structures observed in prior model surface studies for the V6O12 cluster. Molecular orbitals are performed to analyze the chemical bonding in the hexanuclear vanadium oxide clusters and provide insights into the sequential oxidation of V6On(-) (n=12-15) clusters. The V6On(-) (n=12-15) clusters possess well-defined V(5+) and V(3+) sites, and may serve as molecular models for surface defects. Electron spin density analyses show that the unpaired electrons in V6On(-) (n=12-14) clusters are primarily localized on the V(3+) sites rather than on the V(5+) sites. The difference gas phase versus model surface structures of V6O12 hints the critical roles of cluster-substrate interactions in stabilizing the planar V6O12 cluster on model surfaces.

A density functional study of Rh13

A density functional study was performed for the Rh13 cluster using the linear combination of Gaussian-type orbitals density functional theory (LCGTO-DFT) approach. The calculations employed both the local density approximation (LDA) as well as the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) in combination with a quasi-relativistic effective core potential (QECP). Initial structures for the geometry optimization were taken along Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) trajectories. The BOMD trajectories were performed at different temperatures and considered different potential energy surfaces (PES). As a result, several hundred isomers of the Rh13 cluster in different spin multiplicities were optimized with the aim to determine the lowest energy structures. All geometry optimizations were performed without any symmetry restriction. A vibrational analysis was performed to characterize these isomers. Structural parameters, relative stability energy, harmonic frequencies, binding energy, and most relevant Kohn–Sham (KS) molecular orbitals are reported. The obtained results are compared with available data from the literature. This study predicts a low symmetry biplanarlike structure as the ground-state structure of Rh13 with 11 unpaired electrons. This isomer was first noticed by inspection of first-principle Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) simulations between 300 and 600 K. This represents the most extensive theoretical study on the ground-state structure of the Rh13 cluster and underlines the importance of BOMD simulations to fully explore the PES landscapes of complicated systems.

Computational study on the molecular structures and photoelectron spectra of bimetallic oxide clusters MW2O9(-/0) (M=V, Nb, Ta)

Density functional theory (DFT) and coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) calculations are carried out to investigate the electronic and structural properties of a series of bimetallic oxide clusters MW2O9(-/0) (M=V, Nb, Ta). Generalized Koopmans' theorem is applied to predict the vertical detachment energies (VDEs) and simulate the photoelectron spectra (PES). Theoretical calculations at the B3LYP level yield singlet and doublet ground states for the bimetallic anionic and neutral clusters, respectively. All the clusters present the six-membered ring structures with different symmetries, except that the TaW2O9(-) cluster shows a chained style with a penta-coordinated tantalum atom. Spin density analyses reveal oxygen radical species in all neutral clusters, consistent with their structural characteristics. Moreover, additional calculations are performed to study the oxidation reaction of CO molecule with the W3O9(+) cation and the isoelectronic VW2O9 cluster, and results indicate that the introduction of vanadium at tungsten site can efficiently improve the oxidation reactivity.

Structural evolution, sequential oxidation, and chemical bonding in tritantalum oxide clusters: Ta(3)O(n)(-) and Ta(3)O(n) (n = 1-8)

We report a combined photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and density functional theory (DFT) study on a series of tritantalum oxide clusters, Ta(3)O(n)(-). Well-resolved PES spectra are obtained for Ta(3)O(n)(-) (n = 1-8) at several detachment photon energies, yielding electronic structure information which is used for comparison with the DFT calculations. A trend of sequential oxidation is observed as a function of O content until Ta(3)O(8)(-), which is a stoichiometric cluster. Extensive DFT calculations are performed in search of the lowest energy structures for both the anions and neutrals. The first three O atoms are shown to successively occupy the bridging sites in the Ta(3) triangle. The next three O atoms each occupy a terminal site, with the seventh and eighth O atoms forming a double-bridge and a double-terminal, respectively. The Ta(3)O(7)(-) anion is found to possess a localized electron pair on a single Ta center, making it an interesting molecular model for Ta(3+) surface sites. Molecular orbital analyses are performed to elucidate the chemical bonding in the Ta(3)O(n)(-) clusters.

Photodissociation of Chromium Oxide Cluster Cations

Chromium oxide cluster cations, Cr(n)O(m)+, are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle cluster source and detected with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The mass spectrum exhibits a limited number of stoichiometries for each value of n, where m > n. The cluster cations are mass selected and photodissociated using the second (532 nm) or third (355 nm) harmonic output of a Nd:YAG laser. At either wavelength, multiphoton absorption is required to dissociate these clusters, which is consistent with their expected strong bonding. Cluster dissociation occurs via elimination of molecular oxygen, or by fission processes producing stable cation species and/or eliminating stable neutrals such as CrO3, Cr(2)O(5), or Cr(4)O(10). Specific cation clusters identified to be stable because they are produced repeatedly in the decomposition of larger clusters include Cr(2)O(4)+, Cr(3)O(6)+, Cr(3)O(7)+, Cr(4)O(9)+, and Cr(4)O(10)+.

Mass-selective vibrational spectroscopy of vanadium oxide cluster ions

A corner stone in the study of the size-dependent properties of cluster ions in the gas phase is their structural characterization. Over the last 10 years, significant progress has been in this research field because of significant advances in the gas phase vibrational spectroscopy of mass-selected ions. Using a combination of modern experimental and quantum chemical approaches, it is now in most cases possible to uniquely identify the geometric structure of cluster ions, based on the comparison of the experimental and simulated infrared spectra. In this article, we highlight the progress made in this research area by reviewing recent infrared photodissociation (IR-PD) experiments on small and medium sized (up to 30 atoms) vanadium oxide ions.

Assessment of density functional theory optimized basis sets for gradient corrected functionals to transition metal systems: The case of small Nin (n⩽5) clusters

Density functional calculations have been performed for small nickel clusters, Ni(n), Ni(n) (+), and Ni(n)(-) (n<or=5), using the linear combination of Gaussian-type orbital density functional theory approach. Newly developed nickel all-electron basis sets optimized for generalized gradient approximation (GGA) as well as an all-electron basis set optimized for the local density approximation were employed. For both neutral and charged systems, several isomers and different multiplicities were studied in order to determine the lowest energy structures. A vibrational analysis was performed in order to characterize these isomers. Structural parameters, harmonic frequencies, binding energies, ionization potentials, and electron affinities are reported. This work shows that the employed GGA basis sets for the nickel atom are important for the correct prediction of the ground state structures of small nickel clusters and that the structural assignment of these systems can be performed, with a good resolution, over the ionization potential.

Photodissociation of vanadium, niobium, and tantalum oxide cluster cations

Transition-metal oxide clusters of the form M(n)O(m) (+)(M=V,Nb,Ta) are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle cluster source and detected with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Consistent with earlier work, cluster oxides for each value of n produce only a limited number of stoichiometries, where m>n. The cluster cations are mass selected and photodissociated using the second (532 nm) or third (355 nm) harmonic of a Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser. All of these clusters require multiphoton conditions for dissociation, consistent with their expected strong bonding. Dissociation occurs by either elimination of oxygen or by fission, repeatedly producing clusters having the same specific stoichiometries. In oxygen elimination, vanadium species tend to lose units of O(2), whereas niobium and tantalum lose O atoms. For each metal increment n, oxygen elimination proceeds until a terminal stoichiometry is reached. Clusters having this stoichiometry do not eliminate more oxygen, but rather undergo fission, producing smaller M(n)O(m) (+) species. The smaller clusters produced as fission products represent the corresponding terminal stoichiometries for those smaller n values. The terminal stoichiometries identified are the same for V, Nb, and Ta oxide cluster cations. This behavior suggests that these clusters have stable bonding networks at their core, but additional excess oxygen at their periphery. These combined results determine that M(2)O(4) (+), M(3)O(7) (+), M(4)O(9) (+), M(5)O(12) (+), M(6)O(14) (+), and M(7)O(17) (+) have the greatest stability for V, Nb, and Ta oxide clusters.

Identification, Structure, and Spectroscopy of Neutral Vanadium Oxide Clusters

Neutral vanadium oxide clusters are studied by photoionization time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Mass spectra of vanadium oxide clusters are observed by photoionization with lasers of three different wavelengths: 118, 193, and 355 nm. Mechanisms of 118 nm single photon ionization and 193 and 355 nm multiphoton ionization/fragmentation of vanadium oxide clusters are discussed on the basis of observed mass spectral patterns and line widths of the mass spectral features. Only the 118 nm laser light can ionize vanadium oxide neutral species by single photon ionization without fragmentation. The stable vanadium oxide neutral clusters under saturated oxygen growth conditions are found to be of the form (VO2)x(V2O5)y. Structures of the first few members of this series of clusters are determined through high level DFT calculations. Fragmentation of this series of clusters through 355 and 193 nm multiphoton ionization processes is discussed in light of these calculated structures. The B(2)B2 <-- X(2)A1 transition is observed for the VO2 neutral species, and nu1 and nu2 vibrations are assigned for both electronic states. From this spectrum, the VO2 rotational and vibrational temperatures are found to be approximately 50 and approximately 700 K, respectively.

Structures and vibrations of Nb3O and Nb3O−: A density functional study

Density functional calculations of neutral and anionic niobium trimer monoxides are presented. The calculations were performed employing scalar quasirelativistic effective core potentials. In order to test the accuracy of the used effective core potentials in the framework of density functional theory the pulsed field ionization-zero electron kinetic energy photoelectron spectrum of Nb(3)O was simulated and compared to experiment. Different isomers of Nb(3)O and Nb(3)O(-) were studied in order to determine the ground state structures. For both neutral and anionic systems a planar C(2v) structure with an edge-bound oxygen atom was found as a ground state. Equilibrium structure parameters, harmonic frequencies, and adiabatic electron affinity are reported. The calculated electron affinity and frequencies are in good agreement with the available experimental data obtained recently from vibrationally resolved negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy.