Partial photoionization cross sections of NH4 and H3O Rydberg radicals

Electron binding energies and Dyson orbitals of OnH2n+1 +,0,- clusters: Double Rydberg anions, Rydberg radicals, and micro-solvated hydronium cations

Ab initio electron propagator methods are employed to predict the vertical electron attachment energies (VEAEs) of OH₃ ⁺(H₂O)_n clusters. The VEAEs decrease with increasing n, and the corresponding Dyson orbitals are diffused over exterior, non-hydrogen bonded protons. Clusters formed from OH₃ ^- double Rydberg anions (DRAs) and stabilized by hydrogen bonding or electrostatic interactions between ions and polar molecules are studied through calculations on OH₃ ^-(H₂O)_n complexes and are compared with more stable H^-(H₂O)_n+1 isomers. Remarkable changes in the geometry of the anionic hydronium-water clusters with respect to their cationic counterparts occur. Rydberg electrons in the uncharged and anionic clusters are held near the exterior protons of the water network. For all values of n, the anion-water complex H^-(H₂O)_n+1 is always the most stable, with large vertical electron detachment energies (VEDEs). OH₃ ^-(H₂O)_n DRA isomers have well separated VEDEs and may be visible in anion photoelectron spectra. Corresponding Dyson orbitals occupy regions beyond the peripheral O-H bonds and differ significantly from those obtained for the VEAEs of the cations.

Long-Range N-N Bonding by Rydberg Electrons

By using high-level ab initio methods, we examine the nature of bonding between Rydberg electrons hosted by two four-coordinate nitrogen centers embedded in a hydrocarbon scaffold. The electronic structure of these species resembles that of diradicals, yet the diffuse nature of the orbitals hosting the unpaired electrons results in unusual features. The unpaired Rydberg electrons exhibit long-range bonding interactions, leading to stabilization of the singlet state (relative to the triplet) and a reduced number of effectively unpaired electrons. However, thermochemical gains due to through-space bonding are offset by strong Coulomb repulsion between positively charged nitrogen cores. The kinetic stability of these Rydberg diradicals may be controlled by a judicious choice of the molecular scaffold, suggesting possible strategies for their experimental characterization.

On the feasibility of reactions through the fullerene wall: a theoretical study of NHx@C60

The synthesis of small radicals and molecules inside fullerenes by reactions through the fullerene wall is investigated.

Photoionization cross sections and asymmetry parameters for the valence shell of methanol

Theoretical cross sections for photoionization of the methanol valence orbitals in covering a region up to 80 eV beyond the first ionization potential are reported. The molecular quantum defect orbital, MQDO, method, which has proved to be reliable in previous applications to molecular photoionization, has been used. To our knowledge, predictions of electronic partial cross section profiles on this molecule are made here for the first time, and we are not aware of any reported experimental data. Partial cross sections for production of parent and fragment ions of methanol have also been calculated and compared with previous measurements. In addition, the MQDO method has been used to calculate the angular distribution of photoelectrons for the valence orbitals of methanol over the 11-50 eV photon energy range. Our results are compared with experimental data, showing a good agreement in most cases. We hope that the present results might be of use in atmospheric and interstellar chemistry, where this molecule plays an important role.

Angular distribution of photoelectrons in small molecules: a molecular quantum defect calculation

The molecular quantum defect orbital (MQDO) method, previously used in the determination of molecular photoionization cross sections, is applied here to calculate the angular distribution of photoelectrons arising from the molecular photoionization. Calculations are performed for the ionization from outer valence orbitals of HF, H(2)O, NH(3), N(2)O, and H(2)CO molecules. The results are compared with previous measurements and with theoretical curves found in the literature. Profiles of the angular distribution parameter as a function of photoelectron energy covering a range from the photoionization threshold to 120 eV are presented for the above molecules. The energy dependence of the angular distributions predicted by the MQDO calculations agrees fairly well with predictions from more sophisticated theories and with observed results.

The electronic spectrum of SiH4: Jahn-Teller Rydberg series

The aim of the present theoretical work is to provide data necessary for a better understanding of the electronic spectrum of the silane molecule, which is affected by the Jahn-Teller effect. By selecting an adequate distorted C(2v) geometry of SiH(4), the three lower Koopmans ionization potentials are evaluated with the equation of motion coupled cluster of singles and doubles method. Vertical excitation energies for the different Rydberg series converging to the three Jahn-Teller components are inferred from ab initio coupled cluster linear response calculations. Absorption oscillator strengths for dipole-allowed electronic transitions are also determined with the molecular-adapted quantum defect orbital methodology. Predictions of new spectroscopic data on SiH(4) are reported.