Quantum dynamics of the H+O2→O+OH reaction

Impact of Geometric Phase on Dynamics of Complex-Forming Reactions: H + O2 → OH + O

Reaction dynamics on the ground electronic state might be significantly influenced by conical intersections (CIs) via the geometric phase (GP), as demonstrated for activated reactions (i.e., the H + H2 exchange reaction). However, there have been few investigations of GP effects in complex-forming reactions. Here, we report a full quantum dynamical study of an important reaction in combustion (H + O2 → OH + O), which serves as a proving ground for studying GP effects therein. The results reveal significant differences in reaction probabilities and differential cross sections (DCSs) obtained with and without GP, underscoring its strong impact. However, the GP effects are less pronounced for the reaction integral cross sections, apparently due to the integral of the DCS over the scattering angle. Further analysis indicated that the cross section has roughly the same contributions from the two topologically distinct paths around the CI, namely, the direct and looping paths.

Dynamical calculations of O(3P) + OH(2Π) reaction on the CHIPR potential energy surface using the fully coupled time-dependent wave-packet approach in hyperspherical coordinates

We have carried out quantum dynamics calculations for the O + OH → H + O₂ reaction on the CHIPR [A. J. C. Varandas, J. Chem. Phys., 2013, 138, 134117] potential energy surface (PES) for ground state HO₂ using the fully coupled 3D time-dependent wavepacket formalism [S. Adhikari and A. J. C. Varandas, Comput. Phys. Commun., 2013, 184, 270] in hyperspherical coordinates. Reaction probabilities for J > 0 are calculated for different initial rotational states of the OH radical (v = 0; j = 0, 1). State-to-state as well as total integral cross sections and rate-coefficients are evaluated and compared with previous theoretical calculations and available experimental studies. Using the rate constant for the forward (hereinafter considered to be H + O₂ → O + OH) and backward (O + OH → H + O₂) reactions of this reactive system, the equilibrium constant of the reversible process [H + O₂ ⇌ O + OH] is calculated as a function of temperature and compared with previous experimental measurements.

Extrapolation in quantum chemistry: Insights on energetics and reaction dynamics

Since there is no exact solution for problems in physics and chemistry, extrapolation methods may assume a key role in quantitative quantum chemistry. Two topics where it bears considerable impact are addressed, both at the heart of computational quantum chemistry: electronic structure and reaction dynamics. In the first, the problem of extrapolating the energy obtained by solving the electronic Schrödinger equation to the limit of the complete one-electron basis set is addressed. With the uniform-singlet-and-triplet-extrapolation (USTE) scheme at the focal point, the emphasis is on recent updates covering from the energy itself to other molecular properties. The second topic refers to extrapolation of quantum mechanical reactive scattering probabilities from zero total angular momentum to any of the values that it may assume when running quasiclassical trajectories, QCT/QM-[Formula: see text]J. With the extrapolation guided in both cases by physically motivated asymptotic theories, realism is seeked by avoiding unsecure jumps into the unknown. Although, mostly review oriented, a few issues are addressed for the first time here and there. Prospects for future work conclude the overview.

Nonadiabatic Ultracold Quantum Reactive Scattering of Hydrogen with Vibrationally Excited HD(v = 5-9)

The results from electronically non-adiabatic and adiabatic quantum reactive scattering calculations are presented for the H + HD(v = 5-9) → H + HD(v', j') reaction at ultracold collision energies from 10 nK to 60 K. Several experimentally verifiable signatures of the geometric phase are reported in the total and vibrationally and rotationally resolved rate coefficients. Most notable is the predicted 2 orders of magnitude enhancement of the rotationally resolved ultracold rates of odd symmetry relative to those of even symmetry. Prominent shape resonances appear at higher collision energies (100 mK to 20 K), which could be measured experimentally. Significant geometric phase effects are also reported on the resonance energies and lifetimes. In particular, an enhancement (suppression) of the l = 1 (l = 2) shape resonances for HD(v = 5, 6) is predicted for even symmetry relative to those of odd symmetry.

Fully coupled (J > 0) time-dependent wave-packet calculations using hyperspherical coordinates for the H + O2 reaction on the CHIPR potential energy surface

ICS calculation by time dependent wavepacket approach for H + O₂ reaction using non-zero J values.

3D time-dependent wave-packet approach in hyperspherical coordinates for the H + O2 reaction on the CHIPR and DMBE IV potential energy surfaces

3D wavepacket quantum dynamics methodology ICS calculation of H + O₂ reaction on the CHIPR and DMBE IV PESs by J-shifting scheme.

Quasi-Classical Trajectory Study of Atom-Diatomic Molecule Collisions in Symmetric Hyperspherical Coordinates: The F + HCl Reaction as a Test Case

We investigate the reactive dynamics of the triatomic system F + HCl → HF + Cl for total angular momentum equal zero and for different low-lying rovibrational states of the diatomic molecule. For each of the initial vibrational quantum numbers, the time evolution of the atom-diatom collision process is investigated for a wide range of impact angles and collision energies. To this purpose, the Quasi-Classical Trajectories (QCT) method was implemented in a hyperspherical configuration space. The Hamilton equations of motion are solved numerically in an intermediate effective Cartesian space to exploit the relative simplicity of this intermediate representation. Interatomic interactions are described by a London-Eyring-Polanyi-Sato potential energy surface, specifically developed for the title reaction, and the results of the QCT simulations are discussed in terms of the time-evolution of the hyperangles. The analysis of the collision dynamics using symmetric hyperspherical coordinates provides, in addition to the description in terms of a natural reaction coordinate (the hyperradius), a more striking representation of the exchange dynamics, in terms of the time-dependent probability distribution along the kinematic rotation hyperangle, and a precise distinction between direct and indirect mechanisms of the reaction.

Quantum dynamics study on the CHIPR potential energy surface for the hydroperoxyl radical: the reactions O + OH⇋O2 + H

Quantum scattering calculations of the O((3)P)+OH((2)Π)⇌O2((3)Σg (-))+H((2)S) reactions are presented using the combined-hyperbolic-inverse-power-representation potential energy surface [A. J. C. Varandas, J. Chem. Phys. 138, 134117 (2013)], which employs a realistic, ab initio-based, description of both the valence and long-range interactions. The calculations have been performed with the ABC time-independent quantum reactive scattering computer program based on hyperspherical coordinates. The reactivity of both arrangements has been investigated, with particular attention paid to the effects of vibrational excitation. By using the J-shifting approximation, rate constants are also reported for both the title reactions.

Kinetics and dynamics of the NH3 + H → NH2 + H2 reaction using transition state methods, quasi-classical trajectories, and quantum-mechanical scattering

On a recent analytical potential energy surface developed by two of the authors, an exhaustive kinetics study, using variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunneling effect, and dynamics study, using both quasi-classical trajectory and full-dimensional quantum scattering methods, was carried out to understand the reactivity of the NH(3) + H → NH(2) + H(2) gas-phase reaction. Initial state-selected time-dependent wave packet calculations using a full-dimensional model were performed, where the total reaction probabilities were calculated for the initial ground vibrational state and for four excited vibrational states of ammonia. Thermal rate constants were calculated for the temperature range 200-2000 K using the three methods and compared with available experimental data. We found that (a) the total reaction probabilities are very small, (b) the symmetric and asymmetric N-H stretch excitations enhance the reactivity, (c) the quantum-mechanical calculated thermal rate constants are about one order of magnitude smaller than the transition state theory results, which reproduce the experimental evidence, and (d) quasi-classical trajectory calculations, which were performed with the main goal of analyzing the influence of the zero-point energy problem on the final dynamics results, reproduce the quantum scattering calculations on the same surface.