Photoelectron imaging of NCCCN(-): The triplet ground state and the singlet-triplet splitting of dicyanocarbene

Photodetachment anisotropy for mixed s-p states: 8/3 and other fractions

An approximate model for analytical prediction of photoelectron angular distributions in anion photodetachment from mixed s-p states is presented. Considering the dipole-allowed s, p, and d free-electron partial waves, the model describes photodetachment anisotropy in terms of the fractional p character of the initial orbital and the A and B coefficients describing the relative intensities of the p → d to p → s and s → p to p → s channels, respectively. The model represents an extension of the central-potential model to an intermediate regime encompassing varying degrees of s and p contributions to the initial bound orbital. This description is applicable to a broad class of hybrid molecular orbitals, particularly those localized predominantly on a single atom. Under the additional assumption of hydrogenic or Slater-type orbitals, the B/A ratio in photodetachment from a mixed 2s-2p state is shown to equal 8/3. Corresponding fractions are derived for other ns-np mixing cases. The predictions of the model are tested on several anion systems, including NH(2)(-) and CCl(2)(-). The quantitative discrepancies in the latter case are attributed to the breakdown of the central-atom approximation and a mechanism for corresponding corrections is indicated.

Dicyanogermylenes: a tale of isomers and interconversions

A systematic investigation is carried out using the B3LYP, BLYP, and BHLYP functionals and MP2 level of theory to characterize the low-lying electronic singlet and triplet GeC2N2 isomers. The basis sets used are of double-ζ plus polarization quality with additional s- and p-type diffuse functions, DZP++. Three bent isomers Ge(CN)2, CNGeCN, and Ge(NC)2 are located on the singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces. In visualizing the reaction pathways for the singlet isomerization of the bent isomers, two three-membered [Ge, C, N] cyclic systems, with exocyclic -C-C≡N and -C-N≡C bonding, appear on the energy surface. Four types of electron affinities reported are: the adiabatic electron affinity, the zero-point vibrationally corrected electron affinity, the vertical electron affinity, and the vertical detachment energy of the anion. The ionization energies and singlet-triplet gaps for all isomers are also reported. The energetic ordering (kcal mol(-1)) (B3LYP) with zero-point vibrational energy corrections for the singlet ground state isomers follows: Ge(CN)2 (global minimum) < CNGeCN (2.3) < Ge(NC)2 (3.3) < Cyc_exo_CCN (15.3) < Cyc_exo_CNC (30.6). All the bent and cyclic isomers are found to be below the dissociation limit to Ge ((3)P) + C2N2 ((1)Σg). The rate constants for all interconversions are evaluated using transition state theory.

Photoelectron angular distributions in negative-ion photodetachment from mixed sp states

We describe an approach for constructing analytical models for the energy-dependence of photoelectron angular distributions in the one-electron, non-relativistic approximation. We construct such a model for electron emission from an orbital described as a superposition of s- and p-type functions, using linearly polarized light. In the limits of pure s or pure p electron photodetachment or photoionization, the model correctly reproduces the familiar Cooper-Zare formula. The model predictions are compared to experimental results for strongly solvated H(-) and NH(2)(-), corresponding to predominantly s and predominantly p character parent states, respectively.