Nonadiabatic quantum dynamics of C(1D)+H2→CH+H: Coupled-channel calculations including Renner-Teller and Coriolis terms

Electronically Nonadiabatic Effects on the Quantum Dynamics of the Ha + BeHb+ → Be+ + HaHb; Hb + BeHa+ Reactions

Nonadiabatic effects are ubiquitous and play an important role in many chemical processes. Here, the adiabatic and nonadiabatic quantum scattering calculations of the H + BeH⁺ reaction are performed using the time-dependent wave packet method based on an accurate diabatic potential energy matrix that includes the lowest two electronic states and their couplings. The resulting integral cross sections reveal that the nonadiabatic effect significantly inhibits the reactivity of the BeH⁺-depletion channel but enhances that of the H-exchange channel. The vibrational excitation is suppressed, but the translational excitation is promoted for the H₂ product in the BeH⁺-depletion channel when the nonadiabatic coupling is included. However, the nonadiabatic coupling has a mild effect on the H-exchange product-state distribution. When the nonadiabatic effect is considered, the differential cross sections of the H₂ product become less polarized because of the formation of an excited-state complex, whereas the corresponding results of the H-exchange channel only present an increase in the magnitude at the backward region.

Accurate Adiabatic and Diabatic Potential Energy Surfaces for the Reaction of He + H2

The accurate adiabatic and diabatic potential energy surfaces, which are for the two lowest states of He + H₂, are presented in this study. The Molpro 2012 software package is used, and the large basis sets (aug-cc-pV5Z) are selected. The high-level MCSCF/MRCI method is employed to calculate the adiabatic potential energy points of the title reaction system. The triatomic reaction system is described by Jacobi coordinates, and the adiabatic potential energy surfaces are fitted accurately using the B-spline method. The equilibrium structures and electronic energies for the H₂ are provided, and the corresponding different levels of vibrational energies of the ground state are deduced. To better express the diabatic process of the whole reaction, avoid crossing points being calculated and conical intersection also being optimized. Meanwhile, the diabatic potential energy surfaces of the reaction process are constructed. This study will be helpful for the analysis of histopathology and for the study in biological and medical mechanisms.

Quantum Dynamics of Nonadiabatic Renner-Teller Effects in Atom + Diatom Collisions

We review the quantum nonadiabatic dynamics of atom + diatom collisions due to the Renner-Teller (RT) effect, i.e., to the Hamiltonian operators that contain the total spinless electronic angular momentum L̂. As is well-known, this rovibronic effect is large near collinear geometries when at least one of the interacting states is doubly degenerate. In general, this occurs in insertion reactions and at short-range, where the potential wells exhibit deep minima and support metastable complexes. Initial-state-resolved reaction probabilities, integral cross sections, and thermal rate constants are calculated via the real wavepacket method, solving the equation of motion with an approximated or with an exact spinless RT Hamiltonian. We present the dynamics of 10 single-channel or multichannel reactions showing how RT effects depend on the product channels and comparing with the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) approximation or coexisting conical-intersection (CI) interactions. RT effects not only can significantly modify the adiabatic dynamics or correct purely CI results, but also they can be very important in opening collision channels which are closed at the BO or CI level, as in electronic-quenching reactions. In the OH(A²Σ⁺) + Kr electronic quenching, where both nonadiabatic effects (CI and RT) coexist, they are in competition because CI dominates the reactivity but RT couplings reduce the large CI cross section and open a CI-forbidden evolution toward products, so that CI + RT quantum results are in good agreement with experimental or semiclassical findings. The different roles of these couplings are due to the unlike nuclear geometries where they are large: rather far from or near to linearity for CI or RT, respectively. The OH(A²Σ⁺) + Kr electronic quenching was investigated with the exact RT Hamiltonian, validating the approximated one, which was employed for all other collisions.

Quantum Dynamics Study of the C(1D) + HD Reaction on the ã1A' and b̃1A″ Potential Energy Surfaces

We present an in-depth theoretical study of the C(¹D) + HD (v = 0, j = 0) → CD (CH) (v', j') + H (D) reaction using a time-dependent wave packet method with full Coriolis coupling on the Zhang-Ma-Bian potential energy surfaces (PESs) recently constructed by our group. The integral cross sections (ICS), differential cross sections, CD/CH branching ratios, and product state distributions are calculated over a wide range of collision energies. We find that the vibrational branching ratio defined as ICS(v'=1)/ICS(v'=0) obtained from the b̃¹A″ PES is much smaller than that from the ã¹A' PES for both product channels, which may be attributed to the dynamical effects of the conical intersection regulated (CI-R) intermediate on the b̃¹A″ PES. The collision energy dependence of CD/CH branching ratios displays oscillatory structures, which may be caused by the resonance states supported by the wells on the PESs. The high-temperature rate coefficients are also obtained and compared with previous results. The role of the excited-state PESs is also discussed.

Low-Temperature Rate Constants and Product-Branching Ratios for the C(1D) + H2O Reaction

The gas-phase reaction between atomic carbon in its first electronically excited ¹D state and water has been studied over the 50-296 K temperature range using a supersonic flow apparatus. C(¹D) atoms were produced by pulsed ultraviolet multiphoton dissociation of carbon tetrabromide; a process that also generates ground-state atomic carbon C(³P). The reaction was followed by detecting product H-atoms by pulsed vacuum ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence. Two types of experiment were performed. First, temperature-dependent rate constants were derived by recording H-atom formation curves at various gas-phase water concentrations at each temperature. Secondly, temperature-dependent H-atom yields were extracted by comparing the H-atom fluorescence intensities generated by the target C(¹D) + H₂O reaction with those of a reference reaction. The second-order rate constants are large and increase to low temperature, whereas the measured H-atom yields are close to the theoretical maximum value of 2 above 100 K. At 50 K, neither rate constants nor H-atom yields could be derived because of H-atom formation by quantum tunneling in the activated C(³P) + H₂O reaction. The present results are discussed in the context of earlier work on the C(¹D)/C(³P) + H₂O reactions.

Dynamics and resonances of the H(2S) + CH+(X1Σ+) reaction in the electronic ground state: a detailed quantum wavepacket study

Initial state-selected and energy resolved channel-specific reaction probabilities, integral cross sections and thermal rate constants of the H(²S) + CH⁺(X¹Σ⁺) reaction are calculated within the coupled states approximation by a time-dependent wave packet propagation method. The new ab initio global potential energy surface (PES) of the electronic ground state (1 ²A') of the system, recently reported by Li et al. [J. Chem. Phys., 2015, 142, 124302], is employed for this purpose. All partial wave contributions up to the total angular momentum J = 60 are considered to obtain the converged integral reaction cross section up to a collision energy of 1.0 eV. Thermal rate constants are calculated by averaging the reaction cross sections over the Boltzmann distribution of energies and compared with the available theoretical and experimental results for the temperature range 10-1000 K. Investigation of the channel-specific reaction attributes shows that the H abstraction (CH⁺ destruction) channel is highly favored over the H exchange channel. The effect of rotational and vibrational excitations of the CH⁺ reagent on the dynamics is also studied. The resonances formed during the course of the reaction are also identified by calculating the transition state spectrum and characterized in terms of the eigenfunctions and lifetimes. More than 260 vibrational levels are obtained and their eigenfunctions are calculated, which are represented in terms of the nodal assignments and the eigenenergies. They reveal both the local and hyperspherical behavior for the bound and quasibound states of the CH₂⁺ complex in the ground 1 ²A' surface. The lifetime analysis of the quasibound states indicates that the CH₂⁺ resonances survive for as long as ∼400 fs at high energies (E ∼ 2.0 eV) and are expected to decay faster with further increasing energy. Finally, the type of mechanism for the formation of the product (C⁺ + H₂) is elucidated.

Theoretical investigation of rotationally inelastic collisions of CH(X2Π) with hydrogen atoms

We report calculations of state-to-state cross sections for collision-induced rotational transitions of CH(X²Π) with atomic hydrogen. These calculations employed the four adiabatic potential energy surfaces correlating CH(X²Π) + H(²S), computed in this work through the multi-reference configuration interaction method [MRCISD + Q(Davidson)]. Because of the presence of deep wells on three of the potential energy surfaces, the scattering calculations were carried out using the quantum statistical method of Manolopoulos and co-workers [Chem. Phys. Lett. 343, 356 (2001)]. The computed cross sections included contributions from only direct scattering since the CH₂ collision complex is expected to decay predominantly to C + H₂. Rotationally energy transfer rate constants were computed for this system since these are required for astrophysical modeling.

Dynamical importance of van der Waals saddle and excited potential surface in C(1D)+D2 complex-forming reaction

Encouraged by recent advances in revealing significant effects of van der Waals wells on reaction dynamics, many people assume that van der Waals wells are inevitable in chemical reactions. Here we find that the weak long-range forces cause van der Waals saddles in the prototypical C(¹D)+D₂ complex-forming reaction that have very different dynamical effects from van der Waals wells at low collision energies. Accurate quantum dynamics calculations on our highly accurate ab initio potential energy surfaces with van der Waals saddles yield cross-sections in close agreement with crossed-beam experiments, whereas the same calculations on an earlier surface with van der Waals wells produce much smaller cross-sections at low energies. Further trajectory calculations reveal that the van der Waals saddle leads to a torsion then sideways insertion reaction mechanism, whereas the well suppresses reactivity. Quantum diffraction oscillations and sharp resonances are also predicted based on our ground- and excited-state potential energy surfaces.

It is commonly held that van der Waals wells are inevitable in chemical reactions. Here, the authors show that weak van der Waals forces in the entrance channel of a prototypical complex-forming reaction cause a van der Waals saddle instead, with different dynamical effects from a well at low collision energies.

Quasiclassical trajectory study of the C(1D) + HD reaction

Isotopic branching ratios are investigated by detailed quasiclassical trajectory calculations on our recent singlet ground and excited potential energy surfaces.

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the C(1D) + D2 reaction

Rate constants derived from ring polymer molecular dynamics calculations confirm the validity of this method for studying low-temperature complex-forming reactions

Nonadiabatic Renner–Teller quantum dynamics of OH(X2Π) + H+ reactive collisions

Following previous studies on the O(³P) + H₂⁺(X²Σ_g⁺) collisions, we present the nonadiabatic quantum dynamics of the reactions OH(X²Π) + H′⁺ → OH′(X²Π) + H⁺, exchange (e), → OH⁺(X³Σ⁻) + H′(²S), quenching (q), and → OH′⁺(X³Σ⁻) + H(²S), exchange-quenching (eq).

Recent Advances in Quantum Dynamics of Bimolecular Reactions

In this review, we survey the latest advances in theoretical understanding of bimolecular reaction dynamics in the past decade. The remarkable recent progress in this field has been driven by more accurate and efficient ab initio electronic structure theory, effective potential-energy surface fitting techniques, and novel quantum scattering algorithms. Quantum mechanical characterization of bimolecular reactions continues to uncover interesting dynamical phenomena in atom-diatom reactions and beyond, reaching an unprecedented level of sophistication. In tandem with experimental explorations, these theoretical developments have greatly advanced our understanding of key issues in reaction dynamics, such as microscopic reaction mechanisms, mode specificity, product energy disposal, influence of reactive resonances, and nonadiabatic effects.

Ring-Polymer Molecular Dynamics for the Prediction of Low-Temperature Rates: An Investigation of the C((1)D) + H2 Reaction

Quantum mechanical calculations are important tools for predicting the rates of elementary reactions, particularly for those involving hydrogen and at low temperatures where quantum effects become increasingly important. These approaches are computationally expensive, however, particularly when applied to complex polyatomic systems or processes characterized by deep potential wells. While several approximate techniques exist, many of these have issues with reliability. The ring-polymer molecular dynamics method was recently proposed as an accurate and efficient alternative. Here, we test this technique at low temperatures (300-50 K) by analyzing the behavior of the barrierless C((1)D) + H2 reaction over the two lowest singlet potential energy surfaces. To validate the theory, rate coefficients were measured using a supersonic flow reactor down to 50 K. The experimental and theoretical rates are in excellent agreement, supporting the future application of this method for determining the kinetics and dynamics of a wide range of low-temperature reactions.

Born–Oppenheimer and Renner–Teller coupled-channel quantum reaction dynamics of O(3P) + H2+(X2Σg+) collisions

We present Born–Oppenheimer (BO) and Renner–Teller (RT) time dependent quantum dynamics studies of the reactions O(³P) + H₂⁺(X²Σ_g⁺) → OH⁺(X³Σ⁻) + H(²S) and OH(X²Π) + H⁺.

Quantum wave packet and quasiclassical trajectory studies of the reaction H(2S) + CH(X2 Π; v = 0, j = 1) → C(1D) + H2 (X1 Σg+): Coriolis coupling effects and stereodynamics

The quantum mechanics (QM) and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations have been carried out for the title reaction with the ground minimal allowed rotational state of CH (j = 1) on the 1 (1)A' potential energy surface. For the reaction probability at total angular momentum J = 0, a similar trend of the QM and QCT calculations is observed, and the QM results are larger than the latter almost in the whole considered energy range (0.1-1.5 eV). The QCT integral cross sections are larger than the QM results with centrifugal sudden approximation, while smaller than those from QM method including Coriolis coupling for collision energies bigger than 0.25 eV. The quantum wave-packet computations show that the Coriolis coupling effects get more and more pronounced with increasing of J. In addition to the scalar properties, the stereodynamical properties, such as the average rotational alignment factor <P2 (j'•k)>, the angular distributions P(θr ), P(ϕr ), P(θr ,ϕr ), and the polarization-dependent generalized differential cross sections have been explored in detail by QCT approach.