Molecular structure of XeF6

Prediction of stable radon fluoride molecules and geometry optimization using first-principles calculations

Noble gases possess extremely low reactivity because their valence shells are closed. However, previous studies have suggested that these gases can form molecules when they combine with other elements with high electron affinity, such as fluorine. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive noble gas, and the formation of radon-fluorine molecules is of significant interest owing to its potential application in future technologies that address environmental radioactivity. Nevertheless, because all isotopes of radon are radioactive and the longest radon half-life is only 3.82 days, experiments on radon chemistry have been limited. Here, we study the formation of radon molecules using first-principles calculations; additionally, possible compositions of radon fluorides are predicted using a crystal structure prediction approach. Similar to xenon fluorides, di-, tetra-, and hexafluorides are found to be stabilized. Coupled-cluster calculations reveal that RnF₆ stabilizes with O_h point symmetry, unlike XeF₆ with C_3v symmetry. Moreover, we provide the vibrational spectra of our predicted radon fluorides as a reference. The molecular stability of radon di-, tetra-, and hexafluoride obtained through calculations may lead to advances in radon chemistry.

Predicting the structure and NMR coupling constant 1J(129Xe-19F) of XeF6 using quantum mechanics methods

The XeF₆ molecule exists as a monomer in the gas phase and as the (XeF₆)₄ tetramer in solution. Herein we used distinct quantum mechanics methods to study the conformational equilibrium for the XeF₆ monomer, which is represented mainly by O_h and C_3v symmetric geometries, and for the (XeF₆)₄ structure found in condensate phases. The NMR ¹J(¹²⁹Xe-¹⁹F) coupling constant is predicted using our own NMR-DKH basis set, designed for NMR properties. The C_3v conformer of XeF₆ was stable only with HF, CCSD, and hybrid DFT functionals with at least 28% exact HF exchange. Increasing the % of HF exchange improves the description of the geometry and the O_h→C_3v equilibrium. The BMK, BHandHLYP and LC-ωPBE functionals produce results in excellent agreement with experiments and high-level calculations for the XeF₆ molecule. When it comes to the ¹J(¹²⁹Xe-¹⁹F) coupling constant, the (XeF₆)₄ structure must be considered. For that compound, BHandHLYP leads to the best structure, and BMK leads to the best coupling constant; therefore, the generalized protocol BMK/NMR-DKH//BHandHLYP/def2-SVP is recommended to study the XeF₆ molecule in the gas phase and solution.

Heavy atom tunnelling on XeF6 pseudorotation

XeF₆ has multiple C_3v equivalent minima due to the Jahn–Teller effect. Through computational means we prove that the rearrangement between isomers occurs through fluorine quantum mechanical tunnelling.

Si 1s-1, 2s-1 and 2p-1 lifetime broadening of SiX4 (X = F, Cl, Br, CH3) molecules: SiF4 anomalous behaviour reassessed

The Si 1s-1, Si 2s-1, and Si 2p-1 photoelectron spectra of the SiX4 molecules with X = F, Cl, Br, CH3 were measured. From these spectra the Si 1s-1 and Si 2s-1 lifetime broadenings were determined, revealing a significantly larger value for the Si 2s-1 core hole of SiF4 than for the same core hole of the other molecules of the sequence. This finding is in line with the results of the Si 2p-1 core holes of a number of SiX4 molecules, with an exceptionally large broadening for SiF4. For the Si 2s-1 core hole of SiF4 the difference to the other SiX4 molecules can be explained in terms of Interatomic Coulomb Decay (ICD)-like processes. For the Si 2p-1 core hole of SiF4 the estimated values for the sum of the Intraatomic Auger Electron Decay (IAED) and ICD-like processes are too small to explain the observed linewidth. However, the results of the given discussion render for SiF4 significant contributions from Electron Transfer Mediated Decay (ETMD)-like processes at least plausible. On the grounds of our results, some more molecular systems in which similar processes can be observed are identified.

Matrix-Isolation and Quantum-Chemical Analysis of the C3v Conformer of XeF6, XeOF4, and Their Acetonitrile Adducts

A joint experimental-computational study of the molecular structure and vibrational spectra of the XeF₆ molecule is reported. The vibrational frequencies, intensities, and in particular the isotopic frequency shifts of the vibrational spectra for ¹²⁹XeF₆ and ¹³⁶XeF₆ isotopologues recorded in the neon matrix agree very well with those obtained from relativistic coupled-cluster calculations for XeF₆ in the C_3v structure, thereby strongly supporting the observation of the C_3v conformer of the XeF₆ molecule in the neon matrix. A C_3v transition state connecting the C_3v and O_h local minima is located computationally. The calculated barrier of 220 cm^-1 between the C_3v minima and the transition state corroborates the experimental observation of the C_3v conformer and the absence of the O_h conformer in solid noble gas matrices. For comparison matrix-isolation spectra have also been recorded and analyzed for the ¹²⁹XeOF₄ and the ¹³⁶XeOF₄ isotopologues. The matrix-isolation complexation shifts obtained for the XeF₆·NCCH₃ relative to those of free matrix isolated XeF₆ and CH₃CN are in good agreement with those reported for crystalline XeF₆·NCCH₃.

Heats of formation of XeF(3)(+), XeF(3)(-), XeF(5)(+), XeF(7)(+), XeF(7)(-), and XeF(8) from high level electronic structure calculations

Atomization energies at 0 K and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for XeF(3)(+), XeF(3)(-), XeF(5)(+), XeF(7)(+), XeF(7)(-), and XeF(8) from coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) calculations with effective core potential correlation-consistent basis sets for Xe and including correlation of the nearest core electrons. Additional corrections are included to achieve near chemical accuracy of +/-1 kcal/mol. Vibrational zero point energies were computed at the MP2 level of theory. Unlike the other neutral xenon fluorides, XeF(8) is predicted to be thermodynamically unstable with respect to loss of F(2) with the reaction calculated to be exothermic by 22.3 kcal/mol at 0 K. XeF(7)(+) is also predicted to be thermodynamically unstable with respect to the loss of F(2) by 24.1 kcal/mol at 0 K. For XeF(3)(+), XeF(5)(+), XeF(3)(-), XeF(5)(-), and XeF(7)(-), the reactions for loss of F(2) are endothermic by 14.8, 37.8, 38.2, 59.6, and 31.9 kcal/mol at 0 K, respectively. The F(+) affinities of Xe, XeF(2), XeF(4), and XeF(6) are predicted to be 165.1, 155.3, 172.7, and 132.5 kcal/mol, and the corresponding F(-) affinities are 6.3, 19.9, 59.1, and 75.0 kcal/mol at 0 K, respectively.

A Topological Study of the Geometry of AF6E Molecules: Weak and Inactive Lone Pairs

The geometries of AF6E molecules, which may have either an O(h) or a C(3v) geometry, have been studied by means of the electron localization function. Our results show that when the molecule has a C(3v) geometry, there is a valence-shell monosynaptic V(A) basin corresponding to the presence of a lone pair in the valence shell of the central atom A. The population of this basin is, however, extensively delocalized so that the electron density has a core-valence basin character, which is consistent with an earlier suggestion of a weakly active lone pair that gives a C(3v) distorted octahedral molecule rather than the valence-shell electron-pair repulsion predicted pentagonal-pyramid geometry. In contrast, the molecules with O(h) geometry do not have a monosynaptic valence-shell basin, but they have a larger core. These results provide confirmation of a previous suggestion that in AX6E (X = Cl, Br, I) molecules with the O(h) geometry the ligands X are sufficiently closely packed around the central atom A so as to leave no space in the valence shell for the lone pair E, which remains part of the core. Among the corresponding fluorides, only BrF6- has the O(h) geometry, while the others have the C(3v) geometry because there is sufficient space in the valence shell to accommodate the lone pair, the presence of which distorts the O(h) geometry to C(3v). The energies of the O(h) and C(3v) geometries have been shown to be very similar so the observed geometries are a consequence of a very fine balance between ligand-ligand repulsions and the energy gained by the expansion of the two nonbonding electrons into the valence shell.

Heats of formation of xenon fluorides and the fluxionality of XeF(6) from high level electronic structure calculations

Atomization energies at 0 K and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for XeF(+), XeF(-), XeF(2), XeF(4), XeF(5)(-), and XeF(6) from coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) calculations with new correlation-consistent basis sets for Xe. To achieve near chemical accuracy (+/-1 kcal/mol), up to four corrections were added to the complete basis set binding energies based on frozen core coupled cluster theory energies: a correction for core-valence effects, a correction for scalar relativistic effects, a correction for first-order atomic spin-orbit effects, and in some cases, a second-order spin-orbit correction. Vibrational zero-point energies were computed at the coupled cluster level of theory. The structure of XeF(6) is difficult to obtain with the C(3)(v)() and O(h)() structures having essentially the same energy. The O(h)() structure is only 0.19 kcal/mol below the C(3)(v)() one at the CCSD(T)/CBS level using an approximate geometry for the C(3)(v)() structure. With an optimized C(3)(v)() geometry, the C(3)(v)() structure would probably become slightly lower in energy than the O(h)() one. The calculated heats of formation for the neutral XeF(n)() fluorides are less negative than the experimental values from the equilibrium measurements by 2.0, 7.7, and 12.2 kcal/mol for n = 2, 4, and 6, respectively. For the experimental values, derived from the photoionization measurements, this discrepancy becomes even larger, suggesting a need for a redetermination of the experimental values. Evidence is presented for the fluxionality of XeF(6) caused by the presence of a sterically active, free valence electron pair on Xe.

Effect of relativity on the ionization spectra of the xenon fluorides XeFn (n=2, 4, 6)

Noble gas compounds exhibit special chemical bonding situations and have been investigated by various spectroscopic and theoretical techniques. In this work we calculate the ionization spectra of the xenon fluorides (XeF2,XeF4, and XeF6) in the valence and subvalence (down to Xe 4d) areas by application of the recently developed Dirac-Hartree-Fock one-particle propagator technique. In this technique, the relativistic (four-component) and electron correlation effects are computed simultaneously. The xenon compounds show considerable spin-orbit splitting strongly influencing the photoelectron spectrum not reproducible in prior calculations. Comparison to one-component methods is made and the occurring satellite structures are interpreted. The satellite structures can be attributed either to the breakdown of the one-particle picture or to a reflection of intra-atomic and interatomic Auger decay processes within the molecule.