Water hydrogen bonding: The structure of the water–carbon monoxide complex

Partitioning photochemically formed CO2 into clathrate hydrate under interstellar conditions

Clathrate hydrates (CHs), host-guest compounds of water forming hydrogen-bonded cages around guest molecules, are now known to exist under interstellar conditions. Experimental evidence demonstrated that prolonged thermal treatment of a solid mixture of water and CO2/CH4 produces CHs at 10-30 K under simulated interstellar conditions. However, in the current study, we show that CO2 produced photochemically by vacuum ultraviolet irradiation of H2O-CO mixtures at 10 K and ∼10-10 mbar, gets partitioned into its CH phase and a matrix phase embedded in amorphous ice. The process occurring under simulated interstellar conditions was studied at different temperatures and H2O-CO compositions. The formation of CO2 CH and other photoproducts was confirmed using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. The UV-induced photodesorption event of CO2 may provide the mobility required for the formation of CHs, while photoproducts like methanol can stabilize such CH structures. Our study suggests that new species originating during such energetic processing in ice matrices may form CH, potentially altering the chemical composition of astrophysical environments.

Dispersion Control over Molecule Cohesion: Exploiting and Dissecting the Tipping Power of Aromatic Rings

ConspectusWe have learned over the past years how London dispersion forces can be effectively used to influence or even qualitatively tip the structure of aggregates and the conformation of single molecules. This happens despite the fact that single dispersion contacts are much weaker than competing polar forces. It is a classical case of strength by numbers, with the importance of London dispersion forces scaling with the system size. Knowledge about the tipping points, however difficult to attain, is necessary for a rational design of intermolecular forces. One requires a careful assessment of the competing interactions, either by sensitive spectroscopic techniques for the study of the isolated molecules and aggregates or by theoretical approaches. Of particular interest are the systems close to the tipping point, when dispersion interactions barely outweigh or approach the strength of the other interactions. Such subtle cases are important milestones for a scale-up to realistic multi-interaction situations encountered in the fields of life and materials science. In searching for examples that provide ideal competing interactions in complexes and small clusters, aromatic systems can offer a diverse set of molecules with a variation of dispersion and electrostatic forces that control the dominant and peripheral interactions. Our combined spectroscopic and theoretical investigations provide valuable insights into the balance of intermolecular forces because they typically allow us to switch the aromatic substituent on and off. High-resolution rotational spectroscopy serves as a benchmark for molecular structures, as correct calculations should be based on correct geometries. When discussing the competition with other noncovalent interactions, obvious competitors are directional hydrogen bonds. As a second counterweight to aryl interactions, we will discuss aurophilic/metallophilic interactions, which also have a strong stabilization with a small number of atoms involved. Vibrational spectroscopy is most sensitive to interactions of light atoms, and the competition of OH hydrogen bonds with dispersion forces in a molecular aggregate can be judged well by the OH stretching frequency. Experiments in the gas phase are ideal for gauging the accuracy of quantum chemical predictions free of solvent forces. A tight collaboration utilizing these three methods allows experiment vs experiment vs theory benchmarking of the overall influence of dispersion in molecular structures and energetics.

Chemical Reactivity of Strongly Interacting, Hydrogen-Bond-Forming Molecules Following 193 nm Photon Irradiation: Methanol in Amorphous Solid Water at Low Temperatures

Mixtures of methanol and amorphous solid water (ASW) ices are observed in the interstellar medium (ISM), where they are subject to irradiation by UV photons and bombardment by charged particles. The charged particles, if at high enough density, induce a local electric field in the ice film that potentially affects the photochemistry of these ices. When CD₃OD@ASW ices grown at 38 K on a Ru(0001) substrate are irradiated by 193 nm (6.4 eV) photons, products such as HD, D₂, CO, and CO₂ are formed in large abundances relative to the initial amount of CD₃OD. Other molecules such as D₂O, CD₄, acetaldehyde, and ethanol and/or dimethyl ether are also observed, but in smaller relative abundances. The reactivity cross sections range from (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10^-21 to (3.8 ± 0.3) × 10^-25 cm²/photon. The main products are formed through two competing mechanisms: direct photodissociation of methanol and water and dissociative electron attachment (DEA) by photoelectrons ejected from the Ru(0001) substrate. An electric field of 2 × 10⁸ V/m generated within the ASW film during Ne⁺ ions bombardment is apparently not strong enough to affect the relative abundances (selectivity) of the photochemical products observed in this study.

Noncovalently bound molecular complexes beyond diatom–diatom systems: full-dimensional, fully coupled quantum calculations of rovibrational states

The methodological advances made in recent years have significantly extended the range and dimensionality of noncovalently bound molecular complexes for which full-dimensional quantum calculations of their rovibrational states are feasible.

Explicitly correlated ab initio potential energy surface and predicted rovibrational spectra for H2O-N2 and D2O-N2 complexes

An ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) for the van der Waals complex of H₂O-N₂ that explicitly incorporates the intramolecular Q₂ bending normal mode of the H₂O monomer is presented. The electronic structure computations have been carried out at the explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)-F12] with an augmented correlation-consistent triple zeta basis set and an additional bond function. Analytic five-dimensional intermolecular PESs for ν₂(H₂O) = 0 and 1 are obtained by fitting to the multi-dimensional Morse/long-range potential function form. These fits to 40 890 points have the root-mean-square (rms) discrepancy of 0.88 cm^-1 for interaction energies less than 2000.0 cm^-1. The resulting vibrationally averaged PESs provide good representations of the experimental microwave and infrared data: for microwave transitions of H₂O-N₂, the rms discrepancy is only 0.0003 cm^-1, and for infrared transitions of the A₁ symmetry of the H₂O(ν₂ = 1 ← 0)-N₂, the rms discrepancy is 0.001 cm^-1. The calculated infrared band origin shifts associated with the ν₂ bending vibration of water are 2.210 cm^-1 and 1.323 cm^-1 for H₂O-N₂ and D₂O-N₂, respectively, in good agreement with the experimental values of 2.254 cm^-1 and 1.266 cm^-1. The benchmark tests and comparisons of the predicted spectral properties are carried out between CCSD(T)-F12a and CCSD(T)-F12b approaches.

An accurate full-dimensional permutationally invariant potential energy surface for the interaction between H2O and CO

The first full-dimensional accurate potential energy surface was developed for the CO + H₂O system based onca.102 000 points calculated at the CCSD(T)-F12a/AVTZ level using a permutation invariant polynomial-neural network (PIP-NN) method.

The water–carbon monoxide dimer: new infrared spectra, ab initio rovibrational energy level calculations, and an interesting in-termolecular mode

Bound state rovibrational energy level calculations using a high-level intermolecular potential surface are reported for H₂O–CO and D₂O–CO.

Micro-solvation of CO in water: infrared spectra and structural calculations for (D2O)2–CO and (D2O)3–CO

The weakly-bound molecular clusters (D₂O)₂–CO and (D₂O)₃–CO are observed in the C–O stretch fundamental region (≈2150 cm⁻¹), and their rotationally-resolved infrared spectra yield precise rotational parameters.

Interaction of H2O with CO: potential energy surface, bound states and scattering calculations

We present the first scattering calculations for the H₂O–CO system based on a high accuracy potential energy surface.

VUV photochemistry of the H2O⋯CO complex in noble-gas matrices: formation of the OH⋯CO complex and the HOCO radical

VUV photolysis of the H₂O⋯CO complexes leads to the formation of the OH⋯CO radical–molecule complexes and trans-HOCO radicals.

Microwave Rotational Spectral Study of SO2-CO

The microwave spectrum of the molecular complex of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) with carbon monoxide (CO) has been studied with a pulsed-beam Fourier Transform Microwave Spectrometer (FTMW) from a pair of gas samples of 1 % by volume of SO₂ and CO in Ar, and introduced via separate capillary inputs to the flow nozzle. The frequency coverage was about 7 GHz to 16 GHz for various isotopomers. The molecular structure was determined with the aid of spectral studies of isotopically substituted monomers containing ¹³C, ¹⁸O and ³⁴S. The rotational analyses provide the rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for all of the isotopomers analyzed. The structure determination is compared to detailed ab initio structural calculations. The electric dipole moment components along the a- and c-axis were determined from Stark effect measurements.

Pure rotational spectra of the CO-trans-HOCO complex

Pure rotational spectra of the CO-trans-HOCO complex have been observed by Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) and millimeter-wave FTMW double resonance spectroscopy. The complex was produced in a supersonic jet by discharging a mixture gas of CO and H(2)O diluted in Ar. The molecular constants including the fine and hyperfine coupling constants have been precisely determined. The inter-molecular distance between the CO and trans-HOCO monomers has been determined by fixing the structures of the trans-HOCO and CO monomers, where this complex has the OC···HO configuration with the C···HO angle almost linear. The C···H distance, 2.166 Å, is much shorter than those of the closed shell complexes, CO-CH(3)OH and CO-H(2)O. The Fermi contact constant of the proton for the complex was compared with that of the trans-HOCO monomer, leading to a conclusion that there is almost no induced effect for the spin density on the proton of HOCO by the complex formation.

From strong van der Waals complexes to hydrogen bonding: From CO⋯H2O to CS⋯H2O and SiO⋯H2O complexes

Structures and interaction energies of complexes valence isoelectronic to the important CO⋯H(2)O complex, namely SiO⋯H(2)O and CS⋯H(2)O, have been studied for the first time using high-level ab initio methods. Although CO, SiO, and CS are valence isoelectronic, the structures of their complexes with water differ significantly, owing partially to their widely varied dipole moments. The predicted dissociation energies D(0) are 1.8 (CO⋯H(2)O), 2.7 (CS⋯H(2)O), and 4.9 (SiO⋯H(2)O) kcal∕mol. The implications of these results have been examined in light of the dipole moments of the separate moieties and current concepts of hydrogen bonding. It is hoped that the present results will spark additional interest in these complexes and in the general non-covalent paradigms they represent.

Intermolecular potential energy surface and second virial coefficients for the nonrigid water-CO dimer

A seven-dimensional potential energy surface is calculated for the interaction of water and carbon monoxide using second-order Moller-Plesset theory, coupled-cluster theory, and extrapolated intermolecular perturbation theory. The effects of stretching the CO molecule and bending the water molecule are included. The minimum energy structure of the water-CO dimer changes from an H-C hydrogen bond to an H-O hydrogen bond when the CO bond length increases by less than 10 pm from its equilibrium value. Second virial coefficients for the water-CO interaction are calculated for a wide range of temperatures and compared with the limited experimental data. Allowing the CO bond length and water bond angle to vary has little effect on the second virial coefficients.

Rotational Spectroscopic and ab Initio Studies of the Xe−H2O van der Waals Dimer

An ab initio potential energy surface of the Xe-H(2)O van der Waals dimer was constructed at the coupled cluster level of theory with single, double, and pertubatively included triple excitations. For the Xe atom, the small-core pseudopotential and augmented correlation-consistent polarized valence quadruple-zeta (aug-cc-pVQZ-PP) basis set was used. Dunning's augmented correlation-consistent polarized valence triple-zeta (aug-cc-pVTZ) basis set was chosen for O and H atoms. Midbond functions were used to supplement the atom-centered basis sets. Rotational spectra of the Xe-H(2)O van der Waals dimer were recorded with a pulsed-nozzle Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. Rotational transitions within two internal rotor states, namely, the 0(00) and 1(01) states, were measured and assigned. Nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structures due to the (131)Xe (I = (3)/(2)), D (I = 1) and (17)O (I = (5)/(2)) nuclei were also observed and analyzed. Information about the molecular structure and the H(2)O angular motions was extracted from the spectroscopic results with the assistance of the ab initio potential.

Sticking of CO to crystalline and amorphous ice surfaces

We present results of classical trajectory calculations on the sticking of hyperthermal CO to the basal plane (0001) face of crystalline ice Ih and to the surface of amorphous ice Ia. The calculations were performed for normal incidence at a surface temperature Ts = 90 K for ice Ia, and at Ts = 90 and 150 K for ice Ih. For both surfaces, the sticking probability can be fitted to a simple exponentially decaying function of the incidence energy, Ei: Ps = 1.0e(-Ei(kJ/mol)/90(kJ/mol)) at Ts = 90 K. The energy transfer from the impinging molecule to the crystalline and the amorphous surface is found to be quite efficient, in agreement with the results of molecular beam experiments on the scattering of the similar molecule, N2, from crystalline and amorphous ice. However, the energy transfer is less efficient for amorphous than for crystalline ice. Our calculations predict that the sticking probability decreases with Ts for CO scattering from crystalline ice, as the energy transfer from the impinging molecule to the warmer surfaces becomes less efficient. At high Ei (up to 193 kJ/mol), no surface penetration occurs in the case of crystalline ice. However, for CO colliding with the amorphous surface, a penetrating trajectory was observed to occur into a large water pore. The molecular dynamics calculations predict that the average potential energy of CO adsorbed to ice Ih is -10.1 +/- 0.2 and -8.4 +/- 0.2 kJ/mol for CO adsorbed to ice Ia. These values are in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical data. The distribution of the potential energy of CO adsorbed to ice Ia was found to be wider (with a standard deviation sigma of 2.4 kJ/mol) than that of CO interacting with ice Ih (sigma = 2.0 kJ/mol). In collisions with ice Ia, the CO molecules scatter at larger angles and over a wider distribution of angles than in collisions with ice Ih.

Spectroscopic identification of the CO-H[sub 2]O 2-1 cluster trapped in an argon matrix

The infrared spectra of the carbon monoxide-water cluster as well as the CO monomer and dimer in an argon matrix at cryogenic temperatures have been reinvestigated on the basis of the isotope substitution experiment with 12CO and 13CO. Lines due to the CO-H2O 2-1 cluster in the matrix have been unambiguously identified in the CO and OH stretching regions. The isotope effect on the vibrational frequency of the cluster is observed in the CO stretching vibration but neither in the symmetric nor antisymmetric OH stretching vibrations. Each of the two vibrational lines due to the two CO vibrations of the CO-H2O 2-1 cluster is examined by comparing the expected spectral features at a 12CO/13CO ratio on a simulation with those observed experimentally. The migration of the trapped molecules (CO and H2O) in the matrix is discussed, in which the observed spectral change with the deposition temperature from 14 K to 30 K is explained.