NO3 radical studied by laser‐induced fluorescence

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy of the transition of jet cooled 14NO3 and 15NO3 II: the dispersed fluorescence spectrum from the 3rd E level of the ν4 mode (approximately the 2ν4 (e'), l = 0, level)

14NO3 and 15NO3 isotopomers were generated in a supersonic free jet expansion, and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of the electronic transition was observed. Dispersed LIF spectra from the vibronic level at ∼770 cm-1 above the vibrationless level have been measured for each isotopomer. One remarkable characteristic of the dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectrum is that the ν2 fundamental is clearly observed, even though the transition 201 is forbidden in the electronic transition. Another is that two sets of vibrational structure are observed in the DF spectrum: one of the two sets is the structure with the origin at the excitation energy, and the other is that with the origin at the ν2 fundamental. These observations suggest that the fluorescent level has contribution from the ν2 mode. In part I (M. Fukushima, J. Mol. Spectrosc., 2022, 387, 111646), it has been reported that the ν4 progressions are one of the typical characteristics of the vibrational structure of the DF spectrum from the vibrationless level; the progressions have intensity gradually decreasing with increasing ν4 quantum number (named the "regular" distribution), and have members forbidden for the Δl = 0 selection rule. The intensity distribution of the ν4 progression with the origin at the ν2 fundamental is similar to that from the vibrationless level, while that with the origin at the excitation energy is drastically different from that from the vibrationless level. The Jahn-Teller (J-T) and Renner-Teller (R-T) interactions in the B̃2E' state enable us to interpret the intensity distributions of the ν4 progressions, in which relatively weak interactions are enough to reproduce the observed distributions. The spectral intensity distribution analyses adopting the two vibronic couplings suggest that the fluorescent level at ∼770 cm-1 above the vibrationless level is the 3rd E eigenstate of the ν4 mode. The major component of the ν4 3rd E state is the |Λ = ±1; v4 = 2, l4 = 0〉 level of the B̃2E' state, which is a vibrationally and a vibronically E' level, and it is therefore concluded that the major components of the fluorescent level are both of the ν2 = 1 level and ν4 = 2 level .

Accurate quantum dynamics simulation of the photodetachment spectrum of the nitrate anion (NO3 -) based on an artificial neural network diabatic potential model

The photodetachment spectrum of the nitrate anion (NO₃ ^-) is simulated from first principles using wavepacket quantum dynamics propagation and a newly developed accurate full-dimensional fully coupled five state diabatic potential model. This model utilizes the recently proposed complete nuclear permutation inversion invariant artificial neural network diabatization technique [D. M. G. Williams and W. Eisfeld, J. Phys. Chem. A 124, 7608 (2020)]. The quantum dynamics simulations are designed such that temperature effects and the impact of near threshold detachment are taken into account. Thus, the two available experiments at high temperature and at cryogenic temperature using the slow electron velocity-map imaging technique can be reproduced in very good agreement. These results clearly show the relevance of hot bands and vibronic coupling between the X̃ ²A₂ ^' ground state and the B̃ ²E' excited state of the neutral radical. This together with the recent experiment at low temperature gives further support for the proper assignment of the ν₃ fundamental, which has been debated for many years. An assignment of a not yet discussed hot band line is also proposed.

High-Resolution Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Cryogenically Cooled NO3̅

High-resolution anion photoelectron spectra of cryogenically cooled NO₃̅ anions obtained using slow photoelectron velocity-map imaging are presented and provide new insight into the vibronic structure of the corresponding neutral radical. A combination of improved spectral resolution, measurement of energy-dependent intensity effects, temperature control, and comparison to theory allows for full assignment of the vibronic features observed in this spectrum. We obtain a refined electron affinity of 3.9289(14) eV for NO₃. Further, the appearance of Franck-Condon forbidden transitions from vibrationally cold anions to neutral states with excitation along the NO₃ ν₄ mode confirms that these features arise from vibronic coupling with the B̃²E' excited state of NO₃ and are not hot bands, as has been suggested. Together, the suite of experimental and simulated results provides clear evidence that the ν₃ fundamental of NO₃ resides near 1050 cm^-1, addressing a long-standing controversy surrounding this vibrational assignment.

Computational exploration of regioselectivity and atmospheric lifetime in NO3-initiated reactions of CH3OCH3 and CH3OCH2CH3

The NO₃-initiated reactions of CH₃OCH₃ and CH₃OCH₂CH₃ have been investigated by the BHandHLYP method in conjunction with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set. Thermodynamic and kinetic data are further refined using the comparatively accurate CCSD(T) method. According to the values of reaction enthalpies (ΔH_r,298^θ) and reaction Gibbs free energies (ΔG_r,298^θ) from CH₃OCH₂CH₃ with NO₃ system, we find that H-abstraction pathway from the α-CH₂ group is more exothermic. It is further confirmed by the calculated CH bond dissociation energy of CH₃OCH₂CH₃ molecule. All the rate constants, computed through means of canonical variational transition state with small-curvature tunneling correction, are fitted to the three-parameter expressions k₁=1.54×10^-23T^3.34exp(-1035.53/T) and k₂=3.55×10^-26T^4.31exp(-281.24/T)cm³molecule^-1s^-1 and branching ratios are computed over the temperature range 200-600K. The branching ratios are also discussed. The atmospheric lifetimes of CH₃OCH₃ and CH₃OCH₂CH₃ determined by the NO₃ radical are about 270 and 29days, respectively.

High pressure studies of Ni3[(C2H5N5)6(H2O)6](NO3)6·1.5H2O by Raman scattering, IR absorption, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Molecular structure (a) and packing diagram (b) of 1. The green, grey, blue, red, and white spheres denote Ni, C, N, O, and H atoms, respectively.

On the vibronic level structure in the NO3 radical. I. The ground electronic state

The model Hamiltonian approach of Koppel et al. [Adv. Chem. Phys. 57, 59 (1984)] is used to analyze the electronic spectroscopy of the nitrate radical (NO3). Simulations of negative ion photodetachment of NO3-, the X 2A2'<--B 2E' dispersed fluorescence spectrum of NO3, and the B 2E'<--X 2A2' absorption spectrum are all in qualitative agreement with experiment, indicating that the model Hamiltonian contains most or all of the essential physics that govern the strongly coupled X 2A2' and B 2E' electronic states of the radical. All 14 bands seen in the dispersed fluorescence spectrum below 2600 cm-1 are assigned based on the simulations, filling in a few gaps left by previous work, and 7 additional bands below 4000 cm-1 are tentatively assigned. The assignment is predicated on the assumption that the nu3 level of NO3 is near 1000 cm-1 rather than 1492 cm-1 as is presently believed. Support for this reassignment (which associates the 1492 cm-1 band with the nu1+nu4 level) comes from both the model Hamiltonian spectrum and a Fourier-transform infrared feature at 2585 cm-1 that is consistent with the large and positive cross anharmonicity between nu1 and nu4 needed for the alternative 1492 cm-1 assignment. An apparent systematic deficiency exists in the treatment of the model Hamiltonian for levels involving nu4. A discussion of the correlation between energy levels in the rigid D3h and C2v limits is illustrative, and provides insight into just how hard it is to treat the degenerate bending coordinate (q4) of NO3 accurately.

Mechanistic Insights into NO3• Induced Self-Terminating Radical Oxygenations, Part 1: A Computational Study on NO3• and Its Addition to Alkynes

The geometry of the nitrate radical, NO3*, for which unrestricted Hartree-Fock (HF) breaks spatial symmetry of the wave function, was optimized using hybrid density functionals that include varying fractions of Hartree-Fock exchange. Although symmetry breaking was not observed even when the functional with the highest HF exchange (BHandHLYP) was used, only B3LYP correctly describes the D(3h) symmetry of NO3* as ground-state structure with the lowest energy. Further, geometries and energies of the stationary points in the addition of NO3* to ethyne, propyne, and 2-butyne were calculated using ab initio and density functional methods. The reactions proceed through Z-configurated transition states leading to Z-configurated vinyl radicals with the activation barrier decreasing with increasing methyl substitution at the C[triple bond]C by ca. 11 kJ mol(-1) per methyl group. It was found that the results obtained at the BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory are in good agreement with the data from single-point QCISD and CCSD(T) calculations.

Cavity ringdown spectrum of the forbidden ÃE″2←X̃A2′2 transition of NO3: Evidence for static Jahn–Teller distortion in the à state

The Jahn-Teller effect in the first two excited states of the nitrate radical NO3 has yet to be experimentally elucidated. In this paper, direct evidence of strong Jahn-Teller interactions in the A state is presented from the first complete absorption spectrum of the A2E'' <-- X2A(2)' transition of NO3 in the gas phase in the region 5900-9000 cm(-1), at moderate resolution (0.15 cm(-1)). The observed spectrum is consistent with Herzberg-Teller selection rules, and reveals strong linear and quadratic Jahn-Teller interactions in the A state. Several of the vibronic bands have been tentatively assigned, including nu2, nu3, an irregular progression in nu4, and combination bands involving nu1. Our assignments are consistent with the previous works of Weaver et al. [A. Weaver, D. W. Arnold, S. E. Bradforth, and D. M. Neumark, J. Chem. Phys. 94, 1740 (1991)] and Hirota et al. [E. Hirota, T. Ishiwata, K. Kawaguchi, M. Fujitake, N. Ohashi, and I. Tanaka, J. Phys. Chem. 107, 2829 (1997)] The band origin is not observed, in accord with the selection rules, but is determined to be T0=7064 cm(-1) from the observation of the 4(1)0 hot band at 6695.7 cm(-1). Rotational contour analysis of this band indicates that the upper state is an asymmetric rotor, establishing that NO3 undergoes static Jahn-Teller distortion in the ground vibrational level of the A state.