Hydrated Complexes: Relevance to Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate

Effect of Temperature on the OH-Stretching Bands of the Methanol Dimer

We present a conceptually simple model for understanding the significant spectral changes that occur with the temperature in the infrared spectra of hydrogen-bound complexes. We have measured room-temperature spectra of the methanol dimer and two deuterated isotopologues in the OH(D)-stretching region. We correctly predict spectral changes observed in the gas phase for the bound OH stretch in the methanol dimer from jet-cooled to room temperature and corroborate this with experimental and theoretical results for deuterated isotopologues. The origin of the observed spectral features is explained based on a reduced-dimensional vibrational model, which includes the two high-frequency OH stretches, the two methyl torsions, and the six intermolecular low-frequency vibrations. Key to the success of the model is a new coordinate definition to describe the intrinsic large-amplitude curvilinear motion of low-frequency vibrations. Despite the deceivingly simple appearance of the room temperature bound OH-stretching fundamental band, it consists of ∼107 vibrational transitions.

Can Ozone Dissociate at the Surface of Water (Water Droplet and Ice) without Light?

Ozone is a major source of OH radicals in the troposphere. It is well-known that photodissociation of ozone is key for the conversion of ozone into OH radicals. In the present study, using Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulation, we have shown that on the surface of the droplet and ice, ozone can dissociate without light. In addition, the dissociation time of ozone is found to be much less on the ice surface than the same time on the water droplet. As the dissociation of ozone on the water surface can happen during the day as well as in the night time, we believe this route of forming OH radicals can be even more important than the photodissociation. The present study suggests that the cloud and ice surface can enhance the oxidizing power of the troposphere.

A study of the thermodynamics and mechanisms of the atmospherically relevant reaction dimethyl sulphide (DMS) with atomic chlorine (Cl) in the absence and presence of water, using electronic structure methods

The thermodynamics and mechanisms of the atmospherically relevant reaction dimethyl sulphide (DMS) + atomic chlorine (Cl) were investigated in the absence and presence of a single water molecule, using electronic structure methods. Stationary points on each reaction surface were located using density functional theory (DFT) with the M06-2X functional with aug-cc-pVDZ (aVDZ) and aug-cc-pVTZ (aVTZ) basis sets. Then fixed point calculations were carried out using the UM06-2X/aVTZ optimised stationary point geometries, with aug-cc-pVnZ basis sets (n = T and Q), using the coupled cluster method [CCSD(T)], as well as the domain-based local pair natural orbitals coupled cluster [DLPNO-UCCSD(T)] approach. Four reaction channels are possible, formation of (A) CH₃SCH₂ + HCl, (B) CH₃S + CH₃Cl, (C) CH₃SCl + CH₃, and (C') CH₃S(Cl)CH₃. The results show that, in the absence of water, channels A and C' are the dominant channels. In the presence of water, the calculations show that the reaction mechanisms for A and C formation change significantly. Channel A occurs via submerged TSs and is expected to be rapid. Channel B occurs via TSs which present significant energy barriers indicating that this channel is not significant in the presence of water relative to CH₃SCH₂ + HCl and DMS·Cl adduct formation, as is the case in the absence of water. Channel C was not considered as it is endothermic in the absence of water. In the presence of water, pathways which proceed via (a) DMS·H₂O + Cl, (b) Cl·H₂O + DMS and (c) DMS·Cl + H₂O were considered. It was found that under tropospheric conditions, reactions via pathway (b) are of minor importance relative to those that proceed via pathways (a) and (c). This study has shown that water changes the mechanisms of the DMS + Cl reactions significantly but the presence of water is not expected to affect the overall reaction rate coefficient under atmospheric conditions as the DMS + Cl reaction has a rate coefficient at room temperature close to the collisional limit.

Vibrational Spectroscopy of the Water Dimer at Jet-Cooled and Atmospheric Temperatures

The vibrational spectroscopy of the water dimer provides an understanding of basic hydrogen bonding in water clusters, and with about one water dimer for every 1,000 water molecules, it plays a critical role in atmospheric science. Here, we review how the experimental and theoretical progress of the past decades has improved our understanding of water dimer vibrational spectroscopy under both cold and warm conditions. We focus on the intramolecular OH-stretching transitions of the donor unit, because these are the ones mostly affected by dimer formation and because their assignment has proven a challenge. We review cold experimental results from early matrix isolation to recent mass-selected jet expansion techniques and, in parallel, the improvements in the theoretical anharmonic models. We discuss and illustrate changes in the vibrational spectra of complexes upon increasing temperature, and the difficulties in recording and calculating these spectra. In the atmosphere, water dimer spectra at ambient temperature are crucial. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, Volume 73 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Interactions of limonene with the water dimer

The interactions of limonene with the water dimer have been characterised through the identification of seven different isomers.

Lactic Acid Spectroscopy: Intra- and Intermolecular Interactions

Lactic acid, a relevant molecule in biology and the environment, is an α-hydroxy acid with a high propensity to form hydrogen bonds, both internally and to other hydrogen-bond-accepting molecules. This work includes the novel recording of infrared spectra of gas-phase lactic acid using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the vibrational absorption features of lactic acid are assigned with the aid of computationally simulated vibrational spectra with anharmonic corrections. Theoretical chemistry methods are used to relate intramolecular hydrogen-bond strengths to the relative stability of lactic acid conformers. The formation of hydrogen-bonded lactic acid dimers and 1:1 water complexes is investigated by simulated vibrational spectra and calculated thermodynamic parameters for the lactic acid monomer and dimer and its water complex in the gas phase. The results of this study are discussed in the context of environmental chemistry with an emphasis on indoor environments.

Ab initio potential energy surface and microwave spectrum of the NH3-N2 van der Waals complex

We present a five-dimensional intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of the NH₃-N₂ complex, bound state calculations, and new microwave (MW) measurements that provide information on the structure of this complex and a critical test of the potential. Ab initio calculations were carried out using the explicitly correlated coupled cluster [CCSD(T)-F12a] approach with the augmented correlation-consistent aug-cc-pVTZ basis set. The global minimum of the PES corresponds to a configuration in which the angle between the NH₃ symmetry axis and the intermolecular axis is 58.7° with the N atom of the NH₃ unit closest to the N₂ unit, which is nearly parallel to the NH₃ symmetry axis. The intermolecular distance is 7.01 a₀, and the binding energy D_e is 250.6 cm^-1. The bound rovibrational levels of the four nuclear spin isomers of the complex, which are formed when ortho/para (o/p)-NH₃ combines with (o/p)-N₂, were calculated on this intermolecular potential surface. The computed dissociation energies D₀ are 144.91 cm^-1, 146.50 cm^-1, 152.29 cm^-1, and 154.64 cm^-1 for (o)-NH₃-(o)-N₂, (o)-NH₃-(p)-N₂, (p)-NH₃-(o)-N₂, and (p)-NH₃-(p)-N₂, respectively. Guided by these calculations, the pure rotational transitions of the NH₃-N₂ van der Waals complex were observed in the frequency range of 13-27 GHz using the chirped-pulse Fourier-transform MW technique. A complicated hyperfine structure due to three quadrupole ¹⁴N nuclei was partly resolved and examined for all four nuclear spin isomers of the complex. Newly obtained data definitively established the K values (the projection of the angular momentum J on the intermolecular axis) for the lowest states of the different NH₃-N₂ nuclear spin isomers.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Anharmonic Theory of Protonated Water Clusters: Higher Elevations in the Hydrogen Bonding Landscape

Near-infrared spectroscopy measurements are presented for protonated water clusters, H⁺(H₂O) _n, in the size range of n = 1-8. Clusters are produced in a pulsed-discharge supersonic expansion, mass selected, and studied with infrared laser photodissociation spectroscopy in the regions of 3600-4550 and 4850-7350 cm^-1. Although there is some variation with cluster size, the main features of these spectra are a broad absorption near 5300 cm^-1, a sharp doublet near 7200 cm^-1, as well as a structured absorption near 4100 cm^-1 for n ≥ 2. The vibrational patterns measured for the hydronium, Zundel, and Eigen ions are compared to those predicted by different forms of anharmonic theory. Second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2) and a local mode treatment of the OH stretches both capture key aspects of the spectra but suffer understandable deficiencies in the quantitative description of band positions and intensities.

Nuclear spin/parity dependent spectroscopy and predissociation dynamics in vOH = 2 ← 0 overtone excited Ne-H2O clusters: Theory and experiment

Vibrationally state selective overtone spectroscopy and state- and nuclear spin-dependent predissociation dynamics of weakly bound ortho- and para-Ne-H₂O complexes (D_0(ortho) = 34.66 cm^-1 and D_0(para) = 31.67 cm^-1) are reported, based on near-infrared excitation of van der Waals cluster bands correlating with v_OH = 2 ← 0 overtone transitions (|02^-〉 and |02⁺〉) out of the ortho (1₀₁) and para (0₀₀) internal rotor states of the H₂O moiety. Quantum theoretical calculations for nuclear motion on a high level potential energy surface [CCSD(T)/VnZf12 (n = 3, 4)], corrected for basis set superposition error and extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit, are employed to successfully predict and assign Π-Σ, Σ-Σ, and Σ-Π infrared bands in the spectra, where Σ or Π represent approximate projections of the body-fixed H₂O angular momentum along the Ne-H₂O internuclear axis. IR-UV pump-probe experimental capabilities permit real-time measurements of the vibrational predissociation dynamics, which indicate facile intramolecular vibrational energy transfer from the H₂O v_OH = 2 overtone vibrations into the VdWs (van der Waals) dissociation coordinate on the τ_prediss = 15-25 ns time scale. Whereas all predicted strong transitions in the ortho-Ne-H₂O complexes are readily detected and assigned, vibrationally mediated photolysis spectra for the corresponding para-Ne-H₂O bands are surprisingly absent despite ab initio predictions of Q-branch intensities with S/N > 20-40. Such behavior signals the presence of highly selective nuclear spin ortho-para predissociation dynamics in the upper state, for which we offer a simple mechanism based on Ne-atom mediated intramolecular vibrational relaxation in the H₂O subunit (i.e., |02^±〉 → {|01^±〉; v₂ = 2}), which is confirmed by the ab initio energy level predictions and the nascent OH rotational (N), spin orbit (Π_1/2,_3/2), and lambda doublet product distributions.

Hydrogen bond docking preference in furans: OH⋯π vs. OH⋯O

The docking sites of hydrogen bonds in complexes formed between 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE), furan (Fu), and 2-methyl furan (MF) have been investigated. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, gas phase and matrix isolation FTIR spectroscopies, the strengths of OH⋯O and OH⋯π hydrogen bonds in the complexes were compared to find the docking preference. Calculations suggest that the hydrogen bond donor, TFE, is more likely to dock onto the oxygen atom of the aromatic furans ring, and consequently, the OH⋯O type hydrogen bond is relatively stronger than the OH⋯π type. The FTIR spectrum in the OH-stretching fundamental range obtained at room temperatures has been compared with that obtained at extremely low temperatures in the matrix. The fundamental and the red shifts of OH-stretching vibrations were observed in both FTIR spectra, confirming the formation of hydrogen bonded complexes. By assessing the ability of furan and MF to participate in the formation of OH⋯O hydrogen bond, the effect of ring methylation has been highlighted. From the calculated geometric and thermodynamic parameters as well as the frequency shift of the OH-stretching vibrations in complexes, TFE-MF is found to be more stable than TFE-Fu, which suggests that the strength of the OH⋯O hydrogen bond in TFE-MF originates from the high activity of the furan molecule caused by the methylation of the aromatic ring. The present study furthers the knowledge of docking preference in heteroaromatic molecules and is helpful to understand the nature of intermolecular interactions between hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, including both electron-deficient atoms and π cloud.

Water catalysis of the reaction between hydroxyl radicals and linear saturated alcohols (ethanol and n-propanol) at 294 K

Water accelerates the title reaction by lowering the energy barrier and increasing the dipole moments of the reactants.

Influence of argon and D2 tagging on the hydrogen bond network in Cs+(H2O)3; kinetic trapping below 40 K

Tuning cluster ion conformations between 12 and 21 K.

Theoretical studies of atmospheric molecular complexes interacting with NIR to UV light

Theoretical structural and spectroscopic data for weakly bonded atmospheric complexes of formaldehyde interacting with Earth’s electromagnetic spectrum.

Structure and Abundance of Nitrous Oxide Complexes in Earth's Atmosphere

We have investigated the lowest energy structures and binding energies of a series of atmospherically relevant nitrous oxide (N2O) complexes using explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory. Specifically, we have considered complexes with nitrogen (N2-N2O), oxygen (O2-N2O), argon (Ar-N2O), and water (H2O-N2O). We have calculated rotational constants and harmonic vibrational frequencies for the complexes and the constituent monomers. Statistical mechanics was used to determine the thermodynamic parameters for complex formation as a function of temperature and pressure. These results, in combination with relevant atmospheric data, were used to estimate the abundance of N2O complexes in Earth's atmosphere as a function of altitude. We find that the abundance of N2O complexes in Earth's atmosphere is small but non-negligible, and we suggest that N2O complexes may contribute to absorption of terrestrial radiation and be relevant for understanding the atmospheric fate of N2O.

Acetic acid-water complex: The first observation of structures containing the higher-energy acetic acid conformer

Non-covalent interaction of acetic acid (AA) and water is studied experimentally by IR spectroscopy in a nitrogen matrix and theoretically at the MP2 and coupled-cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)]/6-311++G(2d,2p) levels of theory. This work is focused on the first preparation and characterization of complexes of higher-energy (cis) conformer of AA with water. The calculations show three 1:1 structures for the trans-AA⋯H2O complexes and three 1:1 structures for the cis-AA⋯H2O complexes. Two trans-AA⋯H2O and two cis-AA⋯H2O complexes are found and structurally assigned in the experiments. The two cis-AA⋯ ⋅ H2O complexes are obtained by annealing of a matrix containing water and cis-AA molecules prepared by selective vibrational excitation of the ground-state trans form. The less stable trans-AA⋯H2O complex is obtained by vibrational excitation of the less stable cis-AA⋯H2O complex. In addition, the 1:2 complexes of trans-AA and cis-AA with water molecules are studied computationally and the most stable forms of the 1:2 complexes are experimentally identified.

Accurate thermodynamic properties of gas phase hydrogen bonded complexes

The increase in temperature causes a decrease in equilibrium constant, which makes accurate determination of the enthalpy of complex formation possible.

Hydration of oxalic acid–ammonia complex: atmospheric implication and Rayleigh-scattering properties

A previous study of the binary system (H₂C₂O₄)(NH₃)_n (n = 1–6) suggested that an oxalic acid–ammonia complex may participate in atmospheric aerosol formations.

Chloromethane-water adduct: rotational spectrum, weak hydrogen bonds, and internal dynamics

The rotational spectra of four isotopologues of the 1:1 complex between chloromethane and water revealed the presence of only one rotamer in a pulsed jet expansion. The two subunits are linked through two weak hydrogen bonds, O-H⋅⋅⋅Cl (R(H⋅⋅⋅Cl) =2.638(2) Å) and C-H⋅⋅⋅O (R(H⋅⋅⋅O) =2.501(2) Å), forming a five-membered ring. All transitions display the hyperfine structure due to the (35)Cl (or (37)Cl) nuclear quadrupole effects. Dynamical features in the spectrum are caused by two large-amplitude motions. Each component line appears as an asymmetric doublet with a relative intensity ratio of 1:3. The splittings led to the determination of barrier to internal rotation of water around its symmetry axis, V(2) =320(10) cm(-1). Finally, an unexpected small value of the inertial defect (-0.96 uÅ(2) rather than -3.22 uÅ(2)) allowed the estimation of the barrier to the internal rotation of the CH(3) group, V(3) ≈8 cm(-1).

Halogen-Halogen Links and Internal Dynamics in Adducts of Freons

The pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave spectrum of the 1:1 complex between CF3Cl and CH3F shows that the two moieties are linked by a Cl···F halogen bond (RCl···F = 2.995 Å). The two symmetric tops CF3 and CH3 undergo free or almost free internal rotations, which alter the "rigid" value of the rotational constant A by almost 1 order of magnitude.

The effect of fluorine substitution in alcohol–amine complexes

The effect of fluorine substitution on the hydrogen bond strength in alcohol–amine molecular complexes was investigated, with a combination of vapour phase infrared and near infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.

The gas-phase reaction of methane sulfonic acid with the hydroxyl radical without and with water vapor

The gas phase reaction between methane sulfonic acid (CH3SO3H; MSA) and the hydroxyl radical (HO), without and with a water molecule, was investigated with DFT-B3LYP and CCSD(T)-F12 methods. For the bare reaction we have found two reaction mechanisms, involving proton coupled electron transfer and hydrogen atom transfer processes that produce CH3SO3 and H2O. We also found a third reaction mechanism involving the double proton transfer process, where the products and reactants are identical. The computed rate constant for the oxidation process is 8.3 × 10(-15) cm(3) s(-1) molecule(-1). CH3SO3H forms two very stable complexes with water with computed binding energies of about 10 kcal mol(-1). The presence of a single water molecule makes the reaction between CH3SO3H and HO much more complex, introducing a new reaction that consists in the interchange of H2O between HO and CH3SO3H. Our kinetic calculations show that 99.5% of the reaction involves this interchange of the water molecule and, consequently, water vapor does not play any role in the oxidation reaction of methane sulfonic acid by the hydroxyl radical.

Fundamental and overtone vibrational spectroscopy, enthalpy of hydrogen bond formation and equilibrium constant determination of the methanol-dimethylamine complex

We have measured gas phase vibrational spectra of the bimolecular complex formed between methanol (MeOH) and dimethylamine (DMA) up to about 9800 cm(-1). In addition to the strong fundamental OH-stretching transition we have also detected the weak second overtone NH-stretching transition. The spectra of the complex are obtained by spectral subtraction of the monomer spectra from spectra recorded for the mixture. For comparison, we also measured the fundamental OH-stretching transition in the bimolecular complex between MeOH and trimethylamine (TMA). The enthalpies of hydrogen bond formation (ΔH) for the MeOH-DMA and MeOH-TMA complexes have been determined by measurements of the fundamental OH-stretching transition in the temperature range from 298 to 358 K. The enthalpy of formation is found to be -35.8 ± 3.9 and -38.2 ± 3.3 kJ mol(-1) for MeOH-DMA and MeOH-TMA, respectively, in the 298 to 358 K region. The equilibrium constant (Kp) for the formation of the MeOH-DMA complex has been determined from the measured and calculated transition intensities of the OH-stretching fundamental transition and the NH-stretching second overtone transition. The transition intensities were calculated using an anharmonic oscillator local mode model with dipole moment and potential energy curves calculated using explicitly correlated coupled cluster methods. The equilibrium constant for formation of the MeOH-DMA complex was determined to be 0.2 ± 0.1 atm(-1), corresponding to a ΔG value of about 4.0 kJ mol(-1).

Water dimer rotationally resolved millimeter-wave spectrum observation at room temperature

Water dimers (H(2)O)(2) are believed to affect Earth's radiation balance and climate, homogeneous condensation, and atmospheric chemistry. Moreover, the pairwise interaction which binds the dimer appears to be of paramount importance for expounding a complete molecular description of the liquid and solid phases of water. However, there have been no secure, direct observations of water dimers at environmentally relevant temperatures despite decades of studies. We report the first unambiguous observation of the dimer spectrum recorded in equilibrium water vapor at room temperature.