Hydration of Heavy Alkaline-Earth Cations Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

The physicochemical properties of the three heaviest alkaline-earth cations, Sr2+, Ba2+, and Ra2+ in water have been studied by means of classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A specific set of cation-water intermolecular potentials based on ab initio potential energy surfaces has been built on the basis of the hydrated ion concept. The polarizable and flexible model of water MCDHO2 was adopted. The theoretical-experimental comparison of structural, dynamical, energetic, and spectroscopical properties of Sr2+ and Ba2+ aqueous solutions is satisfactory, which supports the methodology developed. This good behavior allows a reasonable reliability for the predicted Ra2+ physicochemical data not experimentally determined yet. Simulated extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy spectra have been computed from the snapshots of the MD simulations and compared with the experimental information available for Sr2+ and Ba2+. For the Ra2+ case, the Ra L3-edge EXAFS spectrum is proposed. Structural and dynamical properties of the aqua ions for the three cations have been obtained and analyzed. Along the [M(H2O)n]m+ series, the M-O distance for the first-hydration shell is 2.57, 2.81, and 2.93 Å for Sr2+, Ba2+, and Ra2+, respectively. The hydration number also increases when one is going down along the group: 8.1, 9.4, and 9.8 for Sr2+, Ba2+, and Ra2+, respectively. Whereas [Sr(H2O)8]2+ is a typical aqua ion with a well-defined structure, the Ba2+ and Ra2+ hydration provides a picture exhibiting an average between the ennea- and the deca-hydration. These results show a similar chemical behavior of Ba2+ and Ra2+ aqueous solutions and support experimental studies on the removal of Ra-226 of aquifers by different techniques, where Ra2+ is replaced by Ba2+. A comparison of the heavy alkaline ions, Rb+ and Cs+, with the heavy alkaline-earth ions is made.

Hydration Structure of the Elusive Ac(III) Aqua Ion: Interpretation of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) Spectra on the Basis of Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations.

Knowledge of actinoid solution chemistry has been enriched with the recent synthesis and characterization of the elusive Ac(III) aqua ion, the first one of the series, for which extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra has been recorded. Structural analysis combined with Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations lead to suggest a 2.63-2.69 Å range for the Ac-O distance, and a coordination number between 9 and 11. A hydration number as high as 11 would imply the appearance of a sharp coordination number contraction at the beginning of the series. In this work, we present a specific Ac(III)-H2O first-principles-based intermolecular potential, which has been developed following the exchangeable Hydrated Ion model. This potential has been used in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Ac(III) in water. Results show a well-defined Ac(III) ennea-hydrated aqua ion with a mean Ac-O distance of 2.66 ± 0.02 Å, surrounded by a compact second hydration shell formed by ∼20 H2O centered at 4.9 ± 0.1 Å. The results obtained for the first element of the actinoid series confirm the regular contraction of their aqua ions along the series. Simulated EXAFS and XANES spectra have been computed from the structural information provided by the MD simulation. The agreement with the experimental spectra is satisfactory, validating the results from the computer simulation. An observed hump in the experimental XANES spectrum is interpreted and ascribed to the second hydration shell, being an evidence of the consistency of the Ac(III) hydration shells.

The hydration structure of the heavy-alkalines Rb+ and Cs+ through molecular dynamics and X-ray absorption spectroscopy: surface clusters and eccentricity.

Physicochemical properties of the two heaviest stable alkaline cations, Rb+ and Cs+, in water have been examined from classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Alkaline cation-water intermolecular potentials have been built from ab initio interaction energies of [M(H2O)n]+ clusters. Unlike in the case of other monatomic metal cations, the sampling needed the inclusion of surface clusters to properly describe the interactions. The first coordination shell is found at an average M-O distance of 2.87 Å and 3.12 Å for Rb+ and Cs+, respectively, with coordination numbers of 8 and 10. Structural, dynamical and energetic properties are discussed on the basis of the delicate compromise among the ion-water and water-water interactions which contribute almost on the same foot to the definition of the solvent structure around the ions. A significant asymmetry is detected in the Rb+ and Cs+ first hydration shell. Reorientational times of first-shell water molecules for Cs+ support a clear structure-breaking nature for this cation, whereas the Rb+ values do not differ from pure water behavior. Experimental EXAFS and XANES spectra have been compared to simulated ones, obtained by means of application of the FEFF code to a set of statistically significant structures taken from the MD simulations. Due to the presence of multi-excitations in the absorption spectra, theoretical-experimental agreement for the EXAFS spectra is reached when the multi-excitations are removed from the experimental spectra.