Rovibrational energy levels of the F(-)(H2O) and F(-)(D2O) complexes.

The variational nuclear-motion codes ElVibRot and GENIUSH have been used to compute rotational-vibrational states of the F(-)(H2O) anion and its deuterated isotopologue, F(-)(D2O), employing a full-dimensional, semiglobal potential energy surface (PES) called SLBCL, developed as part of this study for the ground electronic state of the complex. The PES is determined from all-electron, explicitly correlated coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and connected triples [CCSD(T)-F12a] computations with an atom-centered, fixed-exponent Gaussian basis set of cc-pCVTZ-F12 quality. The SLBCL PES accurately reproduces the two equivalent minima of the complex, the corresponding transition barrier of C2v point-group symmetry, as well as the proton transfer and the dissociation asymptotes towards the products HF + OH(-) and F(-) + H2O, respectively. The code ElVibRot has been updated so that it can use curvilinear internal coordinates corresponding to a reaction path. The variationally computed vibrational energy levels are compared to relevant experimental and previously determined first-principles results. The vibrational states reveal the presence of pronounced anharmonic effects and considerable intermode couplings resulting in strong resonances, involving in particular the HOH bend and the ionic OH stretch motions. Tunneling results in particularly significant splittings for F(-)(H2O); as expected, the splittings are orders of magnitude smaller for the F(-)(D2O) molecule. The rovibrational energy levels reveal that, despite the large-amplitude vibrational motions, the rotations of F(-)(H2O) basically follow rigid-rotor characteristics.

Distinguishing isobaric phosphated and sulfated carbohydrates by coupling of mass spectrometry with gas phase vibrational spectroscopy.

An original application of the coupling of mass spectrometry with vibrational spectroscopy, used for the first time to discriminate isobaric bioactive saccharides with sulfate and phosphate functional modifications, is presented. Whereas their nominal masses and fragmentation patterns are undifferentiated by sole mass spectrometry, their distinctive OH stretching modes at 3595 cm(-1) and 3666 cm(-1), respectively, provide a reliable spectroscopic diagnostic for distinguishing their sulfate or phosphate functionalization. A detailed analysis of the 6-sulfated and 6-phosphated d-glucosamine conformations is presented, together with theoretical scaled harmonic spectra and anharmonic spectra (VPT2 and DFT-based molecular dynamics simulations). Strong anharmonic effects are observed in the case of the phosphated species, resulting in a dramatic enhancement of its phosphate diagnostic mode.

Ab initio ro-vibronic spectroscopy of SiCCl (X̃(2)Π).

The full dimensional potential energy surfaces of the (2)A' and (2)A'' electronic components of X̃(2)Π SiCCl have been computed using the explicitly correlated coupled cluster method, UCCSD(T)-F12b, combined with a composite approach taking into account basis set incompleteness, core-valence correlation, scalar relativity, and higher order excitations. The spin-orbit and dipole moment surfaces have also been computed ab initio. The ro-vibronic energy levels and absorption spectrum at 5 K have been determined from variational calculations. The influence of each correction on the fundamental frequencies is discussed. An assignment is proposed for bands observed in the LIF experiment of Smith et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 117, 6446 (2002)]. The overall agreement between the experimental and calculated ro-vibronic levels is better than 7 cm(-1) which is comparable with the 10-20 cm(-1) resolution of the emission spectrum.

Study of the X̃2Π state of the SiCN/SiNC Renner-Teller system.

The potential energy surfaces of both components of the X̃(2)Π electronic ground state of the double Renner-Teller SiCN/SiNC system are calculated using explicitly correlated coupled cluster approach. The SiNC minimum is found to lie at 628 cm(-1) above the SiCN one. The isomerization transition state is found at 7583 cm(-1) on the (2)A' surface and at 7936 cm(-1) on the (2)A(") surface. The cyclic local minimum on surface (2)A' is also reproduced by our potential energy surface and is located at 3901 cm(-1). The calculated potentials are used to simulate rovibrational spectroscopy employing the recently developed EVEREST variational code. It is shown that Renner-Teller interaction (ε = 0.3043 for SiCN and ε = 0.3874 for SiNC) and spin-orbit coupling are both very important for a correct description of the spectroscopy of this system. Comparison with available experimental measurement is reported.

Electronic states, potential energy surface, and theoretical spectroscopy of Be2H2.

The low-lying electronic states of Be(2)H(2) have been investigated using an ab initio methodology in order to explore the nature of the Be-Be bonding in this tetra-atomic molecule. The donation of two electrons from the antibonding molecular orbital mainly associated with Be(2) to orbitals mainly associated with the 1s of the H atoms is found to be responsible for the strong Be-Be bond in this tetra-atomic molecule compared with the Be(2) diatomic. In addition to the linear form, a cyclic isomer of Be(2)H(2) has been identified at about 1.47 eV above the linear structure. This structure results from an avoided crossing taking place above the lowest dissociation limit giving two BeH fragments. For the linear structure, a six dimensional potential energy surface has been generated and the rovibrational levels have been computed variationally. The fundamental modes obtained are found to be in well agreement with those detected experimentally. For Be(2)H(2) (Be(2)D(2)), the antisymmetric stretching mode ν(3) is computed at 2028.6 (1519.3) cm(-1).

Theoretical spectroscopy of the N2HAr+ complex.

The six-dimensional potential energy surface of the electronic ground state of N2HAr+ is determined by ab initio computations at the CCSD(T) level of theory. The potential energy surface is used to derive a set of spectroscopic data for N2HAr+ and N2DAr+ using second order perturbation theory. Full six-dimensional (6-D) rotation-vibration computations are also carried out using an analytical representation of the surface for J=0 and 1, in order to deduce the rovibrational spectra of N2HAr+ and its deuterated isotopomer. Our variationally determined anharmonic wavenumbers differ by less than 15 cm(-1) from the most accurate experimental values. Strong anharmonic resonances are found between the rovibrational levels of both cations even at low energies.

Stalking Higher Energy Conformers on the Potential Energy Surface of Charged Species.

Combined theoretical DFT-MD and RRKM methodologies and experimental spectroscopic infrared predissociation (IRPD) strategies to map potential energy surfaces (PES) of complex ionic clusters are presented, providing lowest and high energy conformers, thresholds to isomerization, and cluster formation pathways. We believe this association not only represents a significant advance in the field of mapping minima and transition states on the PES but also directly measures dynamical pathways for the formation of structural conformers and isomers. Pathways are unraveled over picosecond (DFT-MD) and microsecond (RRKM) time scales while changing the amount of internal energy is experimentally achieved by changing the loss channel for the IRPD measurements, thus directly probing different kinetic and isomerization pathways. Demonstration is provided for Li(+)(H2O)3,4 ionic clusters. Nonstatistical formation of these ionic clusters by both direct and cascade processes, involving isomerization processes that can lead to trapping of high energy conformers along the paths due to evaporative cooling, has been unraveled.