Electronic Structure and Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Uranium-Gold Clusters UAun-, n = 3-7.
J Phys Chem A
; 127(34): 7186-7197, 2023 Aug 31.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37590893
ABSTRACT
A collaborative effort between experiment and theory toward elucidating the electronic and molecular structures of uranium-gold clusters is presented. Anion photoelectron spectra of UAun-(n = 3-7) were taken at the third (355 nm) and fourth (266 nm) harmonics of a NdYAG laser, as well as excimer (ArF 193 nm) photon energies, where the experimental adiabatic electron affinities and vertical detachment energies values were measured. Complementary first-principles calculations were subsequently carried out to corroborate experimentally determined electron detachment energies and to determine the geometry and electronic structure for each cluster. Except for the ring-like neutral isomer of UAu6 where one unpaired electron is spread over the Au atoms, all other neutral and anionic UAun clusters (n = 3-7) were calculated to possess open-shell electrons with the unpaired electrons localized on the central U atom. The smaller clusters closely resemble the analogous UFn species, but significant deviations are seen starting with UAu5 where a competition between U-Au and Au-Au bonding begins to become apparent. The UAu6 system appears to mark a transition where Au-Au interactions begin to dominate, where both a ring-like and two heavily distorted octahedral structures around the central U atom are calculated to be nearly isoenergetic. With UAu7, only ring-like structures are calculated. Overall, the calculated electron detachment energies are in good agreement with the experimental values.
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1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Phys Chem A
Assunto da revista:
QUIMICA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos