Vibrational analysis of substituted benzonitriles. I. Vibrational spectra, normal coordinate analysis and transferability of force constants of monohalogenated benzonitriles

Vibronic and Cationic Features of 2-Fluorobenzonitrile and 3-Fluorobenzonitrile Studied by REMPI and MATI Spectroscopy and Franck-Condon Simulations

Fluorinated organic compounds have superior physicochemical properties than general organic compounds due to the strong C-F single bond; they are widely used in medicine, biology, pesticides, and materials science. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the physicochemical properties of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated aromatic compounds have been investigated by various spectroscopic techniques. 2-fluorobenzonitrile and 3-fluorobenzonitrile are important fine chemical intermediates and their excited state S₁ and cationic ground state D₀ vibrational features remain unknown. In this paper, we used two-color resonance two photon ionization (2-color REMPI) and mass analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy to study S₁ and D₀ state vibrational features of 2-fluorobenzonitrile and 3-fluorobenzonitrile. The precise excitation energy (band origin) and adiabatic ionization energy were determined to be 36,028 ± 2 cm^-1 and 78,650 ± 5 cm^-1 for 2-fluorobenzonitrile and 35,989 ± 2 cm^-1 and 78,873 ± 5 cm^-1 for 3-fluorobenzonitrile, respectively. The density functional theory (DFT) at the levels of RB3LYP/aug-cc-pvtz, TD-B3LYP/aug-cc-pvtz, and UB3LYP/aug-cc-pvtz were used to calculate the stable structures and vibrational frequencies for the ground state S₀, excited state S₁, and cationic ground state D₀, respectively. Franck-Condon spectral simulations for transitions of S₁ ← S₀ and D₀ ← S₁ were performed based on the above DFT calculations. The theoretical and experimental results were in good agreement. The observed vibrational features in S₁ and D₀ states were assigned according to the simulated spectra and the comparison with structurally similar molecules. Several experimental findings and molecular features were discussed in detail.

2-Amino-3,5-dichlorobenzonitrile: DFT calculations in the monomer and dimer forms, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra, molecular geometry, atomic charges and thermodynamical parameters

The experimental IR and Raman spectra of 2-amino-3,5-dichlorobenzonitrile molecule were recorded, and the results compared with theoretical values. Molecular geometry, vibrational wavenumbers and thermodynamic parameters were calculated using MP2 and DFT quantum chemical methods. With the help of specific scaling procedures for the computed wavenumbers, the experimentally observed FTIR and FT-Raman bands were analyzed and assigned to different normal modes of vibrations of the molecule. Simulations in the dimer form were carried out to improve the assignment of the bands in the solid state experimental spectra. The error obtained was in general very low. Using PED's were determined the contributions of the different modes to each wavenumber. Several general conclusions were also deduced.

Vibrational analysis and valence force field for nitrotoluenes, dimethylanilines and some substituted methylbenzenes

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra of 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene; 2-amino-5-nitrotoluene; 2,4-dimethylaniline; 2,5-dimethylaniline; 2,6-dimethylaniline; 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene; 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and pentamethylbenzene have been recorded in the range 4000-400 cm(-1) and 4000-30 cm(-1), respectively. A normal coordinate analysis was carried out for both in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations of these molecules using an 81-parameter modified valence force field. The force constants were refined using 369 frequencies of eight molecules in the overlay least-squares technique. The reliability of the force constants was tested by making a zero-order calculation for both in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations for five related molecules. The potential energy distributions and eigen vectors calculated in the process were used to make unambiguous vibrational assignments of all the fundamentals.

Vibrational fundamentals and natural bond orbitals analysis of some tri-fluorinated benzonitriles in ground state

The theoretical IR and Raman spectra of the 2,3,4-, 2,3,6-, 2,4,5- and 3,4,5-tri-fluorobenzonitrile molecules have been calculated by using the density functional method in the ground state. The rigorous normal coordinate analyses based upon both an empirical force field and quantum chemical calculations have been performed and the detailed vibrational assignment has been made on the basis of the calculated potential energy distributions (PEDs). A comparison of molecular geometries, atomic charges and vibrational fundamentals of these molecules has been reported. The effects of fluorination upon the geometries, atomic charges and vibrational frequencies of benzonitrile have been discussed. Several ambiguities and contradictions in the previously reported vibrational assignments have been clarified. In addition, the variation of Raman intensity with excitation frequency and with temperature has also been studied.

Molecular structure, vibrational spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman), UV and NBO analysis of 2-chlorobenzonitrile by density functional method

In this work, we will report a combined experimental and theoretical study on molecular structure, vibrational spectra, NBO and UV spectral analysis of 2-chlorobenzonitrile (2-ClBN). The FT-IR solid phase (4000-400 cm(-1)), and FT-Raman spectra (3500-50 cm(-1)) of 2-ClBN was recorded. The molecular geometry, harmonic vibrational frequencies and bonding features of 2-ClBN in the ground state have been calculated by using the density functional methods (BLYP, B3LYP) with 6-31G(d,p) as basis set. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) following the Scaled Quantum Mechanical Force Field Methodology (SQMFF). Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interactions, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that charge in electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* anti bonding orbitals and E2 energies confirms the occurrence of ICT (Intra molecular Charge Transfer) within the molecule. The UV spectrum was measured in ethanol solution. The energy and oscillator strength calculated by Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) results complements with the experimental findings. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies also confirm that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. Finally calculated results were applied to simulated Infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which show good agreement with observed spectra.

Quantum chemical determination of molecular geometries and interpretation of FTIR and Raman spectra for 2,4,5- and 3,4,5-tri-fluoro-benzonitriles

Raman and FTIR spectra of 2,4,5- and 3,4,5-tri-fluoro-benzonitriles have been recorded in the regions 50-4000 cm(-1) and 400-4000 cm(-1), respectively. Measurement of depolarization ratios for the Raman lines has also been made. Optimized geometrical parameters, charge distributions and vibrational wavenumbers were calculated using ab initio quantum chemical Gaussian 03, Revision C.02 software. Each vibration has been assigned using observed wavenumbers in the IR and Raman spectra and their relative intensities which measured by normalizing the highest intensity, depolarization ratios of the Raman lines, the calculated frequencies and vector displacements with the help of GaussView software.

Theoretical surface-enhanced Raman spectra study of substituted benzenes II. Density functional theoretical SERS modelling of o-, m-, and p-methoxybenzonitrile

The SERS modelling of o-, m-, and p-methoxybenzonitrile has been performed following the same methodology that in Part I. Optimized structure obtained from DFT calculations in a B3LYP-LANL2DZ level of calculation shows different tilted positions for the isomers under study. From correlations obtained by comparison of Raman and SERS spectra concerning geometrical parameters, frequency shifting, change in band intensity, and force constants is possible to give insight about the different effect of the metal surface on these molecules and the structural reasons of this behaviour. Frontier orbital analysis gives further information and reveals a ligand to metal charge transfer mechanism for all isomers, as well as its relative importance.

Molecular structure and vibrational spectra of 3-chloro-4-fluoro benzonitrile by ab initio HF and density functional method

In this work, the experimental and theoretical spectra of 3-chloro-4-fluoro benzonitrile (3C4FBN) were studied. The Fourier transform infrared and Fourier transform Raman spectra of 3C4FBN were recorded in the solid phase. The optimized geometry was calculated by HF and B3LYP methods with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The harmonic-vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman scattering activities of the title compound were performed at and HF/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theories. The scaled theoretical wave number showed very good agreement with the experimental values. The thermodynamic functions of the title compound was also performed at HF/6-31G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theories. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra of 3C4FBN was reported. The theoretical spectrograms for FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the title molecule have been constructed.

Vibrational analysis of mononitro substituted benzamides, benzaldehydes and toluenes. Part I. Vibrational spectra, normal coordinate analysis and transferability of force constants of nitrobenzamides, nitrobenzaldehydes and nitrotoluenes

The Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of p-, m- and o-nitrobenzamides, p-, m- and o-nitrobenzaldehydes and p-, m- and o-nitrotoluenes were recorded. Raman polarisation measurements were made for the liquid samples. A normal coordinate analysis was carried out for both in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations of these molecules using 111-parameter modified valence force field. The force constants were refined using 316 frequencies of nine molecules in an overlay least-square technique. The reliability of the force constants was tested by making a zero-order calculation for nine related molecules. Unambiguous vibrational assignments of all the fundamentals were made by using the potential energy distributions and eigen vectors.

Vibrational analysis of substituted phenols: part I. Vibrational spectra, normal coordinate analysis and transferability of force constants of some formyl-, methoxy-, formylmethoxy-, methyl- and halogeno-phenols

The Raman (including FT-Raman) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of 1,3-dihydroxybenzene, 1,4-dihydroxybenzene, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, 1,2-dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzene, 2,5-dihydroxytoluene, 2,6-dihydroxytoluene, pentachlorophenol and pentabromophenol were measured. Raman polarisation measurements were made wherever possible. A normal coordinate treatment was carried out for both the in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations of these molecules using a 123-parameter-modified valence force field. An overlay least-squares technique was employed to refine the force constants using 347 frequencies of 10 molecules. The reliability of these force constants was tested by making a zero-order calculation for 10 related molecules. Unambiguous vibrational assignments of all the fundamentals were made using the potential energy distributions and eigenvectors.