Unusual kinetic behavior of the reactions magnesium + oxygen + M and calcium + oxygen + M (M = N2, He) over extended temperature ranges

Higher order diffusion Monte Carlo propagators for linear rotors as diffusion on a sphere: development and application to O2@He(n)

Exploiting the theoretical treatment of particles diffusing on corrugated surfaces and the isomorphism between the "particle on a sphere" and a linear molecule rotation, a new diffusion kernel is introduced to increase the order of diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) simulations involving linear rotors. Tests carried out on model systems indicate the superior performances of the new rotational diffusion kernel with respect to the simpler alternatives previously employed. In particular, it is evidenced a second order convergence toward exact results with respect to the time step of dynamical correlation functions, a fact that guarantees an identical order for the diffusion part of the DMC projector. The algorithmic advantages afforded by the latter are discussed, especially with respect to the "a posteriori" and "on the fly" extrapolation schemes. As a first application to the new algorithm, the structure and energetics of O(2)@He(n) (n = 1-40) clusters have been studied. This was done to investigate the possible cause of the quenching of the reaction between O(2) and Mg witnessed upon increasing the size of superfluid He droplets used as a solvent. With the simulations on O(2) indicating a strong localization in the cluster core, the behaviour as a function of n is ascribed to the extremely fluxional comportment of Mg@He(n), which dwells far from the droplet center, albeit being solvated, when n is large.

Formation and characterization of magnesium bisozonide and carbonyl complexes in solid argon

The reactions of magnesium atoms with dioxygen and dioxygen/carbon monoxide mixture have been investigated by matrix isolation infrared absorption spectroscopy. Magnesium atoms react with dioxygen in solid argon to form the inserted MgO(2) molecules under UV excitation, which were previously characterized. Annealing allows the dioxygen molecules to diffuse and to react with MgO(2) and form the magnesium bisozonide complex, Mg(O(3))(2), which is proposed to be coordinated by two argon atoms in solid argon matrix. The Mg(O(3))(2)(Ar)(2) complex is characterized to have two equivalent side-on bonded ozonide ligands with a D(2h) symmetry. The coordinated argon atoms can be replaced by carbon monoxide to give the magnesium bisozonide dicarbonyl complex, Mg(O(3))(2)(CO)(2), a neutral magnesium carbonyl complex with CO binding to the Mg(2+) center.

Measurements of the Rates of Reactions of Ground State Atomic Calcium, Ca[4s2(1S0)], with Alkyl Bromides at Elevated Temperature by Time-Resolved Atomic Resonance Absorption Spectroscopy [Ca(41P1 - 41S0); λ = 422.7 nm]

We present a kinetic study of reactions of ground state atomic calcium, Ca[4