Photofragment vibrational, rotational, and translational distributions for N2–HF (v=1)

Soft experimental constraints for soft interactions: a spectroscopic benchmark data set for weak and strong hydrogen bonds

An experimental benchmark data base on rotational constants, vibrational properties and energy differences for weakly and more strongly hydrogen-bonded complexes and their constituents from the spectroscopic literature is assembled. It is characterized in detail and finally contracted to a more compact, discriminatory set (ENCH-51, for Experimental Non-Covalent Harmonic with 51 entries). The meeting points between theory and experiment consist of equilibrium rotational constants and harmonic frequencies and energies, which are back-corrected from experimental observables and are very easily accessible by quantum chemical calculations. The relative performance of B3LYP-D3, PBE0-D3 and M06-2X density functional theory predictions with a quadruple-zeta basis set is used to illustrate systematic errors, error compensation and selective performance for structural, vibrational and energetical observables. The current focus is on perspectives and different benchmarking methodologies, rather than on a specific theoretical method or a specific class of compounds. Extension of the data base in chemical, observable and quantum chemical method space is encouraged.

Highly localized H2O librational motion as a far-infrared spectroscopic probe for microsolvation of organic molecules

The most prominent spectroscopic observable for the hydrogen bonding between individual molecules in liquid water is the broad absorption band detected in the spectral region between 300 and 900 cm-1. The present work demonstrates how the associated large-amplitude out-of-plane OH librational motion of H2O molecules also directly reflects the microsolvation of organic compounds. This highly localized OH librational motion of the first solvating H2O molecule causes a significant change of dipole moment and gives rise to a strong characteristic band in the far-infrared spectral region, which is correlated quantitatively with the complexation energy. The out-of-plane OH librational band origins ranging from 324.5 to 658.9 cm-1 have been assigned experimentally for a series of four binary hydrogen-bonded H2O complexes embedded in solid neon involving S-, O- and N-containing compounds with increasing hydrogen bond acceptor capability. The hydrogen bond energies for altogether eight binary H2O complexes relative to the experimental value of 13.2 ± 0.12 kJ mol-1 for the prototypical (H2O)2 system [Rocher-Casterline et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2011, 134, 211101] are revealed directly by these far-infrared spectroscopic observables. The far-infrared spectral signatures are able to capture even minor differences in the hydrogen bond acceptor capability of O atoms with slightly different alkyl substituents in the order H-O-C(CH3)3 > CH3-O-CH3 > H-O-CH(CH3)2 > H-O-CH2CH3.

Dissociation Energy of the H2O···HF Dimer

Even though (H₂O)₂ and (HF)₂ are arguably the most thoroughly characterized prototypes for hydrogen bonding, their heterogeneous analogue H₂O···HF has received relatively little attention. Here we report that the experimental dissociation energy ( D₀) of this important paradigm for heterogeneous hydrogen bonding is too large by 2 kcal mol^-1 or 30% relative to our computed value of 6.3 kcal mol^-1. For reference, computational procedures similar to those employed here to compute D₀ (large basis set CCSD(T) computations with anharmonic corrections from second-order vibrational perturbation theory) provide results within 0.1 kcal mol^-1 of the experimental values for (H₂O)₂ and (HF)₂. Near the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit, the electronic dissociation energy for H₂O···HF is ∼4 kcal mol^-1 larger than those for (H₂O)₂ and (HF)₂ (∼9 kcal mol^-1 for the heterogeneous dimer vs ∼5 kcal mol^-1 for the homogeneous dimers). Results reported here from symmetry-adapted perturbation theory computations suggest that this large difference is primarily due to the induction contribution to the interaction energy.

Rovibrational spectra of the N2–HF complex at the vHF=3 level

We report the analyses of the three intermolecular combination bands of the hydrogen-bonded N2-HF complex at vHF=3, observed by molecular beam intracavity laser induced fluorescence. The origin of the HF intermolecular bending combination band, (3001(1)0)<--(00000), is 11 548.45(3) cm(-1), 328.2 cm(-1) higher than that of the (30000)<--(00000) transition with an origin at 11 220.250(1) cm(-1). The average rotational constant of the (3001(1)0) level is 0.103 63(1) cm(-1), a 4.8% reduction from B(30000)=0.109 21(1) cm(-1). Perturbations are observed as line splittings, increased line widths, and reduced peak intensities of a number of lines of the e and f components of (3001(1)0). In addition, the centrifugal distortion coefficients of both components are large, negative, and different. The N2 intermolecular bend transition (30001(1))<--(00000) has an origin at 11 288.706(1) cm(-1), 68.456(2) cm(-1) above that of the (30000)<--(00000) transition. This is the lowest combination state at v(HF)=3 level. It is unperturbed, yielding B(30001(1))=0.110.10(1) cm(-1). The transition to the intermolecular stretching state, (30100)<--(00000), has an origin at 11 318.858(1) cm(-1) with B(30100)=0.105 84(1) cm(-1). Both the (30100) and (30000) levels show an isolated perturbation at J=4. The Lorentzian component of the line widths, which show considerable variation with soft mode, are GammaL(30000)=490(30) MHz, GammaL(30100)=630(30) MHz, GammaL(3001(1)0)=250(30) MHz, and GammaL(30001(1))=500(50) MHz.

Asymmetry in angular rigidity of hydrogen-bonded complexes

The asymmetry in angular rigidity of the proton donor and proton acceptor of hydrogen-bonded hydrogen fluoride binary complexes is investigated. The intermolecular bending frequency of HF, as the proton donor, is linearly proportional to the square root of the dissociation energy, whereas that of the proton acceptor is always much lower. The asymmetry, measured by the ratio of bending elastic constants of HF to that of the proton acceptor, is generally >2, and varies pronouncedly with the acceptors reaching values >20. Molecules with nitrogen as the bridged acceptor atom show an angular rigidity nearly one order of magnitude greater than the group with oxygen as the proton acceptor.

Vibrational predissociation in the HCl dimer

We present results of a combined theoretical and experimental study on the vibrational predissociation of the HCl dimer. On the theoretical side, photodissociation linewidths and product-state distributions for monomer stretch excited states with total angular momentum J=0 were computed, using the Fermi golden rule approximation. The resonances investigated include excitation of the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor stretches, as well as combinations of one of these modes with the intermolecular stretch and geared bend modes, for both even and odd permutation symmetry. Line strengths for the transitions from the J=1, K=0 ground state to excited states with J=0 were computed using quasibound states. On the experimental side, the photofragment angular distribution method was employed to obtain complete final-state distributions for the monomer stretch excited states. Three different transitions were probed, all starting from the lower tunneling component of the ground state: the (R)Q(0)(1) transition for excitation of the acceptor stretch and the (Q)R(0)(0) transition and unresolved (R)Q(0) branch for the donor stretch excitation. We find that, in contrast to the HF dimer, the excited-state alignment of the HCl dimer, resulting from excitation using a polarized laser beam, is completely lost on the time scale of the dissociation. The agreement between theory and experiment for the product-state distributions and line strengths is reasonable. The computed lifetimes are 1-2 orders of magnitude too small, which is attributed to a deficiency in the potential energy surface.

Spectroscopy of the OC–HF hydrogen-bonded complex at vHF=3

The v(HF)=3 levels of the linear OC-HF complex are observed in the range of 10,800-11,500 cm(-1) using intracavity Ti-sapphire laser-induced fluorescence. The vibrational predissociation linewidths of both (30000) and (3001(1)0) states exceed 5 GHz; thus, the measured spectra are not rotationally resolvable. Under the assumption that these levels are not strongly perturbed, the rotational constants of the two levels are determined to be 0.1100(1) cm(-1) for (30000), 0.1081(1), and 0.1065(1) cm(-1) for f and e sublevels of (3001(1)0), respectively, through band contour fitting. The (30000)<--(00000) band origin is at 10,894.46(1) cm(-1), showing a HF wave number redshift of 478.3 cm(-1). The 4.07 redshift ratio of v(HF)=3 to that of v(HF)=1 indicates a significantly nonlinear increase of the intermolecular interaction energy through HF valence excitation. An ab initio interaction potential surface for HF valence coordinates varying from 0.8 to 1.25 A is used to examine vibrational dynamics. The HF valence vibration v(1) is treated perturbatively, showing that the vibrational redshifts are determined essentially in first order with only a very small second-order contribution. The (3001(1)0)<--(00000) combination transition is observed with the band origin at 11,432.66(1) cm(-1), giving the HF intermolecular bending mode to be 538.2 cm(-1). The high frequency of this vibration, compared to that in similar HF complexes, shows the strong angular anisotropy of the intermolecular interaction potential of OC-HF with respect to the HF subunit. The lifetime of the (3001(1)0) level increases to 28 ps from 14 ps for (30000).

Photofragment translational spectroscopy of weakly bound complexes: probing the interfragment correlated final state distributions

The vibrational predissociation dynamics of weakly bound complexes is well known to be highly nonstatistical. In particular, the associated photofragment final state distributions are often far from statistical, consequently reflecting the nature of the dissociation process. For binary complexes consisting of two molecules, a complete description of the final state of the system must include the associated interfragment correlations, specifically between their internal states. Information of this type is imprinted in the translational energies of the fragments, which can be measured using a number of recently developed translational spectroscopy methods. These data can provide detailed insights into the nature of the bond rupture process, as well as accurate values for the dissociation energy of the complexes. The focus of the present review is on experiments that provide correlated final state distributions for weakly bound binary complexes. Where possible, comparisons with theoretical calculations are made.