A Search for the 1 10 ← 1 11 Transition of Interstellar Thioformaldehyde

Ab initio calculations on the X∼2B1 → X∼1A1 photoelectron spectrum of thioformaldehyde negative ion

The equilibrium structures, multidimensional potential energy surfaces, and anharmonic vibrational frequencies of thioformaldehyde (H2CS) and its 2B1 radical anion were obtained at the (U)CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVTZ-F12 level; and the photoelectron spectrum of H2CS-X∼2B1→ H2CS X∼1A1 was simulated by calculating the Franck-Condon factors (FCFs). The additional electrons cause a significant change in the bond length of the C = S bond of H2CS, which affects the potential energy surface and the C = S bond stretching mode, while the interaction between electrons turns the originally planar structure of H2CS into a slightly out-of-plane umbrella structure, resulting in an unusual change in the vibrational frequency of the out-of-plane bending mode. Finally, a time-independent eigenstate-free Raman wave function approach (RWF) was used to calculate the photoelectron spectrum of H2CS and to point out the changes in the band under the influence of different temperatures. These data provides a theoretical basis for interstellar observations and experimental studies.

Insight into Chemistry on Cloud/Aerosol Water Surfaces

Cloud/aerosol water surfaces exert significant influence over atmospheric chemical processes. Atmospheric processes at the water surface are observed to follow mechanisms that are quite different from those in the gas phase. This Account summarizes our recent findings of new reaction pathways on the water surface. We have studied these surface reactions using Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations. These studies provide useful information on the reaction time scale, the underlying mechanism of surface reactions, and the dynamic behavior of the product formed on the aqueous surface. According to these studies, the aerosol water surfaces confine the atmospheric species into a specific orientation depending on the hydrophilicity of atmospheric species or the hydrogen-bonding interactions between atmospheric species and interfacial water. As a result, atmospheric species are activated toward a particular reaction on the aerosol water surface. For example, the simplest Criegee intermediate (CH₂OO) exhibits high reactivity toward the interfacial water and hydrogen sulfide, with the reaction times being a few picoseconds, 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than that in the gas phase. The presence of interfacial water molecules induces proton-transfer-based stepwise pathways for these reactions, which are not possible in the gas phase. The strong hydrophobicity of methyl substituents in larger Criegee intermediates (>C1), such as CH₃CHOO and (CH₃)₂COO, blocks the formation of the necessary prereaction complexes for the Criegee-water reaction to occur at the water droplet surface, which lowers their proton-transfer ability and hampers the reaction. The aerosol water surface provides a solvent medium for acids (e.g., HNO₃ and HCOOH) to participate in reactions via mechanisms that are different from those in the gas and bulk aqueous phases. For example, the anti-CH₃CHOO-HNO₃ reaction in the gas phase follows a direct reaction between anti-CH₃CHOO and HNO₃, whereas on a water surface, the HNO₃-mediated stepwise hydration of anti-CH₃CHOO is dominantly observed. The high surface/volume ratio of interfacial water molecules at the aerosol water surface can significantly lower the energy barriers for the proton transfer reactions in the atmosphere. Such catalysis by the aerosol water surface is shown to cause the barrier-less formation of ammonium bisulfate from hydrated NH₃ and SO₃ molecules rather than from the reaction of H₂SO₄ with NH₃. Finally, an aerosol water droplet is a polar solvent, which would favorably interact with high polarity substrates. This can accelerate interconversion of different conformers (e.g., anti and syn) of atmospheric species, such as glyoxal, depending on their polarity. The results discussed here enable an improved understanding of atmospheric processes on the aerosol water surface.

Criegee intermediate-hydrogen sulfide chemistry at the air/water interface

We carry out Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamic simulations to show that the reaction between the smallest Criegee intermediate, CH2OO, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at the air/water interface can be observed within few picoseconds. The reaction follows both concerted and stepwise mechanisms with former being the dominant reaction pathway. The concerted reaction proceeds with or without the involvement of one or two nearby water molecules. An important implication of the simulation results is that the Criegee-H2S reaction can provide a novel non-photochemical pathway for the formation of a C-S linkage in clouds and could be a new oxidation pathway for H2S in terrestrial, geothermal and volcanic regions.