Spectroscopy and characterization of AlNX (X = O and S): Triatomic circumstellar molecules

Three isomers of the triatomic [Al, N, O] molecular system have been observed in a solid argon matrix by infrared absorption spectroscopy using ¹⁵N and ¹⁸O isotopic substitution. The present work provides high-level quantum chemical predictions of their spectroscopic parameters to observe this system in the interstellar medium. The spectroscopic parameters, stability, and geometries of the lowest stable isomers of its isoelectronic system [Al, N, S] were characterized using coupled-cluster CCSD(T), explicitly correlated coupled-cluster CCSD(T)-F12, and multireference configuration interaction. The three-dimensional potential energy surfaces of all isomers were computed at the CCSD(T)-F12/aug-cc-pV5Z level, and a set of spectroscopic parameters were calculated. In both systems, the most stable isomer is linear with an X³Σ^- electronic ground state, and all linear isomers are characterized by small bending modes of less than 200 cm^-1. Due to their large dipole moments, the high intensities of such modes, and the nonexistence of anharmonic resonance complicating their spectra, our results facilitate the detection of AlNO and AlNS in the laboratory or in the interstellar medium.

Spectroscopy and Stability of AlOP: A Possible Progenitor of Interstellar Metal

Standard and explicitly correlated coupled-cluster theory computations in conjunction with large basis sets are performed to characterize [Al,P,O] isomers. Three isomers, namely, linear-AlOP, bent-AlOP, and linear-OAlP, are found to be stable species. Their optimized equilibrium geometries, harmonic vibrational frequencies, rotational constants, and relative energies are deduced. In addition, a set of spectroscopic parameters is generated from the three-dimensional potential energy surfaces of each isomer at the (R)CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV5Z level. The linear isomers have an X³Σ^- electronic ground state and are characterized as weakly bound systems or floppy molecules due to their low-frequency bending modes (<150 cm^-1). The dipole moment of linear-AlOP is calculated to be 1.48 D. By comparison, a much larger dipole moment is computed for linear-OAlP (5.01 D), indicating lower ionic character in AlOP. Both the linear-OAlP and linear-AlOP isomers are suggested to be good candidates for detection in interstellar media by radio astronomy.

Characterization and reactivity of the weakly bound complexes of the [H, N, S](-) anionic system with astrophysical and biological implications

We investigate the lowest electronic states of doublet and quartet spin multiplicity states of HNS(-) and HSN(-) together with their parent neutral triatomic molecules. Computations were performed using highly accurate ab initio methods with a large basis set. One-dimensional cuts of the full-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PESs) along the interatomic distances and bending angle are presented for each isomer. Results show that the ground anionic states are stable with respect to the electron detachment process and that the long range parts of the PESs correlating to the SH(-) + N, SN(-) + H, SN + H(-), NH + S(-), and NH(-) + S are bound. In addition, we predict the existence of long-lived weakly bound anionic complexes that can be formed after cold collisions between SN(-) and H or SH(-) and N. The implications for the reactivity of these species are discussed; specifically, it is shown that the reactions involving SH(-), SN(-), and NH(-) lead either to the formation of HNS(-) or HSN(-) in their electronic ground states or to autodetachment processes. Thus, providing an explanation for why the anions, SH(-), SN(-), and NH(-), have limiting detectability in astrophysical media despite the observation of their corresponding neutral species. In a biological context, we suggest that HSN(-) and HNS(-) should be incorporated into H2S-assisted heme-catalyzed reduction mechanism of nitrites in vivo.