Abstract
Metal hydride-hydroxide hydrogen-bonded clusters HMOH(H2O)n are key intermediates in the reactions of metals with water. However, characterizing the structure of such neutral clusters is a challenging experimental goal due to the difficulty of size selection. Here, neutral HMOH(H2O)2 (M = Al and Ga) clusters were prepared by using a laser-vaporization source and characterized by size-specific infrared-vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The HMOH(H2O)2 (M = Al and Ga) clusters were found to have intriguing hydrogen-bonded network structures. The results indicate that the formation of HMOH(H2O)2 (M = Al and Ga) is both thermodynamically exothermic and kinetically facile in the gas phase. The present system serves as a model for capturing key intermediates in metal-water reactions and also opens up new avenues for systematic studies of a large variety of reactions between neutral metal atoms/clusters and small molecules.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
