Comment on “The diatomic dication CuZn2+ in the gas phase” [J. Chem. Phys. 135, 034306 (2011)

Abstract

In this Comment, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations carried out by Diez et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 135, 034306 (2011)] are revised within the framework of the coupled-cluster single double triple method. These more sophisticated calculations allow us to show that the (2)Σ(+) electronic ground state of CuZn(2+), characterized as the metastable ground state by DFT calculations, is a repulsive state instead. The (2)Δ and (2)Π metastable states of CuZn(2+), on the other hand, should be responsible for the formation mechanism of the dication through the near-resonant electron transfer CuZn(+) + Ar(+) → CuZn(2+) + Ar reaction.