1B2 State Research Articles

Nonadiabatic transition state theory and trajectory surface hopping dynamics: intersystem crossing between (3)B1 and (1)A1 states of SiH2.

The ability of time-independent nonadiabatic transition state theory (NA-TST) to reproduce intersystem crossing dynamics obtained from the more computationally demanding Tully fewest switches trajectory surface hopping method is investigated. The two approaches are applied to the intersystem crossing between the ground (1)A1 state and lowest energy (3)B1 state of SiH2, coupled through the spin-orbit interaction. For NA-TST, the transition probabilities are calculated using the Landau-Zener formula and the Delos formula which accounts for tunneling. The fewest switches method produces rate constants of 7.6 × 10(11) s(-1) for the triplet to singlet transition and 5.2 × 10(11) s(-1) for the singlet to triplet transition, using a first-order kinetics model. This corresponds to a triplet electronic state lifetime of 781 fs. The NA-TST predicted rate constants are 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller, leading to a larger triplet state lifetime, as compared with the fewest switches method. This discrepancy cannot be explained by the difference in transition probabilities obtained from NA-TST and fewest switches molecular dynamics, and it is believed to be a result of the NA-TST semilocal description of nonadiabatic transitions in the vicinity of the intersystem crossing. Also, the larger triplet state lifetime obtained from NA-TST could be a result of the quantum sampling of rovibrational states, which is missing in classical trajectories traversing the crossing seam.

Theoretical study of singlet oxygen molecule generation via an exciplex with valence-excited thiophene.

Singlet-oxygen [O2((1)Δg)] generation by valence-excited thiophene (TPH) has been investigated using multireference Møller-Plesset second-order perturbation (MRMP2) theory of geometries optimized at the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) theory level. Our results indicate that triplet TPH(1(3)B2) is produced via photoinduced singlet TPH(2(1)A1) because 2(1)A1 TPH shows a large spin-orbit coupling constant with the first triplet excited state (1(3)B2). The relaxed TPH in the 1(3)B2 state can form an exciplex with O2((3)Σg(-)) because this exciplex is energetically more stable than the relaxed TPH. The formation of the TPH(1(3)B2) exciplex with O2((3)Σg(-)) whose total spin multiplicity is triplet (T1 state) increases the likelihood of transition from the T1 state to the singlet ground or first excited singlet state. After the transition, O2((1)Δg) is emitted easily although the favorable product is that from a 2 + 4 cycloaddition reaction.

Photoisomerization of Silyl-Substituted Cyclobutadiene Induced by σ → π* Excitation: A Computational Study

Photoinduced chemical processes upon Franck-Condon (FC) excitation in tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)-cyclobutadiene (TMS-CBD) have been investigated through the exploration of potential energy surface crossings among several low-lying excited states using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method. Vertical excitation energies are also computed with the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster model with single and double excitations (EOM-CCSD) as well as the multireference Møller-Plesset (MRMP) methods. Upon finding an excellent coincidence between the computational results and experimental observations, it is suggested that the Franck-Condon excited state does not correspond to the first π-π* single excitation state (S1, 1(1)B1 state in terms of D2 symmetry), but to the second (1)B1 state (S3), which is characterized as a σ-π* single excitation state. Starting from the Franck-Condon region, a series of conical intersections (CIs) are located along one isomerization channel and one dissociation channel. Through the isomerization channel, TMS-CBD is transformed to tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)-tetrahedrane (TMS-THD), and this isomerization process could take place by passing through a "tetra form" conical intersection. On the other hand, the dissociation channel yielding two bis(trimethylsilyl)-acetylene (TMS-Ac) molecules through further stretching of the longer C-C bonds might be more competitive than the isomerization channel after excitation into S3 state. This mechanistic picture is in good agreement with recently reported experimental observations.

Timescales of N-H bond dissociation in pyrrole: a nonadiabatic dynamics study.

The excitation wavelength dependent photodynamics of pyrrole are investigated by nonadiabatic trajectory-surface-hopping dynamics simulations based on time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and the algebraic diagrammatic construction method to the second order (ADC(2)). The ADC(2) results confirm that the N-H bond dissociation occurring upon excitation at the origin of the first excited state, S1(πσ*), is driven by tunnelling [Roberts et al., Faraday Discuss., 2013, 163, 95] as a barrier of ΔE = 1780 cm(-1) traps the population in a quasi-bound minimum. Upon excitation to S1(πσ*) in the wavelength range of 236-240 nm, direct dissociation of the N-H bond takes place with a time constant of 28 fs. The computed time constant is in very good agreement with recently reported measurements. Excitation to the lowest B2 state in the 198-202 nm range returns a time constant for N-H fission of 48 fs at the B3LYP/def2-TZVPD level, in perfect agreement with the experiment [Roberts et al. Faraday Discuss., 2013, 163, 95]. For the same wavelength range the ADC(2)/aug-cc-pVDZ decay constant is more than three times longer than the experimentally reported one. The accuracy of the B3LYP/def2-TZVPD dynamics is checked against reference complete-active-space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) calculations and explained in terms of correct topography of the ππ* surface and the lack of mixing between the ππ* and the 3px Rydberg states which occurs in the ADC(2) method.

Nonadiabatic Quantum Dynamics Predissociation of H2O(+)(B̃ (2)B2).

A quantum-mechanical study of the predissociation of H2O(+) (B̃ (2)B2) is carried out by using wave packet propagations on ab initio potential energy surfaces connected by nonadiabatic couplings. The simulations show that within the first 30 fs 80% of the initial wave packet is transferred from the B̃ (2)B2 to the à (2)A1 electronic state through a conical intersection. A much slower transfer (in the ps time scale) from the Ã(2)A1 to the X̃ (2)B1 state due to a Renner-Teller coupling determines the fragmentation branching ratios, which are in accordance with the experimental measurements.

Near ultraviolet photodissociation spectroscopy of Mn(+)(H2O) and Mn(+)(D2O).

The electronic spectra of Mn(+)(H2O) and Mn(+)(D2O) have been measured from 30,000 to 35,000 cm(-1) using photodissociation spectroscopy. Transitions are observed from the (7)A1 ground state in which the Mn(+) is in a 3d(5)4s(1) electronic configuration, to the (7)B2 (3d(5)4py) and (7)B1 (3d(5)4px) excited states with T0 = 30,210 and 32,274 cm(-1), respectively. Each electronic transition has partially resolved rotational and extensive vibrational structure with an extended progression in the metal-ligand stretch at a frequency of ∼450 cm(-1). There are also progressions in the in-plane bend in the (7)B2 state, due to vibronic coupling, and the out-of-plane bend in the (7)B1 state, where the calculation illustrates that this state is slightly non-planar. Electronic structure computations at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ and TD-DFT B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level are also used to characterize the ground and excited states, respectively. These calculations predict a ground state Mn-O bond length of 2.18 Å. Analysis of the experimentally observed vibrational intensities reveals that this bond length decreases by 0.15 ± 0.015 Å and 0.14 ± 0.01 Å in the excited states. The behavior is accounted for by the less repulsive px and py orbitals causing the Mn(+) to interact more strongly with water in the excited states than the ground state. The result is a decrease in the Mn-O bond length, along with an increase in the H-O-H angle. The spectra have well resolved K rotational structure. Fitting this structure gives spin-rotation constants ɛaa″ = -3 ± 1 cm(-1) for the ground state and ɛaa' = 0.5 ± 0.5 cm(-1) and εaa' = -4.2 ± 0.7 cm(-1) for the first and second excited states, respectively, and A' = 12.8 ± 0.7 cm(-1) for the first excited state. Vibrationally mediated photodissociation studies determine the O-H antisymmetric stretching frequency in the ground electronic state to be 3658 cm(-1).

The potential energy surfaces of the ground and excited states of carbon dioxide molecule

Potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the 1Al(1Σ + ), 1B2 and 3B2 electronic states of CO2 have been computed as a function of the two bond distances and the bond angle. The calculations were based on the complete active space self consistent field (CASSCF) and multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) electronic structure models. From our calculations no crossing point between 1B2 and 3B2 states was found, but there is a crossing point located between 1B2 and 3A2 state on the PESs. The energy of the crossing point is lie 0.23 eV above the CO + O (3P), which is in agreement with the value of 0.27 eV on the experiment. This implies that the mechanism of the recombination of an oxygen atom with a carbon monoxide molecule: CO(X 1Σ+, ν) + O(3P)→3CO2*→1CO2*→CO(X 1Σ+, ν = 0) + O(1 D) may occur through the 3A2 state crossing the 1B2 state. The equilibrium geometries and adiabatic excitation energies of 1,3B2, 1,3A2 states of CO2 were reported and discussed in this paper, too.

Strong Perpendicular Uniaxial Magnetic Anisotropy in Tetragonal Fe<sub>0.5</sub>Co<sub>0.5</sub> Films of Artificially Ordered B2 State

We studied the relationship between the magnetic anisotropy properties and crystal structure of an artificial B2 state of Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 epitaxial films on a Rh(001) seed layer with a tetragonal distortion structure, which exhibited large perpendicular uniaxial magnetic anisotropy over a wide range of thicknesses and c/a ratios at room temperature. We obtained the bulk anisotropy energy of the Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 films, which reached 2.5× 10 7 erg/cm 3 at c/a=1.20. The magnetization easy axis of the Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 films transferred from out-of-plane to in-plane when the thickness was increased from 24 to 30 monolayers. This is due to the lattice relaxation caused by the increase of the total thickness. We observed that the cubic anisotropy component around the in-plane of the films was much smaller than the perpendicular effective magnetic anisotropy, which demonstrates that our films exhibited the uniaxial anisotropy property. Furthermore, we found the bulk anisotropy values of our artificial B2-state Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 to be larger than those of the A2 state under the same lattice distortion. Thus, we suggest that tuning the degree of crystal order of FeCo alloys is an effective way to experimentally enhance their perpendicular uniaxial magnetic anisotropy.

Excited electronic states of thiophene: high resolution photoabsorption Fourier transform spectroscopy and ab initio calculations.

The recently introduced synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform spectroscopy has been employed to study the excited electronic states of thiophene. A highly resolved photoabsorption spectrum has been measured between ∼5 and 12.5 eV, providing a wealth of new data. High-level ab initio computations have been performed using the second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)) polarization propagator approach, and the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster (EOM-CC) method at the CCSD and CC3 levels, to guide the assignment of the spectrum. The adiabatic energy corrections have been evaluated, thereby extending the theoretical study beyond the vertical excitation picture and leading to a significantly improved understanding of the spectrum. The low-lying π→π* and π→σ* transitions result in prominent broad absorption bands. Two strong Rydberg series converging onto the X(~)(2)A2 state limit have been assigned to the 1a2→npb1(1)B2 and the 1a2→nda2(1)A1 transitions. A second, and much weaker, d-type series has been assigned to the 1a2→ndb1(1)B2 transitions. Excitation into some of the Rydberg states belonging to the two strong series gives rise to vibrational structure, most of which has been interpreted in terms of excitations of the totally symmetric ν4 and ν8 modes. One Rydberg series, assigned to the 3b1→nsa1(1)B1 transitions, has been identified converging onto the Ã(2)B1 state limit, and at higher energies Rydberg states converging onto the B(~)(2)A1 state limit could be identified. The present spectra reveal highly irregular vibrational structure in certain low energy absorption bands, and thus provide a new source of information for the rapidly developing studies of excited state non-adiabatic dynamics and photochemistry.

Low-lying electronic states of cyclopentadienone.

We report a combined experimental and theoretical study of the low-lying electronic states of cyclopentadienone (C5H4O). The cyclopentadienone anion (C5H4O(-)) was generated in the gas phase via reaction of atomic oxygen radical anions (O(-)) with cyclopentanone (C5H8O). Photoelectron imaging was used to gain access to the first three electronic states of C5H4O, including the X (1)A1 ground state and the (3)B2 and (3)A2 excited states. The first two state assignments are supported by the Franck-Condon simulations of the vibrational progressions observed in the X (1)A1 and (3)B2 bands in the photoelectron spectra. The adiabatic electron affinity of cyclopentadienone in the ground state is determined to be EA(X (1)A1) = 1.06 ± 0.01 eV, and the corresponding values for the first two excited states are EA((3)B2) = 2.56 ± 0.02 eV and EA((3)A2) = 3.45 ± 0.01 eV. These experimental determinations are in excellent agreement with the CCSD(T) theory predictions, lending further confidence to the above state assignments. On the basis of these results, the lowest singlet-triplet splitting (between the X (1)A1 and (3)B2 states) in cyclopentadienone is ΔES-T = 1.50 ± 0.02 eV.

Encapsulation of paramagnetic diatomic molecules B2, O2 and Ge2 inside C60

Density functional theoretic (DFT) calculations have been carried out for B2@C60, O2@C60 and Ge2@C60 to study the influence of confinement on the relative stability between the singlet and the triplet states of paramagnetic diatomic molecules B2, O2 and Ge2. Although the energy gap between the respective singlet and triplet states of B2 and O2 remains unaltered on encapsulation inside the C60 cage, the relative stability of the singlet and triplet states of the complex Ge2@C60 varies with the orientation of Ge2 inside the cage. Unlike that of B2 and O2, the bond length of Ge2 is reduced significantly inside the cage.

Elucidating the Electronic Structures of the Ground States of the VO2(-/0) Clusters: Synergism between Computation and Experiment.

Electronic structures of VO2 and its anion were investigated with density functional theory (DFT), complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2), and restricted coupled-cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (RCCSD(T)) computational quantum chemical methods. The results show that there is a near-degeneracy of the lowest (3)B1, (3)A1, and (1)A1 states of the anion. Therefore, the 532 and 193 nm photoelectron spectra of VO2(-) are interpreted by exploring these states as possible initial states. The anionic ground state was identified at the highest computational level, that is, RCCSD(T), as (3)B1 allowing the X band to be assigned to the (3)B1 → (2)B1 transition, while the lower intensity and lower binding energy X' and X″ features are ascribed to the (1)A1 → (2)A1 and (3)A1 → (2)A1 ionizations, respectively. The latter assignment is different from the recently proposed assignment of the corresponding slow electron velocity-map imaging (SEVI) spectra. Further, the A band is suggested to be mainly the result of an ionization from (3)B1 to 2(2)A1. For all these ionizations an electron is removed from a predominant metal orbital. The higher energy bands B and C on the contrary can be ascribed as electron detachments out of molecular orbitals largely located on the oxygen centers. More precisely, the B band is attributed to the ionizations from (3)B1 to (4)A2 and (2)A2, while the C band is proposed to originate from the (3)B1 → (4)B1 and (3)B1 → 2(2)B1 ionizations. The proposed novel assignment is further corroborated by calculating the Franck-Condon factors, which largely agree with the experimental vibrational progressions of the SEVI spectra.

Molecular and electronic structures of the NbC2−/0 clusters through the assignment of the anion photoelectron spectra by quantum chemical calculations

CASPT2 and RCCSD(T) methods were used to investigate the low-lying states of NbC2−/0. The ground states of the anionic and neutral clusters are consistently calculated as the 3B1 and 4B1 states of the cyclic isomer, respectively. Franck–Condon simulations at the BP86 level for the 3B1→4B1 ionization shows that the predicted vibrational progression is in good agreement with the experimental X band of the 532nm spectrum of NbC2−. At the CASPT2 level, all bands in the 355nm photoelectron spectrum could be interpreted as originating from the 3B1 state.

A valence bond model for electron-rich hypervalent species: application to SFn (n=1, 2, 4), PF5 , and ClF3.

Some typical hypervalent molecules, SF4 , PF5 , and ClF3 , as well as precursors SF ((4) Σ(-) state) and SF2 ((3) B1 state), are studied by means of the breathing-orbital valence bond (BOVB) method, chosen for its capability of combining compactness with accuracy of energetics. A unique feature of this study is that for the first time, the method used to gain insight into the bonding modes is the same as that used to calculate the bonding energies, so as to guarantee that the qualitative picture obtained captures the essential physics of the bonding system. The (4) Σ(-) state of SF is shown to be bonded by a three-electron σ bond assisted by strong π back-donation of dynamic nature. The linear (3) B1 state of SF2 , as well as the ground states of SF4 , PF5 and ClF3 , are described in terms of four VB structures that all have significant weights in the range 0.17-0.31, with exceptionally large resonance energies arising from their mixing. It is concluded that the bonding mode of these hypervalent species and isoelectronic ones complies with Coulson's version of the Rundle-Pimentel model, but assisted by charge-shift bonding. The conditions for hypervalence to occur are stated.

An investigation into low-lying electronic states of HCS₂ via threshold photoelectron imaging.

Low-energy photoelectron imaging spectra of HCS2(-) are reported for the first time. Vibrationally resolved photodetachment transitions from the ground state of HCS2(-) to the ground state and low-lying excited states of HCS2 are observed. Combined with the ab intio calculations and Franck-Condon simulations, well-resolved vibrational spectra demonstrate definitive evidence for the resolution of the ground-state and excited states of HCS2 radical in the gaseous phase. The ground state and two low-lying excited states of HCS2 radical are assigned as (2)B2, (2)A2, and (2)A1 states, respectively. The adiabatic electron affinity is determined to be 2.910 ± 0.007 eV. And the term energies of the excited states, T0 = 0.451 ± 0.009 eV and 0.553 ± 0.009 eV, are directly measured from the experimental data, respectively. Angular filtering photoelectron spectra are carried out to assist in the spectral band assignment.

Excited state dynamics in SO2. I. Bound state relaxation studied by time-resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy.

The excited state dynamics of isolated sulfur dioxide molecules have been investigated using the time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and time-resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence techniques. Excited state wavepackets were prepared in the spectroscopically complex, electronically mixed (B̃)(1)B1/(Ã)(1)A2, Clements manifold following broadband excitation at a range of photon energies between 4.03 eV and 4.28 eV (308 nm and 290 nm, respectively). The resulting wavepacket dynamics were monitored using a multiphoton ionisation probe. The extensive literature associated with the Clements bands has been summarised and a detailed time domain description of the ultrafast relaxation pathways occurring from the optically bright (B̃)(1)B1 diabatic state is presented. Signatures of the oscillatory motion on the (B̃)(1)B1/(Ã)(1)A2 lower adiabatic surface responsible for the Clements band structure were observed. The recorded spectra also indicate that a component of the excited state wavepacket undergoes intersystem crossing from the Clements manifold to the underlying triplet states on a sub-picosecond time scale. Photoelectron signal growth time constants have been predominantly associated with intersystem crossing to the (c̃)(3)B2 state and were measured to vary between 750 and 150 fs over the implemented pump photon energy range. Additionally, pump beam intensity studies were performed. These experiments highlighted parallel relaxation processes that occurred at the one- and two-pump-photon levels of excitation on similar time scales, obscuring the Clements band dynamics when high pump beam intensities were implemented. Hence, the Clements band dynamics may be difficult to disentangle from higher order processes when ultrashort laser pulses and less-differential probe techniques are implemented.

Non-adiabatic and intersystem crossing dynamics in SO2. II. The role of triplet states in the bound state dynamics studied by surface-hopping simulations.

The importance of triplet states in the photorelaxation dynamics of SO2 is studied by mixed quantum-classical dynamics simulations. Using the SHARC method, standing for Surface Hopping including ARbitrary Couplings, intersystem crossing (ISC) processes caused by spin-orbit coupling are found occurring on an ultrafast time scale (few 100 fs) and thus competing with internal conversion. While in the singlet-only dynamics only oscillatory population transfer between the (1)B1 and (1)A2 states is observed, in the dynamics including singlet and triplet states we find additionally continuous ISC to the (3)B2 state and to a smaller extent to the (3)B1/(3)A2 coupled states. The populations obtained from the dynamics are discussed with respect to the overall nuclear motion and in the light of recent TRPEPICO studies [I. Wilkinson, A. E. Boguslavskiy, J. Mikosch, D. M. Villeneuve, H.-J. Wörner, M. Spanner, S. Patchkovskii, and A. Stolow, "Excited state dynamics in SO2. I. Bound state relaxation studied by time-resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy," J. Chem. Phys. 140, 204301 (2014)].

Accurate ab initio structural parameters of the diatomic and triatomic van der Waals molecules (11)BNg (X(2)Π, A(2)Σ(+)) and (11)BNg2 (X̃(2)B1), Ng = (4)He, (20)Ne, (40)Ar, (84)Kr, and (132)Xe.

The weakly interacting BNg and BNg2 molecular systems, Ng = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, have been thoroughly studied through coupled-cluster RCCSD(T) calculations and large correlation consistent basis sets. For the BNg diatomics, the states examined are the X(2)Π and A(2)Σ(+), and the X̃(2)B1 state for the C2v BNg2 triatomics. A series of corrections render our final results reliable, judging as well from the (limited) experimental numbers available. Both BHe and BHe2 are marginally unbound, whereas the attractive interactions of the BNg X(2)Π states, where Ng = Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, are D0 = 19.8, 98.2, 141.9, and 209.1 cm(-1), respectively. For the BRn (Rn = radon) species, an estimated value of interaction energy D0 ≈ 280 cm(-1) is obtained by a D0 versus static polarizability (α) extrapolation. Corresponding atomization energies of the BNg2 (X̃(2)B1) molecules are AE0 = 52.0 (BNe2), 263.4 (BAr2), 384.6 (BKr2), and 576.9 (BXe2) cm(-1).

Trihalide cations MF3 +, MCl3 + and MBr 3 + , M = B, Al, Ga: pseudo Jahn–Teller coupling, electronic spectra and ionization potentials of MX3

Optimized geometries and energies, vertical excitation energies and vibrational frequencies are reported for nine cations MX3 +, with M = B, Al, Ga, and X = F, Cl, Br. Density functional theory using long-range corrected functionals, coupled cluster and multireference configuration interaction methods were applied with triple-zeta polarized basis sets. All cations were shown to be distorted from the high D3h to the lower C2v symmetry due to a strong pseudo Jahn–Teller effect. Geometry optimizations lead to two 2B2 states, one with an X(axial)–M–X angle above 120°, to give a structure with one short and two long bonds (1S2L), the other having such angle below 120°, resulting in a structure with two short and one long bond (2S1L). In most cases, the 1S2L structure was found to be more stable than 2S1L, but the stabilization energies of 1S2L and 2S1L differ by no more than 0.2 eV. There is a saddle point at D3h symmetry. Adiabatic and vertical ionization energies of MX3 are also reported. Good to excellent agreement with available experimental data was found.

Communication: Theoretical prediction of the importance of the 3B2 state in the dynamics of sulfur dioxide

Even though the sulfur dioxide molecule has been extensively studied over the last decades, its photo-excitation dynamics is still unclear, due to its complexity, combining conical intersections, and spin-orbit coupling between a manifold of states. We present a comprehensive ab initio study of the intersystem crossing of the molecule in the low energy domain, based on a wave-packet propagation on the manifold of the lowest singlet and triplet states. Furthermore, spin-orbit couplings are evaluated on a geometry-dependent grid, and diabatized along with the different conical intersections. Our results show for the first time the primordial role of the triplet 3B2 state and furthermore predict novel interference patterns due to the different intersystem crossing channels induced by the spin-orbit couplings and the shapes of the different potential energy surfaces. These give new insight into the coupled singlet-triplet dynamics of SO2.