Diagonal Born-Oppenheimer Correction Research Articles

A highly accurate ab initio potential energy surface for methane.

A new nine-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for methane has been generated using state-of-the-art ab initio theory. The PES is based on explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations with extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and incorporates a range of higher-level additive energy corrections. These include core-valence electron correlation, higher-order coupled cluster terms beyond perturbative triples, scalar relativistic effects, and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. Sub-wavenumber accuracy is achieved for the majority of experimentally known vibrational energy levels with the four fundamentals of (12)CH4 reproduced with a root-mean-square error of 0.70 cm(-1). The computed ab initio equilibrium C-H bond length is in excellent agreement with previous values despite pure rotational energies displaying minor systematic errors as J (rotational excitation) increases. It is shown that these errors can be significantly reduced by adjusting the equilibrium geometry. The PES represents the most accurate ab initio surface to date and will serve as a good starting point for empirical refinement.

Deviations from Born-Oppenheimer mass scaling in spectroscopy and ultracold molecular physics

We investigate Born-Oppenheimer breakdown (BOB) effects (beyond the usual mass scaling) for the electronic ground states of a series of homonuclear and heteronuclear alkali-metal diatoms, together with the Sr2 and Yb2 diatomics. Several widely available electronic structure software packages are used to calculate the leading contributions to the total isotope shift for commonly occurring isotopologs of each species. Computed quantities include diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections (mass shifts) and isotopic field shifts. Mass shifts dominate for light nuclei up to and including K, but field shifts contribute significantly for Rb and Sr and are dominant for Yb. We compare the ab initio mass-shift functions for Li2, LiK and LiRb with spectroscopically derived ground-state BOB functions from the literature. We find good agreement in the values of the functions for LiK and LiRb at their equilibrium geometries, but significant disagreement with the shapes of the functions for all 3 systems. The differences may be due to contributions of nonadiabatic terms to the empirical BOB functions. We present a semiclassical model for the effect of BOB corrections on the binding energies of near-threshold states and the positions of zero-energy Feshbach resonances.

Wave function continuity and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction at conical intersections.

We demonstrate that though exact in principle, the expansion of the total molecular wave function as a sum over adiabatic Born-Oppenheimer (BO) vibronic states makes inclusion of the second-derivative nonadiabatic energy term near conical intersections practically problematic. In order to construct a well-behaved molecular wave function that has density at a conical intersection, the individual BO vibronic states in the summation must be discontinuous. When the second-derivative nonadiabatic terms are added to the Hamiltonian, singularities in the diagonal BO corrections (DBOCs) of the individual BO states arise from these discontinuities. In contrast to the well-known singularities in the first-derivative couplings at conical intersections, these singularities are non-integrable, resulting in undefined DBOC matrix elements. Though these singularities suggest that the exact molecular wave function may not have density at the conical intersection point, there is no physical basis for this constraint. Instead, the singularities are artifacts of the chosen basis of discontinuous functions. We also demonstrate that continuity of the total molecular wave function does not require continuity of the individual adiabatic nuclear wave functions. We classify nonadiabatic molecular dynamics methods according to the constraints placed on wave function continuity and analyze their formal properties. Based on our analysis, it is recommended that the DBOC be neglected when employing mixed quantum-classical methods and certain approximate quantum dynamical methods in the adiabatic representation.

On the inclusion of the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction in surface hopping methods.

The diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction (DBOC) stems from the diagonal second derivative coupling term in the adiabatic representation, and it can have an arbitrary large magnitude when a gap between neighbouring Born-Oppenheimer (BO) potential energy surfaces (PESs) is closing. Nevertheless, DBOC is typically neglected in mixed quantum-classical methods of simulating nonadiabaticdynamics (e.g., fewest-switch surface hopping (FSSH) method). A straightforward addition of DBOC to BO PESs in the FSSH method, FSSH+D, has been shown to lead to numerically much inferior results for models containing conical intersections. More sophisticated variation of the DBOC inclusion, phase-space surface-hopping (PSSH) was more successful than FSSH+D but on model problems without conical intersections. This work comprehensively assesses the role of DBOC in nonadiabaticdynamics of two electronic state problems and the performance of FSSH, FSSH+D, and PSSH methods in variety of one- and two-dimensional models. Our results show that the inclusion of DBOC can enhance the accuracy of surface hopping simulations when two conditions are simultaneously satisfied: (1) nuclei have kinetic energy lower than DBOC and (2) PESs are not strongly nonadiabatically coupled. The inclusion of DBOC is detrimental in situations where its energy scale becomes very high or even diverges, because in these regions PESs are also very strongly coupled. In this case, the true quantum formalism heavily relies on an interplay between diagonal and off-diagonal nonadiabatic couplings while surface hopping approaches treat diagonal terms as PESs and off-diagonal ones stochastically.

Heavy Element Effects in the Diagonal Born-Oppenheimer Correction within a Relativistic Spin-Free Hamiltonian.

Methodologies beyond the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) approximation are nowadays important to explain high precision spectroscopic measurements. Most previous evaluations of the BO correction are, however, focused on light-element molecules and based on a nonrelativistic Hamiltonian, so no information about the BO approximation (BOA) breakdown in heavy-element molecules is available. The present work is the first to investigate the BOA breakdown for the entire periodic table, by considering scalar relativistic effects in the Diagonal BO correction (DBOC). In closed shell atoms, the relativistic EDBOC scales as Z(1.25) and the nonrelativistic EDBOC scales as Z(1.17), where Z is the atomic number. Hence, we found that EDBOC becomes larger in heavy element atoms and molecules, and the relativistic EDBOC increases faster than nonrelativistic EDBOC. We have further investigated the DBOC effects on properties such as potential energy curves, spectroscopic parameters, and various energetic properties. The DBOC effects for these properties are mostly affected by the lightest atom in the molecule. Hence, in X2 or XAt molecule (X = H, Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) the effect of DBOC systematically decreases when X becomes heavier but in HX molecules, the effect of DBOC seems relatively similar among all the molecules.

Thermochemistry of HO2 + HO2 → H2O4: Does HO2 Dimerization Affect Laboratory Studies?

Self-reaction is an important sink for the hydroperoxy radical (HO2) in the atmosphere. It has been suggested (Denis, P. A.; Ornellas, F. R. J. Phys. Chem. A, 2009, 113 (2), 499-506) that the minor product hydrogen tetroxide (HO4H) may act as a reservoir of HO2. Here, we compute the thermochemistry of HO2 self-reactions to determine if either HO4H or the cyclic hydrogen-bound dimer (HO2)2 can act as reservoirs. We computed electronic energies using coupled-cluster calculations in the complete basis set limit, CCSD(T)/CBS[45]//CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ. Our model chemistry includes corrections for vibrational anharmonicity in the zero-point energy and vibrational partition functions, core-valence correlation, scalar relativistic effects, diagonal Born-Oppenheimer, spin-orbit splitting, and higher-order corrections. We compute the Gibbs energy of dimerization to be (-20.1 ± 1.6) kJ/mol at 298.15 K (2σ uncertainty), and (-32.3 ± 1.5) kJ/mol at 220 K. For atmospherically relevant [HO2] = 10(8) molecules per cm(3), our thermochemistry indicates that dimerization will be negligible, and thus H2O4 species are atmospherically unimportant. Under conditions used in laboratory experiments ([HO2] > 10(12) molecules per cm(3), 220 K), H2O4 formation may be significant. We compute two absorption spectra that could be used for laboratory detection of HO4H: the OH stretch overtone (near-IR) and electronic (UV) spectra.

Accurate ab initio vibrational energies of methyl chloride

Two new nine-dimensional potential energy surfaces (PESs) have been generated using high-level ab initio theory for the two main isotopologues of methyl chloride, CH3 (35)Cl and CH3 (37)Cl. The respective PESs, CBS-35( HL), and CBS-37( HL), are based on explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations with extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit, and incorporate a range of higher-level (HL) additive energy corrections to account for core-valence electron correlation, higher-order coupled cluster terms, scalar relativistic effects, and diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections. Variational calculations of the vibrational energy levels were performed using the computer program TROVE, whose functionality has been extended to handle molecules of the form XY 3Z. Fully converged energies were obtained by means of a complete vibrational basis set extrapolation. The CBS-35( HL) and CBS-37( HL) PESs reproduce the fundamental term values with root-mean-square errors of 0.75 and 1.00 cm(-1), respectively. An analysis of the combined effect of the HL corrections and CBS extrapolation on the vibrational wavenumbers indicates that both are needed to compute accurate theoretical results for methyl chloride. We believe that it would be extremely challenging to go beyond the accuracy currently achieved for CH3Cl without empirical refinement of the respective PESs.

Accurate calculation of the dissociation energy of the highly anharmonic system ClHCl(-).

Accurate bond dissociation energies (D0) are reported for different isotopologues of the highly anharmonic system ClHCl(-). The mass-independent equilibrium dissociation energy De was obtained by a composite method with frozen-core (fc) CCSD(T) as the basic contribution. Basis sets as large as aug-cc-pV8(+d)Z were employed, and extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit was carried out. Explicitly correlated calculations with the CCSD(T)-F12b method were also performed to support the conventionally calculated values. Core-core and core-valence correlation, scalar relativity, and higher-order correlation were considered as well. Two mass-dependent contributions, namely, the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction and the difference in zero-point energies between the complex and the HCl fragment, were then added in order to arrive at precise D0 values. Results for (35)ClH(35)Cl(-) and (35)ClD(35)Cl(-) are 23.81 and 23.63 kcal/mol, respectively, with estimated uncertainties of 0.05 kcal/mol. In contrast to FHF(-) ( Stein , C. ; Oswald , R. ; Sebald , P. ; Botschwina , P. ; Stoll , H. , Peterson , K. A. Mol. Phys. 2013 , 111 , 2647 - 2652 ), the D0 values of the bichloride species are larger than their De counterparts, which is an unusual situation in hydrogen-bonded systems.

Zero-point energy, tunnelling, and vibrational adiabaticity in the Mu + H2 reaction

Isotopic substitution of muonium for hydrogen provides an unparalleled opportunity to deepen our understanding of quantum mass effects on chemical reactions. A recent topical review in this journal of the thermal and vibrationally state-selected reaction of Mu with H2 raises a number of issues that are addressed here. We show that some earlier quantum mechanical calculations of the Mu + H2 reaction, which are highlighted in this review, and which have been used to benchmark approximate methods, are in error by as much as 19% in the low-temperature limit. We demonstrate that an approximate treatment of the Born–Oppenheimer diagonal correction that was used in some recent studies is not valid for treating the vibrationally state-selected reaction. We also discuss why vibrationally adiabatic potentials that neglect bend zero-point energy are not a useful analytical tool for understanding reaction rates, and why vibrationally non-adiabatic transitions cannot be understood by considering tunnelling through vibrationally adiabatic potentials. Finally, we present calculations on a hierarchical family of potential energy surfaces to assess the sensitivity of rate constants to the quality of the potential surface.

Pressure-dependent branching in the reaction of 1CH2 with C2H4 and other reactions on the C3H6 potential energy surface

A number of reactions on the C3H6 potential energy surface (PES) are of central importance to various combustion environments. High level theoretical methods were used to predict the temperature and pressure dependent kinetics for these reactions. The rovibrational properties of the key stationary points in the systems were determined with the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ method. High accuracy energies for these stationary points were obtained via the consideration of basis set, higher-order correlation, core–valence, anharmonic vibrational, relativistic, and diagonal Born–Oppenheimer corrections. Variable reaction coordinate transition state theory (VRC-TST) was employed to treat the barrierless channels on the PES, while, for channels possessing a distinct barrier, rate coefficients were instead obtained with conventional transition state theory employing rigid-rotor harmonic oscillator assumptions. For the VRC-TST calculations, the interaction energies required for the evaluation of the reactive flux were evaluated with the CASPT2/cc-pVTZ approach for the orientational sampling, coupled with one-dimensional corrections based on higher accuracy evaluations along the minimum energy path. A priori predictions for the temperature and pressure-dependent rate coefficients were obtained through master-equation calculations incorporating these TST predictions for the microcanonical rate coefficients coupled with a simple model for the collisional energy transfer rates. These theoretical predictions compare favorably with the limited experimental data. The analysis yields modified Arrhenius rate expressions for the 1CH2+C2H4, C2H3+CH3, CH2CHCH2+H, CH3CCH2+H, and CH3CHCH+H recombination reactions as well as for the dissociations and isomerizations of propene and cyclopropane.

Ab Initio Quantum Mechanical Description of Noncovalent Interactions at Its Limits: Approaching the Experimental Dissociation Energy of the HF Dimer.

Hydrogen fluoride dimer is a perfect model system for studying hydrogen bonding. Its size makes it possible to apply the most advanced theoretical methods available, yet it is a full-featured complex of molecules with nontrivial electronic structure and dynamic properties. Moreover, the dissociation energy of the HF dimer has been measured experimentally with an unparalleled accuracy of ±1 cm(-1)(Bohac et al. J. Chem. Phys. 1992, 9, 6681). In this work, we attempt to reproduce it by purely ab initio means, using advanced quantum-mechanical computational methods free of any empiricism. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the capabilities of today's computational chemistry and to point out its limitations by identifying the contributions that introduce the largest uncertainty into the result. The dissociation energy is calculated using a composite scheme including large basis set CCSD(T) calculations, contributions of higher excitations up to CCSDTQ, relativistic and diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections and anharmonic vibrational calculations. The error of the calculated dissociation energy is 0.07 kcal/mol (25 cm(-1), 2.5%) when compared to the experiment. The major part of this error can be attributed to the inaccuracy of the calculations of the zero-point vibrational energy.

When do we need to account for the geometric phase in excited state dynamics?

We investigate the role of the geometric phase (GP) in an internal conversion process when the system changes its electronic state by passing through a conical intersection (CI). Local analysis of a two-dimensional linear vibronic coupling (LVC) model Hamiltonian near the CI shows that the role of the GP is twofold. First, it compensates for a repulsion created by the so-called diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. Second, the GP enhances the non-adiabatic transition probability for a wave-packet part that experiences a central collision with the CI. To assess the significance of both GP contributions we propose two indicators that can be computed from parameters of electronic surfaces and initial conditions. To generalize our analysis to N-dimensional systems we introduce a reduction of a general N-dimensional LVC model to an effective 2D LVC model using a mode transformation that preserves short-time dynamics of the original N-dimensional model. Using examples of the bis(methylene) adamantyl and butatriene cations, and the pyrazine molecule we have demonstrated that their effective 2D models reproduce the short-time dynamics of the corresponding full dimensional models, and the introduced indicators are very reliable in assessing GP effects.

Highly accurate potential energy surface for the He–H2 dimer

A new highly accurate interaction potential is constructed for the He-H2 van der Waals complex. This potential is fitted to 1900 ab initio energies computed at the very large-basis coupled-cluster level and augmented by corrections for higher-order excitations (up to full configuration interaction level) and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. At the vibrationally averaged H-H bond length of 1.448736 bohrs, the well depth of our potential, 15.870 ± 0.065 K, is nearly 1 K larger than the most accurate previous studies have indicated. In addition to constructing our own three-dimensional potential in the van der Waals region, we present a reparameterization of the Boothroyd-Martin-Peterson potential surface [A. I. Boothroyd, P. G. Martin, and M. R. Peterson, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 3187 (2003)] that is suitable for all configurations of the triatomic system. Finally, we use the newly developed potentials to compute the properties of the lone bound states of (4)He-H2 and (3)He-H2 and the interaction second virial coefficient of the hydrogen-helium mixture.

High-Accuracy Estimates for the Vinylidene-Acetylene Isomerization Energy and the Ground State Rotational Constants of :C═CH2

Highly accurate calculations are reported for properties of vinylidene (H2C═C:), specifically the position of its zero-point vibrational level relative to that of acetylene and its equilibrium structure and ground state rotational constants. The isomerization energy of vinylidene calculated at the HEAT-456QP level of theory is 43.53 ± 0.15 kcal mol(-1), in agreement with the previous best estimate, but associated with a much smaller uncertainty. In addition, the thermochemical calculations presented here also allow a determination of the H2CC-H bond energy of the vinyl radical at the HEAT-345(Q) level of theory, which is 77.7 ± 0.3 kcal mol(-1). The equilibrium structure of vinylidene, estimated with an additivity scheme that includes treatment of correlation effects beyond CCSD(T) as well as relativistic and adiabatic (diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction) contributions, is rCC = 1.2982 ± 0.0003 Å, rCH = 1.0844 ± 0.0003 Å, and θCCH = 120.05 ± 0.05°, with zero-point rotational constants (including vibrational contributions and electronic contributions to the moment of inertia) estimated to be A0 = 9.4925 ± 0.0150 cm(-1), B0 = 1.3217 ± 0.0017 cm(-1), and C0 = 1.1602 ± 0.0016 cm(-1).

Taming the low-lying electronic states of FeH

The low-lying electronic states (X (4)Δ, A (4)Π, a (6)Δ, b (6)Π) of the iron monohydride radical, which are especially troublesome for electronic structure theory, have been successfully described using a focal point analysis (FPA) approach that conjoined a correlation-consistent family of basis sets up to aug-cc-pwCV5Z-DK with high-order coupled cluster theory through hextuple (CCSDTQPH) excitations. Adiabatic excitation energies (T(0)) and spectroscopic constants (r(e), r(0), B(e), B(0), D(e), ω(e), v(0), α(e), ω(e)x(e)) were extrapolated to the valence complete basis set Douglas-Kroll (DK) aug-cc-pwCV∞Z-DK CCSDT level of theory, and additional treatments accounted for higher-order valence electron correlation, core correlation, spin-orbit coupling, and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. The purely ab initio FPA approach yields the following T(0) results (in eV) for the lowest spin-orbit components of each electronic state: 0 (X (4)Δ) < 0.132 (A (4)Π) < 0.190 (a (6)Δ) < 0.444 (b (6)Π). The computed anharmonic fundamental vibrational frequencies (v(0)) for the (4,6)Δ electronic states are within 3 cm(-1) of experiment and provide reliable predictions for the (4,6)Π states. With the cc-pVDZ basis set, even CCSDTQPH energies give an incorrect ground state of FeH, highlighting the importance of combining high-order electron correlation treatments with robust basis sets when studying transition-metal radicals. The FPA computations provide D(0) = 1.86 eV (42.9 kcal mol(-1)) for the 0 K dissociation energy of FeH and Δ(f)H(298) (∘) [FeH((g))] = 107.7 kcal mol(-1) for the enthalpy of formation at room temperature. Despite sizable multireference character in the quartet states, high-order single-reference coupled cluster computations improve the spectroscopic parameters over previous multireference theoretical studies; for example, the X (4)Δ → A (4)Π and a (6)Δ → b (6)Π transition energies are reproduced to 0.012 and 0.002 eV, respectively, while the error for the problematic X (4)Δ → a (6)Δ intercombination excitation is reduced from at least 0.17 eV to about 0.04 eV.

Benchmarking the Lithium–Thiophene Complex

The equilibrium geometry and the binding energy of the lithium-thiophene complex are determined by means of an accurate composite scheme. The scheme is based on approximate explicitly correlated coupled-cluster theory with single and double excitations extended by higher-level excitations. Core correlation effects as well as relativistic, diagonal Born-Oppenheimer, and counterpoise corrections are also taken into account. The best estimate of the binding energy amounts to D(e)=41.2 kJ mol(-1), with a 95% confidence interval of ±1.0 kJ mol(-1).

Comment on “Revised electron affinity of SF6 from kinetic data” [J. Chem. Phys. 136, 121102 (2012)

The adiabatic electron affinity (AEA) of SF(6) has been calculated near the relativistic CCSDT(Q) basis set limit. Our best theoretical value (1.0340 ± 0.03 eV) is in excellent agreement with the recently revised experimental value of 1.03 ± 0.05 eV reported by Troe et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 136, 121102 (2012)]. While our best nonrelativistic, clamped-nuclei, valence CCSD(T) basis set limit value of 0.9058 eV is in good accord with the previously reported CCSD(T)/CBS values, to obtain an accurate AEA, several additional contributions need to be taken into account. The most important one is scalar-relativistic effects (0.0839 eV), followed by inner-shell correlation (0.0216 eV) and post-CCSD(T) correlation effects (0.0248 eV), the latter almost entirely due to connected quadruple excitations. The diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction is an order of magnitude less important at -0.0022 eV.

Calibration-quality adiabatic potential energy surfaces for ${\rm H}_3^+$H3+ and its isotopologues

Calibration-quality ab initio adiabatic potential energy surfaces (PES) have been determined for all isotopologues of the molecular ion H(3)(+). The underlying Born-Oppenheimer electronic structure computations used optimized explicitly correlated shifted Gaussian functions. The surfaces include diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections computed from the accurate electronic wave functions. A fit to the 41,655 ab initio points is presented which gives a standard deviation better than 0.1 cm(-1) when restricted to the points up to 6000 cm(-1) above the first dissociation asymptote. Nuclear motion calculations utilizing this PES, called GLH3P, and an exact kinetic energy operator given in orthogonal internal coordinates are presented. The ro-vibrational transition frequencies for H(3)(+), H(2)D(+), and HD(2)(+) are compared with high resolution measurements. The most sophisticated and complete procedure employed to compute ro-vibrational energy levels, which makes explicit allowance for the inclusion of non-adiabatic effects, reproduces all the known ro-vibrational levels of the H(3)(+) isotopologues considered to better than 0.2 cm(-1). This represents a significant (order-of-magnitude) improvement compared to previous studies of transitions in the visible. Careful treatment of linear geometries is important for high frequency transitions and leads to new assignments for some of the previously observed lines. Prospects for further investigations of non-adiabatic effects in the H(3)(+) isotopologues are discussed. In short, the paper presents (a) an extremely accurate global potential energy surface of H(3)(+) resulting from high accuracy ab initio computations and global fit, (b) very accurate nuclear motion calculations of all available experimental line data up to 16,000 cm(-1), and (c) results suggest that we can predict accurately the lines of H(3)(+) towards dissociation and thus facilitate their experimental observation.

The lowest-lying electronic singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces for the HNO–NOH system: Energetics, unimolecular rate constants, tunneling and kinetic isotope effects for the isomerization and dissociation reactions

The lowest-lying electronic singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces (PES) for the HNO-NOH system have been investigated employing high level ab initio quantum chemical methods. The reaction energies and barriers have been predicted for two isomerization and four dissociation reactions. Total energies are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit applying focal point analyses. Anharmonic zero-point vibrational energies, diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections, relativistic effects, and core correlation corrections are also taken into account. On the singlet PES, the (1)HNO → (1)NOH endothermicity including all corrections is predicted to be 42.23 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1). For the barrierless decomposition of (1)HNO to H + NO, the dissociation energy is estimated to be 47.48 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1). For (1)NOH → H + NO, the reaction endothermicity and barrier are 5.25 ± 0.2 and 7.88 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1). On the triplet PES the reaction energy and barrier including all corrections are predicted to be 7.73 ± 0.2 and 39.31 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1) for the isomerization reaction (3)HNO → (3)NOH. For the triplet dissociation reaction (to H + NO) the corresponding results are 29.03 ± 0.2 and 32.41 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1). Analogous results are 21.30 ± 0.2 and 33.67 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1) for the dissociation reaction of (3)NOH (to H + NO). Unimolecular rate constants for the isomerization and dissociation reactions were obtained utilizing kinetic modeling methods. The tunneling and kinetic isotope effects are also investigated for these reactions. The adiabatic singlet-triplet energy splittings are predicted to be 18.45 ± 0.2 and 16.05 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1) for HNO and NOH, respectively. Kinetic analyses based on solution of simultaneous first-order ordinary-differential rate equations demonstrate that the singlet NOH molecule will be difficult to prepare at room temperature, while the triplet NOH molecule is viable with respect to isomerization and dissociation reactions up to 400 K. Hence, our theoretical findings clearly explain why (1)NOH has not yet been observed experimentally.

Thermodynamic Properties of Arsenic Compounds and the Heat of Formation of the As Atom from High Level Electronic Structure Calculations

Structures, vibrational frequencies, atomization energies at 0 K, and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for the compounds As(2), AsH, AsH(2), AsH(3), AsF, AsF(2), and AsF(3) from frozen core coupled cluster theory calculations performed with large correlation consistent basis sets, up through augmented sextuple zeta quality. The coupled cluster calculations involved up through quadruple excitations. For As(2) and the hydrides, it was also possible to examine the impact of full configuration interaction on some of the properties. In addition, adjustments were incorporated to account for extrapolation to the frozen core complete basis set limit, core/valence correlation, scalar relativistic effects, the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction, and atomic spin orbit corrections. Based on our best theoretical D(0)(As(2)) and the experimental heat of formation of As(2), we propose a revised 0 K arsenic atomic heat of formation of 68.86 ± 0.8 kcal/mol. While generally good agreement was found between theory and experiment, the heat of formation of AsF(3) was an exception. Our best estimate is more than 7 kcal/mol more negative than the single available experimental value, which argues for a re-examination of that measurement.