Initio Intermolecular Potential Energy Surface Research Articles

Methane dimer rovibrational states and Raman transition moments.

Benchmark-quality rovibrational data are reported for the methane dimer from variational nuclear motion computations using an ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface reported by [M. P. Metz et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2019, 21, 13504-13525]. A simple polarizability model is used to compute Raman transition moments that may be relevant for future direct observation of the intermolecular dynamics. Non-negligible ΔK ≠ 0 transition moments arise in this symmetric top system due to strong rovibrational couplings.

A full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface and rovibrational spectra for OC-HF and OC-DF.

We present a full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (IPES) for the OC-HF van der Waals complex. 3167 ab initio points were computed at the frozen-core (FC) explicitly correlated coupled cluster [FC-CCSD(T)-F12b] level, with the augmented correlation-consistent polarized valence quadruple-zeta basis set plus bond functions. Basis set superposition error correction was also considered by the full counterpoise procedure. Gaussian process regression (GPR) was used to map out the potential energy surface, while a multipole expansion method was employed to smooth the ab initio noise of intermolecular potential in the long range. The global minimum of -1248.364cm-1 was located at the linear configuration with the C atom pointing toward the H atom of the HF molecule. In addition, a local minimum of -602.026cm-1 was found at another linear configuration with the O atom pointing toward the H atom of the HF molecule. The eigenstates were calculated on the vibrational averaged four-dimensional IPESs with the mixed radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation method and Lanczos propagation algorithm. The dissociation energy D0 was calculated to be 701.827cm-1, well reproducing the experimental value of 732 ± 2cm-1. The dipole moment surfaces were also fitted by GPR from 3132 ab initio points calculated using the coupled cluster method [CCSD(T)] with AVTZ basis set plus bond functions. The frequencies and relative line intensities of rovibrational transitions in the HF (DF) and CO stretching bands were further calculated and compared well with the experimental results. These results indicate the high fidelity of the new IPES.

Quantum dynamics of the energy transfer for vibrationally excited HF (v = 7) colliding with D2 (v = 0): Theory assessing experiment.

It is still challenging to accurately qualify the rate coefficients for vibrationally excited molecules in experiment. In particular, for the energy transfer between HF (v = 7) and D2 (v = 0), which is a prototype for near resonant collisional transfer of vibrational excitation from one molecule to the other, the two available experimental results of rate coefficients contradict each other by a factor of nearly 20. In order to benchmark these data, in this work, the rate coefficients of vibration-vibration energy transfer processes of this system at temperatures ranging from 100 to 1500 K were calculated by employing the coupled-states approximation based on our recently developed full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface. The state-to-state rate coefficients were found to follow the general energy gap law. The calculated total vibration-vibration energy transfer rate coefficients decrease with the increase in the angular momentum of HF at most temperatures. The vibrational relaxation rate coefficient decreases monotonously with the temperature, and the calculated result of 8.1 × 10-11 cm3 mol-1 s-1 at room temperature is in very good agreement with the experimental value reported by Dzelzkalns and Kaufman [J. Chem. Phys. 77, 3508 (1982)].

Quantum Dynamics of Rotational Energy Transfer Processes for N2–HF and N2–DF Systems

The rate coefficients of rotationally inelastic collision processes for N2-HF as well as N2-DF systems were calculated by applying the recently developed coupled-states approximation including the nearest neighbor Coriolis couplings approach, based on the full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface. It was found that the energy gap law governs these energy transfer processes. For rotational quenching of N2 (j1 = 2-10) by the ground rotational state of HF, j1 = 6 and 5 have the maximum quenching rate for ortho-N2 and para-N2, respectively. Quenching rate coefficients for initially excited HF and DF (j2 = 1) in collisions with N2 were also reported, where N2-DF has a larger quenching rate than N2-HF due to larger density of states of the N2-DF system.

Explicitly correlated ab initio potential energy surface and predicted rovibrational spectra for H2O–N2 and D2O–N2 complexes

An ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) for the van der Waals complex of H2O-N2 that explicitly incorporates the intramolecular Q2 bending normal mode of the H2O monomer is presented. The electronic structure computations have been carried out at the explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)-F12] with an augmented correlation-consistent triple zeta basis set and an additional bond function. Analytic five-dimensional intermolecular PESs for ν2(H2O) = 0 and 1 are obtained by fitting to the multi-dimensional Morse/long-range potential function form. These fits to 40 890 points have the root-mean-square (rms) discrepancy of 0.88 cm-1 for interaction energies less than 2000.0 cm-1. The resulting vibrationally averaged PESs provide good representations of the experimental microwave and infrared data: for microwave transitions of H2O-N2, the rms discrepancy is only 0.0003 cm-1, and for infrared transitions of the A1 symmetry of the H2O(ν2 = 1 ← 0)-N2, the rms discrepancy is 0.001 cm-1. The calculated infrared band origin shifts associated with the ν2 bending vibration of water are 2.210 cm-1 and 1.323 cm-1 for H2O-N2 and D2O-N2, respectively, in good agreement with the experimental values of 2.254 cm-1 and 1.266 cm-1. The benchmark tests and comparisons of the predicted spectral properties are carried out between CCSD(T)-F12a and CCSD(T)-F12b approaches.

Analytic intermolecular potential energy surface and first-principles prediction of the rotational profiles for a symmetric top ion-atom complex: A case study of H3O+-Ar.

We presented the first three-dimensional (3D) ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) for the H3O+-Ar complex. The electronic structure computations were carried out at the explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory-F12 with an augmented correlation-consistent triple zeta basis set. Analytic 3D PES was obtained by least-squares fitting the multi-dimensional Morse/Long-Range (mdMLR) potential model to interaction energies, where the mdMLR function form was applied to the nonlinear ion-atom case for the first time. The 3D PES fitting to 1708 points has root-mean-square deviations of 0.19 cm-1 with only 108 parameters for interaction energies less than 500 cm-1. With the 3D PES of the H3O+-Ar complex, we employed the combined radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation method and Lanczos algorithm to calculate rovibrational energy levels. The rotational profiles of the O-H anti-stretching vibrational bands of v3 +(S)←0+ and v3 -(A)←0- for the H3O+-Ar complex were predicted and were in good agreement with the experimental results.

Ab Initio Intermolecular Potential Energy Surfaces and Cross Second Virial Coefficients for the Dimer N2-NO.

Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces (PES) of N2-NO have been constructed at the level of theory CCSD(T) with the augmented correlation-consistent basis sets aug-cc-pVmZ (with m = 2, 3, 4). The nitrogen in the closed-shell electronic configuration X1Σ+ and nitric oxide in the open-shell electronic configuration A2Σ+ were employed to calculate ab initio intermolecular interaction energies. The two new ab initio 5-site intermolecular pair potentials at the theoretical level CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVmZ (with m = 4, 24) were developed appropriately and are suitable for N2-NO dimer by using the nonlinear least-squares fitting method combining MIO and Levenberg–Marquardt algorithms. The correlation quality of these two potentials was found to be very good with R2 values in the range of 0.98372 to 0.99775. The cross second virial coefficients B12(T) of the N2-NO dimer were calculated in the temperature range of 100 to 470 K using the two ab initio 5-site potentials. The discrepancies between the calculated results and the experimental data can be acceptable.

A full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface and ro-vibrational spectra for N2-HF and N2-DF.

A full-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (IPES) is reported in this paper for van der Waals complex N2-HF. The calculations were performed by employing the explicitly correlated coupled cluster [CCSD (T)-F12a] method with the augmented correlation-consistent aug-cc-pVTZ basis set plus bond functions. The basis set superposition error was corrected by the full counterpoise procedure. About 55 000 ab initio points were calculated and then fitted by the permutation invariant polynomial neural network approach with a root-mean-square error of 0.433 cm-1. The potential energy surface features two equivalent linear minima with a well depth of 811.012 cm-1 separated by a barrier of 635.836 cm-1. The ro-vibrational energy levels for N2-HF and N2-DF were calculated based on the vibrationally averaged 4D IPESs with the radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation method and Lanczos propagation algorithm. The calculated frequencies and the relative line intensities in the HF (DF) stretching band agree well with the available observed spectra. The theoretical band origins are all red shifted relative to the isolated HF (DF) molecule and reproduce the experimental values well. The results of ro-vibrational state calculations demonstrate the high accuracy of our new PES.

Theoretical investigation of potential energy surface and bound states for the N2-OCS van der Waals complex.

In this work we report an ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface and theoretically spectroscopic studies for N2-OCS complex. A four-dimensional intermolecular potential energy surface (4D PES) is constructed at the level of single and double excitation coupled-cluster method with a non-iterative perturbation treatment of triple excitations [CCSD(T)] with aug-cc-pVTZ basis set supplemented with bond functions. A global minimum corresponding to a planar and nearly T-shaped structure, which has been observed experimentally, is located at R = 3.96 Å, θ1 = 8 or 172°, θ2 = 75°, φ = 180 or 0° with a well depth of 271.078 cm-1 on the potential energy surface. The local minimum corresponding to a linear geometry is also found at R = 5.06 Å, θ1 = 2 or 178°, θ2 = 179°, φ = 0 or 180° with a well depth of 224.743 cm-1. The bound state calculations have been performed for the complex by approximating the N2 and OCS molecules as the rigid rotors. The calculated structural parameters and rotational transition frequencies are in good agreement with the experimental observed values. Based on the ab initio PES, the tunneling splitting is calculated to be 0.052 cm-1 for the ground vibrational state, which can just reproduce 64% of experimental observation (0.082 cm-1). A refined method is used to calculate the tunneling splitting, and a much better result is obtained with the value of 0.094 cm-1.

Computational study of the ro-vibrational spectrum of CO-CO2.

An accurate ab initio ground-state intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) was determined for the CO-CO2 van der Waals dimer. The Lanczos algorithm was used to compute rovibrational energies on this PES. For both the C-in and O-in T-shaped isomers, the fundamental transition frequencies agree well with previous experimental results. We confirm that the in-plane states previously observed are geared states. In addition, we have computed and assigned many other vibrational states. The rotational constants we determine from J = 1 energy levels agree well with their experimental counterparts. Planar and out-of-plane cuts of some of the wavefunctions we compute are quite different, indicating strong coupling between the bend and torsional modes. Because the stable isomers are T-shaped, vibration along the out-of-plane coordinates is very floppy. In CO-CO2, when the molecule is out-of-plane, interconversion of the isomers is possible, but the barrier height is higher than the in-plane geared barrier height.

Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface for the CO2-N2 system and related thermophysical properties.

A four-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the interaction between a rigid carbon dioxide molecule and a rigid nitrogen molecule was constructed based on quantum-chemical ab initio calculations up to the coupled-cluster level with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations. Interaction energies for a total of 1893 points on the PES were calculated using the counterpoise-corrected supermolecular approach and basis sets of up to quintuple-zeta quality with bond functions. The interaction energies were extrapolated to the complete basis set limit, and an analytical site-site potential function with seven sites for carbon dioxide and five sites for nitrogen was fitted to the interaction energies. The CO2-N2 cross second virial coefficient as well as the dilute gas shear viscosity, thermal conductivity, and binary diffusion coefficient of CO2-N2 mixtures were calculated for temperatures up to 2000 K to validate the PES and to provide reliable reference values for these important properties. The calculated values are in very good agreement with the best experimental data.

Rotational Spectroscopy of the NH3–H2 Molecular Complex

Abstract We report the first high resolution spectroscopic study of the NH3–H2 van der Waals molecular complex. Three different experimental techniques, a molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer, a millimeter-wave intracavity jet OROTRON spectrometer, and a submillimeter-wave jet spectrometer with multipass cell, were used to detect pure rotational transitions of NH3–H2 in the wide frequency range from 39 to 230 GHz. Two nuclear spin species, (o)-NH3–(o)-H2 and (p)-NH3–(o)-H2, have been assigned as carriers of the observed lines on the basis of accompanying rovibrational calculations performed using the ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of Maret et al. The experimental spectra were compared with the theoretical bound state results, thus providing a critical test of the quality of the NH3–H2 PES, which is a key issue for reliable computations of the collisional excitation and de-excitation of ammonia in the dense interstellar medium.

Free rotor model or rigid rotor model for CH3F-Ne complex and comparison with other CH3F-rare gas systems

The assignment of the rovibrational spectra of molecule-Ne complexes is always a challenge to study van der Waals systems, since they usually exhibit behavior intermediate between free rotor and rigid rotor. In this paper, the microwave and infrared spectra of CH3F-Ne, a model system for symmetric-top-atom dimer, were firstly predicted and analyzed based on the four-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces(PESs), which explicitly incorporate the v3(C—F) stretch normal model coordinate of the CH3F monomer. Analytic three-dimensional PESs were obtained by least-squares fitting vibrationally averaged interaction energies for v3(CH3F)=0 and 1 to the Morse/long-range(MLR) potential function for symmetry top impurity with atom model. These PESs fitting to 2340 points have root-mean-square(RMS) deviations of 0.07 cm–1, and require only 167 parameters. Based on the analytical vibrationally averaged PESs, the rovibrational energy levels were calculated by employing Lanczos algorithm, with combined radial discrete variable representation and parity-adapted angular finite basis representation. Based on the wavefunction analysis and comparison of CH3F-Ne with CH3F-He and CH3F-Ar complexes, the bound states were assigned. Spectral parameters for CH3F-Rg(Rg: rare gas, Rg=He, Ne, Ar) complexes were fitted and discussed. Temperature dependent transition intensities for CH3F-Ne were also reported and analyzed. The complete microwave and infrared spectra information for CH3F-Ne made it possible to provide important guidance for future experimental spectroscopic assignments.

Influence of a magnetic field on the viscosity of a dilute gas consisting of linear molecules

The viscomagnetic effect for two linear molecules, N2 and CO2, has been calculated in the dilute-gas limit directly from the most accurate ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces presently available. The calculations were performed by means of the classical trajectory method in the temperature range from 70 K to 3000 K for N2 and 100 K to 2000 K for CO2, and agreement with the available experimental data is exceptionally good. Above room temperature, where no experimental data are available, the calculations provide the first quantitative information on the magnitude and the behavior of the viscomagnetic effect for these gases. In the presence of a magnetic field, the viscosities of nitrogen and carbon dioxide decrease by at most 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively. The results demonstrate that the viscomagnetic effect is dominated by the contribution of the jj¯ polarization at all temperatures, which shows that the alignment of the rotational axes of the molecules in the presence of a magnetic field is primarily responsible for the viscomagnetic effect.

The infrared spectrum of the Ne-C2D2 complex.

Infrared spectra of Ne-C2D2 are observed in the region of the ν3 fundamental band (asymmetric C-D stretch, ≈2440 cm(-1)) using a tunable optical parametric oscillator to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet expansion from a cooled nozzle. Like helium-acetylene, this system lies close to the free rotor limit, making analysis tricky because stronger transitions tend to pile up close to monomer (C2D2) rotation-vibration transitions. Assignments are aided by predicted rotational energies calculated from a published ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface. The analysis extends up to the j = 3←2 band, where j labels C2D2 rotation within the dimer, and is much more complete than the limited infrared assignments previously reported for Ne-C2H2 and Ne-C2HD. Two previous microwave transitions within the j = 1 state of Ne-C2D2 are reassigned. Coriolis model fits to the theoretical levels and to the spectrum are compared. Since the variations observed as a function of C2D2 vibrational excitation are comparable to those noted between theory and experiment, it is evident that more detailed testing of theory will require vibrational averaging over the acetylene intramolecular modes.

Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces of the Kr–CS2 and Xe–CS2 complexes

A three-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces for the Kr–CS2 and Xe–CS2 complexes was constructed at the coupled-cluster singles and doubles with noniterative inclusion of connected triples [CCSD(T)] level with a large basis set plus midpoint bond functions (3s3p2d1f1g). The Q3 normal mode for the υ3 antisymmetric stretching vibration of the CS2 molecule was involved in the construction of the potential. Two vibrationally averaged potentials with CS2 at both the ground (υ=0) and the first excited (υ=1) υ3 vibrational states were generated from the integration of the three-dimensional potential over the Q3 coordinate. Both potentials have a T-shaped global minimum and two equivalent linear local minima. The radial discrete variable representation (DVR)/angular finite basis representation (FBR) method and the Lanczos algorithm were applied to calculate the rovibrational energy levels. The spectroscopic parameters based on the two averaged potentials were also predicted. The predicted band origin shifts are −0.7866cm−1 for Kr–CS2 and −1.0658cm−1 for Xe–CS2, respectively.

Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface and thermophysical properties of nitrous oxide.

We present an analytical intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) for two rigid nitrous oxide (N2O) molecules derived from high-level quantum-chemical ab initio calculations. Interaction energies for 2018 N2O-N2O configurations were computed utilizing the counterpoise-corrected supermolecular approach at the CCSD(T) level of theory using basis sets up to aug-cc-pVQZ supplemented with bond functions. A site-site potential function with seven sites per N2O molecule was fitted to the pair interaction energies. We validated our PES by computing the second virial coefficient as well as shear viscosity and thermal conductivity in the dilute-gas limit. The values of these properties are substantiated by the best experimental data.

The study of basis sets for the calculation of the structure and dynamics of the benzene-Kr complex.

An ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) has been constructed for the benzene-krypton (BKr) van der Waals (vdW) complex. The interaction energy has been calculated at the coupled cluster level of theory with single, double, and perturbatively included triple excitations using different basis sets. As a result, a few analytical PESs of the complex have been determined. They allowed a prediction of the complex structure and its vibrational vdW states. The vibrational energy level pattern exhibits a distinct polyad structure. Comparison of the equilibrium structure, the dipole moment, and vibrational levels of BKr with their experimental counterparts has allowed us to design an optimal basis set composed of a small Dunning's basis set for the benzene monomer, a larger effective core potential adapted basis set for Kr and additional midbond functions. Such a basis set yields vibrational energy levels that agree very well with the experimental ones as well as with those calculated from the available empirical PES derived from the microwave spectra of the BKr complex. The basis proposed can be applied to larger complexes including Kr because of a reasonable computational cost and accurate results.

The infrared spectrum of the He-C2D2 complex.

Spectra of the helium-acetylene complex are elusive because this weakly bound system lies close to the free rotor limit. Previously, limited assignments of He-C2D2 transitions in the R(0) region of the ν3 fundamental band (≈2440 cm(-1)) were published. Here, new He-C2D2 infrared spectra of this band are obtained using a tunable optical parametric oscillator laser source to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet expansion from a cooled nozzle, and the analysis is extended to the weaker and more difficult P(1) and R(1) regions. A term value approach is used to obtain a consistent set of "experimental" energy levels. These are compared directly with calculations using two recently reported ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces, which exhibit small but significant differences. Rovibrational energies for the He-C2H2 complex are also calculated using both surfaces. A Coriolis model, useful for predicting spectral intensities, is used to interpret the energy level patterns, and a comparison with the isoelectronic complex He-CO is made.

Analytical Morse/long-range model potential and predicted infrared and microwave spectra for a symmetric top-atom dimer: a case study of CH₃F-He.

Four-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces (PESs) for CH3F-He that explicitly incorporates dependence on the Q3 stretching normal mode of the CH3F molecule and are parametrically dependent on the other averaged intramolecular coordinates have been calculated. Analytical three-dimensional PESs for v3(CH3F) = 0 and 1 are obtained by least-squares fitting the vibrationally averaged potentials to the Morse/Long-Range potential function form. With the 3D PESs, we employ Lanczos algorithm to calculate rovibrational levels of the dimer system. Following some re-assignments, the predicted transition frequencies are in good agreement with experimental microwave data for ortho-CH3F, with the root-mean-square deviation of 0.042 cm(-1). We then provide the first prediction of the infrared and microwave spectra for the para-CH3F-He dimer. The calculated infrared band origin shifts associated with the ν3 fundamental of CH3F are 0.039 and 0.069 cm(-1) for para-CH3F-He and ortho-CH3F-He, respectively.