Stretch Overtone Region Research Articles

Assigning the CH stretch overtone spectrum of benzene and naphthalene with extension to anthracene and tetracene using 2- and 3-quanta anharmonic quantum chemical computations.

The CH stretch overtone region (5750-6300 cm-1) of benzene and naphthalene is assigned herein using anharmonic quantum chemical computations, and the trend of how this extends to larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is established. The assignment of all experimental bands to specific vibrational states is performed for the first time. Resonance polyads and the inclusion of 3-quanta vibrational states are both needed to compute accurate vibrational frequencies with the proper density-of-states to match the experimental band shape. Hundreds of 3-quanta states produce the observed band structure in naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene, and this number is expected to increase drastically for larger PAHs. The width and shape of the main peak are consistent from naphthalene to anthracene, necessitating further exploration of this trend to confirm whether it is representative of all PAHs in the CH stretch overtone region. Understanding observations of PAH sources in the 1-3 μm region from the NIRSpec instrument aboard JWST requires new computational data, and this study provides a benchmark and foundation for their computation.

Understanding the high-resolution spectral signature of the N2-H2O van der Waals complex in the 2OH stretch region.

We present the observation of the N2-H2O van der Waals complex in the 2OH stretch overtone region. The high-resolution jet cooled spectra were measured using a sensitive continuous wave cavity ringdown spectrometer. Several bands were observed and vibrationally assigned in terms of ν1, ν2, and ν3, the vibrational quantum numbers of the isolated H2O molecule, as (ν1'ν2'ν3')←(ν1″ν2″ν3″)=(200)←(000) and (101) ← (000). A combination band involving the excitation of the in-plane bending motion of N2 and the (101) vibration of water is also reported. The spectra were analyzed using a set of four asymmetric top rotors, each associated with a nuclear spin isomer. Several local perturbations of the (101) vibrational state were observed. These perturbations were assigned to the presence of the nearby (200) vibrational state and to the combination of (200) with intermolecular modes.

Unraveling Conformer-Specific Sources of Hydroxyl Radical Production from an Isoprene-Derived Criegee Intermediate by Deuteration.

Ozonolysis of isoprene, the most abundant volatile organic compounds emitted into the Earth's troposphere after methane, yields three distinct Criegee intermediates. Among these, methyl vinyl ketone oxide (MVK-oxide) is predicted to be the major source of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) from isoprene ozonolysis. Previously, Barber et al. [ J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140, pp 10866-10880] demonstrated that syn-MVK-oxide conformers undergo unimolecular decay via 1,4-hydrogen (H) transfer from the methyl group to the adjacent terminal oxygen atom, followed by the prompt release of OH radical products. Here, we selectively deuterate the methyl group of MVK-oxide (d3-MVK-oxide) and record its IR action spectrum in the vinyl CH stretch overtone (2νCH) region. The resultant time-dependent appearance of OD radical products, detected by laser-induced fluorescence, demonstrates that a unimolecular decay of d3-MVK-oxide proceeds by an analogous 1,4-deuterium (D) atom transfer mechanism anticipated for syn conformers. The experimental spectral and temporal results are compared with the calculated IR absorption spectrum and unimolecular decay rates predicted by the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory for syn-d3-MVK-oxide, as well as the prior study on syn-MVK-oxide. The d3-MVK-oxide IR action spectrum is similar to that for MVK-oxide, yet exhibits notable changes as the overtone and combination transitions involving CD stretch shift to a lower frequency. The unimolecular decay rate for d3-MVK-oxide is predicted to be a factor of 40 times slower than that for MVK-oxide in the 2νCH region. Experimentally, the temporal profile of the OD products reflects the slower unimolecular decay of d3-MVK-oxide compared to that for MVK-oxide to OH products as well as experimental factors. Both experiment and theory demonstrate that quantum mechanical tunneling plays a very important role in the 1,4-H/D-transfer processes at energies in the vicinity of the transition-state barrier. The similarities of the IR action spectra and changes in the unimolecular decay dynamics upon deuteration indicate that syn conformers make the main contribution to the IR action spectra of MVK-oxide and d3-MVK-oxide.

Mode-specific vibrational predissociation dynamics of (HCl)2 via the free and bound HCl stretch overtones.

Velocity-map ion imaging has been used to study the vibrational predissociation dynamics of the HCl dimer following infrared (IR) excitation in the HCl stretch overtone region near 1.77 Å. HCl monomer predissociation products were detected state-selectively using 2 + 1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. The IR action spectrum shows the free HCl stretch (2ν1), the bound HCl stretch (2ν2), and a combination band involving the intermolecular van der Waals stretching mode (2ν2 + ν4). Fragment speed distributions extracted from ion images obtained for a range of HCl(v = 0, 1; J) levels following vibrational excitation on the 2ν1 and 2ν2 bands yield the correlated product pair distributions. All product pairs comprise HCl(v = 1) + HCl(v = 0) and show a strong propensity to minimize the recoil kinetic energy. Highly non-statistical and mode-dependent HCl product rotational distributions are observed, in contrast to that observed following stretch fundamental excitation. Predissociation lifetimes are also mode-dependent: excitation of the free HCl leads to τVP = 13 ± 1 ns, while the bound stretch has a shorter lifetime τVP ≤ 6 ns. The dimer dissociation energy determined from energy conservation (D0 = 397 ± 7 cm-1) is slightly smaller than the previously reported values. The results are discussed in the context of previous observations for (HF)2 and (HCl)2 after excitation of HX stretch fundamentals and models for vibrational predissociation.

Experimental and theoretical studies of the doubly substituted methyl-ethyl Criegee intermediate: Infrared action spectroscopy and unimolecular decay to OH radical products.

The infrared (IR) action spectrum of the doubly substituted methyl-ethyl Criegee intermediate (MECI) is observed in the CH stretch overtone region with detection of OH products. The MECI exhibits four conformers, all of which undergo unimolecular decay via a 1,4 H-atom transfer mechanism, followed by the rapid release of OH products. Conformers with different orientations of the carbonyl oxide group with respect to the methyl and ethyl substituents (i.e., anti and syn) decay via distinct transition state barriers (16.1 kcal mol-1 and 15.4 kcal mol-1, respectively). The observed IR action spectrum is in good agreement with the predicted anharmonic IR absorption spectrum, but exhibits significant congestion, which is attributed to couplings between spectroscopic bright states and nearby dark states. Energy-dependent OH appearance rates are measured upon IR excitation of the strongest features in the IR action spectrum and are found to be on the order of 106-107 s-1. The experimental rates are in good agreement with computed Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus rates for the unimolecular decay of MECI at these energies, which incorporate quantum mechanical tunneling and sophisticated hindered rotor treatments, as well as high-level theoretical calculations of the TS barrier heights, rovibrational properties, and torsional barriers associated with the MECI conformers. Master equation modeling is used to predict thermal rates for the unimolecular decay of anti- and syn-MECI of 473 s-1 and 660 s-1, respectively. Comparison with other previously studied Criegee intermediate systems provides insights into substituent effects on unimolecular decay under both energy-dependent and thermal conditions.

Velocity map imaging of OH radical products from IR activated (CH3)2COO Criegee intermediates.

The unimolecular dissociation dynamics of the dimethyl-substituted Criegee intermediate (CH3)2COO is examined experimentally using velocity map imaging to ascertain the translational and internal energy distributions of the OH and H2CC(CH3)O radical products. The energy profile of key features along the reaction coordinate is also evaluated theoretically. Unimolecular decay of (CH3)2COO is initiated by vibrational activation in the CH stretch overtone region and the resultant OH X(2)Π3/2 (v = 0) products are state-selectively ionized and imaged. Analysis reveals an isotropic spatial distribution, indicative of a 3 ps lower limit for the timescale of dissociation, and a broad and unstructured total kinetic energy release distribution. The energy released to products is partitioned principally as internal excitation of the H2CC(CH3)O fragments with modest translational excitation of the fragments and a small degree of OH rotational excitation. The total kinetic energy release distribution observed for (CH3)2COO is compared with that predicted for statistical partitioning over product quantum states, and contrasted with recent experimental and quasi-classical trajectory results for syn-CH3CHOO [N. M. Kidwell et al., Nat. Chem. 8, 509 (2016)].

Direct observation of unimolecular decay of CH3CH2CHOO Criegee intermediates to OH radical products.

The unimolecular decay of carbonyl oxide intermediates, known as Criegee intermediates, produced in alkene ozonolysis is a significant source of OH radicals in the troposphere. Here, the rate of appearance of OH radical products is examined directly in the time-domain for a prototypical alkyl-substituted Criegee intermediate, CH3CH2CHOO, following vibrational activation under collision-free conditions. Complementary statistical Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations of the microcanonical unimolecular decay rate for CH3CH2CHOO are also carried out at energies in the vicinity of the barrier for 1,4 hydrogen atom transfer that leads to OH products. Tunneling through the barrier, derived from high level electronic structure calculations, contributes significantly to the decay rate. Infrared transitions of CH3CH2CHOO are identified in the CH stretch overtone region, which are detected by ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence of the resultant OH products. The features observed are attributed to CH vibrational excitations and conformational forms utilizing insights from theory. Both experiment and theory yield unimolecular decay rates for CH3CH2CHOO of ca. 10(7) s(-1), which are slower than those obtained for syn-CH3CHOO or (CH3)2COO reported previously [Fang et al., J. Chem. Phys. 144, 061102 (2016)] at similar energies. Master equation modeling is also utilized to predict the thermal decay rate of CH3CH2CHOO under atmospheric conditions, giving a rate of 279 s(-1) at 298 K.

Direct production of OH radicals upon CH overtone activation of (CH3)2COO Criegee intermediates.

Ozonolysis of alkenes, a principle non-photolytic source of atmospheric OH radicals, proceeds through unimolecular decay of energized carbonyl oxide intermediates, known as Criegee intermediates. In this work, cold dimethyl-substituted Criegee intermediates are vibrationally activated in the CH stretch overtone region to drive the 1,4 hydrogen transfer reaction that leads to OH radical products. IR excitation of (CH3)2COO reveals the vibrational states with sufficient oscillator strength, coupling to the reaction coordinate, and energy to surmount the effective barrier (≤ 16.0 kcal mol(-1)) to reaction. Insight on the dissociation dynamics is gleaned from homogeneous broadening of the spectral features, indicative of rapid intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution and/or reaction, as well as the quantum state distribution of the OH X(2)Π (v = 0) products. The experimental results are compared with complementary electronic structure calculations, which provide the IR absorption spectrum and geometric changes along the intrinsic reaction coordinate. Additional theoretical analysis reveals the vibrational modes and couplings that permit (CH3)2COO to access to the transition state region for reaction. The experimental and theoretical results are compared with an analogous recent study of the IR activation of syn-CH3CHOO and its unimolecular decay to OH products [F. Liu, J. M. Beames, A. S. Petit, A. B. McCoy, and M. I. Lester, Science 345, 1596 (2014)].

The most stable conformer of benzyl alcohol

We have recorded room temperature OH stretching overtone spectra of benzyl alcohol in the second and third overtone regions and jet-cooled OH stretching spectra in the fundamental and third overtone region. The spectra were recorded using photoacoustic and nonresonant ionization techniques, respectively. The spectra are characterized by a single band for each OH stretching overtone region suggesting the existence of one dominant stable conformer. In addition, our mass selected resonance enhanced multi photon ionization spectrum shows only one origin band. Ab initio calculations for benzyl alcohol yielded a lowest energy conformer adopting a gauche cis conformation around the alcoholic group, which is supported by our calculated OH stretching intensities.

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy of jet-cooled silane isotopologues in the Si–H stretch overtone region

Absorption spectra of silane in the region of the first overtone of the Si-H stretch vibration have been recorded in a seeded supersonic jet expansion by cavity ring-down spectroscopy as well as in a static gas cell at room temperature by photoacoustic spectroscopy. Spectral simplification due to strong rotational cooling in the jet expansion enables us to clearly resolve and assign the rovibrational transitions of the (2000) and (1100) bands of the three isotopologues, (28)SiH(4), (29)SiH(4), and (30)SiH(4), in their natural isotopic abundance. Interconversion between different nuclear spin species of SiH(4) is found to be absent during the jet expansion. Isotope shifts for (29)SiH(4) and (30)SiH(4) relative to (28)SiH(4) are measured and found to be suitable for selective vibrational excitation of any of three silane isotopologues by pulsed laser excitation in a jet expansion.

Local mode and normal mode models for molecules with two non-equivalent C–H bonds

For molecules with C–H bonds, a local mode description of the bonds is often adopted to interpret the C–H stretching overtone spectra, although a representation in terms of normal modes is also possible. The equivalence between the two alternative representations demands simple numerical equations between the normal mode anharmonicity constants x rs and the quartic anharmonic coupling constants K rstu , the so-called ‘x–K relations’. The relations appropriate for low symmetry molecules with two non-equivalent C–H bonds (ν1, ν2), such as XHC = CHY, are derived in this paper. The consequences of these relations are illustrated with a detailed analysis of the C–H stretching overtone region, where the naive application of the relations obtained for more symmetric molecules could lead to a different interpretation of the overtones 2v 1 and 2ν2 and of the combination band ν1 + ν2. The relations are tested with theoretical calculations for difluoro- and chlorofluoro-substituted ethenes, propadiene, and butatrienes.

Nonstatistical energy flow in the first N–H stretch overtone region of methylamine

Methylamine (CH 3NH 2) molecules, excited to vibrational states lying in the energy window of the first N–H stretch overtone, were studied by room temperature photoacoustic spectroscopy and jet-cooled action spectroscopy. Benefiting from both types of spectra and specifically from the narrowed action spectrum, a multiband structure was revealed. Simulation of the spectral contours allowed retrieving the band origins, band types and transition linewidths. The linewidths indicate that the energy redistribution occurs nonstatistically and that the 2 ν 10 state (antisymmetric N–H stretch) is relatively longer lived.

Conformational dependence of intramolecular vibrational redistribution in methanol

Previous state-selected spectra of methanol in the 5nu(1) OH stretch overtone region [O. V. Boyarkin, T. R. Rizzo, and D. S. Perry, J. Chem. Phys. 110, 11346 (1999)] revealed a structure indicating an intramolecular vibrational redistribution on three time scales. Whereas in that work, methanol in the 5nu(1) bright state was prepared close to the staggered conformation, methanol in the "partially eclipsed" conformation is prepared here by double resonance excitation through a torsionally excited intermediate state. The excited molecules are detected by infrared laser assisted photofragment spectroscopy. In partially eclipsed methanol, the strong coupling of the nu(1) OH stretch to the nu(2) CH stretch becomes weaker, but the coupling responsible for the widths of the narrowest features becomes stronger.

Vibrationally mediated photodissociation of ethene isotopic variants preexcited to the fourth C–H stretch overtone

H and D photofragments produced via vibrationally mediated photodissociation of jet-cooled normal ethene (C2H4), 1,2-trans-d2-ethene (HDCCDH), and 1,1-d2-ethene (CH2CD2), initially excited to the fourth C-H stretch overtone region, were studied for the first time. H and D vibrational action spectra and Doppler profiles were measured. The action spectra include partially resolved features due to rotational cooling, while the monitored room temperature photoacoustic spectra exhibit only a very broad feature in each species. Simulation of the spectral contours allowed determination of the band types and origins, limited precision rotational constants, and linewidths, providing time scales for energy redistribution. The H and D Doppler profiles correspond to low average translational energies and show slight preferential C-H over C-D bond cleavage in the deuterated variants. The propensities toward H photofragments emerge even though the energy flow out of the initially prepared C-H stretch is on a picosecond time scale and the photodissociation occurs following internal conversion, indicating a more effective release of the light H atoms.

High-resolution Fourier-transform intra-cavity laser absorption study of H 12C 13CH and H 13C 13CH at around 12 600 cm −1: a case of strong anharmonic resonances

Fourier-transform intra-cavity laser absorption spectroscopy has been used to record high-resolution vibration–rotation overtone spectra of carbon-13 substituted acetylenes, H 12C 13CH and H 13C 13CH, in the third CH stretching overtone region between 12 500 and 12 730 cm −1. The observed spectra of both species contain only parallel bands for which rovibrational spectroscopic parameters have been determined. Several anharmonic resonances have been identified and rotationally analysed using traditional vibration–rotation theory. Altogether six bands, which include ν 1 + 3 ν 3 and 4 ν 3 for H 12C 13CH and ν 1 + 3 ν 3 for H 13C 13CH, have been observed for both species. Four of the six bands in each molecule are reported for the first time.

First stretching overtone of BiH3: an extreme local-mode case for XH3-type molecule?

The first stretching overtone region of short-lived, formerly inaccessible BiH3 near 3405 cm(-1) has been measured by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with a resolution of 0.0066 cm(-1). Only the 2nu1(A1)/nu1+nu3(E) band system has been observed. Rotational analysis, with transitions reaching J'max=14, has revealed almost perfect local-mode behavior for the upper states denoted as (200A1/E) in the local-mode notation. Ratios of vibration-rotation interaction parameters q(eff)/alpha(eff)(BB) and r(eff)/alpha(eff)(BC), and the appropriate rotational constant differences, are in good agreement with theoretical local-mode limit values. A simple stretching vibrational model reproduces the observed vibrational term values well, and the potential parameters obtained are close to true values.

Calculation of spectroscopic parameters and vibrational overtones of methanol

A high-level quartic ab initio potential energy surface of methanol has been used to calculate spectroscopic constants of the 12CH3OH molecule. These include coefficients of quartic anharmonic resonance terms, Darling-Dennison constants, for stretching states. A model expressed in terms of dimensionless normal coordinates has been employed in the calculation of O—H and C—H stretching vibrational states in high-overtone regions. Both cubic Fermi and quartic Darling-Dennison anharmonic coupling terms have been included in the model in order to take into account strong resonances between different states. The nonlinear least-squares method has been used to optimize some of the model parameters employing experimental term values of 12CH3OH as data. Vibrational assignments are suggested for the first C—H stretching overtone region.

IR-induced interconversions between five conformers of methanol dimers trapped in nitrogen matrix

Interconversions between five open-chain conformers of methanol dimer trapped in solid nitrogen have been studied through selective excitation of their CH and OH stretching modes. A nearly complete vibrational assignment for three of them is deduced from these irradiation effects and also from thermal conversion observed between 7 and 8 K. Kinetic studies allow us to precise the schemes of conversion and, in favourable cases, to get the quantum yields which are significantly mode dependent. A careful examination of the CO stretching overtone region, around 2050 cm −1, led to the identification of a simultaneous transition of the CO stretching mode of both molecules, with intensities strongly varying according to the conformer. Such a variation is accounted for in the framework of the theory of the intensities of combination transitions, assuming a dipole-dipole interaction between the two CO bonds.

Theoretical study of vibrational overtone spectroscopy and dynamics of methanol

Experimentally observed coupling between OH and CH stretching modes in the high overtone region has been modeled successfully in terms of a curvilinear internal coordinate Hamiltonian including harmonic coupling between anharmonic OH and CH stretching oscillators and cubic Fermi resonance kinetic and potential energy couplings between CH stretches and HCH bends. The Hamiltonian matrices have been set up in block diagonal forms including only resonant states. The potential-energy parameters have been optimized by the least-squares method using experimental vibrational term values as data. The OH/CH stretch interaction parameter obtained agrees well with the one calculated by perturbation theory from a published ab initio harmonic force field. The model has reproduced well experimental band origins in the OH stretching overtone region, and it has provided assignments for the bending overtones in the CH stretching fundamental region. Finally, a unitary transformation is found from the internal coordinate representation to the corresponding normal coordinate representation providing a set of normal coordinate parameters like diagonal anharmonicity parameters, Darling–Dennison resonance constants and cubic Fermi resonance force constants. The results confirm the experimental finding of energy redistribution between the OH and CH stretching modes on subnanosecond time scale at 5νOH.

Fermi resonances and local modes in stibine, SbH3: A Fourier interferometric and laser photoacoustic study of the overtone spectrum

The third stretching overtone region of a natural sample of stibine, SbH3, has been studied with high resolution infrared spectroscopy and the fifth and the sixth overtone region with Ti:Sapphire ring laser intracavity photoacoustic spectroscopy. The third overtone consists of a local mode pair of bands (400A1/E) which have been rotationally assigned both for 121SbH3 and 123SbH3 with a vibration-rotation model based on rectilinear normal coordinates. The vibrational dependencies of the model parameters are explained well with a simple block diagonal vibrational model. An extension of the standard vibration-rotation model is used to show that the upper state rotational energy level structures of both isotopic species are close to the rotational structure of an asymmetric rotor. High resolution laser spectrum of the fifth overtone consisting of a local mode pair of bands (600A1/E) shows severe perturbations in the upper state rotational structure. The (510A1/E) and (700A1/E) bands have been recorded with low resolution. All experimentally known vibration-rotation band origins of 121SbH3 have been reproduced well with a curvilinear internal valence coordinate system based Fermi resonance local mode model. The potential energy surface obtained agrees well with recent ab initio results.