Structural and spectroscopic characterization of methyl isocyanate, methyl cyanate, methyl fulminate, and acetonitrile N-oxide using highly correlated ab initio methods.

Various astrophysical relevant molecules obeying the empirical formula C2H3NO are characterized using explicitly correlated coupled cluster methods (CCSD(T)-F12). Rotational and rovibrational parameters are provided for four isomers: methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO), methyl cyanate (CH3OCN), methyl fulminate (CH3ONC), and acetonitrile N-oxide (CH3CNO). A CH3CON transition state is inspected. A variational procedure is employed to explore the far infrared region because some species present non-rigidity. Second order perturbation theory is used for the determination of anharmonic frequencies, rovibrational constants, and to predict Fermi resonances. Three species, methyl cyanate, methyl fulminate, and CH3CON, show a unique methyl torsion hindered by energy barriers. In methyl isocyanate, the methyl group barrier is so low that the internal top can be considered a free rotor. On the other hand, acetonitrile N-oxide presents a linear skeleton, C3v symmetry, and free internal rotation. Its equilibrium geometry depends strongly on electron correlation. The remaining isomers present a bend skeleton. Divergences between theoretical rotational constants and previous parameters fitted from observed lines for methyl isocyanate are discussed on the basis of the relevant rovibrational interaction and the quasi-linearity of the molecular skeleton.

Theoretical spectroscopic characterization at low temperatures of S-methyl thioformate and O-methyl thioformate.

Highly correlated ab initio methods are employed to determine spectroscopic properties at low temperatures of two S-analogs of methyl formate: S-methyl thioformate CH3-S-CHO (MSCHO) and O-methyl thioformate CH3-O-CHS (MOCHS). Both species are detectable and they are expected to play an important role in Astrochemistry. Molecular properties are compared with those of the O-analog, methyl formate. Both isomers present two conformers cis and trans. cis-CH3-S-CHO represents the most stable structure lying 4372.2 cm(-1) below cis-CH3-O-CHS. The energy difference between the cis and trans forms is drastically lower for MSCHO (1134 cm(-1)) than for MOCHS (1963.6 cm(-1)). Harmonic and anharmonic fundamentals and the corresponding intensities, as well as the rotational constants for the ground vibrational and first excited torsional states and the centrifugal distortions constants, are provided. Low torsional energy levels have been obtained by solving variationally a two dimensional Hamiltonian expressed in terms of the two torsional degrees of freedom. The corresponding 2D potential energy surfaces have been computed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The methyl torsional barriers V3(cis) are determined to be 139.7 cm(-1) (CH3-S-CHO) and 670.4 cm(-1) (CH3-O-CHS). The A/E splitting of ground torsional state has been estimated to be 0.438 cm(-1) for CH3-S-CHO and negligible for CH3-O-CHS.

Theoretical spectroscopic characterization at low temperatures of detectable sulfur-organic compounds: ethyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide.

Highly correlated ab initio methods are used for the spectroscopic characterization of ethyl mercaptan (CH3CH2 (32)SH, ETSH) and dimethyl sulfide (CH3 (32)SCH3, DMS), considering them on the vibrational ground and excited torsional states. Since both molecules show non-rigid properties, torsional energy barriers and splittings are provided. Equilibrium geometries and the corresponding rotational constants are calculated by means of a composite scheme based on CCSD(T) calculations that accounts for the extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and core-correlation effects. The ground and excited states rotational constants are then determined using vibrational corrections obtained from CCSD/cc-pVTZ force-field calculations, which are also employed to determine anharmonic frequencies for all vibrational modes. CCSD(T) and CCSD force fields are employed to predict quartic and sextic centrifugal-distortion constants, respectively. Equilibrium rotational constants are also calculated using CCSD(T)-F12. The full-dimensional anharmonic analysis does not predict displacements of the lowest torsional excited states due to Fermi resonances with the remaining vibrational modes. Thus, very accurate torsional transitions are calculated by solving variationally two-dimensional Hamiltonians depending on the CH3 and SH torsional coordinates of ethyl mercaptan or on the two methyl groups torsions of dimethyl-sulfide. For this purpose, vibrationally corrected potential energy surfaces are computed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. For ethyl mercaptan, calculations show large differences between the gauche (g) and trans (t) conformer spectral features. Interactions between rotating groups are responsible for the displacements of the g-bands with respect to the t-bands that cannot therefore be described with one-dimensional models. For DMS, the CCSD(T) potential energy surface has been semi-empirically adjusted to reproduce experimental data. New assignments are suggested for the methyl torsion bands of ETSH and a reassignment is proposed for the infrared bands of DMS (0 3 → 0 4 and 1 0 → 1 1). Our accurate spectroscopic data should be useful for the analysis of the microwave and far infrared spectra of ETSH and DMS recorded, at low temperatures, either in laboratory or in the interstellar medium.

Highly correlated ab initio study of the far infrared spectra of methyl acetate.

Highly correlated ab initio calculations (CCSD(T)) are used to compute gas phase spectroscopic parameters of three isotopologues of the methyl acetate (CH(3)COOCH(3), CD(3)COOCH(3), and CH(3)COOCD(3)), searching to help experimental assignments and astrophysical detections. The molecule shows two conformers cis and trans separated by a barrier of 4457 cm(-1). The potential energy surface presents 18 minima that intertransform through three internal rotation motions. To analyze the far infrared spectrum at low temperatures, a three-dimensional Hamiltonian is solved variationally. The two methyl torsion barriers are calculated to be 99.2 cm(-1) (C-CH(3)) and 413.1 cm(-1) (O-CH(3)), for the cis-conformer. The three fundamental torsional band centers of CH(3)COOCH(3) are predicted to lie at 63.7 cm(-1) (C-CH(3)), 136.1 cm(-1) (O-CH(3)), and 175.8 cm(-1) (C-O torsion) providing torsional state separations. For the 27 vibrational modes, anharmonic fundamentals and rovibrational parameters are provided. Computed parameters are compared with those fitted using experimental data.

CCSD(T) study of CD3-O-CD3 and CH3-O-CD3 far-infrared spectra.

From a vibrationally corrected 3D potential energy surface determined with highly correlated ab initio calculations (CCSD(T)), the lowest vibrational energies of two dimethyl-ether isotopologues, (12)CH(3)-(16)O-(12)CD(3) (DME-d(3)) and (12)CD(3)-(16)O-(12)CD(3) (DME-d(6)), are computed variationally. The levels that can be populated at very low temperatures correspond to the COC-bending and the two methyl torsional modes. Molecular symmetry groups are used for the classification of levels and torsional splittings. DME-d(6) belongs to the G(36) group, as the most abundant isotopologue (12)CH(3)-(16)O-(12)CH(3) (DME-h(6)), while DME-d(3) is a G(18) species. Previous assignments of experimental Raman and far-infrared spectra are discussed from an effective Hamiltonian obtained after refining the ab initio parameters. Because a good agreement between calculated and experimental transition frequencies is reached, new assignments are proposed for various combination bands corresponding to the two deuterated isotopologues and for the 020 → 030 transition of DME-d(6). Vibrationally corrected potential energy barriers, structural parameters, and anharmonic spectroscopic parameters are provided. For the 3N - 9 neglected vibrational modes, harmonic and anharmonic fundamental frequencies are obtained using second-order perturbation theory by means of CCSD and MP2 force fields. Fermi resonances between the COC-bending and the torsional modes modify DME-d(3) intensities and the band positions of the torsional overtones.

CCSD(T) study of dimethyl-ether infrared and Raman spectra.

CCSD(T) state-of-the-art ab initio calculations are used to determine a vibrationally corrected three-dimensional potential energy surface of dimethyl-ether depending on the two methyl torsions and the COC bending angle. The surface is employed to obtain variationally the lowest vibrational energies that can be populated at very low temperatures. The interactions between the bending and the torsional coordinates are responsible for the displacements of the torsional overtone bands and several combination bands. The effect of these interactions on the potential parameters is analyzed. Second order perturbation theory is used as a help for the understanding of many spectroscopic parameters and to obtain anharmonic fundamentals for the 3N - 9 neglected modes as well as the rotational parameters. To evaluate the surface accuracy and to verify previous assignments, the calculated vibrational levels are compared with experimental data corresponding to the most abundant isotopologue. The surface has been empirically adjusted for understanding the origin of small divergences between ab initio calculations and experimental data. Our calculations confirm previous assignments and show the importance of including the COC bending degree of freedom for computing with a higher accuracy the excited torsional term values through the Fermi interaction. Besides, this work shows a possible lack of accuracy of some available experimental transition frequencies and proposes a new assignment for a transition line. As an example, the transition 100 → 120 has been computed at 445.93 cm(-1), which is consistent with the observed transition frequency in the Raman spectrum at 450.5 cm(-1).

CCSD(T) study of the far-infrared spectrum of ethyl methyl ether.

Band positions and intensities for the far-infrared bands of ethyl methyl ether are variationally determined from a three-dimensional (3D) potential energy surface calculated with CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ theory. For this purpose, the energies of 181 selected geometries computed optimizing 3n-9 parameters are fitted to a 3D Fourier series depending on three torsional coordinates. The zero point vibrational energy correction and the search of a correct definition of the methyl torsional coordinate are taken into consideration for obtaining very accurate frequencies. In addition, second order perturbation theory is applied on the two molecular conformers, trans and cis-gauche, in order to test the validity of the 3D model. Consequently, a new assignment of previous experimental bands, congruent with the new ab initio results, is proposed. For the most stable trans-conformer, the nu(30), nu(29), and nu(28) fundamental transitions, computed at 115.3, 206.5, and 255.2 cm(-1), are correlated with the observed bands at 115.4, 202, and 248 cm(-1). For the cis-gauche the three band positions are computed at 91.0, 192.5, and 243.8 cm(-1). Calculations on the -d(3) isotopomer confirm our assignment. Intensities are determined at room temperature and at 10 K. Structural parameters, potential energy barriers, anharmonic frequencies for the 3n-9 neglected modes, and rotational parameters (rotational and centrifugal distortion constants), are also provided.

Variational Evaluation of the HSSH FIR Transitions: The Anomalous K-Doubling.

The roto-torsional energy levels of HSSH and DSSD up to J = 20 are evaluated variationally with a Hamiltonian expressed in terms of internal coordinates. The kinetic and potential parameters are derived from ab initio calculations with full optimization of the geometry. The calculated levels are employed for the determination of the centrifugal distortion constants. HSSH is a near-prolate symmetric rotor. The most stable C(2) conformer, calculated with MP4(SDQ)/cc-pVQZ, exhibits a 90.55 degrees dihedral angle. For J = 0, the lowest energies of HSSH and DSSD are 413.4876 cm(-1) (n = 1), 798.0304 cm(-1) (n = 2) and 1151.5773 cm(-1) (n = 3), and 304.3185 cm(-1) (n = 1), 594.2919 cm(-1) (n = 2), and 869.3508 cm(-1) (n = 3), respectively. For J = 60, the ab initio calculations allow the reproduction of the anomalous type-K doubling predicted with perturbation theory. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.