In Vitro and In Silico Vibrational-Rotational Spectroscopic Characterization of the Next-Generation Refrigerant HFO-1123.

Very short-lived substances have recently been proposed as replacements for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), in turn being used in place of ozone-depleting substances, in refrigerant applications. In this respect, hydro-fluoro-olefins (HFOs) are attracting particular interest because, due to their reduced global warming potential, they are supposed to be environmentally friendlier. Notwithstanding this feature, they represent a new class of compounds whose spectroscopic properties and reactivity need to be characterized to allow their atmospheric monitoring and to understand their environmental fate. In the present work, the structural, vibrational, and ro-vibrational properties of trifluorothene (HFO-1123, F2C = CHF) are studied by state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations. The equilibrium molecular structure has an expected error within 2 mÅ and 0.2° for bond lengths and angles, respectively. This represents the first step toward the computation of highly accurate rotational constants for both the ground and first excited fundamental vibrational levels, which reproduce the available experimental data well within 0.1%. Centrifugal distortion parameters and vibrational-rotational coupling terms are computed as well and used to solve some conflicting experimental results. Simulation of the vibrational transition frequencies and intensities beyond the double harmonic approximation and up to three quanta of vibrational excitation provides insights into the couplings ruling the vibrational dynamics and guides the characterization of the gas-phase infrared spectrum experimentally recorded in the range of 200-5000 cm-1. The full characterization of the IR features is completed with the experimental determination of the absorption cross sections over the 400-5000 cm-1 region from which the radiative forcing and global warming potential of HFO-1123 are derived.

The Spectroscopic Characterization of Halogenated Pollutants through the Interplay between Theory and Experiment: Application to R1122.

In the last decade, halogenated ethenes have seen an increasing interest for different applications; in particular, in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumping. At the same time, their adverse effects as atmospheric pollutants require environmental monitoring, especially by remote sensing spectroscopic techniques. For this purpose, an accurate characterization of the spectroscopic fingerprint-in particular, those of relevance for rotational-vibrational spectroscopy-of the target molecules is strongly needed. This work provides an integrated computational-theoretical investigation on R1122 (2-Chloro-1,1-difluoro-ethylene, ClHC=CF2), a compound widely employed as a key intermediate in different chemical processes. State-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations relying on CCSD(T)-based composite schemes and hybrid CCSD(T)/DFT approaches are used to obtain an accurate prediction of the structural, rotational and vibrational spectroscopic properties. In addition, the equilibrium geometry is obtained by exploiting the semi-experimental method. The theoretical predictions are used to guide the analysis of the experimentally recorded gas-phase infrared spectrum, which is assigned in the 400-6500 cm-1 region. Furthermore, absorption cross sections are accurately determined over the same spectral range. Finally, by using the obtained spectroscopic data, a first estimate of the global warming potential of R1122 vibrational spectra is obtained.

Scalable Synthesis of Few-Layered 2D Tungsten Diselenide (2H-WSe2) Nanosheets Directly Grown on Tungsten (W) Foil Using Ambient-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition for Reversible Li-Ion Storage.

We report a facile two-furnace APCVD synthesis of 2H-WSe2. A systematic study of the process parameters is performed to show the formation of the phase-pure material. Extensive characterization of the bulk and exfoliated material confirm that 2H-WSe2 is layered (i.e., 2D). X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms the phase, while high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) clarify the morphology of the material. Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) estimates the depth of the 2H-WSe2 formed on W foil to be around 5-8 µm, and Raman/UV-vis measurements prove the quality of the exfoliated 2H-WSe2. Studies on the redox processes of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) show an increase in capacity up to 500 cycles. On prolonged cycling, the discharge capacity up to the 50th cycle at 250 mA/g of the material shows a stable value of 550 mAh/g. These observations indicate that exfoliated 2H-WSe2 has promising applications as an LiB electrode material.

Molecular synthons for accurate structural determinations: the equilibrium geometry of 1-chloro-1-fluoroethene.

The equilibrium structure for 1-chloro-1-fluoroethene is reported. The structure has been obtained by a least-squares fit procedure using the available experimental ground-state rotational constants of eight isotopologues. Vibrational effects have been removed from the rotational constants using the vibration-rotation interaction constants derived from computed quadratic and cubic force fields obtained with the required quantum chemical calculations carried out by using both coupled cluster and density functional theory. The semi-experimental geometry obtained in this way has been also compared with the corresponding theoretical predictions obtained at the CCSD(T) level after extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and inclusion of core-valence corrections. These results allow completion of the molecular geometries of the isomers of chlorofluoroethene in addition to the cis and trans forms of 1-chloro-2-fluoroethene already published.

Accurate Vibrational-Rotational Parameters and Infrared Intensities of 1-Bromo-1-fluoroethene: A Joint Experimental Analysis and Ab Initio Study.

The medium-resolution gas-phase infrared (IR) spectra of 1-bromo-1-fluoroethene (BrFC═CH2, 1,1-C2H2BrF) were investigated in the range 300-6500 cm-1, and the vibrational analysis led to the assignment of all fundamentals as well as many overtone and combination bands up to three quanta, thus giving an accurate description of its vibrational structure. Integrated band intensity data were determined with high precision from the measurements of their corresponding absorption cross sections. The vibrational analysis was supported by high-level ab initio investigations. CCSD(T) computations accounting for extrapolation to the complete basis set and core correlation effects were employed to accurately determine the molecular structure and harmonic force field. The latter was then coupled to B2PLYP and MP2 computations in order to account for mechanical and electrical anharmonicities. Second-order perturbative vibrational theory was then applied to the thus obtained hybrid force fields to support the experimental assignment of the IR spectra.

Study of the Vibrational Spectra and Absorption Cross Sections of 1-Chloro-1-fluoroethene by a Joint Experimental and Ab Initio Approach.

The gas-phase infrared spectra of 1-chloro-1-fluoroethene (geminal chloro-fluoroethene, ClFC═CH2, 1,1-C2H2ClF) were recorded at medium resolution in the range of 400-6400 cm-1, and the vibrational analysis led to revised assignments for the ν11 (A″ symmetry), ν2 (A' symmetry), and ν1 (A' symmetry) bands. Besides the fundamentals, all the most important spectral features were interpreted in terms of overtone and combination bands, thus obtaining an accurate description of the vibrational structure of ClFC═CH2. Accurate measurements of absorption cross-sectional spectra were carried out, and integrated band intensity data were determined. High-level ab initio calculations of harmonic and anharmonic force fields thoroughly supported and guided the analysis and the disentangling of the several strongly coupled polyads involving many vibrational levels. Diagonalization of the effective Hamiltonian with the off-diagonal elements involving several Fermi and Darling-Dennison resonance coefficients computed by the theoretical cubic and quartic force constants provided the predicted energy levels in good agreement with the vibrational assignments. The calculated infrared intensities, obtained by taking into account anharmonic corrections, were compared to the accurate experimental absorption cross-sectional data determined here.

N2-, O2- and He-collision-induced broadening of sulfur dioxide ro-vibrational lines in the 9.2 µm atmospheric window.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a molecule of considerable interest for both atmospheric chemistry and astrophysics. In the Earth's atmosphere, it enters in the sulfur cycle and it is ubiquitous present in polluted atmospheres, where it is responsible for acid rains. It is also of astrophysical and planetological importance, being present on Venus and in interstellar clouds. In this work the collisional broadening of a number of ν1 ro-vibrational lines of SO2 perturbed by N2, O2 and He are investigated at room temperature in the 9 µm atmospheric region by means of high resolution tunable diode laser (TDL) infrared spectroscopy. From N2- and O2-broadening coefficients, the broadening parameters of sulfur dioxide in air, useful for atmospheric applications, are derived as well. From the present measurements some conclusions on the quantum number dependence of the N2-, O2- and He-broadening coefficients are drawn. While the J dependence is weak for all the perturbers investigated, different trends with Ka are reported. N2-broadening coefficients show a slight decrease with increasing values of Ka, whereas O2 and He broadening cross sections first increase up to Ka(″)≈6 and then they keep a nearly constant value. A comparison and a brief discussion on the efficiency of self-, N2-, O2- and He-collisional dynamics are given. The data obtained represent a significant analysis on foreign broadening of SO2 useful for atmospheric remote sensing and astrophysical applications.

Quantum chemical investigation on indole: vibrational force field and theoretical determination of its aqueous pK(a) value.

Indole and its derivatives are molecules which play important roles in different fields, from biology to pharmacology. Here we report a thorough investigation on the anharmonic force fields of indole as well as the ab initio determinations of its gas phase basicity and aqueous pK(a) value. For the geometry optimizations, the calculations have been performed using both density functional (DFT) and second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) levels of theory employing different basis sets. Anharmonic force fields have been obtained employing both the B3LYP and the B97-1 functionals and an hybrid approach: the best agreement to the experimental data has been determined employing the B3LYP functional combined with the recently developed N07D basis set (mean unsigned error, MUE, of 5.1 cm(-1) and a root-mean-square error, RMSE, of 7.2 cm(-1)). Gas phase basicity and proton affinity have been computed employing several computational schemes, namely the G3 and G4 Gaussian models, the complete basis set (CBS) extrapolation methods of Petersson and co-workers, several DFT calculations, and different hybrid extrapolation schemes based on combining single-point energy calculations performed at MP2 as well as at coupled cluster level of theory with single, double and perturbative triple excitations, CCSD(T). Regarding the aqueous pK(a) computations, two implicit solvation models (SMD and SM8) have been employed to determine the free energy of solvation and the corresponding pKa value.

Anharmonic force field and vibrational dynamics of CH2F2 up to 5000 cm(-1) studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and state-of-the-art ab initio calculations.

Difluoromethane (CH(2)F(2), HFC-32) is a molecule used in refrigerant mixtures as a replacement of the more environmentally hazardous, ozone depleting, chlorofluorocarbons. On the other hand, presenting strong vibration-rotation bands in the 9 µm atmospheric window, it is a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. In the present work, the vibrational and ro-vibrational properties of CH(2)F(2), providing basic data for its atmospheric modeling, are studied in detail by coupling medium resolution Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to high-level electronic structure ab initio calculations. Experimentally a full quantum assignment and accurate integrated absorption cross sections are obtained up to 5000 cm(-1). Ab initio calculations are carried out by using CCSD(T) theory and large basis sets of either the correlation consistent or atomic natural orbital hierarchies. By using vibrational perturbation theory to second order a complete set of vibrational and ro-vibrational parameters is derived from the ab initio quartic anharmonic force fields, which well compares with the spectroscopic constants retrieved experimentally. An excellent agreement between theory and experiment is achieved for vibrational energy levels and integrated absorption cross sections: transition frequencies up to four quanta of vibrational excitation are reproduced with a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 7 cm(-1) while intensities are predicted within few km mol(-1) from the experiment. Basis set performances and core correlation effects are discussed throughout the paper. Particular attention is focused in the understanding of the anharmonic couplings which rule the vibrational dynamics of the |ν(1)>, |2ν(8)>, |2ν(2)> three levels interacting system. The reliability of the potential energy and dipole moment surfaces in reproducing the vibrational eigenvalues and intensities as well as in modeling the vibrational and ro-vibrational mixings over the whole 400-5000 cm(-1) region is also demonstrated by spectacular spectral simulations carried out by using the ro-vibrational Hamiltonian constants, and the relevant coupling terms, obtained from the perturbation treatment of the ab initio anharmonic force field. The present results suggest CH(2)F(2) as a prototype molecule to test ab initio calculations and theoretical models.

Microwave, high-resolution infrared, and quantum chemical investigations of CHBrF2: ground and v4 = 1 states.

A combined microwave, infrared, and computational investigation of CHBrF(2) is reported. For the vibrational ground state, measurements in the millimeter- and sub-millimeter-wave regions for CH(79)BrF(2) and CH(81)BrF(2) provided rotational and centrifugal-distortion constants up to the sextic terms as well as the hyperfine parameters (quadrupole-coupling and spin-rotation interaction constants) of the bromine nucleus. The determination of the latter was made possible by recording of spectra at sub-Doppler resolution, achieved by means of the Lamb-dip technique, and supporting the spectra analysis by high-level quantum chemical calculations at the coupled-cluster level. In this context, the importance of relativistic effects, which are of the order of 6.5% and included in the present work using second-order direct perturbation theory, needs to be emphasized for accurate predictions of the bromine quadrupole-coupling constants. The infrared measurements focused on the ν(4) fundamental band of CH(79)BrF(2). Fourier transform investigations using a synchrotron radiation source provided the necessary resolution for the observation and analysis of the rotational structure. The spectroscopic parameters of the v(4) = 1 state were found to be close to those of the vibrational ground state, indicating that the ν(4) band is essentially unaffected by perturbations.

Infrared spectra, integrated band intensities, and anharmonic force field of H2C=CHF.

The gas-phase infrared spectra of vinyl fluoride, H(2)C=CHF, have been examined at medium resolution in the range 400-8000 cm(-1). The assignment of the absorptions in terms of fundamental, overtone, and combination bands, assisted by quantum chemical calculations, is consistent all over the region investigated. Spectroscopic parameters, obtained from the analysis of partially resolved rotational structure of some bands, have been derived and compared with the corresponding calculated values. Accurate values of integrated band intensities have also been determined for the first time. High-level ab initio calculations with large basis sets have been performed. Correlated harmonic force fields have been obtained from coupled cluster CCSD(T) calculations with the cc-pVQZ basis set, while anharmonic force constants have been computed employing the less resource demanding cc-pVTZ basis set. A good agreement between the computed and the experimental data has been obtained including those for the integrated infrared band intensities.