Size-dependent development of the hydrogen bond network structure in large sized clusters of protonated water, H+(H2O)n (n = 4 to 27), was probed by infrared spectroscopy of OH stretches. Spectral changes with cluster size demonstrate that the chain structures at small sizes (n less, similar 10) develop into two-dimensional net structures (approximately 10 < n < 21), and then into nanometer-scaled cages (n >/= 21).

No abstract

Recently reported high-level ab initio calculations and gas phase spectroscopic measurements show that the nature of CH/pi interactions is considerably different from conventional hydrogen bonds, although the CH/pi interactions were often regarded as the weakest class of hydrogen bonds. The major source of attraction in the CH/pi interaction is the dispersion interaction and the electrostatic contribution is small, while the electrostatic interaction is mainly responsible for the attraction in the conventional hydrogen bonds. The nature of the "typical" CH/pi interactions is similar to that of van der Waals interactions, if some exceptional "activated" CH/pi interactions of highly acidic C-H bonds are excluded. Shifts of C-H vibrational frequencies and electronic spectra also support the similarity. The hydrogen bond is important in controlling structures of molecular assemblies, since the hydrogen bond is sufficiently strong and directional due to the large electrostatic contribution. On the other hand, the directionality of the "typical" CH/pi interaction is very weak. Although the "typical" CH/pi interaction is often regarded as an important interaction in controlling the structures of molecular assemblies as in the cases of conventional hydrogen bonds, the importance of the "typical" CH/pi interactions is questionable.

The accurate CH/pi interaction energy of the benzene-methane model system was experimentally and theoretically determined. In the experiment, mass analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy was applied to the benzene-methane cluster in the gas phase, prepared in a supersonic molecular beam. The binding energy in the neutral ground state of the cluster, which is regarded as the CH/pi interaction energy for this model system, was evaluated from the dissociation threshold measurements of the cluster cation. The experimentally determined binding energy (D(0)) was 1.03-1.13 kcal/mol. The interaction energy of the model system was calculated by ab initio molecular orbital methods. The estimated CCSD(T) interaction energy at the basis set limit (D(e)) was -1.43 kcal/mol. The calculated binding energy (D(0)) after the vibrational zero-point energy correction (1.13 kcal/mol) agrees well with the experimental value. The effects of basis set and electron correlation correction procedure on the calculated CH/pi interaction energy were evaluated. Accuracy of the calculated interaction energies by DFT methods using BLYP, B3LYP, PW91 and PBE functionals was also discussed.

We report infrared spectra of hydrogen-bonded phenol−amine clusters, phenol−NH3, −N(CH3)3, −NH(C2H5)2, and −N(C2H5)3, prepared in jet expansions. The OH, NH, and CH stretching fundamentals were studied. Infrared−ultraviolet double-resonance techniques were utilized for vibrational spectroscopy of size-selected clusters. The OH stretch frequencies of the phenol moieties showed extremely large red-shifts from that of bare phenol, reflecting the strong proton affinities of the amines. Moreover, non-proton-transferred structures of the clusters were confirmed. The detailed structure of phenol−NH3 was examined by ab initio calculations, which reproduced the observed infrared spectrum.

Although messenger mediated spectroscopy is a widely-used technique to study gas phase ionic species, effects of messengers themselves are not necessarily clear. In this study, we report infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of H(+)(H(2)O)(6)·M(m) (M = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, H(2), N(2), and CH(4)) in the OH stretch region to investigate messenger(M)-dependent cluster structures of the H(+)(H(2)O)(6) moiety. The H(+)(H(2)O)(6), the protonated water hexamer, is the smallest system in which both the H(3)O(+) (Eigen) and H(5)O(2)(+) (Zundel) hydrated proton motifs coexist. All the spectra show narrower band widths reflecting reduced internal energy (lower vibrational temperature) in comparison with bare H(+)(H(2)O)(6). The Xe-, CH(4)-, and N(2)-mediated spectra show additional band features due to the relatively strong perturbation of the messenger. The observed band patterns in the Ar-, Kr-, Xe-, N(2)-, and CH(4)-mediated spectra are attributed mainly to the "Zundel" type isomer, which is more stable. On the other hand, the Ne- and H(2)-mediated spectra are accounted for by a mixture of the "Eigen" and "Zundel" types, like that of bare H(+)(H(2)O)(6). These results suggest that a messenger sometimes imposes unexpected isomer-selectivity even though it has been thought to be inert. Plausible origins of the isomer-selectivity are also discussed.

n = 4-27) are characterized by IR spectroscopy of OH stretches in the gas phase. Spectral changes with cluster size demonstrate that the chain structures at small sizes (n < 10) develop into two-dimensional net structures (10 < n < 21), and then into nanometer-scaled cages (n > 21). -(MIYAZAKI, M.; FUJII*, A.; EBATA, T.; MIKAMI, N.; Sci.

No abstract