Does Al4H 14 — cluster anion exist? High-level ab initio study

Abstract

A comprehensive ab initio investigation using coupled cluster theory with the aug-cc-pVnZ, n = D,T basis sets is carried out to identify distinct structures of the Al4H14— cluster anion and to evaluate its fragmentation stability. Both thermodynamic and mechanistic aspects of the fragmentation reactions are studied. The observation of this so far the most hydrogenated aluminum tetramer was reported in the recent mass spectrometry study of Li et al. (2010) J Chem Phys 132:241103–241104. The four Al4H14— anion structures found are chain-like with the multiple-coordinate Al center and can be viewed approximately as comprising Al2H7— and Al2H7 moieties. Locating computationally some of the Al4H14— minima on the correlated ab initio potential energy surfaces required the triple-zeta quality basis set to describe adequately the Al multi-coordinate bonding. For the two most stable Al4H14— isomers, the mechanism of their low-barrier interconversion is described. The dissociation of Al4H14— into the Al2H7— and Al2H7 units is predicted to require 20-22 (10-13) kcal mol-1 in terms of ΔH (ΔG) estimated at T = 298.15 K and p = 1 atm. However, Al4H14— is found to be a metastable species in the gas phase: the H2 loss from the radical moiety of its most favorable isomer is exothermic by 18 kcal mol-1 in terms of ΔH (298.15 K) and by 25 kcal mol-1 in terms of ΔG(298.15 K), with the enthalpic/free energy barrier involved being less than 1 kcal mol-1. By contrast with alane Al4H14—, only a weakly bound complex between Ga4H12— and H2 has been identified for the gallium analogue using the relativistic effective core potential.

One‐Electron Bonds in Frustrated Lewis Pair TPB Ligands: Boron Behaving as a Lewis Base

“…As aconsequence,whereas Bcan share the unpaired electron in its 2p z orbital with Cu in atypical pyramidal arrangement, for Al this sharing does not occur.Consistently,the degree of pyramidalization around the Batom is more pronounced than that around Al, similarly to angles in B 2 H 7 À compared to Al 2 H 7 À . [23] In agreement with these arguments,ELF calculations find an isolated monosynaptic basin V(Al) in the NR 2 derivatives (red in Figure 5), in contrast with the three disynaptic V(Al,Cu) basins found for the PMe 2 analogues (see Table S6 and Figure S2). All three basins are so close that at low ELF values they collapse to an unique basin pretty similar to the one found for the B-containing analogues,s hown in Figure 3.…”

One‐Electron Bonds in Frustrated Lewis Pair TPB Ligands: Boron Behaving as a Lewis Base

“…As a consequence, whereas B can share the unpaired electron in its 2p z orbital with Cu in a typical pyramidal arrangement, for Al this sharing does not occur. Consistently, the degree of pyramidalization around the B atom is more pronounced than that around Al, similarly to angles in B 2 H 7 − compared to Al 2 H 7 − …”

Varying the Alkali-Metal Radii in (KxRb1–x)n[GaH2]n (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) Reorients a Stable Polyethylene-Structured [GaH2]nn– Anionic Chain

“…Following the same synthesis route with the lightest alkali metals lithium and sodium, we have, however, so far only obtained already known hydrides based on GaH 4 – . Recent theoretical modeling studies have, however, compared the stability of negatively charged gallium and aluminum hydrogen clusters . This inspired us to study in more detail how substitutions in the alkali-metal counterion framework could influence the stability of our new gallium hydride clusters.…”

“…Recent theoretical modeling studies have, however, compared the stability of negatively charged gallium and aluminum hydrogen clusters. 4 This inspired us to study in more detail how substitutions in the alkali-metal counterion framework could influence the stability of our new gallium hydride clusters. We started to work on the Rb n [GaH 2 ] n system, where gallium forms polyethylene-structured chains with hydrogen when the Ga/Rb ratio is 1:1.…”