Jay Agarwal

Photocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to CO and HCO2H Using fac-Mn(CN)(bpy)(CO)3

Studies are reported regarding the use of Mn(CN)(bpy)(CO)3 (1) as a catalyst for CO2 reduction employing [Ru(dmb)3](2+) as a photosensitizer in mixtures of dry N,N-dimethylformamide-triethanolamine (N,N-DMF-TEOA) or acetonitrile-TEOA (MeCN-TEOA) with 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide as a sacrificial reductant. Irradiation with 470 nm light for up to 15 h yields both CO and HCO2H with maximum turnover numbers (TONs) as high as 21 and 127, respectively, with product preference dependent on the solvent. Further data suggests that upon single electron reduction this catalyst avoids the formation of a Mn-Mn dimer and instead undergoes a disproportionation reaction, which requires 2 equiv of [Mn(CN)(bpy)(CO)3](•-) to generate 1 equiv each of the active catalyst [Mn(bpy)(CO)3](-) and the starting compound 1. Additional characterization by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and infrared spectroelectrochemistry (IR-SEC) indicates that the stability of the singly reduced [Mn(CN)(bpy)(CO)3](•-) differs slightly in the N,N-DMF-TEOA solvent system compared to the MeCN-TEOA system. This contributes to the observed selectivities for HCO2H vs CO production.

Exploring the intermediates of photochemical CO2 reduction: reaction of Re(dmb)(CO)3 COOH with CO2

We have investigated the reaction of Re(dmb)(CO)(3)COOH with CO(2) using density functional theory, and propose a mechanism for the production of CO. This mechanism supports the role of Re(dmb)(CO)(3)COOH as a key intermediate in the formation of CO. Our new experimental work supports the proposed scheme.

Infrared laser spectroscopy of the CH3OO radical formed from the reaction of CH3 and O2 within a helium nanodroplet.

Helium nanodroplet isolation and infrared laser spectroscopy are used to investigate the CH(3) + O(2) reaction. Helium nanodroplets are doped with methyl radicals that are generated in an effusive pyrolysis source. Downstream from the introduction of CH(3), the droplets are doped with O(2) from a gas pick-up cell. The CH(3) + O(2) reaction therefore occurs between sequentially picked-up and presumably cold CH(3) and O(2) reactants. The reaction is known to lead barrierlessly to the methyl peroxy radical, CH(3)OO. The ~30 kcal/mol bond energy is dissipated by helium atom evaporation, and the infrared spectrum in the CH stretch region reveals a large abundance of droplets containing the cold, helium solvated CH(3)OO radical. The CH(3)OO infrared spectrum is assigned on the basis of comparisons to high-level ab initio calculations and to the gas phase band origins and rotational constants.

Fundamental vibrational frequencies and spectroscopic constants for the methylperoxyl radical, CH3O2, and related isotopologues 13CH3OO, CH3 18O18O, and CD3OO

Accurate spectroscopic and geometric constants for CH3O2, and its isotopologues 13CH3OO, CH3 18O18O and CD3OO, are predicted. Employing coupled cluster theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)], we obtain optimized equilibrium geometries using Dunnings cc-pVTZ basis set. A Taylor expansion of the potential energy surface, including all third-order and semidiagonal fourth-order terms in a basis of normal coordinates, yields anharmonic vibrational frequencies and vibrationally-averaged properties including the effects of anharmonicity. We detail the strong influence of Fermi resonances on the problematic ν6 vibrational mode of CD3OO, arriving at a value of 993 cm−1; two previous experimental measurements of this mode appear to have been incorrectly assigned. Our computed energies for the low intensity ν11 transition are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements performed for CH3 18O18O and CD3OO, inspiring confidence that our results will serve as a guide for experimental measurement of this yet-unobserved quantity for the CH3OO and 13CH3OO isotopologues. Given the reliability of our force field, and considering the results of other experiments, we make a number of reassignments to previously recorded spectra, which eliminate large disagreements between experimental observations. The vibrational averaging of the rotational constants and geometries are also discussed for each isotopologue.

Examining the ground and first excited states of methyl peroxy radical with high-level coupled-cluster theory

Peroxy radicals (RO2) are intermediates in fuel combustion, where they engage in efficiency-limiting autoignition reactions. They also participate in atmospheric chemistry leading to the formation of unwanted tropospheric ozone. Advances in spectroscopic techniques have allowed for the possibility of employing the lowest () electronic transition of RO2 as a tool to selectively monitor these species, enabling accurate kinetic values to be obtained. Herein, high-level ab initio methods are employed to systematically refine spectroscopic predictions for the methyl peroxy radical (CH3O2), one of the most abundant peroxy radicals in the atmosphere. In particular, vibrationally corrected geometries and anharmonic vibrational frequencies for both the ground () and first excited () state are predicted using coupled-cluster theory with up to perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] and large atomic natural orbital basis sets. Equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory is utilised to compute vertical transition properties; a radiative lifetime of 4.7 ms is suggested for the excited state. Finally, we predict the adiabatic excitation energy (T0) via systematic extrapolation to the complete basis limit of coupled-cluster with up to full quadruples (CCSDTQ). After accounting for several approximations, and including an anharmonic zero-point vibrational energy correction, we match experiment for this transition to within 9 cm−1.

Peroxyacetyl radical: Electronic excitation energies, fundamental vibrational frequencies, and symmetry breaking in the first excited state

Peroxyacetyl radical [CH3C(O)O2] is among the most abundant peroxy radicals in the atmosphere and is involved in OH-radical recycling along with peroxyacetyl nitrate formation. Herein, the ground (X̃) and first (Ã) excited state surfaces of cis and trans peroxyacetyl radical are characterized using high-level ab initio methods. Geometries, anharmonic vibrational frequencies, and adiabatic excitation energies extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit are reported from computations with coupled-cluster theory. Excitation of the trans conformer is found to induce a symmetry-breaking conformational change due to second-order Jahn-Teller interactions with higher-lying excited states. Additional benchmark computations are provided to aid future theoretical work on peroxy radicals.

CO2 reduction with Re(I)–NHC compounds: driving selective catalysis with a silicon nanowire photoelectrode

The CO2-reduction activity of two Re(i)-NHC complexes is investigated employing a silicon nanowire photoelectrode to drive catalysis. Photovoltages greater than 440 mV are observed along with excellent selectivity towards CO over H2 formation. The observed selectivity towards CO production correlates with strong adsorption of the catalysts on the photoelectrode surface.

Exploring mechanisms of a tropospheric archetype: CH3O2 + NO

Methylperoxy radical (CH3O2) and nitric oxide (NO) contribute to the propagation of photochemical smog in the troposphere via the production of methoxy radical (CH3O) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This reaction system also furnishes trace quantities of methyl nitrate (CH3ONO2), a sink for reactive NOx species. Here, the CH3O2 + NO reaction is examined with highly reliable coupled-cluster methods. Specifically, equilibrium geometries for the reactants, products, intermediates, and transition states of the ground-state potential energy surface are characterized. Relative reaction enthalpies at 0 K (ΔH0K) are reported; these values are comprised of electronic energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit of CCSDT(Q) and zero-point vibrational energies computed at CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ. A two-part mechanism involving CH3O and NO2 production followed by radical recombination to CH3ONO2 is determined to be the primary channel for formation of CH3ONO2 under tropospheric conditions. Constrained optimizations of the reaction paths at CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ suggest that the homolytic bond dissociations involved in this reaction path are barrierless.

Applying a Smolyak collocation method to Cl2CO

ABSTRACT Phosgene (Cl2C=O) is extremely poisonous, underscoring the importance of accurate infrared detection. Here, the computed vibrational energy levels of phosgene are reported for the first time from a six-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) that was constructed from 25,000 single-point energy computations at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The computed points were fit using a neural network method, and the resulting PES was employed in the determination of vibrational energies and wavefunctions. Bond coordinates were utilised in conjunction with a collocation method to minimise problems that arise from the complicated nature of the kinetic energy operator. The collocation method makes possible the computation of energy levels without integral evaluation, and without the need to solve a generalised eigenvalue problem. Moreover, it is built on a nondirect product-pruned basis that is much smaller than the direct product basis that would be required to obtain the same accuracy.

Energetics and transition-state dynamics of the F + HOCH3 → HF + OCH3 reaction

The F + HOCH3 → HF + OCH3 reaction is a system with 15 internal degrees of freedom that can provide a benchmark for the development of theory for increasingly complex chemical reactions. The dynamics of this reaction were studied by photoelectron-photofragment coincidence (PPC) spectroscopy carried out on the F-(HOCH3) anion, aided by a computational study of both the anion and neutral potential energy surfaces, with energies extrapolated to the CCSDT(Q)/CBS level of theory. Photodetachment at 4.80 eV accesses both the reactant and product channels for this reaction. In the product channel (HF + OCH3 + e-) of the neutral potential energy surface, vibrationally excited HF products in addition to the stable product-channel hydrogen-bonded complex (FH-OCH3) are observed in the PPC and photoelectron spectra. In addition, experimental evidence is observed for the reactant-channel van der Waals complex (F-HOCH3), in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The relative stability of these long-lived complexes was probed by reducing the ion beam energy, increasing the product time-of-flight, indicating lifetimes on the microsecond timescale for the reactant- and product-channel complexes as well as providing evidence for long-lived vibrational Feshbach resonances associated with the HF(v > 0) + OCH3 product states. This system will provide a model for extending full-dimensionality quantum dynamics to larger numbers of degrees of freedom.