Štěpán Urban

Detailed study of fine and hyperfine structures in rotational spectra of the free fluoroformyloxyl radical FCO2

More than 160 new hyperfine components of rotational transitions of the free fluoroformyloxyl radical FCO(2) have been measured using the Prague millimeter wave high resolution spectrometer. The frequencies of these transitions together with the previously measured data were analyzed in detail and precise values of magnetic hyperfine and fine parameters were obtained. These new parameters significantly improve the values of previously determined hyperfine parameters which were rather unreliable. The new fine and hyperfine parameters obtained in this study are compatible with those of the simultaneously electron paramagnetic resonance study. Besides that, significantly improved ground state rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of the fluoroformyloxyl radical were derived.

The fluoroformyloxyl radical geometry and ground-state rotational spectra of the free FC18O2· radical.

The rotational spectra of the isotopically substituted free fluoroformyloxyl radical FC(18)O(2·) were measured using the Prague millimeter-wave high-resolution spectrometer. More than 110 rotational-fine-hyperfine transition lines were observed and assigned to appropriate quantum numbers in the frequency range of 235-270 GHz. The obtained transition frequencies were analyzed with standard effective Hamiltonians to acquire a set of precise rotational, centrifugal-distortion, fine, and hyperfine structure molecular constants. Merging the new FC(18)O(2·) isotopologue molecular parameters with those previously obtained for the ordinary FC(16)O(2)[middle dot] radical, the substitution molecular geometry in the ground vibronic state was evaluated. The molecular parameters for both radical isotopologues were also calculated by several quantum chemistry methods and their calculated mutual ratios are in remarkable agreement with the experimental FC(16)O(2·)/FC(18)O(2·) parameter ratios. The measurements, assignments of the 18-oxygen isotopologue FC(18)O(2·) radical millimeter-wave transitions, as well as the derivation of the fluoroformyloxyl radical ground-state geometry have been carried out for the first time.

Geometry and Microwave Rotational Spectrum of the FC16O18O• Radical

The rotational spectrum of an asymmetrically substituted isotopologue of the fluoroformyloxyl radical FC(16)O(18)O(•) with resolved fine and hyperfine structures were measured and analyzed for the very first time. The molecular parameters of this radical obtained from the spectral analysis were processed along with the symmetrical isotopologues FC(16)O2(•) and FC(18)O2(•) and accurate substitution geometry was attained. In addition to those, coupled cluster quantum chemistry calculations were used to scale the experimental parameters, and in this manner, trustworthy values of the equilibrium and ground state geometries were derived.

Theoretical explanation of the low-lying ν6 vibrational fundamental of the FSO3 radical by the linear vibronic coupling approach

The first attempt for a theoretical explanation of the ν6 fundamental energy levels of the fluorosulfate radical (FSO3) electronic ground state has been made. The vibronic interaction of the two lowest electronic states of the radical (X̃ (2)A2 and à (2)E) has been taken into consideration in the basis of the linear vibronic coupling (LVC) approximation. The strengths of the intrastate and interstate vibronic couplings have been calculated within the framework of the Köppel, Domcke, and Cederbaum (KDC) model Hamiltonian. Already this simple KDC-LVC model provides the ν6 fundamental energy, which is in very good agreement with the experimental results. From the inclusion of vibronic interactions such as the pseudo-Jahn-Teller and Jahn-Teller effects into the calculation of the fundamental energy of the ν6 mode, it can be said that mainly the interstate coupling with the electronic excited state E causes the unexpectedly low fundamental energy ν6 of the FSO3 radical.

Theoretical Study of the First Electronic State of the FCO2 Radical

Following the successful results for the ground electronic state vibrational levels of the FCO2 radical, the same theoretical approach has been used for predictions of the vibrational levels of the first electronic excited state A (2)A2. This excited electronic state interacts vibronically with the fourth electronic excited state C (2)B1 by normal vibrational modes ν5 and ν6. The intrastate and interstate coupling constants have been determined within the adiabatic quadratic approach in the framework of the Köppler, Domcke, and Cederbaum model Hamiltonian. All ab initio calculations (optimization, potential energies, first and second derivatives) have been performed in two high-level methods (EOMIP-CCSD and UHF-CCSD(T)) using the CFOUR program package. The analytically determined vibronic constant for the ν5 mode has a value of 4061 cm(-1). This causes weak vibronic coupling, implying only the flattening of the potential energy curve, which is in contrast to a double-minimum for the ground electronic state.