Susana Gómez-Carrasco

Coordinate transformation methods to calculate state-to-state reaction probabilities with wave packet treatments

A procedure for the transformation from reactant to product Jacobi coordinates is proposed, which is designed for the extraction of state-to-state reaction probabilities using a time-dependent method in a body-fixed frame. The method consists of several steps which involve a negligible extra computational time as compared with the propagation. Several intermediate coordinates are used, in which the efficiency depends on the masses of the atoms involved in the reaction. A detailed study of the relative efficiency of using reactant and product Jacobi coordinates is presented for several systems, and simple arguments are found depending on the masses of the atoms involved in the reaction. It is found that the proposed method is, in general, more efficient than the use of product Jacobi coordinates, specially for nonzero total angular momentum. State-to-state reaction probabilities are obtained for Li+FH-->LiF+H and F+HO-->FH+O collisions for several total angular momenta.

Differential Cross Sections and Product Rotational Polarization in A + BC Reactions Using Wave Packet Methods: H+ + D2 and Li + HF Examples

The state-to-state differential cross sections for some atom + diatom reactions have been calculated using a new wave packet code, MAD-WAVE3, which is described in some detail and uses either reactant or product Jacobi coordinates along the propagation. In order to show the accuracy and efficiency of the coordinate transformation required when using reactant Jacobi coordinates, as recently proposed [ J. Chem. Phys. 2006 , 125 , 054102 ], the method is first applied to the H + D(2) reaction as a benchmark, for which exact time-independent calculations are also performed. It is found that the use of reactant coordinates yields accurate results, with a computational effort slightly lower than that when using product coordinates. The H(+) + D(2) reaction, with the same masses but a much deeper insertion well, is also studied and exhibits a completely different mechanism, a complex-forming one which can be treated by statistical methods. Due to the longer range of the potential, product Jacobi coordinates are more efficient in this case. Differential cross sections for individual final rotational states of the products are obtained based on exact dynamical calculations for some selected total angular momenta, combined with the random phase approximation to save the high computational time required to calculate all partial waves with very long propagations. The results obtained are in excellent agreement with available exact time-independent calculations. Finally, the method is applied to the Li + HF system for which reactant coordinates are very well suited, and quantum differential cross sections are not available. The results are compared with recent quasiclassical simulations and experimental results [J. Chem. Phys. 2005, 122, 244304]. Furthermore, the polarization of the product angular momenta is also analyzed as a function of the scattering angle.

Dynamically biased statistical model for the ortho/para conversion in the H2+H3+ → H3++ H2 reaction

In this work we present a dynamically biased statistical model to describe the evolution of the title reaction from statistical to a more direct mechanism, using quasi-classical trajectories (QCT). The method is based on the one previously proposed by Park and Light [J. Chem. Phys. 126, 044305 (2007)]. A recent global potential energy surface is used here to calculate the capture probabilities, instead of the long-range ion-induced dipole interactions. The dynamical constraints are introduced by considering a scrambling matrix which depends on energy and determine the probability of the identity/hop/exchange mechanisms. These probabilities are calculated using QCT. It is found that the high zero-point energy of the fragments is transferred to the rest of the degrees of freedom, what shortens the lifetime of H(5)(+) complexes and, as a consequence, the exchange mechanism is produced with lower proportion. The zero-point energy (ZPE) is not properly described in quasi-classical trajectory calculations and an approximation is done in which the initial ZPE of the reactants is reduced in QCT calculations to obtain a new ZPE-biased scrambling matrix. This reduction of the ZPE is explained by the need of correcting the pure classical level number of the H(5)(+) complex, as done in classical simulations of unimolecular processes and to get equivalent quantum and classical rate constants using Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory. This matrix allows to obtain a ratio of hop/exchange mechanisms, α(T), in rather good agreement with recent experimental results by Crabtree et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 134, 194311 (2011)] at room temperature. At lower temperatures, however, the present simulations predict too high ratios because the biased scrambling matrix is not statistical enough. This demonstrates the importance of applying quantum methods to simulate this reaction at the low temperatures of astrophysical interest.

Nonadiabatic State-to-State Reactive Collisions among Open Shell Reactants with Conical Intersections: The OH(2Π) + F(2P) Example

Accurate wave packet calculations on the OH((2)Pi) + F((2)P) → O((3)P) + HF((1)Sigma(+)) reactive collisions are performed using a recently proposed coupled diabatic states. Adiabatic and nonadiabatic dynamics are compared in detail, analyzing the final state distribution of products. It is found that with the new surfaces a significant increase of the rate constant is obtained, with noticeable nonadiabatic effects. The inclusion of the spin-orbit splittings for the calculation of the electronic partition function produces an important increase of the reaction rate constants, yielding a rather good agreement with the experimental results. It is also concluded that spin-orbit couplings are also necessary in the entrance channel to describe this reaction.

State-to-state Quantum Wave Packet Dynamics of the LiH + H Reaction on Two Ab Initio Potential Energy Surfaces

The dynamics and kinetics of the LiH + H reaction have been studied by using an accurate quantum reactive time-dependent wave packet method on the ab initio ground electronic state potential energy surfaces (PES) developed earlier. Reaction probabilities for the two possible reaction channels, the LiH?+?H? H2?+?Li depletion process and the LiH + H?H + LiH hydrogen exchange reaction, have been calculated from 1?meV up to 1.0?eV collision energies for total angular momenta J from 0 to 80. State-to-state and total integral cross sections for the LiH-depletion and H-exchange channels of the reaction have been calculated over this collision energy range. It is found that the LiH-depletion channel is dominant in the whole range of collision energies for both PESs. Accurate total rate coefficients have been calculated on both surfaces from 100?K to 2000?K and are significantly larger than previous empirical estimates and previous J-shifting results. In addition, the present accurate calculations present noticeable differences with previous calculations using the centrifugal sudden approximation.

A Ring Polymer Molecular Dynamics Approach to Study the Transition between Statistical and Direct Mechanisms in the H2 + H3+ → H3+ + H2 Reaction

Because of its fundamental importance in astrochemistry, the H2 + H3+ → H3+ + H2 reaction has been studied experimentally in a wide temperature range. Theoretical studies of the title reaction significantly lag primarily because of the challenges associated with the proper treatment of the zero-point energy (ZPE). As a result, all previous theoretical estimates for the ratio between a direct proton-hop and indirect exchange (via the H5+ complex) channels deviate from the experiment, in particular, at lower temperatures where the quantum effects dominate. In this work, the ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) method is applied to study this reaction, providing very good agreement with the experiment. RPMD is immune to the shortcomings associated with the ZPE leakage and is able to describe the transition from direct to indirect mechanisms below room temperature. We argue that RPMD represents a useful tool for further studies of numerous ZPE-sensitive chemical reactions that are of high interest in astrochemistry.

Wave packet calculations on nonadiabatic effects for the O( 3P)HF( 1Σ) reaction under hyperthermal conditions

We present wave packet calculations of total and state-to-state reaction probabilities and integral cross sections for the nonadiabatic dynamics of the O((3)P)+HF → F((2)P)+OH((2)Π) reaction at hyperthermal collision energies ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 eV. The validity of the centrifugal sudden approximation is discussed for the title reaction and a comprehensive investigation of the influence of nonadiabatic effects on the dynamics of this reactive system at high (hyperthermal) collision energies is presented. In general, nonadiabatic effects are negligible for averaged observables, such as total reaction probabilities and integral cross sections, but they are clearly observed in detailed observables such as rotationally state-resolved reaction probabilities. A critical discussion of nonadiabatic effects on the dynamics of the title reaction is carried out by comparing with the reverse reaction and the characteristics of the adiabatic and diabatic potential energy surfaces involved.

Quantum dynamical study of low-energy photoelectron bands of 2-phenylethyl-N,N-dimethylamine #

AbstractThe first three photoelectron bands of 2-phenylethyl-N,N-dimethylamine (PENNA) are investigated theoretically, paying particular attention to the vibrational structure and to possible nonadiabatic coupling effects. A substantial vibronic interaction is established between the first and second excited cationic states (corresponding to the second and third photoelectron bands). Their coupling to the cationic ground state is found to be rather weak. This is tentatively attributed to the well-known fact that the latter carries a hole at the amine site, while the former two have the electron removed from benzene-type orbitals. The interaction between the two excited cationic states is characterized by a ‘hidden’ or local symmetry at the phenyl moiety. Preliminary dynamic calculations with two interacting electronic states and four vibrational modes are reported. The computed spectra are compared to experimental results of Weinkauf et al. Graphical AbstractVertical ionization spectrum of PENNA along with the underlying orbitals are presented.