Tarek Trabelsi

Heterocumulene Sulfinyl Radical OCNSO

Neutral five-atomic cumulenes formally consisting of two pseudohalogens (e.g., NCO, NNN, NSO) by sharing the central nitrogen atom are exotic species that have been barely studied. Through flash vacuum pyrolysis of CF3 S(O)NCO at ca. 1200 K, sulfinyl isocyanate, bearing resonance structures of O=C-N=S=O and O=C=N-S=O, has been generated in the gas phase and subsequently characterized in cryogenic matrices (Ar and N2 ). Its reversible conformational (syn and anti) interconversion and photodecomposition were observed.

On the role of HNS and HSN as light-sensitive NO-donors for delivery in biological media

Results are presented that suggest that thiazyl hydride (HSN)/thionitrosyl hydride (sulfimide, HNS) can be used as light-sensitive compounds for NO-delivery in biological media, as well as markers for the possible detection of intermediates in nitrites + H2S reactions at the cellular level. They are expected to be more efficient than the HNO/HON isovalent species and hence they should be considered instead. A set of characteristic spectroscopic features are identified that could aid in the possible detection of these species in the gas phase or in biological environments. The possibility of intramolecular dynamical processes involving excited states that are capable of interconverting HNS and its isomeric form HSN is examined.

Photoinduced Sulfur–Nitrogen Bond Rotation and Thermal Nitrogen Inversion in Heterocumulene OSNSO

An exotic ternary S, N, O heterocumulene OSNSO in syn-syn (A) and syn-anti (B) conformations has been generated in the gas phase through flash vacuum pyrolysis of CF3S(O)NSO at 700 K. Upon visible light irradiation (570 ± 20 or 532 nm), both A and B, isolated in cryogenic matrices (N2, Ne, Ar, and Kr, <30 K), convert to a higher-energy anti-anti conformer (C). The reverse conformational transformation occurs either through S═N bond rotation (C to A and B) under visible light irradiation (400 ± 20 nm) at 2.8 K or through thermal nitrogen inversion (C to A) in the temperature range of 20-30 K, for which an exceptionally low activation barrier of 1.18 ± 0.07 kcal mol-1 has been experimentally determined.

Electronic and spectroscopic characterizations of SNP isomers

High-level ab initio electronic structure calculations were performed to characterize SNP isomers. In addition to the known linear SNP, cyc-PSN, and linear SPN isomers, we identified a fourth isomer, linear PSN, which is located ∼2.4 eV above the linear SNP isomer. The low-lying singlet and triplet electronic states of the linear SNP and SPN isomers were investigated using a multi-reference configuration interaction method and large basis set. Several bound electronic states were identified. However, their upper rovibrational levels were predicted to pre-dissociate, leading to S + PN, P + NS products, and multi-step pathways were discovered. For the ground states, a set of spectroscopic parameters were derived using standard and explicitly correlated coupled-cluster methods in conjunction with augmented correlation-consistent basis sets extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. We also considered scalar and core-valence effects. For linear isomers, the rovibrational spectra were deduced after generation of their 3D-potential energy surfaces along the stretching and bending coordinates and variational treatments of the nuclear motions.

The Trifluoromethyl Sulfinyl and Oxathiyl Radicals

Two hitherto unreported sulfur-centered radicals CF3 SO. and CF3 OS. were generated in the gas phase through high-vacuum flash pyrolyses of sulfoxide CF3 S(O)X (X=CF3 , Cl, PhO) precursors. The CF3 OS. molecule is the first experimental example that constitutes an oxathiyl radical. It was isolated and characterized by combining matrix-isolation IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy with quantum chemical computations up to the UCCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ-F12 level of theory. Upon UV light irradiation (254 or 266 nm), sulfinyl radical (CF3 SO. ) isomerizes to oxathiyl radical (CF3 OS. ) in cryogenic noble gas matrices (Ar and Ne). Natural population analyses at the BP86/def2-TZVPP//UCCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ-F12 level suggest that the spin density in CF3 OS. is mainly localized on the sulfur atom (0.86), whereas, in CF3 SO. the spin density is almost equally distributed on the sulfur (0.55) and oxygen (0.43) atoms.

HNS(+) and HSN(+) cations: Electronic states, spin-rovibronic spectroscopy with planetary and biological implications.

Ab initio methods in conjunction with a large basis set are used to compute the potential energy surfaces of the 12 lowest electronic states of the HNS(+) and HSN(+) isomeric forms. These potentials are used in discussions of the metastability of these cations and plausible mechanisms for the H(+)/H + SN(+)/SN, S/S(+) + NH(+)/NH, N/N(+) + SH(+)/SH ion-molecule reactions. Interestingly, the low rovibrational levels of HSN(+)(1(2)A″) and HNS(+)(1(2)A″) electronically excited ions are predicted to be long-lived. Both ions are suggested to be a suitable candidate for light-sensitive NO(⋅) donor in vivo and as a possible marker for the detection of intermediates in nitrites + H2S reactions at the cellular level. The full spin rovibronic levels of HNS(+) are presented, which may assist in the experimental identification of HNS(+) and HSN(+) ions and in elucidating their roles in astrophysical and biological media.

Can Urea Be a Seed for Aerosol Particle Formation in Air

Urea is ubiquitous in rainwaters and aqueous aerosols in different environments. However, its atmospheric fate and the exact mechanism on how it influences new particle formation remain completely unexplored. Herein, we have used quantum chemical calculations and Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations to explore the potential role of urea in the particle formation events. The results suggest that urea binds more strongly to common acidic precursors than ammonia or monoamines and is capable of binding at most two molecules of an acidic precursor or hydroperoxyl radical via hydrogen bonding interactions. The molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the complex of urea with an acidic precursor or hydroperoxyl radical on the water droplet is stabilized by intermolecular and interfacial hydrogen bonding interactions over the simulation time scale of 10-15 ps. An important implication of these results is that urea may contribute toward the particle formation in marine environments as well as in Asia where the usage of urea for the agricultural activities has increased dramatically over last few decades. Though there is at the moment no evidence of urea being present in the atmospheric gas-phase, we hope our work would inspire field measurements for detecting urea in the gas-phase.

Toward the detection of the triatomic negative ion SPN−:Spectroscopy and potential energy surfaces

High level theoretical calculations using coupled-cluster theory were performed to provide an accurate description of the electronic structure, spectroscopic properties, and stability of the triatomic negative ion comprising S, N, and P. The adiabatic electron affinities (AEAs) and vertical detachment energies (VDEs) of PNS, SPN, PSN, and cyc-PSN were calculated. The predicted AEA and VDE of the linear SPN isomer are large: 2.24 and 3.04 eV, respectively. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the lowest-lying electronic states of the SPN- isomer along the PN and SP bond lengths and bond angle were mapped. A set of spectroscopic parameters for SPN-, PNS-, and PSN- in their electronic ground states is obtained from the 3D PESs to help detect these species in the gas phase. The electronic excited state SPN-(12A″) is predicted to be stable with a long lifetime calculated to be 189.7 μs. The formation of SPN- in its electronic ground state through the bimolecular collision between S- + PN and N + PS- is also discussed.

Cold collisions of SH− with He: Potential energy surface and rate coefficients

Collisional energy transfer under cold conditions is of great importance from the fundamental and applicative point of view. Here, we investigate low temperature collisions of the SH- anion with He. We have generated a three-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the SH-(X1Σ+)-He(1S) van der Waals complex. The ab initio multi-dimensional interaction PES was computed using the explicitly correlated coupled cluster approach with simple, double, and perturbative triple excitation in conjunction with the augmented-correlation consistent-polarized valence triple zeta Gaussian basis set. The PES presents two minima located at linear geometries. Then, the PES was averaged over the ground vibrational wave function of the SH- molecule and the resulting two-dimensional PES was incorporated into exact quantum mechanical close coupling calculations to study the collisional excitation of SH- by He. We have computed inelastic cross sections among the 11 first rotational levels of SH- for energies up to 2500 cm-1. (De-)excitation rate coefficients were deduced for temperatures ranging from 1 to 300 K by thermally averaging the cross sections. We also performed calculations using the new PES for a fixed internuclear SH- distance. Both sets of results were found to be in reasonable agreement despite differences existing at low temperatures confirming that accurate predictions require the consideration of all internal degrees of freedom in the case of molecular hydrides. The rate coefficients presented here may be useful in interpreting future experimental work on the SH- negative ion colliding with He as those recently done for the OH--He collisional system as well as for possible astrophysical applications in case SH- would be detected in the interstellar medium.

Parent Thioketene S‐oxide H2CCSO: Gas‐phase Generation, Structure and Bonding Analysis

The parent thioketene S-oxide H2 CCSO has been generated in the gas phase through flash vacuum pyrolysis (ca. 1000 K) of vinyl sulfoxide H2 CC(Br)-S(O)CF3 via the intermediacy of a novel vinyl sulfinyl radical H2 C=C(Br)-SO (syn and anti conformers). Upon irradiation at 266 nm, H2 CCSO decomposes into HCCH/SO and H2 CS/CO in cryogenic Ar matrix. Whereas, visible-light irradiations result in syn↔anti conformational interconversion in H2 C=C(Br)-SO. The molecular structures of H2 CCSO and isomers are computationally studied at the CCSD(T)-F12/VTZ-F12 level of theory, and the bonding properties of H2 CCSO are analyzed with the EDA-NOCV method at the M06-2X/TZ2P level.