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Sulfur trioxide (SO

Gas-phase simulations of nitric acid–amine chemistry suggest that the fundamental acid–base interaction between HNO3 and NH3 results in a variety of HNO3–NH3-based complexes, such as (HNO3)3·(NH3)2, (HNO3)3·(NH3)3, and (HNO3)4·(NH3)3, that can be formed. The formation of these complexes in the gas phase follow different growth mechanisms under different relative humidity conditions. On the other hand, at the air–water interface, Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the formation of the fundamental NO3–··(R1)(R2)NH2+ [for NH3, R1 = R2 = H; CH3NH2, R1 = H, R2 = CH3; and (CH3)2NH, R1 = R2 = CH3] ion pairs require the formation of the HNO3··(R1)(R2)NH complexes in the gas-phase prior to their adsorption on the water surface. Ion-pair formation at the water surface involves proton transfer from HNO3 to (R1)(R2)NH and occurs within a few femtoseconds of the simulation. The NO3–··(R1)(R2)NH2+ ion pairs preferentially remain at the interface over the picosecond time scale, where they are s...

Conversion of N=N=CHSiMe3 to O=C=CHSiMe3 by the radical complexes .Cr(CO)3C5R5 (R = H, CH3) derived from dissociation of [Cr(CO)3(C5R5)]2 have been investigated under CO, Ar, and N2 atmospheres. Under an Ar or N2 atmosphere the reaction is stoichiometric and produces the Cr[triple bond]Cr triply bonded complex [Cr(CO)2(C5R5)]2. Under a CO atmosphere regeneration of [Cr(CO)3(C5R5)]2 (R = H, CH3) occurs competitively and conversion of diazo to ketene occurs catalytically as well as stoichiometrically. Two key intermediates in the reaction, .Cr(CO)2(ketene)(C5R5) and Cr2(CO)5(C5R5)2 have been detected spectroscopically. The complex .Cr(13CO)2(O=13C=CHSiMe3)(C5Me5) has been studied by electron spin resonance spectroscopy in toluene solution: g(iso) = 2.007; A(53Cr) = 125 MHz; A(13CO) = 22.5 MHz; A(O=13C=CHSiMe3) = 12.0 MHz. The complex Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2, generated in situ, does not show a signal in its 1H NMR and reacts relatively slowly with CO. It is proposed to be a ground-state triplet in keeping with predictions based on high level density functional theory (DFT) studies. Computed vibrational frequencies are also in good agreement with experimental data. The rates of CO loss from 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 producing 1[Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 and CO addition to 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 producing 1[Cr(CO)3(C5H5)]2 have been measured by kinetics and show DeltaH approximately equal 23 kcal mol(-1) for both processes. Enthalpies of reduction by Na/Hg under CO atmosphere of [Cr(CO)n(C5H5)]2 (n = 2,3) have been measured by solution calorimetry and provide data for estimation of the Cr[triple bond]Cr bond strength in [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 as 72 kcal mol(-1). The complex [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 does not readily undergo 13CO exchange at room temperature or 50 degrees C implying that 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 is not readily accessed from the thermodynamically stable complex [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2. A detailed mechanism for metalloradical based conversion of diazo and CO to ketene and N2 is proposed on the basis of a combination of experimental and theoretical data.

The divanadocene carbonyls Cp2V2(CO)n (n = 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; Cp = eta5-C5H5) have been studied by density functional theory using the B3LYP and BP86 functionals. The global minimum for Cp2V2(CO)5 with a V[triple bond]V distance of 2.452 A (BP86) is essentially the same as the structure of the known Cp2V2(CO)5 determined by X-ray diffraction. The global minimum of Cp2V2(CO)4 is a triplet electronic state with a V[triple bond]V distance of 2.444 A (BP86). However, slightly higher energy singlet Cp2V2(CO)4 structures are found either with a V[triple bond]V distance of 2.547 A (BP86) and one four-electron donor bridging CO group or with a V[quadruple bond]V distance of 2.313 A (BP86) and all two-electron donor bridging CO groups. Comparison is made between Cp2V2(CO)3 and the recently synthesized quintuply bonded RCrCrR (R = bulky aryl group) complexes of Power and co-workers. Four-electron donor bridging carbonyl groups become more prevalent upon further decarbonylation, leading ultimately to three singlet Cp2V2(eta2-mu-CO)2 isomers as well as triplet, quintet, and septet structures of Cp2V2(CO) with extremely low nu(CO) frequencies around 1400 cm(-1). Our most remarkable structural finding is the extremely short vanadium-vanadium distance (1.80 A, BP86) predicted for the singlet structure of Cp2V2(CO).

Conversion of N=N=CHSiMe3 to O=C=CHSiMe3 by the radical complexes .Cr(CO)3C5R5 (R = H, CH3) derived from dissociation of [Cr(CO)3(C5R5)]2 have been investigated under CO, Ar, and N2 atmospheres. Under an Ar or N2 atmosphere the reaction is stoichiometric and produces the Cr[triple bond]Cr triply bonded complex [Cr(CO)2(C5R5)]2. Under a CO atmosphere regeneration of [Cr(CO)3(C5R5)]2 (R = H, CH3) occurs competitively and conversion of diazo to ketene occurs catalytically as well as stoichiometrically. Two key intermediates in the reaction, .Cr(CO)2(ketene)(C5R5) and Cr2(CO)5(C5R5)2 have been detected spectroscopically. The complex .Cr(13CO)2(O=13C=CHSiMe3)(C5Me5) has been studied by electron spin resonance spectroscopy in toluene solution: g(iso) = 2.007; A(53Cr) = 125 MHz; A(13CO) = 22.5 MHz; A(O=13C=CHSiMe3) = 12.0 MHz. The complex Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2, generated in situ, does not show a signal in its 1H NMR and reacts relatively slowly with CO. It is proposed to be a ground-state triplet in keeping with predictions based on high level density functional theory (DFT) studies. Computed vibrational frequencies are also in good agreement with experimental data. The rates of CO loss from 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 producing 1[Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 and CO addition to 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 producing 1[Cr(CO)3(C5H5)]2 have been measured by kinetics and show DeltaH approximately equal 23 kcal mol(-1) for both processes. Enthalpies of reduction by Na/Hg under CO atmosphere of [Cr(CO)n(C5H5)]2 (n = 2,3) have been measured by solution calorimetry and provide data for estimation of the Cr[triple bond]Cr bond strength in [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 as 72 kcal mol(-1). The complex [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2 does not readily undergo 13CO exchange at room temperature or 50 degrees C implying that 3Cr2(CO)5(C5H5)2 is not readily accessed from the thermodynamically stable complex [Cr(CO)2(C5H5)]2. A detailed mechanism for metalloradical based conversion of diazo and CO to ketene and N2 is proposed on the basis of a combination of experimental and theoretical data.

Sulfur trioxide (SO3) is one of the most active chemical species in the atmosphere, and its atmospheric fate has profound implications to air quality and human health. The dominant gas-phase loss pathway for SO3 is generally believed to be the reaction with water molecules, resulting in sulfuric acid. The latter is viewed as a critical component in the new particle formation (NPF). Herein, a new and competitive loss pathway for SO3 in the presence of abundant gas-phase ammonia (NH3) species is identified. Specifically, the reaction between SO3 and NH3, which produces sulfamic acid, can be self-catalyzed by the reactant (NH3). In dry and heavily polluted areas with relatively high concentrations of NH3, the effective rate constant for the bimolecular SO3-NH3 reaction can be sufficiently fast through this new loss pathway for SO3 to become competitive with the conventional loss pathway for SO3 with water. Furthermore, this study shows that the final product of the reaction, namely, sulfamic acid, can enhance the fastest possible rate of NPF from sulfuric acid and dimethylamine (DMA) by about a factor of 2. An alternative source of stabilizer for acid-base clustering in the atmosphere is suggested, and this new mechanism for NPF has potential to improve atmospheric modeling in highly polluted regions.