Vibrational spectra and structures of H2O-NO, HDO-NO, and D2O-NO complexes. An IR matrix isolation and DFT study.

The IR spectra of H2O+NO, HDO+NO, and D2O+NO, isolated in solid neon at low temperature have been investigated. Concentration effects and detailed vibrational analysis of deuterated and partially deuterated species allowed identification of three 1:1 HDO-NO species, two 1:1 D2O-NO species, and only one 1:1 H2O-NO complex. From comparison between the experimental spectra and the results of DFT calculations, it appeared that two different types of weakly bound complexes between water and nitric oxide can be formed in a neon matrix. The first species is a 1:1 complex where bonding occurs between water hydrogen and nitric oxide nitrogen, in which OH-N and OD-N intermolecular bonds are engaged. For this complex only DOD-NO, HOD-NO, and DOH-NO isotopic species have been experimentally detected and no IR bands of HOH-NO were observed. This result could be explained by the fact that the dissociation energy of HOH-NO is lower than those of DOD-NO, HOD-NO and DOH-NO. For the second detected 1:1 H2O-NO complex and its isotopic variants, the H2O-NO potential surface was explored systematically at the B3LYP level, but no stable species corresponding to the complex could be calculated. The structure of the second observed 1:1 H2O-NO complex results from columbic attractions between water and nitric oxide and could be stabilized only in matrix, probably by interaction between NO, water and (Ne)n.