A global 2A″ state potential energy surface for the Al (2P) + O2 (Σg−3) → AlO (2Σ+) + O (3P) reaction based on the doubly hybrid functional XYG3.

In this paper, a global and full-dimensional potential energy surface at the ²A″ ground state for the Al + O₂ → AlO + O reaction was constructed, for the first time, based on extensive electronic structure calculations using the doubly hybrid functional XYG3 and potential energy surface fittings by neural networks. Details of the reaction paths have been analyzed. It was found that both two intermediates, the cyclic-AlO₂ and the linear-OAlO, were able to dissociate to the AlO + O products, and the isomerization process between these two intermediates was controlled by conical intersections between two ²A″ states. Ro-vibrational state resolved integral cross sections have also been calculated at collision energies from 1.0 to 10.0 kcal/mol. The results support the harpooning mechanism in this metal-oxidant-involved reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]