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Title: Dication-water interactions: M{sup 2+}(H{sub 2}O){sub n} clusters for alkaline earth metals M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp952546r· OSTI ID:232519
;  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

Gas phase structures, binding energies, and enthalpies are reported for small M{sup 2+}(H{sub 2}O){sub n} clusters consisting of an alkaline earth dication (Mg{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, Sr{sup 2+}, Ba{sup 2+}, and Ra{sup 2+}) with one to six water molecules. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations were performed at the RHF and MP2 levels of theory using split-valence basis sets (6-31+G{sup *} with effective core potentials for the heavier alkaline earth metals). The water molecules in these clusters coordinate the dications in highly symmetric arrangements that tend to enhance electrostatic charge-dipole interactions while minimizing ligand-ligand repulsions. comparisons of the calculated structures and binding energies to higher level treatments reveal fairly reasonable agreement. The optimized M-O distances are slightly long (by 0.02-0.03 A), and binding energies are somewhat weak (by 1-3 kcal mol{sup -1} per ligand). Natural energy decomposition analysis emphasizes the importance of polarization effects in the M{sup 2+}(H{sub 2}O){sub n} clusters. Polarization is largely responsible for the nonclassical bent and pyramidal structures of the di- and trihydrates and for the nonadditive, many-body terms that contribute importantly to the binding energies. 32 refs., 4 figs., 7 tabs.

DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830; FG06-89ER75522
OSTI ID:
232519
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol. 100, Issue 12; Other Information: PBD: 21 Mar 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English