07.01.2014 Views

CHEM01200604005 A. K. Pathak - Homi Bhabha National Institute

CHEM01200604005 A. K. Pathak - Homi Bhabha National Institute

CHEM01200604005 A. K. Pathak - Homi Bhabha National Institute

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Different minimum energy structures obtained on full geometry optimization of<br />

−<br />

each size hydrated cluster of nitrate anion, NO 3 .nH2 O (n=1-8) are displayed in Fig. 2.2.<br />

Two stable minimum energy structures are obtained on full geometry optimization of the<br />

−<br />

monohydrate cluster, NO 3 -H2 O as shown in Fig. 2.2-I(A-B). In contrast to the earlier<br />

reported structure, 15 the most stable structure has a symmetric double-hydrogen-bonding<br />

−<br />

(DHB) arrangement where two O atoms from NO 3 group and two H-atoms of the<br />

solvent H 2 O molecule are connected by H-bonding of length 2.06 Å. Calculated NO bond<br />

distances are 1.25 and 1.27 Å, respectively, for the spectator and H-bonded bonds.<br />

Structure I-B having one single hydrogen bonding (SHB) between one oxygen atom of<br />

the nitrate anion and H atom of the solvent H 2 O molecule is less stable than the structure<br />

I-A by 2.78 kcal/mol. The calculated H-bond distance is 1.83 Å and so this SHB should<br />

be stronger than each DHB of structure I-A. Again, NO bond distances are 1.25 and 1.27<br />

Å, respectively for the spectator and H-bonded bonds.<br />

Three minimum energy structures are predicted for the di-hydrate cluster,<br />

−<br />

NO 3 .2H2 O and displayed in Fig. 2.2-II(A-C). The structures are very close in energy<br />

with a difference in relative stability of < 2 kcal/mol. Structures II-A and II-C have two<br />

double-hydrogen-bonding (DHB) arrangements and both the solvent H 2 O units are<br />

−<br />

attached to the same two O atoms of NO 3 in case of the less stable structure II-C. In case<br />

of II-C, none of the solvent H 2 O units is in the NO 3<br />

− plane, structure II-A is planar<br />

though. Structure II-B has two single hydrogen bonding (SHB) and one inter water<br />

hydrogen bonding (WHB) arrangements.<br />

34

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!