Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.106, No.18, 7731-7737, 1997
Ab-Initio Study of the O-2(X (3)Sigma(G)(-))+ar(S-1) Vanderwaals Interaction
A potential energy surface for the Ar(S-1)+O-2(X (3) Sigma(g)(-)) interaction is calculated using the supermolecular unrestricted Moller-Plesset (UMP) perturbation theory and analyzed via the perturbation theory of intermolecular forces. The global minimum occurs for the T-shaped geometry, around 6.7 a(0). Our UMP4 estimate of the well depth of the global minimum is D-e = 117 cm(-1) and the related ground state dissociation energy obtained by diffusion Monte Carlo calculations is 88 cm(-1). These values are expected to be accurate to within a few percent. The potential energy surface also reveals a local minimum for the collinear geometry at ca similar to 7.6 a(0). The well depth for the secondary minimum at the UMP4 level is estimated at D-e = 104 cm(-1). The minima are separated by a barrier of 23 cm(-1). The global minimum is determined by the minimum in the exchange repulsion in the direction perpendicular to the O-O bond. The secondary, linear minimum is enhanced by a slight flattening of the electron density near the ends of the interoxygen axis.
Keywords:FINE-STRUCTURE SPECTRUM;POTENTIAL-ENERGY SURFACES;DER-WAALS COMPLEXES;PERTURBATION-THEORY;RANDOM-WALK;MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS;VANDERWAALS MOLECULES;INTERMOLECULAR FORCES;ABINITIO CALCULATIONS;QUANTUM-CHEMISTRY