DOE OSTI2016
Kinetic energy dependent reactions of Th{sup +} with O{sub 2} and CO are studied using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. The formation of ThO{sup +} in the reaction of Th{sup +} with O{sub 2} is observed to be exothermic and barrierless with a reaction efficiency at low energies of k/k{sub LGS} = 1.21 ± 0.24 similar to the efficiency observed in ion cyclotron resonance experiments. Formation of ThO{sup +} and ThC{sup +} in the reaction of Th{sup +} with CO is endothermic in both cases. The kinetic energy dependent cross sections for formation of these product ions were evaluated to determine 0 K bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of D{sub 0}(Th{sup +}–O) = 8.57 ± 0.14 eV and D{sub 0}(Th{sup +}–C) = 4.82 ± 0.29 eV. The present value of D{sub 0} (Th{sup +}–O) is within experimental uncertainty of previously reported experimental values, whereas this is the first report of D{sub 0} (Th{sup +}–C). Both BDEs are observed to be larger than those of their transition metal congeners, TiL{sup +}, ZrL{sup +}, and HfL{sup +} (L = O and C), believed to be a result of lanthanide contraction. Additionally, the reactions were explored by quantum chemical calculations, including a full Feller-Peterson-Dixon composite approach with correlation contributions up to coupled-cluster singles and doubles with iterative triples and quadruples (CCSDTQ) for ThC, ThC{sup +}, ThO, and ThO{sup +}, as well as more approximate CCSD with perturbative (triples) [CCSD(T)] calculations where a semi-empirical model was used to estimate spin-orbit energy contributions. Finally, the ThO{sup +} BDE is compared to other actinide (An) oxide cation BDEs and a simple model utilizing An{sup +} promotion energies to the reactive state is used to estimate AnO{sup +} and AnC{sup +} BDEs. For AnO{sup +}, this model yields predictions that are typically within experimental uncertainty and performs better than density functional theory calculations presented previously.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗