Four-mode quantum calculations of resonance states in complex-forming bimolecular reactions: Cl-+CH3Br

Abstract

The vibrational resonance states of the complexes formed in the nucleophilic bimolecular substitution (S(N)2) reaction Cl-+CH3Br -> ClCH3+Br- were calculated by means of the filter diagonalization method employing a coupled-cluster potential-energy surface and a Hamiltonian that incorporates an optical potential and is formulated in Radau coordinates for the carbon-halogen stretching modes. The four-dimensional model also includes the totally symmetric vibrations of the methyl group (C-H stretch and umbrella bend). The vast majority of bound states and many resonance states up to the first overtone of the symmetric stretching vibration in the exit channel complex have been calculated, analyzed, and assigned four quantum numbers. The resonances are classified into entrance channel, exit channel, and delocalized states. The resonance widths fluctuate over six orders of magnitude. In addition to a majority of Feshbach-type resonances there are also exceedingly long-lived shape resonances, which are associated with the entrance channel and can only decay by tunneling. The state-selective decay of the resonances was studied in detail. The linewidths of the resonances, and thus the coupling to the energetic continuum, increase with excitation in any mode. Due to the strong mixing of the many progressions in the intermolecular stretching modes of the intermediate complexes, this increase as a function of the corresponding quantum numbers is not monotonic, but exhibits pronounced fluctuations. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.