Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.124, No.6, 1134-1151, 2020
Protonation of Naphthalene-(Water)(n) Nanoclusters: Intracluster Proton Transfer to Hydration Shell Revealed by Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy
Solvation-dependent intracluster proton transfer (ICPT) within bare and Ar-tagged protonated naphthalene(water)(n) clusters, H+(Np-W-n) with n <= 3, is characterized by infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy in a supersonic plasma expansion. IRPD spectra of size-selected clusters recorded in the CH and OH stretch range (2750-3800 cm(-1)) are analyzed with dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations (B3LYP-D3/aug-cc-pVTZ) to determine both the protonation site and the structure of the hydration network. Ar tagging of H+(Np-W-n) leads to colder spectra with higher spectral resolution. The position of the excess proton is controlled by a subtle balance between the difference in proton affinity (PA) of Np and W-n and the involved solvation energies. For n = 1, the excess proton is localized on the Np ring, leading to a H+Np-W structure with a bifurcated CH center dot center dot center dot O ionic H-bond, because of the large difference in PA of Np and W. For n = 2, ICPT occurs, and the cluster has a structure in which a symmetric Zundel ion is connected to Np via two strong OH center dot center dot center dot pi ionic H-bonds. Because of the similar PA values of W-2 and Np, the energetics of the ICPT is largely decided by the higher solvation energy in favor of Np-H+W2 as compared to FrNp-W-2. For n >= 3, the PA of W-n substantially exceeds the one of Np, leading to ICPT. Attachment of the bulky planar Np ring to H+Wn causes an increasing perturbation of the bare H+Wn cluster with size by symmetry reduction and the strong OH center dot center dot center dot pi H-bonds. Comparison of H+(Np-W-n) with the related H+(Bz-W-n) clusters (Bz = benzene) indicates the implications of extending the aromatic pi-electron system on both the critical threshold size for ICPT (n(c) = 1 for Bz and n(c) = 2 for Np) and the structure of the hydration network.