Semiclassical and quantum-mechanical study of the reaction mechanism for the N2 + N2+ electron transfer system

Abstract

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, including electron correlation, were carried out on the N2 + N2+ electron transfer system. Six geometries of the precursor complex were assumed and their stabilities were calculated and compared. The activation energy, the electronic transmission factor, and the electronic coupling matrix element in the electron transfer process were also calculated. The electronic transmission factor for this system was far less than unity (ca. 0.006~0.09); thus, the electron transfer reaction was considered to be diabatic in nature. Therefore, the electron transfer rate for the selected structures was calculated using semiclassical and quantum-mechanical theories. The calculated values were compared with each other and were in good agreement with the experimental value.Key words: N2 + N2+ electron transfer reaction, semiclassical and quantum-mechanical theories, electronic transmission factor, electronic coupling matrix element, B3LYP.