Vibrational spectra and electron–vibration interactions of the naphthalene radical anion — Experimental and theoretical study

Vibrational analysis is carried out for the radical anions of naphthalene-h8 and -d8. Their infrared (IR) spectra are observed in tetrahydrofuran by using a cell designed for IR measurements of unstable species. The vibrational force field and the IR intensities are calculated by the ab initio molecular orbital and density functional methods at various theoretical levels. As found in the cases of the radical cations of many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a few strong IR bands with intensities of the order of 102 km mol–1 are observed in the 1700–900 cm–1 region. These observed spectral features are well reproduced by the calculations at the CASSCF (complete active space self-consistent field) and B3LYP (Becke's three-parameter hybrid method using the Lee–Yang–Parr correlation functional) levels. The calculation at the B3LYP level gives a better fit between the observed and calculated absolute IR intensities. Normal modes and the origin of the strong IR intensities characteristic of the radical anions are discussed in terms of molecular symmetry coordinates and the dipole derivatives based on these coordinates. It is found that the IR intensities of the b2u modes below 2000 cm–1 are dominated by the contribution from one molecular symmetry coordinate, in which the C—C bonds in one ring stretch while those in the other ring shrink. The mechanism that gives rise to the strong IR intensity for this vibration is discussed by examining the changes in the electronic structure induced by this vibration.Key words: vibrational spectra, electron–vibration interaction, naphthalene, radical anion.