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Molecular complexes in close and far away.

William Klemperer¹, Veronica Vaida

¹Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. billk@otto.harvard.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|June 3, 2006

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Molecular complexes are now recognized as key players in interstellar and atmospheric chemistry. This review explores their role in environments from giant molecular clouds to planetary atmospheres, impacting synthesis and climate.

Area of Science:

Astrochemistry
Atmospheric Chemistry
Chemical Physics

Background:

Interstellar media and planetary atmospheres exhibit diverse compositions, densities, and temperatures.
Molecular complexes, including ion-molecule aggregates, hydrates, and van der Waals molecules, are increasingly recognized for their chemical significance.
Previous studies focused on gas-phase reactions and surface chemistry, with less emphasis on complex formation.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and extend the understanding of gas-phase chemistry in interstellar media and planetary atmospheres to include molecular complexes.
To highlight the role of various types of molecular complexes (ion-bound, hydrogen-bonded, van der Waals) in different astrophysical environments.
To synthesize observational, laboratory, and theoretical data on molecular complexes in chemistry and climate.

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Main Methods:

Literature review of observational, laboratory, and theoretical studies.
Analysis of molecular complex formation and reactivity in diverse environments.
Comparison of complex roles in low-temperature interstellar clouds versus high-temperature planetary atmospheres.

Main Results:

Molecular complexes, including ionic clusters, significantly contribute to molecular synthesis in giant molecular clouds.
In planetary atmospheres, molecular complexes influence both atmospheric chemistry and climate dynamics.
The review integrates findings across different scales, from molecular clouds to exoplanetary atmospheres.

Conclusions:

Molecular complexes are crucial, previously underappreciated components of chemical processes in both interstellar and planetary environments.
Understanding molecular complexes is essential for accurate modeling of astrochemistry and atmospheric science.
Future research should continue to integrate multi-disciplinary data to fully elucidate the impact of molecular complexes.