Electron capture dynamics of a water molecule connected to a cyclic water trimer: a direct ab initio MD approach

Electron capture dynamics of the water tetramer (H(2)O)(n) (n = 4) have been investigated by means of a full-dimensional direct ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) method at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level. Two structural conformers (branched and cyclic forms of the water tetramer) were examined as neutral water tetramers. The structure of the branched form is that a dangling water molecule binds to the ring composed of a cyclic water trimer. In the case of electron capture of the branched form, first, an excess electron was trapped by the dangling water molecule. Next, rotation of the water molecule located in the ring occurred rapidly, while a hydrogen bond of the ring was broken. The branched structure was gradually changed to a linear one. This change was caused by the increase of the dipole moment of the neutral water tetramer oriented toward the excess electron. The time scale of hydrogen bond breaking and solvation of the excess electron were estimated to be 100 and 400 fs, respectively. In the case of the cyclic water tetramer, a planar structure was only changed to a slight bent form. The mechanism of electron capture of the water tetramer (mainly the branched form) was discussed on the basis of theoretical results.