Electronic structures and geometries of the XF3 (X = Cl, Br, I, At) fluorides

The potential energy surfaces of the group 17 XF3 (X = Cl, Br, I, At) fluorides have been investigated for the first time with multiconfigurational wave function theory approaches. In agreement with experiment, bent T-shaped C(2v) structures are computed for ClF3, BrF3, and IF3, while we predict that an average D(3h) structure would be experimentally observed for AtF3. Electron correlation and scalar relativistic effects strongly reduce the energy difference between the D(3h) geometry and the C(2v) one, along the XF3 series, and in the X = At case, spin-orbit coupling also slightly reduces this energy difference. AtF3 is a borderline system where the D(3h) structure becomes a minimum, i.e., the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect is inhibited since electron correlation and scalar-relativistic effects create small energy barriers leading to the global C(2v) minima, although both types of effects interfere.