Effect of Microsolvation on Nonstatistical Behavior of HO 3 • $\text{HO}_{3}^{\cdot}$

Hydrotrioxyl radical ( ${\text{HO}}_3^{•}$ ) is proposed as a transient species in various important atmospheric reactions. One factor that can influence the lifetime of ${\text{HO}}_3^{•}$ in the atmosphere is its ability to form complexes with water monomers and dimers, i.e., microsolvated systems. In addition, a recent study suggests that the lifetime of ${\text{HO}}_3^{•}$ is greatly influenced by the non-Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) effect, and hence, the role of water complexation in determining the lifetime of ${\text{HO}}_3^{•}$ is incomplete without estimating the nonstatistical effect in HO₃··(H₂O)_n (n = 1 and 2) complexes. Therefore, in the present work, using direct dynamics simulations along with high-level electronic structure theory, the stability of these microsolvated systems is studied. The investigation suggests that the microsolvation of ${\text{HO}}_3^{•}$ reduces its lifetime, and the non-RRKM effect is negligible as the system approaches the solution-phase.