Intermolecular potential and rovibrational states of the H2O–D2 complex

Abstract A five-dimensional intermolecular potential for H 2 O–D 2 was obtained from the full nine-dimensional ab initio potential surface of Valiron et al. [P. Valiron, M. Wernli, A. Faure, L. Wiesenfeld, C. Rist, S. Kedžuch, J. Noga, J. Chem. Phys. 129 (2008) 134306] by averaging over the ground state vibrational wave functions of H 2 O and D 2 . On this five-dimensional potential with a well depth D e of 232.12 cm −1 we calculated the bound rovibrational levels of H 2 O–D 2 for total angular momentum J  = 0–3. The method used to compute the rovibrational levels is similar to a scattering approach—it involves a basis of coupled free rotor wave functions for the hindered internal rotations and the overall rotation of the dimer—while it uses a discrete variable representation of the intermolecular distance coordinate R . The basis was adapted to the permutation symmetry associated with the para/ortho (p/o) nature of both H 2 O and D 2 , as well as to inversion symmetry. As expected, the H 2 O–D 2 dimer is more strongly bound than its H 2 O–H 2 isotopologue [cf. A. van der Avoird, D.J. Nesbitt, J. Chem. Phys. 134 (2011) 044314], with dissociation energies D 0 of 46.10, 50.59, 67.43, and 73.53 cm −1 for pH 2 O–oD 2 , oH 2 O–oD 2 , pH 2 O–pD 2 , and oH 2 O–pD 2 . A rotationally resolved infrared spectrum of H 2 O–D 2 was measured in the frequency region of the H 2 O bend mode. The ab initio calculated values of the rotational and distortion constants agree well with the values extracted from this spectrum.