Jahn-Teller effect potential energy surfaces

The stoi7 begins with studies of the molecular Jahn-Teller effect in the late 1950s [1-3]. The Jahn-Teller theorems themselves [4,5] are 20 years older and static Jahn-Teller distortions of elecbonically degenerate species were well known and understood. Geomebic phase is, however, a dynamic phenomenon, associated with nuclear motions in the vicinity of a so-called conical intersection between potential energy surfaces. 

Now, we examine the effect of vibronic interactions on the two adiabatic potential energy surfaces of nonlinear molecules that belong to a degenerate electronic state, so-called static Jahn-Teller effect. 

Fig. 5. The pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect in ammonia (NH3). (a) CCSD(T) ground state potential energy curve breakdown of energy into expectation value of electronic Hamiltonian (He), and nuclear-nuclear repulsion VNN. (b) CASSCF frequency analysis of pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect showing the effect of including CSFs of B2 symmetry is to couple the ground and 1(ncr ) states to give a negative curvature to the adiabatic ground state potential energy surface for the inversion mode.

Fig. 7. Potential energy surfaces for ground and first excited state of Mo2(DXylF)2(02CCH3)2(n2-0)2 complex. The pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect results from a coupling between So and the excited 1( 6 ) state, causing the central Mo2(p2-0)2 motif to be rhomboidal (C2h), rather than square (D2h) [Adapted from Ref. (55) with permission].

In fullerene anions C%q, the n electrons outside closed shells occupy /lu triplet electronic states. Jahn-Teller (JT) coupling between these states and 5-fold h-type vibrations has important consequences for many properties of the fullerene anions. It is therefore important to understand the JT effect experienced by these ions from a theoretical point of view. We will study the cases of n = 2 and 4, where the lowest adiabatic potential energy surface is found to consist of a two-dimensional trough in linear coupling. The motion of the system therefore consists of vibrations in three directions across the trough and pseudo-rotations in two directions around the trough. Analytical expressions for states of the system that reflect this motion are obtained and the resultant energies determined. 

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