electronic state of HOBr

A global, analytical potential energy surface for the ground electronic state of HOBr has been determined using highly correlated multireference configuration interaction wave functions and explicit basis set extrapolations of large correlation consistent basis sets. The ab initio data have been fit to an analytical functional form that accurately includes both the HOBr and HBrO minima, as well as all dissociation asymptotes. Small adjustments to this surface are made based on the limited experimental data available and by indirectly taking into account the effects of spin–orbit coupling on the OH1Br dissociation channel. Vibrational energy levels are calculated variationally for both HOBr and HBrO up to the OH1Br dissociation limit using a truncation/recoupling method. The HOBr isomer is calculated to contain 708 bound vibrational energy levels, while the HBrO minimum lies above the OH1Br dissociation limit but is calculated to have 74 ‘‘quasibound,’’ localized eigenstates. Infrared intensities for all of these vibrational transitions are also calculated using MRCI dipole moment functions. The assignment of the HOBr states is complicated by strong stretch–bend resonances even at relatively low energies. In contrast to the HOCl case, these state mixings made it particularly difficult to assign the relatively intense OH overtone bands above v152. The vibrational density of states of HOBr at the OH1Br dissociation limit is determined to be 0.16 states/cm. Comparisons to recent work on HOCl using similar methods are made throughout. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. @S0021-9606~00!30235-5#