Atom and Amine Adsorption on Flat and Stepped Gold Surfaces & Structure, Stability and Spin Ordering in Manganese Sulfide Clusters

In part I, we investigate gold catalysis in the chemistry of organonitrogen compounds. We examine the adsorption of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur atoms on the gold (111), (100) and (211) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT). Sulfur atoms bind most strongly, followed by oxygen and nitrogen atoms with stronger adsorption for greater coordination to the surface. We see a trend of stronger adsorption to undercoordinated gold, but find it is non-universal with the adsorption strength trend: (111) > (211) > (100). We consider the diffusion of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur adatoms and find facile long-range diffusion of oxygen atoms on the (100) surface. Lastly, we compare the adsorption of methylamine on gold to that of a selection of alkylamines, methanol and methanethiol. In each case, the ontop site is preferred with stronger adsorption at low coordinated gold. At oxygen atom coverages of 0.125 -- 0.25 ML on Au (111), we find cooperative adsorption of methylamine and oxygen atoms. Energetic costs for adsorbate tilt from the surface normal and rotation about the gold-nitrogen bond are calculated. While methylamine rotation is barrierless on the (111) and (211) surfaces, it has a low energetic barrier for the 0.125 ML and 0.25 ML O atom pre-covered Au (111) surfaces.;In part II, we interpret the experimental mass spectrum of small gas phase manganese sulfide clusters using DFT and elucidate the role of ionicity and spin ordering in sizes with special stability, i.e. magic clusters. We first consider nine low lying minima (MnS)6 structures and reveal antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin ordering with a ∼0.1 eV/pair AFM energy benefit and a ∼0.1 A shrinkage of average Mn-Mn distances over clusters with ferromagnetic (FM) spin ordering. We calculate energetic barriers for interconversion between the two lowest lying (MnS)6 isomers and predict an elevated cluster melting temperature due to increased configurational entropy in a pre-melted state. Second, we demonstrate the energetic stability of the (MnS)13 cluster with respect to the n +/- 1 clusters through a greater binding energy difference and a positive second order energy difference. We find a preference for S-centered over compact and open structures and demonstrate strong symbiosis between structure, ionicity and spin ordering that contributes to the magic status of the (MnS)13 cluster. Lastly, we comment on structural principles at work across the clusters studied (i.e., (MnS)n, where n = 6, 12, 13, 14), highlighting the role of spin ordering in these antiferromagnetic clusters.