Calculation of the structures, stabilities, and vibrational spectra of arsenites, thioarsenites and thioarsenates in aqueous solution

Abstract Structures, stabilities and vibrational spectra have been calculated using molecular quantum mechanical methods for As(OH) 3 , AsO(OH) 3 , As(SH) 3 , AsS(SH) 3 and their conjugate bases and for several species with partial substitution of S for O. Properties for the neutral gas-phase molecules are calculated with state-of-the-art methods which yield As L distances within 0. 01 A and As L stretching frequencies within 10 cm −1 of experiment. Similar accuracy is obtained for neutral molecules in solution using a polarizable continuum model (PCM). For monoanions such as AsO ( OH ) 2 - and AsS ( SH ) 2 - 1 frequencies can be calculated to within 20 cm −1 of experiment using the polarizable continuum model. Multiply charged anions remain a challenge for accurate frequency calculations, but we have obtained results within the PCM model which at least semiquantitatively reproduce the available data. This allows us to assign the controversial features D, E and F in the Raman data of (Wood S. A., Tait C. D. and Janecky D. R. (2002) A Raman spectroscopic study of arsenite and thioarsenite species in aqueous solution at 25 °C. Geochem. Trans . 3 , 31–39). To help in the assignment of the arsenic sulfide spectra we have also calculated energetics for the oxidation of As(III) to As(V) compounds by polysulfides, disproportionation of As(III) compounds and for the dissociation of the oxo- and thio-acids. We have determined that As(III) oxyacids can be transformed to thioacids which can in turn be oxidized to As(V) sulfides by polysulfides and that the p K a1 s of the acids involved can be ordered as follows: AsS(SH) 3 3 3 3 in order of increasing p K a1 . We have also established from the calculated energies that the most stable form of the As(III) oxyacid in acidic aqueous solution is indeed As(OH) 3 , consistent with previous assignments.