Formic Acid–Ammonia Heterodimer: A New Δ-Machine Learning CCSD(T)-Level Potential Energy Surface Allows Investigation of the Double Proton Transfer

The formic acid–ammonia dimer is an important example of a hydrogen-bonded complex in which a double proton transfer can occur. Its microwave spectrum has recently been reported and rotational constants and quadrupole coupling constants were determined. Calculated estimates of the double-well barrier and the internal barriers to rotation were also reported. Here, we report a full-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for this complex, using two closely related Δ-machine learning methods to bring it to the CCSD(T) level of accuracy. The PES dissociates smoothly and accurately. Using a 2d quantum model the ground vibrational-state tunneling splitting is estimated to be less than 10–4 cm–1. The dipole moment along the intrinsic reaction coordinate is calculated along with a Mullikan charge analysis and supports the mildly ionic character of the minimum and strongly ionic character at the double-well barrier.