Ab-initio structure, energy and stable Fe isotope equilibrium fractionation of some geochemically relevant H–O–Fe complexes

The hexa-aqua complexes [Fe(H2O)6−m−n(OH)n](2−n)+n = 0 → 3, m = 0 → 6 − n; [Fe(H2O)6−m−n(OH)n](3−n)+n = 0 → 4, m = 0 → 6 − n were investigated by ab-initio methods with the aim of determining their ground-state geometries, total energies and vibrational properties by treating their inner solvation shell as part of their gaseous precursor1 (or “hybrid approach”). After a gas-phase energy optimization within the Density Functional Theory (DFT), the molecules were surrounded by a dielectric representing the Reaction Field through an implicit Polarized Continuum Model (PCM). The exploration of several structural ligand arrangements allowed us to quantify the relative stabilities of the various ionic species and the role of the various forms of energy (solute–solvent electronic interaction, cavitation, dispersion, repulsion, liberation free energy) that contribute to stabilize the aqueous complexes. A comparison with experimental thermochemistries showed that ab-initio gas-phase + solvation energies are quite consistent with experimental evidence and allow the depiction of the most stable form in solution and the eventual configurational disorder of water/hydroxyl species around central cations. A vibrational analysis performed on the 54Fe, 56Fe, 57Fe and 58Fe isotopomers indicated important separative effects systematically affected by the extent of deprotonation. The role of the system’s redox state (fO2) and acidity (pH) on the isotopic imprinting of the aqueous species in solution was investigated by coupling the separative effects with speciation calculations. The observed systematics provided a tool of general utility in the interpretation of the iron isotopic signature of natural waters. Applications to the interpretation of isotopic fractionation in solution dictated by redox equilibria and to the significance of the Fe-isotopic imprinting of Banded Iron Formations are given.