Density functional calculations of core-electron binding energies of amines. Application to (CH3)3NNi and (CH3)4N+Ni

A procedure for computing accurate core-electron binding energies via density functional theory is applied to ten molecular systems containing amine and ammonium groups. The procedure uses the unrestricted generalized transition-state model. The method is used on model systems in which amine and ammonium groups interact with a hydroxide or chloride ion, as well as with a nickel atom. The results are used to shed some light on the interpretation of some characteristics of the XPS spectra of pre-electrolysed nickel surfaces used in electropolymerization reactions.