Theoretical study of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and its product radicals and parent ether(CH3CH2OCH3) with OH

A dual-level direct dynamic method is employed to study the reaction mechanisms of CF3CH2OCHF2 (HFE-245fa2; HFE-245mf) with the OH radicals and Cl atoms. Two hydrogen abstraction channels and two displacement processes are found for each reaction. For further study, the reaction mechanisms of its products (CF3CH2OCF2 and CF3CHOCHF2) and parent ether CH3CH2OCH3 with OH radical are investigated theoretically. The geometries and frequencies of all the stationary points and the minimum energy paths (MEPs) are calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. The energetic information along the MEPs is further refined at the G3(MP2) level of theory. For reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl, the calculation indicates that the hydrogen abstraction from --CH2-- group is the dominant reaction channel, and the displacement processes may be negligible because of the high barriers. The standard enthalpies of formation for the reactant CF3CH2OCHF2, and two products CF3CH2OCHF2 and CF3CHOCHF2 are evaluated via group-balanced isodesmic reactions. The rate constants of reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and CH3CH2OCH3 + OH are estimated by using the variational transition state theory over a wide range of temperature (200-2000 K). The agreement between the theoretical and experimental rate constants is good in the measured temperature range. From the comparison between the rate constants of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 and CH3CH2OCH3 with OH, it is shown that the fluorine substitution decreases the reactivity of the C--H bond.     

Theoretical study on the Br + CH3SCH3 reaction

The multiple-channel reactions Br + CH(3)SCH(3) --> products are investigated by direct dynamics method. The optimized geometries, frequencies, and minimum energy path are all obtained at the MP2/6-31+G(d,p) level, and energetic information is further refined by the G3(MP2) (single-point) theory. The rate constants for every reaction channels, Br + CH(3)SCH(3) --> CH(3)SCH(2) + HBr (R1), Br + CH(3)SCH(3) --> CH(3)SBr + CH(3) (R2), and Br + CH(3)SCH(3) -->CH(3)S + CH(3)Br (R3), are calculated by canonical variational transition state theory with small-curvature tunneling correction over the temperature range 200-3000 K. The total rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental data, and the two-parameter expression k(T) = 2.68 x 10(-12) exp(-1235.24/T) cm(3)/(molecule s) over the temperature range 200-3000 K is given. Our calculations indicate that hydrogen abstraction channel is the major channel due to the smallest barrier height among three channels considered, and the other two channels to yield CH(3)SBr + CH(3) and CH(3)S + CH(3)Br are minor channels over the whole temperature range.     

Mechanistic and kinetic study of the O + CH2OH reaction

The mechanism for the O + CH2OH reaction was investigated by various ab initio quantum chemistry methods. For the chemical activation mechanism, that is, the addition/elimination path, the couple-cluster methods including CCSD and CCSD(T) were employed with the cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5) basis sets. For the abstraction channels, multireference methods including CASSCF, CASPT2, and MRCISD were used with the cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ basis sets. It has been shown that the production of H + HCOOH is the major channel in the chemical activation mechanism. The minor channels include HCO + H2O and OH + CH2O. The hydrogen abstraction by an O atom from the CH2OH radical produces either OH + CH2O or OH + HCOH. Moreover, the two abstraction reactions are essentially barrierless processes. The rate constants for the association of O with CH2OH have been calculated using the flexible transition state theory. A weak negative temperature dependence of the rate constants is found in the range 250-1000 K. Furthermore, it is estimated that the abstraction processes also play an important role in the O + CH2OH reaction. Additionally, the falloff behavior for the OCH2OH --> H + HCOOH reaction has been investigated. The present theoretical results are compared to the experimental measurements to understand the mechanism and kinetic behavior of the O + CH2OH reaction and the unimolecular reaction of the OCH2OH radical.     

Thermal decomposition of ethanol. III. A computational study of the kinetics and mechanism for the CH3+C2H5OH reaction

The mechanism for the CH3+C2H5OH reaction has been investigated by the modified Gaussian-2 method based on the geometric parameters of the stationary points optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. Five transition states have been identified for the production of CH4+CH3CHOH (TS1), CH4+CH3CH2O (TS2), CH4+CH2CH2OH (TS3), CH3OH+CH3CH2 (TS4), and CH3CH2OCH3+H (TS5) with the corresponding barriers 12.0, 13.2, 16.0, 44.7, and 49.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The predicted rate constants and branching ratios for the three lower-energy H-abstraction reactions were calculated using the conventional and variational transition state theory with quantum-mechanical tunneling corrections for the temperature range 300-3000 K. The predicted total rate constant, kt=8.36 x 10(-76) T(20.00) exp(5258/T) cm3 mol(-1) s(-1) (300-600 K) and 6.10 x 10(-25) T(4.10)exp(-4058/T) cm3 mol(-1) s(-1) (600-3000 K), agrees closely with existing experimental data in the temperature range 403-523 K. Similarly, the predicted rate constants for CH3+CH3CD2OH and CD3+C2H5OD are also in reasonable agreement with available low temperature kinetic data.     

High-temperature rate constants for CH3OH + Kr --> products, OH + CH3OH --> products, OH + (CH3)(2)CO --> CH2COCH3 + H2O, and OH + CH3 --> CH) + H2O

The reflected shock tube technique with multipass absorption spectrometric detection of OH radicals at 308 nm (corresponding to a total path length of approximately 4.9 m) has been used to study the dissociation of methanol between 1591 and 2865 K. Rate constants for two product channels [CH3OH + Kr --> CH3 + OH + Kr (1) and CH3OH + Kr --> 1CH2 + H2O + Kr (2)] were determined. During the course of the study, it was necessary to determine several other rate constants that contributed to the profile fits. These include OH + CH3OH --> products, OH + (CH3)2CO --> CH2COCH3 + H2O, and OH + CH3 --> 1,3CH2 + H2O. The derived expressions, in units of cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), are k(1) = 9.33 x 10(-9) exp(-30857 K/T) for 1591-2287 K, k(2) = 3.27 x 10(-10) exp(-25946 K/T) for 1734-2287 K, kOH+CH3OH = 2.96 x 10-16T1.4434 exp(-57 K/T) for 210-1710 K, k(OH+(CH3)(2)CO) = (7.3 +/- 0.7) x 10(-12) for 1178-1299 K and k(OH+CH3) = (1.3 +/- 0.2) x 10(-11) for 1000-1200 K. With these values along with other well-established rate constants, a mechanism was used to obtain profile fits that agreed with experiment to within <+/-10%. The values obtained for reactions 1 and 2 are compared with earlier determinations and also with new theoretical calculations that are presented in the preceding article in this issue. These new calculations are in good agreement with the present data for both (1) and (2) and also for OH + CH3 --> products.     

Ab initio direct dynamics studies on the reactions of chlorine atom with CH3-nFnCH2OH (n = 1-3)

The hydrogen abstraction reactions of Cl atom with a series of fluorinated alcohols, i.e., CH(3-n)F(n)CH(2)OH + Cl (n = 1-3) (R1-R3) have been studied systematically by ab initio direct dynamics method and the canonical variational transition state theory (CVT). The potential energy surface information is calculated at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) level. Energies along the minimum energy paths are improved by a series of single-point calculations at the higher modified GAUSSIAN-2 (G2M) level of theory. Theoretical analysis shows that three kinds of hydrogen atoms can be abstracted from the reactants CH(2)FCH(2)OH and CHF(2)CH(2)OH, and for CF(3)CH(2)OH, two possible pathways are found. The rate constants for each reaction channel are evaluated by CVT with the small-curvature tunneling correction (SCT) over a wide range of temperature from 200 to 2000 K. The calculated CVT/SCT rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental values for the reactions CHF(2)CH(2)OH + Cl and CF(3)CH(2)OH + Cl. However, for the reaction CH(2)FCH(2)OH + Cl, there is negative temperature dependence below 500 K, which is different from the experimental fitted. It is shown that in the low temperature ranges, the three reactions all proceed predominantly via H-abstraction from the methylene positions, and with the increase of the temperature the H-abstraction channels from the fluorinated-methyl positions should be taken into account, while the H-abstraction channels from the hydroxyl groups are negligible over the whole temperature ranges. Also, the reactivity decreases substantially with fluorine substitution at the methyl position of alcohol.     

Analysis of HO2 and OH formation mechanisms using FM and UV spectroscopy in dimethyl ether oxidation

Product formation pathways in the photolytically initiated oxidation of CH3OCH3 have been investigated as a function of temperature (298-600 K) and pressure (20-90 Torr) through the detection of HO2 and OH using Near-infrared frequency modulation spectroscopy, as well as the detection of CH3OCH2O2 using UV absorption spectroscopy. The reaction was initiated by pulsed photolysis with a mixture of Cl2, O2, and CH3OCH3. The HO2 and OH yield is obtained by comparison with an established reference mixture, including CH3OH. The CH3OCH2O2 yield is also obtained through the procedure of estimating the CH3OCH2O2/HO2 ratio from their UV absorption. A notable finding is that the OH yield is 1 order of magnitude larger than those known in C2 and C3 alkanes, increasing from 10% to 40% with increasing temperature. The HO2 yield increases gradually until 500 K and sharply up to 40% over 500 K. The CH3OCH2O2 profile has a prompt rise, followed by a gradual decay whose time constant is consistent with slow HO2 formation. To predict species profiles and yields, simple chlorine-initiated oxidation model of DME under low-pressure condition was constructed based on the existing model and the new reaction pathways, which were derived from this study. To model rapid OH formation, OH direct formation from CH3OCH2 + O2 was required. We have also proposed that a new HCO formation pathway via QOOH isomerization to HOQO species and OH + CH3OCH2O2 --> HO2 + CH3OCH2O are to be considered, to account for the fast and slow HO2 formations, as well as the total yield. The constructed model including these new pathways has successfully predicted experimental results throughout the entire temperature and pressure ranges investigated. It was revealed that the HO2 formation mechanism changes at 500 K, i.e., HCO + O2 via HCHO + OH and the above proposed direct HCO formation dominates over 500 K, while a series of reactions following CH3OCH2O2 self-reaction and OH + CH3OCH2O2 reaction mainly contribute below 500 K. The pressure dependent rate constant of the CH3OCH2 thermal decomposition reaction has been separately measured since it has large negative sensitivity for HO2 formation and is essential to eliminate the ambiguity in the CH3OCH2 + O2 mechanism at higher temperature.     

Theoretical dynamic studies on the reaction of CH3C(O)CH3-nFn with the hydroxyl radical and the chlorine atom.

The mechanisms of the reactions: CH(3)C(O)CH(2)F+OH/Cl-->products (R1/R2) and CH(3)C(O)CF(3)+OH/Cl-->products (R3/R4) are studied over a wide temperature range (200-2000 K) by means of the dual-level direct dynamics method. The optimized geometries and frequencies of the stationary points are calculated at the MP2/cc-pVDZ and B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) levels. The energy profiles of the reactions are then refined with the interpolated single-point-energy method (ISPE) at the BMC-CCSD level. The canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with the small-curvature-tunneling (SCT) correction method is used to calculate the rate constants. Using group-balanced isodesmic reactions as working chemical reactions, the standard enthalpies of formation for CH(3)C(O)CH(2)F, CH(3)C(O)CF(3), CH(3)C(O)CHF, CH(2)C(O)CH(2)F, and CH(2)C(O)CF(3) are evaluated at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2d,p)//MP2/cc-pVDZ level of theory. The results indicate that the hydrogen abstraction is dominated by removal from the fluoromethyl position rather than from the methyl position.     

Reflected shock tube studies of high-temperature rate constants for OH + CH4 --> CH3 + H2O and CH3 + NO2 --> CH3O + NO

The reflected shock tube technique with multipass absorption spectrometric detection of OH radicals at 308 nm has been used to study the reactions OH + CH(4) --> CH(3) + H(2)O and CH(3) + NO(2) --> CH(3)O + NO. Over the temperature range 840-2025 K, the rate constants for the first reaction can be represented by the Arrhenius expression k = (9.52 +/- 1.62) x 10(-11) exp[(-4134 +/- 222 K)/T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Since this reaction is important in both combustion and atmospheric chemistry, there have been many prior investigations with a variety of techniques. The present results extend the temperature range by 500 K and have been combined with the most accurate earlier studies to derive an evaluation over the extended temperature range 195-2025 K. A three-parameter expression describes the rate behavior over this temperature range, k = (1.66 x 10(-18))T(2.182) exp[(-1231 K)/T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Previous theoretical studies are discussed, and the present evaluation is compared to earlier theoretical estimates. Since CH(3) radicals are a product of the reaction and could cause secondary perturbations in rate constant determinations, the second reaction was studied by OH radical production from the fast reactions CH(3)O --> CH(2)O + H and H + NO(2) --> OH + NO. The measured rate constant is 2.26 x 10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and is not dependent on temperature from 233 to 1700 K within experimental error.     

Atmospheric chemistry of a model biodiesel fuel, CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3: kinetics, mechanisms, and products of Cl atom and OH radical initiated oxidation in the presence and absence of NOx

Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reactions of Cl atoms and OH radicals with ethylene glycol diacetate, CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3, in 700 Torr of N2/O2 diluent at 296 K. The rate constants measured were k(Cl + CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3) = (5.7 +/- 1.1) x 10(-12) and k(OH + CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3) = (2.36 +/- 0.34) x 10(-12) cm3 molecule-1 s-1. Product studies of the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate in the absence of NO in 700 Torr of O2/N2 diluent at 296 K show the primary products to be CH3C(O)OC(O)CH2OC(O)CH3, CH3C(O)OC(O)H, and CH3C(O)OH. Product studies of the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate in the presence of NO in 700 Torr of O2/N2 diluent at 296 K show the primary products to be CH3C(O)OC(O)H and CH3C(O)OH. The CH3C(O)OCH2O* radical is formed during the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate, and two loss mechanisms were identified: reaction with O2 to give CH3C(O)OC(O)H and alpha-ester rearrangement to give CH3C(O)OH and HC(O) radicals. The reaction of CH3C(O)OCH2O2* with NO gives chemically activated CH3C(O)OCH2O* radicals which are more likely to undergo decomposition via the alpha-ester rearrangement than CH3C(O)OCH2O* radicals produced in the peroxy radical self-reaction.     

Dual-level direct dynamics studies for the reactions of dimethyl ether with hydrogen atom and methyl radical

The dual-level direct dynamics approach is employed to study the dynamics of the CH(3)OCH(3) + H (R1) and CH(3)OCH(3) + CH(3) (R2) reactions. Low-level calculations of the potential energy surface are carried out at the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. High-level energetic information is obtained at the QCISD(T) level of theory with the 6-311+G(3df,3pd) basis set. The dynamics calculations are performed using variational transition state theory (VTST) with the interpolated single-point energies (ISPE) method, and small-curvature tunneling (SCT) is included. It is shown that the reaction of CH(3)OCH(3) with H (R1) may proceed much easier and with a lower barrier height than the reaction with CH(3) radical (R2). The calculated rate constants and activation energies are in good agreement with the experimental values. The calculated rate constants are fitted to k(R1) = 1.16 x 10(-19) T(3) exp(-1922/T) and k(R2) = 1.66 x 10(-28) T(5) exp(-3086/T) cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1) over a temperature range 207-2100 K. Furthermore, a small variational effect and large tunneling effect in the lower temperature range are found for the two reactions.     

Experimental and modeling studies of the pressure and temperature dependences of the kinetics and the OH yields in the acetyl + O2 reaction

The acetyl + O(2) reaction has been studied by observing the time dependence of OH by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and by electronic structure/master equation analysis. The experimental OH time profiles were analyzed to obtain the kinetics of the acetyl + O(2) reaction and the relative OH yields over the temperature range of 213-500 K in helium at pressures in the range of 5-600 Torr. More limited measurements were made in N(2) and for CD(3)CO + O(2). The relative OH yields were converted into absolute yields by assuming that the OH yield at zero pressure is unity. Electronic structure calculations of the stationary points of the potential energy surface were used with a master equation analysis to fit the experimental data in He using the high-pressure limiting rate coefficient for the reaction, k(∞)(T), and the energy transfer parameter, (ΔE(d)), as variable parameters. The best-fit parameters obtained are k(∞) = 6.2 × 10(-12) cm(-3) molecule(-1) s(-1), independent of temperature over the experimental range, and (ΔE(d))(He) = 160(T/298?K) cm(-1). The fits in N(2), using the same k(∞)(T), gave (ΔE(d))(N(2)) = 270(T/298?K) cm(-1). The rate coefficients for formation of OH and CH(3)C(O)O(2) are provided in parametrized form, based on modified Troe expressions, from the best-fit master equation calculations, over the pressure and temperature ranges of 1 ≤ p/Torr ≤ 1.5 × 10(5) and 200 ≤ T/K ≤ 1000 for He and N(2) as the bath gas. The minor channels, leading to HO(2) + CH(2)CO and CH(2)C(O)OOH, generally have yields <1% over this range.     

Kinetics and mechanisms of CF3CHFOCH3, CF3CHFOC(O)H, and FC(O)OCH3 reactions with OH radicals

The kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of CF3CHFOCH3 was studied using an 11.5-dm3 environmental reaction chamber. OH radicals were produced by UV photolysis of an O3-H2O-He mixture at an initial pressure of 200 Torr in the chamber. The rate constant of the reaction of CF3CHFOCH3 with OH radicals (k1) was determined to be (1.77 +/- 0.69) x 10(-12) exp[(-720 +/- 110)/T] cm3 molecule(-1)(s-1) by means of a relative rate method at 253-328 K. The mechanism of the reaction was investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy at 298 K. CF3CHFOC(O)H, FC(O)OCH3, and COF2 were determined to be the major products. The branching ratio (k1a/k1b) for the reactions CF3CHFOCH3 + OH --> CF3CHFOCH2* + H2O (k1a) and CF3CHFOCH3 + OH --> CF3CF*OCH3 + H2O (k1b) was estimated to be 4.2:1 at 298 K from the yields of CF3CHFOC(O)H, FC(O)OCH3, and COF2. The rate constants of the reactions of CF3CHFOC(O)H (k2) and FC(O)OCH3 (k3) with OH radicals were determined to be (9.14 +/- 2.78) x 10(-13) exp[(-1190 +/- 90)/T] and (2.10 +/- 0.65) x 10(-13) exp[(-630 +/- 90)/T] cm3 molecule(-1)(s-1), respectively, by means of a relative rate method at 253-328 K. The rate constants at 298 K were as follows: k1 = (1.56 +/- 0.06) x 10-13, k2 = (1.67 +/- 0.05) x 10-14, and k3 = (2.53 +/- 0.07) x 10-14 cm3 molecule(-1)(s-1). The tropospheric lifetimes of CF3CHFOCH3, CF3CHFOC(O)H, and FC(O)OCH3 with respect to reaction with OH radicals were estimated to be 0.29, 3.2, and 1.8 years, respectively.     

High-spin Mn wheels

The syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of the complexes [MnIV4MnIII10MnII2O2(OCH3)12(tmp)8(O2CCH3)10].3Et2O (1.3Et2O), [MnIV2MnIII18MnII2O6(OCH3)14(O2CCH3)16(tmp)8(HIm)2].2CH3OH (2.2CH3OH), and [MnIV2MnIII18MnII2O6(OCH3)14(O2CCH3)16(Br-mp)8(HIm)2].2C6H14.5CH3OH (3.2C6H14.5CH3OH) are reported. The unusual wheel-like complexes were prepared by the treatment of [Mn3O(O2CCH3)6(HIm)3](O2CCH3) (HIm = imidazole) with 1,1,1-tris-(hydroxymethyl)propane (H3tmp) (1 and 2) or 2-(bromomethyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Br-mpH3) (3) in the presence of sodium methoxide (NaOCH3, 2, and 3) in CH3OH. Complex 1.3Et2O crystallizes in the triclinic space group P, while complexes 2.2CH3OH and 3.2C6H14.5CH3OH crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pbca. Direct current magnetic susceptibility data, collected for 1-3 in the respective 1.8-300 K and 0.1-7 T temperature and magnetic-field ranges, afford spin ground-state values of S = 14 +/- 1 for complex 1 and S = 9 +/- 1 for complexes 2 and 3. Alternating current susceptibility measurements performed on all three complexes in the 1.8-10 K temperature range in a 3.5 G oscillating field at frequencies between 50 and 1000 Hz reveal out-of-phase chi"M signals below approximately 3 K. Single-crystal hysteresis loop and relaxation measurements confirm single-molecule magnetism behavior.     

Theoretical Study of Isomerization and Decomposition Reactions for Methyl-nitramine

The complex potential energy surface and reaction mechanisms for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition of methyl-nitramine (CH3NHNO2) were theoretically probed at the QCISD(T)/6-311+G*//B3LYP/6-311+G* level of theory. The results demonstrated that there are four low-lying energy channels: (i) the NN bond fission pathway; (ii) a sequence of isomerization reactions via CH3NN(OH)O; (IS2a); (iii) the HONO elimination pathway; (iv) the isomerization and the dissociation reactions via CH3NHONO (IS3). The rate constants of each initial step (rate-determining step) for these channels were calculated using the canonical transition state theory. The Arrhenius expressions of the channels over the temperature range 298-2000 K are k6(T)=1014:8e-46:0=RT , k7(T)=1013:7e-42:1=RT , k8(T)=1013:6e-51:8=RT and k9(T)=1015:6e-54:3=RT s-1, respectively. The calculated overall rate constants is 6.9￡10-4 at 543 K, which is in good agreement with the experimental data. Based on the analysis of the rate constants, the dominant pathway is the isomerization reaction to form CH3NN(OH)O at low temperatures, while the NN bond fission and the isomerization reaction to produce CH3NHONO are expected to be competitive with the isomerization reaction to form CH3NN(OH)O at high temperatures.     

Thermal decomposition of ethanol. 4. Ab initio chemical kinetics for reactions of H atoms with CH3CH2O and CH3CHOH radicals

The potential energy surfaces of H-atom reactions with CH(3)CH(2)O and CH(3)CHOH, two major radicals in the decomposition and oxidation of ethanol, have been studied at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df,2p) level of theory with geometric optimization carried out at the BH&HLYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) level. The direct hydrogen abstraction channels and the indirect association/decomposition channels from the chemically activated ethanol molecule have been considered for both reactions. The rate constants for both reactions have been calculated at 100-3000 K and 10(-4) Torr to 10(3) atm Ar pressure by microcanonical VTST/RRKM theory with master equation solution for all accessible product channels. The results show that the major product channel of the CH(3)CH(2)O + H reaction is CH(3) + CH(2)OH under atmospheric pressure conditions. Only at high pressure and low temperature, the rate constant for CH(3)CH(2)OH formation by collisonal deactivation becomes dominant. For CH(3)CHOH + H, there are three major product channels; at high temperatures, CH(3)+CH(2)OH production predominates at low pressures (P < 100 Torr), while the formation of CH(3)CH(2)OH by collisional deactivation becomes competitive at high pressures and low temperatures (T < 500 K). At high temperatures, the direct hydrogen abstraction reaction producing CH(2)CHOH + H(2) becomes dominant. Rate constants for all accessible product channels in both systems have been predicted and tabulated for modeling applications. The predicted value for CH(3)CHOH + H at 295 K and 1 Torr pressure agrees closely with available experimental data. For practical modeling applications, the rate constants for the thermal unimolecular decomposition of ethanol giving key accessible products have been predicted; those for the two major product channels taking place by dehydration and C-C breaking agree closely with available literature data.     

Low-energy paths for the unimolecular decomposition of CH3OH: a G2M/statistical theory study

The potential energy surface (PES) of the CH3OH system has been characterized by ab initio molecular orbital theory calculations at the G2M level of theory. The mechanisms for the decomposition of CH3OH and the related bimolecular reactions, CH3 + OH and 1CH2 + H2O, have been elucidated. The rate constants for these processes have been calculated using variational RRKM theory and compared with available experimental data. The total decomposition rate constants of CH3OH at the high- and low-pressure limits can be represented by k infinity = 1.56 x 10(16) exp(-44,310/T) s-1 and kAr0 = 1.60 x 10(36) T-12.2 exp(-48,140/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively, covering the temperature range 1000-3000 K, in reasonable agreement with the experimental values. Our results indicate that the product branching ratios are strongly pressure dependent, with the production of CH3 + OH and 1CH2 + H2O dominant under high (P > 10(3) Torr) and low (P < 1 atm) pressures, respectively. For the bimolecular reaction of CH3 and OH, the total rate constant and the yields of 1CH2 + H2O and H2 + HCOH at lower pressures (P < 5 Torr) could be reasonably accounted for by the theory. For the reaction of 1CH2 with H2O, both the yield of CH3 + OH and the total rate constant could also be satisfactorily predicted theoretically. The production of 3CH2 + H2O by the singlet to triplet surface crossing, predicted to occur at 4.3 kcal mol-1 above the H2C...OH2 van der Waals complex (which lies 82.7 kcal mol-1 above CH3OH), was neglected in our calculations.     

Absolute rate coefficient of the OH + CH(3)C(O)OH reaction at T = 287-802 K. The two faces of pre-reactive H-bonding

The rate constants for the reaction OH + CH3C(O)OH --> products (1) were determined over the temperature range 287-802 K at 50 and 100 Torr of Ar or N2 bath gas using pulsed laser photolysis generation of OH by CH3C(O)OH photolysis at 193 nm coupled with OH detection by pulsed laser-induced fluorescence. The rate coefficient displays a complex temperature dependence with a sharp minimum at 530 K, indicating the competition between a reaction proceeding through a pre-reactive H-bonded complex to form CH3C(O)O + H2O, expected to prevail at low temperatures, and a direct methyl-H abstraction channel leading to CH2C(O)OH + H2O, which should dominate at high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the rate constant can be described adequately by k1(287-802 K) = 2.9 x 10(-9) exp{-6030 K/T} + 1.50 x 10(-13) exp{515 K/T} cm3 molecule(-1)(s-1), with a value of (8.5 +/- 0.9) x 10-13 cm3 molecule(-1)(s-1) at 298 K. The steep increase in rate constant in the range 550-800 K, which is reported for the first time, implies that direct abstraction of a methyl-H becomes the dominant pathway at temperatures greater than 550 K. However, the data indicates that up to about 800 K direct methyl-H abstraction remains adversely affected by the long-range H-bonding attraction between the approaching OH radical and the carboxyl -C(O)OH functionality.     

A computational study on the kinetics and mechanism for the unimolecular decomposition of o-nitrotoluene

The kinetics and mechanism for the unimolecular decomposition of o-nitrotoluene (o-CH(3)C(6)H(4)NO(2)) have been studied computationally at the G2M(RCC, MP2)//B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) level of theory in conjunction with rate constant predictions with RRKM and TST calculations. The results of the calculations reveal 10 decomposition channels for o-nitrotoluene and its six isomeric intermediates, among them four channels give major products: CH(3)C(6)H(4) + NO(2), C(6)H(4)C(H)ON (anthranil) + H(2)O, CH(3)C(6)H(4)O (o-methyl phenoxy) + NO, and C(6)H(4)C(H(2))NO + OH. The predicted rate constants in the 500-2000 K temperature range indicate that anthranil production, taking place initially by intramolecular H-abstraction from the CH(3) group by NO(2) followed by five-membered ring formation and dehydration, dominates at temperatures below 1000 K, whereas NO(2) elimination becomes predominant above 1100 K and CH(3)C(6)H(4)O formation by the nitro-nitrite isomerization/decomposition process accounts for only 5-11% of the total product yield in the middle temperature range 800-1300 K. The branching ratio for CH(2)C(6)H(4)NO formation by the decomposition process of CH(2)C(6)H(4)N(O)OH is negligible. The predicted high-pressure-limit rate constants with the rate expression of 4.10 x 10(17) exp[-37000/T] s(-1) for the NO(2) elimination channel and 9.09 x 10(12) exp[-25800/T] s(-1) for the H(2)O elimination channel generally agree reasonably with available experimental data. The predicted high-pressure-limit rate constants for the NO and OH elimination channels are represented as 1.49 x 10(14) exp[-30000/T] and 1.31 x 10(15) exp[-38000/T] s(-1), respectively.     

CF3CH2CH3+OH的反应机理及动力学性质的理论研究

采用密度泛函理论BB1K/6-31+G(d,p)计算了反应CF₃CH₂CH₃+OH各反应通道上驻点的稳定结构和振动频率, 并分别在BMC-CCSD, MC-QCISD和G3(MP2)水平上进行了单点能校正. 运用变分过渡态理论, 在BMC-CCSD//BB1K, MC-QCISD//BB1K, G3(MP2)//BB1K以及BB1K水平上计算了各反应通道的速率常数, 讨论了-CH₂和-CH₃基团上H提取通道对总反应的贡献, 并与已有实验和理论结果进行了对比. 计算结果表明, BMC-CCSD水平上的速率常数与实验测量值符合得很好, 进而给出了该水平上反应在200~1000 K温度范围内速率常数k(cm³?molecule^-1?s^-1)的三参数表达式: k=1.90×10^-21T^3.21exp(-292.62/T).