Reaction kinetics and thermochemistry of the chemically activated and stabilized primary ethyl radical of methyl ethyl sulfide,CH3SCH2CH2•, with O2 to CH3SCH2CH2OO•

Oxidation of methyl ethyl sulfide (CH₃SCH₂CH₃, methylthioethane, MES) under atmospheric and combustion conditions is initiated by hydroxyl radicals, MES radicals, generated after loss of a H atom via OH abstraction, will further react with O₂ to form chemically activated and stabilized peroxyl radical adducts. The kinetics of the chemically activated reaction between the CH₃SCH₂CH₂• radical and molecular oxygen are analyzed using quantum Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel theory for k(E) with master equation analysis and a modified strong-collision approach to account for further reactions and collisional deactivation. Thermodynamic properties of reactants, products, and transition states are determined by the B3LYP/6-31+G(2d,p), M062X/6-311+G(2d,p), ωB97XD/6-311+G(2d,p) density functional theory, and CBS-QB3, G3MP2B3, and G4 composite methods. The reaction of CH₃SCH₂CH₂• with O₂ forms an energized peroxy adduct CH₃SCH₂CH₂OO• with a calculated well depth of 34.1 kcal mol⁻¹ at the CBS-QB3 level of theory. Thermochemical properties of reactants, transition states, and products obtained under CBS-QB3 level are used for calculation of kinetic parameters. Reaction enthalpies are compared between the methods. The temperature and pressure-dependent rate coefficients for both the chemically activated reactions of the energized adduct and the thermally activated reactions of the stabilized adducts are presented. Stabilization and isomerization of the CH₃SCH₂CH₂OO• adduct are important under high pressure and low temperature. At higher temperatures and atmospheric pressure, the chemically activated peroxy adduct reacts to new products before stabilization. Addition of the peroxyl oxygen radical to the sulfur atom followed by sulfur-oxygen double bond formation and elimination of the methyl radical to form S(= O)CCO• + CH₃ (branching) is a potentially important new pathway for other alkyl-sulfide peroxy radical systems under thermal or combustion conditions.     

Cis-trans isomerization of chemically activated 1-methylallyl radical and fate of the resulting 2-buten-1-peroxy radical

The cis-trans isomerization of chemically activated 1-methylallyl is investigated using RRKM/Master Equation methods for a range of pressures and temperatures. This system is a prototype for a large range of allylic radicals formed from highly exothermic (～35 kcal/mol) OH + alkene reactions. Energies, vibrational frequencies, anharmonic constants, and the torsional potential of the methyl group are computed with density functional theory for both isomers and the transition state connecting them. Chemically activated radicals are found to undergo rapid cis-trans isomerization leading to stabilization of significant amounts of both isomers. In addition, the thermal rate constant for trans → cis isomerization of 1-methylallyl is computed to be high enough to dominate reaction with O(2) in 10 atm of air at 700 K, so models of the chemistry of the (more abundant and more commonly studied) trans-alkenes may need to be modified to include the cis isomers of the corresponding allylic radicals. Addition of molecular oxygen to 1-methylallyl radical can form 2-butene-1-peroxy radical (CH(3)CH═CHCH(2)OO(?)), and quantum chemistry is used to thoroughly explore the possible unimolecular reactions of the cis and trans isomers of this radical. The cis isomer of the 2-butene-1-peroxy radical has the lowest barrier (via 1,6 H-shift) to further reaction, but this barrier appears to be too high to compete with loss of O(2).     

Theoretical study on the gas phase reaction of propargyl alcohol with hydroxyl radical

The reaction of propargyl alcohol with hydroxyl radical has been studied extensively at CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ//MP2/cc‐pVTZ level. This is the first time to gain a conclusive insight into the reaction mechanism and kinetics for this important reaction in detail. Two reaction mechanisms were revealed, namely addition/elimination and hydrogen abstraction mechanism. The reaction mechanism confirms that OH addition to C?C triple bond forms the chemically activated adducts, IM1 (·CHCOHCH₂OH) and IM2 (CHOH·CCH₂OH), and the hydrogen abstraction pathways (? CH₂OH bonded to the carbon atom and alcohol hydrogen) may occur via low barriers. Harmonic model of Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus theory and variational transition state theory are used to calculate the overall and individual rate constants over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. The calculated rate constants are in good agreement with the experimental data. At atmospheric pressure with Ar as bath gas, IM1 (·CHCOHCH₂OH) and IM2 (CHOH·CCH₂OH) formed by collisional stabilization are dominant in the low temperature range. The production of CHCCHOH + H₂O via hydrogen abstraction becomes dominate at higher temperature. The fraction of IM3 (CH₂COHCH₂·O) is very significant over the moderate temperature range. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Reaction of the hydroxyl radical with phenol in water up to supercritical conditions

The rate constants for the reactions of phenol with the hydroxyl radical (OH*) in water have been measured from room temperature to 380 degrees C using electron pulse radiolysis and transient absorption spectroscopy. The reaction scheme designed to fit the data shows the importance of an equilibrium, giving back reactants (OH* radical and phenol) from the dihydroxycyclohexadienyl radical formed by their reaction, and the non-negligible contribution of the hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical absorption from H* atom addition. The accuracy of the reaction scheme and the reaction rate constants determined from it have been determined by the analysis of two different experiments, one under pure N2O atmosphere and the second under a mixture a N2O and O2. We report reaction rates for the H* and OH* radical addition to phenol, the formation of phenoxyl, the second-order recombination, the reaction of dihydroxycyclohexadienyl with O2, and the decay of the peroxyl adduct. Nearly all of the reaction rates deviate strongly from Arrhenius behavior.     

Combination of neural networks and DFT calculations for the comprehensive analysis of FDMPO radical adducts from fast isotropic electron spin resonance spectra

The 4-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-2-trifluoromethylpyrroline-1-oxide (FDMPO) spin trap is very attractive for spin trapping studies due to its high stability and high reaction rates with various free radicals. However, the identification of FDMPO radical adducts is a challenging task since they have very comparable Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectra. Here we propose a new method for the analysis and interpretation of the ESR spectra of FDMPO radical adducts. Thus, overlapping ESR spectra were analyzed using computer simulations. As a result, the N- and F-hyperfine splitting constants were obtained. Furthermore, an artificial neural network (ANN) was adopted to identify radical adducts formed during various processes (e.g., Fenton reaction, cleavage of peracetic acid over MnO(2), etc.). The ANN was effective on both "known" FDMPO radical adducts measured in slightly different solvents and not a priori "known" FDMPO radical adducts. Finally, the N- and F-hyperfine splitting constants of ·OH, ·CH(3), ·CH(2)OH, and CH(3)(C═O)O(·) radical adducts of FDMPO were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G++//B3LYP/EPR-II level of theory to confirm the experimental data.     

A mechanistic study of the 2-thienylmethyl + HO2 radical recombination reaction

Radical recombination reactions are important in the combustion of fuel oils. Shale oil contains alkylated heteroaromatic species, the simplest example of which is the 2-thienylmethyl radical. The ab initio potential energy surface for the reaction of the 2-thienylmethyl radical with the HO(2) radical has been examined. Seventeen product channels corresponding to either addition/elimination or direct hydrogen abstraction have been characterized for the first time. Direct hydrogen abstract from HO(2) proceeds via a weakly bound van der Waals complex, which leads to 2-methylthiophene, 2-methylene-2,3-dihydrothiophene, or 2-methylene-2,5-dihydrothiophene depending upon the 2-thienylmethyl radical reaction site. The addition pathway for the two radical reactants is barrierless with the formation of three adducts, as distinguished by HO(2) reaction at three different sites on the 2-thienylmethyl radical. The addition is exothermic by 37-55 kcal mol(-1) relative to the entrance channel, and these excess energies are available to promote further decomposition or rearrangement of the adducts, leading to nascent products such as H, OH, H(2)O, and CH(2)O. The reaction surfaces are characterized by relatively low barriers (most lower than 10 kcal mol(-1)). Upon the basis of a careful analysis of the overall barrier heights and reaction exothermicities, the formations of O(2), OH, and H(2)O are likely to be important pathways in the radical recombination reactions of 2-thienylmethyl + HO(2).     

Dissociative addition of water to a main group 13 metal cluster: computational study of the reaction of gallium dimer with H2O

We have investigated the lowest triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the reaction of Ga(2) dimer with water. Under thermal conditions, we predict formation of the triplet ground state addition complex Ga(2)···OH(2)((3)B(1)) involving Ga···O···Ga bridge interaction. At the coupled cluster CCSD(T)/AE (CCSD(T)/ECP) computational levels, Ga(2)···OH(2)((3)B(1)) is bound by 5.5 (5.7) kcal/mol with respect to the ground state reactants Ga(2)((3)Π(u)) + H(2)O. Identification of the addition complex is in agreement with the experimental evidence from matrix isolation infrared (IR) spectroscopy reported recently by Macrae and Downs. The located minimum energy crossing points (MECPs) between the triplet and singlet energy surfaces on the entrance channel of Ga(2) + H(2)O are not expected to be energetically accessible under the matrix conditions, consistent with the lack of occurrence of Ga(2) insertion into the O-H bond under such conditions. The computed energies and harmonic and anharmonic vibrational frequencies for the triplet and singlet Ga(2)(H)(OH) insertion isomers indicate the singlet double-bridged Ga(μ-H)(μ-OH)Ga isomer to be the most stable and support the experimental IR identification of this species. The energy barrier for elimination of H(2) from the second most stable singlet HGa(μ-OH)Ga insertion isomer found to be 13.9 (12.9) kcal/mol is also consistent with the available experimental data.     

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. 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.     

Separation and identification of DMPO adducts of oxygen-centered radicals formed from organic hydroperoxides by HPLC-ESR,ESI-MS and MS/MS

Many electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) radical adducts from the reaction of organic hydroperoxides with heme proteins or Fe(2+) were assigned to the adducts of DMPO with peroxyl, alkoxyl, and alkyl radicals. In particular, the controversial assignment of DMPO/peroxyl radical adducts was based on the close similarity of their ESR spectra to that of the DMPO/superoxide radical adduct in conjunction with their insensitivity to superoxide dismutase, which distinguishes the peroxyl adducts from the DMPO/superoxide adduct. Although recent reports assigned the spectra suggested to be DMPO/peroxyl radical adducts to the DMPO/methoxyl adduct based on independent synthesis of the adduct and/or (17)O-labeling, (17)O-labeling is extremely expensive, and both of these assignments were still based on hyperfine coupling constants, which have not been confirmed by independent techniques. In this study, we have used online high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC or LC)/ESR, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to separate and directly characterize DMPO oxygen-centered radical adducts formed from the reaction of Fe(2+) with t-butyl or cumene hydroperoxide. In each reaction system, two DMPO oxygen-centered radical adducts were separated and detected by online LC/ESR. The first DMPO radical adduct from both systems showed identical chromatographic retention times (t(R) = 9.6 min) and hyperfine coupling constants (a(N) = 14.51 G, a(H)(beta) = 10.71 G, and a(H)(gamma) = 1.32 G). The ESI-MS and MS/MS spectra demonstrated that this radical was the DMPO/methoxyl radical adduct, not the peroxyl radical adduct as was thought at one time, although its ESR spectrum is nearly identical to that of the DMPO/superoxide radical adduct. Similarly, based on their MS/MS spectra, we verified that the second adducts (a(N) = 14.86 G and a(H)(beta) = 16.06 G in the reaction system containing t-butyl hydroperoxide and a(N) = 14.60 G and a(H)(beta) = 15.61 G in the reaction mixture containing cumene hydroperoxide), previously assigned as DMPO adducts of t-butyloxyl and cumyloxyl radical, were indeed from trapping t-butyloxyl and cumyloxyl radicals, respectively.     

Rate measurement of the reaction of CF2Cl radicals with O2

We have studied the association reaction of the CF(2)Cl radicals with O(2) in presence of N(2). The infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) technique with a homemade TEA CO(2) laser was used for the CF(2)Cl radical generation and the vibrational chemiluminiscence technique was set up for the study of the reaction kinetics. The time-resolved IR fluorescence of the vibrationally excited CF(2)O photoproduct was used to measure the disappearance rate of these radicals. A kinetic mechanism is presented to account for the rate of production of CF(2)O(*). The CF(2)Cl radical association reaction rate with O(2), evidence of a direct channel of photoproduct formation and its reaction rate, and the CF(2)O(*) collisional deactivation rate have been obtained.     

Hydroxyl radical reactions with adenine: reactant complexes, transition states, and product complexes

In order to address problems such as aging, cell death, and cancer, it is important to understand the mechanisms behind reactions causing DNA damage. One specific reaction implicated in DNA oxidative damage is hydroxyl free-radical attack on adenine (A) and other nucleic acid bases. The adenine reaction has been studied experimentally, but there are few theoretical results. In the present study, adenine dehydrogenation at various sites, and the potential-energy surfaces for these reactions, are investigated theoretically. Four reactant complexes [A···OH]* have been found, with binding energies relative to A+OH* of 32.8, 11.4, 10.7, and 10.1 kcal mol(-1). These four reactant complexes lead to six transition states, which in turn lie +4.3, -5.4, (-3.7 and +0.8), and (-2.3 and +0.8) kcal mol(-1) below A+OH*, respectively. Thus the lowest lying [A···OH]* complex faces the highest local barrier to formation of the product (A-H)*+H(2)O. Between the transition states and the products lie six product complexes. Adopting the same order as the reactant complexes, the product complexes [(A-H)···H(2)O]* lie at -10.9, -22.4, (-24.2 and -18.7), and (-20.5 and -17.5) kcal mol(-1), respectively, again relative to separated A+OH*. All six A+OH* → (A-H)*+H(2)O pathways are exothermic, by -0.3, -14.7, (-17.4 and -7.8), and (-13.7 and -7.8) kcal mol(-1), respectively. The transition state for dehydrogenation at N(6) lies at the lowest energy (-5.4 kcal mol(-1) relative to A+OH*), and thus reaction is likely to occur at this site. This theoretical prediction dovetails with the observed high reactivity of OH radicals with the NH(2) group of aromatic amines. However, the high barrier (37.1 kcal mol(-1)) for reaction at the C(8) site makes C(8) dehydrogenation unlikely. This last result is consistent with experimental observation of the imidazole ring opening upon OH radical addition to C(8). In addition, TD-DFT computed electronic transitions of the N(6) product around 420 nm confirm that this is the most likely site for hydrogen abstraction by hydroxyl radical.     

Gas-phase halonium metathesis and its competitors. Skeletal rearrangements of cationic adducts of saturated ketones

The methyl cation and CF(3)(+) attack saturated, acyclic ketones to make vibrationally excited adduct ions. Despite their high internal energies and short lifetimes, these adducts undergo deep-seated rearrangements that parallel slower processes in solution. Observed pathways include alkene and alkane expulsions, in addition to (in the case of CF(3)(+)) the precedented loss of CF(2)O + HF. For the vast majority of ketones, the principal charged products are the CF(3)(+) adducts of lighter carbonyl compounds, ions that are not easily prepared by other avenues. Evidence for ion structures comes from collisionally activated unimolecular decomposition and bimolecular ion-molecule reactions. Typical examples are di-n-propyl and diisopropyl ketones (both of which produce CH(3)CH=OCF(3)(+) as the principal ion-molecule reaction product) and pentamethylacetone (which produces (CH(3))(2)C=OCF(3)(+) as virtually the sole ion-molecule reaction product). Isotopic labeling experiments account for mechanisms, and DFT calculations provide a qualitative explanation for the relative abundances of products from unimolecular decompositions of the chemically activated CF(3)(+) adduct ions that are initially formed.     

Elucidation of the mechanisms of peroxyl radical reactions in aqueous solutions using the pulse radiolysis technique

In the investigation of peroxyl radicals the pulse radiolysis technique can be used with some advantage to determine the rate of their unimolecular or bimolecular decay. If the identities of the products of the peroxyl radical reactions are known, pulse radiolysis often provides evidence for mechanistic details. The absorptions of the peroxyl radicals are neither very specific nor strong and optical detection is usually of little help. However, there are many peroxyl radical reactions which result in the formation of HO ₂ ^. /H+O ₂ ^. (pK_a(HO ₂ ^. )=4.7) or other acids. Thus in neutral and alkaline solutions such species can be monitored even quantitatively by the pulse conductometric method. Furthermore, O ₂ ^. can be detected by its rapid reaction with tetranitromethane which yields the strongly absorbing nitroform anion. Since O ₂ ^. is only a short-lived intermediate in neutral solutions, it can be distinguished from permanent acids which are often formed in peroxyl radical reactions. In alkaline solutions, where O ₂ ^. is more stable, superoxide dismutase might be used with advantage to reduce its lifetime and to determine the yield of permanent acids. Some details of the fate of the peroxyl radicals derived from acetate, the -hydroxyethyl-peroxyl radicals, and the cyclopentylperoxyl radicals will be reviewed.     

Mechanistic and kinetic study of the CH3CO + O2 reaction

Potential-energy surface of the CH3CO + O2 reaction has been calculated by ab initio quantum chemistry methods. The geometries were optimized using the second-order Moller-Plesset theory (MP2) with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set and the coupled-cluster theory with single and double excitations (CCSD) with the correlation consistent polarized valence double zeta (cc-pVDZ) basis set. The relative energies were calculated using the Gaussian-3 second-order Moller-Plesset theory with the CCSD/cc-pVDZ geometries. Multireference self-consistent-field and MP2 methods were also employed using the 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311++G(3df,2p) basis sets. Both addition/elimination and direct abstraction mechanisms have been investigated. It was revealed that acetylperoxy radical [CH3C(O)OO] is the initial adduct and the formation of OH and alpha-lactone [CH2CO2(1A')] is the only energetically accessible decomposition channel. The other channels, e.g., abstraction, HO2 + CH2CO, O + CH3CO2, CO + CH3O2, and CO2 + CH3O, are negligible. Multichannel Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and transition state theory (E-resolved) were employed to calculate the overall and individual rate coefficients and the temperature and pressure dependences. Fairly good agreement between theory and experiments has been obtained without any adjustable parameters. It was concluded that at pressures below 3 Torr, OH and CH2CO2(1A') are the major nascent products of the oxidation of acetyl radicals, although CH2CO2(1A') might either undergo unimolecular decomposition to form the final products of CH2O + CO or react with OH and Cl to generate H2O and HCl. The acetylperoxy radicals formed by collisional stabilization are the major products at the elevated pressures. In atmosphere, the yield of acetylperoxy is nearly unity and the contribution of OH is only marginal.     

Computational study of the oxidation and decomposition of dibenzofuran under atmospheric conditions

The atmospheric degradation of dibenzofuran (DF) initiated by OH addition has been studied by using density functional theory (B3LYP method). Site C1 in DF is predicted to be the favored site for OH addition, with a branching ratio of 0.61 to produce a DF-OH(1) adduct. The calculated reaction rate constant for OH addition to DF has been used to predict the atmospheric lifetime of DF to be 0.45 day. Three different modes of attack of O2 ((3)Sigma(g)) on DF-OH(1) have been examined. Abstraction of hydrogen gem to OH in DF-OH(1) by O2 ((3)Sigma(g)) (producing 1-dibenzofuranol I) and dioxygen addition in the three radical sites in cis and trans orientation (relative to the ispo-added OH) of the pi-delocalized electron system of DF-OH(1) are feasible under atmospheric conditions. The free energy of activation (at 298.15 K) for the formation of 1-dibenzofuranol is 15.1 kcal/mol with a free energy change of -36.3 kcal/mol, while the formation of DF-OH(1)-O2 adducts are endergonic by 9.2-21.8 kcal/mol with a 16.3-23.6 kcal/mol free energy of activation. On the basis of the calculated reaction rate constants, the formation of 1-dibenzofuranol is more important than the formation of DF-OH-O2 adducts. The results presented here are a first attempt to gain a better understanding of the atmospheric oxidation of dioxin-like compounds on a precise molecular basis.     

Photoinduced oligomerization of aqueous pyruvic acid

The 320 nm-band photodecarboxylation of aqueous pyruvic acid (PA), a representative of the alpha-oxocarboxylic acids widely found in the atmospheric aerosol, yields 2,3-dimethyltartaric (A) and 2-(3-oxobutan-2-yloxy)-2-hydroxypropanoic (B) acids, rather than 3-hydroxy-2-oxobutanone as previously reported. A and B are identified by liquid chromatography with UV and ESI-MS detection, complemented by collisionally induced dissociation and 2H and 13C isotope labeling experiments. The multifunctional ether B gives rise to characteristic delta approximately 80 ppm 13C NMR resonances. Product quantum yields are proportional to [PA](a + [PA])(-1) in the range [PA] = 5-100 mM. CO2(g) release rates are halved, while A and B are suppressed by the addition of >1.5 mM TEMPO. A and B are only partially quenched in air-saturated solutions. These observations are shown to be consistent with an oligomerization process initiated by a bimolecular reaction between 3PA and PA producing ketyl, CH3C(OH)C(O)OH, and acetyl, CH3C(O)*, radicals, rather than by the unimolecular decomposition of 3PA into 1-hydroxyethylidene, 3HO(CH3)C: (+CO2), or [CH(3)C(O)* + *C(O)OH] pairs. A arises from the dimerization of ketyl radicals, while B ensues the facile decarboxylation of the C8beta-ketoacid formed by association of acetyl radicals with the ketyl radical adduct of PA. Since the radical precursors to A and B are scavenged by O2 with a low probability per encounter (k(sc) approximately 1 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)), PA is able to accrete into multifunctional polar species in aerated aqueous media under solar illumination.     

On the direct scavenging activity of melatonin towards hydroxyl and a series of peroxyl radicals

The reactions of melatonin (MLT) with hydroxyl and several peroxyl radicals have been studied using the Density Functional Theory, specifically the M05-2X functional. Five mechanisms of reaction have been considered: radical adduct formation (RAF), Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), single electron transfer (SET), sequential electron proton transfer (SEPT) and proton coupled electron transfer (PCET). It has been found that MLT reacts with OH radicals in a diffusion-limited way, regardless of the polarity of the environment, which indicates that MLT is an excellent OH radical scavenger. The calculated values of the overall rate coefficient of MLT + ˙OH reaction in benzene and water solutions are 2.23 × 10(10) and 1.85 × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. MLT is also predicted to be a very good ˙OOCCl(3) scavenger but rather ineffective for scavenging less reactive peroxyl radicals, such as alkenyl peroxyl radicals and ˙OOH. Therefore it is concluded that the protective effect of MLT against lipid peroxidation does not take place by directly trapping peroxyl radicals, but rather by scavenging more reactive species, such as ˙OH, which can initiate the degradation process. Branching ratios for the different channels of reaction are reported for the first time. In aqueous solutions SEPT was found to be the main mechanism for the MLT + ˙OH reaction, accounting for about 44.1% of the overall reactivity of MLT towards this radical. The good agreement between the calculated and the available experimental data, on the studied processes, supports the reliability of the results presented in this work.     

Peroxyl radical clocks

A series of peroxyl radical clocks has been developed and calibrated based on the competition between the unimolecular beta-fragmentation (k(beta)) of a peroxyl radical and its bimolecular reaction with a hydrogen atom donor (k(H)). These clocks are based on either methyl linoleate or allylbenzene and were calibrated directly with alpha-tocopherol or methyl linoleate, which have well-established rate constants for reaction with peroxyl radicals (k(H-tocopherol) = 3.5 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), k(H-linoleate) = 62 M(-1) s(-1)). This peroxyl radical clock methodology has been successfully applied to determine inhibition and propagation rate constants ranging from 10(0) to 10(7) M(-1) s(-1).     

Thermochemical and kinetic analysis on the reactions of O2 with products from OH addition to isobutene, 2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl, and 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl radicals: HO2 formation from oxidation of neopentane, Part II

Unimolecular dissociation of a neopentyl radical to isobutene and methyl radical is competitive with the neopentyl association with O2 ((3)Sigma(g)-) in thermal oxidative systems. Furthermore, both isobutene and the OH radical are important primary products from the reactions of neopentyl with O2. Consequently, the reactions of O2 with the 2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl and 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl radicals resulting from the OH addition to isobutene are important to understanding the oxidation of neopentane and other branched hydrocarbons. Reactions that correspond to the association of radical adducts with O2((3)Sigma(g)-) involve chemically activated peroxy intermediates, which can isomerize and react to form one of several products before stabilization. The above reaction systems were analyzed with ab initio and density functional calculations to evaluate the thermochemistry, reaction paths, and kinetics that are important in neopentyl radical oxidation. The stationary points of potential energy surfaces were analyzed based on the enthalpies calculated at the CBS-Q level. The entropies, S(degrees)298, and heat capacities, C(p)(T), (0 相似文献