Reactions of C(1D) with H2 and its deuterated isotopomers, a wave packet study

Using a Chebyshev wave packet method, total and state-resolved reaction probabilities (J=0) were calculated for the reactions of C(1D) with various hydrogen isotopomers (H2, D2, and HD, nu i=0, j i=0) on a recent ab initio potential energy surface. For all the isotopic variants, it was found that the initial state specified reaction probabilities have no energy threshold and are strongly oscillatory, indicative of the involvement of long-lived resonances in this barrierless reaction. The J=0 product vibrational and rotational distributions for all three isotopic reactions, and the CH/CD branching ratio for the C+HD reaction, show strong dependence on the collision energy, further underscoring the important role played by the resonances. The generally decaying vibrational distributions and highly excited rotational distributions, which corroborate an insertion mechanism, and the dominance of the CD+H channel in the C+HD reaction are consistent with existing experimental observations. Initial state specified integral cross sections and rate constants were estimated using a capture model. The estimated rate constants were found to be close and in the order kHD>kH2>kD2. Finally, a method to calculate branching ratio in the C+HD reaction is proposed.     

Deuterium kinetic isotope effects on the gas-phase reactions of C2H with H2(D2) and CH4(CD4)

Kinetics of the ethynyl (C(2)H) radical reactions with H(2), D(2), CH(4) and CD(4) was studied over the temperature range of 295-396 K by a pulsed laser photolysis/chemiluminescence technique. The C(2)H radicals were generated by ArF excimer-laser photolysis of C(2)H(2) or CF(3)C(2)H and were monitored by the chemiluminescence of CH(A(2)Δ) produced by their reaction with O(2) or O((3)P). The measured absolute rate constants for H(2) and CH(4) agreed well with the available literature data. The primary kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were determined to be k(H(2))/k(D(2)) = 2.48 ± 0.14 and k(CH(4))/k(CD(4)) = 2.45 ± 0.16 at room temperature. Both of the KIEs increased as the temperature was lowered. The KIEs were analyzed by using the variational transition state theory with semiclassical small-curvature tunneling corrections. With anharmonic corrections on the loose transitional vibrational modes of the transition states, the theoretical predictions satisfactorily reproduced the experimental KIEs for both C(2)H + H(2)(D(2)) and C(2)H + CH(4)(CD(4)) reactions.     

Deuterium enrichment of interstellar methanol explained by atom tunneling

We calculate, down to low temperature and for different isotopes, the reaction rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction reaction H + H(3)COH → H(2) + CH(2)OH/CH(3)O. These explain the known abundances of deuterated forms of methanol in interstellar clouds, where CH(2)DOH can be almost as abundant as CH(3)OH. For abstraction from both the C- and the O-end of methanol, the barrier-crossing motion involves the movement of light hydrogen atoms. Consequently, tunneling plays a dominant role already at relatively high temperature. Our implementation of harmonic quantum transition state theory with on the fly calculation of forces and energies accounts for these tunneling effects. The results are in good agreement with previous semiclassical and quantum dynamics calculations (down to 200 K) and experimental studies (down to 295 K). Here we extend the rate calculations down to lower temperature: 30 K for abstraction from the C-end of methanol and 80 K for abstraction from the OH-group. At all temperatures, abstraction from the C-end is preferred over abstraction from the O-end, more strongly so at lower temperature. Furthermore, the tunneling behavior strongly affects the kinetic isotope effects (KIEs). D + H(3)COH → HD + CH(2)OH has a lower vibrationally adiabatic barrier than H + H(3)COH → H(2) + CH(2)OH, giving rise to an inverse KIE (k(H)/k(D) < 1) at high temperature, in accordance with previous experiments and calculations. However, since tunneling is more facile for the light H atom, abstraction by H is favored over abstraction by D below ~135 K, with a KIE k(H)/k(D) of 11.2 at 30 K. The H + D(3)COD → HD + CD(2)OD reaction is calculated to be much slower than the D + H(3)COH → HD + CH(2)OH, in agreement with low-temperature solid-state experiments, which suggests the preference for H (as opposed to D) abstraction from the C-end of methanol to be the mechanism by which interstellar methanol is deuterium-enriched.     

Quantum dynamics of Renner-Teller and isotopic effects in NH(a1Δ) + D(2S) reactions

A quantum dynamics study for the NH(a(1)Δ) + D((2)S) reactions using coupled channel time dependent real wavepacket formalism is presented. Moreover, the Renner-Teller (RT) interactions between two electronic states of NHD (X[combining tilde](2)A' and ?(2)A') have been taken into account by means of semiempirical RT matrix elements. The introduction of RT effects opens the possibility of studying not only the adiabatic reactions [depletion (d) to N((2)D) + HD(X(1)Σ(+)) and exchange (e) to ND(a(1)Δ) + H((2)S)] but also nonadiabatic ones [quenching (q) to NH(X(3)Σ(-)) + D((2)S) and exchange-quenching (eq) to ND(X(3)Σ(-)) + H((2)S)]. Reaction probabilities, cross sections, isotopic effects, and rate constants are presented for all the before mentioned reactions. RT results are compared with Born-Oppenheimer, quasiclassical, and experimental data. Contrasting with previous NH + H results, we point out interesting RT and isotopic effects, which depend on the D and H masses and on the tunneling of the H atom. In fact, RT effects, near-threshold cross sections, and rate constants are smaller in NH + D than in NH + H, as expected from the masses of the attacking atoms. Our rate constants and quenching branching ratio agree well with previous quasiclassical and experimental data, validating the semiempirical RT coupling we employ. Some small differences between calculated and measured rate constants might be due to the theoretical approximations and to the large experimental error bars.     

Thermochemistry and accurate quantum reaction rate calculations for H2/HD/D2 + CH3

Accurate quantum-mechanical results for thermodynamic data, cumulative reaction probabilities (for J = 0), thermal rate constants, and kinetic isotope effects for the three isotopic reactions H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H, HD + CH3 --> CH4 + D, and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D are presented. The calculations are performed using flux correlation functions and the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method to propagate wave packets employing a Shephard interpolated potential energy surface based on high-level ab initio calculations. The calculated exothermicity for the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H reaction agrees to within 0.2 kcal/mol with experimentally deduced values. For the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D reactions, experimental rate constants from several groups are available. In comparing to these, we typically find agreement to within a factor of 2 or better. The kinetic isotope effect for the rate of the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H reaction compared to those for the HD + CH3 --> CH4 + D and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D reactions agree with experimental results to within 25% for all data points. Transition state theory is found to predict the kinetic isotope effect accurately when the mass of the transferred atom is unchanged. On the other hand, if the mass of the transferred atom differs between the isotopic reactions, transition state theory fails in the low-temperature regime (T < 400 K), due to the neglect of the tunneling effect.     

IR kinetic spectroscopy investigation of the CH4 + O(1D) reaction

The branching of the title reaction into several product channels has been investigated quantitatively by laser infrared kinetic spectroscopy for CH(4) and CD(4). It is found that OH (OD) is produced in 67 +/- 5% (60 +/- 5%) yield compared to the initial O((1)D) concentration. H (D) product is produced in 30 +/- 10%(35 +/- 10%). H(2)CO is produced in 5% yield in the CH(4) system (it was not possible to measure the CD(2)O yield in the CD(4) case). D(2)O is produced in 8% yield in the CD(4) system (it was not feasible to measure the H(2)O yield). The ratio of the overall rate constant of the CD(4) reaction to the overall rate constant of the O((1)D) + N(2)O reaction was determined to be 1.2(5) +/- 0.1. A measurement of the reaction of O((1)D) with NO(2) gave 1.3 x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) relative to the literature values for the rate constants of O((1)D) with H(2) and CH(4). Hot atom effects in O((1)D) reactions were observed.     

Cross sections and thermal rate constants for the isotope exchange reaction: D(2S)+OH(2Pi)-->OD(2Pi)+H(2S)

We report state-to-state and overall thermal rate constants for the isotope exchange reaction D((2)S)+OH((2)Pi)-->OD((2)Pi)+H((2)S) for 0 K相似文献   

Influence of rotation and isotope effects on the dynamics of the N((2)D)+H(2) reactive system and of its deuterated variants

Integral cross sections and thermal rate constants have been calculated for the N((2)D)+H(2) reaction and its isotopic variants N((2)D)+D(2) and the two-channel N((2)D)+HD by means of quasiclassical trajectory and statistical quantum-mechanical model methods on the latest ab initio potential-energy surface [T.-S. Ho et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 3063 (2003)]. The effect of rotational excitation of the diatom on the dynamics of these reactions has been investigated and interesting discrepancies between the classical and statistical model calculations have been found. Whereas a net effect of reagent rotation on reactivity is always observed in the classical calculations, only a very slight effect is observed in the case of the asymmetric N((2)D)+HD reaction for the statistical quantum-mechanical method. The thermal rate constants calculated on this Potential-Energy Surface using quasiclassical trajectory and statistical model methods are in good agreement with the experimental determinations, although the latter are somewhat larger. A reevaluation of the collinear barrier of the potential surface used in the present study seems timely. Further theoretical and experimental studies are needed for a full understanding of the dynamics of the title reaction.     

Shock tube and theoretical studies on the thermal decomposition of propane: evidence for a roaming radical channel

The thermal decomposition of propane has been studied using both shock tube experiments and ab initio transition state theory-based master equation calculations. Dissociation rate constants for propane have been measured at high temperatures behind reflected shock waves using high-sensitivity H-ARAS detection and CH(3) optical absorption. The two major dissociation channels at high temperature are C(3)H(8) → CH(3) + C(2)H(5) (eq 1a) and C(3)H(8) → CH(4) + C(2)H(4) (eq 1b). Ultra high-sensitivity ARAS detection of H-atoms produced from the decomposition of the product, C(2)H(5), in (1a), allowed measurements of both the total decomposition rate constants, k(total), and the branching to radical products, k(1a)/k(total). Theoretical analyses indicate that the molecular products are formed exclusively through the roaming radical mechanism and that radical products are formed exclusively through channel 1a. The experiments were performed over the temperature range 1417-1819 K and gave a minor contribution of (10 ± 8%) due to roaming. A multipass CH(3) absorption diagnostic using a Zn resonance lamp was also developed and characterized in this work using the thermal decomposition of CH(3)I as a reference reaction. The measured rate constants for CH(3)I decomposition agreed with earlier determinations from this laboratory that were based on I-atom ARAS measurements. This CH(3) diagnostic was then used to detect radicals from channel 1a allowing lower temperature (1202-1543 K) measurements of k(1a) to be determined. Variable reaction coordinate-transition state theory was used to predict the high pressure limits for channel (1a) and other bond fission reactions in C(3)H(8). Conventional transition state theory calculations were also used to estimate rate constants for other tight transition state processes. These calculations predict a negligible contribution (<1%) from all other bond fission and tight transition state processes, indicating that the bond fission channel (1a) and the roaming channel (1b) are indeed the only active channels at the temperature and pressure ranges of the present experiments. The predicted reaction exo- and endothermicities are in excellent agreement with the current version of the Active Thermochemical Tables. Master equation calculations incorporating these transition state theory results yield predictions for the temperature and pressure dependence of the dissociation rate constants for channel 1a. The final theoretical results reliably reproduce the measured dissociation rate constants that are reported here and in the literature. The experimental data are well reproduced over the 500-2500 K and 1 × 10(-4) to 100 bar range (errors of ～15% or less) by the following Troe parameters for Ar as the bath gas: k(∞) = 1.55 × 10(24)T(-2.034) exp(-45?490/T) s(-1), k(0) = 7.92 × 10(53)T(-16.67) exp(-50?380/T) cm(3) s(-1), and F(c) = 0.190 exp(-T/3091) + 0.810 exp(-T/128) + exp(-8829/T).     

13C, 18O, and D fractionation effects in the reactions of CH3OH isotopologues with Cl and OH radicals

A relative rate experiment is carried out for six isotopologues of methanol and their reactions with OH and Cl radicals. The reaction rates of CH2DOH, CHD2OH, CD3OH, (13)CH3OH, and CH3(18)OH with Cl and OH radicals are measured by long-path FTIR spectroscopy relative to CH3OH at 298 +/- 2 K and 1013 +/- 10 mbar. The OH source in the reaction chamber is photolysis of ozone to produce O((1)D) in the presence of a large excess of molecular hydrogen: O((1)D) + H2 --> OH + H. Cl is produced by the photolysis of Cl2. The FTIR spectra are fitted using a nonlinear least-squares spectral fitting method with measured high-resolution infrared spectra as references. The relative reaction rates defined as alpha = k(light)/k(heavy) are determined to be: k(OH + CH3OH)/k(OH + (13)CH3OH) = 1.031 +/- 0.020, k(OH + CH3OH)/k(OH + CH3(18)OH) = 1.017 +/- 0.012, k(OH + CH3OH)/k(OH + CH2DOH) = 1.119 +/- 0.045, k(OH + CH3OH)/k(OH + CHD2OH) = 1.326 +/- 0.021 and k(OH + CH3OH)/k(OH + CD3OH) = 2.566 +/- 0.042, k(Cl + CH3OH)/k(Cl + (13)CH3OH) = 1.055 +/- 0.016, k(Cl + CH3OH)/k(Cl + CH3(18)OH) = 1.025 +/- 0.022, k(Cl + CH3OH)/k(Cl + CH2DOH) = 1.162 +/- 0.022 and k(Cl + CH3OH)/k(Cl + CHD2OH) = 1.536 +/- 0.060, and k(Cl + CH3OH)/k(Cl + CD3OH) = 3.011 +/- 0.059. The errors represent 2sigma from the statistical analyses and do not include possible systematic errors. Ground-state potential energy hypersurfaces of the reactions were investigated in quantum chemistry calculations at the CCSD(T) level of theory with an extrapolated basis set. The (2)H, (13)C, and (18)O kinetic isotope effects of the OH and Cl reactions with CH3OH were further investigated using canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling and compared to experimental measurements as well as to those observed in CH4 and several other substituted methane species.     

Time-dependent quantum study of the kinetics of the H(2S) + FO(2II) OH(2II) + F(2P) reaction

Quantum mechanical wave packet calculations are carried out for the H((2)S) + FO((2)II) --> OH((2)II) + F((2)P) reaction on the adiabatic potential energy surface of the ground (3)A' triplet state. The state-to-state and state-to-all reaction probabilities for total angular momentum J = 0 have been calculated. The probabilities for J > 0 have been estimated from the J = 0 results by using J-shifting approximation based on a capture model. Then, the integral cross sections and initial state-selected rate constants have been calculated. The calculations show that the initial state-selected reaction probabilities are dominated by many sharp peaks. The reaction cross section does not manifest any sharp oscillations and the initial state-selected rate constants are sensitive to the temperature.     

Ab initio studies of alkyl radical reactions: Combination and disproportionation reactions of CH3 with C2H5, and the decomposition of chemically activated C3H8

This paper reports the first quantitative ab initio prediction of the disproportionation/combination ratio of alkyl+alkyl reactions using CH3+C2H5 as an example. The reaction has been investigated by the modified Gaussian-2 method with variational transition state or Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations for several channels producing (1) CH4+CH2CH2, (2) C3H8, (3) CH4CH3CH, (4) H2+CH3CHCH2, (5) H2+CH3CCH3, and (6) C2H6+CH2 by H-abstraction and association/decomposition mechanisms through singlet and triplet potential energy paths. Significantly, the disproportionation reaction (1) producing CH4+C2H4 was found to occur primarily by the lowest energy path via a loose hydrogen-bonding singlet molecular complex, H3CHC2H4, with a 3.5 kcal/mol binding energy and a small decomposition barrier (1.9 kcal/mol), instead of a direct H-abstraction process. Bimolecular reaction rate constants for the formation of the above products have been calculated in the temperature range 300-3000 K. At 1 atm, formation of C3H8 is dominant below 1200 K. Over 1200 K, the disproportionation reaction becomes competitive. The sum of products (3)-(6) accounts for less than 0.3% below 1500 K and it reaches around 1%-4% above 2000 K. The predicted rate constant for the disproportionation reaction with multiple reflections above the complex well, k1=5.04 x T(0.41) exp(429/T) at 200-600 K and k1=1.96 x 10(-20) T(2.45) exp(1470/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) at 600-3000 K, agrees closely with experimental values. Similarly, the predicted high-pressure rate constants for the combination reaction forming C3H8 and its reverse dissociation reaction in the temperature range 300-3000 K, k2(infinity)=2.41 x 10(-10) T(-0.34) exp(259/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) and k(-2)(infinity)=8.89 x 10(22) T(-1.67)exp(-46 037/T) s(-1), respectively, are also in good agreement with available experimental data.     

Nonadiabatic quantum dynamics of C(1D)+H2→CH+H: coupled-channel calculations including Renner-Teller and Coriolis terms

The Renner-Teller (RT) coupled-channel dynamics for the C((1)D)+H(2)(X(1)Σ(g) (+))→CH(X(2)Π)+H((2)S) reaction has been investigated for the first time, considering the first two singlet states ??(1)A' and b(1)A' of CH(2) dissociating into the products and RT couplings, evaluated through the ab initio matrix elements of the electronic angular momentum. We have obtained initial-state-resolved probabilities, cross sections and thermal rate constants via the real wavepacket method for both coupled electronic states. In contrast to the N((2)D)+H(2)(X(1)Σ(g)(+)) system, RT effects tend to reduce probabilities, cross sections, and rate constants in the low energy range compared to Born-Oppenheimer (BO) ones, due to the presence of a repulsive RT barrier in the effective potentials and to long-lived resonances. Furthermore, contrary to BO results, the rate constants have a positive temperature dependence in the 100-400 K range. The two-state RT rate constant at 300 K, lower than the BO one, remains inside the error bars of the experimental value.     

Theoretical study of the benzyl+O2 reaction: kinetics, mechanism, and product branching ratios

Ab initio calculations at the level of CBS-QB3 theory have been performed to investigate the potential energy surface for the reaction of benzyl radical with molecular oxygen. The reaction is shown to proceed with an exothermic barrierless addition of O2 to the benzyl radical to form benzylperoxy radical (2). The benzylperoxy radical was found to have three dissociation channels, giving benzaldehyde (4) and OH radical through the four-centered transition states (channel B), giving benzyl hydroperoxide (5) through the six-centered transition states (channel C), and giving O2-adduct (8) through the four-centered transition states (channel D), in addition to the backward reaction forming benzyl radical and O2 (channel E). The master equation analysis suggested that the rate constant for the backward reaction (E) of C6H5CH2OO-->C6H5CH2+O2 was several orders of magnitude higher that those for the product dissociation channels (B-D) for temperatures 300-1500 K and pressures 0.1-10 atm; therefore, it was also suggested that the dissociation of benzylperoxy radicals proceeded with the partial equilibrium between the benzyl+O2 and benzylperoxy radicals. The rate constants for product channels B-D were also calculated, and it was found that the rate constant for each dissociation reaction pathway was higher in the order of channel D>channel C>channel B for all temperature and pressure ranges. The rate constants for the reaction of benzyl+O2 were computed from the equilibrium constant and from the predicted rate constant for the backward reaction (E). Finally, the product branching ratios forming CH2O molecules and OH radicals formed by the reaction of benzyl+O2 were also calculated using the stationary state approximation for each reaction intermediate.     

H(D)-atom yields in the quenching of Xe(6s[3/2]1) by methane, ethane, ethene, ethyne, and their deuterated isotopologues

The yields for the production of H(D) atoms in the reactions of Xe(6s[3/2]1) with simple hydrocarbons and their deuterated variants were determined. Xe(6s[32](1)) was produced by two-photon laser excitation of Xe(6p[1/2]0) followed by concomitant amplified spontaneous emission. H(D) atoms are detected using a vacuum-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique. The H(D)-atom yields were evaluated from the LIF intensities and the overall rate constants for the quenching, which were determined from the temporal profile measurements of the resonance fluorescence from Xe(6s[3/2](1)). HD isotope effects were observed not only in the overall rate constants but also in the H(D)-atom yields. The yields for CH4, C2H4, and C2H2 were determined to be 0.89, 1.43, 1.03, respectively, while those for CD4, C2D4, and C2D2 were found to be smaller; 0.63, 0.86, and 0.79, respectively. The HD yield ratio for CH2D2 was 1.76. The presence of the isotope effects both in the rate constants and the yields suggests that electronic-to-electronic energy transfer processes and abstractive processes are competing.     

A study of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of C2H radical with CH3CN, C2H5CN, and C3H7CN by dual-level generalized transition state theory

The hydrogen abstraction reactions C2H + CH3CN --> products (R1), C2H + CH3CH2CN --> products (R2), and C2H + CH3CH2CH2CN --> products (R3) have been investigated by dual-level generalized transition state theory. Optimized geometries and frequencies of all the stationary points and extra points along the minimum-energy path (MEP) are performed at the BH&H-LYP and MP2 methods with the 6-311G(d, p) basis set, and the energy profiles are further refined at the MC-QCISD level of theory. The rate constants are evaluated using canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) with a small-curvature tunneling correction (SCT) over a wide temperature range 104-2000 K. The calculated CVT/SCT rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental values. Our calculations show that for reaction R2, the alpha-hydrogen abstraction channel and beta-hydrogen abstraction channel are competitive over the whole temperature range. For reaction R3, the gamma-hydrogen abstraction channel is preferred at lower temperatures, while the contribution of beta-hydrogen abstraction will become more significant with a temperature increase. The branching ratio to the alpha-hydrogen abstraction channel is found negligible over the whole temperature range.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the C6H5 + CH3CHO reaction: experimental measurement and theoretical prediction of the reactivity toward four molecular sites.

The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of C6H5 with CH3CHO have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The total rate constant for the reaction has been measured by means of the cavity ring-down spectrometry (CRDS) in the temperature range 299-501 K at pressures covering 20-75 Torr. The overall bimolecular rate constant can be represented by the expression k = (2.8 +/- 0.2) x 10(11) exp[-(700 +/- 30)/T] cm3 mol-1 s-1, which is slightly faster than for the analogous C6H5 + CH2O reaction determined with the same method in the same temperature range. The reaction mechanism for the C6H5 + CH3CHO reaction was also explored with quantum-chemical calculations at various hybrid density functional theories (DFTs) and using ab initio high-level composite methods. The theories predict that the reaction may occur by two hydrogen-abstraction and two addition channels with the aldehydic hydrogen-abstraction reaction being dominant. The rate constant calculated by the transition state theory for the aldehydic hydrogen-abstraction reaction is in good agreement with the experimental result after a very small adjustment of the predicted reaction barrier (+0.3 kcal mol-1). Contributions from other product channels are negligible under our experimental conditions. For combustion applications, we have calculated the rate constants for key product channels in the temperature range of 298-2500 K under atmospheric-pressure conditions; they can be represented by the following expressions in units of cm 3mol-1 s-1: k1,cho = 8.8 x 10(3)T2.6 exp(-90/T), k2,ch3 = 6.0 x 10(1)T3.3 exp(-950/T), k3a(C6H5COCH3 + H) = 4.2 x 10(5)T0.6 exp(-410/T) and k3b(C6H5CHO + CH3) = 6.6 x 10(9)T-0.5 exp(-310/T).     

Guided-ion beam and theoretical study of the potential energy surface for activation of methane by W+

A guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer is used to study the reactions, W(+) + CH(4) (CD(4)) and [W,C,2H](+) + H(2) (D(2)), to probe the [W,C,4H](+) potential energy surface. The reaction W(+) + CH(4) produces [W,C,2H](+) in the only low-energy process. The analogous reaction in the CD(4) system exhibits a cross section with strong differences at the lowest energies caused by zero-point energy differences, demonstrating that this reaction is slightly exothermic for CH(4) and slightly endothermic for CD(4). The [W,C,2H](+) product ion reacts further at thermal energies with CH(4) to produce W(CH(2))(x)(+) (x = 2-4). At higher energies, the W(+) + CH(4) reaction forms WH(+) as the dominant ionic product with smaller amounts of WCH(3)(+), WCH(+), and WC(+) also formed. The energy dependent cross sections for endothermic formation of the various products are analyzed and allow the determination of D(0)(W(+)-CH(3)) approximately 2.31 +/- 0.10 eV, D(0)(W(+)-CH(2)) = 4.74 +/- 0.03 eV, D(0)(W(+)-CH) = 6.01 +/- 0.28 eV, and D(0)(W(+)-C) = 4.96 +/- 0.22 eV. We also examine the reverse reaction, [W,C,2H](+) + H(2) (D(2)) --> W(+) + CH(4) (CH(2)D(2)). Combining the cross sections for the forward and reverse processes yields an equilibrium constant from which D(0)(W(+)-CH(2)) = 4.72 +/- 0.04 eV is derived. Theoretical calculations performed at the B3LYP/HW+/6-311++G(3df,3p) level yield thermochemistry in reasonable agreement with experiment. These calculations help identify the structures and electronic states of the species involved and characterize the potential energy surface for the [W,C,4H](+) system.     

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.     

Low temperature kinetics, crossed beam dynamics and theoretical studies of the reaction S((1)D) + CH4 and low temperature kinetics of S((1)D) + C2H2

The reaction between sulfur atoms in the first electronically excited state, S((1)D), and methane (CH(4)), has been investigated in a complementary fashion in (a) crossed-beam dynamics experiments with mass spectrometric detection and time-of-flight (TOF) analysis at two collision energies (30.4 and 33.6 kJ mol(-1)), (b) low temperature kinetics experiments ranging from 298 K down to 23 K, and (c) electronic structure calculations of stationary points and product energetics on the CH(4)S singlet potential energy surface. The rate coefficients for total loss of S((1)D) are found to be very large (ca. 2 × 10(-10) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1)) down to very low temperatures indicating that the overall reaction is barrier-less. Similar measurements are also performed for S((1)D) + C(2)H(2), and also for this system the rate coefficients are found to be very large (ca. 3 × 10(-10) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1)) down to very low temperatures. From laboratory angular and TOF distributions at different product masses for the reaction S((1)D) + CH(4), it is found that the only open reaction channel at the investigated collision energies is that leading to SH + CH(3). The product angular, T(θ), and translational energy, P(E'(T)), distributions in the center-of-mass frame are derived. The reaction dynamics are discussed in terms of two different micromechanisms: a dominant long-lived complex mechanism at small and intermediate impact parameters with a strongly polarized T(θ), and a direct pickup-type (stripping) mechanism occurring at large impact parameters with a strongly forward peaked T(θ). Interpretation of the experimental results on the S((1)D) + CH(4) reaction kinetics and dynamics is assisted by high-level theoretical calculations on the CH(4)S singlet potential energy surface. The dynamics of the SH + CH(3) forming channel are compared with those of the corresponding channel (leading to OH + CH(3)) in the related O((1)D) + CH(4) reaction, previously investigated in crossed-beams in other laboratories at comparable collision energies. The possible astrophysical relevance of S((1)D) reactions with hydrocarbons, especially in the chemistry of cometary comae, is discussed.