Reaction of methoxy radicals with oxygen. I. Using dimethyl peroxide as a thermal source of methoxy radicals

Using dimethyl peroxide as a thermal source of methoxy radicals overthe temperature range of 110–160°C, and the combination of methoxy radicals and nitrogen dioxide as a reference reaction: a value was determined of the rate constant for the reaction of methoxy radicals with oxygen: is independent of nitrogen dioxide or oxygen concentration and added inert gas (carbon tetrafluoride). No heterogeneous effects were detected. The value of k₄ is given by the expression In terms of atmospheric chemistry, this corresponds to a value of 10^5.6 M^?1·sec^?1 at 298 K. Extrapolation to temperatures where the combustion of organic compounds has been studied (813 K) produces a value of 10^7.7 M^?1·sec^?1 for k₄. Under these conditions, reaction (4) competes with hydrogen abstraction or disproportionation reactions of the methoxy radical and its decomposition (3): In particular k₃ is in the falloff region under these conditions. It is concluded that reaction (4) takes place as the result of a bimolecular collision process rather than via the formation of a cyclic complex.     

H2S-promoted thermal isomerization of butene-2 CIS to butene-1 or butene-2 trans around 500°C

H₂S increases the thermal isomerization of butene-2 cis (B_c) to butene-1 (B₁) and butene-2 trans (B_t) around 500°C. This effect is interpreted on the basis of a free radical mechanism in which buten-2-yl and thiyl free radicals are the main chain carriers. B₁ formation is essentially explainedby the metathetical steps: whereas the free radical part of B_t formation results from the addition–elimination processes: . It is shown that the initiation step of pure B_c thermal reaction is essentially unimolecular: and that a new initiation step occurs in the presence of H₂S: . The rate constant ratio has been evaluated: and the best values of k₁ and k_1', consistent with this work and with thermochemical data, are . From thermochemical data of the literature and an “intrinsic value” of E_?3 ? 2 kcal/mol given by Benson, further values of rate constants may be proposed: is shown to be E₄ ? 3.5 ± 2 kcal/mol, of the same order as the activation energy of the corresponding metathetical step.     

Reaction kinetics of NH in the shock tube pyrolysis of HNCO

The high temperature kinetics of NH in the pyrolysis of isocyanic acid (HNCO) have been studied in reflected shock wave experiments. Time histories of the NH(X³Σ^?) radical were measured using a cw, narrow-linewidth laser absorption diagnostic at 336 nm. The second-order rate coefficients of the reactions: (1) were determined to be: cm³?mol^?1?s^?1, where f and F define the lower and upper uncertainty limits, respectively. The data for k_1a are somewhat better fit by:      

The kinetics of the thermal bromination of CF3I. Determination of the bond dissociation energy D(CF3−I)

The kinetics of the thermal bromination reaction have been studied in the range of 173–321°C. For the step we obtain where θ=2.303RT cal/mole. From the activation energy for reaction (11), we calculate that This is compared with previously published values of D(CF₃?I). The relevance of the result to published work on k_c for a combination of CF₃ radicals is discussed.     

Addition of trichloromethyl radicals to tetrachloroethylene

The gamma-radiation-induced free-radical chain reactions in liquid CCl₄? C₂Cl₄? c? C₆H₁₂ mixtures were studied in the temperature range of 363–448°K. The main products in this system are chloroform, hexachloropropene and chlorocyclohexane. These products are formed via reactions (1)–(5): with G values (molec/100 eV) of the order of magnitude of 10² and 10³ at the lowest and highest temperatures, respectively. Values of k₂/k₁ were determined from the product distribution. In turn, these values gave the following Arrhenius expression for k₂/k₁ (θ = 2.303RT, in kcal/mol): From this result and the previously determined Arrhenius parameters of reaction (1), k₂ is found to be given by .     

Rate data for O + OCS → SO + CO and SO + O3 → SO2 + O2 by a new time-resolved technique

Pulsed laser photolysis of O₃ in a large excess of N₂ has been used to generate O(³P) atoms in the presence of OCS. By observing chemiluminescence from the small fraction of electronically excited SO₂ formed in the reaction of SO with O₃, rate constants of (1.7 ± 0.2) × 10^?14 and (8.7 ± 1.6) × 10^?14 cm³/molecule sec have been determined at 296 ± 4 K for the reactions and In addition, it has been shown that any reaction between SO and OCS has a rate constant 10^?14 cm³/molecule sec.     

Influence of butadiene-1,3 on ethanal pyrolysis at 495°C

At 495°C and a low extent of reaction, ethanal pyrolysis is slightly inhibited by the addition of small quantities of butadiene-1,3, whereas it is accelerated by more important quantities. The inhibiting effect is interpreted in terms of a free-radical chain mechanism in which the main chain carriers of ethanal pyrolysis (CH₃.free radicals) reversibly add to butadiene-1,3 and yield penten-2-yl (R.) free radicals. These free radicals either react in a metathetical step: or in terminating steps. But butadiene-1,3 also gives rise to new initiation steps: which account for the accelerating effect. Process (i₃) seems to be more important than process (i₂) in the experimental conditions, but its nature could not be identified. The results are consistent with literature data and the following value of k₆: (4.57T in cal/mol).     

Kinetic investigation of the bromate–ascorbic acid–malonic acid system

According to our experiments the bromide ion concentration exhibits in the bromate–ascorbic acid–malonic acid–perchloric acid system three extrema as a function of time. To describe this peculiar phenomenon, the kinetics of four component reactions have been studied separately. The following rate equations were obtained: Bromate–ascorbic acid reaction: Bromate–bromide ion reaction: Bromide–ascorbic acid reaction: Bromine–malonic acid reaction: k₄ = 6 × 10^?3 s^?1, k_-4 ≥ 1.7 × 10³ s^?1, k₅ ≥ 1 × 10⁷M^?1 · s^?1 Taking into account the stoichiometry of the component reactions and using these rate equations, the concentration versus time curves of the composite system were calculated. Although the agreement is not as good as in the case of the component reactions, it is remarkable that this kinetic structure exhibits the three extrema found.     

Kinetics of the reactions Br2 + HCN,BrCN + I−, S(CN)2 + I− in aqueous acid solution

Spectrophotometric methods have been used to obtain rate laws and rate parameters for the following reactions: with k_a, k_b, E_a, E_b having the values 85±5 l./mole · s, 5.7±0.2 s^?1 (both at 298.2°K), and 56±4 and 66±2 kJ/mole, respectively. with k_c=0.106±0.004 l./mole ·s at 298.2°K and E_c=67±2 kJ/mole. with k_d=(3.06 ±; 0.15) × 10^?3 l./mole ·s at 298.2°K and E_d=66±2 kJ/mole. Mechanisms for these reactions are discussed and compared with previous work.     

Induced heterogeneity,a novel technique for the study of gas-phase reactions. Part I. Determination of the arrhenius parameters for C?C bond scission in propane

It is shown that, by deliberate activation of the reaction vessel, heterogeneous reaction at the wall can be made to dominate chain termination in a complex gas-phase reaction. For a homogeneous process, characterized, as is often the case, by multiple terminations, this has the effect of simplifying the mechanism and allowing explicit solution of the relevant steady-state equations so that the rate constants of some individual steps can be evaluated without assumption as to the values of those of others. The pyrolysis of propane, in the vicinity of 500°C, has been used as an example of this approach. Enhancement of the wall activity leads to the reaction (1) providing, almost exclusively, chain termination. As a result, rate constants for the initiation step (2) can be directly determined. The results of this study provide the Arrhenius equation In combination with current thermochemical values this result gives k_?1 = 10^13.40 cm³/mol·s which, in turn, implies, via the geometric mean rule, k_Et-Et = 10^12.9 cm³/mol·s for ethyl–ethyl recombination, in good accord with the most recent determinations and compatible with the newly proposed value of the enthalpy of formation of ethyl. The first-order wall constant k₈ has been evaluated as k₈<10^4.2 s^?1. This appears to be the first occasion on which a wall constant has been evaluated from data for a high-temperature complex gas reaction.     

The self-inhibited pyrolysis of isobutane

The pyrolysis of isobutane was investigated in the ranges of 770° to 855°K and 20 to 150 Torr at up to 4% decomposition. The reaction is homogeneous and strongly self-inhibited. A simple Rice-Herzfeld chain terminated by the recombination of methyl radicals is proposed for the initial, uninhibited reaction. Self-inhibition is due to abstraction of hydrogen atoms from product isobutene giving resonance-stabilized 2-methylallyl radicals which participate in termination reactions. The reaction chains are shown to be long. It is suggested that a previously published rate constant for the initiation reaction (1) is incorrect and the value k₁ = 10^16.8 exp (?81700 cal mol^?1/RT)s^?1 is recommended. The values of the rate constants for the reactions (4i) (4t) (8) are estimated to be and From a recalculation of previously published data on the pyrolysis of isobutane at lower temperatures and higher pressures, the value k_11c, = 10^9.6 cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 is obtained for the rate constant of recombination of t-butyl. A calculation which is independent of any assumed rate constants or thermochemistry shows that the predominant chain termination reaction is the recombination of two methyl radicals in the conditions of the present work and the recombination of two t-butyl radicals in those of our previous study at lower temperatures and higher pressures.     

A shock tube study of H + HNCO → NH2 + CO

The reaction of atomic hydrogen with isocyanic acid (HNCO) to produce the amidogen radical (NH₂) and carbon monoxide, has been studied in shock-heated mixtures of HNCO dilute in argon. Time-histories of the ground-state NH₂ radical were measured behind reflected shock waves using cw, narrowlinewidth laser absorption at 597 nm, and HNCO time-histories were measured using infrared emission from the fundamental v₂-band of HNCO near 5 μm. The second-order rate coefficient of reaction (2(a)) was determined to be: cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, where f and F define the lower and upper uncertainty limits, respectively. An upper limit on the rate coefficient of was determined to be:      

Time-resolved vibrational chemiluminescence: Rate constants for the reactions of F atoms with H2O and HCN,and for the relaxation of HF (v = 1) by H2O and HCN

Rate constants have been determined at (298 ± 4) K for the reactions: and the relaxation processes: Time-resolved HF(1,0) emission was observed following the photolysis of F₂ with pulses from an excimer laser operating on XeCl (λ = 308 nm). Analysis of the emission traces gave first-order constants for reaction and relaxation, and their dependence on [H₂O] and [HCN] yielded:      

Thermal reaction of HNCO with NO2 at moderate temperatures

The thermal reaction of HNCO with NO₂ has been studied in the temperature range of 623 to 773 K by FTIR spectrometry. Major products measured are CO₂ and NO with a small amount of N₂O. Kinetic modeling of the time resolved concentration profiles of the reactants and products, aided by the thermochemical data of various likely reactive intermediates computed by means of the BAC-MP4 method, allows us to conclude that the reaction is initiated exclusively by a new bimolecular process: with a rate constant, k₁ = 2.5 × 10¹²e^?13,100/T cm³/mols. The well-known bimolecular reaction is the only strong competitive process in this important reactive system throughout the temperature range studied. Kinetic modeling of NO formation and NO₂ decay rates gave rise to values of k₁₀ which were in close agreement with literature data. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Thermal reaction of hydrogen–butene-2-cis mixtures at 500°C: Hydrogenation,hydrogenolysis, and thermal reaction of the olefin

The thermal reaction of hydrogen–butene-2-cis mixtures has been studied in a static system at low extent of reaction around 500°C. Hydrogen does not affect the thermal reaction itself of the olefin, but gives rise to new stoichiometries of hydrogenolysis and hydrogenation, which are specified: The reaction is described in terms of a molecular and free-radical mechanism. It is shown that the key process for the hydrogenolysis–hydrogenation reaction is (1) and that the rate constant of this process can be determined from either propylene, or methane, or butene-1 formations: with θ = 4.57 × 10^?3 T kcal/mol. Other rate constants are estimated and agree with literature data.     

Kinetics of the gas-phase reaction of allyl alcohol with iodine. The heat of formation and stabilization energy of the hydroxyallyl radical

The reaction of iodine with allyl alcohol has been studied in a static system, following the absorption of visible light by iodine, in the temperature range 150-190°C and in the pressure range 10-200 torr. The rate-determining step has been found to be and k₃ is consistent with the equation From the activation energy and the assumption E_-3 = 1 ± 1 kcal mol^?1, it has been calculated that kcal mol^?1. The stabilization energy of the hydroxyallyl radical has been found to be 11.4 ± 2.2 kcal mol^?1.     

The kinetics of the gas phase decomposition reactions of the hexafluoro-t-butoxy radical

Hexafluoro-t-butoxy radicals have been generated by reacting fluorine with hexafluoro-2-methyl isopropanol: Over the temperature range of 406–600 K the hexafluoro-t-butoxy radical decomposes exclusively by loss of a CF₃ radical [reaction (-2)] rather than by loss of a CH₃ radical [reaction (-1)]: (1) The limits of detectability of the product CF₃COCF₃, by gas-chromatographic analysis, place a lower limit on the ratio k_?2/k_-1 of ～80. The implications of this finding in relation to the reverse radical addition reactions to the carbonyl group are briefly discussed. A thermochemical kinetic calculation reveals a discrepancy in the kinetics and thermodynamics of the decomposition and formation reactions of the related t-butoxy radical:      

Shock tube study of cyanogen oxidation kinetics

Mixtures of cyanogen and nitrous oxide diluted in argon were shock-heated to measure the rate constants of A broad-band mercury lamp was used to measure CN in absorption at 388 nm [B²Σ⁺(v = 0) ← X²Σ⁺(v = 0)], and the spectral coincidence of a CO infrared absorption line [v(2 ← 1), J(37 ← 38)] with a CO laser line [v(6 → 5), J(15 → 16)] was exploited to monitor CO in absorption. The CO measurement established that reaction (3) produces CO in excited vibrational states. A computer fit of the experiments near 2000 K led to An additional measurement of NO via infrared absorption led to an estimate of the ratio k₅/k₆: with k₅/k₆ ? 10^3.36±0.27 at 2150 K. Mixtures of cyanogen and oxygen diluted in argon were shock heated to measure the rate constant of and the ratio k₅/k₆ by monitoring CN in absorption. We found near 2400 K: and The combined measurements of k₅/k₆ lead to k₅/k₆ ? 10^?3.07 exp(+31,800/T) (±60%) for 2150 ≤ T ≤ 2400 K.     

The oxidation of CFClCFCl and CF2CCl2

The oxidation of CFClCFCl and CF₂CCl₂ were studied at room temperature by chlorine- and oxygen-atom initiation. The chlorine-atom initiated oxidation of CFClCFCl yields CCl₂FCF(O) as the exclusive product. Its quantum yield is ～420, which gives k_3a/k_3b=210 where reactions (3a) and (3b) are The O(³P)? CFClCFCl reaction gives CClFO with a quantum yield of 0.80, polymer, and small amounts of an unidentified product which is probably cyclo-(CFCl)₃. Thereaction paths are with k_9a/k₉=0.80. The overall reaction of O(³P) with CFClCFCl proceed one fifth as fast as the O(³P)-C₂F₄ reaction. When O₂ is also present, the same free-radical chain oxidation occurs by O(³P)initiation as by chlorine-atom initiation. The chlorine-atom initiated oxidation of CF₂CCl₂ gives CF₂ClCCl(O) as the major product, with quantum yields ranging from 42 to 85. Smaller amounts of CF₂O and CCl₂O are produced in equal amounts with quantum yields of ～3.5. The reactions responsible for the products are The O(³P)-CF₂CCl₂interaction yields CF₂O and with quantum yields of 1.0 and ～0.85, respectively. In thepresence of O₂ the radical chain products are observed, but the mechanism is different than that for other chloroolefins.     

Oxidation of S and SO by O2 in high-temperature pyrolysis and photolysis reaction systems

The reaction of S atoms with O₂ was studied behind reflected shock waves applying atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy (ARAS) for concentration measurements of S and O atoms. S atoms were generated either by laser-flash photolysis (LFP) of CS₂ or by the high-temperature pyrolysis of COS, respectively. The concentrations of O₂ in the mixtures ranged between 50 ppm and 400 ppm, and those of the S precursors, CS₂ and COS, between 5 and 25 ppm. The rate coefficient of the reaction was determined from the observed decay of the S absorption signals for temperatures 1220 K ? T ? 3460 K. The measured O-atom concentration profiles in COS/O₂/Ar reaction systems were evaluated, using simplified kinetic mechanism, to verify the given rate coefficient k₅. In experiments with the highest value of the [O₂]/[COS] ratio the measured O-atom concentrations were found to be sensitive to the reaction: The fitting of the calculated O-atom profiles to the measured ones results in mean value of: which is to be valid for the temperature range 2570 K ? T ? 2980 K. A first-order analysis of the observed S absorption decay in LFP shock wave experiments on CS₂/Ar gas mixtures resulted in a rate coefficient of the background reaction (R4): for temperatures 1260 K ? T ? 1820 K. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.