Reactions of hydroxyl radicals with polystyrene

The reaction of polystyrene with hydroxyl radicals, generated by the photolysis (λ > 300 nm) of H₂O₂, has been studied at 25° in dichloromethane solution, both under vacuum conditions and in presence of O₂. Spectroscopic analyses suggest the presence of phenols and hydroxymucondialdehydes (when O₂ is present) among the reaction products, indicating that OH addition occurs at the phenyl groups of the polymer. By comparison with initiated oxidation reactions under the same conditions, it is concluded that the OH radicals undergo mainly addition reactions. A mechanism has been produced to account for the products. The significance of OH addition reactions in the oxidation of polystyrene is considered, the OH radicals being produced by hydroperoxide decomposition during oxidation, and the products having been previously identified as containing mucondialdehydes.     

Kinetics of the interaction of ketyl and semiquinone radicals with dioxygen. Concerted electron and proton transfer involving ketyl and semiquinone radicals

Kinetics of the interaction of ketyl and neutral semiquinone radicals with dioxygen was studied by the flash photolysis technique. The reactivity of neutral semiquinone radicals in the transfer of a hydrogen atom to O₂ is lower than that of ketyl radicals and increases as the reduction ability of the radicals increases, which give evidence for the charge transfer from the radicals to O₂ in the transition state of the reaction. The deuterium kinetic isotope effect of the reaction (up to 2.6) suggests considerable weakening of the O−H bond of the seminquinone radical in the transition state. A cyclic structure of the transition state similar to that in the reactions of ketyl radicals with hydrogen atom acceptors is proposed. In aprotic volvents, solvation has essentially no effect on the reactivity of neutral anthrasemiquinone radicals up to solvent nucleophilicityB≈240. In solvents with higher nucleophilicity and in protic solvents, their reactivity drops sharply. Hydrogen atom transfer reactions involving ketyl and neutral semiquinone radicals are shown to involve concerted electron and proton transfers, and to have transition states in which the partial transfer of an electron and a proton from the ketyl or semiquinone radical to an acceptor occurs. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1131–1137, June, 1997.     

Reaction mechanisms of a cyclic ether intermediate: Ethyloxirane

Oxiranes are a class of cyclic ethers formed in abundance during low‐temperature combustion of hydrocarbons and biofuels, either via chain‐propagating steps that occur from unimolecular decomposition of β‐hydroperoxyalkyl radicals (β‐?QOOH) or from reactions of HO? with alkenes. Ethyloxirane is one of four alkyl‐substituted cyclic ether isomers produced as an intermediate from n‐butane oxidation. While rate coefficients for β‐?QOOH → ethyloxirane + ?H are reported extensively, subsequent reaction mechanisms of the cyclic ether are not. As a result, chemical kinetics mechanisms commonly adopt simplified chemistry to describe ethyloxirane consumption by convoluting several elementary reactions into a single step, which may introduce mechanism truncation error—uncertainty derived from missing or incomplete chemistry. The present work provides fundamental insight on reaction mechanisms of ethyloxirane in support of ongoing efforts to minimize mechanism truncation error. Reaction mechanisms are inferred from the detection of products during chlorine atom‐initiated oxidation experiments using multiplexed photoionization mass spectrometry conducted at 10 Torr and temperatures of 650 K and 800 K. To complement the experiments, calculations of stationary point energies were conducted using the ccCA‐PS3 composite method on ?R + O₂ potential energy surfaces for the four ethyloxiranyl radical isomers, which produced barrier heights for 24 reaction pathways. In addition to products from ?QOOH → cyclic ether + ?H and ?R + O₂ → conjugate alkene + HO?, both of which were significant pathways and are prototypical to alkane oxidation, other species were identified from ring‐opening of both ethyloxiranyl and ?QOOH radicals. The latter occurs when the unpaired electron is localized on the ether group, causing the initial ?QOOH structure to ring‐open and form a resonance‐stabilized ketohydroperoxide‐type radical. The present work provides the first analysis of ethyloxirane oxidation chemistry, which reveals that consumption pathways are complex and may require an expansion of submechanisms to increase the fidelity of chemical kinetics mechanisms.     

Reasons for increased selectivity of catalysts for partial oxidation of methane using N2O as oxidizing agent

It was found that the increase in the selectivity of catalysts of the partial oxidation of methane by nitrous oxide (compared with the oxidation by molecular oxygen) is due to the participation in the reaction of adsorbed oxygen anion radicals O^·–, with which the differences in the reactivity of methane and its mild oxidation products are leveled out. With O₂, the reactivity of methane is much lower than that of formaldehyde and methanol and, as a result, the selectivity is low, and a postoxidation of the partial oxidation products rapidly takes place. The formation of O^·– is promoted by low concentrations of metal ions in the catalyst. The influence of the geometrical factor is thus also manifested: at low concentrations of the metal ions (M), the surface postoxidation of the adsorbed formaldehyde (the nonlinear stage) is hindered, which favors increase in the selectivity with respect to HCHO.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 24, No. 6, pp. 727–729, November–December, 1988.     

The Atmospheric Oxidation Mechanism of Benzyl Alcohol Initiated by OH Radicals: The Addition Channels

Benzyl alcohol (BA) is present in indoor atmospheres, where it reacts with OH radicals and undergoes further oxidation. A theoretical study is carried out to elucidate the reaction mechanism and to identify the main products of the oxidation of BA that is initiated by OH radicals. The reaction is found to proceed by H‐abstraction from the CH₂ group (25 %) and addition to the ipso (60 %) and ortho (15 %) positions of the aromatic ring. The BA–OH adducts react further with O₂ via the bicyclic radical intermediates—the same way as for benzene—forming mainly 3‐hydroxy‐2‐oxopropanal and butenedial. If NO_x is low, the bicyclic peroxy radicals undergo intramolecular H‐migration, forming products containing OH, OOH, and CH₂OH/CHO functional groups, and contribute to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation.     

Reaction mechanism and modeling study for the oxidation by SO2 of o‐xylene and p‐xylene in Claus process

Claus process, comprising of a furnace and a catalytic unit, is used to produce sulfur from H₂S. The aromatic contaminants (benzene, toluene, and xylenes) in H₂S feed form soot, and clog and deactivate the catalysts. Xylenes are known to be the most damaging ones. Therefore, there is a need to oxidize them in the furnace to enhance catalyst life. This article presents a kinetics study on the oxidation of o‐ and p‐xylene radicals by SO₂ (an oxidant that is already present in the furnace) using density functional theory and a composite method. The mechanism begins with H‐abstraction from xylenes to form xylyl radicals, followed by exothermic addition of SO₂ to them. The breakage of O S bond in the xylyl‐SO₂ adducts leads to the loss of SO molecule, while the remaining O atom on them helps in their oxidation. The isomerization study shows that less‐stable dimethylphenyl radicals have a high tendency to isomerize to resonantly stabilized methylbenzyl radicals. However, methylbenzyl radicals have lower reactivity toward SO₂ than dimethylphenyl radicals. The reaction rate constants were found using transition state theory. The reactor simulations reveal that p‐xylene has lower reactivity toward SO₂ than o‐xylene, and CO, SO, and CHO are the main by‐products of oxidation.     

Gamma-radiation induced oxidation of p-hydroquinone in aqueous solutions

P-hydroquinone (H₂Q) has been gamma-irradiated in the presence of O₂ and different alcohols in acidic solutions. In the presence of tert-BuOH, the oxidation products were quinone(q), 2-hydroxybenzoquinone (2-Q-OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). In case of propan-2-ol, ethanol and methanol, the oxidation products were as above in addition to a carbonyl compound. A chain reaction was observed in case of propan-2-ol and this was inhibited by H₂Q. The dependence of G(Q) and G(H₂O₂) on pH is a titration-type curve and the species responsible for this curve is assumed to be the protonated and unprotonated alcohol peroxy radicals.     

Effect of solvation on the reactivity of peroxide radicals in oxidation reactions

The reactivity of RO ₂ ^. peroxide radicals in oxidation reactions depends greatly on specific and nonspecific solvation by the solvent. With increasing dielectric constant () of the medium, the rate constant for the interaction of RO ₂ ^. radicals with methyl ethyl ketone (k₂) and the rate constant of the recombination of RO ₂ ^. radicals (k₆) increase. The specific solvation of RO ₂ ^. radicals due to hydrogen bonds of water diminishes their reactivity. Equilibrium constants for the solvation of peroxide radicals and all rate constants of chain propagation and termination reactions involving solvated and unsolvated RO ₂ ^. radicals were measured. The change in composition of the oxidation products when methyl ethyl ketone was diluted with benzene or water is caused by nonspecific and specific solvation by the solvent affecting the chain propagation reaction.     

The effect of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran on the photo-oxidative degradation of cis-1,4-polybutadiene

1,3-Diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) is easily photo-oxidized by two mechanisms viz free radical oxidation and singlet oxygen oxidation. The final products of DPBF oxidation by these two mechanisms are the same. Using light in the range 280–480 nm, DPBF is an effective sensitizer of photooxidative degradation of polybutadiene in the solid and in solution. In a system with methylene blue (MB) in methanol-benzene solution (0.5:9.5) where free radicals from MB and ¹O₂ are formed during irradiation with visible light, DPBF is oxidized by both ¹O₂ and free radical mechanisms. DPBF cannot stop free radical degradation of PB initiated by MB radicals in MB-methanol-benzene solution. These results show that the DPBF is an ineffective stabilizer for polydienes against ¹O₂ and free radical oxidation. It rather acts as a sensitizer for photo-oxidation of polydienes.     

Site- and surface species-dependent propylene oxidation with molecular oxygen on gold surface

A complete fundamental understanding of propylene oxidation with molecular O₂ on Au surface is achieved, in which site-and surface species-dependent reaction behaviors are revealed.     

Peroxidase-based oxidative polymerization of monolignols

Oxidative polymerization of the monolignols (sinapyl alcohol [SA] and coniferyl alcohol [CA]) has been performed using enzyme-based biocatalysts. The oxidation of SA, CA, or an SA/CA mixture has been carried out using peroxidase enzyme–assisted H₂O₂/t-BHP (oxidation reagent). The reaction provided radicals with high reactivity, in turn yielding a variety of polymeric structures. The efficiency of the oxidative polymerization system has been evaluated in terms of substrate conversion. Also, the polymeric products were characterized with the gel permeation chromatography technique (GPC). Accordingly, optimum experimental parameters have been set up (e.g. temperature, type of peroxidase enzyme, and oxidation reagent). Under optimum conditions, a maximum of 90% of the SA was transformed to polymeric products with MW = 3188 Da, Mn = 1115 Da, and PD = 2.8.     

Enhanced Catalytic Activity and Unexpected Products from the Oxidation of Cyclohexene by Organic Nanoparticles of 5,10,15,20‐Tetrakis‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinatoiron(III) in Water by Using O2

The catalytic oxidation of alkenes by most iron porphyrins using a variety of oxygen sources, but generally not dioxygen, yields the epoxide with minor quantities of other products. The turnover numbers for these catalysts are modest, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand depending on the porphyrin structure, axial ligands, and other reaction conditions. Halogenation of substituents increases the activity of the metalloporphyrin catalyst and/or makes it more robust to oxidative degradation. Oxidation of cyclohexene by 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato iron(III), ([Fe^III(tppf₂₀)]) and H₂O₂ is typical of the latter: the epoxide is 99 % of the product and turnover numbers are about 350. 1 – 4 Herein, we report that dynamic organic nanoparticles (ONPs) of [Fe^III(tppf₂₀)] with a diameter of 10 nm, formed by host–guest solvent methods, catalytically oxidize cyclohexene with O₂ to yield only 2‐cyclohexene‐1‐one and 2‐cyclohexene‐1‐ol with approximately 10‐fold greater turnover numbers compared to the non‐aggregated metalloporphyrin in acetonitrile/methanol. These ONPs facilitate a greener reaction because the reaction solvent is 89 % water and O₂ is the oxidant in place of synthetic oxygen sources. This reactivity is unexpected because the metalloporphyrins are in close proximity and oxidative degradation of the catalyst should be enhanced, thus causing a significant decrease in catalytic turnovers. The allylic products suggest a different oxidative mechanism compared to that of the solvated metalloporphyrins. These results illustrate the unique properties of some ONPs relative to the component molecules or those attached to supports.     

Product analysis and mechanism of toluene degradation by low temperature plasma with single dielectric barrier discharge

A single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low-temperature plasma reactor was set up, and toluene was selected as the representative substance for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to study the reaction products and degradation mechanism of VOCs degradation by low-temperature plasma. Different parameters effect on the concentration of O₃ and NO_x during the degradation of toluene were studied. The exhaust in the process of toluene degradation was continuously detected and analyzed, and the degradation mechanism of toluene was explored. The results showed that the concentration of O₃ increased with the increase of the power density and discharge voltage of the plasma device. However, as the initial concentration of toluene increased, the concentration of O₃ basically keep steady. The concentration of NO_x in the by-products increased with the discharge voltage, power density, and initial concentration of toluene in the plasma device, and the concentration of NO₂ was much higher than the concentration of NO. The degradation process of toluene was detected and analyzed. The results showed that the degradation mechanism of toluene by plasma includes high energy electron bombardment reaction, active radical reaction and ion molecule reaction. Among them, the effect of high-energy electrons on toluene degradation is the largest, followed by the effect of free radicals, in which oxygen radicals participated in the reaction mainly through the formation of C–O bond, CO bond, (CO)–O– bond and –OH radical, while nitrogen radicals participate in the reaction mainly through the formation of C–NH₂, (CNH)- bond, CN bond and C–NO₂ bond. The results can provide some data supports for the study of low-temperature plasma degradation of VOCs.     

Effect of CH4/Air Ratio on Selectivity of Partial Oxidation of Methane on V2O5/SiO2 Catalyst

We have studied partial oxidation of methane on V₂O₅/SiO₂ (0.8 mass % V) in a flow-through catalytic fixed-bed reactor. We found that the methane/air ratio in the starting reaction mixture has practically no effect on the selectivity of the process. The dependence of the selectivity on the methane conversion can be described by a model with such reaction parameters as the initial selectivity and the relative reactivity (with respect to methane) of the reaction products.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Ti-monosubstituted polyoxometalates

The product composition and reaction kinetics are reported for 2,3,6-trimethylphenol (TMP) oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile catalyzed by a Ti-monosubstituted polyoxometalate (Ti-POM) with a Keggin structure ([Bu₄N]₄[PTi(OMe)W₁₁O₃₉]) and for the stoichiometric reaction between TMP and the peroxo complex [Bu₄N]₄[HPTi(O)₂W₁₁O₃₉] (I). The main products of the stoichiometric reaction are 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (TMBQ) and 2,2′,3,3′,6,6′-hexamethyl-4,4′-biphenol (BP). The TMBQ yield increases as the TMP/I molar ratio is decreased. The catalytic reaction is first-order with respect to H₂O₂ and the catalyst and has a variable order (1-0) with respect to TMP. The rate of the reaction increases as the water concentration in the reaction mixture is raised. The stoichiometric reaction is first-order with respect to peroxo complex I and has a variable order (1-0) with respect to TMP. There is no kinetic isotope effect for this reaction (k _ArOH/k _ArOD = 1). A TMP oxidation mechanism is suggested, which includes the coordination of a TMP molecule and peroxide on a Ti site of the catalyst with the formation of a reactive intermediate. The one-electron oxidation of TMP in this intermediate yields a phenoxyl radical. The subsequent conversions of these ArO^° radicals yield the reaction products.     

The ozonization of sodium lignosulfonate in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

The kinetics of ozonization of sodium lignosulfate (LS) in the presence of H₂O₂ was studied. The effective rate constants for the oxidation of LS and the total ozone consumption were determined. The k _eff = 30 ± 8 M^?1 s^?1 value was found to be independent of the concentration of H₂O₂. The total ozone consumption decreased as the concentration of H₂O₂ increased from 1.0 × 10^?4 to 1.0 × 10^?3 M because of the participation of the radicals generated in the O₃ + H₂O₂ reaction in LS transformations. The kinetic and UV and IR spectroscopy data allowed the conclusion to be drawn that the destruction of the LS aromatic system in the LS + O₃ + H₂O₂ reaction was caused by the interaction of LS with O₃, whereas radicals generated in this system contributed to deeper destruction of LS in the interaction of aliphatic LS macromolecule fragments with low-molecular-weight polymer oxidation products. The depth of polymer oxidation could be changed by varying the content of hydrogen peroxide in the system for LS ozonization.     

Mechanism of Thermal Toluene Autoxidation

Aerobic oxidation of toluene (PhCH₃) is investigated by complementary experimental and theoretical methodologies. Whereas the reaction of the chain‐carrying benzylperoxyl radicals with the substrate produces predominantly benzyl hydroperoxide, benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde originate mainly from subsequent propagation of the hydroperoxide product. Nevertheless, a significant fraction of benzaldehyde is also produced in primary PhCH₃ propagation, presumably via proton rather than hydrogen transfer. An equimolar amount of benzyl alcohol, together with benzoic acid, is additionally produced in the tertiary propagation of PhCHO with benzylperoxyl radicals. The “hot” oxy radicals generated in this step can also abstract aromatic hydrogen atoms from PhCH₃, and this results in production of cresols, known inhibitors of radical‐chain reactions. The very fast benzyl peroxyl‐initiated co‐oxidation of benzyl alcohol generates HO₂^. radicals, along with benzaldehyde. This reaction also causes a decrease in the overall oxidation rate, due to the fast chain‐terminating reaction of HO₂^. with the benzylperoxyl radicals, which causes a loss of chain carriers. Moreover, due to the fast equilibrium PhCH₂OOH+HO₂^.?PhCH₂OO^.+H₂O₂, and the much lower reactivity of H₂O₂ compared to PhCH₂OOH, the fast co‐oxidation of the alcohol means that HO₂^. gradually takes over the role of benzylperoxyl as principal chain carrier. This drastically changes the autoxidation mechanism and, among other things, causes a sharp decrease in the hydroperoxide yield.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the thermal gas‐phase oxidation of perfluorobutene‐2 in presence of trifluoromethyl hypofluorite

The oxidation of perfluorobutene‐2 (C₄F₈) initiated by trifluoromethyl hypofluorite (CF₃OF) in presence of O₂ has been studied at 323.1, 332.6, 342.5, and 352.0 K, using a conventional static system. The initial pressure of CF₃OF was varied between 4.8 and 23.6 Torr, that of C₄F₈ between 48.7 and 302.4 Torr, and that of O₂ between 51.5 and 270.4 Torr. Several runs were made in presence of 325.5–451.2 Torr of N₂. The main products were COF₂, CF₃C(O)F, and CF₃OC(O)F. Small amounts of compound containing ? CF(CF₃)? O? C(O)CF₃ group were also formed, as detected by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The oxidation is a homogeneous short‐chain reaction, attaining, at the pressure of O₂ used, the pseudo‐zero‐order condition with respect to O₂ as reactant. The reaction is independent of the total pressure. Its basic steps are as follows: the thermal generation of CF₃O^? radicals by the abstraction of fluorine atom of CF₃OF by C₄F₈, the addition of CF₃O^? to the alkene, the formation of perfluoroalkoxy radicals RO^? in presence of O₂, and the decomposition of these radicals via the C? C bond scission, giving products containing ? C(O)F end group and reforming RO^? and CF₃O^? radicals. The mechanism consistent with experimental results is postulated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 532–541, 2003     

Reactions of CH3O2 radicals on solid surface

The reaction probability of CH₃O₂ radicals with NO₂, CH₄, C₃H₆, and CH₃CHO on the solid surface of KCl in flow at low pressure and temperature range of 297–353 K has been studied. The chosen conditions allowed excluding homogeneous interaction of radicals. The heterogeneous radical decay of peracetic acid served as a source of CH₃O₂ radicals. On the basis of ESR measurements of CH₃O₂ radicals with the above‐mentioned compounds, a heterogeneous reaction mechanism has been identified. The reactivity of NO₂ was greatest for the compounds studied. The effective activation energy was evaluated to be 10.4 ± 0.8 kJ/mol for the reaction of RO₂ radicals with NO₂ and ?21.3 ± 2.8 kJ/mol for methane. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 591–595, 2004     

Electrochemical oxidation of phenol on boron-doped diamond electrode

The process of phenol oxidation on a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) is studied in acidic electrolytes under different conditions of generation of active oxygen forms (AOFs). The scheme of phenol oxidation known from the literature for other electrode materials is confirmed. Phenol is oxidized through a number of intermediates (benzoquinone, carboxylic acids) to carbon dioxide and water. Comparative analysis of phenol oxidation rate constants is performed as dependent on the electrolysis conditions: direct anodic oxidation, with oxygen bubbling, and addition of H₂O₂. A scheme is confirmed according to which active radicals (OH^·, HO₂^·, HO₂⁻) are formed on a BDD anode that can oxidize the substrate which leads to formation of organic radicals interacting with each other and forming condensation products. Processes with participation of free radicals (chain-radical mechanism) play an important role in electrochemical oxidation on BDD. Intermediates and polymeric substances (polyphenols, quinone structures, and resins) are formed. An excess of the oxidant (H₂O₂) promotes a more effective oxidation of organic radicals and accordingly inhibition of the condensation process.