Mechanism and Rate Constants of the CH3+ CH2CO Reaction: A Theoretical Study

The mechanism of the reaction of ketene with methyl radical has been studied by ab initio CCSD(T)‐F12/cc‐pVQZ‐f12//B2PLYPD3/6‐311G** calculations of the potential energy surface. Temperature‐ and pressure‐dependent reaction rate constants have been computed using the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM)–Master Equation and transition state theory methods. Three main channels have been shown to dominate the reaction; the formation of the collisionally stabilized CH₃COCH₂ radical and the production of the C₂H₅ + CO and HCCO + CH₄ bimolecular products. Relative contributions of the CH₃COCH₂, C₂H₅ + CO, and HCCO + CH₄ channels strongly depend on the reaction conditions; the formation of thermalized CH₃COCH₂ is favored at low temperatures and high pressures, HCCO + CH₄ is dominant at high temperatures, whereas the yield of C₂H₅ + CO peaks at intermediate temperatures around 1000 K. The C₂H₅ + CO channel is favored by a decrease in pressure but remains the second most important reaction pathway after HCCO + CH₄ under typical flame conditions. The calculated rate constants at different pressures are proposed for kinetic modeling of ketene reactions in combustion in the form of modified Arrhenius expressions. Only rate constant to form CH₃COCH₂ depends on pressure, whereas those to produce C₂H₅ + CO and HCCO + CH₄ appeared to be pressure independent.     

The DFT study on mechanisms for NCO with C2H5 reaction

A detailed investigation has been performed at the QCISD(T)/6‐311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) level for the reaction of NCO with C₂H₅ by constructing singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces (PES). The results show that the title reaction is more favorable on the singlet PES than on the triplet PES. On the singlet PES, the initial addition processes are barrierless and release lots of energy. The dominant channel occurs via the fragmentations of the initial adduct C₂H₅NCO and C₂H₅OCN to form C₂H₄ + HNCO and HOCN, respectively. With higher barrier heights, other products such as CH₄ + HNC + CO, CH₃CHNH + CO, CH₃CH + HNCO, and CH₃CN + H₂ + CO are less competitive. On the triplet PES, the entrance reactions surpass significant barriers; therefore, it could be negligible at the normal atmospheric condition. However, the most feasible channel on the triplet PES is the direct hydrogen abstraction channel to form CH₂CH₂ + HNCO. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Theoretical Study on the Reaction Mechanism of Ketene CH2CO with Isocyanate NCO Radical

The bimolecular single collision reaction potential energy surface of an isocyanate NCO radical with a ketene CH2CO molecule was investigated by means of B3LYP and QCISD（T） methods. The computed results indicate that two possible reaction channels exist on the surface. One is an addition-elimination reaction process, in which the CH2CO molecule is attacked by the nitrogen atom at its methylene carbon atom to lead to the formation of the intermediate OCNCH2CO followed by a C-C rupture channel to the products CH2NCO＋CO. The other is a direct hydrogen abstraction channel from CHzCO by the NCO radical to afford the products HCCO＋HNCO. Because of a higher barrier in the hydrogen abstraction reaction than in the addition-elimination reaction, the direct hydrogen abstraction pathway can only be considered as a secondary reaction channel in the reaction kinetics of NCO＋ CH2CO. The predicted results are in good agreement with previous experimental and theoretical investigations.     

Reaction of CH3CHO with Y+: A density functional theoretical study

The reaction mechanism of the Y⁺ cation with CH₃CHO has been investigated with a DFT approach. All the stationary points are determined at the UB3LYP/ECP/6-311++G** level of the theory. Both ground and excited state potential energy surfaces are investigated in detail. The present results show that the title reaction start with the formation of a CH₃CHO-metal complex followed by C-C, aldehyde C-H, methyl C-H and C-O activation. These reactions can lead to four different products (Y⁺CH₄ + CO, Y⁺CO + CH₄, Y⁺COCH₂ + H₂ and Y⁺O + C₂H₄). The minimum energy reaction path is found to involve the spin inversion in the different reaction steps, this potential energy curve-crossing dramatically affects reaction exothermic. The present results may be helpful in understanding the mechanism of the title reaction and further experimental investigation of the reaction.     

Ab initio calculation of the lowest singlet and triplet states in CH2, CHF,CF2, and CHCH3

The lowest singlet and triplet states of the radicals CH₂, CHF, CF₂, and CHCH₃ have been investigated both in SCF and IEPA approximation (“independent electron pair approach” to account for electron correlation). The SCF calculations yield triplet ground states for CH₂, CHF, and CHCH₃, and a singlet ground state for CF₂. Electron correlation stabilizes the singlet state by about 14 kcal/mole with respect to the triplet for all four radicals leading to a singlet ground state also for CHF. The final triplet-singlet energy separations are 10, 6, ?11, ?47 kcal/mole for CH₂, CHCH₃, CHF, CF₂, respectively. Values for equilibrium bond angles, ionization potentials and bond energies are also given.     

RN (R＝CH3, CH3CH2)异构化及脱氢反应的量子拓扑研究

利用量子化学从头算CASSCF方法在6-311＋G (d, p)基组水平上对单线态和三线态RN (R＝CH₃, CH₃CH₂)异构化反应及RN脱氢反应的微观机理进行了理论研究. 在MP2/6-311＋G (d, p)和CCSD/6-311＋G (d, p)水平上进行了单点能校正. 单态和三态势能面的交叉点(ISC)的存在清楚地说明了基态反应物³RN异构化为基态产物¹R'NH (R'＝CH₂, CH₃CH)的过程. 电子密度拓扑分析显示在整个异构化过程中有两种类型的结构过渡态: 单态反应通道为T型过渡态, 三态反应通道为环状过渡态. 单线态RN脱氢反应通道中“原子-分子键”的存在说明两个H原子是以H₂的形式从RN中脱去的.     

Theoretical study on the atmospheric reaction of CH3O2 with OH

A quantum chemical investigation on the reaction mechanism of CH₃O₂ with OH has been performed. Based on B3LYP and QCISD(T) calculations, seven possible singlet pathways and seven possible triplet pathways have been found. On the singlet potential energy surface (PES), the most favorable channel starts with a barrierless addition of O atom to CH₃O₂ leading to CH₃OOOH and then the O? O bond dissociates to give out CH₃O + HO₂. On the triplet PES, the calculations indicate that the dominant products should be ³CH₂O₂ + H₂O with an energy barrier of 29.95 kJ/mol. The results obtained in this work enrich the theoretical information of the title reaction and provide guidance for analogous atmospheric chemistry reactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The thermal decomposition of azomethane. III. Kinetics of the noninhibited reaction

The thermal decomposition of azomethane (A) has been studied in a static system at temperatures between 250° and 320°C and at pressures between 5 and 402 torr, with particular attention to identification of products. Major products, in decreasing order of importance, were nitrogen, methane, ethane, methylethyldiimide, dimethylhydrazone, propane, tetramethylhydrazine, ethylene, methylpropyldiimide, and methylethylhydrazone. Carbon balance at the lowest pressure and highest temperature was 92%, but decreased with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature owing to the formation of a polymer. A fairly simple mechanism accounts reasonably well for a short chain in the decomposition, propagated by the radical CH₃N₂CH₂ (B), and for the five most abundant products, except ethane. It turns out that there is a second source of ethane, arising by C₂H₅ + A → C₂H₆ + B; this explains an anomalously high apparent activation energy for the reaction CH₃ + A → CH₄ + B. Ethyl radicals are also shown to be responsible for the formation of propane, ethylene, methylethylhydrazone, and methylpropyldiimide. The radical B decomposes to CH₃ + CH₂ + N₂, and the methylene radical (probably both singlet and triplet) is shown to yield C₂H₅ at low pressure and high temperature, and mostly polymer at high pressure and low temperature.     

Insight into the reaction mechanism of CH2SH with HO2: A density functional theory study

Density functional theory was adopted in this work to reveal the reaction mechanism of CH₂SH with HO₂. Reaction rate constants were computed from 200 to 2000 K using the transition state theory combined with Wigner and Eckart tunneling correction. Moreover, localized orbital locator, atoms in molecules and Mayer bond order analyses were used to study the essence of chemical bonding evolution. Eleven singlet paths and three triplet ones are located on the potential surface (PES). The results show that the main products on the singlet PES are ¹CH₂S and H₂O₂, whereas on the triplet PES they are CH₃SH + ³O₂, which are coincident with the similar reaction of CH₃S and HO₂. This conclusion is also supported by rate constant calculation results. Interestingly, all the possible paths are involved in the hydrogen transfer. The results have provided underlying insights to the analogous reactions and further experimental studies.     

Evidence for long-lived excited states of [CnH2]2+ carbodications

The energetics, structures, stabilities and reactivities of[C_nH₂]²⁺ ions have been investigated using computational methods and experimental mass spectrometric techniques. Spontaneous decompositions of [C_nH₂]²⁺ into [C_nH]⁺ + H⁺ products, observed for ions with odd-n values, have been explained by invoking the formation of excited triplet states. Even-n [C_nH]⁺ ions possess triplet ground states with low-lying excited states, whereas odd-n ions have triplet states with energies several eV above ground singlet states. Radiationless transitions of vibrationally excited long-lived triplet state ions into singlet state continua are suggested as possible mechanisms for spontaneous deprotonation processes of odd-n [C_nH₂]²⁺ ions. Evidence for these long-lived excited states has been obtained in bimolecular single electron transfer reactions.     

Gas‐Phase Synthesis of the Benzyl Radical (C6H5CH2)

Dicarbon (C₂), the simplest bare carbon molecule, is ubiquitous in the interstellar medium and in combustion flames. A gas‐phase synthesis is presented of the benzyl radical (C₆H₅CH₂) by the crossed molecular beam reaction of dicarbon, C₂(X¹Σ_g⁺, a³Π_u), with 2‐methyl‐1,3‐butadiene (isoprene; C₅H₈; X¹A′) accessing the triplet and singlet C₇H₈ potential energy surfaces (PESs) under single collision conditions. The experimental data combined with ab initio and statistical calculations reveal the underlying reaction mechanism and chemical dynamics. On the singlet and triplet surfaces, the reactions involve indirect scattering dynamics and are initiated by the barrierless addition of dicarbon to the carbon–carbon double bond of the 2‐methyl‐1,3‐butadiene molecule. These initial addition complexes rearrange via multiple isomerization steps, leading eventually to the formation of C₇H₇ radical species through atomic hydrogen elimination. The benzyl radical (C₆H₅CH₂), the thermodynamically most stable C₇H₇ isomer, is determined as the major product.     

Temperature‐ and Pressure‐Dependent Kinetics of CH2OO + CH3COCH3 and CH2OO + CH3CHO: Direct Measurements and Theoretical Analysis

The rate coefficients of the gas‐phase reactions CH₂OO + CH₃COCH₃ and CH₂OO + CH₃CHO have been experimentally determined from 298–500 K and 4–50 Torr using pulsed laser photolysis with multiple‐pass UV absorption at 375 nm, and products were detected using photoionization mass spectrometry at 10.5 eV. The CH₂OO + CH₃CHO reaction's rate coefficient is ～4 times faster over the temperature 298–500 K range studied here. Both reactions have negative temperature dependence. The T dependence of both reactions was captured in simple Arrhenius expressions: The rate of the reactions of CH₂OO with carbonyl compounds at room temperature is two orders of magnitude higher than that reported previously for the reaction with alkenes, but the A factors are of the same order of magnitude. Theoretical analysis of the entrance channel reveals that the inner 1,3‐cycloaddition transition state is rate limiting at normal temperatures. Predicted rate‐coefficients (RCCSD(T)‐F12a/cc‐pVTZ‐F12//B3LYP/MG3S level of theory) in the low‐pressure limit accurately reproduce the experimentally observed temperature dependence. The calculations only qualitatively reproduce the A factors and the relative reactivity between CH₃CHO and CH₃COCH₃. The rate coefficients are weakly pressure dependent, within the uncertainties of the current measurements. The predicted major products are not detectable with our photoionization source, but heavier species yielding ions with masses m/z = 104 and 89 are observed as products from the reaction of CH₂OO with CH₃COCH₃. The yield of m/z = 89 exhibits positive pressure dependence that appears to have already reached a high‐pressure limit by 25 Torr.     

CH2CO＋CH2的多通道反应的理论研究

利用密度泛函(DFT)和自然键轨道理论(NBO)及高级电子耦合簇[CCSD(T)]和电子密度拓扑(AIM)方法, 对单重态和三重态CH₂与CH₂CO反应的微观机理进行了研究. 在B3LYP/6-311＋G(d,p)水平上优化了反应通道各驻点的几何构型. 在CCSD(T)/6-311＋G(d,p)水平上计算了各物种的单点能量, 并对总能量进行了校正. 计算表明, 单重态CH₂与CH₂CO的C—H键可发生插入反应, 与C＝C、C＝O可发生加成反应, 存在三条反应通道, 产物为CO和C₂H₄, 从能量变化和反应速控步骤能垒两方面考虑, 反应II更容易发生. 对反应通道中的关键点进行了自然键轨道及电子密度拓扑分析. 三重态CH₂与CH₂CO的反应存在三条反应通道, 一条是与C-H键的插入反应, 另一条是三重态CH₂与C＝C发生加成反应, 产物为CO和三重态C₂H₄, 通道II势垒较低, 更容易发生. 最后一条涉及双自由基的反应活化能最大, 最难发生.     

THE REACTION OF METHYLENE WITH METHYL CHLORIDE THE EFFECT OF EXCESS ENERGY IN METHYLENE

Abstract This paper reports studies of the reaction between methyl chloride and methylene produced by the photolysis of ketene in the two spectral regions Λ? 2600 Å to 3200 Å and Λ? 3220 Å. The course of reactin is best described by an abstraction process CH₂+ CH₂CI—Ch₂CI + CH₃ followed by recombination of the CH₃ and CH₂ Cl radicals to yield C₂H₅, C₂H₅Cl, C₂H₄Cl₂. The recombination processes are highly exothermic, and excitation of the product molecules occurs, which in the case of C₂H₅Cl and C₂H₄Cl₂ leads to some unimolecular decomposition. It is shown that the rate constant for the decomposition of ethyl chloride depends upon the wavelength of the radiation used to photolyse the ketene, and it is suggested that the excess energy with which the methylene is born is handed on to the alkyl radicals. A simplified kinetic analysis of the system is given, and it is shown that the relative reactivity of methylene towards ketene and methyl chloride increases with an increase in the energy of the methylene. The rates of product formation predicted on the basis of the kinetic scheme agree satisfactorily with the measured values. “Insertion” of methylene into C-H and C-CI bonds has been postulated by other workers. The present results are inconsisistent with an insertion mechanism, since such a mechanism does not account for all the observed products. The effect of wavelength of photolysis and of total pressure predicted on the basis of an insertion process is the reverse of that observed experimentally.     

Reaction of CH3O2 and HO2: Ab initio characterization of dimer structure and vibrational mode analysis for reaction mechanisms

All species involved in the multi‐channel reaction of CH₃O₂ with HO₂ have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The molecular geometries for various species are optimized employing the B3LYP method implementing the 6‐311++G** basis set. The relative energies of all species are calculated at the same level theory. The results show that there are two kinds of channels: singlet and triplet. The singlet channel involves four intermediates and six transition states. The triplet channel includes two intermediates and two transition states. There are four kinds of reaction products: CH₃OOH + ¹O₂, CH₃OH + O₃, CH₄ + 2O₂, and CH₃OOH + ³O₂. The vibrational mode analysis is used to elucidate the relationships of the intermediates, the transition states, and the products. The extensive investigation shows that the reaction mechanism is reliable. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006     

Reaction mechanism of HSH and CH3SH with NH2CH2COCH2X (X = F and Cl) molecules

The reaction mechanism of model compounds H₂S and CH₃SH for cysteine proteases with NH₂CH₂COCH₂X (X = F and Cl) molecules has been investigated using DFT methods with B3LYP and B3PW91 hybrid density functionals at 6‐31+G* basis sets. The single point energy has been calculated for the above reactions with B3LYP and B3PW91 functionals using aug‐cc‐PVDZ infinite basis set in both gas and solution phases. The intrinsic reaction coordinates calculations have been performed to confirm that each transition state is linked by the desired reactants and products. The geometries and relative energies for various stationary points have been determined and discussed. The zero point vibrational energy corrections have been made to predict the reliable energy. The negative value of reaction energy indicates that the overall reaction profile is found to be exothermic. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Theoretical mechanistic study on the radical-molecule reaction of CH2Br/CHBrCl with NO2

The radical-molecule reaction mechanisms of CH₂Br and CHBrCl with NO₂ have been explored theoretically at the UB3LYP/6-311G(d, p) level. The single-point energies were calculated using UCCSD(T) and UQCISD(T) methods. The results show that the title reactions are more favorable on the singlet potential energy surface than on the triplet one. For the singlet potential energy surface of CH₂Br + NO₂ reaction, the association of CH₂Br with NO₂ is found to be a barrierless carbon-to-oxygen attack forming the adduct IM1 (H₂BrCONO-trans), which can isomerize to IM2 (H₂BrCNO₂), and IM3 (H₂BrCONO-cis), respectively. The most feasible pathway is the 1, 3-Br shift with C–Br and O–N bonds cleavage along with the N–Br bond formation of IM1 lead to the product P1 (CH₂O + BrNO) which can further dissociate to give P4 (CH₂O + Br + NO). The competitive pathway is the 1, 3-H-shift associated with O–N bond rupture of IM1 to form P2 (CHBrO + HNO). For the singlet potential energy surface of CHBrCl + NO₂ reaction, there are three important reaction pathways, all of which may have comparable contribution to the reaction of CHBrCl with NO₂. The theoretically obtained major products CH₂O and CHClO for CH₂Br + NO₂ and CHBrCl + NO₂ reactions, respectively, are in good agreement with the kinetic detection in experiment.     

Effects of vibrational energy of the reactivity of ketene molecular ions by photoionization mass spectrometry

The major ion-molecule reaction pathways in ketene-d₂ have been studied by photoionization mass spectrometry and ion cyclotron resonance spectroscopy. For process involving the molecular ion the variation of reaction cross section with ion vibrational state are pronounced. The threshold determined for the endothermic process CH₂CO⁺ + CH₂CO → C₂H⁺₄ + 2CO provides a novel confirmation of the recent redetermination of the heat of formation of ketene.     

A density functional theory study on the atmospheric reaction of CH3O2 with HS: Mechanism and kinetics

The reaction mechanism of CH₃O₂ and HS was systematically investigated by density functional theory (DFT). Six singlet pathways and seven triplet ones are located on the potential surface (PES). The result indicates that the main products are CH₃O and HSO both on the singlet and triplet PES, different from the CH₃O₂ + OH reaction. Moreover, deformation density (ρ_def) and atoms in molecules (AIM) analyses were carried out to further uncover the nature of chemical bonding evolution in the primary pathways. Furthermore, reaction rate constants were calculated in the temperature range from 200 to 1000 K using the transition state theory with the Wigner and Eckart tunneling corrections. Our results can shed light on the title reaction and offer instructions for analogous atmospheric reactions, as well as experimental research in the future.     

Methylene radical reaction with cis-butene-2

A study of the pressure dependence of the C₅ products from the reaction of cis-butene-2 and methylene is reported. Methylene was produced by the photolysis of diazomethane with 4358 Å light at 23° or 56°, and by photolysis of ketene with 3200 Å radiation at 23° or 100°. The change with increasing pressure of the relative amounts of the characteristically “triplet products” (trans-1,2-dimethylcyclopropane, trans-pentene-2 (TP2), and 3-methylbutene-1 (3MB1)) and “singlet products” (cis-1,2-dimethylcyclopropane (CDMC) and cis-pentene-2 (CP2)) are discussed. The behavior is reminiscent of that found in ³CH₂-cis-butene-2 systems and can be interpreted in terms of the rapid rate of rearrangement of an initial triplet diradical product component, due to ³CH₂, relative to the slower rate and readier collisional stabilization of an initial vibrationally-excited dimethyl cyclopropane product component, due to ¹CH₂. Relative rates of reactions of ¹CH₂ with allylic CH:vinyl CH:C?C in the neat liquid were, for diazomethane, 1:1.1:7.2 and, for ketene, 1:1.2:6.7.