Direct ab initio MD study on the hydrogen abstraction reaction of triplet state acetone from methanol molecule

Solvent re-orientation process of triplet acetone/methanol complex and intermolecular hydrogen atom abstraction reaction on the triplet state energy surface, (CH₃)₂C=O (T₁) + CH₃OH → (CH₃)₂C–OH + CH₂OH in gas phase, have been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) and direct ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) methods. The static DFT calculation of hydrogen abstraction reaction at the T₁ state showed that the transition state is 16.4 and 30.9 kcal/mol lower than the energy levels of S₁ and S₂ states, respectively, and 9.2 kcal/mol higher than the bottom of T₁ state. The product state, (CH₃)₂C–OH⋯CH₂OH, is 8.4 kcal/mol lower in energy than the level of T₁ state. The direct ab initio MD calculation showed that the product is rapidly formed within 150 fs and the separated products (CH₃)₂C–OH + CH₂OH were formed. The mechanism of reaction dynamics of the triplet acetone/methanol complex was discussed on the basis of theoretical results.