The Origin of the Reactivity of the Criegee Intermediate: Implications for Atmospheric Particle Growth

The electronic structure of the simplest Criegee intermediate, H₂COO, is practically that of a closed shell. On the biradical scale (β), where 0 corresponds to the pure closed shell and 1 to a pure biradical, its β value is only 0.10, suggesting that its ground electronic state is best described as a H₂C=O^δ+?O^δ? zwitterion. However, this picture of a nearly inert closed shell contradicts its rich reactivity in the atmosphere. It is shown that the mixing of its ground state with the first triplet excited state, which is a pure biradical state of the type H₂C^.?O?O^., is responsible for the formation of strongly bound products during reactions inducing atmospheric particle growth.     

Temperature-Dependence of the Rates of Reaction of Trifluoroacetic Acid with Criegee Intermediates

The rate coefficients for gas-phase reaction of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) with two Criegee intermediates, formaldehyde oxide and acetone oxide, decrease with increasing temperature in the range 240–340 K. The rate coefficients k(CH₂OO + CF₃COOH)=(3.4±0.3)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹ and k((CH₃)₂COO + CF₃COOH)=(6.1±0.2)×10⁻¹⁰ cm³ s⁻¹ at 294 K exceed estimates for collision-limited values, suggesting rate enhancement by capture mechanisms because of the large permanent dipole moments of the two reactants. The observed temperature dependence is attributed to competitive stabilization of a pre-reactive complex. Fits to a model incorporating this complex formation give k [cm³ s⁻¹]=(3.8±2.6)×10⁻¹⁸ T² exp((1620±180)/T) + 2.5×10⁻¹⁰ and k [cm³ s⁻¹]=(4.9±4.1)×10⁻¹⁸ T² exp((1620±230)/T) + 5.2×10⁻¹⁰ for the CH₂OO + CF₃COOH and (CH₃)₂COO + CF₃COOH reactions, respectively. The consequences are explored for removal of TFA from the atmosphere by reaction with biogenic Criegee intermediates.     

Functionalized Hydroperoxide Formation from the Reaction of Methacrolein-Oxide,an Isoprene-Derived Criegee Intermediate,with Formic Acid: Experiment and Theory

Methacrolein oxide (MACR-oxide) is a four-carbon, resonance-stabilized Criegee intermediate produced from isoprene ozonolysis, yet its reactivity is not well understood. This study identifies the functionalized hydroperoxide species, 1-hydroperoxy-2-methylallyl formate (HPMAF), generated from the reaction of MACR-oxide with formic acid using multiplexed photoionization mass spectrometry (MPIMS, 298 K = 25 °C, 10 torr = 13.3 hPa). Electronic structure calculations indicate the reaction proceeds via an energetically favorable 1,4-addition mechanism. The formation of HPMAF is observed by the rapid appearance of a fragment ion at m/z 99, consistent with the proposed mechanism and characteristic loss of HO₂ upon photoionization of functional hydroperoxides. The identification of HPMAF is confirmed by comparison of the appearance energy of the fragment ion with theoretical predictions of its photoionization threshold. The results are compared to analogous studies on the reaction of formic acid with methyl vinyl ketone oxide (MVK-oxide), the other four-carbon Criegee intermediate in isoprene ozonolysis.     

Reactions between Criegee Intermediates and the Inorganic Acids HCl and HNO3: Kinetics and Atmospheric Implications

Criegee intermediates (CIs) are a class of reactive radicals that are thought to play a key role in atmospheric chemistry through reactions with trace species that can lead to aerosol particle formation. Recent work has suggested that water vapor is likely to be the dominant sink for some CIs, although reactions with trace species that are sufficiently rapid can be locally competitive. Herein, we use broadband transient absorption spectroscopy to measure rate constants for the reactions of the simplest CI, CH₂OO, with two inorganic acids, HCl and HNO₃, both of which are present in polluted urban atmospheres. Both reactions are fast; at 295 K, the reactions of CH₂OO with HCl and HNO₃ have rate constants of 4.6×10^?11 cm³ s^?1 and 5.4×10^?10 cm³ s^?1, respectively. Complementary quantum‐chemical calculations show that these reactions form substituted hydroperoxides with no energy barrier. The results suggest that reactions of CIs with HNO₃ in particular are likely to be competitive with those with water vapor in polluted urban areas under conditions of modest relative humidity.     

Criegee中间体CH3CHOO与H2O反应机理及酸催化效应

采用CCSD（T）//B3LYP/6-311+G（d,p）方法研究了H₂O及甲酸等6种有机酸对CH₃CHOO与H₂O加成反应的催化作用。结果表明,非催化反应存在双质子迁移和加成反应2条通道,其中加成反应为优势通道。其加成机理为H₂O中OH加到CH₃CHOO的α-C上,同时H₂O中另一个H迁移到CH₃CHOO的端O上。催化剂H₂O及有机酸以氢键复合物的形式参与反应促进了H质子转移,可降低基元反应能垒和表观活化能,且催化效应与有机酸的强度成正比。例如,当分别用H₂O（pK_a=15.7）、甲酸（pK_a=3.75）和草酸（pK_a=1.23）催化时,生成syn-HAHP的基元反应能垒由非催化的69.12 kJ·mol^-1分别降至40.78、18.88和10.61 kJ·mol^-1。非催化反应具有正的表观活化能,而所有催化反应则均具有负的表观活化能。     

Gas‐Phase Kinetics of Chlorosilylene Reactions II. ClSiH + C2H4: Absolute Rate Measurements and Quantum Chemical and RRKM Calculations for the Prototype π Addition Reaction

Time‐resolved studies of chlorosilylene, ClSiH, generated by the 193 nm laser flash photolysis of 1‐chloro‐1‐silacyclopent‐3‐ene, are carried out to obtain rate constants for its bimolecular reaction with ethene, C₂H₄, in the gas‐phase. The reaction is studied over the pressure range 0.13–13.3 kPa (with added SF₆) at five temperatures in the range 296–562 K. The second order rate constants, obtained by extrapolation to the high pressure limits at each temperature, fitted the Arrhenius equation: log(k^∞/cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1)=(?10.55±0.10) + (3.86±0.70) kJ mol^?1/RT ln10. The Arrhenius parameters correspond to a loose transition state and the rate constant at room temperature is 43 % of that for SiH₂ + C₂H₄, showing that the deactivating effect of Cl‐for‐H substitution in the silylene is not large. Quantum chemical calculations of the potential energy surface for this reaction at the G3MP2//B3LYP level show that, as well as 1‐chlorosilirane, ethylchlorosilylene is a viable product. The calculations reveal how the added effect of the Cl atom on the divalent state stabilisation of ClSiH influences the course of this reaction. RRKM calculations of the reaction pressure dependence suggest that ethylchlorosilylene should be the main product. The results are compared and contrasted with those of SiH₂ and SiCl₂ with C₂H₄.     

Daytime Reactions of 1,8‐Cineole in the Troposphere

Relative rate coefficients for the gas‐phase reaction of chlorine atoms (Cl) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) with 1,8‐cineole were determined by Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy between 285 and 313 K at atmospheric pressure. The temperature dependence of both reactions shows simple Arrhenius behaviour which can be represented by the following expressions (in units of cm³ molecule^?1s^?1): k(1,8‐cineole+OH)=(6.28±6.53)×10^?8exp[(?2549.3±155.7)/T] and k(1,8‐cineole+Cl)=(1.35±1.07)×10^?10exp[(?151.6±237.7)/T]. Major products of the titled reactions were identified by solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to a GC‐MS. Additionally, the first step of the reaction was theoretically studied by ab initio calculations and a reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Formic acid catalyzed gas-phase reaction of H2O with SO3 and the reverse reaction: a theoretical study

The formic acid catalyzed gas‐phase reaction between H₂O and SO₃ and its reverse reaction are respectively investigated by means of quantum chemical calculations at the CCSD(T)//B3LYP/cc‐pv(T+d)z and CCSD(T)//MP2/aug‐cc‐pv(T+d)z levels of theory. Remarkably, the activation energy relative to the reactants for the reaction of H₂O with SO₃ is lowered through formic acid catalysis from 15.97 kcal mol^?1 to ?15.12 and ?14.83 kcal mol^?1 for the formed H₂O ??? SO₃ complex plus HCOOH and the formed H₂O ??? HCOOH complex plus SO₃, respectively, at the CCSD(T)//MP2/aug‐cc‐pv(T+d)z level. For the reverse reaction, the energy barrier for decomposition of sulfuric acid is reduced to ?3.07 kcal mol^?1 from 35.82 kcal mol^?1 with the aid of formic acid. The results show that formic acid plays a strong catalytic role in facilitating the formation and decomposition of sulfuric acid. The rate constant of the SO₃+H₂O reaction with formic acid is 10⁵ times greater than that of the corresponding reaction with water dimer. The calculated rate constant for the HCOOH+H₂SO₄ reaction is about 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 in the temperature range 200–280 K. The results of the present investigation show that formic acid plays a crucial role in the cycle between SO₃ and H₂SO₄ in atmospheric chemistry.     

Infrared Detection of Criegee Intermediates Formed during the Ozonolysis of β‐Pinene and Their Reactivity towards Sulfur Dioxide

Recently, direct kinetic experiments have shown that the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide by reaction with stabilized Criegee intermediates (CIs) is an important source of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. So far, only small CIs, generated in photolysis experiments, have been directly detected. Herein, it is shown that large, stabilized CIs can be detected in the gas phase by FTIR spectroscopy during the ozonolysis of β‐pinene. Their transient absorption bands between 930 and 830 cm^?1 appear only in the initial phase of the ozonolysis reaction when the scavenging of stabilized CIs by the reaction products is slow. The large CIs react with sulfur dioxide to give sulfur trioxide and nopinone with a yield exceeding 80 %. Reactant consumption and product formation in time‐resolved β‐pinene ozonolysis experiments in the presence of sulfur dioxide have been kinetically modeled. The results suggest a fast reaction of sulfur dioxide with CIs arising from β‐pinene ozonolysis.     

Atmospheric chemistry of n‐CH3(CH2)xCN (x = 0–3): Kinetics and mechanisms

Smog chamber/Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques were used to measure the kinetics of the reaction of n‐CH₃(CH₂)_xCN (x = 0–3) with Cl atoms and OH radicals: k(CH₃CN + Cl) = (1.04 ± 0.25) × 10⁻¹⁴, k(CH₃CH₂CN + Cl) = (9.20 ± 3.95) × 10⁻¹³, k(CH₃(CH₂)₂CN + Cl) = (2.03 ± 0.23) × 10⁻¹¹, k(CH₃(CH₂)₃CN + Cl) = (6.70 ± 0.67) × 10⁻¹¹, k(CH₃CN + OH) = (4.07 ± 1.21) × 10⁻¹⁴, k(CH₃CH₂CN + OH) = (1.24 ± 0.27) × 10⁻¹³, k(CH₃(CH₂)₂CN + OH) = (4.63 ± 0.99) × 10⁻¹³, and k(CH₃(CH₂)₃CN + OH) = (1.58 ± 0.38) × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at a total pressure of 700 Torr of air or N₂ diluents at 296 ± 2 K. The atmospheric oxidation of alkyl nitriles proceeds through hydrogen abstraction leading to several carbonyl containing primary oxidation products. HC(O)CN, NCC(O)OONO₂, ClC(O)OONO₂, and HCN were identified as the main oxidation products from CH₃CN, whereas CH₃CH₂CN gives the products HC(O)CN, CH₃C(O)CN, NCC(O)OONO₂, and HCN. The oxidation of n‐CH₃(CH₂)_xCN (x = 2–3) leads to a range of oxygenated primary products. Based on the measured OH radical rate constants, the atmospheric lifetimes of n‐CH₃(CH₂)_xCN (x = 0–3) were estimated to be 284, 93, 25, and 7 days for x = 0,1, 2, and 3, respectively.     

Isotope exchange in ionised CO2/CO mixtures: the role of asymmetrical C2O3+ ions

A hitherto unknown, atmospherically relevant, isotope-exchange reaction was studied in ionised gaseous mixtures containing carbon dioxide and monoxide. The mechanism of the O exchange, proceeding over a double-minimum potential-energy surface, was positively established by mass spectrometric and theoretical methods that also allowed the identification and characterisation of the C2O3+ intermediate. The increase of internal energy displaces the observed reactivity towards an endothermic reaction path that involves only CO2 and represents an indirect route to the dissociation of carbon dioxide.     

On the kinetic mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of the hydroxyl radical with CH3CF2Cl and CH3CFCl2: A dual level direct dynamics study

By means of the dual‐level direct dynamics method, the mechanisms of the reactions, CH₃CF₂Cl + OH → products (R1) and CH₃CFCl₂ + OH → products (R2), are studied over a wide temperature range 200–2000 K. The optimized geometries and frequencies of the stationary points are calculated at the MP2/6‐311G(d,p) level, and then the energy profiles of the reactions are refined with the interpolated single‐point energy method at the G3(MP2) level. The canonical variational transition‐state theory with the small‐curvature tunneling (SCT) correction method is used to calculate the rate constants. For the title reactions, three reaction channels are identified and the H‐abstraction channel is the major pathway. The results indicate that F substitution has a significant (reductive) effect on hydrochlorofluorocarbon reactivity. Also, for all H‐abstraction reaction channels the variational effect is small and the SCT effect is only important in the lower temperature range on the rate constants calculation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Kinetic mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of the chlorine atoms with CH3CF2Cl and CH3CFCl2: a dual level direct dynamics study

The mechanisms of the reactions: CH(3)CFCl(2) + Cl (R1) and CH(3)CF(2)Cl + Cl (R2) are studied over a wide temperature range (200-3000 K) using the dual-level direct dynamics method. The minimum energy path calculation is carried out at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) levels, and energetic information is further refined by the G3(MP2) theory. The H-abstraction from the out-of-plane for (R1) is the major reaction channel, while the in-plane H-abstraction is the predominant route of (R2). The canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with the small-curvature tunneling (SCT) correction method is used to calculate the rate constants. Using group-balanced isodesmic reactions and hydrogenation reactions as working chemical reactions, the standard enthalpies of formation for CH(3)CFCl(2), CH(3)CF(2)Cl, CH(2)CFCl(2), and CH(2)CF(2)Cl are evaluated at the CCSD(T)/6-311 + G(3df,2p)//MP2/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The results indicate that the substitution of fluorine atom for the chlorine atom leads to a decrease in the C-H bond reactivity with a small increase in reaction enthalpies. Also, for all reaction pathways the variational effect is small and the SCT effect is only important in the lower temperature range on the rate constants.     

Isomerisation of CF2ClCH2Cl and CFCl2CH2F by Interchange of Cl and F Atoms with Analysis of the Unimolecular Reactions of Both Molecules

The recombination of CF₂Cl with CH₂Cl and CFCl₂ with CH₂F were employed to generate CF₂ClCH₂Cl* and CFCl₂CH₂F* molecules with 381 and 368 kJ mol^?1, respectively, of vibrational energy in a room‐temperature bath gas. The unimolecular reactions of these molecules, which include HCl elimination, HF elimination, and isomerisation by interchange of chlorine and fluorine atoms, were characterized. The three rate constants for CFCl₂CH₂F were 2.9×10⁷, 0.87×10⁷ and 0.04×10⁷ s^?1 for HCl elimination, isomerisation and HF elimination, respectively. The isomerisation reaction must be included to have a complete characterization of the unimolecular kinetics of CFCl₂CH₂F. The rate constants for HCl elimination and HF elimination from CF₂ClCH₂Cl were 14×10⁷and 0.37×10⁷ s^?1, respectively. Isomerisation that has a rate constant less than 0.08×10⁷ s^?1 is not important. These experimental rate constants were matched to calculated statistical rate constants to assign threshold energies, which are 264, 268, and 297 kJ mol^?1, respectively, for isomerisation, HCl elimination, and HF elimination for CFCl₂CH₂F and 314, 251, and 289 kJ mol^?1 in the same order for CF₂ClCH₂Cl. Density functional theory was used to evaluate the models that were needed for the statistical rate constants; the computational method was B3PW91/6‐31G(d′,p′). Threshold energies for the unimolecular reactions of CF₂ClCH₂Cl and CFCl₂CH₂F are compared to those for CF₂ClCH₃ and CFCl₂CH₃ to illustrate the elevation of threshold energies by F‐ or Cl‐atom substitution at the beta carbon atom (identified by C_H). The DFT calculations systematically underestimate the threshold energy for HCl elimination.     

A systematic investigation into the mechanism of the reaction between CF3 radicals and CO/O2

A complete study of the reaction of CF(3) radicals in the presence of CO and O(2) was carried out by using isotopically labeled reagents to form, selectively, all the possible isotopomers of the intermediate trioxide, CF(3)OC(O)OOOC(O)OCF(3), and of the stable peroxide, CF(3)OC(O)OOC(O)OCF(3). Analyses were carried out by means of FTIR spectroscopy in combination with ab initio calculations. At temperatures close to 0 degrees C, the acyloxy radicals formed were shown to exist long enough to yield a statistical mixture of isotopomers. In previous reports their lifetime was considered to be too short.     

The gas phase aldose‐ketone isomerization mechanism: Direct interconversion of the model hydroxycarbonyls 2‐hydroxypropanal and hydroxyacetone

We report a novel mechanism for the interconversion of 2‐hydroxypropanal with its more‐stable ketone isomer hydroxyacetone. Reaction proceeds via concerted transfer of two H atoms, requires a barrier of only ～40 kcal mol^?1, bypasses the enediol intermediate, and is general for α‐hydroxy carbonyls. A similar isomerization mechanism is shown to persist for β, γ, and δ‐hydroxy carbonyls; these compounds are skeletal forms of the monosaccharides and this work, therefore, discloses the gas‐phase mechanism for aldose‐ketose isomerization. As an example, the isomerization of glyceraldehyde to dihydroxyacetone is shown to proceed via this mechanism with a barrier of 31 kcal mol^?1. Rate coefficients and thermochemical properties are reported for the isomerization of 2‐hydroxypropanal and hydroxyacetone for use in detailed kinetic models. Additionally, RRKM theory k (E ) values for this reaction suggest that it may transpire in the troposphere following solar excitation.