The pyrolysis of trimethylene sulfide. A unimolecular decomposition

The kinetics of decomposition of trimethylene sulfide to ethylene and thioformaldehyde was investigated in a single-pulse shock tube using the «relative rate» technique. The extent of reaction was measured in the reflected shock regime from 860° to 1170°K, but experimental difficulties limited the useful data to the temperature range of 980°–1040°K. The first-order rate constant was found to be k = 10^13.0 exp (?48,200/RT) sec^?1. This result sets an upper limit of 50 kcal/mole for the standard enthalpy of formation of CH₂S, with 35 kcal/mole as a more likely value. The isomerization of cyclopropane to propene was used for the reference reaction; in turn, this was checked, in a relative rate experiment, against the pyrolysis of cyclohexene.     

Collisional energy transfer in the reactions I + NO + M → INO + M and I + NO2 + M → INO2 + M

The low-pressure recombination rate constants of the reactions I + NO + M → INO + M (with 14 different M) and I + NO₂ + M → INO₂ + M (with 26 different M) have been measured at 330°K by laser flash photolysis. The collision efficiencies β_c are analyzed and compared with other thermal activation systems. Whereas β_c increases in one reaction with an increasing number of atoms in M, practically no such effect is found when, for the same M, different reactions with varying complexities of the reacting molecules are considered.     

Chemistry of trifluorostyrenes and their dimmers: 3. Solvent effect on the kinetic parameters of the thermal cyclodimerization of α, β, β-trifluorostyrene1

Rate constants for the thermal cyclodimerization of α, β, β-trifluorostyrene (TFS) were determined in six solvents at 393°K. The products of this reaction were mixtures of roughly equal amounts of cis-trans isomers. The rate constants in 3 solvents, were calculated according to Arrhenius equation. In n-hexane, log A = 6.02±0.18, E_a= 19.5±0.3 kcal.mol^?1; in glyme, logA = 5.31 ± 0.19, E_a= 18.0±0.3 kcal.mol^?1; in methanol, IogA=4.93±0.13, E_a=17.1±0.3 kcal mol^?1. All data are consistent with a stepwise radical mechanism, and our reaction in this solvent series obeys an isokinetic relationship, with β = 478°K.     

Estimation of rate constants as a function of temperature for the reactions W + XYZ = WX + YZ,where W,X, Y,and Z are H or O atoms

Rate constants have been estimated as a function of temperature for seven reactions of the type W + XYZ = WX + YZ, where W, X, Y, and Z are H and O atoms. From transition state theory and estimates of the heat capacities of activation, where int k is the rate constant per transferable atom for the forward and reverse reactions in the exothermic direction, and where ΔH°_≠298 is in kcal/mol. Values of ΔS°_≠298 and ΔH°_≠298 were obtained from the above equation and previously measured and evaluated rate constants at 298°K. The results are summarized in a table. Rate constants were calculated at temperature from 250 to 2000 K. The estimated rate constants were compared with recommended values. The results for ΔH°_≠298 for reactions (15), (16), (17), and (19), in which a stable intermediate may precede the transition state, together with similar results previously found for reactions X + YZ = XY + Z, suggests that many such reactions may have values of ΔH°_≠298 that are close to zero. The result for the reaction O + O₃ = O₂ + O₂ is however, an exception to the foregoing perhaps because it is the reaction of a singlet with a triplet.ΔS°_≠298 for the same reaction is unexpectedly low.     

Shock initiated ignition in COS?O2?Ar mixtures

The ignition of COS + O₂ mixtures diluted in argon was studied behind reflected shocks in a single-pulse shock tube over the temperature range of 1100–1700°K. Ignition delay times and the distribution of reaction products before and after ignition were determined experimentally. From a total of 63 tests run at varying initial conditions, the following correlation for the induction times was derived: where β₁ = +0.30, β₂ = 1.12, and E = 16.9 kcal/mole. Using a reaction scheme of 14 steps, the following values were obtained by a computer modeling of the induction times: β₁ = +0.22, β₂ = 1.55, and E = 17.3 kcal/mole. The calculations showed that the reaction COS + S → CO + S₂ caused the inhibiting effect of the COS. The reaction COS → O ± CO₂ + S has a very strong accelerating effect, whereas the parallel channel COS + O → CO + SO shows the opposite effect. It was also shown that the reaction O + S₂ → SO + O is very slow and does not contribute to the overall oxidation reaction. It is suggested that the rate constant given to the four-center reaction COS + SO → CO₂ + S₂, that is, 10¹¹ cm³/mole · sec at 300°K is incorrect. This constant is not much higher than 10⁸ cm³/mole · sec at 1300°K.     

The temperature coefficient of the rates in the system Cl + CH4 ⇆ CH3 + HCl,thermochemistry of the methyl radical

The bimolecular rate constant for the title reaction has been measured by very-low-pressure reactor techniques at 233 < T K < 338. The equilibrium constant has also been measured between 253 and 338 K. Our rate constants are in excellent agreement with recent measurements using very different techniques and reaction conditions, and the general agreement probably makes this one of the most accurately measured rateconstants. Transition state models of the reaction rule out a bent TS in favor of a TS with colinear Cl···H···C bonds. The curvature at higher temperatures (>350 K) is quantitatively accounted for by transition state theory analysis. Tunneling is shown not to play a role. The measured values of K₁ allow an experimental value of S° (CH₃) to be fixed to only ±2.4 e.u. However, using known values of S° for all species gives ΔH°_f298(CH₃.) = 35.1 plusmn; 0.1 kcal/mol in excellent agreement with other measured values.     

Thermal unimolecular isomerization of 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.2.0]hexane, 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane,and 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.1.0]pentane

The thermal isomerization of the title compounds was studied in the vapor phase. Over the temperature range from 445.1 to 477.5°K, 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.2.0]hexane underwent a homogeneous unimolecular reaction to 2,5-dimethyl-1,5-hexadiene, the rate constants being represented by the equation: k = 1.86 × 10¹¹ exp (?31000 ± 1800/RT) sec^?1. Over the temperature range from 630.0 to 662.2°K, 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.1.1]-hexane also underwent a unimolecular isomerization to the same product, the rate constants being given by the equation: k = 8.91 × 10¹⁴ exp (?56000 ± 900/RT) sec^?1. The pyrolysis of 1,4-dimethylbicyclo[2.1.0]pentane gave 1,3-dimethylcyclopentene-1 and 2,4-dimethyl-1,4-pentadiene in the ratio of 9:1. The former reaction was influenced by surface effects but the latter was not. The rate constants for the formation of 2,4-dimethyl-1,4-pentadiene fitted the equation: k = 1.66 × 10¹⁷ exp (?57400 ± 3100/RT) sec^?1. The effect of the two methyl groups at the bridgehead positions in these molecules in influencing the rate of decomposition is discussed in terms of the non-bonded repulsive forces between the substituents.     

The nitric oxide catalyzed positional isomerization of 3-methylene-1,5,5-trimethylcyclohexene and the stabilization energy in the 3-methylenecyclohexenyl radical

The gas phase, nitric oxide catalyzed positional isomerization of 3-methylene-1,5,5-trimethylcyclohexene (MTC) into 1,3,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclohexadiene (TECD) has been studied for temperatures ranging between 296° and 425°C. The major reaction was first order with respect to nitric oxide and to MTC. The major side product, mesitylene, usually amounted to less than 10% of the TECD isomer formed. Only at high temperatures and large conversions has up to 20% been observed. Conditioned pyrex or quartz vessels coated with KCl have been used. The nitric oxide catalyzed isomerization is apparently a homogeneous process, as demonstrated by the insensitivity of the observed rate constants towards a 15-fold increase in the surface to volume ratio of the reaction vessels. However, a residual, presumably heterogeneous, thermal isomerization of the starting material could not be eliminated. Good mass balances were obtained for both NO and hydrocarbons. After correcting for the thermally induced conversion the observed rate constants for the nitric oxide catalyzed isomerization yield log k₁ (1 mole^?1 sec^?1) = (10.7 ± 0.2) – (37.3 ± 0.9)/θ where θ is 2.303 × 10^?3 RT (kcal mole^?1). Plotting log k₁ versus the ratio of the starting materials (MTC/NO)₀ it was found that for temperatures ≥ 365°C the rate constants were systematically too high. Using extrapolated values for the higher temperature range yields the more reliable corrected Arrhenius equation log k = 8.6 – 31.7/θ. The reaction mechanism is outlined and the implications with respect to the stabilization energy generated in the MTC? radical intermediate and the activation energy of the backreaction MTC? + HNO are discussed. Using for the activation energy E_?1 of the backreaction (R? + HNO) a literature value of 9.2 ± 0.9 kcal mole^?1 reported for the cyclohexadiene? 1,3? system, this yields 23.4 ± 2 kcal mole^?1 for the stabilization energy in the methylenecyclohexenyl radical, which is to be compared with the corresponding values for the allyl (10.2 ± 1.4), methallyl (12.6 ± 1) pentadienyl (15.4 ± 1) and cyclohexadienyl (24.6 ± 0.7) radicals. The pre-exponential factor agrees well with the value of (8.4 ± 0.2) reported by Shaw and co-workers for the similar reaction of NO with 1,3-cyclohexadiene. It is noteworthy that HNO, acting as sole hydrogen donor in the system, is surprisingly stable under the reaction conditions used. Nitrous oxide, HCN, H₂O and N₂ are observed in the product mixture of experiments carried out to high conversions at higher temperatures.     

Kinetics of the thermal isomerization of 1,1,2,2‐tetramethylcyclopropane

Reaction rates for the structural isomerization of 1,1,2,2‐tetramethylcyclopropane to 2,4‐dimethyl‐2‐pentene have been measured over a wide temperature range, 672–750 K in a static reactor and 1000–1120 K in a single‐pulse shock tube. The combined data from the two temperature regions give Arrhenius parameters E_a=64.7 (±0.5) kcal/mol and log₁₀(A, s^?1) = 15.47 (±0.13). These values lie at the upper end of the ranges of E_a and log A values (62.2–64.7 kcal/mol and 14.82–15.55, respectively) obtained from three previous experimental studies, each of which covered a narrower temperature range. The previously noted trend toward lower E_a values for structural isomerization of methylcyclopropanes as methyl substitution increases extends only through the dimethylcyclopropanes (1,1‐ and 1,2‐); E_a then appears to increase with further methyl substitution. In contrast, the pre‐exponential factors for isomerization of cyclopropane and all of the methylcyclopropanes through tetramethylcyclopropane lie within ±0.3 of log₁₀(A, s^?1) = 15.2 and show no particular trend with increasing substitution. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 483–488, 2006     

Mechanism and kinetics of the imidazolidinone nitroxide‐mediated free‐radical polymerization of styrene

Styrene radical polymerizations mediated by the imidazolidinone nitroxides 2,5‐bis(spirocyclohexyl)‐3‐methylimidazolidin‐4‐one‐1‐oxyl (NO88Me) and 2,5‐bis(spirocyclohexyl)‐3‐benzylimidazolidin‐4‐one‐1‐oxyl (NO88Bn) were investigated. Polymeric alkoxyamine (PS‐NO88Bn)‐initiated systems exhibited controlled/living characteristics at 100–120 °C but not at 80 °C. All systems exhibited rates of polymerization similar to those of thermal polymerization, with the exception of the PS‐NO88Bn system at 80 °C, which polymerized twice as quickly. The dissociation rate constants (k_d) for the PS‐NO88Me and PS‐NO88Bn coupling products were determined by electron spin resonance at 50–100 °C. The equilibrium constants were estimated to be 9.01 × 10^?11 and 6.47 × 10^?11 mol L^?1 at 120 °C for NO88Me and NO88Bn, respectively, resulting in the combination rate constants (k_c) 2.77 × 10⁶ (NO88Me) and 2.07 × 10⁶ L mol^?1 s^?1 (NO88Bn). The similar polymerization results and kinetic parameters for NO88Me and NO88Bn indicated the absence of any 3‐N‐transannular effect by the benzyl substituent relative to the methyl substituent. The values of k_d and k_c were 4–8 and 25–33 times lower, respectively, than the reported values for PS‐TEMPO at 120 °C, indicating that the 2,5‐spirodicyclohexyl rings have a more profound effect on the combination reaction rather than the dissociation reaction. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 327–334, 2003     

Rates of OH radical reactions. XII. The reactions of OH with c?C3H6, c?C5H10, and c?C7H14. Correlation of hydroxyl rate constants with bond dissociation energies

Absolute rate constants for H-atom abstraction by OH radicals from cyclopropane, cyclopentane, and cycloheptane have been determined in the gas phase at 298 K. Hydroxyl radicals were generated by flash photolysis of H₂O vapor in the vacuum UV, and monitored by time-resolved resonance absorption at 308.2 nm [OH(A²Σ⁺→X²Π)]. The rate constants in units of cm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ at the 95% confidence limits were as follows: k(c C₃H₆) = (3.74 ± 0.83) × 10¹⁰, k(c C₅H₁₀) = (3.12 ± 0.23) × 10¹², k(c C₇H₁₄) = (7.88 ± 1.38) × 10¹². A linear correlation was found to exist between the logarithm of the rate constant per C H bond and the corresponding bond dissociation energy for several classes of organic compounds with equivalent C H bonds. The correlation favors a value of D(c C₃H₅–H) = (101 ± 2) kcal mol⁻¹.     

1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition of Diazo Compounds to Electron‐Deficient Alkenes: Kinetics and Mechanism of Formation of Dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylate

1,3‐Dipolar cycloaddition of methyl diazoacetate to methyl acrylate was investigated by kinetic ¹Н NMR spectroscopy. It was established that the mechanism of the process includes parallel formation of trans‐ and cis‐dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylates as a result of [3 + 2]‐cycloaddition of methyl diazoacetate to methyl acrylate; the corresponding rate constants were denoted k_1t and k_1c. The reaction rate of the isomerization of 3Н‐pyrazolines to 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylate (3Н → 1Н‐pyrazoline rearrangement) was found to be sensitive to both the methyl acrylate (k_2t, k_2c) and 1Н‐pyrazoline concentrations (k_3t, k_3c). Kinetic analysis showed that the proposed scheme is valid for various reagent concentrations. The numerical solution of the system of differential equations corresponded to the reaction scheme and was used to determine the complete set of reaction rate constants (k (× 10⁵ M^–1·s^–1), 298 K; solvent, benzene‐d₆): k_1t = 2.3 ± 0.3, k_1c = 1.6 ± 0.2, k_2t = 1.1 ± 0.3, k_2c = 1.8 ± 0.5, k_3t = 1.2 ± 0.4, k_3c = 2.2 ± 0.7.     

High temperature decomposition of ethane

Measurements of the rate of formation of methane in the thermal decomposition of ethane in dilute mixtures with argon were made by the shock tube technique. Derived values of the rate constant of the dissociation reaction are compared with earlier data of the same type and with recent shock tube data on the combination of methyl radicals. An RRKM calculation correlating all the data is described, from which an Arrhenius equation for the range 1000–1500°K, log k_∞ = 16.9 ? 89,500/2.3RT, is obtained.     

The 5-hexenyl cyclization

The cyclization of the 5-hexenyl radical to form the cyclopentylmethyl radical has been reexamined by kinetic EPR spectroscopy at temperatures between 183 and 232°K in cyclopropane solvent. The rate constant, k_c for this important radical rearrangement can be represented by where Θ = 2.3RT kcal/mol.     

Isomerization of cyclopropane to propylene in shock waves

Cyclopropane mixtures diluted with argon were heated to temperatures in the range 1100–1450 K behind incident and reflected shock waves. The rate of isomerization of cyclopropane to propylene was measured by tracing the time variation of absorption at 3.39 μm. The rate constant expression k = 4.60 × 10¹⁴ exp (−62.5 kcal/RT) s⁻¹ was determined, in accord with extrapolation from lower-temperature experiments.     

SNAr reactions of substituted pyridines with secondary amines in aqueous solution: Kinetic and reactivity indices in density functional theory

A kinetic study is reported for the reactions of 2-methoxy-3-nitropyridine 1a and 2-methoxy-5-nitropyridine 1b with three secondary amines 2a–c (morpholine, piperidine, and pyrrolidine) in aqueous solution at 20°C. The Brønsted-type plots are linear with β_nuc = 0.52 and 0.55 for pyridines 1a and 1b , respectively, indicating that the reaction proceeds through a S_NAr mechanism in which the first step is the rate-determining step. Additional theoretical calculations using the DFT/B3LYP method confirm that the C-2 carbon being the most electrophilic center for the both pyridines 1a and 1b . The second-order rate constants have been used to evaluate the electrophilicity parameters E of 1a and 1b according to the linear free energy relationship log k (20°C) = s_N (N + E). The E parameters thus derived are compared with the electrophilic reactivities of a large variety of anisoles. The validity of these E values has been satisfactorily verified by comparison of calculated and experimental second-order rate constants for the reactions of pyridines 1a and 1b with anion of ethyl benzylacetate.     

Rate constants of the thermal cis‐trans isomerization of azobenzene dyes in solvents,acetone/water mixtures,and in microheterogeneous surfactant solutions

Rate constants k_iso of the thermal cis‐trans isomerization of four 4,4’‐nitro‐aminoazobenzenes with different amino groups have been determined in homogeneous aprotic solvents and polyglykol oligomers, primarily by means of conventional flash photolysis. The rate constants have been correlated with polarity (according to λ_max from UV/Vis absorption spectra of the trans isomers) and bulk viscosity of the solvents. Qualitative conclusions about the influence of varying concentrations of water with respect to polarity and hydrogen bonding on k_iso‐ and λ_max‐values in acetone/water mixtures were derived. Based on these results the data from microheterogeneous solutions have been interpreted. In microheterogeneous water/surfactant solutions k_iso‐values of selected azo dyes were strongly dependent on the concentrations of SDS, Triton^®X‐100, C₁₂EO₈ in water, and varied with the composition of bicontinuous microemulsions of Igepal^® CA‐520/ heptane/water. The large spread of isomerization rate constants is in part due to varying microviscosity. Replacement of H₂O by D₂O in aqueous surfactant solutions produced surprisingly large kinetic solvent isotope effects. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 337–350, 1999     

The Kinetics of the gas-phase isomerization of 1,trans-3,trans-5-heptatriene into the cis-5-isomer catalyzed by Nitric Oxide and the stabilization energy in the pentadienyl radical

The kinetics of the nitric oxide catalyzed, homogeneous, gas-phase isomerization of 1,trans-3,trans-5-heptatriene have been studied for temperatures ranging between 130°C and 241°C. The very clean reaction involves exclusive geometrical isomerization about the 5,6-π-bond. The observed rate constants for \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm NO} + trans - {\rm 3,}trans{\rm - 5}\stackrel{1}{\rightarrow}trans - 3,cis - 5 + {\rm NO} $\end{document} can be represented (with standard errors) by log k₁ = (7.18 ± 0.06) – (16.75 ± 0.12)/θ, where θ = 2.303 R T in kcal/mole. The consecutive-step reaction mechanism involves addition of NO to the double bond (K_{a, b} = k_a/k_b), followed by rotation of the 5,6-C? C bond in the adduct radical (k_c.) Analysis of the observed activation parameters shows, that k_c is rate-controlling and consequently k₁ = k_cK_{a, b}. Estimates of k_c and K_{a, b} lead to a value of k₁ in good agreement with experiment. Comparing our data with those previously obtained for the similar 1,3-pentadiene system results in a value for the extra stabilization energy generated in the 1,3-heptadienyl radical of 18.5 ± 1.7 kcal/mole. This value is discussed in view of comparable data in the literature.     

Melting behavior of isotactic polystyrene

The melting behavior of isotactic polystyrene, crystallized from the melt and from dilute solutions in trans-decalin, has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry and solubility measurements. The melting curves show 1, 2, or 3 melting endotherms. At large supercooling, crystallization from the melt produces a small melting endotherm just above the crystallization temperature T_c. This peak originates from secondary crystallization of melt trapped within the spherulites. The next melting endotherm is related to the normal primary crystallization process. Its peak temperature increases linearly with T_c, yielding an extrapolated value for the equilibrium melting temperature T_c° of 242 ± 1°C as found before. By self-seeding, crystallization from the melt could be performed at much higher temperature to obtain melting temperatures as high as 243°C, giving rise to doubt about the value of T_c° found by extrapolation. For normal values of T_c and heating rate, an extra endotherm appears on the melting curve. Its peak temperature is the same for both melt-crystallized and solution-crystallized samples, and independent of T_c, but rises with decreasing heating rate. From the effects of heating rate and partial scanning on the ratio of peak areas and of previous heat treatment on dissolution temperature, it is concluded that this peak arises from the second one by continuous melting and recrystallization during the scan.     

Temperature dependence of vibrational energy transfer in the “low” pressure competitive two-channel 1,1-cyclopropane-d2 system

Intermolecular energy transfer has been studied in the two-channel competitive isomerization of 1,1-cyclopropane-d₂, both in the neat system and in the presence of helium bath gas at values of k/k^? centered around 0.02. The competing path ways differ in threshold energy by ≈ 0.6 kcal. The temperature range 773 K to 973 K was covered. Several methods of treating the data, whether by isotopic ratios of rate constants or by temperature dependence of fall off, are each independent of a knowledge of collision cross sections. Used in conjunction, they provide measurements of these quantities. Cyclopropane is an operationally strong collider (β_ω = 1) for itself at 773 K with an average down step size, <ΔE/s> >/ 10 kcal mole ^?1 (>/ 3500 cm^?1). At 973 K the substrate is no longer a strong collider; β_ω declines to ≈ 0.55 with <ΔE/s> ≈ 5.2 kcal mole^?1. For helium the corresponding quantities are β_ω ≈ 0.078 <ΔE/s> ≈ 1.1 kcal mole ^?1 declining to β_ω ≈ 0.010 and <ΔE/s> ≈ 0.53 kcal mole^?1. The several methods of measuring these quantities give excellent independent agreement. Comparison with the earlier theoretical formulation of Tardy and Rabinovitch gives good agreement, the temperature dependence of β_ω for the weak collider, helium, follows the relation β_ω ∝ T^?m, where m /s> 2.