Direct dynamics study of the hydrogen abstraction reaction of CF3CH2Cl + Cl → CF3CHCl + HCl

The hydrogen abstraction reaction of Cl atoms with CF₃CH₂Cl (HCFC‐133a) is investigated by using density function theory and ab initio approach, and the rate constants are calculated by using the dual‐level direct dynamics method. Optimized geometries and frequencies of reactants, transition state, and products are computed at the B3LYP/6‐311+G(2d,2p) level. To refine the energetic information along the minimum energy path, single‐point energy calculations are carried out at the G3(MP2) level of theory. The interpolated single‐point energy method is employed to correct the energy profiles for the title reaction. The rate constants are evaluated by using the canonical variational transition state theory with a small‐curvature tunneling correction over a wide range of temperature, 200–2000 K. The variational effect for the reaction is moderate at low temperatures and very small at high temperatures. However, the tunneling correction has an important contribution in the lower temperature range. The agreement between calculated rate constants and available experimental values is good at lower temperatures but diverges significantly at higher temperatures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 661–667, 2012     

Kinetics of the reaction O(3P) + SO2 + M → SO3 + M over the temperature range of 299°–440°K

Rate constants for the reaction O(³P) + SO₂ + M have been determined over the temperature range of 299°–440°K, using a flash photolysis–NO₂ chemiluminescence technique. For M?Ar, the Arrhenius expression was obtained. At room temperature k₂^Ar = (1.05 ± 0.21) × 10^?33 cm⁶/molec²·sec. In addition, the rate constants k₂ = (1.37 + 0.27) × 10^?33 cm⁶/molec²·sec, k₂ = (9.5 ± 3.0) ± 10^?33 cm⁶/molec²·sec, k₃ = (1.1 ± 0.2) ± 10^?31 cm⁶/molec²·sec, and k₃ = (2.6 ? 0.9) ± 10^?31 cm⁶/molec²·sec were obtained at room temperature where k₃^M is the rate constant for the reaction O + NO + M → NO₂ + M. The rate data are compared and discussed with literature values.     

Stereo‐dynamics of the F + HCl → HF + Cl reaction

We present a quasi‐classical trajectory (QCT) study on product polarization for the reaction F(²P) + HCl(v = 0, j = 0) → HF + Cl(²P) on a recently computed 1² A′ ground‐state surface reported by Deskevich et al. J Chem Phys, 2006, 124, 224303. Four polarization dependent generalized differential cross‐sections (2π/σ)(dσ₀₀/dω_t), (2π/σ)(dσ₂₀/dω_t), (2π/σ)(dσ₂₂₊/dω_t), and (2π/σ)(dσ_21?/dω_t) were calculated in the center‐of‐mass frame at four different collision energies. The obtained P(θ_r), P(?_r), and P(θ_r, ?_r), which denote respectively the distribution of angles between k and j′, the distribution of dihedral angle denoting k‐k′‐j′ correlation and the angular distribution of product rotational vectors in the form of polar plots, indicate that the degree of rotational alignment of the product HF molecule is strong and the degree of the rotational alignment decreases as collision energy increases. The product rotational angular momentum vector j′ is not only aligned, but also oriented along the y‐axis, and the molecular rotation of the product prefers an in‐plane reaction mechanism rather than the out‐of‐plane mechanism. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Ab initio and direct quasiclassical-trajectory study of the Cl + CH4-->HCl + CH3 reaction

We present an electronic structure and dynamics study of the Cl + CH(4)--> HCl + CH(3) reaction. We have characterized the stationary points of the ground-state potential-energy surface using various electronic structure methods and basis sets. Our best calculations, CCSD(T) extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit based on geometries and harmonic frequencies obtained at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pvtz level, are in agreement with the experimental reaction energy and indirect measurements of the barrier height. Using ab initio information, we have reparametrized a semiempirical Hamiltonian so that the predictions of the improved Hamiltonian agree with the higher-level calculations in various regions of the potential-energy surface. This improved semiempirical Hamiltonian is then used to propagate quasiclassical trajectories and characterize the reaction dynamics. The good agreement of the calculated HCl rotational and angular distributions with the experiment indicates that reparametrizing semiempirical Hamiltonians is a promising approach to derive accurate potential-energy surfaces for polyatomic reactions. However, excessive energy leakage from the initial vibrational energy of the CH(4) molecule to the reaction coordinate in the trajectory calculations calls into question the suitability of the standard quasiclassical-trajectory method to describe energy partitioning in polyatomic reactions.     

Effect of bending and torsional mode excitation on the reaction Cl+CH4-->HCl+CH3

A beam containing CH(4), Cl(2), and He is expanded into a vacuum chamber where CH(4) is prepared via infrared excitation in a combination band consisting of one quantum of excitation each in the bending and torsional modes (nu(2)+nu(4)). The reaction is initiated by fast Cl atoms generated by photolysis of Cl(2) at 355 nm, and the resulting CH(3) and HCl products are detected in a state-specific manner using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). By comparing the relative amplitudes of the action spectra of Cl+CH(4)(nu(2)+nu(4)) and Cl+CH(4)(nu(3)) reactions, we determine that the nu(2)+nu(4) mode-driven reaction is at least 15% as reactive as the nu(3) (antisymmetric stretch) mode-driven reaction. The REMPI spectrum of the CH(3) products shows no propensity toward the formation of umbrella bend mode excited methyl radical, CH(3)(nu(2)=1), which is in sharp distinction to the theoretical expectation based on adiabatic correlations between CH(4) and CH(3). The rotational distribution of HCl(v=1) products from the Cl+CH(4)(nu(2)+nu(4)) reaction is hotter than the corresponding distribution from the Cl+CH(4)(nu(3)) reaction, even though the total energies of the two reactions are the same within 4%. An explanation for this enhanced rotational excitation of the HCl product from the Cl+CH(4)(nu(2)+nu(4)) reaction is offered in terms of the projection of the bending motion of the CH(4) reagent onto the rotational motion of the HCl product. The angular distributions of the HCl(nu=0) products from the Cl+CH(4)(nu(2)+nu(4)) reaction are backward scattered, which is in qualitative agreement with theoretical calculation. Overall, nonadiabatic product vibrational correlation and mode specificity of the reaction indicate that either the bending mode or the torsional mode or both modes are strongly coupled to the reaction coordinate.     

State-to-state dynamics of the Cl + CH3OH --> HCl + CH2OH reaction

Molecular chlorine, methanol, and helium are co-expanded into a vacuum chamber using a custom designed "late-mixing" nozzle. The title reaction is initiated by photolysis of Cl2 at 355 nm, which generates monoenergetic Cl atoms that react with CH3OH at a collision energy of 1960 +/- 170 cm(-1) (0.24 +/- 0.02 eV). Rovibrational state distributions of the nascent HCl products are obtained via 2 + 1 resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization, center-of-mass scattering distributions are measured by the core-extraction technique, and the average internal energy of the CH3OH co-products is deduced by measuring the spatial anisotropy of the HCl products. The majority (84 +/- 7%) of the HCl reaction products are formed in HCl(v = 0) with an average rotational energy of [Erot] = 390 +/- 70 cm(-1). The remaining 16 +/- 7% are formed in HCl(v = 1) and have an average rotational energy of [Erot] = 190 +/- 30 cm(-1). The HCl(v = 1) products are primarily forward scattered, and they are formed in coincidence with CH2OH products that have little internal energy. In contrast, the HCl(v = 0) products are formed in coincidence with CH2OH products that have significant internal energy. These results indicate that two or more different mechanisms are responsible for the dynamics in the Cl + CH3OH reaction. We suggest that (1) the HCl(v = 1) products are formed primarily from collisions at high impact parameter via a stripping mechanism in which the CH2OH co-products act as spectators, and (2) the HCl(v = 0) products are formed from collisions over a wide range of impact parameters, resulting in both a stripping mechanism and a rebound mechanism in which the CH2OH co-products are active participants. In all cases, the reaction of fast Cl atoms with CH3OH is with the hydrogen atoms on the methyl group, not the hydrogen on the hydroxyl group.     

Potential energy surface, kinetics, and dynamics study of the Cl+CH4-->HCl+CH3 reaction

A modified and recalibrated potential energy surface for the gas-phase Cl+CH4-->HCl+CH3 reaction is reported and tested. It is completely symmetric with respect to the permutation of the four methane hydrogen atoms and is calibrated with respect to updated experimental and theoretical stationary point properties and experimental forward thermal rate constants. From the kinetics point of view, the forward and reverse thermal rate constants and the activation energies were calculated using the variational transition-state theory with semiclassical transmission coefficients over a wide temperature range of 150-2500 K. The theoretical results reproduce the available experimental data, with a small curvature of the Arrhenius plot which indicates the role of tunneling in this hydrogen abstraction reaction. A dynamics study was also performed on this PES using quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations, including corrections to avoid zero-point energy leakage along the trajectories. First, we found a noticeable internal energy in the coproduct methyl radical, both in the ground-state [CH4 (v=0)] and vibrationally excited [CH4 (v=1)] reactions. This CH3 internal energy was directly precluded in some experiments or oversimplified in previous theoretical studies using pseudotriatomic models. Second, our QCT calculations give HCl rotational distributions slightly hotter than those in experiment, but correctly describing the experimental trend of decreasing the HCl product rotation excitation in going from HCl (v'=0) to HCl (v'=1) for the CH4 (v=1) reaction. Third, the state specific scattering distributions present a reasonable agreement with experiment, although they tend to make the reaction more forward and backward scattered than found experimentally probably because of the hotter rotational distribution and the deficiencies of the QCT methods.     

Quantum Monte Carlo study of the reaction: Cl+CH3OH-->CH2OH+HCl

A theoretical study is reported of the Cl+CH3OH-->CH2OH+HCl reaction based on the diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) variant of the quantum Monte Carlo method. Using a DMC trial function constructed as a product of Hartree-Fock and correlation functions, we have computed the barrier height, heat of reaction, atomization energies, and heats of formation of reagents and products. The DMC heat of reaction, atomization energies, and heats of formation are found to agree with experiment to within the error bounds of computation and experiment. M?ller-Plesset second order perturbation theory (MP2) and density functional theory, the latter in the B3LYP generalized gradient approximation, are found to overestimate the experimental heat of reaction. Intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations at the MP2 level of theory demonstrate that the reaction is predominantly direct, i.e., proceeds without formation of intermediates, which is consistent with a recent molecular beam experiment. The reaction barrier as determined from MP2 calculations is found to be 2.24 kcal/mol and by DMC it is computed to be 2.39(49) kcal/mol.     

Reaction‐path dynamics and theoretical rate constants for the reaction CH4 + O3 → HOOO + CH3

We present a direct ab initio dynamics study of thermal rate constants of the hydrogen abstraction reaction of CH₄ + O₃ → HOOO +CH₃. The geometries of all the stationary points are optimized at MPW1K/6‐31+G(d,p), MPWB1K/6‐31+G(d,p), and BHandHLYP/6‐31+G(d,p) levels of theory. The energies are refined at a multi‐high‐level method. The extended Arrhenius expression fitted from the CVT/SCT and μVT/Eckart rate constants of ozonolysis of methane in the temperature range 200–2500 K are k^CVT/SCT(T) = 5.96 × 10^?29T^4.49e^(?17321.3/T) and k^μVT/Eckart(T) = 7.92 × 10^?29T^4.46e^(?17301.7/T), respectively. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

The very-low-pressure study of the kinetics and equilibrium: Cl + CH4 ⇄ CH3 + HCl at 298 K. The heat of formation of the CH3 radical

The bimolecular rate constant for the direct reaction of chlorine atoms with methane was measured at 25°C by using the very-low-pressure-pyrolysis technique. The rate constant was found to be In addition, the ratio k₁/k_?1 was observed with about 25% accuracy: K₁₍₂₉₈₎ = 1.3 ± 0.3. This gives a heat of formation of the methyl radical ΔH° _{f 298}(CH₃) = 35.1 ± 0.15 kcal/mol. A bond dissociation energy BDE (CH₃ ? H) = 105.1 ± 0.15 kcal/mol in good agreement with literature values was obtained.     

Analysis of flow dynamics in a new,very low pressure reactor. Application to the reaction: Cl + CH4⇌ HCl + CH3

A new, improved variant of the very low pressure reactor (VLPR) system with interchangeable discharge orifices was used for studying the compatibility of the chemical and physical processes occurring simultaneously. It is shown that the ratio of calculated and effective escape rate constants is a complex function of the reactor cell geometry for reactions of non-spherical symmetry. The test reaction of atomic chlorine with methane proved to be a pure chemical process free of side reactions and was used to calibrate the system. The measured rate constant is k₁ = (0.993 ± 0.013) × 10^-13 cm³/molec-s at 25°C. A new procedure is outlined for measuring the equilibrium constant by changing the concentrations of all three components resulting in a remarkable accuracy of K₁ = 1.406 ± 0.034 for the test reaction at 25°C.     

Die Oxochlorotantalate (PPh4)2[Ta2OCl9]2 · 2 CH2Cl2, (PPh4)2[Ta2OCl10] · 2 CH3CN und (K-18-Krone-6)4[Ta4O6Cl12] · 12 CH2Cl2

The Oxochlorotantalates (PPh₄)₂[Ta₂OCl₉]₂ · 2 CH₂Cl₂, (PPh₄)₂[Ta₂OCl₁₀] · 2 CH₃CN, and (K-18-crown-6)₄[Ta₄O₆Cl₁₂] · 12 CH₂Cl₂ (K-18-crown-6)₄[Ta₄O₆Cl₁₂] · 12 CH₂Cl₂ was obtained from a reaction of tantalum pentachloride, K₂S₅ and 18-crwon-6 in dichlormethane. According to its crystal structure analysis it is tetragonal (space group I 4 2d) and contains [Ta₄O₆Cl₁₂]^4– ions that have an adamantane-like Ta₄O₆ skeleton. Each K⁺ ion is coordinated by the oxygen atoms of the crown ether molecule from one side and with three Cl atoms of one [Ta₄O₆Cl₁₂]^4– ion from the opposite side. (PPh₄)₂[Ta₂OCl₁₀] · 2 CH₃CN was a product from PPh₄Cl and TaCl₅ in acetonitrile in the presence of Na₂S₄. Its crystals are monoclinic (space group P2₁/c) and contain centrosymmetric [Ta₂OCl₁₀]^2– ions having a linear Ta–O–Ta grouping with short bonds (Ta–O 189 pm). TaCl₅ and H₂S formed a solid substance (TaSCl₃) from which a small amount of (PPh₄)₂[Ta₂OCl₉]₂ · 2 CH₂Cl₂ was obtained by the reaction with PPh₄Cl in CH₂Cl₂. The anions in the monoclinic crystals (space group P2₁/n) consist of two Ta₂OCl₉^– units which are joined by chloro bridges; each Ta₂OCl₉^– unit has a nearly linear Ta–O–Ta group with differing bond lengths (179 and 202 pm). The oxygen in the compounds probably was introduced by traces of water in the crown ether, acetonitrile or H₂S, respectively.     

Rate constant for the reaction Br + O3 → BrO + O2 from 248 to 418 K: Kinetics and mechanism

The rate constant for the Br + O₃ → BrO + O₂ reaction was measured by the discharge flow technique, employing resonance fluorescence detection of Br. Over the temperature range 248 to 418 K, in 1 to 3 torr of He, decays of Br in excess O₃ yield the value k₁ = (3.28 ± 0.40) × 10^?11 e^[?944±30]/T cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Cited uncertainties are at the 95% confidence level and include an estimate of the systematic errors. The rate constants for the reactions of O₃ with Br, Cl, F, OH, O, and N correlate with the electron affinities of the radicals suggesting that the reactions proceed through early transition states dominated by transfer of electron density from the highest occupied molecular orbital of ozone to the singly occupied radical MO. The implications of this new measurement of k₁ for stratospheric chemistry are discussed.     

Searching for resonances in the reaction Cl+CH4-->HCl+CH3: quantum versus quasiclassical dynamics and comparison with experiments

A quantum-mechanical (QM) and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) study was performed on the title reaction, using a pseudotriatomic ab initio based surface. Probabilities and integral cross sections present some clear peaks versus the collision energy E(col), which we assign to Feshbach resonances of the transition state, where the light H atom oscillates between the heavy Cl and CH(3) groups. For ground-state reactants, reactivity is essentially of quantum origin (QCT observables and oscillations are smaller, or much smaller, than QM ones), and the calculated integral cross section and product distributions are in reasonable agreement with the experiment. The reaction occurs through an abstraction mechanism, following both a direct and an indirect mechanism. The quasiclassical trajectory calculations show the participation of a short-lived collision complex in the microscopic reaction mechanism. Finally, QCT differential cross sections of Cl+CH(4)-->HCl (nu(')=0 and 1)+CH(3) oscillate versus E(col), whereas experimentally this only occurs for HCl (nu(')=1). This theoretical result and other oscillating properties found here could, however, be related to the existence of a Feshbach resonance for the production of HCl (nu(')=1), as suggested by experimentalists.     

Synthesis and Thermal Behaviour of Compounds in the System [Ph4P]Cl/BiCl3 and the Crystal Structures of [Ph4P]3[Bi2Cl9] · 2 CH2Cl2 and [Ph4P]2[Bi2Cl8] · 2 CH3COCH3

Six polynuclear chlorobismuthates are formed in the reaction between BiCl₃ and Ph₄PCl by variation of the molar ratio of the educts, the solvents and the crystallisation methods: [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · 2 CH₂Cl₂, [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · CH₃COCH₃, [Ph₄P]₂[Bi₂Cl₈] · 2 CH₃COCH₃, [Ph₄P]₄[Bi₄Cl₁₆] · 3 CH₃CN, [Ph₄P]₄[Bi₆Cl₂₂], and [Ph₄P]₄[Bi₈Cl₂₈]. We report the crystal structure of [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · 2 CH₂Cl₂ which crystallises with triclinic symmetry in the S. G. P1 No. 2, with the lattice parameters a = 13.080(3) Å, b = 14.369(3) Å, c = 21.397(4) Å, α = 96.83(1)°, β = 95.96(1)°, γ = 95.94(2)°, V = 3943.9(1) ų, Z = 2. The anion is formed from two face‐sharing BiCl₆‐octahedra. [Ph₄P]₂[Bi₂Cl₈] · 2 CH₃COCH₃ crystallises with monoclinic symmetry in the S. G. P2₁/n, No. 14, with the lattice parameters a = 14.045(5) Å, b = 12.921(4) Å, c = 17.098(3) Å, β = 111.10(2)°, V = 2894.8(2) ų, Z = 2. The anion is a bi‐octahedron of two square‐pyramids, joined by a common edge. The octahedral coordination is achieved with two acetone ligands. [Ph₄P]₄[Bi₄Cl₁₆] · 3 CH₃CN crystallises in the triclinic S. G., P1, No. 2, with the lattice parameters a = 14.245(9) Å, b = 17.318(6) Å, c = 24.475(8) Å, α = 104.66(3)°, β = 95.93(3)°, γ = 106.90(4)°, V = 5486(4) ų, Z = 2. Two Bi₂Cl₈ dimers in syn‐position form the cubic anion. Lattice parameters of [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · CH₃COCH₃ are also given. The solvated compounds are desolvated at approximately 100 °C. [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · 2 CH₂Cl₂ and [Ph₄P]₃[Bi₂Cl₉] · CH₃COCH₃ show the same sequence of phase transitions after desolvation. All compounds melt into a liquid in which some order is observed and transform on cooling into the glassy state.     

On the gas-phase free radical displacement reaction CH3 + CD3COCD3 → CD3 + CH3COCD3

The gas-phase free radical displacement reaction has been studied in the temperature range of 240–290°C and at 140°C with the thermal decomposition of azomethane (AM) and di-tert-butylperoxide (DTBP), respectively, as methyl radical sources. The reaction products of the CD₃ radicals were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Assuming negligible isotope effects, Arrhenius parameters for the elementary radical addition reaction were derived: The data are discussed with respect to the back reaction and general features of elementary addition reactions.     

Tetraphenylphosphonium-trichloroplumbat(II), PPh4PbCl3 · CH3CN

Tetraphenylphosphonium Trichloroplumbate(II), PPh₄PbCl₃ · CH₃CN PPh₄PbCl₃ · CH₃CN was obtained by reaction of PbCl₂ and PPh₄Cl in acetonitrile. It was also formed along with (PPh₄)₂Se₂Cl₆ when PbSe was treated with chlorine in the presence of PPh₄Cl. Its crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (R = 0.029 for 4186 reflections). The triclinic crystals contain PbCl₃^– ions that are associated to polymer chains. Each Pb atom has distorted square pyramidal coordination; the pyramids share two opposite basal edges. The chloro bridges are rather asymmetrical.     

Die Chlorooxoarsenate(III) (PPh4)2[As4O2Cl10] · 2 CH3CN und (PPh4)2[As2OCl6] · 3 CH3CN

The Chlorooxoarsenates(III) (PPh₄)₂[As₄O₂Cl₁₀] · 2 CH₃CN and (PPh₄)₂[As₂OCl₆] · 3 CH₃CN (PPh₄)₂[As₂Cl₈] can be prepared from As₂O₃, SOCl₂ and PPh₄Cl in acetonitrile. Its oxidation with chlorine yields PPh₄[AsCl₆]. This was also obtained directly from arsenic, chlorine and PPh₄Cl, (PPh₄)₂[As₄O₂Cl₁₀] · 2 CH₃CN being a side product; the latter was obtained with high yield from AsCl₃, As₂O₃ and PPh₄Cl in acetonitrile. By addition of PPh₄Cl it was converted to (PPh₄)₂[As₂OCl₆] · 3 CH₃CN. According to their X-ray crystal structure analyses, both crystallize in the triclinic space group P 1. The [As₄O₂Cl₁₀]^2– ion can be regarded as a centrosymmetric association product of two Cl₂AsOAsCl₂ molecules and two Cl^– ions, each Cl^– ion being coordinated with all four As atoms. In the [As₂OCl₆]^2– ion the As atoms are linked via the O atom and two Cl atoms.     

Reduced dimensionality quantum dynamics of Cl + CH4 --> HCl + CH3 on an ab initio potential

We study the reaction Cl + CH(4)--> HCl + CH(3) using a 2-D potential energy surface obtained by fitting a double Morse analytical function to high level (CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//MP2/cc-pVTZ)ab initio data. Dynamics simulations are performed in hyperspherical coordinates with the close-coupled equations being solved using R-matrix propagation. Quantum contributions from spectator modes are included via a harmonic zero-point correction to the ab initio data prior to fitting the potential. This is the first time this method has been applied to a heavy-light-heavy reaction and the first time it has been used to study differential cross sections. We find thermal rate constants and state-to-state differential cross sections which are in good agreement with experimental data. We discuss the applicability of our method to the study of kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), which we derive for the CH(4)/CD(4) substitution. The calculated KIE compares favourably with experiment. Finally, we discuss the sensitivity of the results of dynamics simulations on the accuracy of the fitted potential.     

A shock tube study of the reaction NH2 + CH4 → NH3 + CH3 and comparison with transition state theory

The rate coefficient for NH₂ + CH₄ → NH₃ + CH₃ (R1) has been measured in a shock tube in the temperature range 1591–2084 K using FM spectroscopy to monitor NH₂ radicals. The measurements are combined with a calculation of the potential energy surface and canonical transition state theory with WKB tunneling to obtain an expression for k₁ = 1.47 × 10³ T ^3.01 e^?5001/T(K) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 that describes available data in the temperature range 300 –2100 K. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 304–309, 2003