The thermal unimolecular isomerization of cis-hepta-1,3-diene

The reversible isomerization of cis-hepta-1,3-diene to cis-2-trans-4-heptadiene via a 1,5 hydrogen shift has been investigated kinetically at nine temperatures in the range of 475° to 531°K. Equilibrium is reached near 94% reaction. Some cis-2-cis-4-heptadiene is also formed, but at a rate some 60 times slower than the cis,trans isomer. A least-squares analysis of the data yielded the Arrhenius equation for the isomerization of the cis-hepta-1,3-diene: Possible errors in the equilibrium constant measurements are discussed, and employing an equilibrium constant calculated by using group additivity estimates together with the values of k₁, we obtained for the reverse reaction where .     

The Gas-phase thermal unimolecular isomerization of n-propylidenecyclopropylamine to 5-ethyl-1-pyrroline

The gas-phase thermal isomerization of N-propylidenecyclopropylamine has been studied in the temerature range of 573° to 635°K. The reaction is homogeneous and kinetically first order and yields 5-ethyl-1-pyrroline as the sole product. The rate constants are independent of pressure in the range of 2.5 to 55 torr and fit the Arrhenius relationship log k(sec^?1) = (14.05 ± 0.06) - (47.77 ± 0.16)/θ where θ = 2.303 RT in units of kcal/mole, or log k(sec^?1) = (14.05 ± 0.06) - (199.9 ± 0.7)/θ, where θ = 2.303RT in kJ/mole. From considerations of a biradical pathway it is concluded that the resonance stabilization energy of the substituted 2-aza-allyl radical is very similar to that of the methallyl radical.     

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of bromocyclobutane

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of bromocyclobutane has been investigated over the temperature range of 791–1224 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). HBr elimination is the sole mode of decomposition under the experimental conditions. No evidence could be found for the ring-cleavage pathway to ethylene and vinyl bromide. Assuming a four-center transition state and an Arrhenius A factor the same as that for HCl elimination from chlorocyclobutane, RRKM calculations show that the experimental unimolecular rate constants are consistent with the Arrhenius expression where θ = 2.303RT kcal/mol. The activation energy is higher than that for the open-chain analog, 2? bromobutane. This finding is consistent with the results for the corresponding chloro and iodo compounds.     

The thermal isomerization of heptafluorocyclohexadienes

The evidence for the involvement of sigmatropic fluorine migrations in the isomerizations of fluorinated polyenes is reviewed and the difficulties inherent in providing satisfactory rationalizations are discussed. The thermal isomerizations of heptafluorocyclohexadienes under various reaction conditions are described. It is established that such isomerizations occur by a mechanism which does not involve catalysis by fluoride ion, however the exact mechanistic pathway remains uncertain.     

The unimolecular decomposition and isomerization of chemically activated 1-methyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluorocyclopropane

The reaction of CH₂(¹A₁) with 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorocyclopropane was studied at 300 K and at pressures between 9.0 and 365.0 torr. Chemically activated 1-methyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluorocyclopropane was formed and two competitive reaction paths, namely decomposition and isomerization, were observed. By fitting the experimental results to calculated values from RRKM theory, we estimated the Arrhenius parameters for both reaction processess as well as the heat of formation of 1-methyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluorocyclopropane. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The gas-phase thermal unimolecular elimination of 1,1-dimethylketene from 7,7-dimethylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one

The gas-phase thermal decomposition of 7,7-dimethylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one (DBH) to yield cyclopentadiene and 1,1-dimethylketene as primary products was studied in the temperature range of 470-550 °K using a static reaction system. First-order rate constants for the depletion of DBH based on the internal standard technique and gaschromatographic analyses were independent of the initial starting pressure (7-68 torr) and of the conversion, ranging between 5% and 89%. (Throughout this paper, 1 torr = (101.325/760) kNm^?2, and 1 cal = 4.184J). The reaction is essentially homogeneous, as the nature of the reaction vessel surface (Teflon or glass) had no effect on the observed rate constants which fit the Arrhenius relationship where θ = 2.303 RT. These activation parameters, when compared with those for similar reactions involving the molecules bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one, bicyclo[3.2.0]heptan6-one, and cyclobutanone, demonstrate a very small effect of the alkyl substituents bonded to the carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl carbon. Accepting the previously discussed concerted and pronounced polar nature of the mechanism for these retro-ketene addition reactions, the present data suggest that considerable changes in charge densities between the ground and transition state are only occurring on the two opposite centers of the molecule, with the negative charge residing essentially on the oxygen atom and the positive charge on the opposing bridgehead carbon atom. It then appears that the charge separation in the transition state is more appropriately described as being pseudo-zwitterionic rather than quadrupolar in nature.     

The thermal isomerization of 1,1-dimethyl-2-vinylcyclopropane to cis-2-methylhexa-1,4-diene via 1,5-hydrogen migration

The gas phase isomerization of 1,1-dimethyl-2-vinylcyclopropane to cis-2-methylhexa-1,4-diene has been studied in a static system. The isomerization is homogeneous and kinetically first order. The rate constants were independent of initial reactant pressure in the range 0.6 to 2 torr and of added nitrogen up to 180 torr. Rate constants determined at 10 temperatures in the range 200 to 254°C fitted the Arrhenius equation k = 10^11.41±0.02 exp (?33,540 ± 47 cal/RT) sec^?1 The low A factor and activation energy are consistent with a concerted 1,5-hydrogen migration via a “tight” cyclic transition complex.     

Revisiting falloff curves of thermal unimolecular reactions

Master equations for thermal unimolecular reactions and the reverse thermal recombination reactions are solved for a series of model reaction systems and evaluated with respect to broadening factors. It is shown that weak collision center broadening factors F(cent) (wc) can approximately be related to the collision efficiencies β(c) through a relation F(cent) (wc) ≈ max {β(c) (0.14), 0.64(±0.03)}. In addition, it is investigated to what extent weak collision falloff curves in general can be expressed by the limiting low and high pressure rate coefficients together with central broadening factors F(cent) only. It is shown that there cannot be one "best" analytical expression for broadening factors F(x) as a function of the reduced pressure scale x = k(0)∕k(∞). Instead, modelled falloff curves of various reaction systems, for given k(0), k(∞), and F(cent), fall into a band of about 10% width in F(x). A series of analytical expressions for F(x), from simple symmetric to more elaborate asymmetric broadening factors, are compared and shown to reproduce the band of modelled broadening factors with satisfactory accuracy.     

Gas-phase thermal isomerization of hexachlorocyclopropane

The gas-phase thermal isomerization of hexachlorocyclopropane to hexachloropropene at 208–283°C is first order and unaffected by changes in the surface-to-volume ratio or by the addition of iodine, tetrachloroethylene, and oxygen. The first-order rate constants fit the Arrhenius equation The reaction was interpreted as an unimolecular process taking place with chlorine atom migration. A comparison of the reactivities of several chlorocyclopropanes is made.     

The thermal isomerization of terpene compounds in supercritical alcohols

The experimental data obtained were used to construct a kinetic model of the isomerization of α-pinene in supercritical ethanol. The model took into account the influence of both temperature and pressure on the rate and selectivity of the reaction.     

Theoretical study of the thermal unimolecular rearrangement of fluoroethylidenes

The thermal unimolecular isomerization of fluoroethylidenes to the corresponding fluoroethylenes has been studied by the MNDO method. It has been shown that fluorine substitution on the carbene carbon increases the activation energy in comparison with the ethylidene rearrangement. To understand the reason for this increase in the activation energy, the charge-transfer effects have been analyzed. Fluorine substitution at other positions does not significantly affect the activation energies. The thermodynamic parameters for the reaction have been evaluated, using vibrational and rotational spectral data calculated in this work. RRKM calculations have been performed and high-pressure Arrhenius parameters calculated. Hydrogen–deuterium kinetic isotope effects indicate that the reaction rates are altered considerably on isotopic substitution, and the change in reaction rates depends upon the position of deuterium substitution, as well as on the number of hydrogens replaced by deuterium atoms. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photoisomerization and thermal isomerization of arylazoimidazoles

Photoisomerization and thermal isomerization behaviors of an extensive series of arylazoimidazoles are investigated. Absorption spectra are characterized by a structured pipi* absorption band around 330-400 nm with a tail on the lower energy side extending to 500 nm corresponding to an npi* transition. The trans-to-cis photoisomerization occurs on excitation into these absorption bands. The quantum yields are dependent on the excitation wavelength, as observed for azobenzene derivatives, but are generally larger than those of azobenzene. The thermal cis-to-trans isomerization rates are also generally larger than that of azobenzene and are comparable to those of 4-N,N-dimethylaminoazobenzene and 4-nitroazobenzene. Arylazoimidazoles with no substituent on the imidazole nitrogen are unique in that the quantum yield for the trans-to-cis photoisomerization and the rate of thermal cis-to-trans isomerization are particularly large. It is proposed that the fast thermal isomerization is due to an involvement of self-catalyzed and protic molecule-assisted tautomerization to a hydrazone form.     

Effect of intramolecular energy transfer on the rate of unimolecular isomerization: HCN --HNC

This paper reports calculations of the rate of isomerization of HCN - HCN based on the theory of Gary and Rice as extended by Zhao and Rice. The major task is to determine the effect of intramolecular energy transfer on the prediction of the rate of isomerization. Both the full three-dimensional (3D) system and the reduced two-dimensional (2D) system obtained from freezing CN bond at 1.159 A are analyzed to check the validity of the freezing bond approximation. Meanwhile, RRKM rates are calculated to test RRKM choice of the transition state by comparing to Gary-Rice three-state model. The comparison shows that the rates from 2D model and 3D model are differing up to 20% with 2D rates consistently larger. The intramolecular energy transfer modifies the isomerization rate for HCN system up to 30% that is modestly small by the expectation. The isomerization rate predicted from RRKM theory is greater than those of Gary-Rice three-state model theory up to 65%, and it overstimates the rates under all consider     

Weak collision effects: Non-steady-state thermal unimolecular reactions

Bench-mark calculations for non-steady-state thermal systems are presented. Although the equations and calculations were modeled for the isomerization of cyclopropane in the single-pulse shock tube, the results are qualitatively and semiquantitatively correct for any experimental technique in which a finite time is required to energize the reactant to the reaction temperature. A useful parameter in describing this nonequilibrium behavior is the induction time τ₉₅; the log of τ₉₅ is linearly related to the collision frequency ω. For the model cyclopropane system a steady state is reached in ～1 msec when ω ≈ 10⁸ sec^?1 and T ≈ 1500 K.     

Gas phase unimolecular 1,1-hydrogen elimination: Reaction mechanism and isotope effect

The mechanism of unimolecular 1,1-elimination of H₂ from carbocations has been investigated by the semiempirical MNDO method in view of its very good performances in the analogous elimination from H₂CO. Contrary to previous suggestions, the critical configuration obtained at the MNDO level is characterized by a reduced symmetry with respect to the reacting molecule and by a very short H? H distance. RRKM computations of the rate constants and isotope effect employing MNDO results for the activation energies and vibrational frequencies indicate also that the present, nonsynchronous mechanism is compatible with all the available experimental data.     

The effect of protonation on the thermal isomerization of stilbazolium betaines

MINDOC calculations have been carried out on the protonated and unprotonated forms of a stilbazolium betaine. The results show (1) a strong increase by 24 kcal/mol of the torsional barrier around the central bond upon protonation, (2) polar structures for the protonated as well as the unprotonated forms, and (3) strong alterations of the polar structure of the latter during isomerization, and predict a higher pK value for the cis isomer, particularly, in the case of less polar and less protonic solvents.