Quantum molecular dynamics study of water on TiO2(110) surface

The adsorption of water on perfect TiO(2)(110) surface is studied by quantum molecular dynamics simulation adopting a periodic model formed by five water molecules on a (5 x 1) surface unit cell of a five layer slab of TiO(2). The total simulation time is 3.2 ps. At about 1.3 ps, one water molecule dissociates with the help of other adsorbed waters and surface bridging oxygens. During the remaining 1.9 ps, the waters and OH groups vibrate, but no more dissociation or recombination is observed. By comparing recent experimental O1s photoemission (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) spectra of H(2)O/TiO(2)(110) to the computed spectrum of the adsorbate in the configurations supplied by the molecular dynamics simulation, the observed peaks can be attributed to different oxygen species. The proposed assignment of the main spectral features supports the occurrence of partial water dissociation (approximately 20%) also on a perfect TiO(2) surface.     

Adsorption and reaction of methanol on stoichiometric and defective SrTiO3(100) surfaces

The adsorption and reaction of methanol (CH(3)OH) on stoichiometric (TiO(2)-terminated) and reduced SrTiO(3)(100) surfaces have been investigated using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and first-principles density-functional calculations. Methanol adsorbs mostly nondissociatively on the stoichiometric SrTiO(3)(100) surface that contains predominately Ti(4+) cations. Desorption of a monolayer methanol from the stoichiometric surface is observed at approximately 250 K, whereas desorption of a multilayer methanol is found to occur at approximately 140 K. Theoretical calculations predict weak adsorption of methanol on TiO(2)-terminated SrTiO(3)(100) surfaces, in agreement with the experimental results. However, the reduced SrTiO(3)(100) surface containing Ti(3+) cations exhibits higher reactivity toward adsorbed methanol, and H(2), CH(4), and CO are the major decomposition products. The surface defects on the reduced SrTiO(3)(100) surface are partially reoxidized upon saturation exposure of CH(3)OH onto this surface at 300 K.     

Imaging adsorbate O-H bond cleavage: methanol on TiO2(110)

We investigated methanol adsorption and dissociation on bridge-bonded oxygen vacancies of the TiO2(110)-(1x1) surface using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. We provide the first direct evidence that methanol dissociates on oxygen vacancies via O-H bond scission rather than C-O scission. For CH3OH coverages lower than the oxygen vacancy concentration, stationary methoxy-hydroxyl pairs form. At CH3OH coverages close to the oxygen vacancy concentration undissociated mobile CH3OH interacts with methoxy-hydroxyl pairs and facilitates the movement of hydroxyl away from the methoxy group.     

Theoretical study of adsorption of O((3)P) and H(2)O on the rutile TiO(2)(110) surface

The adsorption of oxygen atoms O(3P) on both ideal and hydrated rutile TiO(2)(110) surfaces is investigated by periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations within the revised Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (RPBE) generalized gradient approximation and a four Ti-layer slab, with (2 x 1) and (3 x 1) surface unit cells. It is shown that upon adsorption on the TiO(2) surface the spin of the O atom is completely lost, leading to stable surface peroxide species on both in-plane and bridging oxygen sites with O-binding energies of about 1.0-1.5 eV, rather than to the kinetically unstable terminal Ti-O and terminal O-O species with smaller binding energies of 0.1-0.7 eV. Changes in O-atom coverage ratios between 1/3 and 1 molecular layer (ML) and coadsorption of H(2)O have only minor effects on the O-binding energies of the stable peroxide configurations. High O-atom diffusion barriers of about 1 eV are found, suggesting a slow recombination rate of adsorbed O atoms on TiO(2)(110). Our results suggest that the TiOOTi peroxide intermediate experimentally observed in photoelectrolysis of water should be interpreted as a single spinless O adatom on TiO(2) surface rather than as two Ti-O* radicals coupled together.     

Overtone-induced dissociation and isomerization dynamics of the hydroxymethyl radical (CH2OH and CD2OH). I. A theoretical study

The dissociation of the hydroxymethyl radical, CH(2)OH, and its isotopolog, CD(2)OH, following the excitation of high OH stretch overtones is studied by quasi-classical molecular dynamics calculations using a global potential energy surface (PES) fitted to ab initio calculations. The PES includes CH(2)OH and CH(3)O minima, dissociation products, and all relevant barriers. Its analysis shows that the transition states for OH bond fission and isomerization are both very close in energy to the excited vibrational levels reached in recent experiments and involve significant geometry changes relative to the CH(2)OH equilibrium structure. The energies of key stationary points are refined using high-level electronic structure calculations. Vibrational energies and wavefunctions are computed by coupled anharmonic vibrational calculations. They show that high OH-stretch overtones are mixed with other modes. Consequently, trajectory calculations carried out at energies about ~3000 cm(-1) above the barriers reveal that despite initial excitation of the OH stretch, the direct OH bond fission is relatively slow (10 ps) and a considerable fraction of the radicals undergoes isomerization to the methoxy radical. The computed dissociation energies are: D(0)(CH(2)OH → CH(2)O + H) = 10,188 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CD(2)O + H) = 10,167 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CHDO + D) = 10,787 cm(-1). All are in excellent agreement with the experimental results. For CH(2)OH, the barriers for the direct OH bond fission and isomerization are: 14,205 and 13,839 cm(-1), respectively.     

水对甲醇在Rutile-TiO2(110)-(1 ×1)表面光催化解离的影响简

采用程序升温脱附方法研究了甲醇分子吸附在真空退火后的二氧化钛（110）表面的光催化过程,对比分析了单独吸附甲醇分子以及甲醇分子与水分子共吸附情况下的光催化解离过程. 结果表明,在二氧化钛（110）表面吸附的甲醇分子对共吸附水分子的光催化解离过程并没有直接的帮助作用. 共吸附状态下的水分子也同样没有影响到甲醇的光致解离过程,但是水分子的存在抑制了甲醇光解产物甲醛的光致脱附过程,同时促进了甲酸甲酯的形成.     

Infrared spectroscopic observation of the group 13 metal hydroxides, M(OH)1,2,3 (M =Al, Ga, In, and Tl) and HAl(OH)2

Reactions of laser-ablated Al, Ga, In, and Tl atoms with H2O2 and with H2 + O2 mixtures diluted in argon give new absorptions in the O-H and M-O stretching and O-H bending regions, which are assigned to the metal mono-, di-, and trihydroxide molecules. Isotopic substitutions (D2O2, 18O2, 16,18O2, HD, and D2) confirm the assignments, and DFT calculations reproduce the experimental results. Infrared spectra for the Al(OH)(OD) molecule verify the calculated C2v structure. The trihydroxide molecules increase on annealing from the spontaneous reaction with a second H2O2 molecule. Aluminum atom reactions with the H2 + O2 mixtures favor the HAl(OH)2 product, suggesting that AlH3 generated by UV irradiation combines with O2 to form HAl(OH)2.     

Overtone-induced dissociation and isomerization dynamics of the hydroxymethyl radical (CH2OH and CD2OH). II. Velocity map imaging studies

The dissociation of the hydroxymethyl radical, CH(2)OH, and its isotopolog, CD(2)OH, following excitation in the 4ν(1) region (OH stretch overtone, near 13,600 cm(-1)) was studied using sliced velocity map imaging. A new vibrational band near 13,660 cm(-1) arising from interaction with the antisymmetric CH stretch was discovered for CH(2)OH. In CD(2)OH dissociation, D atom products (correlated with CHDO) were detected, providing the first experimental evidence of isomerization in the CH(2)OH ? CH(3)O (CD(2)OH ? CHD(2)O) system. Analysis of the H (D) fragment kinetic energy distributions shows that the rovibrational state distributions in the formaldehyde cofragments are different for the OH bond fission and isomerization pathways. Isomerization is responsible for 10%-30% of dissociation events in all studied cases, and its contribution depends on the excited vibrational level of the radical. Accurate dissociation energies were determined: D(0)(CH(2)OH → CH(2)O + H) = 10,160 ± 70 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CD(2)O + H) = 10,135 ± 70 cm(-1), D(0)(CD(2)OH → CHDO + D) = 10,760 ± 60 cm(-1).     

Infrared spectra of M(OH)(1,2,3) (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) molecules in solid argon and the character of first row transition metal hydroxide bonding

Reactions of laser-ablated Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni atoms with H(2)O(2) and with H(2) + O(2) mixtures in excess argon give new absorptions in the O-H and M-O stretching regions, which are assigned to metal dihydroxide and trihydroxide molecules, M(OH)(2) and M(OH)(3). Isotopic substitutions (D(2)O(2), (18)O(2), (16,18)O(2), D(2)) confirmed the assignments and DFT calculations reproduced the experimental results. The O-H stretching frequencies decreased in the dihydroxides from Sc to Zn. Mulliken and natural charge distributions indicate significant electron transfer from metal d orbitals to OH ligands that decreases from Sc to Zn, suggesting that the early transition metal hydroxides are more ionic and that the later transition metal hydroxides are more covalent.     

Monomeric MnIII/II and FeIII/II complexes with terminal hydroxo and oxo ligands: probing reactivity via O-H bond dissociation energies

Non-heme manganese and iron complexes with terminal hydroxo or oxo ligands are proposed to mediate the transfer of hydrogen atoms in metalloproteins. To investigate this process in synthetic systems, the monomeric complexes [M(III/II)H(3)1(OH)](-/2-) and [M(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) have been prepared, where M(III/II) = Mn and Fe and [H(3)1](3-) is the tripodal ligand, tris[(N'-tert-butylureaylato)-N-ethyl)]aminato. These complexes have similar primary and secondary coordination spheres, which are enforced by [H(3)1](3-). The homolytic bond dissociation energies (BDEs(O-H)) for the M(III/II)-OH complexes were determined, using experimentally obtained values for the pK(a)(M-OH) and E(1/2) measured in DMSO. This thermodynamic analysis gave BDEs(O-H) of 77(4) kcal/mol for [Mn(II)H(3)1(O-H)](2-) and 66(4) kcal/mol for [Fe(II)H(3)1(O-H)](2-). For the M(III)-OH complexes, [Mn(III)H(3)1(OH)]- and [Fe(III)H(3)1(OH)]-, BDEs(O-H) of 110(4) and 115(4) kcal/mol were obtained. These BDEs(O-H) were verified with reactivity studies with substrates having known X-H bond energies (X = C, N, O). For instance, [Fe(II)H(3)1(OH)](2-) reacts with a TEMPO radical to afford [Fe(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) and TEMPO-H in isolated yields of 60 and 75%, respectively. Consistent with the BDE(O-H) values for [Mn(II)H(3)1(OH)](2-), TEMPO does not react with this complex, yet TEMPO-H (BDE(O-H) = 70 kcal/mol) reacts with [Mn(III)H(3)1(O)](2-), forming TEMPO and [Mn(II)H(3)1(OH)](2-). [Mn(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) and [Fe(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) react with other organic substrates containing C-H bonds less than 80 kcal/mol, including 9,10-dihydroanthracene and 1,4-cyclohexadiene to produce [M(II)H(3)1(OH)](2-) and the appropriate dehydrogenated product in yields of greater than 80%. Treating [Mn(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) and [Fe(III)H(3)1(O)](2-) with phenolic compounds does not yield the product expected from hydrogen atom transfer but rather the protonated complexes, [Mn(III)H(3)1(OH)]- and [Fe(III)H(3)1(OH)]-, which is ascribed to the highly basic nature of the terminal oxo group.     

A new type of strong metal-support interaction and the production of H2 through the transformation of water on Pt/CeO2(111) and Pt/CeO(x)/TiO2(110) catalysts

The electronic properties of Pt nanoparticles deposited on CeO(2)(111) and CeO(x)/TiO(2)(110) model catalysts have been examined using valence photoemission experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The valence photoemission and DFT results point to a new type of "strong metal-support interaction" that produces large electronic perturbations for small Pt particles in contact with ceria and significantly enhances the ability of the admetal to dissociate the O-H bonds in water. When going from Pt(111) to Pt(8)/CeO(2)(111), the dissociation of water becomes a very exothermic process. The ceria-supported Pt(8) appears as a fluxional system that can change geometry and charge distribution to accommodate adsorbates better. In comparison with other water-gas shift (WGS) catalysts [Cu(111), Pt(111), Cu/CeO(2)(111), and Au/CeO(2)(111)], the Pt/CeO(2)(111) surface has the unique property that the admetal is able to dissociate water in an efficient way. Furthermore, for the codeposition of Pt and CeO(x) nanoparticles on TiO(2)(110), we have found a transfer of O from the ceria to Pt that opens new paths for the WGS process and makes the mixed-metal oxide an extremely active catalyst for the production of hydrogen.     

SO2 on TiO2(110) and Ti2O3(102) nonpolar surfaces: a DFT study

Density functional molecular cluster calculations have been used to investigate the interaction of SO(2) with defect-free TiO(2)(110) and Ti(2)O(3)(102) surfaces. Adsorbate geometries and chemisorption enthalpies have been computed and discussed. Several local minima have been found for TiO(2)(110), but only one seems to be relevant for the catalytic conversion of SO(2) to S. In agreement with experiment, the bonding of SO(2) to Ti(2)O(3)(102) is much stronger than that on TiO(2)(110). Moreover, our results are consistent with the surface oxidation and the formation of strong Ti-O and Ti-S bonds. On both substrates, the bonding is characterized by a two-way electron flow involving a donation from the SO(2) HOMO into virtual orbitals of surface Lewis acid sites (), assisted by a back-donation from surface states into the SO(2) LUMO. However, the localization of surface states and the strength of back-donation are very different on the two surfaces. On TiO(2)(110), back-donation is weaker, and it involves unsaturated bridging O atoms, while on Ti(2)O(3)(102), it implies the -based valence band maximum and significantly weakens the S-O bond.     

A density functional theory study of hydrogen dissociation and diffusion at the perimeter sites of Au/TiO2

Reactivity of supported gold catalysts is a hot topic in catalysis for many years. This communication reports an investigation on the dissociation of molecular hydrogen at the perimeter sites of Au/TiO(2) and the spillover of hydrogen atoms from the gold to the support using density functional theory calculations. It is found that the heterolytic dissociation is favoured in comparison with homolytic dissociation of molecular hydrogen at the perimeter sites. However, the surface oxygen of the rutile TiO(2)(110) surface at these sites can be readily passivated by the formed OH, suggesting that further dissociation of molecular hydrogen may occur at pure gold sites.     

Charge penetration and the origin of large O-H vibrational red-shifts in hydrated-electron clusters, (H2O)n-

The origin of O-H vibrational red-shifts observed experimentally in (H2O)n(-) clusters is analyzed using electronic structure calculations, including natural bond orbital analysis. The red-shifts are shown to arise from significant charge transfer and strong donor-acceptor stabilization between the unpaired electron and O-H sigma* orbitals on a nearby water molecule in a double hydrogen-bond-acceptor ("AA") configuration. The extent of e(-) --> sigma* charge transfer is comparable to the n --> sigma* charge transfer in the most strongly hydrogen-bonded X(-)(H2O) complexes (e.g., X = F, O, OH), even though the latter systems exhibit much larger vibrational red-shifts. In X(-)(H2O), the proton affinity of X(-) induces a low-energy XH...(-)OH diabatic state that becomes accessible in v = 1 of the shared-proton stretch, leading to substantial anharmonicity in this mode. In contrast, the H + (-)OH(H2O)(n-1) diabat of (H2O)n(-) is not energetically accessible; thus, the O-H stretching modes of the AA water are reasonably harmonic, and their red-shifts are less dramatic. Only a small amount of charge penetrates beyond the AA water molecule, even upon vibrational excitation of these AA modes. Implications for modeling of the aqueous electron are discussed.     

Selective oxidation of methanol and ethanol on supported ruthenium oxide clusters at low temperatures

RuO2 domains supported on SnO2, ZrO2, TiO2, Al2O3, and SiO2 catalyze the oxidative conversion of methanol to formaldehyde, methylformate, and dimethoxymethane with unprecedented rates and high combined selectivity (>99%) and yield at low temperatures (300-400 K). Supports influence turnover rates and the ability of RuO2 domains to undergo redox cycles required for oxidation turnovers. Oxidative dehydrogenation turnover rates and rates of stoichiometric reduction of RuO2 in H2 increased in parallel when RuO2 domains were dispersed on more reducible supports. These support effects, the kinetic effects of CH3OH and O2 on reaction rates, and the observed kinetic isotope effects with CH3OD and CD3OD reactants are consistent with a sequence of elementary steps involving kinetically relevant H-abstraction from adsorbed methoxide species using lattice oxygen atoms and with methoxide formation in quasi-equilibrated CH3OH dissociation on nearly stoichiometric RuO2 surfaces. Anaerobic transient experiments confirmed that CH3OH oxidation to HCHO requires lattice oxygen atoms and that selectivities are not influenced by the presence of O2. Residence time effects on selectivity indicate that secondary HCHO-CH3OH acetalization reactions lead to hemiacetal or methoxymethanol intermediates that convert to dimethoxymethane in reactions with CH3OH on support acid sites or dehydrogenate to form methylformate on RuO2 and support redox sites. These conclusions are consistent with the tendency of Al2O3 and SiO2 supports to favor dimethoxymethane formation, while SnO2, ZrO2, and TiO2 preferentially form methylformate. These support effects on secondary reactions were confirmed by measured CH3OH oxidation rates and selectivities on physical mixtures of supported RuO2 catalysts and pure supports. Ethanol also reacts on supported RuO2 domains to form predominately acetaldehyde and diethoxyethane at 300-400 K. The bifunctional nature of these reaction pathways and the remarkable ability of RuO2-based catalysts to oxidize CH3OH to HCHO at unprecedented low temperatures introduce significant opportunities for new routes to complex oxygenates, including some containing C-C bonds, using methanol or ethanol as intermediates derived from natural gas or biomass.     

From linear inorganic chains to helices: chirality in the M(pyz)(H(2)O)(2)MoO(2)F(4) (M = Zn,Cd) compounds

Cd(C(4)H(4)N(2))(H(2)O)(2)MoO(2)F(4) (C(4)H(4)N(2) = pyrazine, pyz) was synthesized via hydro(solvato)thermal methods and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods (P3(2)()21, no. 154, Z = 3, a = 7.4328(7) A, c = 16.376(2) A). Both of the known M(pyz)(H(2)O)(2)MoO(2)F(4) (M = Zn, Cd) compounds are comprised of trans-M(pyz)(2)(OH(2))(2)F(2) and cis-MoO(2)F(4) octahedra that share fluoride vertices to form helical chains along the 3-fold screw axes. Individual chains are bridged to six symmetry-equivalent helices through metal-pyrazine and OH(2)...F and OH(2)...O hydrogen bonds. Structural comparisons of similar oxyfluoride chains demonstrate that they can be varied from linear to helical through (1) the replacement of pyridine or pyrazine by H(2)O molecules and (2) the substitution of cis-directing MoO(2)F(4)(2-) anions in place of trans-directing WO(2)F(4)(2-) or TiF(6)(2-) anions. Infrared absorption (IR) measurements for M = Cd show two distinct O-H stretches corresponding to hydrogen-bonded O-H...F and O-H...O groups. Contrastingly for M = Zn, IR measurements exhibit O-H stretches for averaged hydrogen-bonded O-H...(O/F) groups, free (unbound) O-H groups, and higher energy Mo-F stretches. The IR data suggest a small fraction of the O-H...F hydrogen bonds are broken in the M = Zn analogue as a result of the racemic twinning. Both compounds exhibit nonlinear optical behavior, with second harmonic generation (SHG) intensities, relative to SiO(2), of approximately 0.25 ( = 0.28 pm/V) for the racemically twinned Zn(pyz)(H(2)O)(2)MoO(2)F(4) and approximately 1.0 ( = 0.55 pm/V) for the enantiopure Cd(pyz)(H(2)O)(2)MoO(2)F(4).     

Comparative Study of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Redox Reactions: PW(12)O(40)(3-) vs TiO(2)

Polyoxometalates (POMs) as a homogeneous photocatalyst and semiconductor oxide as a heterogeneous photocatalyst share many aspects of similarity in their operating mechanisms. This study systematically compares various photocatalytic oxidation and reduction reactions of PW12O403- (a POM) and TiO2 in water to demonstrate that the two photocatalysts are very different in many ways. Both POM and TiO2 can photooxidize various organic compounds with comparable rates, but the POM-mediated mineralization is markedly slower than the mineralization with TiO2 under the experimental conditions employed in this study. Kinetic studies using tert-butyl alcohol as an OH radical scavenger suggest that OH radicals are the sole dominant photooxidant in POM-mediated degradations regardless of the kind of substrates tested, whereas both OH radicals and direct hole transfers take part in TiO2 photocatalysis. POM immobilization on silica support and surface fluorination of TiO2 significantly modified the kinetics and intermediate distribution. POM-mediated photoreductive dechlorination of CCl4 and trichloroacetate was negligible, whereas the dechlorination with TiO2 was markedly faster. The rate of electron transfer from POM- to reducible substrates seems to be significantly slower than the rate of conduction band electron transfer on TiO2 mainly due to the strong electron affinity of POM. The effects of H2O2 addition on photocatalytic reactivity are also very different between POM and TiO2. Detailed kinetic and mechanistic comparisons between PW12O403- and TiO2 photocatalysts are presented and discussed to understand the similarities and differences.     

铝材表面状态对TiO2薄膜光催化性能和光致亲水性的影响

在纯铝片和具有氧化铝层的铝片上用提拉法制备TiO2/Al和TiO2/Al2O3/Al样片,通过FTIRATR技术和密闭间歇式反应装置分别考察了TiO2薄膜对油酸和乙烯的光催化降解性能,通过测试接触角考察TiO2薄膜的光致亲水性.结果表明,TiO2/Al2O3/Al对油酸的光降解性能比TiO2/Al的好,但其光催化氧化乙烯性能和光致亲水性能较差.这种差别可通过不同过程的作用机理和Al与TiO2表面的电子转移作用得到较好解释,由此得出TiO2薄膜的光催化性能与光致亲水性可能是两种既有联系又相互独立的性质     

Kinetic and DFT studies on the Ag/TiO2-photocatalyzed selective reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline.

TiO2 particles loaded with silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 1.5 nm exhibit a high photocatalytic activity (84 % conversion after 1 h irradiation) for the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline with 100 % selectivity in the presence of CH3OH (concentration=100 mM). High-resolution transmission electron microscopic studies of Pt-photodeposited Ag/TiO2 demonstrate that the Ag nanoparticles act as reduction sites in the photocatalytic reaction. Both spectroscopic measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that nitrobenzene is selectively adsorbed onto the Ag surfaces of Ag/TiO2 via partial electron transfer from Ag to nitrobenzene, whereas the interaction between aniline and Ag/TiO2 is weak. The kinetic analysis indicates that the recombination between the electrons flowing into the Ag nanoparticle and the holes left in the TiO2 valence band is significantly suppressed, particularly in the presence of CH3OH. The high activity and selectivity in the present Ag/TiO2-photocatalyzed reduction are rationalized in terms of the charge separation efficiency, the selective adsorption of the reactants on the catalyst surfaces, and the restriction of the product readsorption.     

Electronic structure of the hydroxo and methoxo oxometalate anions MO3(OH)- and MO3(OCH3)- (M = Cr, Mo, and W)

The electronic structure of the mononuclear hydroxo MO3(OH)- and methoxo MO3(OCH3)- Group 6 oxometalate anions (M = Cr, Mo, and W) were examined by photodetachment photoelectron spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations at the density functional and CCSD(T) levels of theory. All of the anions exhibited high electron binding energies (>4.9 eV), with the lowest-energy detachment features arising from oxygen 2p-based orbitals. The combined experimental and theoretical results allowed the change in molecular orbital energy levels to be investigated as a function of metal (Cr, Mo, or W) and ligand (-OH, -OCH3). A number of fundamental thermodynamic properties of the anions and corresponding neutrals were predicted on the basis of the theoretical calculations. The calculations indicate high O-H bond dissociation energies for MO2(OR)(O-H) (R = H, CH3) and MO3(O-H), consistent with their high Br?nsted acidities (just below that of H2SO4 in the gas phase) and the high ionization energies of their conjugate base anions. This suggests that the corresponding radicals should readily abstract H atoms from organic molecules.