Theoretical studies of decomposition kinetics of CF3CCl2O radical

The unimolecular decomposition reaction of CF₃CCl₂O radical has been investigated using theoretical methods. Two most important channels of decomposition occurring via C–C bond scission and Cl elimination have been considered during the present investigation. Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations are performed to get optimized structure and vibrational frequencies at DFT and MP2 levels of theory. Energetics are further refined by the application of a modified Gaussian-2 method, G2M(CC,MP2). The thermal rate constants for the decomposition reactions involved are evaluated using Canonical Transition State Theory (CTST) utilizing the ab initio data. Rate constants for C–C bond scission and Cl elimination are found to be 6.7 × 10⁶ and 1.1 × 10⁸ s^?1, respectively, at 298 K and 1 atm pressure with an energy barrier of 8.6 and 6.5 kcal/mol, respectively. These values suggest that Cl elimination is the dominant process during the decomposition of the CF₃CCl₂O radical. Transition states are searched on the potential energy surface of the decomposition reactions involved and are characterized by the existence of only one imaginary frequency (NIMAG = 1) during frequency calculation. The existence of transition states on the corresponding potential energy surface is further ascertained by performing intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculation.     

Theoretical study of mechanism and kinetics for the reaction of hydroxyl radical with 2′-deoxycytidine

The reaction mechanism and kinetics for the abstraction of hydrogen and addition of hydroxyl radical (OH) to 2′-deoxycytidine have been studied using density functional theory at MX06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level in aqueous solution. The optimized geometries, energies, and thermodynamic properties of all stationary points along the hydrogen abstraction reaction and the addition reaction pathways are calculated. The single-point energy calculations of the main pathways at CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d,p)//MX06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level are performed. The rate constants and the branching ratios of different channels are evaluated using the canonical variational transition (CVT) state theory with small-curvature tunneling (SCT) correction in aqueous solution to simulate the biological system. The branching ratios of hydrogen abstraction from the C1′ site and the C5′ site and OH radical addition to the C5 site and the C6 site are 57.27% and 12.26% and 23.85% and 5.69%, respectively. The overall calculated rate constant is 4.47?×?10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 at 298 K which is in good agreement with experiments. The study could help better understand reactive oxygen species causing DNA oxidative damage.     

Mechanistic and dual-level direct dynamics studies on the reaction Cl + CH2FCl

Theoretical investigations are carried out on the reaction Cl + CH₂FCl by means of direct dynamics method. The minimum energy path (MEP) is obtained at the MP2/6-311G(d, p) level. The energetic information is further improved by single-point energy calculations using QCISD(T)/6-311++G(d, p) method. The kinetics of this reaction are calculated by canonical variational transition state theory incorporating with the small-curvature tunneling correction over a wide temperature range of 220–3,000 K, and rate constant expression are found to be k(T) = 1.48 × 10^?17 T ^2.04exp(?913.91/T). For the title reaction, H-abstraction reaction channel is the major channel at the lower temperatures. At higher temperatures, the contribution of Cl-abstraction reaction channel should be taken into account.     

Kinetics of hydrogen abstraction reaction between trifluoromethyl formate and OH radical: A theoretical investigation

Kinetics and mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reaction between trifluoromethyl formate, CF₃OCHO, and OH radical have been investigated by using ab initio molecular orbital theory up to G2(MP2) level. The hydrogen abstraction rate constant has been calculated for the first time over a temperature range of 250–450 K by using standard transition state theory including the tunneling correction. Arrhenius parameters of the reaction have been estimated from the temperature dependence of the calculated rate constant. The calculated value for the rate constant (2.0 × 10^?14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) at 298 K is found to be in very good agreement with the recent experimental results. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 500–507, 2002     

Quantum mechanical and molecular mechanics approach with a multilayered-quantum representation study of solvent effects and potentials of mean force for the CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cl + ClO<Superscript>−</Superscript> S<Subscript>N</Subscript>2 reaction in aqueous solution

The bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction of CH₃CH₂Cl + ClO^? in aqueous solution was investigated using a multilayered-quantum representation, quantum mechanical and molecular mechanics approach with an explicit water model. Ten configurations along the reaction pathway including reactant complex, transition state and product complex were analyzed in the presence of the aqueous solution. The obtained free energy activation barrier under the CCSD(T)/MM representation is 13.2 kcal/mol, while it is 11.7 kcal/mol under the DFT/MM representation which agrees very well with the DFT calculation, at 11.0 kcal/mol, with a polarizable continuum solvent model. The solvent effects including the solvation free energy contribution and the polarization effect raise the free activation barrier by 9.8 kcal/mol. The rate constant, at 298 K, is 5.27 × 10^?17 cm³/molecule/s which is about seven orders of magnitude smaller than that in the gas phase (1.10 × 10^?10 cm³/molecule/s). All in all, the aqueous solution plays an essential role in shaping the reaction pathway for this reaction in water.     

Theoretical investigation of the atmospheric chemistry of methyl difluoroacetate: reaction with Cl atoms and fate of alkoxy radical at 298 K

A theoretical study on the mechanism of the reactions of methyl difluoroacetate (MDFA) CF₂HC(O)OCH₃ with Cl atoms is presented. Two conformers relatively close in energy have been identified for MDFA. Geometry optimization and frequency calculations have been performed at the MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory, and energetic information is further refined by calculating the energy of the species using G2(MP2) theory. Transition states (TSs) are searched on the potential energy surface involved during the reaction channels, and each of the TSs is characterized by the presence of only one imaginary frequency. The existence of TSs on the corresponding potential energy surface is ascertained by performing intrinsic reaction coordinate calculation. Our calculations reveal that hydrogen abstraction from the –CH₃ group is thermodynamically and kinetically more facile than that from the –CF₂H group. Theoretically calculated rate constants at 298 K using the canonical transition state theory are found to be in good agreement with the experimentally measured ones. The atmospheric lifetime of CF₂HC(O)OCH₃ was estimated to be 16 years. The atmospheric fate and the main degradation process of alkoxy radical CF₂HC(O)OCH₂O are also discussed for the first time. Our calculation indicates that the fluorine atoms substitution has deactivating effect for the α-ester rearrangement.     

Dual-level direct dynamics studies on the reactions of tetramethylsilane with chlorine and bromine atoms

The multiple-channel reactions Cl + Si(CH₃)₄ and Br + Si(CH₃)₄ are investigated by direct dynamics method. The minimum energy path is calculated at the MP2/6-31+G(d,p) level, and energetic information is further refined by the MC-QCISD (single-point) method. The rate constants for individual reaction channel are calculated by the improved canonical variational transition state theory with small-curvature tunneling correction over the temperature range 200–3,000 K. The theoretical three-parameter expression k ₁(T) = 9.97 × 10^?13 T ^0.54exp(613.22/T) and k ₂(T) = 1.16 × 10^?17 T ^2.30exp(?3525.88/T) (in unit of cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) are given. Our calculations indicate that hydrogen abstraction channel is the major channel due to the smaller barrier height among feasible channels considered.     

Features of the potential energy surface for the reaction of HO2 radical with acetone

The mechanism of the reaction of acetone with HO₂ has been studied by quantum chemical computations. Different stationary points on the potential energy surface (PES) of the reaction have been characterized. These stationary points are the reactants, products, molecular complexes, and transition states. Three pathways have been studied: two H‐abstraction channels and one HO₂‐addition channel. The MP2 level of theory with the 6‐311G(d,p) basis set was employed for geometry optimization. The electronic energies was obtained at the PMP2, PMP4, and CCSD(T) level of theory with the 6‐311G(d,p) basis set on the computed geometries. The addition pathway is clearly the more favorable, contrary to the acetone + OH system. The pre‐reactive hydrogen‐bonded complexes have been characterized and show a large red shift between the O? H stretching frequency in the HO₂ radical and the one in the HO₂ fragment of intermolecular complexes. Our addition rate constant k₊ at T = 298 K (3.49 × 10^?16 cm³ s^?1) is consistent with previous experimental results (giving an upper limit of the rate constant of 6 × 10^?16 cm³ s^?1 at 298 K). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Mechanisms and kinetics of the ozonolysis reaction of cis-3-hexenyl acetate and trans-2-hexenyl acetate in atmosphere: a theoretical study

Gas-phase reaction mechanisms of ozone with cis/trans-3-hexenyl acetate and cis/trans-2-hexenyl acetate are performed using density functional theory. The reactions are initiated by the formation of the primary ozonides which are followed by the reactions of biradicals with H₂O or NO. The formation of the secondary ozonide (SOZ) is also studied. On the basis of the above DFT calculations, the modified multichannel RRKM theory is used to evaluate the rate constants. At 298 K and 101 kPa, the calculated total rate constants are 9.84 × 10^?17, 1.39 × 10^?17, 2.50 × 10^?17, and 7.37 × 10^?17 cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 for cis-3-hexenyl acetate, trans-2-hexenyl acetate, cis-2-hexenyl acetate, and trans-3-hexenyl acetate, respectively. Our results are in good agreement with experimental values. The total rate coefficients are almost pressure-independent in the range of 0.01–10,000 Torr, but show temperature dependence over the whole study range (200–2,000 K). In addition, branching ratios of the favorable reaction channels are obtained.     

A theoretical investigation on the kinetics and reactivity of the gas-phase reactions of ethyl chlorodifluoroacetate with OH radical and Cl atom at 298 K

The mechanism, kinetics, and thermochemistry of the gas-phase reactions of CF₂ClC(O)OCH₂CH₃,ethyl chlorodifluoroacetate (ECDFA) with the OH radical and Cl atom are investigated. Geometry optimization and frequency calculations have been performed at the MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory and energetic information is refined by using G2(MP2) theory. Transition states are searched on the potential energy surface of reaction channels and each of the transition states is characterized by the presence of only one imaginary frequency. Connections of the transition states between designated local minima are confirmed by intrinsic reaction coordinate calculation. Theoretically calculated rate constants at 298 K using the Canonical Transition State Theory are found to be in good agreement with the experimentally measured ones. Using group-balanced isodesmic reactions as working chemical reactions, the standard enthalpies of formation for CF₂ClC(O)OCH₂CH₃, CF₂ClC(O)OCH₂CH₂, and CF₃C(O)OCHCH₃ are also reported for the first time. The hydrogen abstraction occurs mainly from –CH₂ group. The T1 diagnostic calculation suggests that the multi-reference character is not an issue for such systems. The estimated atmospheric life time of ECDFA is expected to be around 24 days.     

Ab initio chemical kinetics for the NH2 + HNOx reactions,part III: Kinetics and mechanism for NH2 + HONO2

The kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of NH₂ with HONO₂ have been investigated by ab initio calculations with rate constant prediction. The potential energy surface of this reaction has been computed by single‐point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6‐311+G(3df, 2p) level based on geometries optimized at the B3LYP/6‐311+G(3df, 2p) level. The reaction producing the primary products, NH₃ + NO₃, takes place via a precursor complex, H₂N…HONO₂ with an 8.4‐kcal/mol binding energy. The rate constants for major product channels in the temperature range 200–3000 K are predicted by variational transition state or variational Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus theory. The results show that the reaction has a noticeable pressure dependence at T < 900 K. The total rate constants at 760 Torr Ar‐pressure can be represented by k_total = 1.71 × 10^?3 × T^?3.85 exp(?96/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at T = 200–550 K, 5.11 × 10^?23 × T^+3.22 exp(70/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at T = 550–3000 K. The branching ratios of primary channels at 760 Torr Ar‐pressure are predicted: k₁ producing NH₃ + NO₃ accounts for 1.00–0.99 in the temperature range of 200–3000 K and k₂ + k₃ producing H₂NO + HONO accounts for less than 0.01 when temperature is more than 2600 K. The reverse reaction, NH₃ + NO₃ → NH₂ + HONO₂ shows relatively weak pressure dependence at P < 100 Torr and T < 600 K due to its precursor complex, NH₃…O₃N with a lower binding energy of 1.8 kcal/mol. The predicted rate constants can be represented by k_?1 = 6.70 × 10^?24 × T^+3.58 exp(?850/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at T = 200–3000 K and 760 Torr N₂ pressure, where the predicted rate at T = 298 K, 2.8 × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 is in good agreement with the experimental data. The NH₃ + NO₃ formation rate constant was found to be a factor of 4 smaller than that of the reaction OH + HONO₂ producing the H₂O + NO₃ because of the lower barrier for the transition state for the OH + HONO₂. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 69–78, 2010     

Theoretical investigation on the mechanism and kinetics of OH radical with ethylbenzene

The OH hydrogen abstraction and addition with ethylbenzene have been studied in the range 298–1000 K using quantum chemistry methods. The geometries and frequencies of the reactants, transition states, and products were performed at BH and HLYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level, single point calculation for all the stationary points were carried out at CCSD(T) calculations of the optimized structures with the same basis set. Nine different reaction paths are considered corresponding to two side chain, three possible ring hydrogen abstraction, and four kinds different OH addition. The results of the theoretical study indicate that at the room temperature the reaction proceeds almost exclusively through OH addition, and is predicted to occur dominantly at the ortho position, the calculated overall rate constant is 6.72 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, showing a very good agreement with available experimental data. Although negligible at low temperature, at 1000 K ring hydrogen abstraction accounts for about 32% of the total abstraction reaction, and the whole hydrogen abstraction makes up for 30% of the total reaction. This study may provide useful information on understanding the mechanistic features of OH‐initiated oxidation of ethylbenzene. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Gas phase reaction of the hydroxyl radical with the unsaturated peroxyacyl nitrate CH2C(CH3)C(O)OONO2

The gas phase reaction of the hydroxyl radical with the unsaturated peroxyacyl nitrate CH₂ ? C(CH₃)C(O)OONO₂ (MPAN) has been studied at 298 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure. The OH-MPAN reaction rate constant relative to that of OH + n-butyl nitrate is 2.08 ± 0.25. This ratio, together with a literature rate constant of 1.74 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 for the OH + n-butyl nitrate reaction at 298 K, yields a rate constant of (3.6 ± 0.4)× 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 for the OH-MPAN reaction at 298 ± 2 K. Hydroxyacetone and formaldehyde are the major carbonyl products. The yield of hydroxyacetone, 0.59 ± 0.12, is consistent with preferential addition of OH at the unsubstituted carbon atom. Atmospheric persistence and removal processes for MPAN are briefly discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Combustion synthesis and thermal expansion of RE6UO12 (RE = Dy and Tb)

Citrate–nitrate combustion method was adopted for the synthesis of RE₆UO₁₂ (RE = Dy and Tb). These compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Thermal expansion coefficient of these compounds were measured in the temperature range of 298–1,273 K by high temperature X-ray powder diffractometry (HT-XRD) and compared with other rare earth compounds reported in the literature. There was no observed phase transition in Dy₆UO₁₂, but Tb₆UO₁₂ showed a second-order phase transition at 670 K which was confirmed using differential scanning calorimeter. The average volume thermal expansion coefficient of Dy₆UO₁₂ in the temperature range of 298–1,273 K is (29.82 ± 4.02) × 10^?6 and that of Tb₆UO₁₂ in the temperature range of 298–673 K is (13.76 ± 2.64) × 10^?6 K^?1.     

Reduction Reaction of the Copper(II) Complex Bearing 1,3-Di(pyridine-2-carboxaldimino)propane (pitn) by Decamethylferrocene in Acetonitrile

The reduction reaction of the Cu(II)–pitn complex (pitn = 1,3-di(pyridine-2-carboxaldimino)propane) by decamethylferrocene [Fe(Cp*)₂] was examined in acetonitrile. The observed pseudo-first-order rate constants exhibited saturation kinetics with increasing excess amount of [Fe(Cp*)₂]. Detailed analyses revealed that the reaction is controlled by a structural change prior to the electron transfer step, rather than a conventional bimolecular electron transfer process preceded by ion pair (encounter complex) formation. The rate constant for the structural change was estimated to be 275 ± 13 s^?1 at 298 K (?H* = 33.3 ± 1.0 kJ·mol^?1, ?S* = 86 ± 5 J·mol^?1·K^?1), which is the fastest among gated reactions involving CuN₄ complexes. It was confirmed by EPR measurement and Conflex calculations that the dihedral angle between the two N–N planes is significantly large (40°) in solution whereas it is merely 17.14° in the crystal.     

Ab initio chemical kinetics for the NH2 + HNOx reactions,part II: Kinetics and mechanism for NH2 + HONO

The kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of NH₂ with HONO have been investigated by ab initio calculations with rate constant prediction. The potential energy surface of this reaction has been computed by single‐point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6‐311+G(3df, 2p) level based on geometries optimized at the CCSD/6‐311++G(d, p) level. The reaction producing the primary products, NH₃ + NO₂, takes place via precomplexes, H₂N???c‐HONO or H₂N???t‐HONO with binding energies, 5.0 or 5.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The rate constants for the major reaction channels in the temperature range of 300–3000 K are predicted by variational transition state theory or Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus theory depending on the mechanism involved. The total rate constant can be represented by k_total = 1.69 × 10^?20 × T^2.34 exp(1612/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at T = 300–650 K and 8.04 × 10^?22 × T^3.36 exp(2303/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at T = 650–3000 K. The branching ratios of the major channels are predicted: k₁ + k₃ producing NH₃ + NO₂ accounts for 1.00–0.98 in the temperature range 300–3000 K and k₂ producing OH + H₂NNO accounts for 0.02 at T > 2500 K. The predicted rate constant for the reverse reaction, NH₃ + NO₂ → NH₂ + HONO represented by 8.00 × 10^?26 × T^4.25 exp(?11,560/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, is in good agreement with the experimental data. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 678–688, 2009     

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H2O2 → HBr + HO2

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H₂O₂ → HBr + HO₂ have been measured over the temperature range 298 to 417 K in a discharge flow, system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results are K₁< 1.5 × 10^?15 cm³ s^?1 at 298 K and K₁< 3.0 × 10^?15 cm³ s^?1 at 417 K, respectively. The implication to Stratospheric chemistry is discus     

Theoretical analysis of the rate constants for the interstellar reaction N+OH→NO+H

The title reaction, a key elementary process involved in the chemistry of molecular clouds, has been theoretically studied over the 5–600 K temperature range. Rate constants calculations have been carried out using the full version of the statistical adiabatic channel model in conjunction with a potential energy surface that has been derived from recent ab initio quantum chemical data. By using various switching functions, the influence of the attenuation of the bound-complex bending frequency upon N? OH bond elongation on the temperature dependence of the reaction was investigated. The rate constants exhibit a slightly positive temperature dependence with a calculated rate constant value at 300 K in very good agreement with the measured value. A comparison with the available experimental data between 250 and 515 K suggests that recrossing trajectories might occur with increasing importance as the temperature increases. However, the nonstatistical recrossing effects are expected to be of minor importance at interstellar temperatures such that the rate constants over the 5–200 K temperature range are given by k = 8.41 × 10^?12 T^+0.30 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The rate constant calculated at 10 K is consistent with that derived in the astrochemical modeling of the L134N dark cloud. Rate constants for individual quantum states are also presented. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Association reaction between SiH3 and H2O2: a computational study of the reaction mechanism and kinetics

The association reaction between silyl radical (SiH₃) and H₂O₂ has been studied in detail using high-level composite ab initio CBS-QB3 and G4MP2 methods. The global hybrid meta-GGA M06 and M06-2X density functionals in conjunction with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set have also been applied. To understand the kinetics, variational transition-state theory calculation is performed on the first association step, and successive unimolecular reactions are subjected to Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus calculations to predict the reaction rate constants and product branching ratios. The bimolecular rate constant for SiH₃–H₂O₂ association in the temperature range 250–600 K, k(T) = 6.89 × 10^?13 T ^?0.163exp(?0.22/RT) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 agrees well with the current literature. The OH production channel, which was experimentally found to be a minor one, is confirmed by the rate constants and branching ratios. Also, the correlation between our theoretical work and experimental literature is established. The production of SiO via secondary reactions is calculated to be one of the major reaction channels from highly stabilized adducts. The H-loss pathway, i.e., SiH₂(OH)₂ + H, is the major decomposition channel followed by secondary dissociation leading to SiO.     

Experimental and computational study of the thermal decomposition of 3-buten-1-ol in m-xylene solution

An experimental study of the thermal decomposition of a β-hydroxy alkene, 3-buten-1-ol, in m-xylene solution, has been carried out at three different temperatures: 553.15, 573.15, and 593.15 K. The temperature dependence of the rate constants for the decomposition of this compound in the corresponding Arrhenius equation is given by ln k (s^?1) = (27.34 ± 1.24)–(19,328 ± 712) (kJ mol^?1) T ^?1. A computational study has been performed at the MP2/6-31+G(d) level of theory to calculate the rate constants and the activation parameters by the classical transition state theory. The Arrhenius equation obtained theoretically, ln k (s^?1) = (28.252 ± 0.025)–(19,738.0 ± 14.4) (kJ mol^?1) T ^?1, agrees very satisfactorily with the experimental one. The bonding characteristics of reactant, transition state, and products have been investigated by the natural bond orbital analysis which provides the natural atomic charges and the Wiberg bond indices used to follow the progress of the reaction. The enthalpy of the reaction has been calculated using experimental values taken from literature and theoretic calculations. The agreement between both values is satisfactory.