Kinetic mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of the chlorine atoms with CH3CF2Cl and CH3CFCl2: a dual level direct dynamics study

The mechanisms of the reactions: CH(3)CFCl(2) + Cl (R1) and CH(3)CF(2)Cl + Cl (R2) are studied over a wide temperature range (200-3000 K) using the dual-level direct dynamics method. The minimum energy path calculation is carried out at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) levels, and energetic information is further refined by the G3(MP2) theory. The H-abstraction from the out-of-plane for (R1) is the major reaction channel, while the in-plane H-abstraction is the predominant route of (R2). The canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with the small-curvature tunneling (SCT) correction method is used to calculate the rate constants. Using group-balanced isodesmic reactions and hydrogenation reactions as working chemical reactions, the standard enthalpies of formation for CH(3)CFCl(2), CH(3)CF(2)Cl, CH(2)CFCl(2), and CH(2)CF(2)Cl are evaluated at the CCSD(T)/6-311 + G(3df,2p)//MP2/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The results indicate that the substitution of fluorine atom for the chlorine atom leads to a decrease in the C-H bond reactivity with a small increase in reaction enthalpies. Also, for all reaction pathways the variational effect is small and the SCT effect is only important in the lower temperature range on the rate constants.     

On the kinetic mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of the hydroxyl radical with CH3CF2Cl and CH3CFCl2: A dual level direct dynamics study

By means of the dual‐level direct dynamics method, the mechanisms of the reactions, CH₃CF₂Cl + OH → products (R1) and CH₃CFCl₂ + OH → products (R2), are studied over a wide temperature range 200–2000 K. The optimized geometries and frequencies of the stationary points are calculated at the MP2/6‐311G(d,p) level, and then the energy profiles of the reactions are refined with the interpolated single‐point energy method at the G3(MP2) level. The canonical variational transition‐state theory with the small‐curvature tunneling (SCT) correction method is used to calculate the rate constants. For the title reactions, three reaction channels are identified and the H‐abstraction channel is the major pathway. The results indicate that F substitution has a significant (reductive) effect on hydrochlorofluorocarbon reactivity. Also, for all H‐abstraction reaction channels the variational effect is small and the SCT effect is only important in the lower temperature range on the rate constants calculation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

An experimental and theoretical investigation of gas-phase reactions of Ca2+ with glycine

The gas-phase reactions between Ca(2+) and glycine ([Ca(gly)](2+)) have been investigated through the use of mass spectrometry techniques and B3-LYP/cc-pWCVTZ density functional theory computations. The major peaks observed in the electrospray MS/MS spectrum of [Ca(gly)](2+) correspond to the formation of the [Ca,C,O(2),H](+), NH(2)CH(2) (+), CaOH(+), and NH(2)CH(2)CO(+) fragment ions, which are produced in Coulomb explosion processes. The computed potential energy surface (PES) shows that not only are these species the most stable product ions from a thermodynamic point of view, but they may be produced with barriers lower than for competing processes. Carbon monoxide is a secondary product, derived from the unimolecular decomposition of some of the primary ions formed in the Coulomb explosions. In contrast to what is found for the reactions of Ca(2+) with urea ([Ca(urea)](2+)), minimal unimolecular losses of neutral fragments are observed for the gas-phase fragmentation processes of [Ca(gly)](2+), which is readily explained in terms of the topological differences between their respective PESs.     

A theoretical investigation of the gas-phase oxidation reaction of the saturated tert-butyl radical.

The radical-radical reaction mechanisms and dynamics of ground-state atomic oxygen [O(3P)] with the saturated tert-butyl radical (t-C4H9) are investigated using the density functional method and the complete basis set model. Two distinctive reaction pathways are predicted to be in competition: addition and abstraction. The barrierless addition of O(3P) to t-C4H9 leads to the formation of an energy-rich intermediate (OC4H9) on the lowest doublet potential energy surface, which undergoes subsequent direct elimination or isomerization-elimination leading to various products: C3H6O + CH3, iso-C4H8O + H, C3H7O + CH2, and iso-C4H8 + OH. The respective microscopic reaction processes examined with the aid of statistical calculations, predict that the major addition pathway is the formation of acetone (C3H6O) + CH3 through a low-barrier, single-step cleavage. For the direct, barrierless H-atom abstraction mechanism producing iso-C4H8 (isobutene) + OH, which was recently reported in gas-phase crossed-beam investigations, the reaction is described in terms of both an abstraction process (major) and a short-lived addition dynamic complex (minor).     

Unimolecular reactivity of strong metal-cation complexes in the gas phase: ethylenediamine-Cu(+)

The gas-phase reactions between ethylenediamine (en) and Cu(+) have been investigated by means of mass spectrometry techniques. The MIKE spectrum reveals that the adduct ions [Cu(+)(H(2)NCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))] spontaneously decompose by loosing H(2), NH(3) and HCu, the loss of hydrogen being clearly dominant. The spectra of the fully C-deuterated species show the loss of HD, NH(3) and CuD but no losses of H(2), D(2), NH(2)D, NHD(2), ND(3) or CuH are observed. This clearly excludes hydrogen exchange between the methylene and the amino groups as possible mechanisms for the loss of ammonia. Conversely, methylene hydrogen atoms are clearly involved in the loss of molecular hydrogen. The structures and bonding characteristics of the Cu(+)(en) complexes as well as the different stationary points of the corresponding potential energy surface (PES) have been theoretically studied by DFT calculations carried out at B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. Based on the topology of this PES the most plausible mechanisms for the aforementioned unimolecular fragmentations are proposed. Our theoretical estimates indicate that Cu(+) strongly binds to en, by forming a chelated structure in which Cu(+) is bridging between both amino groups. The binding energy is quite high (84 kcal mol(-1)), but also the products of the unimolecular decomposition of Cu(+)(en) complexes are strongly bound Cu(+)-complexes.     

Xenon-nitrogen chemistry: gas-phase generation and theoretical investigation of the xenon-difluoronitrenium ion F2N-Xe+

The xenon–difluoronitrenium ion F₂N? Xe⁺, a novel xenon–nitrogen species, was obtained in the gas phase by the nucleophilic displacement of HF from protonated NF₃ by Xe. According to Møller–Plesset (MP2) and CCSD(T) theoretical calculations, the enthalpy and Gibbs energy changes (ΔH and ΔG) of this process are predicted to be ?3 kcal mol^?1. The conceivable alternative formation of the inserted isomers FN? XeF⁺ is instead endothermic by approximately 40–60 kcal mol^?1 and is not attainable under the employed ion‐trap mass spectrometric conditions. F₂N? Xe⁺ is theoretically characterized as a weak electrostatic complex between NF₂⁺ and Xe, with a Xe? N bond length of 2.4–2.5 Å, and a dissociation enthalpy and free energy into its constituting fragments of 15 and 8 kcal mol^?1, respectively. F₂N? Xe⁺ is more fragile than the xenon–nitrenium ions (FO₂S)₂NXe⁺, F₅SN(H)Xe⁺, and F₅TeN(H)Xe⁺ observed in the condensed phase, but it is still stable enough to be observed in the gas phase. Other otherwise elusive xenon–nitrogen species could be obtained under these experimental conditions.     

Strong dissimilarities between the gas-phase acidities of saturated and alpha,beta-unsaturated boranes and the corresponding alanes and gallanes

The effect that unsaturation has on the intrinsic acidity of boranes, alanes, and gallanes, was analyzed by B3 LYP and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df,2p) calculations on methyl-, ethyl-, vinyl-, and ethynylboranes, -alanes and -gallanes, and on the corresponding hydrides XH3. Quite unexpectedly, methylborane, which behaves as a carbon acid, is predicted to have an intrinsic acidity almost 200 kJ mol(-1) stronger than BH3, reflecting the large reinforcement of the C--B bond, which upon deprotonation becomes a double bond through the donation of the lone pair created on the carbon atom into the empty p orbital of the boron. Also unexpectedly, and for the same reason, the saturated and alpha,beta-unsaturated boranes are much stronger acids than the corresponding hydrocarbons, in spite of being carbon acids as well. The Al derivatives also behave as carbon acids, but in this case the most favorable deprotonation process occurs at C beta, leading to the formation of rather stable three-membered rings, again through the donation of the C beta lone pair into the empty p orbital of Al. For Ga-containing compounds the deprotonation of the GaH2 group is the most favorable process. Therefore only Ga derivatives behave similarly to the analogues of Groups 14, 15, and 16 of the periodic table, and the saturated derivatives exhibit a weaker acidity than the unsaturated ones. Within Group 13, boranes are stronger acids than alanes and gallanes. For ethyl and vinyl derivatives, alanes are stronger acids than gallanes. We have shown, for the first time, that acidity enhancement for primary heterocompounds is not only dictated by the position of the heteroatom in the periodic table and the nature of the substituent, but also by the bonding rearrangements triggered by the deprotonation of the neutral acid.     

A computational investigation of HCN2+ isomeric structures: implications for the chemistry of Titan's atmosphere.

The structure and stability of various HCN2+ isomeric structures have been investigated at the complete active space SCF (CASSCF) and multireference-configuration interaction [MR-Cl-SD(Q)] levels of theory with the 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The investigated species include the singlet (S) and triplet (T) open-chain H-N-C-N+ ions 1S, 1S', and 1T, the open-chain H-C-N-N+ ions 2S, 2S', and 2T, the HC-N2+ cyclic structures 3S and 3T, and the HN-CN+ cyclic structures 4S and 4T. All these species have been identified as true energy minima on the CASSCF(8,7)/6-31G(d) potential energy surface, and their optimised geometries, refined at the CASSCF(8,8)/6-31G(d) level of theory, have been used to perform single point calculations at the [MR-Cl-SD(Q]/6-311G(d,p) computational level. The most stable structure was the H-N-C-N+ ion 1T, whose absolute enthalpy of formation at 298.15 K has been estimated as 333.9 +/- 2 kcalmol(-1) using the Gaussian-3 (G3) procedure. The two species closest in energy to 1T are the triplet H-C-N-N+ ion 2T and the singlet diazirinyl cation 3S, whose G3 enthalpies of formation at 298.15 K are 343.5 +/- 2 and 340.6 +/- 2 kcalmol(-1), respectively. Finally, we have discussed the implications of our calculations for the detailed structure of the HCN2+ ions formed in the reaction between N3+ and HCN, experimentally observed by flowing after-glow-selected ion flow/drift tube mass spectrometry and possibly occurring in Titan's atmosphere.     

Gas-phase chemistry of diphosphate anions as a tool to investigate the intrinsic requirements of phosphate ester enzymatic reactions: the [M1M2HP2O7]- ions

Experimental studies on gaseous inorganic phosphate ions are practically nonexistent, yet they can prove helpful for a better understanding of the mechanisms of phosphate ester enzymatic processes. The present contribution extends our previous investigations on the gas-phase ion chemistry of diphosphate species to the [M(1)M(2)HP(2)O(7)](-) ions where M(1) and M(2) are the same or different and correspond to the Li, Na, K, Cs, and Rb cations. The diphosphate ions are formed by electrospray ionization of 10(-4) M solutions of Na(5)P(3)O(10) in CH(3)CN/H(2)O (1/1) and MOH bases or M salts as a source of M(+) cations. The joint application of mass spectrometric techniques and quantum-mechanical calculations makes it possible to characterize the gaseous [M(1)M(2)HP(2)O(7)](-) ions as a mixed ionic population formed by two isomeric species: linear diphosphate anion coordinated to two M(+) cations (group I) and [PO(3)M(1)M(2)HPO(4)](-) clusters (group II). The relative gas-phase stabilities and activation barriers for the isomerization I-->II, which depend on the nature of the M(+) cations, highlight the electronic susceptibility of P-O-P bond breaking in the active site of enzymes. The previously unexplored gas-phase reactivity of [M(1)M(2)HP(2)O(7)](-) ions towards alcohols of different acidity was investigated by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR/MS). The reaction proceeds by addition of the alcohol molecule followed by elimination of a water molecule.     

Distinguishing yy‐G tautomers by their spectroscopic signatures: A theoretical investigation

A comprehensive theoretical study of electronic transitions of naphtho‐homologated yyG and its five possible tautomers (yyG‐AO7, yyG‐AEc, yyG‐AEt, yyG‐IcO17, and yyG‐ItO17) was performed. The nature of the low‐lying excited states is discussed, and the results are compared to that of y‐bases. Geometry optimizations were performed on the lowest excited singlet ππ* states. Finally, the effects of methanol solution and hydrogen bonding with cytosine on the absorption and emission spectra were examined. The ground state structures were optimized using both the DFT and ab initio HF methods, whereas the excited‐state structures were optimized using the CIS method. The methanol solution was found to red‐shifts both the absorption and emission maxima of the studied bases except for yyG, for which the absorption and emission maxima were blue‐shifted after solvation. In addition, hydrogen bonding with cytosine was found to blue‐shifts both the absorption and emission maxima of yyG, yyG‐AO7, yyG‐IcO17, and yyG‐ItO17. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Revision of the dissociation energies of mercury chalcogenides--unusual types of mercury bonding.

Mercury chalcogenides HgE (E=O, S, Se, etc.) are described in the literature to possess rather stable bonds with bond dissociation energies between 53 and 30 kcal mol(-1), which is actually difficult to understand in view of the closed-shell electron configuration of the Hg atom in its ground state (...4f(14)5d(10)6s(2)). Based on relativistically corrected many body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster theory [IORAmm/MP4, Feenberg-scaled IORAmm/MP4, IORAmm/CCSD(T)] in connection with IORAmm/B3LYP theory and a [17s14p9d5f]/aug-cc-pVTZ basis set, it is shown that the covalent HgE bond is rather weak (2-7 kcal mol(-1)), the ground state of HgE is a triplet rather than a singlet state, and that the experimental bond dissociation energies have been obtained for dimers (or mixtures of monomers, dimers, and even trimers) Hg2E2 rather than true monomers. The dimers possess association energies of more than 100 kcal mol(-1) due to electrostatic forces between the monomer units. The covalent bond between Hg and E is in so far peculiar as it requires a charge transfer from Hg to E (depending on the electronegativity of E) for the creation of a single bond, which is supported by electrostatic forces. However, a bonding between Hg and E is reduced by strong lone pair-lone pair repulsion to a couple of kcal mol(-1). Since a triplet configuration possesses somewhat lower destabilizing lone pair energies, the triplet state is more stable. In the dimer, there is a Hg-Hg pi bond of bond order 0.66 without any a support. Weak covalent Hg-O interactions are supported by electrostatic bonding. The results for the mercury chalcogenides suggests that all experimental dissociation energies for group-12 chalcogenides have to be revised because of erroneous measurements.     

Quantum dynamics of gas-phase SN2 reactions.

Understanding the state-resolved dynamics of elementary chemical reactions involving polyatomic molecules, such as the well-known reaction mechanism of nucleophilic bimolecular substitution (SN2), is one of the principal goals in chemistry. In this Review, the progress in the quantum mechanical treatment of SN2 reactions in the gas phase is reviewed. The potential energy profile of this class of reactions is characterized by two relatively deep wells, which correspond to pre- and post-reaction chargedipole complexes. As a consequence, the complex-forming reaction is dominated by Feshbach resonances. Calculations in the energetic continuum constitute a major challenge because the high density of resonance states imposes considerable requirements on the convergence and the energetic resolution of the scattering data. However, the effort is rewarding because new insights into the details of multimode quantum dynamics of elementary chemical reactions can be obtained.     

Does α‐effect exist in E2 reactions? A G2(+) investigation

The gas-phase base-induced bimolecular elimination (E2) reactions at saturated carbon with 13 bases, B(-) + CH3CH2Cl --> BH + CH2=CH2 + Cl(-) (B = HO, CH3O, CH3CH2O, FCH2CH2O, ClCH2CH2O, Cl, Br, FO, ClO, BrO, HOO, HSO, and H2NO), were investigated with the high-level G2(+) theory. It was found that all alpha-bases with adjacent lone pair electrons examined exhibited downward deviations from the correlation line between the overall barriers and proton affinities for the normal bases without adjacent lone pair electrons, indicating the existence of the alpha-effect in the gas phase E2 reactions. The sizes of the alpha-effect for the E2 reaction, DeltaH(alpha)(E2), span a smaller range if the alpha-atoms are on the same column in the periodic table, in contrast to the corresponding S(N)2 reactions, where the DeltaH(alpha)(S(N)2) values significantly decrease from an upper to a lower column. The origin of the alpha-effects in E2 reactions can be interpreted by the favorable orbital interaction between the lone-pair electrons and positively charged anti-bonding orbital. It is worth noticing that the neighboring electron-rich pi lobe instead of lone pair electrons could also cause the alpha-effect in E2 reaction.     

Ab Initio Kinetics for Decomposition/Isomerization Reactions of C2H5O Radicals

Radical reactions : The ground‐state potential energy surface of the C₂H₅O system is investigated by ab initio methods using optimized geometries. The rate constants for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition reactions of the three isomeric radicals (see picture) are calculated by microcanonical transition‐state theory at 200–3000 K, varying the pressures of the diluents.

     

Effect of alkali metal coordination on gas-phase chemistry of the diphosphate ion: the MH(2)P(2)O(7) (-) ions

Systematic experimental and theoretical studies on anionic phosphate species in the gas phase are almost nonexistent, even though they could provide a benchmark for enhanced comprehension of their liquid-phase chemical behavior. Gaseous MH(2)P(2)O(7) (-) ions (M=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs), obtained from electrospray ionization of solutions containing H(4)P(2)O(7) and MOH or M salts as a source of M(+) ions were structurally assayed by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/6-31+G* level of theory. The joint application of mass spectrometric techniques and theoretical methods allowed the MH(2)P(2)O(7) (-) ions to be identified as having a structure in which the linear diphosphate anion is coordinated to the M(+) ion (I) and provides information on gas-phase isomerization processes in the [PO(3)...MH(2)PO(4)](-) clusters II and the [P(2)O(6)...M...H(2)O](-) clusters IV. Studies of gas-phase reactivity by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) and triple quadrupole (TQ) mass spectrometry revealed that the MH(2)P(2)O(7) (-) ions react with selected nucleophiles by clustering, proton transfer and addition-elimination mechanisms. The influence of the coordination of alkali metal ions on the chemical behavior of pyrophosphate is discussed.     

Spin-orbit ab initio investigation of the photolysis of bromoiodomethane.

The photodissociation of bromoiodomethane has been investigated by spin-orbit ab initio calculations. The experimentally observed A- and B-bands and the corresponding photoproducts were assigned by multistate second-order multiconfigurational perturbation theory in conjunction with spin-orbit interaction through complete active space state interaction potential energy curves, vertical excitation energies, and oscillator strengths of low-lying excited states. The present conclusions with respect to the dissociation process in the B-band are different compared with those of previous studies. The reaction between the iso-CH(2)Br-I and iso-CH(2)I-Br species has also been studied. Finally, a set of stable excited states was identified for both isomers. These species might be of importance in the recombination process that follows the photodissociation in a solvent.     

Analysis of Nascent Rotational Energy Distributions and Reaction Mechanisms of the Gas‐Phase Radical–Radical Reaction O(3P)+(CH3)2CH→C3H6+OH

This paper reports on the gas‐phase radical–radical dynamics of the reaction of ground‐state atomic oxygen [O(³P), from the photodissociation of NO₂] with secondary isopropyl radicals [(CH₃)₂CH, from the supersonic flash pyrolysis of isopropyl bromide]. The major reaction channel, O(³P)+(CH₃)₂CH→C₃H₆ (propene)+OH, is examined by high‐resolution laser‐induced fluorescence spectroscopy in crossed‐beam configuration. Population analysis shows bimodal nascent rotational distributions of OH (X²Π) products with low‐ and high‐N′′ components in a ratio of 1.25:1. No significant spin–orbit or Λ‐doublet propensities are exhibited in the ground vibrational state. Ab initio computations at the CBS‐QB3 theory level and comparison with prior theory show that the statistical method is not suitable for describing the main reaction channel at the molecular level. Two competing mechanisms are predicted to exist on the lowest doublet potential‐energy surface: direct abstraction, giving the dominant low‐N′′ components, and formation of short‐lived addition complexes that result in hot rotational distributions, giving the high‐N′′ components. The observed competing mechanisms contrast with previous bulk kinetic experiments conducted in a fast‐flow system with photoionization mass spectrometry, which suggested a single abstraction pathway. In addition, comparison of the reactions of O(³P) with primary and tertiary hydrocarbon radicals allows molecular‐level discussion of the reactivity and mechanism of the title reaction.