Rate Constants for the Gas‐Phase Reactions of Ozone and Nitrate Radicals with the Sesquiterpenes: Valencene and Farnesol

Sesquiterpenes are constituents of a variety of essential oils that are used in flavorings, perfumes, personal care, and cleaning products. Two sesquiterpenes that are commonly used as indoor fragrances are valencene and farnesol. Knowing the reaction rate constants of these chemicals with ozone (O₃) and nitrate radical () is an important factor in determining their fate indoors. In this study, the bimolecular rate constants of , , , and were measured using the relative rate technique at 297 ± 3 K and 1 atm total pressure. Using the rate constants reported here and measured/modeled indoor concentrations of O₃ and (20 ppb and 1 ppt, respectively), pseudo–first‐order‐rate lifetimes , , , and were determined.     

Shock Tube Study of Dimethylamine Oxidation

Dimethylamine (DMA) ignition delay times and OH time histories during the oxidation process were investigated behind reflected shock waves. The ignition delay time measurements cover the temperature range of 1181–1498 K, with pressures near 0.9, 1.5, and 2.8 atm, and equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1, and 2, in 4% oxygen/argon. The ignition delay time data feature low scatter and can be correlated to a single expression with ² ～ 0.99: τ_ign = 7.30 × 10^{?4 ?0.68} Φ^0.45 exp(18,265/), where τ_ign is in μs, in atm, and in K. OH time histories were measured using laser absorption of the R₁(5) line of the A‐X(0,0) transition near 306.7 nm, in stoichiometric mixtures of 500 ppm DMA/O₂/argon. The mechanism developed by Li et al. was used initially to simulate the measured DMA ignition delay times and the OH time histories. The Li et al. mechanism was then updated by adding the DMA unimolecular decomposition channel: DMA = CH₃NH + CH₃, with the reaction rate constant estimated by analogy to dimethyl ether decomposition, previously investigated by Cook et al. The reactions of DMA + OH were also updated based on recent work in our laboratory. The simulation results using the modified Li et al. mechanism are in good agreement with both the ignition delay times and OH time‐history data.     

Infrared Spectroscopic Evidence for a Heterogeneous Reaction between Ozone and Sodium Oleate at the Gas–Aerosol Interface: Effect of Relative Humidity

The heterogeneous ozonolysis of sodium oleate aerosols in an aerosol flow tube is reported under different relative humidity (RH%) conditions. Submicron sodium oleate particles were exposed to a known ozone concentration and the consumption of sodium oleate was monitored by infrared spectroscopy. When the experimental results are treated as a surface‐mediated reaction (i.e., following a Langmuir–Hinshelwood type mechanism), the following parameters are obtained: at low RH%, = (3 ± 1) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 and = (0.046 ± 0.006) s^?1; at high RH%, = (6 ± 2) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 and = (0.21 ± 0.05) s^?1. From these pseudo–first‐order coefficients, the reactive uptake coefficients for dry and aqueous sodium oleate aerosols are calculated as (1.5 ? 0.5) × 10^?7 and (1.7 ? 0.7) × 10^?6, respectively. Hydrated oleate aerosols display both an increase in the ozone trapping ability and an increase in the effective rate reaction at the droplet surface compared to dry aerosol surfaces. These observations may provide an explanation for some of the variability observed between lab studies of dry ozonolysis and real‐world, atmospheric lifetimes of oleic acid–related species.     

Pressure Dependence and Kinetic Isotope Effects in the Absolute Rate Constant for Methoxy Radical Reacting with NO2

We have investigated the kinetics for the reaction CH₃O? + NO₂ in N₂ bath gas. The rate constants are well‐fit by the Troe expression over the temperature (250–335 K) and pressure range (30–700 Torr) investigated. The termolecular rate constant is given by cm⁶ molecule^?2 s^?1, and the rate constant at the high‐pressure limit is given by cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. We also studied the kinetics of the reaction of CD₃O? + NO₂ as a function of temperature and pressure under similar conditions as those for CH₃O? + NO₂. The resulting low‐ and high‐pressure limiting rate constants are cm⁶ molecule^?2 s^?1 and cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively. The rate constants for the two isotopologues track each other closely as the high‐pressure limit is approached. The present results agree with most previous results at 295 K over a range of pressures, but there is substantial disagreement about the temperature dependence.     

A Shock Tube Study of H Atom Addition to Cyclopentene

We report shock tube studies of the kinetics of H atom addition to cyclopentene and modeling of the subsequent decomposition of cyclopentyl. Hydrogen atoms were generated with thermal precursors in dilute mixtures of cyclopentene and a reference compound in argon. Addition of H to the double bond leads to a cyclopentyl radical that rapidly ring opens and decomposes to ethene and allyl radical. The process was monitored by postshock gas chromatographic analysis of ethene and rate constants determined relative to H atom displacement of methyl from 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene (135TMB). At 863–1167 K and 160–370 kPa, we find and, with , we obtain Using experimental values of about 3:1 for the ratio of C─C to C─H beta scission in cyclopentyl radicals and a corresponding transition‐state‐theory/Rice‐Ramsberger‐Kassel‐Marcus (TST/RRKM) model, the high‐pressure rate expression for addition of H to cyclopentene at 863–1167 K is derived as Combined with literature results from lower temperatures and a fitted TST model, the rate expression between 298 and 2000 K is determined as Results are compared with related systems. Near 1000 K, our data require a minimum value of 1.5 for branching between beta C─C and C─H scission in cyclopentyl radicals to maintain established trends in H addition rates. This conflicts with current computed values and those used in existing kinetics models of cyclopentane combustion. We additionally report and discuss minor observed channels in the decomposition of cyclopentene, including formation of 1,4‐pentadiene, (E/Z)‐1,3‐pentadiene, 1,3‐butadiene, and the direct elimination of H₂ from cyclopentene to give cyclopentadiene.     

Kinetics Investigation of Reaction of Naphthalene with OH Radicals at 1–3 Torr and 240–340 K

The combination of relative rate method with discharge flow and mass spectrometry (RR/DF/MS) technique was employed to determine the rate constant for the gas‐phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with naphthalene at 240?340 K and a total pressure of 1–3 Torr. At 298 K, the rate constant was measured to be cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, which is in good agreement with reported literature values determined using different techniques. The reaction of OH with naphthalene was found to be essentially independent of pressure in a range of 1?3 Torr at both 298 and 340 K. At 240–340 K, the rate constant of this reaction was found to be negatively dependent on temperature, with an Arrhenius expression of k₁(T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and k₁(T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 using 1,4‐dioxane and styrene as the reference compounds, respectively. The atmospheric lifetime of naphthalene was estimated to be 9.6 h using the rate constant of naphthalene + OH determined at 277 K in the present work.     

Experimental and Kinetic Modeling Study of Methanol Ignition and Oxidation at High Pressure

A detailed chemical kinetic model for oxidation of CH₃OH at high pressure and intermediate temperatures has been developed and validated experimentally. Ab initio calculations and Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus/transition state theory (RRKM/TST) analysis were used to obtain rate coefficients for , , , and . The experiments, involving CH₃OH/O₂ mixtures diluted in N₂, were carried out in a high‐pressure flow reactor at 600–900 K and 20–100 bar, varying the reaction stoichiometry from very lean to fuel‐rich conditions. Under the conditions studied, the onset temperature for methanol oxidation was not dependent on the stoichiometry, whereas increasing pressure shifted the ignition temperature toward lower values. Model predictions of the present experimental results, as well as rapid compression machine data from the literature, were generally satisfactory. The governing reaction pathways have been outlined based on calculations with the kinetic model. Unlike what has been observed for unsaturated hydrocarbons, the oxidation pathways for CH₃OH under the investigated conditions were very similar to those prevailing at higher temperatures and lower pressures. At the high pressures, the modeling predictions for onset of reaction were particularly sensitive to the reaction.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the reaction of RO2 radicals with OH radicals: Dependence of the HO2 yield on the size of the alkyl group

The HO₂ yield in the reaction of peroxy radicals with OH radicals has been determined experimentally at 50 Torr helium by measuring simultaneously OH and HO₂ concentration time profiles, following the photolysis of XeF₂ in the presence of different hydrocarbons and O₂. The following yields have been obtained:  = (0.90 ± 0.1),  = (0.75 ± 0.15),  = (0.41 ± 0.08), and  = (0.15 ± 0.03). The clear decrease in HO₂ yield with increasing size of the alkyl moiety can be explained by an increased stabilization of the trioxide adduct, ROOOH. This has been confirmed by ab initio and Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus master equation calculations. Extrapolation of the experimental results to atmospheric conditions shows that the stabilized adduct, ROOOH, is the nearly exclusive product of the reaction between OH radicals and peroxy radicals containing more than three C‐atoms. The fate and possible impact of these species is completely unexplored so far.     

Rate Coefficients for the Gas‐Phase Reaction of Ozone with C5 and C6 Unsaturated Aldehydes

Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds are higher than those from anthropogenic sources. In this work, we studied the kinetics of the reaction of three unsaturated aldehydes (trans‐2‐pentenal, trans‐2‐hexenal, and 2‐methyl‐2‐pentenal) with ozone in a rigid atmospheric simulation chamber coupled to an FTIR spectrometer at four different temperatures (273, 298, 333, and 353 K). Reaction rate constants (× 10⁻¹⁸ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹) at 298 K are 1.24 ± 0.06 for trans‐2‐pentenal (t‐2P), 1.37 ± 0.03 for trans‐2‐hexenal (t‐2H), and 1.58 ± 0.20) for 2‐methyl‐2‐pentenal (2M2P). The following Arrhenius expressions were deduced (cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹): The obtained data are presented and compared to those reported in the literature at room temperature, as well as to homologous alkenes. The atmospheric lifetimes with respect to ozone, derived from this study, are estimated to vary between 7 and 10 days.     

An Experimental Study of the Kinetics of the Reactions of Isopropyl,sec‐Butyl,and tert‐Butyl Radicals with Molecular Chlorine at Low Pressures (0.5–7.0 Torr) in the Temperature Range 190–480 K

In this work, we have measured the rate coefficients of the reactions of isopropyl (propan‐2‐yl), sec‐butyl (butan‐2‐yl), and tert‐butyl (2‐methylpropan‐2‐yl) radicals with molecular chlorine as a function of temperature (190–480 K). The experiments were done in a tubular laminar flow reactor coupled to a photoionization quadrupole mass spectrometer employing a gas‐discharge lamp for ionization. The radicals were homogeneously produced in the reactor by photolyzing suitable precursor molecules with 193‐nm pulsed exciplex laser radiation. The bimolecular rate coefficients were obtained by monitoring the radical decay signals in real time under pseudo–first‐order conditions. The rate coefficients of all three reactions showed negative temperature dependence. The bath gas used in the experiments was helium, and the rate coefficients appeared to be independent of the helium concentrations employed ([2.4–14] × 10¹⁶ cm^?3) for all three reactions. The rate coefficients of the reactions can be approximated in the studied temperature range by the following parameterizations: We estimate that the overall uncertainties of the measured rate coefficients are ±20%. We were able to observe 2‐chloropropane (i‐C₃H₇Cl) product for the i‐C₃H₇^● + Cl₂ reaction. No products were observed for the other two reactions, and the reasons for this are briefly discussed in the text.     

General build up of basis and matrix in the diagonalization approach. Determination of Kramers configuration state functions

Algorithms to build the basis and matrix representation to obtain the Kramers configuration space functions (KCSFs) via diagonalization will be formally generalized to an arbitrary number of unpaired (open shell) fermions. Effective build up of the matrix representation will be outlined (including threading and graphical processing unit parallelism) to subsequently obtain the KCSFs via calling external/numerical library routines for diagonalization. The effective build up of the matrix representation relays on a binary tree search algorithm to allow evaluation the action on a given basis vector. The binary tree search avoids the treatment of zero matrix elements which leads to an exponential acceleration. The implementation ( basis creation, matrix representation, and matrix diagonalization) will be done in an all in core and all at once manner, hence the available core memory sets the physical limits in practical applications. Memory limitations, sparsity of the matrix, general case of n fermions in m spinors, and the application of KCSFs will be put into further perspective.     

Multi‐Species Multi‐Channel (MSMC): An Ab Initio‐based Parallel Thermodynamic and Kinetic Code for Complex Chemical Systems

Multi‐Species Multi‐Channel (MSMC) is an ab initio parallel program to calculate thermodynamic quantities (e.g., , , , and , time‐dependent species profiles, and rate coefficients as functions of temperature and pressure for complex chemical reaction systems, which consist of multiple stable species and multiple reaction channels interconnecting them. Thermodynamic properties of the species involved are calculated using statistical mechanics with molecular information from electronic structure calculations. Temperature‐ and pressure‐dependent behaviors are rigorously characterized within the eigenpair master equation/Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (ME/RRKM) framework. Corrections, e.g., for hindered internal rotation and tunneling treatment, are included. With the implementation of an ultra‐high precision package and rigorous matrix setup, MSMC is able to correctly mimic real behaviors of different types of chemical systems. Different eigenpair‐based approaches to extract phenomenological/macroscopic rate coefficients are implemented for different applications. Moreover, a friendly and platform‐independent graphical‐user‐interface (GUI) is provided to facilitate the use of MSMC and the pre‐/postcalculation data visualization/analysis on the fly. The program can be freely downloaded at https://sites.google.com/site/msmccode/ .     

Kinetics of the Gas‐Phase Elimination Reaction of Benzyl Chloroformate and Neopentyl Chloroformate

The gas‐phase eliminations of benzyl chloroformate (475–523 K, 31–103 Torr) and neopentyl chloroformate (563–622 K, 37–70 Torr), in a deactivated static reaction vessel, and in the presence of a free radical suppressor, are homogeneous, unimolecular, and follow a first‐order rate law. The rate coefficients are expressed by the following Arrhenius equations: Benzyl chloroformate Neopentyl chloroformate Formation of neopentyl chloride: Formation of 2‐methylbutenes: The derived kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for benzyl chloroformate decomposition indicate the reaction proceeds through a concerted four‐membered cyclic transition state to give benzyl chloride and CO₂ gas. Neopentyl chloroformate undergoes a parallel reaction, where neopentyl chloride formation may arise from a polar‐concerted four‐membered cyclic transition state, whereas the mixture of olefins, 2‐methyl‐2‐butene, and 2‐methyl‐1‐butene appears to be produced from a carbene intermediate. This intermediate seems to be originated from a concerted five‐membered cyclic transition state of the neopentyl substrate.     

The Thermodynamic Links between Substrate,Enzyme, and Microbial Dynamics in Michaelis–Menten–Monod Kinetics

Accurate prediction of the temperature response of the velocity v of a biochemical reaction has wide applications in cell biology, reaction design, and biomass yield enhancement. Here, we introduce a simple but comprehensive mechanistic approach that uses thermodynamics and biochemical kinetics to describe and link the reaction rate and Michaelis–Menten constants (k_T and _T) with the biomass yield and mortality rate (_T and δ_T) as explicit functions of . The temperature control is exerted by catabolic enthalpy at low temperatures and catabolic entropy at high temperatures, whereas changes in cell and enzyme–substrate heat capacity shift the anabolic electron use efficiency e_A and the maximum reaction velocity v_max. We show that cells have optimal growth when the catabolic (differential) free energy of activation decreases the cell free energy harvest required to duplicate their internal structures as long as electrons for anabolism are available. With the described approach, we accurately predicted observed glucose fermentation and ammonium nitrification dynamics across a wide temperature range with a minimal number of thermodynamics parameters, and we highlight how kinetic parameters are linked to each other using first principles.     

Inhibition of Aquated Sulfur Dioxide Autoxidation by Aliphatic,Acyclic, Aromatic,and Heterocyclic Volatile Organic Compounds

The oxidation of dissolved sulfur dioxide, sulfur(IV), by oxygen proceeds through the involvement of sulfoxy radicals among which sulfate radical anion is the main chain carrier. When organics are present, they inhibit the oxidation of sulfur(IV) via scavenging of SO₄⁻ radicals. In contrast to previous studies, which were limited mostly to aliphatic compounds, this paper presents the results of the effect of 13 new volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including aromatic and heterocyclic on uncatalyzed sulfur(IV) autoxidation at pH 8.2 and 25°C. In all cases, the kinetics was first order in the presence and absence of VOCs and experimental rate law was Eq. (1). (1) where −d[S(IV)]/dt is the rate of sulfur(IV) disappearance, k _obs is the first‐order rate constant in the presence of inhibitor, k _o is the first‐order rate constant in the absence of inhibitor, [S(IV)] is concentration of sulfur(IV) at time, t , and B is an inhibition parameter. VOCs cause inhibition by scavenging sulfate radical anions, which propagate the autoxidation chain. An analysis of B (Eq. (1)) and k _inh (Eq. (2)) values for 21 aliphatic, aromatic, acyclic, and heterocyclic organic compounds showed that these to be related by Eq. (3) for a subgroup and Eq. (4) for b subgroup. (2) a subgroup (benzamide, 2,2‐dimethyl‐1‐propanol, 1‐hexanol, methanol, ethanol, 1‐propanol, 2‐ propanol, 1‐butanol, 2‐butanol, ethylene glycol, rebaudioside A) (3) b  subgroup (o‐toluic acid, m‐toluic acid, p‐toluic acid, 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid, 1‐heptanol, glycerol, sucralose, acesuifame K, glycine, 3‐pentanol) (4)     

The Trifluoromethyl Anion: Evidence for [K(crypt‐222)]+

[K(crypt‐222)]⁺ ( 1 ) and [K(crypt‐222)]⁺ ( 3 ) are isostructural, displaying nearly identical unit cell parameters. The two structures are similar to the extent that the previously reported [K(crypt‐222)]⁺ model can be refined against the new data for [K(crypt‐222)]⁺ , with extra electron density being observed from the fourth fluorine atom of the . In agreement with experimental observations, theoretical calculations suggest that deprotonated [K(crypt‐222)]⁺ is highly unstable even at as low as 195 K. The previously considered 1:1 CHF ₃ clathrate of deprotonated [K(crypt‐222)]⁺ (crystallographically indistinguishable from 1 ) is ruled out on the basis of all available data.     

DSC Kinetics Analysis for the Synthesis of Three‐Arms Poly(ε‐caprolactone) Using Aluminum Tri‐sec‐Butoxide as Initiator

The kinetics of the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) initiated by soluble aluminum tri‐sec‐butoxide (Al(OsecBu)₃) has been investigated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC polymerizations were carried out under nonisothermal and isothermal conditions to obtain three‐arms poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). From nonisothermal DSC, the polymerization rate (dα/dt) increased with increasing heating rates. The values of E_a were determined from Kissinger ( kJ mol^?1), Friedman (31.0 – 63.0 kJ mol^?1), and Starink (64.0 – 71.0 kJ mol^?1) methods. From isothermal DSC, the dα/dt and the apparent rate constant (k_app) increased with increasing polymerization temperatures. The ROP of ε‐CL initiated by Al(OsecBu)₃ occurred via the coordination insertion mechanism. The number average molecular weight () and percent yield of the synthesized PCL was enhanced by increasing polymerization temperature. The synthesized PCL with of 2.4 × 10⁴ was obtained using a molar ratio of monomer to Al‐O active center ([M]/[Al‐O]) of 400 at 150ºC for 24 h. Al(OsecBu)₃ is one of the promising initiator due to its solubility, low transesterification reaction, and high efficiency in ε‐CL polymerization.     

Thermal rate constant for the C(3P) + OH(X2Π) → CO(X1Σ) + H(2S) reaction using stochastic energy grained master equation method

In the present work, the kinetic mechanism of the reaction is studied. The rate constants were determined using the Master Equation Solver for Multi-Energy Well Reactions (MESMER). The master equation modeling was also employed to examine the pressure dependence for each pathway involved. The theoretical analysis shows that the overall rate coefficient is practically independent of pressure up to 100 Torr for the temperature range 125-500 K. The unusual dependence of the overall rate constant with temperature was fit with the d-Arrhenius expression , where cm³molecule⁻¹s⁻¹, , and  kJ·mol⁻¹, for 125⩽ T ⩽ 500 K. The thermal rate constant results are in relatively good agreement with other theoretical studies.     

Spin–orbit effects on magnetically induced current densities in the () clusters

This study reports the spin–orbit effects on the aromaticity of the , , , , , and anionic clusters via the magnetically induced current‐density method. All‐electron density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using the four‐component Dirac‐Coulomb (DC) hamiltonian, including scalar and spin–orbit relativistic effects. The magnetic index of aromaticity was calculated by numerical integration over the current flow between two atoms in the pentagonal ring. These values were compared to the spin‐free values (spin–orbit coupling switched off), in order to assess the spin–orbit effect on aromaticity. It was found that in the heavy anions, and , there is a significant influence of the spin–orbit coupling. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Oxidation of methylamine

A detailed chemical kinetic model for oxidation of methylamine has been developed, based on theoretical work and a critical evaluation of data from the literature. The rate coefficients for the reactions of CHNH + O CHNH / CHNH + HO, CHNH + H CH + NH, CHNH CHNH, and CHNH + O CHNH + HO were calculated from ab initio theory. The mechanism was validated against experimental results from batch reactors, flow reactors, shock tubes, and premixed flames. The model predicts satisfactorily explosion limits for CHNH and its oxidation in a flow reactor. However, oxidation in the presence of nitric oxide, which strongly promotes reaction at lower temperatures, is only described qualitatively. Furthermore, calculated flame speeds are higher than reported experimental values; the model does not capture the inhibiting effect of the NH group in CHNH compared to CH. More work is desirable to confirm the products of the CHNH + NO reaction and to look into possible pathways to NH in methylamine oxidation.