Computational study on the mechanism and rate constant for the C6H5 + C6H5NO reaction

The reaction mechanism of C6H5 + C6H5NO involving four product channels on the doublet-state potential energy surface has been studied at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d, p) level of theory. The first reaction channel occurs by barrierless association forming (C6H5)2NO (biphenyl nitroxide), which can undergo isomerization and decomposition. The second channel takes place by substitution reaction producing C12H10 (biphenyl) and NO. The third and fourth channels involve direct hydrogen abstraction reactions producing C6H4NO + C6H6 and C6H5NOH + C6H4, respectively. Bimolecular rate constants of the above four product channels have been calculated in the temperature range 300-2000 K by the microcanonical Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and/or variational transition-state theory. The result shows the dominant reactions are channel 1 at lower temperatures (T < 800 K) and channel 3 at higher temperatures (T > 800 K). The total rate constant at 7 Torr He is predicted to be k(t) = 3.94 x 10(21) T(-3.09) exp(-699/T) for 300-500 K, 2.09 x 10(20) T(-3.56) exp(2315/T) for 500-1000 K, and 1.51 x 10(2) T(3.30) exp(-3043/T) for 1000-2000 K (in units of cm3 mol(-1) s(-1)), agreeing reasonably with the experimental data within their reported errors. The heats of formation of key products including biphenyl nitroxide, hydroxyl phenyl amino radical, and N-hydroxyl carbazole have been estimated.     

Computational study on the kinetics and mechanisms for the reactions of HCO with HONO and HNOH

The kinetics and mechanisms of the HCO reactions with HONO and HNOH have been studied at the G2M level of theory based on the geometric parameters optimized at BH&HLYP/6‐311G(d,p). The rate constants in the temperature range 200–3000 K at different pressures have been predicted by microcanonical RRKM and/or variational transition state theory calculations with Eckart tunneling corrections. For the HCO + HONO reaction, hydrogen abstraction from trans‐HONO and cis‐HONO by HCO produces H₂CO + NO₂, with the latter being dominant. Two other channels involving cis‐HONO by the association/decomposition mechanism via the HC(O)N(O)OH intermediate, which could fragment to give H₂O + CO + NO at high temperatures, were also found to be important. For the HCO + HNOH reaction, three reaction channels were identified: one association reaction giving a stable intermediate, HC(O)N(H)OH (LM2), and two hydrogen abstraction channels producing H₂CO and H₂NOH. The dominant products were predicted to be the formation of LM2 at low temperatures and H₂NOH + CO at middle and high temperatures. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 178–187 2004     

Computational study on the kinetics and mechanism for the unimolecular decomposition of C6H5NO2 and the related C6H5 + NO2 and C6H5O + NO reactions

The kinetics and mechanisms for the unimolecular dissociation of nitrobenzene and related association reactions C(6)H(5) + NO(2) and C(6)H(5)O + NO have been studied computationally at the G2M(RCC, MP2) level of theory in conjunction with rate constant prediction with multichannel RRKM calculations. Formation of C(6)H(5) + NO(2) was found to be dominant above 850 K with its branching ratio > 0.78, whereas the formation of C(6)H(5)O + NO via the C(6)H(5)ONO intermediate was found to be competitive at lower temperatures, with its branching ratio increasing from 0.22 at 850 K to 0.97 at 500 K. The third energetically accessible channel producing C(6)H(4) + HONO was found to be uncompetitive throughout the temperature range investigated, 500-2000 K. The predicted rate constants for C(6)H(5)NO(2) --> C(6)H(5) + NO(2) and C(6)H(5)O + NO --> C(6)H(5)ONO under varying experimental conditions were found to be in good agreement with all existing experimental data. For C(6)H(5) + NO(2), the combination processes producing C(6)H(5)ONO and C(6)H(5)NO(2) are dominant at low temperature and high pressure, while the disproportionation process giving C(6)H(5)O + NO via C(6)H(5)ONO becomes competitive at low pressure and dominant at temperatures above 1000 K.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the NCN + NO2 reaction studied by experiment and theory

The rate constant for the NCN + NO 2 reaction has been measured by a laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique in the temperature range of 260-296 K at pressures between 100 and 500 Torr with He and N 2 as buffer gases. The NCN radical was produced from the photolysis of NCN 3 at 193 nm and monitored by laser-induced fluorescence with a dye laser at 329.01 nm. The rate constant was found to increase with pressure but decrease with temperature, indicating that the reaction occurs via a long-lived intermediate stabilized by collisions with buffer gas. The reaction mechanism and rate constant are also theoretically predicted for the temperature range of 200-2000 K and the He and N 2 pressure range of 10 (-4) Torr to 1000 atm based on dual-channel Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory with the potential energy surface evaluated at the G2M//B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level. In the low-temperature range (<700 K), the most favorable reaction is the barrierless association channel that leads to the intermediate complex (NCN-NO 2). At high temperature, the direct O-abstraction reaction with a barrier of 9.8 kcal/mol becomes the dominant channel. The rate constant calculated by RRKM theory agrees reasonably well with experimental data.     

A computational study of the kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of HCO with HNO

The mechanism for the reaction of HCO with HNO has been studied at the G2M level of theory, based on the geometric parameters optimized by the BH&HLYP/6‐311G(d, p) method. There are three direct hydrogen abstraction channels producing (1) H₂CO + NO, (2) H₂NO + CO, and (3) HNOH + CO with barriers of 3.7, 3.9, and 10.4 kcal/mol, respectively. Another important reaction channel, (4), involves an association process forming HN(O)CHO (LM1) with a very small barrier and the subsequent isomerization and decomposition of LM1 producing HNOH + CO as major products. The rate constants of the dominant reaction channels (1), (2), and (4) in the temperature range 200–3000 K have been predicted by the microcanonical RRKM and transition state theory calculations with Eckart tunneling corrections. The theoretical result shows that in the high temperature range ( T > 1500 K), k₁ (H₂CO + NO) and k₂(H₂NO + CO) are preponderant, while in the low temperature range, both k₄(LM1) and k₄(HNOH + CO) appear to be dominant at high and low pressures, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 205–215, 2004     

Ab initio study on the oxidation of NCN by O (3P): prediction of the total rate constant and product branching ratios

The reaction of NCN with O is relevant to the formation of prompt NO according to the new mechanism, CH+N2-->cyclic-C(H)NN- -->HNCN-->H+NCN. The reaction has been investigated by ab initio molecular orbital and transition state theory calculations. The mechanisms for formation of possible product channels involved in the singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces have been predicted at the highest level of the modified GAUSSIAN-2 (G2M) method, G2M (CC1). The barrierless association/dissociation processes on the singlet surface were also examined with the third-order Rayleigh-Schr?dinger perturbation (CASPT3) and the multireference configuration interaction methods including Davidson's correction for higher excitations (MRCI+Q) at the CASPT3(6,6)/6-311+G(3df)//UB3LYP/6-311G(d) and MRCI+Q(6,6)/6-311+G(3df)//UB3LYP/6-311G(d) levels. The rate constants for the low-energy channels producing CO+N2, CN+NO, and N(4S)+NCO have been calculated in the temperature range of 200-3000 K. The results show that the formation of CN+NO is dominant and its branching ratio is over 99% in the whole temperature range; no pressure dependence was noted at pressures below 100 atm. The total rate constant can be expressed by: kt=4.23x10(-11) T0.15 exp(17/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1).     

Computational study of the reaction of fluorine atom with acetone

The reaction of F(2P) with acetone has been studied theoretically using ab initio quantum chemistry methods and transition state theory. The potential energy surface was calculated at the G3MP2 level using the MP2/6-311G(d,p) optimized structures. Additionally, to ensure the accuracy of the calculations, optimizations with either larger basis set (e.g., MP2/G3MP2Large) or higher level electron correlation [e.g., CCSD/ 6-311G(d,p)] were also performed. It has been revealed that the F + CH3C(O)CH3 reaction proceeds via two pathways: (1) the direct hydrogen abstraction of acetone by F gives the major products HF + CH3C(O)CH2; (2) the addition of F atom to the >C=O double bond of acetone and the subsequent C-C bond cleavage gives the minor products CH3 + CH3C(O)F. All other product channels are of no importance due to the occurrence of significant barriers. Both abstraction and addition appear to be barrierless processes. Variational transition state model and multichannel RRKM theory were employed to calculate the temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants and branching ratios. The predicted rate constants for the abstraction channel and the yields of HF + CH3C(O)CH3 and CH3 + CH3C(O)F are both in good agreement with the experimental data at 295 K and 700 Torr. A negative temperature dependence of the overall rate constants was predicted at temperatures below 500 K.     

Ab initio kinetics of the reaction of HCO with NO: abstraction versus association/elimination mechanism

The kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of HCO with NO occurring by both singlet and triplet electronic state potential-energy surfaces (PESs) have been studied at the modified Gaussian-2 level of theory based on the geometric parameters optimized by the Becke-3 Lee-Yang-Parr/6-311G(d,p) method. There are two major reaction channels on both singlet and triplet PESs studied: one is direct H abstraction producing CO+HNO and the other is association forming a stable HC(O)NO (nitrosoformaldehyde) molecule. The dominant reaction is predicted to be the direct H abstraction occurring primarily by the lowest-energy path via a loose hydrogen-bonding singlet molecular complex, ON...HCO, with a 2.9-kcal/mol binding energy and a small decomposition barrier (1.9 kcal/mol). The commonly assumed HC(O)NO intermediate, predicted to lie below the reactants by 27.7 kcal/mol, has a high HNO-elimination barrier (34.5 kcal/mol). Bimolecular rate constants for the formation of the singlet products and their branching ratios have been calculated in the temperature range of 200-3000 K. The rate constant for the disproportionation process producing HNO+CO, found to be affected strongly by multiple reflections above the well of the complex at low temperature, is predicted to be k(HNO)=3.08 x 10(-12) T(0.10) exp(242T) for 200-500 K, and 1.72 x 10(-16) T(1.47) exp(888T) for 500-3000 K in units of cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The high- and low-pressure rate constants for the association process forming HC(O)NO can be represented by k(infinity)=4.42 x 10(-11) T(0.25) exp(-28T) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (200-3000 K) and k(0)=7.30x10(-16) T(-5.75) exp(-719T) (200-1000 K) and 1.82 x 10(2) T(-11.92) exp(1846T) (1000-3000 K) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1) for N(2)-buffer gas. The absolute values of total rate constant, predicted to be weakly dependent negatively on temperature but positively on pressure, are in close agreement with most experimental data within their reported errors.     

A computational study on the kinetics and mechanism for the unimolecular decomposition of o-nitrotoluene

The kinetics and mechanism for the unimolecular decomposition of o-nitrotoluene (o-CH(3)C(6)H(4)NO(2)) have been studied computationally at the G2M(RCC, MP2)//B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) level of theory in conjunction with rate constant predictions with RRKM and TST calculations. The results of the calculations reveal 10 decomposition channels for o-nitrotoluene and its six isomeric intermediates, among them four channels give major products: CH(3)C(6)H(4) + NO(2), C(6)H(4)C(H)ON (anthranil) + H(2)O, CH(3)C(6)H(4)O (o-methyl phenoxy) + NO, and C(6)H(4)C(H(2))NO + OH. The predicted rate constants in the 500-2000 K temperature range indicate that anthranil production, taking place initially by intramolecular H-abstraction from the CH(3) group by NO(2) followed by five-membered ring formation and dehydration, dominates at temperatures below 1000 K, whereas NO(2) elimination becomes predominant above 1100 K and CH(3)C(6)H(4)O formation by the nitro-nitrite isomerization/decomposition process accounts for only 5-11% of the total product yield in the middle temperature range 800-1300 K. The branching ratio for CH(2)C(6)H(4)NO formation by the decomposition process of CH(2)C(6)H(4)N(O)OH is negligible. The predicted high-pressure-limit rate constants with the rate expression of 4.10 x 10(17) exp[-37000/T] s(-1) for the NO(2) elimination channel and 9.09 x 10(12) exp[-25800/T] s(-1) for the H(2)O elimination channel generally agree reasonably with available experimental data. The predicted high-pressure-limit rate constants for the NO and OH elimination channels are represented as 1.49 x 10(14) exp[-30000/T] and 1.31 x 10(15) exp[-38000/T] s(-1), respectively.     

Thermal decomposition of ethanol. 4. Ab initio chemical kinetics for reactions of H atoms with CH3CH2O and CH3CHOH radicals

The potential energy surfaces of H-atom reactions with CH(3)CH(2)O and CH(3)CHOH, two major radicals in the decomposition and oxidation of ethanol, have been studied at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df,2p) level of theory with geometric optimization carried out at the BH&HLYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) level. The direct hydrogen abstraction channels and the indirect association/decomposition channels from the chemically activated ethanol molecule have been considered for both reactions. The rate constants for both reactions have been calculated at 100-3000 K and 10(-4) Torr to 10(3) atm Ar pressure by microcanonical VTST/RRKM theory with master equation solution for all accessible product channels. The results show that the major product channel of the CH(3)CH(2)O + H reaction is CH(3) + CH(2)OH under atmospheric pressure conditions. Only at high pressure and low temperature, the rate constant for CH(3)CH(2)OH formation by collisonal deactivation becomes dominant. For CH(3)CHOH + H, there are three major product channels; at high temperatures, CH(3)+CH(2)OH production predominates at low pressures (P < 100 Torr), while the formation of CH(3)CH(2)OH by collisional deactivation becomes competitive at high pressures and low temperatures (T < 500 K). At high temperatures, the direct hydrogen abstraction reaction producing CH(2)CHOH + H(2) becomes dominant. Rate constants for all accessible product channels in both systems have been predicted and tabulated for modeling applications. The predicted value for CH(3)CHOH + H at 295 K and 1 Torr pressure agrees closely with available experimental data. For practical modeling applications, the rate constants for the thermal unimolecular decomposition of ethanol giving key accessible products have been predicted; those for the two major product channels taking place by dehydration and C-C breaking agree closely with available literature data.     

Ab initio chemical kinetics for the ClOO + NO reaction: effects of temperature and pressure on product branching formation

The kinetics and mechanism for the reaction of ClOO with NO have been investigated by ab initio molecular orbital theory calculations based on the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df)//PW91PW91∕6-311+G(3df) method, employed to evaluate the energetics for the construction of potential energy surfaces and prediction of reaction rate constants. The results show that the reaction can produce two key low energy products ClNO + (3)O(2) via the direct triplet abstraction path and ClO + NO(2) via the association and decomposition mechanism through long-lived singlet pc-ClOONO and ClONO(2) intermediates. The yield of ClNO + O(2) ((1)△) from any of the singlet intermediates was found to be negligible because of their high barriers and tight transition states. As both key reactions initially occur barrierlessly, their rate constants were evaluated with a canonical variational approach in our transition state theory and Rice-Ramspergen-Kassel-Marcus/master equation calculations. The rate constants for ClNO + (3)O(2) and ClO + NO(2) production from ClOO + NO can be given by 2.66 × 10(-16) T(1.91) exp(341/T) (200-700 K) and 1.48 × 10(-24) T(3.99) exp(1711/T) (200-600 K), respectively, independent of pressure below atmospheric pressure. The predicted total rate constant and the yields of ClNO and NO(2) in the temperature range of 200-700 K at 10-760 Torr pressure are in close agreement with available experimental results.     

Criegee中间体气相反应热力学的G2理论计算

Criegee intermediate is believed to play an important role in the atmospheric chemistry. Because of its short life and the difficulty in experimental study, we carried out ah initio calculations on the thermochemistry of the Criegee involving reactions in this study. Thermochemistry data of reaction enthalpies and Gibbs free energies for four different stable structures of the Criegee intermediates (singlet CH2OO ①1 A1 in C2v, triplet CH2OO ②3B1 in C2v, singlet CH2OO ③1A' in Cs and triplet CH2OO ④ in C1 symmetry) involved in some of the gas-phase reactions were calculated at the standard Gaussian-2 [G2(MP2) and G2] and a modified G2, G2(fu1)[10],levels of theory. Relative energies among those Criegees and formic acid were compared. Chemical reactions include the formation of Criegees, re-arrangement from Criegee to formic acid, dissociations (producing CH2(3B1)+O2, CH2(1A1)+O2, CO2+H2, CO2+2H, CO+H2O, OH+HCO) and the reactions between Criegee and NO/H2O. Standard equilibrium constants for some reactions were investigated and may be obtained for all of the rest reactions involved in this study by the standard Gibbs free energies. It is shown that the formation of Criegee ①-④ by ethylene and ozone, the re-arrangement from any Criegee to formic acid, the dissociation in producing CO2+O2and CO+H2O and the reactions between any Criegee and NO/H2O are all favourable thermodynamicaly. The dissociation in forming CO2+2H and OH+HCO is less favourable. While the dissociation in forming carbene (either in 3B1 or 1A1 state) is not allowed by ΔrGm? values. Standard enthalpies of formation at 298 K for the four Criegees were predicted at the G2(ful) level of theory. Each value is the average value from ten of the above reactions and they are -4.3, 74.8,98.9 and 244.6 kJ mol-1 at the G2(ful) level for Criegee ① to Criegee ④, respectively. In addition, tile standard enthalpy of formation at 298 K for HOCH2OOH is further predicted to be -315.6 kJ mol-1 at the G2(MP2) level.     

Ab initio studies of ClO(x) reactions: prediction of the rate constants of ClO+NO2 for the forward and reverse processes.

The potential-energy surface for the reaction of ClO with NO2 has been constructed at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df)//B3LYP/6-311+G(3df) level of theory. Six ClNO3 isomers are located; these are ClONO2, pc-ClOONO, pt-ClOONO, OClNO2, pt-OClONO, pc-OClONO, with predicted energies relative to the reactants of -25.6, -0.5, 1.0, 1.9, 12.2 and 13.6 kcal mol-1, and heats of formation at 0 K of 7.8, 32.9, 34.4, 35.5, 45.6 and 47.0 kcal mol-1, respectively. Isomerizations among them are also discussed. The rate constants for the low-energy pathways have been computed by statistical theory calculations. For the association reaction producing exclusively ClONO2, the predicted low- and high-pressure-limit rate constants in N2 for the temperature range of 200-600 K can be represented by: (N2)=3.19 x 10-17 T-5.54 exp(-384 K/T) cm6 molecule-2 s-1 and =3.33 x 10-7 T-1.48 exp(-18 K/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1. The predicted low- and high-pressure-limit rate constants for the decomposition of ClONO2 in N2 at 200-600 K can be expressed, respectively, by =6.08 x 1013 T-6.54 exp(-13813 K/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 and =4.59 x 1023 T-2.43 exp(-13437 K/T) s-1. The predicted values compare satisfactorily with available experimental data. The reverse Cl+NO3 reaction was found to be independent of the pressure, giving exclusively ClO+NO2; the predicted rate constant can be expressed as k(Cl+NO3)=1.19 x 10-9 T-0.60 exp(58 K/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1..     

Theoretical study on the mechanism of the 1CHCl + NO2 reactions

The radical-molecule reaction mechanism of (1)CHCl with NO(2) has been explored theoretically at the B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) and CCSD(T)/6-311G(d, p) (single-point) levels of theory. Thirteen minimum isomers and 29 transition states are located. The initial association between (1)CHCl and NO(2) proceeds most likely through the carbon-to-middle-nitrogen attack leading to an energy-rich adduct a (HClCNO(2)), which is found to be a barrierless process. Staring from a, the most feasible channel is to undergo a concerted O-shift and C--N bond rupture leading to product P(2) (NO + HClCO). The minor product pathways are the direct O-extrusion of a to P(3) (O + HClCNO-cis) as well as the 1,3-H-shift of a to isomer b (ClCNOOH) followed by a concerted OH-shift leading to d (HOClCNO), which will dissociate to product P(8) (NO + ClCOH) via C--N cleavage. Because the transition states and isomers involved in the most feasible channel all lie below the reactants, the title reaction is expected to be rapid, as is consistent with the measured rate constant at 296 K. The comparison with the analogous reactions (3)CH(2) + NO(2) are discussed. The present study may be useful for further experimental investigation of the title reaction.     

Ab initio chemical kinetics for the hydrolysis of N2O4 isomers in the gas phase

The mechanism and kinetics for the gas-phase hydrolysis of N(2)O(4) isomers have been investigated at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p) level of theory in conjunction with statistical rate constant calculations. Calculated results show that the contribution from the commonly assumed redox reaction of sym-N(2)O(4) to the homogeneous gas-phase hydrolysis of NO(2) can be unequivocally ruled out due to the high barrier (37.6 kcal/mol) involved; instead, t-ONONO(2) directly formed by the association of 2NO(2), was found to play the key role in the hydrolysis process. The kinetics for the hydrolysis reaction, 2NO(2) + H(2)O ? HONO + HNO(3) (A) can be quatitatively interpreted by the two step mechanism: 2NO(2) → t-ONONO(2), t-ONONO(2) + H(2)O → HONO + HNO(3). The predicted total forward and reverse rate constants for reaction (A), k(tf) = 5.36 × 10(-50)T(3.95) exp(1825/T) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1) and k(tr) = 3.31 × 10(-19)T(2.478) exp(-3199/T) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively, in the temperature range 200-2500 K, are in good agreement with the available experimental data.     

CH3与NO2的反应

The elementary reaction of the CH3 radical with NO2 was investigated by time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The CH3 radical was produced by laser photolysis of CH3Br or CH3I at 248 nm. Vibrationally excited products OH, HNO and CO2 were observed by the time-resolved spectroscopy for the first time. The formation of another product NO was also verified. According to these observations, the product channels leading to CH3O+NO, CH2NO+OH and HNO+H2CO were identified. The channel of CH3O+NO was the major one. The reaction mechanisms of the above channels were studied by quantum chemical calculations at CCSD(T)/6-311++G(df,p)//MP2/6-311G(d,p) level. The calculated results fit with the experimental observations well.     

Falloff curves for the recombination reaction Cl + FC(O)O + M --> FC(O)OCl + M

The pressure dependence of the recombination reaction Cl + FC(O)O + M --> FC(O)OCl + M has been investigated at 296 K. FC(O)O radicals and Cl atoms were generated by laser flash photodissociation of FC(O)OO(O)CF at 193 nm in mixtures with Cl2 and He or SF6 over the total pressure range 8-645 Torr. The measured FC(O)O radical and F atom yields in the photolysis are 0.33 +/- 0.06 and 0.67 +/- 0.06. The reaction lies in the falloff range approaching the high-pressure limit. The extrapolations toward the limiting low- and high-pressure ranges were carried out using a reduced falloff curves formalism, which includes a recent implementation for the strong-collision broadening factors. The resulting values for the low-pressure rate coefficients are (2.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(-28)[He], (4.9 +/- 0.9) x 10(-28)[SF6], (1.9 +/- 0.3) x 10(-28)[Cl2] and (5.9 +/- 1.1) x 10(-28)[FC(O)OO(O)CF] cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). The derived high-pressure rate coefficient is (4.4 +/- 0.8) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). For the reaction Cl + FC(O)OCl --> Cl2 + FC(O)O a rate coefficient of (1.6 +/- 0.3) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) was determined. The high-pressure rate coefficient was theoretically interpreted using SACM/CT calculations on an ab initio electronic potential computed at the G3S level of theory. Standard heat of formation values of -99.9 and -102.5 kcal mol(-1) were computed at the G3//B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level of theory for cis-FC(O)OCl and trans-FC(O)OCl, respectively. The computed electronic barrier for the conversion between the trans and cis conformers is 8.9 kcal mol(-1). On the basis of the present results, the above reactions are expected to have a negligible impact on stratospheric ozone levels.     

Dissociation mechanism of a stable intermediate: perfluorohydroxylamine

The mechanism of dissociation of F2NOF has been studied using density-functional (B3LYP, BB1K, and MPWB1K) and wave function methods (CCSD). Variational transition state theory was used to calculate the rate constants for cis-F2NOF --> FNO + F2 (concerted), cis-F2NOF --> F2NO + F, and cis-F2NOF --> trans-F2NOF --> F3NO. Rate constants were also calculated for the dissociation of F2NOF by using transition state theory. The enthalpies of the transitions states (CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ//B3LYP/6-311+G(d)) were very close to the enthalpy of separated F2NO + F radicals which implies temperature-dependent competition between concerted rearrangement and fragmentation-recombination. The picture is further complicated by the fact that F2NO undergoes fragmentation into FNO + F with a very low barrier. Thus, formation of F3NO, the global minimum on the potential energy surface, can only occur by a concerted process (not from F2NO + F). The data were fit to a temperature-dependent rate in the range 200-1000 K in the form k2 = 8.14 x 10(13) exp(-7860/T) s(-1), k(1) = 6.37 x 10(13) exp(-7855/T) s(-1), and k(10) = 1.42 x 10(12) exp(-7420/T) for cis-F2NOF --> FNO + F2 (concerted), cis-F2NOF --> F2NO + F, and cis-F2NOF --> F3NO, respectively. The calculated lifetime of cis-F2NOF at 298K is 2.5 x 10(-3) s via k1.     

Ab initio kinetics for the unimolecular reaction C6H5OH --> CO + C5H6

The unimolecular decomposition of C(6)H(5)OH on its singlet-state potential energy surface has been studied at the G2M//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The result shows that the most favorable reaction channel involves the isomerization and decomposition of phenol via 2,4-cyclohexadienone and other low-lying isomers prior to the fragmentation process, producing cyclo-C(5)H(6) + CO as major products, supporting the earlier assumption of the important role of the 2,4-cyclohexadienone intermediate. The rate constant predicted by the microcanonical RRKM theory in the temperature range 800-2000 K at 1 Torr--100 atm of Ar pressure for CO production agrees very well with available experimental data in the temperature range studied. The rate constants for the production of CO and the H atom by O-H dissociation at atmospheric Ar pressure can be represented by k(CO) = 8.62 x 10(15) T(-0.61) exp(-37,300/T) s(-1) and k(H) = 1.01 x 10(71) T(-15.92) exp(-62,800/T) s(-1). The latter process is strongly P-dependent above 1000 K; its high- and low-pressure limits are given.     

Pulsed laser photolysis and quantum chemical-statistical rate study of the reaction of the ethynyl radical with water vapor

The rate coefficient of the gas-phase reaction C(2)H + H(2)O-->products has been experimentally determined over the temperature range 500-825 K using a pulsed laser photolysis-chemiluminescence (PLP-CL) technique. Ethynyl radicals (C(2)H) were generated by pulsed 193 nm photolysis of C(2)H(2) in the presence of H(2)O vapor and buffer gas N(2) at 15 Torr. The relative concentration of C(2)H radicals was monitored as a function of time using a CH* chemiluminescence method. The rate constant determinations for C(2)H + H(2)O were k(1)(550 K) = (2.3 +/- 1.3) x 10(-13) cm(3) s(-1), k(1)(770 K) =(7.2 +/- 1.4) x 10(-13) cm(3) s(-1), and k(1)(825 K) = (7.7 +/- 1.5) x 10(-13) cm(3) s(-1). The error in the only other measurement of this rate constant is also discussed. We have also characterized the reaction theoretically using quantum chemical computations. The relevant portion of the potential energy surface of C(2)H(3)O in its doublet electronic ground state has been investigated using density functional theory B3LYP6-311 + + G(3df,2p) and molecular orbital computations at the unrestricted coupled-cluster level of theory that incorporates all single and double excitations plus perturbative corrections for the triple excitations, along with the 6-311 + + G(3df,2p) basis set [(U)CCSD(T)6-311 + + G(3df,2p)] and using UCCSD(T)6-31G(d,p) optimized geometries. Five isomers, six dissociation products, and sixteen transition structures were characterized. The results confirm that the hydrogen abstraction producing C(2)H(2)+OH is the most facile reaction channel. For this channel, refined computations using (U)CCSD(T)6-311 + + G(3df,2p)(U)CCSD(T)6-311 + + G(d,p) and complete-active-space second-order perturbation theory/complete-active-space self-consistent-field theory (CASPT2/CASSCF) [B. O. Roos, Adv. Chem. Phys. 69, 399 (1987)] using the contracted atomic natural orbitals basis set (ANO-L) [J. Almlof and P. R. Taylor, J. Chem. Phys.86, 4070 (1987)] were performed, yielding zero-point energy-corrected potential energy barriers of 17 kJ mol(-1) and 15 kJ mol(-1), respectively. Transition-state theory rate constant calculations, based on the UCCSD(T) and CASPT2/CASSCF computations that also include H-atom tunneling and a hindered internal rotation, are in perfect agreement with the experimental values. Considering both our experimental and theoretical determinations, the rate constant can best be expressed, in modified Arrhenius form as k(1)(T) = (2.2 +/- 0.1) x 10(-21)T(3.05) exp[-(376 +/- 100)T] cm(3) s(-1) for the range 300-2000 K. Thus, at temperatures above 1500 K, reaction of C(2)H with H(2)O is predicted to be one of the dominant C(2)H reactions in hydrocarbon combustion.