Dynamics of the O(3P) + CH4 → OH + CH3 reaction is similar to that of a triatomic reaction

The O((3)P) + CH(4) reaction has been investigated using the quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method and an ab initio pseudotriatomic potential energy surface (PES). This has been mainly motivated by very recent experiments which support the reliability of the triatomic modeling even at high collision energy ( = 64 kcal mol(-1)). The QCT results agree rather well with the experiments (translational and angular distributions of products); i.e., the ab initio pseudotriatomic modeling "captures" the essence of the reaction dynamics, although the PES was not optimized for high E(col). Furthermore, similar experiments on the O((3)P) + CD(4) reaction at moderate E(col) (12.49 kcal mol(-1)) have also been of a large interest here and, under these softer reaction conditions, the QCT method leads to results which are almost in quantitative agreement with experiments. The utility of the ab initio pseudotriatomic modeling has also been recognized for other analogous systems (X + CH(4)) but with very different PESs.     

Quasi-classical trajectory study of the dynamics of the Cl + CH4→ HCl + CH3 reaction

We present an on-the-fly classical trajectory study of the Cl + CH(4)→ HCl + CH(3) reaction using a specific reaction parameter (SRP) AM1 Hamiltonian that was previously optimized for the Cl + ethane reaction [S. J. Greaves et al., J. Phys Chem A, 2008, 112, 9387]. The SRP-AM1 Hamiltonian is shown to be a good model for the potential energy surface of the title reaction. Calculated differential cross sections, obtained from trajectories propagated with the SRP-AM1 Hamiltonian compare favourably with experimental results for this system. Analysis of the vibrational modes of the methyl radical shows different scattering distributions for ground and vibrationally excited products.     

Quasi-classical trajectory study of the S + OH → SO + H reaction: from reaction probability to thermal rate constant

First quasi-classical trajectory calculations have been carried out for the S((3)P) + OH(X?(2)Π) → SO(X?(3)Σ(-)) + H((2)S) reaction on an ab initio global potential energy surface for the ground electronic state, X?(2)A', of HSO. Cross sections, computed for collision energies up to 1 eV, show no energy threshold and decrease with the increasing collision energy. Rate constants have been calculated in the 5-500 K temperature range. The thermal rate constant is in good agreement with approximate quantum results, while a disagreement is found at 298 K with the experimental data. Product energy distributions have also been reported at four collision energies from 0.001 to 0.5 eV. The shapes of the rovibrational and angular distributions suggest the formation of an intermediate complex that is more and more long-lived as the collision energy increases.     

Quasi-classical trajectory studies of the stereodynamics of the reaction O + HCl → ClO + H

The stereodynamics of the O + HCl → ClO + H reaction are investigated by quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method. The calculations are carried out on the ground 1 ¹ A′ potential energy surface (PES). The orientation and alignments of the product rotational angular momentum for the title reaction are reported. The influence of collision energy on the product vector properties is also studied in the present work. Four (2π/σ)(dσ₀₀/dω _t ), (2π/σ)(dσ₂₀/dω _t ), (2π/σ)(dσ₂₂₊/dω _t ), and (2π / σ)(dσ₂₁₋/dω _t ), and have been calculated in the center of mass frame.     

Quasi-classical trajectory approach to the stereo-dynamics of the reaction F+HO→HF+O

Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations are employed for the reaction F + HO(0,0)→HF + O based on the adiabatic potential energy surface (PES) of the ground 3A″triplet state. The average rotational alignment factor P2(j′·k) as a function of collision energy and the four polarization dependent generalized differential cross sections have been calculated in the center-of-mass (CM) frame, separately. The distribution P(θr) of the angle between k and j′, the distribution P(θr) of dihedral angle denoting k-k′-j′ correlation, and the angular distribution P(θr, Φr) of product rotational vectors in the form of polar plots are calculated as well. The effect of Heavy-Light-Heavy (HLH) mass combination and atom F's relatively strong absorbability to charges on the alignment and the orientation of product molecule HF rotational angular momentum vectors j′ is revealed.     

Quasiclassical trajectory study of the reaction NH(X~3∑~-)+H→N(~4S)+H_2

The dynamics of the NH + H→N+H2 reaction has been investigated by means of the 3D quasiclassical trajectory approach by using the LEPS potential energy surface.The calculated rate coefficient is in good agreement with the experimental value.The reaction was found to occur via a direct channel.The product H2 has a cold excitation of rotational state,but has a reverse distribution of the vibrational state with a peak at v=1.Based on the potential energy surface and the trajectory analysis,the reaction mechanism has been explained successfully.     

Dynamic aspects of the reaction O(1D) + H2S → OH + SH

The energy distribution of nascent OH(²Π, υ, J) produced in the reaction of O(¹D) with H₂S has been measured by laser-induced fluorescence. The rotational distributions in υ″ = 0 and υ″ = 1 are Boltzmannian with temperature parameters T_r″-0 = 2300 ± 100 K and T_r⁻-1 = 2650 ± 150 K. A population ratio N(υ″ = 1)/N(υ″ = 0) = 0.17 is observed. The product-state distribution over the different spin and A components is statistically within the experimental uncertainty of 20%. A comparison of the OH product populations from the title reaction with the well known OH yield from the O(¹D)+H₂O reaction shows that 25% of the reactive encounters follow the reaction channel which produces OH in υ″ = 0 and υ″ = 1.     

Crossed-beams studies of the dynamics of the H-atom abstraction reaction, O(3P) + CH4 → OH + CH3, at hyperthermal collision energies

The H-atom abstraction reaction, O((3)P) + CH(4) → OH + CH(3), has been studied at a hyperthermal collision energy of 64 kcal mol(-1) by two crossed-molecular-beams techniques. The OH products were detected with a rotatable mass spectrometer employing electron-impact ionization, and the CH(3) products were detected with the combination of resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and time-sliced ion velocity-map imaging. The OH products are mainly formed through a stripping mechanism, in which the reagent O atom approaches the CH(4) molecule at large impact parameters and the OH product is scattered in the forward direction: roughly the same direction as the reagent O atoms. Most of the available energy is partitioned into product translation. The dominance of the stripping mechanism is a unique feature of such H-atom abstraction reactions at hyperthermal collision energies. In the hyperthermal reaction of O((3)P) with CH(4), the H-atom abstraction reaction pathway accounts for 70% of the reactive collisions, while the H-atom elimination pathway to produce OCH(3) + H accounts for the other 30%.     

Time-sliced ion-velocity imaging study of the reaction Y + O2 → YO + O

The oxidation reaction dynamics of the gas-phase yttrium atoms by oxygen molecules was studied under crossed-beam conditions. The product YO was detected using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer combined with laser single-photon ionization. An acceleration lens system designed for the ion-velocity mapping conditions, a two-dimensional (2-D) detector, and a time-slicing technique were used to obtain the velocity and angular distributions of the products. Two ionization wavelengths were used for the internal (vibrational and/or electronic) energy selective detection of YO. The single photon of the shorter wavelength (202.0 nm) can ionize all states of YO(X?(2)Σ, A'?(2)Δ, and A?(2)Π), while electronically excited YO(A' and A) are dominantly ionized at a longer wavelength (285.0 nm). Time-sliced images were converted to the velocity and angular distributions in the center-of-mass frame. The general features of the velocity distributions of YO, determined at two wavelengths, were well represented by those expected from the statistical energy disposal model. The forward-backward symmetry was also observed for two images. These results suggest that the reaction proceeds via long-lived intermediates, and that this mechanism is consistent with previous chemiluminescence/LIF studies.     

Theoretical studies on the reaction path and dynamics of the reaction CH_3+H_2O→CH_4+OH

The reaction path, the dynamical properties along the reaction path and CVT rate constants are computed by the ab initio MO method, the reaction path Hamiltonian theory and the variational transition state theory. The results show that the effect of the electron correlation energy on activation barrier is large, the recrossing and tunneling effects exist in the reaction.     

Quantum dynamics of the S+OH→SO+H reaction

First accurate quantum mechanical scattering calculations have been carried out for the S((3)P)+OH(X?(2)Π)→SO(X?(3)Σ(-))+H((2)S) reaction using a recent ab initio potential energy surface for the ground electronic state, X?(2)A("), of HSO. Total and state-to-state reaction probabilities for a total angular momentum J=0 have been determined for collision energies up to 0.5 eV. A rate constant has been calculated by means of the J-shifting approach in the 10-400 K temperature range. Vibrational and rotational product distributions show no specific behavior and are consistent with a mixture of direct and indirect reaction mechanisms.     

Theoretical study of the energetics of the O3(X̃ 1A1) → O2(X 3Σ−g) + O(3P) dissociation process

The dissociation energy (D_e) for the O₃(X̃ ¹A₁) → O₂(X ³Σ⁻_g) + O(³P) process is computed using MC SCF, CI, MBPT, and CCD methods. A full-valence MC SCF calculation utilizing a [9s5p3d1f/5s3p2d1f] basis set yields a D_e value of 0.43 eV, far below the experimental value of 1.13 eV, demonstrating the importance of correlation effects involving non-valence orbitals. A CI calculation in the same basis set allowing for all single and double excitations from three-reference configuration yields a D_e value of 0.72 eV. This value is increased to 1.06 eV when the Davidson correction is included. When the number of reference configurations is increased to eight, the resulting CI calculation gives a D_e value of 0.82 eV prior to the Davidson correction and 1.10 eV after this correction.     

Ab initio study on the dynamical properties of the hydrogen abstraction reaction NH2 + OH → NH + H2O

 The geometry of the transition state of the title reaction was optimized at the unrestricted Hartree–Fock, the spin-unrestricted second-order M?ller–Plesset, and the spin-unrestricted quadratic configuration interaction with all single and double substitutions levels of theory. The changes in the geometry, the bound vibrational modes, and the potential energy along the minimum energy path are discussed. Variational transition-state theory rate constants calculated with the tunneling and curvature effect correction agree very well with the experimental values. Received: 23 April 1999 / Accepted: 9 June 1999 / Published online: 15 December 1999     

Acceleration of the reaction OH + CO → H + CO2 by vibrational excitation of OH

The collision complex formed from a vibrationally excited reactant undergoes redissociation to the reactant, intramolecular vibrational relaxation (randomization of vibrational energy), or chemical reaction to the products. If attractive interaction between the reactants is large, efficient vibrational relaxation in the complex prevents redissociation to the reactants with the initial vibrational energy, and the complex decomposes to the reactants with low vibrational energy or converts to the products. In this paper, we have studied the branching ratios between the intramolecular vibrational relaxation and chemical reaction of an adduct HO(v)-CO formed from OH(X(2)Π(i)) in different vibrational levels v = 0-4 and CO. OH(v = 0-4) generated in a gaseous mixture of O(3)/H(2)/CO/He irradiated at 266 nm was detected with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) via the A(2)Σ(+)-X(2)Π(i) transition, and H atoms were probed by the two-photon excited LIF technique. From the kinetic analysis of the time-resolved LIF intensities of OH(v) and H, we have found that the intramolecular vibrational relaxation is mainly governed by a single quantum change, HO(v)-CO → HO(v-1)-CO, followed by redissociation to OH(v-1) and CO. With the vibrational quantum number v, chemical process from the adduct to H + CO(2) is accelerated, and vibrational relaxation is decelerated. The countertrend is elucidated by the competition between chemical reaction and vibrational relaxation in the adduct HOCO.     

Theoretical study for the CH3C(O)(CH2)2OH + OH reaction

The mechanisms and the kinetics of the OH radical reaction with 4-hydroxy-2-butanone (4H2B) are investigated theoretically. Five hydrogen-abstraction channels are identified for the title reaction. The first potential energy profile of the title reaction is presented. The rate constants for each reaction channel are evaluated using transition state theory method in the temperature range of 200–1,000 K. Branching ratio of the title reaction is calculated and plotted. It is shown that the “in-plane hydrogen abstraction” from the methoxy end is the dominant channel, and the other hydrogen-abstraction channels play the minor role. The comparison between theoretical and experimental results is discussed. The three-parameter Arrhenius expression for the rate constants is also provided.     

Nonadiabatic quantum dynamics in O(3P)+H2→OH+H: a revisited study

To investigate the extent of nonadiabatic effects in the title reaction, quasi-classical trajectory and nonadiabatic quantum scattering as well as the nonadiabatic quantum-classical trajectory calculations were performed on the accurate ab initio benchmark potential energy surfaces of the lowest (3)A' and (3)A" electronic states [Rogers et al., J Phys Chem A 2000, 104, 2308], together with the spin-orbit coupling matrix [Maiti and Schatz, J Chem Phys 2003, 119, 12360] and the lowest singlet (1) A' potential energy surface [Dobby and Knowles, Faraday Discuss 1998, 110, 247]. Comparison of the calculated total cross sections from both adiabatic and nonadiabatic calculations has demonstrated that for adiabatic channels including (3)A'→(3)A' and (3)A"→(3)A", difference does exist between the two kinds of adiabatic and nonadiabatic calculations, showing nonadiabatic effects to some extent. Such nonadiabatic effects tend to become more conspicuous at high collision energies and are found to be more pronounced with trajectories/quantum wave packet initiated on (3)A' than on (3)A". Furthermore, the present study also showed that nonadiabatic effects can bring the component of forward-scattering in the product angular distributions.     

17O excess transfer during the NO2 + O3 → NO3 + O2 reaction

The ozone molecule possesses a unique and distinctive (17)O excess (Δ(17)O), which can be transferred to some of the atmospheric molecules via oxidation. This isotopic signal can be used to trace oxidation reactions in the atmosphere. However, such an approach depends on a robust and quantitative understanding of the oxygen transfer mechanism, which is currently lacking for the gas-phase NO(2) + O(3) reaction, an important step in the nocturnal production of atmospheric nitrate. In the present study, the transfer of Δ(17)O from ozone to nitrate radical (NO(3)) during the gas-phase NO(2) + O(3) → NO(3) + O(2) reaction was investigated in a series of laboratory experiments. The isotopic composition (δ(17)O, δ(18)O) of the bulk ozone and the oxygen gas produced in the reaction was determined via isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The Δ(17)O transfer function for the NO(2) + O(3) reaction was determined to be: Δ(17)O(O(3)?) = (1.23 ± 0.19) × Δ(17)O(O(3))(bulk) + (9.02 ± 0.99). The intramolecular oxygen isotope distribution of ozone was evaluated and results suggest that the excess enrichment resides predominantly on the terminal oxygen atoms of ozone. The results obtained in this study will be useful in the interpretation of high Δ(17)O values measured for atmospheric nitrate, thus leading to a better understanding of the natural cycling of atmospheric reactive nitrogen.     

Quasi-classical trajectory study of the Ne + H2(+) → NeH(+) + H reaction based on global potential energy surface

Using the multireference configuration interaction method with a Davidson correction and a large orbital basis set (aug-cc-pVQZ), we obtain an energy grid that includes 32 038 points for the construction of a new analytical potential energy surface (APES) for the Ne + H(2)(+) → NeH(+) + H reaction. The APES is represented as a many-body expansion containing 142 parameters, which are fitted from 31?000 ab initio energies using an adaptive nonlinear least-squares algorithm. The geometric characteristics of the reported APES and the one presented here are also compared. On the basis of the APES we obtained, reaction cross sections are computed by means of quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations and compared with the experimental and theoretical data in the literature.