A photoelectron photoion coincidence study of the vinyl bromide and tribromoethane ion dissociation dynamics: heats of formation of C2H3+, C2H3Br, C2H3Br+, C2H3Br2+, and C2H3Br3

The threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) technique has been used to measure accurate dissociative photoionization onsets of vinyl bromide and 1,1,2-tribromoethane. The reactions investigated and their 0 K onsets are C2H3Br + hnu --> C2H3+ + Br (11.902 +/- 0.008 eV); C2H3Br3 + hnu --> C2H3Br2+ + Br (10.608 +/- 0.008 eV); and (C2H3Br3 + hnu --> C2H3Br+ + 2Br (12.301 +/- 0.035 eV). The vinyl ion heat of formation (Delta(f)H degrees 298K = 1116.1 +/- 3.0 kJ/mol) has been calculated using W1 theory and used as an anchor along with the measured dissociation energies to determine the heats of formation, Delta(f)H degrees 298K, in kJ/mol, of the following bromine-containing species: C2H3Br (74.1 +/- 3.1), C2H3Br+ (1021.9 +/- 3.1), C2H3Br2+ (967.1 +/- 4.0), and C2H3Br3 (53.5 +/- 4.3). These results represent accurate and consistent experimental determinations of heats of formation for these bromine-containing species, which serve to correct the discrepancies in the literature for C2H3Br and C2H3Br+ and provide the first experimental determination for the enthalpies of formation of C2H3Br2+ and C2H3Br3.     

Hydrated nickel (II) halides mediated ring opening reaction with N-tosylaziridines

An efficient and water tolerant method for the synthesis ofβ-haloamines is described utilizing hydrated nickel（Ⅱ） halides （NiX₂ⅩnH₂O X = Cl,Br,I） and aziridines as starting materials.N-Tosylaziridines reacted with NiCl₂·6H₂O or NiI₂·6H₂O givingβ-chloro -orβ-iodoamines in high yields（73-99%） within a short time,but 10 mol%of n-Bu₄NBr should be added in the reactions of N-tosylaziridines with NiBr₂·3H₂O in order to obtain the high yields of correspondingβ-bromoamines.Solvent played an important role in the reactions.The proper solvent for the reaction of NiCl₂·6H₂O was DMF,while NiBr₂·3H₂O or NiI₂·6H₂O proceeded well in 1,4-dioxane.     

Ion-molecule reaction mechanism of SiCN+/SiNC+ + HX (X = H, CH3, F, OH, NH2)

In contrast to the abundant data on the neutral-neutral reactions, little is known about the ion-molecule reactions involving silicon ions. A detailed mechanistic study at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,p) (single-point) computational levels was reported for the reactions of SiCN+/SiNC+ with a series of -bonded molecules HX (X = H, CH3, F, NH2). Together with the recently studied SiCN+/SiNC+ + H2O reactions, all of these reactions have nucleophilic substitution as their major pathway. Insertion is a much slower reaction. By contrast, the known atomic Si+ and C2N+ ion-molecule reactions go by insertion. Generally, the initial gas-phase condensation between SiCN+/SiNC+ and HX (except the nonionic H2) effectively forms the adduct HX...SiCN+/HX...SiNC+. The stability of the adduct increases with the electron-donating ability of X. Even at low temperatures, reactions with the electron donors NH3, H2O, and HF proceed rapidly to generate the fragments SiX+ + HCN (dominant) and SiX+ + HNC (minor). This suggests that such reactions may be useful in the synthesis of novel Si-X bonded species. However, the reactions of SiCN+ with completely saturated CH4 and H2 produce fragments only at high temperatures, and SiNC+ may even be unreactive. The calculated results may be helpful for understanding the chemistry of SiCN-based microelectric and photoelectric processes in addition to astrophysical processes in which the [Si,C,N]+ ion is involved. The results can also provide useful mechanistic information for the analogous ion-molecule reactions of the monovalent silicon-bearing ions.     

Calculational and experimental investigations of the pressure effects on radical-radical cross combination reactions: C2H5+C2H3

Pressure-dependent product yields have been experimentally determined for the cross-radical reaction C2H5 + C2H3. These results have been extended by calculations. It is shown that the chemically activated combination adduct, 1-C4H8*, is either stabilized by bimolecular collisions or subject to a variety of unimolecular reactions including cyclizations and decompositions. Therefore the "apparent" combination/disproportionation ratio exhibits a complex pressure dependence. The experimental studies were performed at 298 K and at selected pressures between about 4 Torr (0.5 kPa) and 760 Torr (101 kPa). Ethyl and vinyl radicals were simultaneously produced by 193 nm excimer laser photolysis of C2H5COC2H3 or photolysis of C2H3Br and C2H5COC2H5. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection (GC/MS/FID) were used to identify and quantify the final reaction products. The major combination reactions at pressures between 500 (66.5 kPa) and 760 Torr are (1c) C2H5+C2H3-->1-butene, (2c) C2H5 + C2H5-->n-butane, and (3c) C2H3+C2H3-->1,3-butadiene. The major products of the disproportionation reactions are ethane, ethylene, and acetylene. At moderate and lower pressures, secondary products, including propene, propane, isobutene, 2-butene (cis and trans), 1-pentene, 1,4-pentadiene, and 1,5-hexadiene are also observed. Two isomers of C4H6, cyclobutene and/or 1,2-butadiene, were also among the likely products. The pressure-dependent yield of the cross-combination product, 1-butene, was compared to the yield of n-butane, the combination product of reaction (2c), which was found to be independent of pressure over the range of this study. The [1-C4H8]/[C4H10] ratio was reduced from approximately 1.2 at 760 Torr (101 kPa) to approximately 0.5 at 100 Torr (13.3 kPa) and approximately 0.1 at pressures lower than about 5 Torr (approximately 0.7 kPa). Electronic structure and RRKM calculations were used to simulate both unimolecular and bimolecular processes. The relative importance of C-C and C-H bond ruptures, cyclization, decyclization, and complex decompositions are discussed in terms of energetics and structural properties. The pressure dependence of the product yields were computed and dominant reaction paths in this chemically activated system were determined. Both modeling and experiment suggest that the observed pressure dependence of [1-C4H8]/[C4H10] is due to decomposition of the chemically activated combination adduct 1-C4H8* in which the weaker allylic C-C bond is broken: H2C=CHCH2CH3-->C3H5+CH3. This reaction occurs even at moderate pressures of approximately 200 Torr (26 kPa) and becomes more significant at lower pressures. The additional products detected at lower pressures are formed from secondary radical-radical reactions involving allyl, methyl, ethyl, and vinyl radicals. The modeling studies have extended the predictions of product distributions to different temperatures (200-700 K) and a wider range of pressures (10(-3)-10(5) Torr). These calculations indicate that the high-pressure [1-C4H8]/[C4H10] yield ratio is 1.3+/-0.1.     

Theoretical, thermodynamic, spectroscopic, and structural studies of the consequences of one-electron oxidation on the Fe-X bonds in 17- and 18-electron Cp*Fe(dppe)X complexes (X = F, Cl, Br, I, H, CH3)

The compounds Cp*Fe(dppe)X ([Fe]X) and the corresponding cation radicals [Fe*]X*+ are available for the series X = F, Cl, Br, I, H, CH3. This has allowed for a detailed investigation of the dependence of the nature of Fe-X bonding on the identity of X and the oxidation state (charge) of the complex. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that the electrode potentials for the [Fe]X0/+ couples decrease in the order I > Br > Cl > H > F > CH3. An "inverse halide order" is seen, in which the most electronegative X leads to the most easily oxidized complex. This suggests that F is the best donor among the halides. The halide trend is also reflected in NMR spectroscopic data. M?ssbauer spectroscopy data also suggest that the F ligand is a strong donor (relative to H and CH3) in [Fe*]X*+. DFT calculations on CpFe(dpe)X ([Fe]X) model complexes nicely reproduce the trend in the electrode potentials for the [Fe*]X0/+ couples. Analysis of the theoretical data within the halogen series indicates that the energy of the [Fe]X HOMO does not correlate with the extent of its Fe(d(pi))-X(p(pi)) antibonding character, which varies in the order I > Br > Cl > F, but rather depends on the destabilizing electrostatic effect caused by X. This effect varies in the order F > Cl > Br > I. A thermochemical cycle that incorporates the [Fe*]X0/+ and [Fe*]0/+ electrode potentials was used to investigate the effect of the oxidation state of the complex on the homolytic bond dissociation energy (BDEhom), defined for the processes Fe-X --> Fe* + X* and Fe-X*+ --> Fe*+ + X*. For all X, it was found that a one-electron oxidation leads to a weakening of the Fe-X bond. This trend was reproduced by the DFT calculations. On the other hand, IR nu(Fe-X) spectroscopy data showed an increase in the stretching frequencies for X = H and Cl upon oxidation. X-ray crystallographic data showed a shortening of the Fe-Cl bond upon oxidation. The trends in IR and Fe-Cl bond distances were reproduced in the DFT calculations. The combined data therefore suggest that oxidation leads to weaker, but shorter, Fe-X bonds. A second thermochemical cycle was applied to investigate the effect of the one-electron oxidation on the heterolytic bond dissociation energies (BDEhet), defined for the processes Fe-X --> Fe+ + X- and Fe-X*+ --> Fe2+ + X-. In this case, the oxidation led to bond strengthening in all cases. The computed BDE values have been analyzed within Ziegler's transition state methodology and decomposed into two components, one electrostatic and one covalent, describing the interaction between the unrelaxed fragments. In all the computed BDEhom and BDEhet values of the [Fe]X models the electrostatic component is important. This helps to understand their respective variations upon oxidation.     

Synthesis and characterization of nickel(II) bis(alkylthio)salen complexes

NiX2(2-RSC6H4CH=NCH2CH2N=CHC6H4SR-2) (NiX2L; L = 5) (1a, X = Br, R = C6H13; 1b, X = Cl, R = C12H25) and NiX2(2-C6H13SC6H4CH2NHCH2CH2NHCH2C6H4SC6H13-2) (NiX2L; L = 6) (2a, X = Br; 2b, X = Cl; 2c, X = OClO3) were prepared from ligands 5 and 6, respectively. The 1:2 metal-ligand complex Ni(OClO3)2(2-RSC6H4CH2NHCH2CH2NHCH2C6H4SR-2)2 3, was obtained from an EtOH solution of 2c. The characterization of paramagnetic 1-3 included single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 1a and 3. Complex 2c converted into 3 in the presence of excess ligand 6 in CHCl3.     

General formation of trigonal-prismatic [Ag6X5(dppf)3]+ (X = Cl, Br, I) through an unusual ligand migration from NiX2(dppf) to AgOTf

Use of NiX2(dppf) (X = Cl, Br, I) as a ligand transfer reagent to AgOTf results in the trigonal prismatic [Ag6X5(dppf)3]OTf complexes. Similar reactions with the dppe analogues give at least 4 different types of dppe-bridged coordinationpolymers.     

Condensation reaction of formaldehyde and methyl formate catalyzed by a composite catalyst system

The condensation reaction of formaldehyde and methyl formate to form methyl glycolate and methyl methoxy acetate catalyzed by p-toluenesulfonic acid and different Lewis acid compounds has been investigated. The composite catalytic system consisting of p-toluenesulfonic acid and NiX2 （X = Cl, Br, I）, especially NiI2, exhibited a high catalytic performance for the condensation reaction, the total yield of MG and MMAc was up to 72.37%.     

Nickel complexes incorporating an amido phosphine chelate with a pendant amine arm: synthesis, structure, and catalytic Kumada coupling

A series of organonickel(II) complexes incorporating an amido phosphine ligand tethered with an amino pendant have been prepared and characterized. Deprotonation of N-(dimethylaminoethyl)-2-diphenylphosphinoaniline (H[PNN]) with one equivalent of n-BuLi in ethereal or hydrocarbon solutions at -35 °C generates cleanly dimeric {Li[PNN]}(2) as yellow crystals. The reaction of NiCl(2)(DME) with {Li[PNN]}(2) in THF at -35 °C affords green crystalline [PNN]NiCl. Treating [PNN]NiCl with NaX in acetone solutions gives [PNN]NiX (X = Br, I). Alkylation or arylation of [PNN]NiCl with appropriate Grignard reagents in THF at -35 °C produces red crystalline [PNN]NiR (R = Me, Et, i-Bu, n-hexyl, CH(2)Ph, Ph). The chloride complex [PNN]NiCl was found to be an active catalyst precursor for Kumada coupling reactions of PhX (X = I, Br, Cl) with aryl or alkyl Grignard reagents, including those containing β-hydrogen atoms. The X-ray structures of {Li[PNN]}(2) and [PNN]NiX (X = Cl, Br, Me, Et, n-hexyl) are reported.     

Cationic P-S-X cages (X=Br, I)

The first condensed-phase preparation of ternary P-Ch-X cations (Ch=O-Te, X=F-I) is reported: [P5S3X2]+, [P5S2X2]+, and [P4S4X]+ (X=Br, I). [P5S3X2]+ is formed from the reaction of the Ag+/PX3 reagent with P4S3. The [P5S3X2]+ ions have a structure that is related to P4S5 by replacing P=S by P+--X and S in the four-membered ring by P(X). We provide evidence that the active ingredient of the Ag+/PX3 reagent is the (H2CCl2)Ag-X-PX2+ cation. The latter likely reacts with the HOMO of P4S3 in a concerted HOMO-LUMO addition to give the P5S3X2+ ion as the first species visible in situ in the low-temperature 31P NMR spectrum. The [P5S3X2]+ ions are metastable at -78 degrees C and disproportionate at slightly higher temperatures to give [P5S2X2]+ and [P4S4X]+, probably with the extrusion of 1/n (PX)n (X=Br, I). All six new cage compounds have been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and, in part, by IR or Raman spectroscopy. The [P5S2X2]+ salts have a nortricyclane skeleton and were also characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structure of the [P4S4X]+ ion is related to that of P4S5 in that the exo-cage P=S bond is replaced by an isoelectronic P+--X moiety.     

Theoretical study of the gas‐phase ion pairs SN2 reactions of LiX with CH3SY (X,Y = F,Cl, Br,I)

The gas‐phase ion pair S_N2 reactions at saturated sulfur LiX + CH₃SY → CH₃SX + LiY (X, Y = F, Cl, Br, I) are investigated using the CCSD(T) calculations. The calculated results show that the reactions LiX + CH₃SY are exothermic only when the nucleophile is a heavier lithium halide. Central barrier heights are found to depend primarily on the identity of nucleophile LiX, decreasing in the order LiF > LiCl > LiBr > LiI. Another interesting feature of the ion pair reactions at sulfur is the good correlation between the reaction barriers with geometrical looseness of Li? X and S? Y bonds in the transition state structures. The data for the reaction barriers show good agreement with the prediction of the Marcus equation and its modification. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

HCHO+X(X=F、Cl、Br)的反应机理

采用CCSD/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)方法研究了HCHO与卤素原子X(X=F、Cl、Br)的反应机理. 计算结果表明, 卤素原子X(X=F、Cl、Br)主要通过直接提取HCHO中的H原子生成HCO+HX(X=F、Cl、Br). 另外还可以生成稳定的中间体, 中间体再通过卤原子夺氢和氢原子直接解离两个反应通道分别生成HCO+HX(X=F、Cl、Br)和H+XCHO(X=F、Cl、Br). 其中卤原子夺氢通道为主反应通道, HCO和HX(X=F、Cl、Br)为主要的反应产物; 且三个反应的活化能均较低, 说明此类反应很容易进行, 计算结果与实验结果符合很好. 电子密度拓扑分析显示, 在HCHO+X反应通道(b)中出现了T型结构过渡态, 结构过渡态(STS)位于能量过渡态(ETS)之后. 并且按F、Cl、Br的顺序, 结构过渡态出现得越来越晚.     

Comparative Computational Study of Hydrogen Abstraction Reactions of CY3H + XO− (X,Y = F,Cl, and Br)

The effects of halogen substituents on the reactivity are characterized by the hybrid B3LYP and BHandHLYP functionals of density functional theory using the aug‐cc‐pVDZ basis set. The species XO⁻ and CY₃H, where X, Y = F, Cl, and Br, have been chosen as model reactants in this work. Also, the mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction (HAT) reaction has been used to study the chemical reactivity of these anionic reactions. Our theoretical findings suggest that the relative reactivity of the CY₃H + XO⁻ reactions increases as Y goes from F to Br and decreases as X goes from F to Br. Moreover, among all reactions investigated in this study, the special role of the Y has very dominant effect on activation of the C–H bond in CY₃H when XO⁻ attacks the CY₃H. Again, through the transition state theory the rate constants at 298–1000 K are also evaluated for the HAT reactions, indicating the lower the temperature the faster is the chemical reaction.     

Metal allyl complexes with bulky ligands: stabilization of homoleptic thorium compounds, [(SiMe3)nC3H(5-n)]4Th (n = 1, 2)

Unlike the parent (C3H5)4Th that decomposes at 0 degrees C, homoleptic tetra(allyl)thorium complexes [(SiMe3)nC3H5-n]4Th (n = 1, 2) have been prepared from ThBr4(thf)4 and K[(SiMe3)nC3H5-n] that are stable up to 90 degrees C (n = 1) or 124 degrees C (n = 2). The molecules, which are fluxional on the NMR time scale, contain the first structurally authenticated Th-allyl bonds. The trimethylsilyl groups cause relatively little perturbation in the core metal-allyl geometry but markedly increase the kinetic stability of the compounds.     

Precise investigation of the axial ligand substitution mechanism on a hydrogenphosphato-bridged lantern-type platinum(III) binuclear complex in acidic aqueous solution

Detailed equilibrium and kinetic studies on axial water ligand substitution reactions of the "lantern-type" platinum(III) binuclear complex, [Pt(2)(mu-HPO(4))(4)(H(2)O)(2)](2)(-), with halide and pseudo-halide ions (X(-) = Cl(-), Br(-), and SCN(-)) were carried out in acidic aqueous solution at 25 degrees C with I = 1.0 M. The diaqua Pt(III) dimer complex is in acid dissociation equilibrium in aqueous solution with -log K(h1) = 2.69 +/- 0.04. The consecutive formation constants of the aquahalo complex () and the dihalo complex () were determined spectrophotometrically to be log = 2.36 +/- 0.01 and log = 1.47 +/- 0.01 for the reaction with Cl(-) and log = 2.90 +/- 0.04 and log = 2.28 +/- 0.01 for the reaction with Br(-), respectively. In the kinetic measurements carried out under the pseudo-first-order conditions with a large excess concentration of halide ion compared to that of Pt(III) dimer (C(X)()- > C(Pt)), all of the reactions proceeded via a one-step first-order reaction, which is a contrast to the consecutive two-step reaction for the amidato-bridged platinum(III) binuclear complexes. The conditional first-order rate constant (k(obs)) depended on C(X)()- as well as the acidity of the solution. From kinetic analyses, the rate-limiting step was determined to be the first substitution process that forms the monohalo species, which is in rapid equilibrium with the dihalo complex. The reaction with 4-penten-1-ol was also kinetically investigated to examine the reactivity of the lantern complex with olefin compounds.     

Gas phase hydration and deprotonation of the cyclic C3H3+ cation. Solvation by acetonitrile, and comparison with the benzene radical cation

The binding energies of the first 5 H2O molecules to c-C3H3+ were determined by equilibrium measurements. The measured binding energies of the hydrated clusters of 9-12 kcal/mol are typical of carbon-based CH+...X hydrogen bonds. The ion solvation with the more polar CH3CN molecules results in stronger bonds consistent with the increased ion-dipole interaction. Ab initio calculations show that the lowest energy isomer of the c-C3H3+(H2O)4 cluster consists of a cyclic water tetramer interacting with the c-C3H3+ ion, which suggests the presence of orientational restraint of the water molecules consistent with the observed large entropy loss. The c-C3H3+ ion is deprotonated by 3 or more H2O molecules, driven energetically by the association of the solvent molecules to form strongly hydrogen bonded (H2O)nH+ clusters. The kinetics of the associative proton transfer (APT) reaction C3H3+ + nH2O --> (H2O)nH+ + C3H2* exhibits an unusually steep negative temperature coefficient of k = cT(-63+/-4) (or activation energy of -37 +/- 1 kcal mol(-1)). The behavior of the C3H3+/water system is exactly analogous to the benzene+*/water system, suggesting that the mechanism, kinetics and large negative temperature coefficients may be general to multibody APT reactions. These reactions can become fast at low temperatures, allowing ionized polycyclic aromatics to initiate ice formation in cold astrochemical environments.     

A concerted three-body formation X+Y+C2H4 in the photodissociation of CH2XCH2Y (X,Y=Br,Cl) at 193 nm

The photodissociation of CH2XCH2Y (X,Y=Br,Cl) through absorption of 193 nm photons was investigated using product translational spectroscopy. No stable CH2BrCH2 or CH2ClCH2 was detected. The recorded time-of-flight spectra indicate that these internally excited radicals dissociated into Y+C2H4 in a concerted reaction with the first C-X bond rupture. Product anisotropy implies that the overall reaction time for three-body formation is in a fraction of rotational period. According to an asynchronous concerted reaction model, the measured spectra were simulated with product translational energy distributions coupled by asymmetric angular distributions. For the mixed halide, CH2BrCH2Cl, triple products Br+Cl+C2H4 can be originated from the cleavage of either the C-Br bond or the C-Cl bond. The results are discussed and where appropriate, comparisons with previous investigations of the related molecules are included.     

某些有机钨卤化物RC~5H~4(CO)~3WX(R=MeCO, MeO~2C, EtO~2C; X=Cl, Br, I)的合成及结构鉴定

通过酮基或酯基官能团取代的环戊二烯基(三羰基)钨钠 RC~5H~4(CO)~3WN(R=MeCO, MeO~2C, EtO~2C 与I~2、Px~3(X=Cl、Br、I), PhPCl~2, p-MeC~6H~4PCl~2或MeAsI~2 反应, 结果得到8个含相应官能团的有机钨卤化物。用X射线衍射法鉴定了其中 R=MeCO, X=Br的单晶分子结构, 晶体属单斜晶系, 空间群P~21。     

Gas-phase positive ion chemistry of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (halothane) upon electron ionization within an ion trap mass spectrometer

The positive ion chemistry occurring within an ion trap mass spectrometer upon electron ionization of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane, the important anaesthetic halothane, has been mapped by means of collision-induced decomposition and ion/molecule self-reaction experiments. Ionized halothane (M+*) reacts with neutral halothane to form the ionized olefin [ClBrC=CF2]+*. via HF elimination. Among the ionic fragments, [M-Br]+ and [M-F]+ react with halothane via chloride abstraction while [M-Cl]+ is unreactive under the same experimental conditions. Substituted methyl cations CHFX+ and CF2X+ (X = F, Cl, Br) undergo halide transfer processes, their reactivity being highest for X = F. Ionized carbenes CXY+ (X,Y = F,F; H,Br; H,Cl; H,F) react with halothane to form CClXY+ and CBrXY+, whereas CF+ inserts into the C-Cl bond to form CF3+ and CClF2+. Finally, Br+ and Cl+ react with halothane by charge transfer. Collision-induced dissociation experiments disclosed interesting rearrangements involved in the dissociations of +CHX-CF3 ions (X = Br, Cl), which undergo fluorine migration and elimination of CF2, as already observed for +CCl2-CF3 in a previous investigation.     

Influence of ligand polarizability on the reversible binding of O2 by trans-[Rh(X)(XNC)(PPh3)2] (X = Cl, Br, SC6F5, C2Ph; XNC = xylyl isocyanide). Structures and a kinetic study

The complexes trans-[Rh(X)(XNC)(PPh 3) 2] (X = Cl, 1; Br, 2; SC 6F 5, 3; C 2Ph, 4; XNC = xylyl isocyanide) combine reversibly with molecular oxygen to give [Rh(X)(O 2)(XNC)(PPh 3) 2] of which [Rh(SC 6F 5)(O 2)(XNC)(PPh 3) 2] ( 7) and [Rh(C 2Ph)(O 2)(XNC)(PPh 3) 2] ( 8) are sufficiently stable to be isolated in crystalline form. Complexes 2, 3, 4, and 7 have been structurally characterized. Kinetic data for the dissociation of O 2 from the dioxygen adducts of 1- 4 were obtained using (31)P NMR to monitor changes in the concentration of [Rh(X)(O 2)(XNC)(PPh 3) 2] (X = Cl, Br, SC 6F 5, C 2Ph) resulting from the bubbling of argon through the respective warmed solutions (solvent chlorobenzene). From data recorded at temperatures in the range 30-70 degrees C, activation parameters were obtained as follows: Delta H (++) (kJ mol (-1)): 31.7 +/- 1.6 (X = Cl), 52.1 +/- 4.3 (X = Br), 66.0 +/- 5.8 (X = SC 6F 5), 101.3 +/- 1.8 (X = C 2Ph); Delta S (++) (J K (-1) mol (-1)): -170.3 +/- 5.0 (X = Cl), -120 +/- 13.6 (X = Br), -89 +/- 18.2 (X = SC 6F 5), -6.4 +/- 5.4 (X = C 2Ph). The values of Delta H (++) and Delta S (++) are closely correlated (R (2) = 0.9997), consistent with a common dissociation pathway along which the rate-determining step occurs at a different position for each X. Relative magnitudes of Delta H (++) are interpreted in terms of differing polarizabilities of ligands X.