Molecular beam studies of the F atom reaction with propyne: site specific reactivity

The dynamics of the F atom reaction with propyne (CH(3)CCH) has been investigated using a universal crossed molecular beam apparatus. Two reaction channels have been clearly observed: H+C(3)H(3)F and HF+C(3)H(3). The substitution of F for H occurs mainly via a complex formation mechanism, producing reaction products with some contribution from a direct reaction mechanism. The HF product, however, appears to be dominantly forward scattered relative to the F atom beam direction, suggesting that the HF formation occurs via a direct abstraction mechanism. Branching ratios for the two observed reaction channels are also determined. The H formation channel is found to be the major reaction pathway, while the HF formation channel is also significant. From the measurements of DF versus HF products from the F atom reaction with deuterated propyne, the H atom picked up by the F atom in the reaction with normal propyne seems to come mostly from the CH(3) group. In addition, the H atom produced in the H atom formation channel appears to be mostly from the CH(3) group with some contribution from the CCH group.     

Ab initio direct classical trajectory investigation on the SN2 reaction of F- with NH2F: nonstatistical central barrier recrossing dynamics

The bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S(N)2) reaction of F(a)(-) with NH(2)F(b) has been investigated with the ab initio direct classical trajectory method. According to our trajectory calculations, a dynamic behavior of nonstatistical central barrier recrossing is revealed. Among the 64 trajectories calculated in this work, 45 trajectories follow the dynamic reaction pathways as assumed by statistical theory and other 19 trajectories with central barrier recrossings are nonstatistical. For the nonstatistical trajectories, the central barrier recrossings may originate from the inefficient kinetic energy transfer from the intramolecular modes of the NH(2)F(a) moiety in the dynamic F(b)(-)…H-NH-F(a) complex to the intermolecular modes of the dynamic F(b)(-)…H-NH-F(a) complex on the exit-channel potential energy surface. With respect to the dynamic behavior of the nonstatistical central barrier recrossing, the statistical theories such as the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus and transition state theories without further corrections cannot be used to model the reaction kinetics for this S(N)2 reaction.     

六氟乙烷的热分解特性

采用管式炉研究了950~1100 ℃温度区间C2F6的分解特性, 并研究了C2F6的初始浓度、反应温度、停留时间对C2F6分解率的影响. 实验结果表明, C2F6初始浓度越低、温度越高、反应时间越长, C2F6分解率就越高. 同时, 热解反应的反应级数应该介于0和1之间. 在温度为1100 ℃, C2F6初始浓度为223.21 μmol/L, 停留时间为2 s时, C2F6分解率高达90%. 根据Arrhenius方程计算, 在950~1100 ℃, C2F6热分解反应的活化能(Ea)为313.2 kJ/mol, 频率因子(A)为8.8×1011 s-1.     

Ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer and internal conversion with tetrafluoro-aminobenzonitriles.

The five 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-aminobenzonitriles XABN4F with a dimethyl-amino (DMABN4F), diethyl-amino (DEABN4F), azetidinyl (AZABN4F), methyl-amino (MABN4F) or amino (ABN4F) group undergo ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) at room temperature, in the polar solvent acetonitrile (MeCN) as well as in the nonpolar n-hexane. ICT also takes place with the corresponding non-fluorinated aminobenzonitriles DMABN, DEABN and AZABN in MeCN, whereas for these molecules in n-hexane only minor (DMABN, DEABN) or no (AZABN) ICT fluorescence is detected. For the secondary (MABN) and primary (ABN) amines, an ICT reaction does not occur, which makes ABN4F the first electron donor/acceptor molecule with an NH(2) group for which ICT is observed. The ICT state of the XABN4Fs has a dipole moment of around 14 D, clearly smaller than that of DMABN (17 D). This difference is attributed to the electron withdrawing from the CN group to the phenyl ring, exerted by the four F-substituents. The reaction from the initially prepared locally excited (LE) to the ICT state in n-hexane proceeds in the sub-picosecond time range: 0.35 ps (DMABN4F), 0.29 ps (DEABN4F) and 0.13 ps (AZABN4F), as determined from femtosecond transient absorption measurements. In the highly polar solvent MeCN, an ICT reaction time of around 90 fs is observed for all five XABN4Fs, irrespective of the nature of their amino group. This shows that with these molecules in MeCN the ICT reaction rate is limited by the solvent dielectric relaxation time of MeCN, for which a value of around 90 fs has been reported. It is therefore concluded that, during this ultrashort ICT reaction, a large-amplitude motion such as a full 90 degrees twist of the amino group is unlikely to occur in the XABN4Fs. The ICT state of the XABN4Fs is strongly quenched via internal conversion (IC), with a lifetime tau'(0) (ICT) down to 3 ps, possibly by a reaction passing through a conical intersection made accessible due to a deformation of the phenyl group by out-of-plane motions induced by vibronic coupling between low-lying pisigma* and pipi* states in the XABN4Fs.     

Experimental and theoretical study of the carbon-13 and deuterium kinetic isotope effects in the Cl and OH reactions of CH3F

A laser flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to determine absolute rate coefficients for the CH3F + Cl reaction in N2 bath gas in the temperature range of 200-700 K and pressure range of 33-133 hPa. The data were fitted to a modified Arrhenius expression k(T) = 1.14 x 10(-12) x (T/298)2.26 exp{-313/T}. The OH and Cl reaction rates of (13)CH3F and CD3F have been measured by long-path FTIR spectroscopy relative to CH3F at 298 +/- 2 K and 1013 +/- 10 hPa in purified air. The FTIR spectra were fitted using a nonlinear least-squares spectral fitting method including line data from the HITRAN database and measured infrared spectra as references. The relative reaction rates defined by alpha = k(light)/k(heavy) were determined to be k(OH+CH3F)/k(OH+CD3F) = 4.067 +/- 0.018, k(OH+CH3F)/k(OH+(13)CH3F) = 1.067 +/- 0.006, k(Cl+CH3F)/k(Cl+CD3F) = 5.11 +/- 0.07, and k(Cl+CH3F)/k(Cl+(13)CH3F) = 1.016 +/- 0.006. The carbon-13 and deuterium kinetic isotope effects in the OH and Cl reactions of CH3F have been further investigated by quantum chemistry methods and variational transition state theory.     

Synthesis and characterisation of luminescent fluorinated organoboron compounds

The reaction of 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) with B(C(6)F(5))(3) leads to the formation of the zwitterionic compound (C(6)F(5))(3)BQH (1), involving a proton migration from O to N. Compound 1 can be converted thermally to (C(6)F(5))(2)BQ (2), which can also be prepared from (C(6)F(5))(2)BCl and HQ. The reaction of HQ with (C(6)F(5))B(OC(6)F(5))(2) generates initially (C(6)F(5))(OC(6)F(5))BQ (3), which easily hydrolyses to give the diboron compound ((C(6)F(5))BQ)(2)O (4). Compounds 1, 2 and 4 have been fully characterised, including X-ray analysis. The spectroscopic properties of these compounds, including photoluminescence (PL) have been investigated and compared with the non-fluorinated luminescent boron compound (C(6)H(5))(2)BQ and also with AlQ(3). The changes in luminescent behaviour upon fluorination of these boron quinolinate compounds have been rationalised using computational studies.     

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.     

Hydrogen for fluorine exchange in C6F6 and C6F5H by monomeric [1,3,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2CeH: experimental and computational studies

The net reaction of monomeric Cp'(2)CeH [Cp' = 1,3,4-(Me(3)C)(3)(C(5)H(2))] in C(6)D(6) with C(6)F(6) is Cp'(2)CeF, H(2), and tetrafluorobenzyne. The pentafluorophenylmetallocene, Cp'(2)Ce(C(6)F(5)), is formed as an intermediate that decomposes slowly to Cp'(2)CeF and C(6)F(4) (tetrafluorobenzyne), and the latter is trapped by the solvent C(6)D(6) as a [2+4] cycloadduct. In C(6)F(5)H, the final products are also Cp'(2)CeF and H(2), which are formed from the intermediates Cp'(2)Ce(C(6)F(5)) and Cp'(2)Ce(2,3,5,6-C(6)F(4)H) and from an unidentified metallocene of cerium and the [2+4] cycloadducts of tetra- and trifluorobenzyne with C(6)D(6). The hydride, fluoride, and pentafluorophenylmetallocenes are isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. DFT(B3PW91) calculations have been used to explore the pathways leading to the observed products of the exergonic reactions. A key step is a H/F exchange reaction which transforms C(6)F(6) and the cerium hydride into C(6)F(5)H and Cp'(2)CeF. This reaction starts by an eta(1)-F-C(6)F(5) interaction, which serves as a hook. The reaction proceeds via a sigma bond metathesis where the fluorine ortho to the hook migrates toward H with a relatively low activation energy. All products observed experimentally are accommodated by pathways that involve C-F and C-H bond cleavages.     

Reaction of Cl atoms with C6F13CH2OH, C6F13CHO, and C3F7CHO

The Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH, C(6)F(13)CHO, and C(3)F(7)CHO was investigated at 298 K and 1000 mbar pressure of air in a photoreactor using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The rate coefficient for the reaction Cl + C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH (reaction 2) was measured using a relative method: k(2) = (6.5 +/- 0.8) x 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). C(6)F(13)CHO was detected as the major primary product, while CO and CF(2)O were found to be the major secondary products. A fitting procedure applied to the concentration-time profiles of C(6)F(13)CHO provided a production yield of (1.0 +/- 0.2) for this aldehyde in reaction 2, and the rate coefficient for the reaction Cl + C(6)F(13)CHO (reaction 4) was k(4) = (2.8 +/- 0.7) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). A high CO yield observed in the oxidation of C(6)F(13)CH(2)OH, (52 +/- 1)%, is attributed to the Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(6)F(13)CHO. High CO yields, (61 +/- 2)% and (85 +/- 5)%, were also measured in the Cl atom initiated oxidation of C(3)F(7)CHO in air and nitrogen, respectively. These high CO yields suggest the occurrence of a decomposition reaction of the perfluoroacyl, C(6)F(13)CO, and C(3)F(7)CO radicals to form CO which will compete with the combination reaction of these radicals with oxygen to form perfluoroacyl peroxy radicals in the presence of air. The latter radicals C(n)F(2)(n)(+1)CO(O)(2) (n = 6-12), through their reaction with HO(2) radicals, are currently considered as a possible source of persistent perfluorocarboxylic acids which have been detected in the environment. The consequences of the present results would be a reduction of the strength of this potential source of carboxylic acids in the atmosphere.     

Synthesis of blue imino(pentafluorophenyl)phosphane

The reaction of AgC(6)F(5) with monomeric iminophosphanes of Mes*-N═P-X (X = Cl, I) in CH(2)Cl(2) at ambient temperature gives imino(pentafluorophenyl)phosphane, Mes*N═P(C(6)F(5)) (1), in almost quantitative yield (96%), which could be isolated as a highly viscous blue oil. The same reaction with LiC(6)F(5) results in the formation of imino(amino)phosphane (C(6)F(5))(2)P-N(Mes*)-P═NMes* (2) (yield 93%). In the second series of experiments the analogous reaction of MC(6)F(5) (M = Ag, Li) with dimeric [Cl-P(μ-N-Dipp)](2) was studied, leading to the formation of [R-P(μ-N-Dipp)](2) (R = C(6)F(5)) (3) for M = Ag, while only decomposition products such as P(C(6)F(5))(3) were observed in the reaction with the Li salt. Highly labile Mes*-N═P-C(6)F(5) (1) decomposes at ambient temperatures, forming among other products the diphosphane (C(6)F(5))(2)P-P(C(6)F(5))(2) (4). Reaction of 1 with Fe(2)(CO)(9) yields the iron carbonyl complexes Mes*-N═P(C(6)F(5))·Fe(CO)(4) (5) and [Mes*-N═P(C(6)F(5))](2)·Fe(CO)(3) (6). The structure, bonding, and potential energy surface are discussed on the basis of B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) computations. According to time-dependent B3LYP calculations, the blue color of 1 arises from an n → π* electronic transition.     

Dynamics of the F2+CH3SCH3 reaction: a molecule-molecule reaction without entrance barrier

The F(2)+CH(3)SCH(3) reaction was studied with crossed molecular beam techniques and high level ab initio calculations. Significant reactivity was observed even at low collision energies, consistent with the negligible barrier height obtained from the ab initio calculations. All experimental findings are consistent with a weakly bound reaction intermediate of F-F-S(CH(3))(2) structure, which possesses a special type of three-center four-electron bonding. Analogous intermediates can also explain the reactions of F(2) with CH(3)SH and CH(3)SSCH(3).     

p-硝基氯苯与α氰基乙酸乙酯-α-碳负离子的电子转移反应动力学研究: 非链式的自由基机理

在p-硝基氯苯(1)与α-氰基乙酰乙酯-α-碳负离子(2)的反应过程中, 测得了反应中间体p-硝基氯苯负离子自由基(3)的ESR谱。用ESR场/频联锁技术测定了(3)的ESR吸收强度-时间曲线, 当[1]《[2]时, 其结果与连续一级反应动力学相吻合。测得了从2向1的电子转移和3的分解反应速率常数和活化参数, 反应产物为α-氰基-α-(p-硝基苯基)乙酸乙酯和微量的硝基苯。为该反应提出了非链式的电子转移-负离子自由基分解-自由基偶合机理。     

Theoretical study of transition state structure and reaction enthalpy of the F + H2-->HF + H reaction by a diffusion quantum Monte Carlo approach

Ab initio calculations of transition state structure and reaction enthalpy of the F + H2-->HF + H reaction has been carried out by the fixed-node diffusion quantum Monte Carlo method in this study. The Monte Carlo sampling is based on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck random walks guided by a trial wave function constructed from the floating spherical Gaussian orbitals and spherical Gaussian geminals. The Monte Carlo calculated barrier height of 1.09(16) kcal/mol is consistent with the experimental values, 0.86(10)/1.18(10) kcal/mol, and the calculated value from the multireference-type coupled-cluster (MRCC) calculation with the aug-cc-pVQZ(F)/cc-pVQZ(H) basis set, 1.11 kcal/mol. The Monte Carlo-based calculation also gives a similar value of the reaction enthalpy, -32.00(4) kcal/mol, compared with the experimental value, -32.06(17) kcal/mol, and the calculated value from a MRCC/aug-cc-pVQZ(F)/cc-pVQZ(H) calculation, -31.94 kcal/mol. This study clearly indicates a further application of the random-walk-based approach in the field of quantum chemical calculation.     

Mechanistic studies of (porphinato)iron-catalyzed isobutane oxidation. Comparative studies of three classes of electron-deficient porphyrin catalysts

We report herein a comprehensive study of (porphinato)iron [PFe]-catalyzed isobutane oxidation in which molecular oxygen is utilized as the sole oxidant; these catalytic reactions were carried out and monitored in both autoclave reactors and sapphire NMR tubes. In situ 19F and 13C NMR experiments, coupled with GC analyses and optical spectra obtained from the autoclave reactions have enabled the identification of the predominant porphyrinic species present during PFe-catalyzed oxidation of isobutane. Electron-deficient PFe catalysts based on 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin [(C6F5)4PH2], 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) porphyrin [Br8(C6F5)4PH2], and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(heptafluoropropyl) porphyrin [(C3F7)4PH2] macrocycles were examined. The nature and distribution of hydrocarbon oxidation products show that an autoxidation reaction pathway dominates the reaction kinetics, consistent with a radical chain process. For each catalytic system examined, PFeII species were shown not to be stable under moderate O2 pressure at 80 degrees C; in every case, the PFeII catalyst precursor was converted quantitatively to high-spin PFeIII complexes prior to the observation of any hydrocarbon oxidation products. Once catalytic isobutane oxidation is initiated, all reactions are marked by concomitant decomposition of the porphyrin-based catalyst. In situ 17O NMR spectroscopic studies confirm the incorporation of 17O from labeled water into the oxidation products, implicating the involvement of PFe-OH in the catalytic cycle. Importantly, Br8(C6F5)4PFe-based catalysts, which lack macrocycle C-H bonds, do not exhibit augmented stability with respect to analogous catalysts based on (C6F5)4PFe and (C3F7)4PFe species. The data presented are consistent with a hydrocarbon oxidation process in which PFe complexes play dual roles of radical chain initiator, and the species responsible for the catalytic decomposition of organic peroxides. This modified Haber-Weiss reaction scheme provides for the decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide intermediates via reaction with PFe-OH complexes; the PFeIII species responsible for hydroperoxide decomposition are regenerated by reaction of PFeII with dioxygen under these experimental conditions.     

Revisiting falloff curves of thermal unimolecular reactions

Master equations for thermal unimolecular reactions and the reverse thermal recombination reactions are solved for a series of model reaction systems and evaluated with respect to broadening factors. It is shown that weak collision center broadening factors F(cent) (wc) can approximately be related to the collision efficiencies β(c) through a relation F(cent) (wc) ≈ max {β(c) (0.14), 0.64(±0.03)}. In addition, it is investigated to what extent weak collision falloff curves in general can be expressed by the limiting low and high pressure rate coefficients together with central broadening factors F(cent) only. It is shown that there cannot be one "best" analytical expression for broadening factors F(x) as a function of the reduced pressure scale x = k(0)∕k(∞). Instead, modelled falloff curves of various reaction systems, for given k(0), k(∞), and F(cent), fall into a band of about 10% width in F(x). A series of analytical expressions for F(x), from simple symmetric to more elaborate asymmetric broadening factors, are compared and shown to reproduce the band of modelled broadening factors with satisfactory accuracy.     

Reactions of methyl fluoride with atomic transition-metal and main-group cations: gas-phase room-temperature kinetics and periodicities in reactivity

Reactions of CH(3)F have been surveyed systematically at room temperature with 46 different atomic cations using an inductively coupled plasma/selected-ion flow tube tandem mass spectrometer. Rate coefficients and product distributions were measured for the reactions of fourth-period atomic ions from K(+) to Se(+), of fifth-period atomic ions from Rb(+) to Te(+) (excluding Tc(+)), and of sixth-period atomic ions from Cs(+) to Bi(+). Primary reaction channels were observed corresponding to F atom transfer, CH(3)F addition, HF elimination, and H(2) elimination. The early-transition-metal cations exhibit a much more active chemistry than the late-transition-metal cations, and there are periodic features in the chemical activity and reaction efficiency that maximize with Ti(+), As(+), Y(+), Hf(+), and Pt(+). F atom transfer appears to be thermodynamically controlled, although a periodic variation in efficiency is observed within the early-transition-metal cations which maximizes with Ti(+), Y(+), and Hf(+). Addition of CH(3)F was observed exclusively (>99%) with the late-fourth-period cations from Mn(+) to Ga(+), the fifth-period cations from Ru(+) to Te(+), and the sixth-period cations from Hg(+) to Bi(+) as well as Re(+). Periodic trends are observed in the effective bimolecular rate coefficient for CH(3)F addition, and these are consistent with expected trends in the electrostatic binding energies of the adduct ions and measured trends in the standard free energy of addition. HF elimination is the major reaction channel with As(+), while dehydrogenation dominates the reactions of W(+), Os(+), Ir(+), and Pt(+). Sequential F atom transfer is observed with the early-transition-metal cations, with the number of F atoms transferred increasing across the periodic table from two to four, maximizing at four for the group 5 cations Nb(+)(d(4)) and Ta(+)(d(3)s(1)), and stopping at two with V(+)(d(4)). Sequential CH(3)F addition was observed with many atomic cations and all of the metal mono- and multifluoride cations that were formed.     

State-to-state dynamics analysis of the F + CHD3 reaction: a quasiclassical trajectory study

An exhaustive state-to-state dynamics study was performed to analyze the F + CHD3 --> FD(nu', j') + CHD2(nu) gas-phase abstraction reaction. Quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations, including corrections to avoid zero-point energy leakage along the trajectories, were performed at different collision energies on an analytical potential energy surface (PES-2006) recently developed by our group. Whereas the CHD2 coproduct appears vibrationally and rotationally cold, most of the available energy appears as FD(nu') product vibrational energy, peaking at nu' = 2 and nu' = 3, with the population in the latter level growing as the energy increases. The excitation function rises from the threshold of the reaction and then levels off at higher energies, with the maximum contribution from the FD(nu' = 3) level. The state-specific FD(nu') scattering distributions correlated with the coproduct CHD2 in the nu4 = 2 and nu3 = 1 states, at different collision energies, show a steady change from backward to forward scattering as the energy increases. This similar behavior for the two coproduct vibrational states, nu4 = 2 and nu3 = 1, agrees qualitatively with the experimental measurements. Comparison with theoretical and experimental results for the isotopic analogues, F + CH4 and F + CD4, shows that the title reaction presents a direct mechanism, similar to the perdeuterated reaction, but contrasts with that of the F + CH4 reaction. These results for the dynamics of different isotopic variants, always in qualitative and sometimes in quantitative agreement with experiment, show the capacity of the PES-2006 surface to correctly describe the title reaction, even though there are differences that could be due to deficiencies of the PES but also to the known limitations of the classical treatment in the QCT method.     

Synthesis and reactivity of the phosphinoboranes R2PB(C6F5)2

The phosphinoboranes [R(2)PB(C(6)F(5))(2)](2) (R = Et 1, Ph 2) and R(2)PB(C(6)F(5))(2) (R = tBu 3, Cy 4, Mes 5) were synthesized from the reaction of (C(6)F(5))(2)BCl and the corresponding lithium phosphide. The relationships between B-P distance, P pyramidality, and the extent of BP multiple bonding were further explored computationally. Natural Bond Order (NBO) analyses of 3 and 4 showed that the π-bonding highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) were highly polarized. In addition the Lewis acid-base adducts, R(2)(H)P·B(H)(C(6)F(5))(2) (R = Et 6; Ph 7; tBu 8; Cy 9; Mes 10) were prepared via the reaction of the phosphines R(2)PH with the borane HB(C(6)F(5))(2). Compounds 1 and 2 showed no signs of reaction with H(2); however, reaction of compounds 3 and 4 with H(2) was observed to give 8 and 9. In a related set of reactions compounds 3 and 4 were reacted with H(3)NBH(3) or Me(2)(H)NBH(3) also led to the generation of 8 and 9, respectively. The reaction profile of the reaction of (CF(3))(2)BPR(2) with H(2) was examined computationally and shown to be exothermic. Efforts to effect the reverse reaction, that is, dehydrogenation of adducts 6-10 were unsuccessful. Compound 4 was also shown to react with 4-tert-butylpyridine to give Cy(2)PB(C(6)F(5))(2)(4-tBuC(5)H(4)N) 11 while reactions of 3 and 4 with the Lewis acid BCl(3) gave the dimers (R(2)PBCl(2))(2) (R = tBu 12, Cy 13) and the byproduct ClB(C(6)F(5))(2).     

Theoretical study of the F + NH3 and F + ND3 reactions: mechanism and comparison with experiment

We study the barrierless and highly exothermic F + NH(3) and F + ND(3) abstraction reactions using quasiclassical trajectory calculations based on an analytical potential energy surface developed in our research group. The calculations correctly reproduce the experimental evidence that the vibrational fraction deposited into the DF product for the F + ND(3) reaction is greater than into HF for the F + NH(3) reaction and that the vibrational distribution is inverted in the HF(v') and the DF(v') products. Of special interest is that recent crossed-beam experiments reported by Yang and co-workers at 4.5 kcal mol(-1) are reproduced for both reactions, with a mainly forward symmetry associated with direct trajectories, and a small sideways-backward symmetry contribution associated with "nearly trapped" trajectories due to a "yo-yo" mechanism, different from the previously suggested mechanism of a long-lived complex.     

C-F activation of fluorinated arenes using NHC-stabilized nickel(0) complexes: selectivity and mechanistic investigations

The reaction of [Ni2((i)Pr2Im)4(COD)] 1a or [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C2H4)] 1b with different fluorinated arenes is reported. These reactions occur with a high chemo- and regioselectivity. In the case of polyfluorinated aromatics of the type C6F5X such as hexafluorobenzene (X = F) octafluorotoluene (X = CF3), trimethyl(pentafluorophenyl)silane (X = SiMe3), or decafluorobiphenyl (X = C6F5) the C-F activation regioselectively takes place at the C-F bond in the para position to the X group to afford the complexes trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(C6F5)]2, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(CF3)C6F4)] 3, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(C6F5)C6F4)] 4, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(SiMe3)C6F4)] 5. Complex 5 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The reaction of 1a with partially fluorinated aromatic substrates C6H(x)F(y) leads to the products of a C-F activation trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C6FH4)] 7, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(3,5-C6F2H3)] 8, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3-C6F2H3)] 9a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,6-C6F2H3)] 9b, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,5-C6F2H3)] 10, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,5,6-C6F4H)] 11. The reaction of 1a with octafluoronaphthalene yields exclusively trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a, the product of an insertion into the C-F bond in the 2-position, whereas for the reaction of 1b with octafluoronaphthalene the two isomers trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6b are formed in a ratio of 11:1. The reaction of 1a or of 1b with pentafluoropyridine at low temperatures affords trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a as the sole product, whereas the reaction of 1b performed at room temperature leads to the generation of trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C5NF4)] 12b in a ratio of approximately 1:2. The detection of intermediates as well as kinetic studies gives some insight into the mechanistic details for the activation of an aromatic carbon-fluorine bond at the {Ni((i)Pr2Im)2} complex fragment. The intermediates of the reaction of 1b with hexafluorobenzene and octafluoronaphthalene, [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C6F6)] 13 and [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C10F8)] 14, have been detected in solution. They convert into the C-F activation products. Complex 14 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The rates for the loss of 14 at different temperatures for the C-F activation of the coordinated naphthalene are first order and the estimated activation enthalpy Delta H(double dagger) for this process was determined to be Delta H(double dagger) = 116 +/- 8 kJ mol(-1) (Delta S(double dagger) = 37 +/- 25 J K(-1) mol(-1)). Furthermore, density functional theory calculations on the reaction of 1a with hexafluorobenzene, octafluoronaphthalene, octafluorotoluene, 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene, and 1,2,3-trifluorobenzene are presented.