Multichannel reaction of C2Cl3 + O2 studied by time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy

The multichannel reaction of the C(2)Cl(3) radical with O(2) has been studied thoroughly by step-scan time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy. Vibrationally excited products of Cl(2)CO, CO, and CO(2) are observed and three major reaction channels forming respectively ClCO + Cl(2)CO, CO + CCl(3)O, and CO(2) + CCl(3) are identified. The vibrational state distribution of the product CO is derived from the spectral fitting, and the nascent average vibrational energy of CO is determined to be 59.9 kJ/mol. A surprisal analysis is applied to evaluate the vibrational energy disposal, which reveals that the experimentally measured CO vibrational energy is much more than that predicted by statistical model. Combining previous ab initio calculation results, the nonstatistical dynamics and mechanism are characterized to be barrierless addition-elimination via short-lived reaction intermediates including the peroxy intermediate C(2)Cl(3)OO* and a crucial three-member-ring COO intermediate.     

Kinetics of the reactions of chlorinated methyl radicals (CH2Cl, CHCl2, and CCl3) with NO2 in the temperature range 220-360 K

The kinetics of the reactions of chlorinated methyl radicals (CH2Cl, CHCl2, and CCl3) with NO2 have been studied in direct measurements at temperatures between 220 and 360 K using a tubular flow reactor coupled to a photoionization mass spectrometer. The radicals have been homogeneously generated at 193 or 248 nm by pulsed laser photolysis of appropriate precursors. Decays of radical concentrations have been monitored in time-resolved measurements to obtain the reaction rate coefficients under pseudo-first-order conditions with the amount of NO2 being in large excess over radical concentrations. The bimolecular rate coefficients of all three reactions are independent of the bath gas (He or N2) and pressure within the experimental range (1-6 Torr) and are found to depend on temperature as follows: k(CH2Cl + NO2) = (2.16 +/- 0.08) x 10(-11) (T/300 K)(-1.12+/-0.24) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (220-363 K), k(CHCl2 + NO2) = (8.90 +/- 0.16) x 10(-12) (T/300 K)(-1.48+/-0.13) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (220-363 K), and k(CCl3 + NO2) = (3.35 +/- 0.10) x 10(-12) (T/300 K)(-2.2+/-0.4) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (298-363 K), with the uncertainties given as one-standard deviations. Estimated overall uncertainties in the measured bimolecular reaction rate coefficients are about +/-25%. In the reactions CH2Cl + NO2, CHCl2 + NO2, and CCl3 + NO2, the products observed are formaldehyde, CHClO, and phosgene (CCl2O), respectively. In addition, a weak signal for the HCl formation has been detected for the CHCl2 + NO2 reaction.     

Theoretical study on the methyl radical with chlorinated methyl radicals CH(3-n)Cln (n = 1, 2, 3) and CCl2

Radical-radical reactions involving chlorinated methyl radicals are particularly important in the mechanism of combustion of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Yet, they are usually difficult to study experimentally. In this paper, four chloride-related radical-radical reactions, i.e., CH3+CH(3-n)Cln (n = 1, 2, 3) and CH3+CCl2, are theoretically studied for the first time by means of the Gaussian-3//B3LYP potential energy surface survey combined with the master equation study over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Our calculated results show that the three CH3+CH(3-n)Cln reactions can barrierlessly generate the former two kinetically allowed products P1 H(2)C=C(H)(3-n)Cl(n-1)+HCl and P2 CH3CH(3-n)Cl(n-1)+Cl with the very high predominance of P1 over P2. For the CH3 reaction with the biradical CCl2, which inevitably takes place during the CH3+CCl3 reaction and yet has never been studied experimentally or theoretically, H(2)C=CCl2+H and H(2)C=C(H)Cl+Cl are predicted to be the respective major and minor products. The results are compared with the recent laser photolysis/photoionization mass spectroscopy study on the CH3+CH(3-n)Cln (n = 1, 2, 3) reactions. The predicted rate constants and product branching ratios of the CH3+CCl2 reaction await future experimental verification.     

Experimental Study of C2Cl3+NO2 Reaction

The free radical reaction of C2Cl3 with NO2 was investigated by step-scan time-resolved FTIR (TR-FTIR) emission spectroscopy. Due to the vibrationally excited products of Cl2CO, NO, and CO, strong IR emission bands were observed with high resolution TR-FTIR spectra. Four reaction channels forming C2Cl3O+NO, CCl3CO+NO, CO+NO+CCl3, and ClCNO+Cl2CO were elucidated, respectively. Spectralˉtting showed that the product CO was highly vibrationally excited with the nascent average vibrational energy of 60.2 kJ/mol. Possible reaction mechanism via intermediates C2Cl3NO2 and C2Cl3ONO was proposed.     

Reaction mechanisms of C2Cl3 + NO2 via nitro and nitrite adducts

The atmospherically and environmentally important reaction of chlorinated vinyl radical with nitrogen dioxide (C 2Cl 3 + NO 2) is investigated by step-scan time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. Vibrationally excited products of CO, NO, Cl 2CO, and NO 2 are observed in the IR emission spectra. Geometries of the major intermediates and transition states along the potential energy surface are optimized at the B3LYP/6-311G(d) level, and their energies are refined at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d) level. The reaction mechanisms are characterized to be barrierless addition-elimination via nitro (C 2Cl 3-NO 2) and nitrite (C 2Cl 3-ONO) adducts. Four energetically accessible reaction routes are revealed, i.e., the decomposition of the nitrite adduct forming C 2Cl 3O + NO and its sequential dissociation to CO + NO + CCl 3, the elimination of ClNO from the nitrite adduct leading to ClNO + Cl 2CCO, the Cl-atom shift of the nitrite adduct followed by the decomposition to CCl 3CO + NO, and the O-atom shift of the nitro adduct followed by C-C bond cleavage forming ClCNO + Cl 2CO. In competition with these reactive fluxes, the back-decomposition of nitro or nitrite adducts leads to the prompt formation of vibrationally excited NO 2 and the long-lived reaction adducts facilitate the vibrational energy transfer. Moreover, the product channels and mechanisms of the C 2Cl 3 + NO 2 reaction are compared with the C 2H 3 + NO 2 reaction to explore the effect of chlorine substitution. It is found that the two reactions mainly differ in the initial addition preferentially by the N-attack forming nitro adducts (only N-attack is plausible for the C 2H 3 + NO 2 reaction) or the O-attack forming nitrite adducts (O-attack is slightly more favorable and N-attack is also plausible for the C 2Cl 3 + NO 2 reaction). The addition selectivity can be fundamentally correlated to the variation of the charge density of the end carbon atom of the double bond induced by chlorine substitution due to the electron-withdrawing effect of chlorine groups.     

The atmospheric oxidation of diethyl ether: chemistry of the C2H5-O-CH(O.)CH3 radical between 218 and 335 K

The products of the Cl atom initiated oxidation of diethyl ether (DEE) were investigated at atmospheric pressure over a range of temperatures (218-335 K) and O(2) partial pressures (50-700 Torr), both in the presence and absence of NO(x). The major products observed at 298 K and below were ethyl formate and ethyl acetate, which accounted for approximately equal to 60-80% of the reacted diethyl ether. In general, the yield of ethyl formate increased with increasing temperature, with decreasing O(2) partial pressure, and upon addition of NO to the reaction mixtures. The product yield data show that thermal decomposition reaction 3, CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(O.)CH(3)--> CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH=O + CH(3), and reaction 6 with O(2), CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(O.)CH(3) + O(2)--> CH(3)CH(2)-O-C(=O)CH(3) + HO(2) are competing fates of the CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(O )CH(3) radical, with a best estimate of k3/k6 approximately equal to 6.9 x 10(24) exp(-3130/T). Thermal decomposition via C-H or C-O bond cleavage are at most minor contributors to the CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(O.)CH(3) chemistry. The data also show that the CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(O.)CH(3) radical is subject to a chemical activation effect. When produced from the exothermic reaction of the CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(OO.)CH(3) radical with NO, prompt decomposition via both CH(3)- and probably H-elimination occur, with yields of about 40% and < or =15%, respectively. Finally, at temperatures slightly above ambient, evidence for a change in mechanism in the absence of NO(x), possibly due to chemistry involving the peroxy radical CH(3)CH(2)-O-CH(OO.)CH(3), is presented.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of chlorine atoms with n-pentanal

The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction Cl + CH3(CH2)3CHO was investigated using absolute (PLP-LIF) and relative rate techniques in 8 Torr of argon or 800-950 Torr of N2 at 295 +/- 2 K. The absolute rate experiments gave k[Cl+CH3(CH2)3CHO] = (2.31 +/- 0.35) x 10(-10) in 8 Torr of argon, while relative rate experiments gave k[Cl+CH3(CH2)3CHO] = (2.24 +/- 0.20) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) in 800-950 Torr of N2. Additional relative rate experiments gave k[Cl+CH3(CH2)3C(O)Cl] = (8.74 +/- 1.38) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule-1 s(-1) in 700 Torr of N2. Smog chamber Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques indicated that the acyl-forming channel accounts for 42 +/- 3% of the reaction. The results are discussed with respect to the literature data and the importance of long range (greater than or equal to two carbon atoms along the aliphatic chain) effects in determining the reactivity of organic molecules toward chlorine atoms.     

Atmospheric chemistry of a model biodiesel fuel, CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3: kinetics, mechanisms, and products of Cl atom and OH radical initiated oxidation in the presence and absence of NOx

Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reactions of Cl atoms and OH radicals with ethylene glycol diacetate, CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3, in 700 Torr of N2/O2 diluent at 296 K. The rate constants measured were k(Cl + CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3) = (5.7 +/- 1.1) x 10(-12) and k(OH + CH3C(O)O(CH2)2OC(O)CH3) = (2.36 +/- 0.34) x 10(-12) cm3 molecule-1 s-1. Product studies of the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate in the absence of NO in 700 Torr of O2/N2 diluent at 296 K show the primary products to be CH3C(O)OC(O)CH2OC(O)CH3, CH3C(O)OC(O)H, and CH3C(O)OH. Product studies of the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate in the presence of NO in 700 Torr of O2/N2 diluent at 296 K show the primary products to be CH3C(O)OC(O)H and CH3C(O)OH. The CH3C(O)OCH2O* radical is formed during the Cl atom initiated oxidation of ethylene glycol diacetate, and two loss mechanisms were identified: reaction with O2 to give CH3C(O)OC(O)H and alpha-ester rearrangement to give CH3C(O)OH and HC(O) radicals. The reaction of CH3C(O)OCH2O2* with NO gives chemically activated CH3C(O)OCH2O* radicals which are more likely to undergo decomposition via the alpha-ester rearrangement than CH3C(O)OCH2O* radicals produced in the peroxy radical self-reaction.     

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.     

Theoretical mechanistic study on the radical-molecule reaction of CHCl2/CCl3 with NO2

The radical-molecule reaction mechanism of CHCl(2) and CCl(3) with NO(2) have been explored theoretically at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and MC-QCISD (single-point) levels. For the singlet potential energy surface (PES) of CHCl(2) + NO(2) reaction, the association of CHCl(2) with NO(2) was found to be a barrierless carbon-to-nitrogen approach forming an energy-rich adduct a (HCl(2)CNO(2)) followed by isomerization to b(1) (trans-cis-HCl(2)CONO), which can easily interconvert to b(2), b(3), and b(4). Subsequently, the most feasible pathway is the 1,3-chlorine migration associated with N-O1 bond cleavage of b(1) leading to P(1) (CHClO + ClNO). The second competitive pathway is the 1,4-chlorine migration along with N-O1 bond rupture of b(4) giving rise to P(2) (CHClO + ClON). Moreover, some of P(1) and P(2) can further dissociate to give P(6) (CHClO + Cl + NO). The lesser followed competitive channel is the 1,3-H-shift from C to N atom along with N-O1 bond rupture of b(1) to form P(3) (CCl(2)O + HNO). The concerted 1,4-H-shift accompanied by N-O1 bond fission of b(3) to product P(4) (CCl(2)O + HON) is even much less feasible. For the singlet PES of CCl(3) + NO(2) reaction, the only primary product is found to be P(1) (CCl(2)O + ClNO), which can lead to P(2) (CCl(2)O + Cl + NO) via dissociation of ClNO. The obtained major products CHClO and CCl(2)O for CHCl(2) + NO(2) and CCl(3) + NO(2) reactions, respectively, are in good agreement with kinetic detection in experiment. Compared with the singlet pathways, the triplet pathways may have less contributions to both reactions. Because the rate-determining transition state involved in the feasible pathways lie above the reactants R, the title reactions may be important in high-temperature processes. The similarities and discrepancies among the CH(n)Cl(3-n) + NO(2) (n == 0-2) reactions are discussed in terms of the substitution effect. The present study may be helpful for further experimental investigation of the title reactions.     

Atmospheric chemistry of CF3CH=CH2 and C4F9CH=CH2: products of the gas-phase reactions with Cl atoms and OH radicals

FTIR-smog chamber techniques were used to study the products of the Cl atom and OH radical initiated oxidation of CF3CH=CH2 in 700 Torr of N2/O2, diluent at 296 K. The Cl atom initiated oxidation of CF3CH=CH2 in 700 Torr of air in the absence of NOx gives CF3C(O)CH2Cl and CF3CHO in yields of 70+/-5% and 6.2+/-0.5%, respectively. Reaction with Cl atoms proceeds via addition to the >C=C< double bond (74+/-4% to the terminal and 26+/-4% to the central carbon atom) and leads to the formation of CF3CH(O)CH2Cl and CF3CHClCH2O radicals. Reaction with O2 and decomposition via C-C bond scission are competing loss mechanisms for CF3CH(O)CH2Cl radicals, kO2/kdiss=(3.8+/-1.8)x10(-18) cm3 molecule-1. The atmospheric fate of CF3CHClCH2O radicals is reaction with O2 to give CF3CHClCHO. The OH radical initiated oxidation of CxF2x+1CH=CH2 (x=1 and 4) in 700 Torr of air in the presence of NOx gives CxF2x+1CHO in a yield of 88+/-9%. Reaction with OH radicals proceeds via addition to the >C=C< double bond leading to the formation of CxF2x+1C(O)HCH2OH and CxF2x+1CHOHCH2O radicals. Decomposition via C-C bond scission is the sole fate of CxF2x+1CH(O)CH2OH and CxF2x+1CH(OH)CH2O radicals. As part of this work a rate constant of k(Cl+CF3C(O)CH2Cl)=(5.63+/-0.66)x10(-14) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 was determined. The results are discussed with respect to previous literature data and the possibility that the atmospheric oxidation of CxF2x+1CH=CH2 contributes to the observed burden of perfluorocarboxylic acids, CxF2x+1COOH, in remote locations.     

Experimental and modeling studies of the pressure and temperature dependences of the kinetics and the OH yields in the acetyl + O2 reaction

The acetyl + O(2) reaction has been studied by observing the time dependence of OH by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and by electronic structure/master equation analysis. The experimental OH time profiles were analyzed to obtain the kinetics of the acetyl + O(2) reaction and the relative OH yields over the temperature range of 213-500 K in helium at pressures in the range of 5-600 Torr. More limited measurements were made in N(2) and for CD(3)CO + O(2). The relative OH yields were converted into absolute yields by assuming that the OH yield at zero pressure is unity. Electronic structure calculations of the stationary points of the potential energy surface were used with a master equation analysis to fit the experimental data in He using the high-pressure limiting rate coefficient for the reaction, k(∞)(T), and the energy transfer parameter, (ΔE(d)), as variable parameters. The best-fit parameters obtained are k(∞) = 6.2 × 10(-12) cm(-3) molecule(-1) s(-1), independent of temperature over the experimental range, and (ΔE(d))(He) = 160(T/298?K) cm(-1). The fits in N(2), using the same k(∞)(T), gave (ΔE(d))(N(2)) = 270(T/298?K) cm(-1). The rate coefficients for formation of OH and CH(3)C(O)O(2) are provided in parametrized form, based on modified Troe expressions, from the best-fit master equation calculations, over the pressure and temperature ranges of 1 ≤ p/Torr ≤ 1.5 × 10(5) and 200 ≤ T/K ≤ 1000 for He and N(2) as the bath gas. The minor channels, leading to HO(2) + CH(2)CO and CH(2)C(O)OOH, generally have yields <1% over this range.     

Mechanistic and kinetic study of the CH3CO + O2 reaction

Potential-energy surface of the CH3CO + O2 reaction has been calculated by ab initio quantum chemistry methods. The geometries were optimized using the second-order Moller-Plesset theory (MP2) with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set and the coupled-cluster theory with single and double excitations (CCSD) with the correlation consistent polarized valence double zeta (cc-pVDZ) basis set. The relative energies were calculated using the Gaussian-3 second-order Moller-Plesset theory with the CCSD/cc-pVDZ geometries. Multireference self-consistent-field and MP2 methods were also employed using the 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311++G(3df,2p) basis sets. Both addition/elimination and direct abstraction mechanisms have been investigated. It was revealed that acetylperoxy radical [CH3C(O)OO] is the initial adduct and the formation of OH and alpha-lactone [CH2CO2(1A')] is the only energetically accessible decomposition channel. The other channels, e.g., abstraction, HO2 + CH2CO, O + CH3CO2, CO + CH3O2, and CO2 + CH3O, are negligible. Multichannel Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and transition state theory (E-resolved) were employed to calculate the overall and individual rate coefficients and the temperature and pressure dependences. Fairly good agreement between theory and experiments has been obtained without any adjustable parameters. It was concluded that at pressures below 3 Torr, OH and CH2CO2(1A') are the major nascent products of the oxidation of acetyl radicals, although CH2CO2(1A') might either undergo unimolecular decomposition to form the final products of CH2O + CO or react with OH and Cl to generate H2O and HCl. The acetylperoxy radicals formed by collisional stabilization are the major products at the elevated pressures. In atmosphere, the yield of acetylperoxy is nearly unity and the contribution of OH is only marginal.     

Infrared laser spectroscopy of the CH3OO radical formed from the reaction of CH3 and O2 within a helium nanodroplet

Helium nanodroplet isolation and infrared laser spectroscopy are used to investigate the CH(3) + O(2) reaction. Helium nanodroplets are doped with methyl radicals that are generated in an effusive pyrolysis source. Downstream from the introduction of CH(3), the droplets are doped with O(2) from a gas pick-up cell. The CH(3) + O(2) reaction therefore occurs between sequentially picked-up and presumably cold CH(3) and O(2) reactants. The reaction is known to lead barrierlessly to the methyl peroxy radical, CH(3)OO. The ~30 kcal/mol bond energy is dissipated by helium atom evaporation, and the infrared spectrum in the CH stretch region reveals a large abundance of droplets containing the cold, helium solvated CH(3)OO radical. The CH(3)OO infrared spectrum is assigned on the basis of comparisons to high-level ab initio calculations and to the gas phase band origins and rotational constants.     

Investigation of the radical product channel of the CH3COO2 + HO2 reaction in the gas phase

The reaction of CH(3)C(O)O(2) with HO(2) has been investigated at 296 K and 700 Torr using long path FTIR spectroscopy, during photolysis of Cl(2)/CH(3)CHO/CH(3)OH/air mixtures. The branching ratio for the reaction channel forming CH(3)C(O)O, OH and O(2) (reaction ) has been determined from experiments in which OH radicals were scavenged by addition of benzene to the system, with subsequent formation of phenol used as the primary diagnostic for OH radical formation. The dependence of the phenol yield on benzene concentration was found to be consistent with its formation from the OH-initiated oxidation of benzene, thereby confirming the presence of OH radicals in the system. The dependence of the phenol yield on the initial peroxy radical precursor reagent concentration ratio, [CH(3)OH](0)/[CH(3)CHO](0), is consistent with OH formation resulting mainly from the reaction of CH(3)C(O)O(2) with HO(2) in the early stages of the experiments, such that the limiting yield of phenol at high benzene concentrations is well-correlated with that of CH(3)C(O)OOH, a well-established product of the CH(3)C(O)O(2) + HO(2) reaction (via channel (3a)). However, a delayed source of phenol was also identified, which is attributed mainly to an analogous OH-forming channel of the reaction of HO(2) with HOCH(2)O(2) (reaction ), formed from the reaction of HO(2) with product HCHO. This was investigated in additional series of experiments in which Cl(2)/CH(3)OH/benzene/air and Cl(2)/HCHO/benzene/air mixtures were photolysed. The various reaction systems were fully characterised by simulations using a detailed chemical mechanism. This allowed the following branching ratios to be determined: CH(3)C(O)O(2) + HO(2)--> CH(3)C(O)OOH + O(2), k(3a)/k(3) = 0.38 +/- 0.13; --> CH(3)C(O)OH + O(3), k(3b)/k(3) = 0.12 +/- 0.04; --> CH(3)C(O)O + OH + O(2), k(3c)/k(3) = 0.43 +/- 0.10: HOCH(2)O(2) + HO(2)--> HCOOH + H(2)O + O(2), k(17b)/k(17) = 0.30 +/- 0.06; --> HOCH(2)O + OH + O(2), k(17c)/k(17) = 0.20 +/- 0.05. The results therefore provide strong evidence for significant participation of the radical-forming channels of these reactions, with the branching ratio for the title reaction being in good agreement with the value reported in one previous study. As part of this work, the kinetics of the reaction of Cl atoms with phenol (reaction (14)) have also been investigated. The rate coefficient was determined relative to the rate coefficient for the reaction of Cl with CH(3)OH, during the photolysis of mixtures of Cl(2), phenol and CH(3)OH, in either N(2) or air at 296 K and 760 Torr. A value of k(14) = (1.92 +/- 0.17) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) was determined from the experiments in N(2), in agreement with the literature. In air, the apparent rate coefficient was about a factor of two lower, which is interpreted in terms of regeneration of phenol from the product phenoxy radical, C(6)H(5)O, possibly via its reaction with HO(2).     

Reaction of CH2Cl with O2

The elementary reaction of CH2Cl+O2 in gas phase was investigated by time-resolved FTIR emission spectroscopy. Vibrationally excited products CO (v·4), and CO2 (o3, v·7) were observed. The yield ratio of CO/CO2(o3) was 72.2§7. The reaction pathways were studied theoretically at QCISD//UB3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level. In the beginning of the reaction, CH2Cl radical associated with O2 to form CH2ClOO, followed by removal of the Cl atom to yield another intermediate dioxirane CH2OO. Subsequently, a series of isomerization and decomposition of the CH2OO took place, yielding the ˉnal products of CO and CO2. The calculated result was in consistent with the experimental observation.     

Theoretical dynamic studies on the reactions of CH3C(O)CH3-nCl(n) (n = 0-3) with the chlorine atom

The theoretical investigations were performed on the reaction mechanisms for the title reactions CH(3)C(O)CH(3) + Cl --> products (R1), CH(3)C(O)CH(2)Cl + Cl --> products (R2), CH(3)C(O)CHCl(2) + Cl --> products (R3), and CH(3)C(O)CCl(3) + Cl --> products (R4) by ab initio direct dynamics approach. Two different reaction channels have been found: abstract of the H atom from methyl (--CH(3)) group or chloromethyl (--CH(3-n)Cl(n)) group of chloroacetone and addition of a Cl atom to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group of chloroacetone followed by methyl or chloromethyl eliminations. Because of the higher potential energy barrier, the contribution of addition-elimination reaction pathway to the total rate constants is very small and thus this pathway is insignificant in atmospheric conditions. The rate constants for the H-abstraction reaction channels are evaluated by using canonical variational transition state theory incorporating with the small-curvature tunneling correction. Theoretical overall rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental values and decrease in the order of k(1) > k(2) > k(3) > k(4). The results indicate that for halogenated acetones the substitution of halogen atom (F or Cl) leads to the decrease in the C--H bond reactivity and more decrease of reactivity is caused by F-substitution.     

Competitive reaction pathways of C2Cl3 + NO via four-membered ring and bicyclic ring intermediates

The products and mechanisms of the atmospherically and environmentally important reaction, C(2)Cl(3) + NO, are investigated comprehensively by step-scan time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy and the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d)//B3LYP/6-311G(d) level of electronic structure calculations. Vibrationally excited products of Cl(2)CO, ClNCO, CCl(3)NCO and NCO have been observed in the IR emission spectra. Cyclic intermediates are found to play important roles leading to the rich variety of the chemical transformations of the reaction. Mainly two competitive reaction pathways are revealed: the four-membered ring intermediate pathway leading to the products Cl(2)CO + ClCN which is essentially barrierless and the bicyclic ring intermediate pathway leading to the product channels of ClNCO + CCl(2,) CCl(3)NCO and CCl(3) + NCO which is rate-limited by a barrier of 42.9 kJ mol(-1) higher than the reactants. By photolyzing the precursor at 248 and 193 nm, respectively, C(2)Cl(3) radicals with different internal energy are produced to observe the product branching ratios as a function of reactant energy. The Cl(2)CO channel via the four-membered ring intermediate pathway is shown to be overwhelmingly dominant at low energy (temperature) but become less important at high energy while the ClNCO and CCl(3)NCO channels via the bicyclic ring intermediate pathway are greatly enhanced and compete effectively. The experimental observation of the products and their branching ratios varying with reactant energy is well consistent with the calculated potential energy profiles.     

Temperature dependence of the HO2 + ClO reaction. 2. Reaction kinetics using the discharge-flow resonance-fluorescence technique

The total rate coefficient, k3, for the reaction HO2 + ClO --> products has been determined over the temperature range of 220-336 K at a total pressure of approximately 1.5 Torr of helium using the discharge-flow resonance-fluorescence technique. Pseudo-first-order conditions were used with both ClO and HO2 as excess reagents using four different combinations of precursor molecules. HO2 molecules were formed by using either the termolecular association of H atoms in an excess of O2 or via the reaction of F atoms with an excess of H(2)O(2). ClO molecules were formed by using the reaction of Cl atoms with an excess of O3 or via the reaction of Cl atoms with Cl(2)O. Neither HO2 nor ClO were directly observed during the course of the experiments, but these species were converted to OH or Cl radicals, respectively, via reaction with NO prior to their observation. OH fluorescence was observed at 308 nm, whereas Cl fluorescence was observed at approximately 138 nm. Numerical simulations show that under the experimental conditions used secondary reactions did not interfere with the measurements; however, some HO2 was lost on conversion to OH for experiments in excess HO2. These results were corrected to compensate for the simulated loss. At 296 K, the rate coefficient was determined to be (6.4 +/- 1.6) x 10(-12) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). The temperature dependence expressed in Arrhenius form is (1.75 +/- 0.52) x 10-12 exp[(368 +/- 78)/T] cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). The Arrhenius expression is derived from a fit weighted by the reciprocal of the measurement errors of the individual data points. The uncertainties are cited at the level of two standard deviations and contain contributions from statistical errors from the data analysis in addition to estimates of the systematic experimental errors and possible errors from the applied model correction.     

A systematic computational study of the reactions of HO2 with RO2: the HO2 + CH2ClO2, CHCl2O2, and CCl3O2 reactions

Potential energy surfaces for the reactions of HO(2) with CH(2)ClO(2), CHCl(2)O(2), and CCl(3)O(2) have been calculated using coupled cluster theory and density functional theory (B3LYP). It is revealed that all the reactions take place on both singlet and triplet surfaces. Potential wells exist in the entrance channels for both surfaces. The reaction mechanism on the triplet surface is simple, including hydrogen abstraction and S(N)2-type displacement. The reaction mechanism on the singlet surface is more complicated. Interestingly, the corresponding transition states prefer to be 4-, 5-, or 7-member-ring structures. For the HO(2) + CH(2)ClO(2) reaction, there are two major product channels, viz., the formation of CH(2)ClOOH + O(2) via hydrogen abstraction on the triplet surface and the formation of CHClO + OH + HO(2) via a 5-member-ring transition state. Meanwhile, two O(3)-forming channels, namely, CH(2)O + HCl + O(3) and CH(2)ClOH + O(3) might be competitive at elevated temperatures. The HO(2) + CHCl(2)O(2) reaction has a mechanism similar to that of the HO(2) + CH(2)ClO(2) reaction. For the HO(2) + CCl(3)O(2) reaction, the formation of CCl(3)O(2)H + O(2) is the dominant channel. The Cl-substitution effect on the geometries, barriers, and heats of reaction is discussed. In addition, the unimolecular decomposition of the excited ROOH (e.g., CH(2)ClOOH, CHCl(2)OOH, and CCl(3)OOH) molecules has been investigated. The implication of the present mechanisms in atmospheric chemistry is discussed in comparison with the experimental measurements.