Mechanisms for the Breakdown of Halomethanes through Reactions with Ground‐State Cyano Radicals

One route to break down halomethanes is through reactions with radical species. The capability of the artificial force‐induced reaction algorithm to efficiently explore a large number of radical reaction pathways has been illustrated for reactions between haloalkanes (CX₃Y; X=H, F; Y=Cl, Br) and ground‐state (²Σ⁺) cyano radicals (CN). For CH₃Cl+CN, 71 stationary points in eight different pathways have been located and, in agreement with experiment, the highest rate constant (10⁸ s^?1 M ^?1 at 298 K) is obtained for hydrogen abstraction. For CH₃Br, the rate constants for hydrogen and halogen abstraction are similar (10⁹ s^?1 M ^?1), whereas replacing hydrogen with fluorine eliminates the hydrogen‐abstraction route and decreases the rate constants for halogen abstraction by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The detailed mapping of stationary points allows accurate calculations of product distributions, and the encouraging rate constants should motivate future studies with other radicals.     

Insight into the Mechanism of the Initial Reaction of an OH Radical with DNA/RNA Nucleobases: A Computational Investigation of Radiation Damage

Earlier theoretical investigations of the mechanism of radiation damage to DNA/RNA nucleobases have claimed OH radical addition as the dominating pathway based solely on energetics. In this study we supplement calculations of energies with the kinetics of all possible reactions with the OH radical through hydrogen abstraction and OH radical addition onto carbon sites, using DFT at the ωB97X‐D/6‐311++G(2df,2pd) level with the Eckart tunneling correction. The overall rate constants for the reaction with adenine, guanine, thymine, and uracil are found to be 2.17×10^?12, 5.64×10^?11, 2.01×10^?11, and 5.03×10^?12 cm³ molecules^?1 s^?1, respectively, which agree exceptionally well with experimental values. We conclude that abstraction of the amine group hydrogen atoms competes with addition onto C₈ as the most important reaction pathway for the purine nucleobases, while for the pyrimidine nucleobases addition onto C₅ and C₆ competes with the abstraction of H₁. Thymine shows favourability against abstraction of methyl hydrogens as the dominating pathway based on rate constants. These mechanistic conclusions are partly explained by an analysis of the electrostatic potential together with HOMO and LUMO orbitals of the nucleobases.     

Scavenging activity of C4‐hydroxyphenyl‐ and polyhydroxyphenyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines toward free radicals

The radical‐scavenging ability of synthesized C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐dihydropyridines (1,4‐DHPs) toward 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^?) and alkyl/alkylperoxyl ABAP‐derived radicals at pH 7.4 was assessed by UV–visible spectroscopy. Reactivity of 1,4‐DHPs toward DPPH^? was measured by following the decay of the absorption corresponding to the radical λ_max at 525 nm, permitting the calculation of EC₅₀, t_EC50, and antiradical efficiency values. Pseudo–first‐order kinetic rate constants for the reactivity between the C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐DHP compounds and alkyl/alkylperoxyl ABAP‐derived radicals were followed by the decrease in λ_max at 356 nm corresponding to 1,4‐DHP moiety. C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐DHPs were more reactive toward alkyl free radicals than the other tested radicals. The 3,4,5‐trihydroxyphenyl‐1,4‐DHP was the most reactive derivative toward this radical with a kinetic rate constant value of 513.2 s^?1. Also, this derivative was the most effective toward the DPPH^? radical with the lowest EC₅₀ value (5.08 µM). Comparative studies revealed that synthesized 1,4‐DHPs were more reactive than commercial 1,4‐DHPs. The scavenging mechanism involves the contribution of both pharmacophores, that is, hydroxyphenyl and 1,4‐DHP rings, which was supported by the identification of the reaction products. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 810–820, 2012     

Kinetics and Products of the Reactions of Ethyl and n‐Propyl Nitrates with OH Radicals

The kinetics of the reactions of ethyl (1) and n‐propyl (2) nitrates with OH radicals has been studied using a low‐pressure flow tube reactor combined with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The rate constants of the title reactions were determined under pseudo–first‐order conditions from kinetics of OH consumption in high excess of nitrates. The overall rate constants, k₁ = 1.14 × 10^?13 (T/298)^2.45 exp(193/T) and k₂ = 3.00 × 10^?13 (T/298)^2.50 exp(205/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (with conservative 15% uncertainty), were determined at a total pressure of 1 Torr of helium over the temperature range (248–500) and (263–500) K, respectively. The yields of the carbonyl compounds, acetaldehyde and propanal, resulting from the abstraction by OH of an α‐hydrogen atom in ethyl and n‐propyl nitrates, followed by α‐substituted alkyl radical decomposition, were determined at T = 300 K to be 0.77 ± 0.12 and 0.22 ± 0.04, respectively.     

Kinetics and rate constants for the reaction of tri-n-butylgermanium hydride with methyl iodide and carbon tetrachloride. The combination of methyl and trichloromethyl radicals in solution.

The kinetics of the photoinitiated reductions of methyl iodide and carbon tetrachloride by tri-n-butylgermanium hydride in cyclohexane at 25°C have been studied and absolute rate constants have been measured. Rate constants for the combination of CH₃? and CCl₃? radicals are equal within experimental error and are also equal to the values found for the self-reactions of most non-polymeric radicals in low viscosity solvents, i.e. ～1–3 × 10⁹ M^?1 sec^?1. Rate constants for hydrogen atom abstraction by CH₃? and CCl₃? radicals are both ～1?2 × 10⁵ M^?1 sec^?1. Tri-n-butyltin hydride is about 10–20 times as good a hydrogen donor to alkyl radicals as is tri-n-butylgermanium hydride. The strength of the germanium–hydrogen bond, D(n-Bu₃Ge–H) is estimated to be approximately 84 kcal/mole.     

Multi‐faceted Reactivity of Alkyltellurophenols Towards Peroxyl Radicals: Catalytic Antioxidant Versus Thiol‐Depletion Effect

Hydroxyaryl alkyl tellurides are effective antioxidants both in organic solution and aqueous biphasic systems. They react by an unconventional mechanism with ROO^. radicals with rate constants as high as 10⁷ M ^?1 s^?1 at 303 K, outperforming common phenols. The reactions proceed by oxygen atom transfer to tellurium followed by hydrogen atom transfer to the resulting RO^. radical from the phenolic OH. The reaction rates do not reflect the electronic properties of the ring substituents and, because the reactions occur in a solvent cage, quenching is more efficient when the OH and TeR groups have an ortho arrangement. In the presence of thiols, hydroxyaryl alkyl tellurides act as catalytic antioxidants towards both hydroperoxides (mimicking the glutathione peroxidases) and peroxyl radicals. The high efficiency of the quenching of the peroxyl radicals and hydroperoxides could be advantageous under normal cellular conditions, but pro‐oxidative (thiol depletion) when thiol concentrations are low.     

Rate constants for reactions of perfluorobutylperoxyl radical with alkenes

Perfluorobutylperoxyl radicals were produced by radiolytic reduction of perfluorobutyl iodide in aerated methanol solutions. Rate constants for the reactions of this peroxyl radical with various organic compounds were determined by kinetic spectrophotometric pulse radiolysis. The rate constants for alkanes and alkenes were determined by competition kinetics using chlorpromazine as a reference. The results indicate that hydrogen abstraction from aliphatic compounds takes place with a rate constant that is too slow to measure in our system (<10⁵ M^?1 s^?1), and that abstraction of allylic and doubly allylic hydrogens is slow compared with addition. Addition to alkenes takes place with rate constants of the order of k = 10⁶ ? 10⁸ M^?1 s^?1. Good correlation was obtained between log k and the Taft substituent constants σ* for the various substituents on the double bond. Perfluorobutylperoxyl radical is found to be more reactive than trichloromethylperoxyl and other peroxyl radicals.     

Measurement of the reactivity of OH with methyl nitrate: Implications for prediction of alkyl nitrate-OH reaction rates

The rate of the gas phase reaction of hydroxyl radical with methyl nitrate has been measured to be (3.4 ± 0.4) × 10^?14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 298 K using flow discharge/ resonance fluorescence techniques. By means of correlation methods, this rate determination is used to predict a vertical ionization potential of 12.6 eV, a bond dissociation energy for H? CH₂ONO₂ of 101 kcal mol^?1, and a rate for O(³P) reaction with methyl nitrate of ca. 9 × 10^?17 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. In conjunction with previously derived relative data for reaction of alkyl nitrates with OH radical in the gas phase, a priori estimated reactivities for 1-, 2-, and 3-positionally substituted straight chain alkyl nitrates have been reexamined. Revised reactivities for OH abstraction of specific hydrogens substituted on straight chain alkyl nitrates are presented and discussed, and an atmospheric lifetime of ca. 2 yrs is estimated for methyl nitrate removal due to OH.     

Reactivity of the 5-hexenyl radical toward the anion of 2-nitropropane and borohydride anion

The 5-hexenyl radical adds to the anion of 2-nitropropane with a rate constant of ≈ × 10⁶ L/mol-s at 40°. Hydrogen atom abstraction from BH₄^? occurs more slowly than abstraction from CH₃O^? and with a rate constant less than 1 × 10⁴ L/mol-s at 30°. The reaction of Δ⁵- hexenylmercury chloride with sodium borohydride in MeOH/NaOH proceeds via hydrogen abstraction by the hexenyl radical from RHgH and not from NaBH₄.     

Direct dynamics study on the mechanism and the kinetics of the reaction of CH3NH2 with OH

A theoretical study of the mechanism and the kinetics for the hydrogen abstraction reaction of methylamine by OH radical has been presented at the CCSD(T)/6‐311 ++G(2d,2p)//CCSD/6‐31G(d) level of theory. Our theoretical calculations suggest a stepwise mechanism involving the formation of a prereactant complex in the entrance channel and a preproduct complex in the exit channel, for the two hydrogen abstraction channels involving the methyl and amine groups. For clarity, the diagram of potential for the reaction is given. The calculated standard reaction enthalpies are ?98.48 and ?76.50 kJ mol^?1 and barrier heights are 0.36 and 25.25 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The rate constants are evaluated by means of the improved canonical variational transition state theory with small‐curvature tunneling correction (ICVT/SCT) in the temperature range of 299–3000 K. The calculated results show that the rate constants at experimentally measured temperatures are in good agreement with the experimental values. It is shown that the calculated rate constants exhibit a non‐Arrhenius behavior. Moreover, the variational effect is obvious in the calculated temperature range. The dominant product channel is to form CH₂NH₂ and H₂O via hydrogen abstraction from the CH₃ group of CH₃NH₂ by OH in the calculated temperature range. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Electron Spin Resonance of Oxiranyl Radicals in Solution: Configurational Stabilities and Rearrangement Reactions

Several alkyl substituted oxiranyl radicals derived by hydrogen abstraction from oxiranes are observed in solution by ESR.-spectroscopy. The ESR.-spectra demonstrate that oxiranyl radicals have pyramidal configurations at the radical carbon atom and undergo inversion. Alkyl substituted oxiranyls rearrange by ring opening to α-keto alkyl radicals. The rates of inversion decrease and the rates of rearrangement increase with alkyl substitution. The activation parameters of these processes are given for several cases and are related to radical structure. Line broadening effects caused by inversion allow the determination of relative signs of γ-CH₃-coupling constants.     

Absolute rate constants for hydrogen abstraction from hydrocarbons by the trichloromethylperoxyl radical

Absolute rate constants have been measured for the reactions of trichloromethylperoxyl radicals with cyclohexane, cyclohexene, and hexamethylbenzene. The CCl₃O₂ radicals were produced by pulse radiolysis of air-saturated CCl₄ solutions containing various amounts of the hydrocarbons. The rate constants were determined by competition with the one-electron oxidation of metalloporphyrins, using the rate of formation of the metalloporphyrin radical cation absorption to monitor the reaction by kinetic spectrophotometry. The rate constants for hydrogen abstraction from cyclohexane, cyclohexene, and hexamethylbenzene were found to be 1 × 10³, 1.0 × 10⁵, and 7.5 × 10⁴ M^?1 s^?1, respectively.     

Rate constants for the gas‐phase reactions of chlorine atoms with 1,4‐cyclohexadiene and 1,5‐cyclooctadiene at 298 K

Rate constants for the reactions of Cl atoms with two cyclic dienes, 1,4‐cyclohexadiene and 1,5‐cyclooctadiene, have been determined, at 298 K and 800 Torr of N₂, using the relative rate method, with n‐hexane and 1‐butene as reference molecules. The concentrations of the organics are followed by gas chromatographic analysis. The ratios of the rate constants of reactions of Cl atoms with 1,4‐cyclohexadiene and 1,5‐cyclooctadiene to that with n‐hexane are measured to be 1.29 ± 0.06 and 2.19 ± 0.32, respectively. The corresponding ratios with respect to 1‐butene are 1.50 ± 0.16 and 2.36 ± 0.38. The absolute values of the rate constants of the reaction of Cl atom with n‐hexane and 1‐butene are considered as (3.15 ± 0.40) × 10^?10 and (3.21 ± 0.40) × 10^{? 10} cm³ molecule^?1s^?1, respectively. With these, the calculated values are k(Cl + 1,4‐cyclohexadiene) = (4.06 ± 0.55) × 10^?10 and k(Cl + 1,5‐cyclooctadiene) = (6.90 ± 1.33) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 with respect to n‐hexane. The rate constants determined with respect to 1‐butene are marginally higher, k(Cl + 1,4‐cyclohexadiene) = (4.82 ± 0.80) × 10^{? 10} and k(Cl + 1,5‐cyclooctadiene) = (7.58 ± 1.55) × 10^{? 10} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The experiments for each molecule were repeated three to five times, and the slopes and the rate constants given above are the average values of these measurements, with 2σ as the quoted error, including the error in the reference rate constant. The relative rate ratios of 1,4‐cyclohexadiene with both the reference molecules are found to be higher in the presence of oxygen, and a marginal increase is observed in the case of 1,5‐cyclooctadiene. Benzene is identified as one major product in the case of 1,4‐cyclohexadiene. Considering that the cyclohexadienyl radical, a product of the hydrogen abstraction reaction, is quantitatively converted to benzene in the presence of oxygen, the fraction of Cl atoms that reacts by abstraction is estimated to be 0.30 ± 0.04. The atmospheric implications of the results are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 43: 431–440, 2011     

Time‐resolved photoacoustic calorimetry as a tool to determine rate constants of hydrogen‐abstraction reactions

The hydrogen‐abstraction reaction from phenol by tert‐butoxyl radical was used to test time‐resolved photoacoustic calorimetry (TR‐PAC) as a method to obtain kinetic data. Absolute rate constants for this reaction were determined in benzene and in the 298–312 K temperature range, using a temperature‐controlled photoacoustic calorimeter, yielding an average value of 3.5 × 10⁸ M^?1 s^?1. This is in good agreement with the literature results obtained by laser flash photolysis (LFP). Kinetic solvent effects (KSE) in the same reaction were also studied using acetonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, and ethyl acetate as solvents. The results obtained by TR‐PAC are close to those derived by LFP (using the cumyloxyl radical as the abstracting species) and follow the expected trend based on the KSE. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 357–363, 2006     

Exchange and decomposition reactions of isobutyl iodide with iodine

In the presence of elementary iodine, isobutyl iodide (2-methyl-1-iodopropane) undergoes isotopic exchange and also decomposes with production of additional iodine. Both reactions are approximately first order in isobutyl iodide and half order in iodine molecules. In degassed hexachlorobutadiene at 160°, the rate constants for exchange and decomposition are 7.5 × 10^?6 and 11.4 × 10^?6 (liter/mole)^1/2sec^?1, respectively. The decomposition is probably initiated by iodine atom abstraction of a β hydrogen atom, but comparison with rates for related compounds indicates that this hydrogen abstraction does not contribute significantly to the mechanism of exchange.     

Small ring compounds—XXX : Homolytical aromatic substitution and hydrogen abstraction reaction with cyclopropyl radical

Homolytic aromatic substitution and hydrogen abstraction reactions with cyclopropyl radical were carried out to determine the reactivity and ionic character of cyclopropyl radical by examination of the orientation effect, partial rate factor and influence of substituents. By thermal decomposition of biscyclopropaneformyl peroxide in a series of substituted benzenes, the corresponding cyclopropylated benzene derivatives (the mixture of ortho, meta and para isomers) were obtained in moderate yield. In view of the orientation effect and the partial rate factor, the cyclopropyl radical seems to be fairly free from polar effect, and to resemble the phenyl radical more than the common alkyl radical although the cyclopropyl radical has a slightly higher reactivity than the phenyl radical. The relative reactivity of the 2-phenylcyclopropyl radical in the hydrogen abstraction reaction toward the benzylic position of ring-substituted toluenes gave good Hammett's correlation with the slope of + 0·20 suggesting little ionic character in the transition state. This result was in good agreement with the conclusion obtained from homolytic aromatic substitution reaction and with the chemical reactivity to be expected from the non-planar nearly sp²-hybridized conformation of the cyclopropyl radical.     

Mechanism and Kinetics of the Reaction of Nitrosamines with OH Radical: A Theoretical Study

The reaction of nitrosodimethylamine, nitrosoazetidine, nitrosopyrrolidine, and nitrosopiperidine with the hydroxyl radical has been studied using electronic structure calculations in gas and aqueous phases. The rate constant was calculated using variational transition state theory. The reactions are initiated by H‐atom abstraction from the αC─H group of nitrosamines and leads to the formation of alkyl radical intermediate. In the subsequent reactions, the initially formed alkyl radical intermediate reacts with O₂ forming a peroxy radical. The reaction of peroxy radical with other atmospheric oxidants, such as HO₂ and NO radicals, is studied. The structures of the reactive species were optimized by using the density functional theory methods, such as M06‐2X, MPW1K, and BHandHLYP, and hybrid methods G3B3. The single‐point energy calculations were also performed at CCSD(T)/6‐311+G(d,p)// M062X/6‐311+G(d,p) level. The calculated thermodynamical parameters show that the reactions corresponding to the formation of intermediates and products are highly exothermic. We have calculated the rate constant for the initial H‐atom abstraction and subsequent favorable secondary reactions using canonical variational transition state theory over the temperature range of 150–400 K. The calculated rate constant for initial H‐atom abstraction reaction is ∼3 × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ and is in agreement with the previous experimental results. The calculated thermochemical data and rate constants show that the reaction profile and kinetics of the reactions are less dependent on the number of methyl groups present in the nitrosoamines. Furthermore, it has been found that the atmospheric lifetime of nitrosamines is around 5 days in the normal atmospheric OH concentration.     

Ab initio Calculation and Kinetic Study for the Abstraction Reaction of H with Sihcl3

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Rate constants for reactions of SO4˙− radicals in acetonitrile

Rate constants have been measured for the reactions of the sulfate radical, SO₄^˙?, with alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, ethers, and amines in 95% acetonitrile solution. The rate constants were in the range of 10⁶ L mol^?1 s^?1 for the abstraction reactions and 10⁷?10⁹ L mol^?1 s^?1 for the addition and electron transfer reactions. These values are 20 to 80 times lower than those measured in aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the rate constants for the reactions of SO₄^˙? with the primary alcohols increase with the number of carbon atoms and then level off, in contrast to the behavior observed in aqueous solution, where the rate constant increases more sharply for the larger alcohols. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

O−• chemical ionization of carbonyl compounds

The negative ion chemical ionization mass spectra of twentyeight C₄ to C₇ carbonyl compounds were recorded using the oxide radical anion O^?? as reagent ion. As noted earlier, the reactions occurring include H⁺ abstraction, H ₂ ^+? abstraction, H? atom displacement, and alkyl radical displacement. In addition, the [M?2H]^? ions fragment further by alkyl radical elimination. The relative importance of these reactions depends strongly on molecular structure, with the result that isomer distinction frequently is possible. Where this is not possible, as for isomeric aldehydes, the collisional charge inversion mass spectra of common product ions provides isomer distinction. The H ₂ ^+? abstraction reaction is shown to involve abstraction not only of two hydrogens from the same α-carbon but also, in part, abstraction of one hydrogen from each α-carbon.