Quasiclassical trajectory study of the reaction H+CH4(nu3 = 0,1)-->CH3+H2 using a new ab initio potential energy surface

Detailed quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the reaction H+CH4(nu3 = 0,1)-->CH3 + H2 using a slightly updated version of a recent ab initio-based CH5 potential energy surface [X. Zhang et al., J. Chem. Phys. 124, 021104 (2006)] are reported. The reaction cross sections are calculated at initial relative translational energies of 1.52, 1.85, and 2.20 eV in order to make direct comparison with experiment. The relative reaction cross section enhancement ratio due to the excitation of the C-H antisymmetric stretch varies from 2.2 to 3.0 over this energy range, in good agreement with the experimental result of 3.0 +/- 1.5 [J. P. Camden et al., J. Chem. Phys. 123, 134301 (2005)]. The laboratory-frame speed and center-of-mass angular distributions of CH3 are calculated as are the vibrational and rotational distributions of H2 and CH3. We confirm that this reaction occurs with a combination of stripping and rebound mechanisms by presenting the impact parameter dependence of these distributions and also by direct examination of trajectories.     

Prediction of product branching ratios in the C(3P)+C2H2-->l-C3H+H/c-C3H+H/C3+H2 reaction using ab initio coupled clusters calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set combined with Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus and radiationless transition theories

Ab initio CCSD(T) calculations of intermediates and transition states on the singlet and triplet C3H2 potential energy surfaces extrapolated to the complete basis set limit are combined with statistical computations of energy-dependent rate constants of the C(3P)+C2H2 reaction under crossed molecular beam conditions. Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory is applied for isomerization and dissociation steps within the same multiplicity and radiationless transition and nonadiabatic transition state theories are used for singlet-triplet intersystem crossing rates. The calculated rate constants are utilized to predict product branching ratios. The results demonstrate that, in qualitative agreement with available experimental data, c-C3H+H and C3+H2 are the most probable products at low collision energies, whereas l-C3H+H becomes dominant at higher Ec above approximately 25 kJ/mol.     

Accurate potential energy surface and quantum reaction rate calculations for the H+CH4-->H2+CH3 reaction

Calculations for the cumulative reaction probability N(E) (for J=0) and the thermal rate constant k(T) of the H+CH(4)-->H(2)+CH(3) reaction are presented. Accurate electronic structure calculations and a converged Shepard-interpolation approach are used to construct a potential energy surface which is specifically designed to allow the precise calculation of k(T) and N(E). Accurate quantum dynamics calculations employing flux correlation functions and multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree wave packet propagation compute N(E) and k(T) based on this potential energy surface. The present work describes in detail the various convergence test performed to investigate the accuracy of the calculations at each step. These tests demonstrate the predictive power of the present calculations. In addition, approximate approaches for reaction rate calculations are discussed. A quite accurate approximation can be obtained from a potential energy surface which includes only interpolation points on the minimum energy path.     

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the OH+NO2 association reaction on a global potential energy surface

We report a full-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the OH+NO(2) reaction based on fitting more than 55,000 energies obtained with density functional theory-B3LYP6-311G(d,p) calculations. The PES is invariant with respect to permutation of like nuclei and describes all isomers of HOONO, HONO(2), and the fragments OH+NO(2) and HO(2)+NO. Detailed comparison of the structures, energies, and harmonic frequencies of various stationary points on the PES are made with previous and present high-level ab initio calculations. Two hydrogen-bond complexes are found on the PES and confirmed by new ab initio CASPT2 calculations. Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the cross sections for ground rovibrational OH+NO(2) association reactions to form HOONO and HONO(2) are done using this PES. The cross section to form HOONO is larger than the one to form HONO(2) at low collision energies but the reverse is found at higher energies. The enhancement of the HOONO complex at low collision energies is shown to be due, in large part, to the transient formation of a H-bond complex, which decays preferentially to HOONO. The association cross sections are used to obtain rate constants for formation of HOONO and HONO(2) for the ground rovibrational states in the high-pressure limit.     

Singlet and triplet potential surfaces for the O2+C2H4 reaction

Electronic structure calculations at the CASSCF and UB3LYP levels of theory with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set were used to characterize structures, vibrational frequencies, and energies for stationary points on the ground state triplet and singlet O(2)+C(2)H(4) potential energy surfaces (PESs). Spin-orbit couplings between the PESs were calculated using state averaged CASSCF wave functions. More accurate energies were obtained for the CASSCF structures with the MRMP2/aug-cc-pVDZ method. An important and necessary aspect of the calculations was the need to use different CASSCF active spaces for the different reaction paths on the investigated PESs. The CASSCF calculations focused on O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition to form the C(2)H(4)O(2) biradical on the triplet and singlet surfaces, and isomerization reaction paths ensuing from this biradical. The triplet and singlet C(2)H(4)O(2) biradicals are very similar in structure, primarily differing in their C-C-O-O dihedral angles. The MRMP2 values for the O(2)+C(2)H(4)→C(2)H(4)O(2) barrier to form the biradical are 33.8 and 6.1 kcal/mol, respectively, for the triplet and singlet surfaces. On the singlet surface, C(2)H(4)O(2) isomerizes to dioxetane and ethane-peroxide with MRMP2 barriers of 7.8 and 21.3 kcal/mol. A more exhaustive search of reaction paths was made for the singlet surface using the UB3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ theory. The triplet and singlet surfaces cross between the structures for the O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition transition states and the biradical intermediates. Trapping in the triplet biradical intermediate, following (3)O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition, is expected to enhance triplet→singlet intersystem crossing.     

Lowest singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces of S2N2

Forty four stationary points have been located on the lowest singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces of S(2)N(2). Ten minima and ten saddle points on the lowest singlet surface and eleven minima and thirteen saddle points on the lowest triplet surface were found. All saddle points were connected to minima or lower-order saddle points by following the intrinsic reaction coordinate. Renner-Teller effects in the linear isomers were studied by examining their bending curves. The S(2)N(2) polymerization mechanism was investigated by first locating the transition state corresponding to ring opening and then considering all species connected to it that are close in energy. The commonly accepted mechanism is problematic due to the number of species that would lead to dissociation to SN + SN. Other possible isomers that are consistent with the experimental evidence but do not connect to SN radicals in the dissociation limit were examined. A mechanism of polymerization to (SN)(x)() is proposed that involves excitation of the square planar singlet molecule to the triplet surface. The triplet species then undergoes a puckering, and polymerization occurs in a direction approximately perpendicular to the S(2)N(2) plane. Consideration of the predicted vibrational frequencies suggests the structure of the second isomer of S(2)N(2). This isomer has a trans-NSSN structure with a long SS bond. The energetics of trans-NSSN are consistent with the observed temperature effects in the dimerization of SN. Analysis of the bending curves of linear NSSN and NSNS indicates that trans-NSSN is the only isomer which has a small yet significant barrier to that dimerization.     

New calculations on the ion-molecule processes C2H2(+) + H2 --> C2H3(+) + H and C2H2(+) + H2 --> C2H4+

New high-level quantum chemical calculations have been undertaken to understand the rates and mechanisms of the reactive and associative channels for the reactants C2H2(+) + H2. The reactive channel, which produces C2H3(+) + H, has been shown to be slightly endothermic, confirming earlier calculations at a somewhat lower level and in agreement with some recent experimental work. The associative channel, leading to C2H4+, has been shown to proceed via a transition state with negative energy relative to the reactants, so that association is predicted to be efficient. This result is in conflict with an earlier theoretical study but in agreement with low-temperature experimental measurements.     

Crossed beams study of the reaction 1CH2+C2H2-->C3H3+H

The reaction of electronically excited singlet methylene (1CH2) with acetylene (C2H2) was studied using the method of crossed molecular beams at a mean collision energy of 3.0 kcal/mol. The angular and velocity distributions of the propargyl radical (C3H3) products were measured using single photon ionization (9.6 eV) at the advanced light source. The measured distributions indicate that the mechanism involves formation of a long-lived C3H4 complex followed by simple C-H bond fission producing C3H3+H. This work, which is the first crossed beams study of a reaction involving an electronically excited polyatomic molecule, demonstrates the feasibility of crossed molecular beam studies of reactions involving 1CH2.     

Ab initio potential energy surfaces of the ion-molecule reaction: C2H2 + O+

High level ab initio calculations using complete active space self-consistent field and multi reference single and double excitation configuration interaction methods with cc-pVDZ (correlation consistent polarized valence double zeta) and cc-pVTZ (triple zeta) basis sets have been performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism of the ion-molecule reaction, C2H2(1Sigmag+) + O+(4S), for which collision experiment has been performed by Chiu et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 109, 5300 (1998)]. The minor low-energy process leading to the weak spin-forbidden product C2H2+ (2Piu) + O(1D) has been studied previously and will not be discussed here. The major pathways to form charge-transfer (CT) products, C2H2+ (2Piu) + O(3P) (CT1) and C2H2+ (4A2) + O(3P) (CT2), and the covalently bound intermediates are investigated. The approach of the oxygen atom cation to acetylene goes over an energy barrier TS1 of 29 kcal/mol (relative to the reactant) and adiabatically leads the CT2 product or a weakly bound intermediate Int1 between CT2 products. This transition state TS1 is caused by the avoided crossing between the reactant and CT2 electronic states. As the C-O distance becomes shorter beyond the above intermediate, the C1 reaction pathway is energetically more favorable than the Cs pathway and goes over the second transition state TS2 of a relative energy of 39 kcal/mol. Although this TS connects diabatically to the covalent intermediate Int2, there are many states that interact adiabatically with this diabatic state and these lead to the other charge-transfer product CT1 via either of several nonadiabatic transitions. These findings are consistent with the experiment, in which charge transfer and chemical reaction products are detected above 35 and 39 kcal/mol collision energies, respectively.     

Quantum calculations of the O(3P)+H2-->OH+H reaction

Quantum scattering calculations are reported for the O(3P)+H2(v=0,1) reaction using chemically accurate potential energy surfaces of 3A' and 3A" symmetry. We present state-to-state reaction cross sections and rate coefficients as well as thermal rate coefficients for the title reaction using accurate quantum calculations. Our calculations yield reaction cross sections that are in quantitative accord with results of recent crossed molecular beam experiments. Comparisons with results obtained using the J-shifting calculations show that the J-shifting approximation is quite reliable for this system. Thermal rate coefficients from the exact calculations and the J-shifting approximation agree remarkably well with experimental results. Our calculations also reproduce the markedly different OH(v'=0)/OH(v'=1) branching in O(3P)+H2(v=1) reaction, observed in experiments that use different O(3P) atom sources. In particular, we show that the branching ratio is a strong function of the kinetic energy of the O(3P) atom.     

Quasi-classical trajectory calculations on the H + O2 reaction

Quasi-classical trajectory calculations have been performed on the H + O₂ system. Significant reaction probabilities are obtained when the initial energy is in rotation or vibration, or a combination of the two, but not when the initial energy is in translation. The opacity function shows a bimodal dependence on the impact parameter, with a small peak at 0.9 Å < b < 1.5 Å and a very prominent peak at 2.5 Å < b < 3.3 Å. The product scattering angles and product energy distributions also depend on b and to a limited extent on the initial energy distribution. The observations can be largely interpreted in terms of the nature of the motion on the potential energy surface, while the effects of rotational energy on the reaction follow qualitatively from statistical phase-space theory.     

Computational mechanistic study of methanol and molecular oxygen reaction on the triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces

The reaction of CH₃OH with the O₂ on the triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PES) was carried out using the B3LYP, MP2, and CCSD(T)//B3LYP theoretical approaches in connection with the 6-311++G(3df–3pd) basis set. Three pre-reactive complexes, ¹C1, ¹C2, and ³C1, on the singlet and triplet PES were formed between methanol and molecular oxygen. From a variety of the complexes, seven types of products are obtained, of which four types are found to be thermodynamically stable. Results reveal that there exists one intersystem crossing between triplet and singlet PES. For P4 adduct that is the main and kinetically the most favorable product, the rate constants are calculated in the temperature range of 200–1,000 K in the reliable pathway.     

Dynamics study of the reaction OH- + C2H2-->C2H- + H2O with crossed beams and density-functional theory calculations

The proton transfer reaction between OH- and C2H2, the sole reactive process observed over the collision energy range from 0.37 to 1.40 eV, has been studied using the crossed beam technique and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The center of mass flux distributions of the product C2H- ions at three different energies are highly asymmetric, characteristic of a direct process occurring on a time scale much less than a rotational period of any transient intermediate. The maxima in the flux distributions correspond to product velocities and directions close to those of the precursor acetylene reactants. The reaction quantitatively transforms the entire exothermicity into internal excitation of the products, consistent with an energy release motif in which the proton is transferred early, in a configuration in which the forming bond is extended. This picture is supported by DFT calculations showing that the first electrostatically bound intermediate on the reaction pathway is the productlike C2H- H2O species. Most of the incremental translational energy in the two higher collision energy experiments appears in product translational energy, and provides an example of induced repulsive energy release characteristic of the heavy+light-heavy mass combination.     

Ab initio calculations on the singlet and triplet energy surfaces for CsiH2

Singlet and triplet calculations, including configuration interaction, are reported for H₂CSi, HCSiH and CSiH₂, and for the transition state on both surfaces.     

Kinetic isotope effects for the H2 + C2H ↔ C2H2 + H reaction based on the ab initio calculations and a global potential energy surface

In the present paper, kinetic isotope effects of the title reaction are studied with canonical variational transition state theory on the modified Wang Bowman (MWB) potential energy surface (PES) (Chem Phys Lett 2005, 409, 249) and the ab initio calculations at the quadratic configuration interaction (QCISD (T, full))/aug‐cc‐pVTZ//QCISD (full)/cc‐pVTZ level. The calculated rate constants for the isotopic variants of this title reaction on the MWB PES have good agreement with those of the present ab initio calculations over the temperature range of 20–5000 K for the forward reactions and 800–5000 K for the reverse reactions, respectively. In particular, the forward rate constants for the title reaction and its isotopically substituted reactions have negative temperature dependences at about 40 K. Rate expressions are presented for all the studied reactions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 289–298, 2010     

Collision energy dependence of the O(1D) + HCl --> OH + Cl(2P) reaction studied by crossed beam scattering and quasiclassical trajectory calculations on ab initio potential energy surfaces

The dynamics of the O(1D) + HCl --> OH + Cl(2P) reaction are investigated by a crossed molecular beam ion-imaging method and quasiclassical trajectory calculations on the three ab initio potential energy surfaces, the ground 1(1)A' and two excited (1(1)A' and 2(1)A') states. The scattering experiment was carried out at collision energies of 4.2, 4.5, and 6.4 kcal/mol. The observed doubly differential cross sections (DCSs) for the Cl(2P) product exhibit almost no collision energy dependence over this inspected energy range. The nearly forward-backward symmetric DCS indicates that the reaction proceeds predominantly on the ground-state potential energy surface at these energies. Variation of the forward-backward asymmetry with collision energy is interpreted using an osculating complex model. Although the potential energy surfaces obtained by CASSCF-MRCI ab initio calculations exhibit relatively low potential barriers of 1.6 and 6.5 kcal/mol for 1(1)A' and 2(1)A', respectively, the dynamics calculations indicate that contributions of these excited states are small at the collision energies lower than 15.0 kcal/mol. Theoretical DCSs calculated for the ground-state reaction pathway agree well with the observed ones. These experimental and theoretical results suggest that the titled reaction at collision energies less than 6.5 kcal/mol is predominantly via the ground electronic state.     

Quasiclassical trajectory study of the O(3P) + CH4 --> OH + CH3 reaction with a specific reaction parameters semiempirical Hamiltonian

We present a theoretical study of the O(3P) + CH4 --> OH + CH3 reaction using electronic structure, kinetics, and dynamics calculations. We calculate a grid of ab initio points at the PMP2/AUG-cc-pVDZ level to characterize the potential energy surface in regions of up to 1.3 eV above reagents. This grid of ab initio points is used to derive a set of specific reaction parameters (SRP) for the MSINDO semiempirical Hamiltonian. The resulting SRP-MSINDO Hamiltonian improves the quality of the standard Hamiltonian, particularly in regions of the potential energy surface beyond the minimum-energy reaction path. Quasiclassical-trajectory calculations are used to study the reaction dynamics with the original and the improved MSINDO semiempirical Hamiltonians, and a prior surface. The SRP-MSINDO semiempirical Hamiltonian yields OH rotational distributions in agreement with experimental results, improving over the results of the other surfaces. Thermal rate constants estimated with Variational Transition State Theory using the SRP-MSINDO Hamiltonian are also in agreement with experiments. Our results indicate that reparametrized semiempirical Hamiltonians are a good alternative to generating potential energy surfaces for accurate dynamics studies of polyatomic reactions.     

State-to-state reaction probabilities for the H+O2(v,j)-->O+OH(v',j') reaction on three potential energy surfaces

We report state-to-state and total reaction probabilities for J=0 and total reaction probabilities for J=2 and 4 for the title reaction, both for ground-state and initially rovibrationally excited reactants. The results for three different potential energy surfaces are compared and contrasted. The potential energy surfaces employed are the DMBE IV surface by Pastrana et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 94, 8073 (1990)], the surface by Troe and Ushakov (TU) [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 3621 (2001)], and the new XXZLG ab initio surface by Xu et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 122, 244305 (2005)]. Our results show that the total reaction probabilities from both the TU and XXZLG surfaces are much smaller in magnitude for collision energies above 1.2 eV compared to the DMBE IV surface. The three surfaces also show different behavior with regards to the effect of initial state excitation. The reactivity is increased on the XXZLG and the TU surfaces and decreased on the DMBE IV surface. Vibrational and rotational product state distributions for the XXZLG and the DMBE IV surface show different behaviors for both types of distributions. Our results show that for energies above 1.25 eV the dynamics on the DMBE IV surface are not statistical. However, there is also evidence that the dynamics on the XXZLG surface are not purely statistical for energies above the onset of the first excited product vibrational state v'=1. The magnitude of the total reaction probability is decreased for J>0 for the DMBE IV and the XXZLG surfaces for ground-state reactants. However, for initially rovibrationally excited reactants, the total reaction probability does not decrease as expected for both surfaces. As a result the total cross section averaged over all Boltzmann accessible rotational states may well be larger than the cross section reported in the literature for j=1.     

Quasiclassical trajectory study of reactive and dissociative processes in H2+H2: comparison with quantum-mechanical calculations

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations have been carried out for H(2)(v(1)=high)+H(2)(v(2)=low) collisions within a three degrees of freedom model where five different geometries of the colliding complex were considered. Within this approach, probabilities for different competitive processes are studied: four center reaction, collision induced dissociation, reactive dissociation, and three-body complex formation. The purpose is to compare in detail with equivalent quantum-mechanical wave packet calculations [Bartolomei et al., J. Chem. Phys 122, 064305 (2005)], especially the behavior of the probabilities near reaction thresholds. Quasiclassical calculations compare quite well with the quantum-mechanical ones for collision induced dissociation as well as for the four center reaction, although quantum effects become very important near thresholds, particularly for lower v(1)'s and for the four center process. Less quantitative agreement is found for reactive dissociation and three-body complex formation. It is found that most quantum effects are due to differences between quantum and classical vibrational distributions of H(2)(v(1)=high). Zero point energy violation has been found in the classical reactive-dissociative probabilities. Extension of these findings to full-dimensional treatments is examined.