Rate constant for the reaction C2H5 + HBr → C2H6 + Br

RRKM theory has been employed to analyze the kinetics of the title reaction, in particular, the once-controversial negative activation energy. Stationary points along the reaction coordinate were characterized with coupled cluster theory combined with basis set extrapolation to the complete basis set limit. A shallow minimum, bound by 9.7 kJ?mol(-1) relative to C(2)H(5) + HBr, was located, with a very small energy barrier to dissociation to Br + C(2)H(6). The transition state is tight compared to the adduct. The influence of vibrational anharmonicity on the kinetics and thermochemistry of the title reaction were explored quantitatively. With adjustment of the adduct binding energy by ～4 kJ?mol(-1), the computed rate constants may be brought into agreement with most experimental data in the literature, including new room-temperature results described here. There are indications that at temperatures above those studied experimentally, the activation energy may switch from negative to positive.     

A priori rate constant for the reaction NH2+NO → N2+H2O

Capture rates for a dipole-dipole+Morse potential, from approximate semiclassical trajectory calculations, have been combined with RRKM rates for passing through entropy bottlenecks on the potential surface for NH₂ + NO → N₂ + H₂O. The resulting overall rate constants are in good agreement with experiment. The effective lifetime of the NH₂NO collision complex is found to be of the order of 10⁻¹¹s at room temperature, which accounts for the observed lack of pressure dependence of the rate constant. Calculated rate constants increase markedly at low temperatures, though not as rapidly as some of the experimental data would indicate.     

New ab initio potential energy surface for BrH2 and rate constants for the H + HBr → H2 + Br abstraction reaction

A global potential energy surface (PES) for the electronic ground state of the BrH(2) system was constructed based on the multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) method including the Davidson's correction using a large basis set. In addition, the spin-orbit correction were computed using the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian and the unperturbed MRCI wavefunctions in the Br + H(2) channel and the transition state region. Adding the correction to the ground state potential, the lowest spin-orbit correlated adiabatic potential was obtained. The characters of the new potential are discussed. Accurate initial state specified rate constants for the H + HBr → H(2) + Br abstraction reaction were calculated using a time-dependent wave packet method. The predicted rate constants were found to be in excellent agreement with the available experimental values and much better than those obtained from a previous PES.     

Capture and dissociation in the complex-forming CH + H2 → CH2 + H, CH + H2 reactions

The rate coefficients for the capture process CH + H(2)→ CH(3) and the reactions CH + H(2)→ CH(2) + H (abstraction), CH + H(2) (exchange) have been calculated in the 200-800 K temperature range, using the quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method and the most recent global potential energy surface. The reactions, which are of interest in combustion and in astrochemistry, proceed via the formation of long-lived CH(3) collision complexes, and the three H atoms become equivalent. QCT rate coefficients for capture are in quite good agreement with experiments. However, an important zero point energy (ZPE) leakage problem occurs in the QCT calculations for the abstraction, exchange and inelastic exit channels. To account for this issue, a pragmatic but accurate approach has been applied, leading to a good agreement with experimental abstraction rate coefficients. Exchange rate coefficients have also been calculated using this approach. Finally, calculations employing QCT capture/phase space theory (PST) models have been carried out, leading to similar values for the abstraction rate coefficients as the QCT and previous quantum mechanical capture/PST methods. This suggests that QCT capture/PST models are a good alternative to the QCT method for this and similar systems.     

The Curl–Divergence equations for the electronic non-adiabatic coupling terms: study of the C2H molecule and the H2+H system

This Letter is part of an effort to use the Curl equations to calculate non-adiabatic coupling terms, subject to ab initio boundary conditions. As examples we consider two-state, planar, systems characterized by two coordinates, θ and q and treat the corresponding non-adiabatic coupling terms, namely, τ_θ(q,θ) and τ_q(q,θ). The theory, which yields τ_q(q,θ) once τ_θ(q,θ) is given, is applied to three cases: an analytical model and two ab initio treatments – one for the C₂H molecule and one for the H+H₂ molecular system. In all three cases encouraging agreements were obtained between the theoretical τ_q(q,θ) values and the ab initio ones.     

Quantum instanton calculation of rate constants for the C2H6 + H → C2H5 + H2 reaction: anharmonicity and kinetic isotope effects

Thermal rate constants and kinetic isotope effects for the title reaction are calculated by using the quantum instanton approximation within the full dimensional Cartesian coordinates. The obtained results are in good agreement with experimental measurements at high temperatures. The detailed investigation reveals that the anharmonicity of the hindered internal rotation motion does not influence the rate too much compared to its harmonic oscillator approximation. However, the motion of the nonreactive methyl group in C(2)H(6) significantly enhances the rates compared to its rigid case, which makes conventional reduced-dimensionality calculations a challenge. In addition, the temperature dependence of kinetic isotope effects is also revealed.     

Ab initio potential energy surface and quantum dynamics for the H + CH4 → H2 + CH3 reaction

A new full-dimensional potential energy surface for the title reaction has been constructed using the modified Shepard interpolation scheme. Energies and derivatives were calculated using the UCCSD(T) method with aug-cc-pVTZ and 6-311++G(3df,2pd) basis sets, respectively. A total number of 30,000 data points were selected from a huge number of molecular configurations sampled by trajectory method. Quantum dynamical calculations showed that the potential energy surface is well converged for the number of data points for collision energy up to 2.5 eV. Total reaction probabilities and integral cross sections were calculated on the present surface, as well as on the ZBB3 and EG-2008 surfaces for the title reaction. Satisfactory agreements were achieved between the present and the ZBB3 potential energy surfaces, indicating we are approaching the final stage to obtain a global potential energy surface of quantitative accuracy for this benchmark polyatomic system. Our calculations also showed that the EG-2008 surface is less accurate than the present and ZBB3 surfaces, particularly in high energy region.     

Comment on the possible role of the reaction H+H2O→H2+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures

In a recent paper (Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2005, vol. 74, pp. 210) it was suggested that the anomalous increase of molecular hydrogen radiolysis yields observed in high-temperature water is explained by a high activation energy for the reaction H+H₂O→H₂+OH. In this comment we present thermodynamic arguments to demonstrate that this reaction cannot be as fast as suggested. A best estimate for the rate constant is 2.2×10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 300 °C. Central to this argument is an estimate of the OH radical hydration free energy vs. temperature, ΔG_hyd(OH)=0.0278t−18.4 kJ/mole (t in °C, equidensity standard states), which is based on analogy with the hydration free energy of water and of hydrogen peroxide.     

Calculated energy barriers for the identity SN2 reaction H2O + CH3OH2+ → +H2OCH3 + OH2 in the gas phase,in water clusters,and in aqueous solution

The bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction H₂O + CH₃OH₂⁺ → ⁺H₂OCH₃ + OH₂ has been studied using various quantum chemical methods. Accurate barriers for the reaction in the gas phase are presented and discussed. The effect of microsolvation by water molecules in small clusters has been investigated. Extrapolation of the barrier obtained in the small clusters, using a linear relationship between the activation energy and the proton affinity of water clusters, gives a barrier for the reaction in aqueous solution which is in good agreement with that obtained in separate model calculations (polarized continuum model of a super molecule with the first solvation shell included).     

Accurate potentials for the X1Σ+g states of H2 and D2 molecules

Starting from the spectroscopic constants, the electronic potential for the ground state of H₂ and D₂ molecules has been calculated. Numerical integration of the radial wave equation gives accurate self-consistent eigenvalues (mean deviation of about 0.05 cm⁻¹). A comparison between different potentials is reported. New revised spectroscopic constants are calculated.     

New spectroscopic term values for the EF 1Σ+g state of H2

New assignments of lines are made in Dieke's tables of H₂ emission wavelenghts. They lead to the identification of essentially all of the previously unobserved vibration-rotation levels from v=0 to the dissociation limit and from J=0 to J=5 in the EF ¹Σ⁺_g and GK ¹Σ⁺_g double-minimum states of H₂. Here we present a table of the new spectroscopic term values of the EF state up to the v=19 level.     

Theoretical studies of the radical reaction H2CSiH2 + H

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations on the transition states and barrier heights for the addition of atomic hydrogen to silaethylene are carried out. The activation energy for the addition to the silicon site is lower than that to the carbon site, while the exothermicity is smaller.     

Theoretical determination of the rate coefficient for the HO2 + HO2 → H2O2+O2 reaction: adiabatic treatment of anharmonic torsional effects

The HO(2) + HO(2) → H(2)O(2) + O(2) chemical reaction is studied using statistical rate theory in conjunction with high level ab initio electronic structure calculations. A new theoretical rate coefficient is generated that is appropriate for both high and low temperature regimes. The transition state region for the ground triplet potential energy surface is characterized using the CASPT2/CBS/aug-cc-pVTZ method with 14 active electrons and 10 active orbitals. The reaction is found to proceed through an intermediate complex bound by approximately 9.79 kcal/mol. There is no potential barrier in the entrance channel, although the free energy barrier was determined using a large Monte Carlo sampling of the HO(2) orientations. The inner (tight) transition state lies below the entrance threshold. It is found that this inner transition state exhibits two saddle points corresponding to torsional conformations of the complex. A unified treatment based on vibrational adiabatic theory is presented that permits the reaction to occur on an equal footing for any value of the torsional angle. The quantum tunneling is also reformulated based on this new approach. The rate coefficient obtained is in good agreement with low temperature experimental results but is significantly lower than the results of shock tube experiments for high temperatures.     

Determination of the absolute scattering cross section for the reaction D + H2(v=1) → HD+H at 0.33 eV

The reaction D+H₂(v=1) has been investigated in a crossed molecular beam experiment at the most probable collision energy of E₀=0.33 eV. Angular and time-of-flight distributions have been measured and the total absolute cross section has been determined to be σ_r(j_i=0, v = 1, E_c.m. = 0.33 eV) = 1.14 ± 0.50 Ų. This value, as well as the distributions, are in good agreement with the results of quasiclassical trajectory calculations (QCT) and the reactive infinite-order sudden approximation (RIOSA).     

Two-configuration potential energy surface for the Ca + HF → CaF + H reaction

The three-dimensional potential energy surface for the reaction of Ca and HF has been obtained from a two-configuration direct minimization method using an extended GTO basis set. Features of the surface were examined by fitting calculated values using cubic splines. The height of the barrier to reaction was found to be quite insensitive to the direction of the impinging Ca atom for a wide range of angles of approach. The transition state occurs in the exit channel at an angle of approach of 77°, 33.6 kcal/mole (or 14.8 kcal/mole if the correlation energy error is considered) above the reactants asymptote. A further analysis of the basis set superposition error and the correlation energy error is presented, these results modify the dynamical properties of the system and give a criterion to test the validity of the previously reported two-configuration PES for BeFH and MgFH systems.     

Reply to comment on the possible role of the reaction H+H2O→H2+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures

In reply to “Comment on the possible role of reaction H+H₂O→H₂+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures” (Bartels, 2009 Comment on the possible role of the reaction H+H₂O→H₂+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 78, 191–194) we present an alternative thermodynamic estimation of the reaction rate constant k. Based on the non-symmetric standard state convention we have calculated that the Gibbs energy of reaction Δ_rG=57.26 kJ mol^?1 and the reaction rate constant k=7.23×10^?5 M^?1 s^?1 at ambient temperature. Re-analysis of the thermodynamic estimation (Bartels, 2009 Comment on the possible role of the reaction H+H₂O→H₂+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 78, 191–194) showed that the upper limit for the rate constant at 573 K is k=1.75×10⁴ M^?1 s^?1 compared to the value predicted by the diffusion-kinetic modelling (3.18±1.25)×10⁴ M^?1 s^?1 (Swiatla-Wojcik, D., Buxton, G.V., 2005. On the possible role of the reaction H+H₂O→H₂+OH in the radiolysis of water at high temperatures. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 74(3–4), 210–219). The presented thermodynamic evaluation of k(573) is based on the assumption that k can be calculated from Δ_rG and the rate constant of the reverse reaction which, as discussed, are both uncertain at high temperatures.     

Activity Coefficients for the System HCl +GaCl3 + H2O from 5 to 55°C

Activity coefficients for HCl in HCl + GaCl₃ + H₂O at eleven different temperatures from 5 to 55°C have been determined at total experimental ionic strengths from 0.01 to 3.0 mol-kg^–1 using a cell of the type: Pt; H₂(g, 1 atm)|HCl (m_A) + GaCl₃(m_B)|AgCl, Ag (A) The results for the 770 experimental emf data points have been used to determine the variation of the activity coefficients of HCl with the change in molality of GaCl₃ in the solution. It is found that the linear form of Harned's rule is not obeyed for this system.     

A comparison between the potential energy curves for the X1Σg+ state of H2 and D2

The electronic potential for the ground state of H₂ and D₂, molecules has been calculated from spectroscopic molecular constants. Numerical integration of the radial wave equation gives accurate self-consistent values (an eigenvalue mean deviation of about 1 cm⁻¹). A comparison between different potentials is reported.     

Communication: a chemically accurate global potential energy surface for the HO + CO → H + CO2 reaction

We report a chemically accurate global potential energy surface for the HOCO system based on high-level ab initio calculations at ~35,000 points. The potential energy surface is shown to reproduce important stationary points and minimum energy paths. Quasi-classical trajectory calculations indicated a good agreement with experimental data.