Atmospheric chemistry of isopropyl formate and tert‐butyl formate

Formates are produced in the atmosphere as a result of the oxidation of a number of species, notably dialkyl ethers and vinyl ethers. This work describes experiments to define the oxidation mechanisms of isopropyl formate, HC(O)OCH(CH₃)₂, and tert‐butyl formate, HC(O)OC(CH₃)₃. Product distributions are reported from both Cl‐ and OH‐initiated oxidation, and reaction mechanisms are proposed to account for the observed products. The proposed mechanisms include examples of the α‐ester rearrangement reaction, novel isomerization pathways, and chemically activated intermediates. The atmospheric oxidation of isopropyl formate by OH radicals gives the following products (molar yields): acetic formic anhydride (43%), acetone (43%), and HCOOH (15–20%). The OH radical initiated oxidation of tert‐butyl formate gives acetone, formaldehyde, and CO₂ as major products. IR absorption cross sections were derived for two acylperoxy nitrates derived from the title compounds. Rate coefficients are derived for the kinetics of the reactions of isopropyl formate with OH (2.4 ± 0.6) × 10^?12, and with Cl (1.75 ± 0.35) × 10^?11, and for tert‐butyl formate with Cl (1.45 ± 0.30) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Simple group additivity rules fail to explain the observed distribution of sites of H‐atom abstraction for simple formates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 479–498, 2010     

Synthesis of Nitrogen‐Containing Rubicene and Tetrabenzopentacene Derivatives

Carbon‐based materials, such as acenes, fullerenes, and graphene nanoribbons, are viewed as the potential successors to silicon in the next generation of electronics. Although a number of methodologies provide access to these materials’ all‐carbon variants, relatively fewer strategies readily furnish their nitrogen‐doped analogues. Herein, we report the rational design, preparation, and characterization of nitrogen‐containing rubicenes and tetrabenzopentacenes, which can be viewed either as acene derivatives or as molecular fragments of fullerenes and graphene nanoribbons. The reported findings may prove valuable for the development of electron transporting organic semiconductors and for the eventual construction of larger carbonaceous systems.     

Synthesis and photochromic properties of molecules containing [e]-annelated dihydropyrenes. Two and three way pi-switches based on the dimethyldihydropyrene-metacyclophanediene valence isomerization

The syntheses of several new simple negative, a simple positive, and multiple negative photochromes containing the dihydropyrene-cyclophanediene photochromic system are described. The photo-openings of the negative photochromes, the [e]-annelated benzo (7), naphtho (9), anthro (11), furano (19), and triphenyleno (15) derivatives of the parent 2,7-di-tert-butyl-trans-10b,10c-dimethyl-dihydropyrene (5), as well as its 4,5-dibromo derivative (13), are described to give the corresponding cyclophanedienes, as well as their photoclosures and thermal closures back to the dihydropyrenes. These are compared to the results obtained for the positive photochrome dibenzo[e,l]dihydropyrene (21) and to the bis(dihydropyreno)chrysene (44) and the (dihydropyrenobenzo)(benzo)metacyclophanediene (47) photochromes, which have more than one photochromic switch present and thus have more than a simple "on-off" state. Thermodynamic data are obtained for the thermal closing reactions. The anthrodihydropyrene (12) has the fastest thermal closing (tau(1/2) = 20 min), while the furanodihydropyrene (19') has the slowest (tau(1/2) = 63 h) at 46 degrees C. An electrochemical readout of the state of the switch is demonstrated for the benzodihydropyrene (7).     

Reactions of the alkoxy radicals formed following OH-addition to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. C-C bond scission reactions.

The atmospheric degradation pathways of the atmospherically important terpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene are studied using density functional theory. We employ the correlation functional of Lee, Yang, and Parr and the three-parameter HF exchange functional of Becke (B3LYP) together with the 6-31G(d) basis set. The C-C bond scission reactions of the beta-hydroxyalkoxy radicals that are formed after OH addition to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene are investigated. Both of the alkoxy radicals formed from the alpha-pinene-OH adduct possess a single favored C-C scission pathway with an extremely low barrier (approximately 3 kcal/mol) leading to the formation of pinonaldehyde. Neither of these pathways produces formaldehyde, and preliminary computational results offer some support for suggestions that 1,5 or 1,6 H-shift (isomerization) reactions of alkoxy radicals contribute to formaldehyde production. In the case of the alkoxy radical formed following OH addition to the methylene group of beta-pinene, there exists two C-C scission reactions with nearly identical barrier heights (approximately 7.5 kcal/mol); one leads to known products (nopinone and formaldehyde) but the ultimate products of the competing reaction are unknown. The single C-C scission pathway of the other alkoxy radical from beta-pinene possesses a very low (approximately 4 kcal/mol) barrier. The kinetically favored C-C scission reactions of all four alkoxy radicals appear to be far faster than expected rates of reaction with O2. The rearrangement of the alpha-pinene-OH adduct, a key step in the proposed mechanism of formation of acetone from alpha-pinene, is determined to possess a barrier of 11.6 kcal/mol. This value is consistent with another computational result and is broadly consistent with the modest acetone yields observed in product yield studies.     

Effect of laser-induced excitation of oxygen on ignition in HCCI engines analysed by numerical simulations

Lack of proven means to control ignition impedes practical implementation of homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines. In the present paper, we investigate if laser-induced excitation of oxygen might aid solution of the ignition control problem in HCCI engines. Simulations by previous researchers showed laser-induced excitation of oxygen enhances ignition in supersonic combustion. Based on this previous research, we extend a chemical kinetic mechanism for propane autoignition to include reactions for two excited oxygen states, O₂(a¹Δ _g ) and O₂(b¹Σ _g ⁺). Simulations examined the effect of each of these excited O₂ states upon ignition timing in an HCCI engine. Results indicate that achieving useful control of the combustion process requires substantial conversion of O₂ to either of the excited states. At the required level of excitation, the power required for the laser may lower engine efficiency.     

Exploration of the potential energy surfaces, prediction of atmospheric concentrations, and prediction of vibrational spectra for the HO2...(H2O)n (n = 1-2) hydrogen bonded complexes

The hydroperoxy radical (HO2) plays a critical role in Earth's atmospheric chemistry as a component of many important reactions. The self-reaction of hydroperoxy radicals in the gas phase is strongly affected by the presence of water vapor. In this work, we explore the potential energy surfaces of hydroperoxy radicals hydrogen bonded to one or two water molecules, and predict atmospheric concentrations and vibrational spectra of these complexes. We predict that when the HO2 concentration is on the order of 10(8) molecules x cm(-3) at 298 K, that the number of HO2...H2O complexes is on the order of 10(7) molecules x cm(-3) and the number of HO2...(H2O)2 complexes is on the order of 10(6) molecules x cm(-3). Using the computed abundance of HO2...H2O, we predict that, at 298 K, the bimolecular rate constant for HO2...H2O + HO2 is about 10 times that for HO2 + HO2.     

Ring-chain tautomerism of 1-hydroxyphthalans. An examination of structural effects

1,3-Dihydro-1-isobenzofuranol,(1-hydroxyphtha1an) and 2-(hydroxymethyl)-benzaldehyde exist in a tautomeric equilibrium. The effects of molecular structure on this equilibrium was examined using various derivatives of dihydroisobenzofuranol. Two effects of this molecular modification were identified: (i) 1-arylmethyl substituents favored the ring-opened tautomer if steric effects arose in the ring closed form and (ii) extending the conjugated system of the dihydroisobenzofuran ring (i.e. dihydronaphtho[2,3-c] furan also favored the ring-opened form. These effects are discussed.     

Laser-induced fluorescence spectra of 4-methylcyclohexoxy radical and perdeuterated cyclohexoxy radical and direct kinetic studies of their reactions with O2

The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) excitation spectra of the 4-methylcyclohexoxy and d11-cyclohexoxy radicals have been measured for the first time. LIF intensity was used as a probe in direct kinetic studies of the reaction of O(2) with trans-4-methylcyclohexoxy and d11-cyclohexoxy radicals from 228 to 301 K. Measured rate constants near room temperature are uniformly higher than the Arrhenius fit to the lower-temperature data, which can be explained by the regeneration of cyclic alkoxy radicals from the product of their beta-scission and the effect of O(2) concentration on the extent of regeneration. The Arrhenius expressions obtained over more limited ranges were k(O2) = (1.4(+8)(-1)) x 10(-13) exp[(-810 +/- 400)/T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for trans-4-methylcyclohexoxy (228-292 K) and k(O2) = (3.7(+4)(-1)) x 10(-14) exp )[(-760 +/- 400) /T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for d11-cyclohexoxy (228-267 K) independent of pressure in the range 50-90 Torr. The room-temperature rate constant for the reaction of trans-4-methylcyclohexoxy radical with O2 (obtained from the Arrhenius fit) is consistent with the commonly recommended value, but the observed activation energy is approximately 3 times larger than the recommended value of 0.4 kcal/mol and half the value previously found for the reaction of normal cyclohexoxy radical with O2.