Ab initio direct dynamics studies on the hydrogen abstraction reactions of CF2H2 and CF3H with F atom

The dynamic properties of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of CF₂H₂ and CF₃H with F atom are investigated in the temperature range of 182–2000 K. The minimum-energy path (MEP) is optimized at MP2/6-311 G(d, p) level, then the energy profiles are refined at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df, 2pd) level (single-point). The theoretical rate constants, which are calculated by the variational transition state theory (VTST) including the small curvature tunneling (SCT) correction, are in good agreement with the experimental ones. It is found that the rate constant of the CF₂H₂ + F reaction are larger than that of the CF₃H + F reaction and the activation energies exhibit in the just opposite order. This phenomenon can be rationalized by the hardness η of the halomethane molecules. The comparison of the two reactions with the CFH₃ + F reaction is made. It is found that the rate constants decrease in the order of CFH₃ + F > CF₂H₂ + F > CF₃H + F. The effect of fluorine substitution leads to a dramatic increase in the activation energy and a decrease in the preexponential factor. We hope that present theoretical studies for these compounds can give further information concerning how fluorine substitution affects the rate constants of hydrogen abstraction reactions.