Theoretical study on reaction mechanism of the CF radical with nitrogen dioxide

The singlet potential energy surface of the CFNO₂] system is investigated at the B3LYP and CCSD(T) (single‐point) levels to explore the possible reaction mechanism of CF radical with NO₂. The top attack of C‐atom of CF radical at the N‐atom of NO₂ molecule first forms the adduct isomer FCNO₂ 1 followed by oxygen‐shift to give trans‐OC(F)NO 2 and then to cis‐OC(F)NO 3 . Subsequently, the most favorable channel is a direct dissociation of 2 and 3 to product P₁ FCO+NO. The second and third less favorable channels are direct dissociation of 3 to product P₂ FNO+CO and isomerization of 3 to a complex NOF?CO 4 , which can easily dissociate to product P₃ FON+CO, respectively. The large exothermicity released in these processes further drives most of the three products P₁ , P₂ , and P₃ to take secondary dissociation to the final product P₁₂ F+CO+NO. Another energetically allowed channel is formation of product P₄ ¹NF+CO₂, yet it is much less competitive than P₁ , P₂ , P₃ , and P₁₂ . The present calculations can well interpret one recent experimental fact that the title reaction is quite fast yet still much slower than the analogous reaction CH+NO₂. Also, the results presented in this article may be useful for future product distribution analysis of the title reaction as well as for the analogous CCl and CBr reactions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 1907–1919, 2001