Kinetics of the R + HBr RH + Br (CH3CHBr, CHBr2 or CDBr2) equilibrium. Thermochemistry of the CH3CHBr and CHBr2 radicals

The kinetics of the reaction of the CH₃CHBr, CHBr₂ or CDBr₂ radicals, R, with HBr have been investigated in a temperature-controlled tubular reactor coupled to a photoionization mass spectrometer. The CH₃CHBr (or CHBr₂ or CDBr₂) radical was produced homogeneously in the reactor by a pulsed 248 nm exciplex laser photolysis of CH₃CHBr₂ (or CHBr₃ or CDBr₃). The decay of R was monitored as a function of HBr concentration under pseudo-first-order conditions to determine the rate constants as a function of temperature. The reactions were studied separately from 253 to 344 K (CH₃CHBr + HBr) and from 288 to 477 K (CHBr₂ + HBr) and in these temperature ranges the rate constants determined were fitted to an Arrhenius expression (error limits stated are 1σ + Student’s t values, units in cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, no error limits for the third reaction): k(CH₃CHBr + HBr) = (1.7 ± 1.2) × 10⁻¹³ exp+ (5.1 ± 1.9) kJ mol⁻¹/RT], k(CHBr₂ + HBr) = (2.5 ± 1.2) × 10⁻¹³ exp−(4.04 ± 1.14) kJ mol⁻¹/RT] and k(CDBr₂ + HBr) = 1.6 × 10⁻¹³ exp(−2.1 kJ mol⁻¹/RT). The energy barriers of the reverse reactions were taken from the literature. The enthalpy of formation values of the CH₃CHBr and CHBr₂ radicals and an experimental entropy value at 298 K for the CH₃CHBr radical were obtained using a second-law method. The result for the entropy value for the CH₃CHBr radical is 305 ± 9 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹. The results for the enthalpy of formation values at 298 K are (in kJ mol⁻¹): 133.4 ± 3.4 (CH₃CHBr) and 199.1 ± 2.7 (CHBr₂), and for α-C–H bond dissociation energies of analogous compounds are (in kJ mol⁻¹): 415.0 ± 2.7 (CH₃CH₂Br) and 412.6 ± 2.7 (CH₂Br₂), respectively.