High temperature collisional energy transfer in highly vibrationally excited molecules: Isotope effects in tert-butyl chloride systems

The average downward collisional energy transfer (<ΔE_down>) is obtained for highly vibrationally excited tert-butyl chloride, both undeuterated and per-deuterated, with Kr, N₂, CO₂, and C₂H₄ bath gases, at ca. 760 K. Data are obtained using the technique of pressure-dependent very low-pressure pyrolysis. Reactant internal energies to which the data are sensitive are in the range 200–250 kJ mol^?1. For C₄H₉Cl, the <ΔE_down> values (cm^?1) are 255 (Kr), 265 (N₂), 440 (CO₂), and 585 (C₂H₄), and for C₄D₉Cl, 245 (N₂), 370 (CO₂), and 540 (C₂H₄). The uncertainties in these values are ca. 20% (40% for Kr); the uncertainties in the deuteration ratios are 10–15%. The value for Kr is in agreement with theoretical predictions of a biased random walk model for internal energy change in monatomic/substrate collisions. The effect of deuteration of <ΔE_down> is also in accord with that predicted by a modification of the theory. Extrapolated highpressure rate coefficients for the thermal decomposition of reactant are 10^13.6 exp(-187 kJ mol^?1/RT) s^?1 (C₄H₉Cl) and 10^14.2 exp(?196 kJ mol^?1/RT) s^?1 (C₄D₉Cl), in accord with other studies and the expected isotope effect.