Rate constants for the reaction of ground-state oxygen atoms with methanol from 297 to 544 K

Computational Kinetics by Variational Transition-State Theory with Semiclassical Multidimensional Tunneling: Direct Dynamics Rate Constants for the Abstraction of H from CH3OH by Triplet Oxygen Atoms

Rate constants and the product branching ratio for hydrogen abstraction from CH3OH by O(3P) were computed with multistructural variational transition-state theory including microcanonically optimized multidimensional tunneling. Benchmark calculations of the forward and reverse classical barrier heights and the reaction energetics have been carried out by using coupled cluster theory and multireference calculations to select the most reliable density functional method for direct dynamics computations of the rate constants. The dynamics calculations included the anharmonicity of the zero-point energies and partition functions, with specific-reaction-parameter scaling factors for reactants and transition states, and multistructural torsional anharmonicity was included for the torsion around the C-O bond in methanol and in the transition states. The resulting rate constants are presented over a wider range than they are available from experiment, but in the temperature range where experiments are available, they agree well with experimental values, which is encouraging for their reliability over the wider temperature range and for future computations of oxygen atom reaction rates. In contrast to a previous computational prediction, the branching ratio predicted by the present work shows that the formation of CH2OH + OH is the dominant channel over the whole range of temperature from 250 to 2000 K.

Experimental and theoretical studies of rate coefficients for the reaction O(3P)+CH3OH at high temperatures

Rate coefficients of the reaction O((3)P) + CH(3)OH in the temperature range of 835-1777 K were determined using a diaphragmless shock tube. O atoms were generated by photolysis of SO(2) with a KrF excimer laser at 248 nm or an ArF excimer laser at 193 nm; their concentrations were monitored via atomic resonance absorption excited by emission from a microwave-discharged mixture of O(2) and He. The rate coefficients determined for the temperature range can be represented by the Arrhenius equation, k(T) = (2.29 +/- 0.18) x 10(-10) exp[-(4210 +/- 100)T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1); unless otherwise noted, all the listed errors represent one standard deviation in fitting. Combination of these and previous data at lower temperature shows a non-Arrhenius behavior described as the three-parameter equation, k(T) = (2.74 +/- 0.07) x 10(-18)T(2.25 +/- 0.13) exp[-(1500 +/- 90)T] cm(3)molecule(-1) s(-1). Theoretical calculations at the Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP)6-311 + G(3df,2p) level locate three transition states. Based on the energies computed with coupled clusters singles, doubles (triples) [CCSD(T)]/6-311 + G(3df,2p)B3LYP6-311 + G(3df,2p), the rate coefficients predicted with canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling corrections agree satisfactorily with the experimental observations. The branching ratios of two accessible reaction channels forming OH + CH(2)OH (1a) and OH + CH(3)O (1b) are predicted to vary strongly with temperature. At 300 K, reaction (1a) dominates, whereas reaction (1b) becomes more important than reaction (1a) above 1700 K.

The Kinetics of the Reactions of C2 (a3Πu) with Alcohols

The reactions of C2 (a 3pi(u)) radicals with a series of alcohols have been studied at about 6.5 Torr total pressure and room temperature using the pulsed laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. The relative concentration of C2 (a 3pi(u)) radicals, which are generated via the photolysis of C2Cl4 with the focused output from the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (266 nm), was monitored by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in the (0, 0) band of the C2 (d 3pi(g)<--a 3pi(u)) transition at 516.5 nm. Under pseudo-first-order conditions, we measured the time evolution of C2 (a 3pi(u)) and determined the rate constants for reactions of C2 (a 3pi(u)) with alcohols. The rate constants increase linearly with the number of C atoms in the alcohols. All of them are larger than those for reactions of C2 (a 3pi(u)) with alkanes (C1-C5). Based on the bond dissociation energy and linear free energy correlations, we believe the reactions of C2 (a 3pi(u)) with alcohols proceed via the mechanism of hydrogen abstraction. The experimental results show that the H-atom on the C-H bonds is activated at the presence of the OH substituent group in the alcohol molecule. The theoretical calculations for the reaction of C2 (a 3pi(u)) with methanol also support these hypotheses.

The reactions of O(3P) with some carboxylic acids and esters

The reactions of O(3P) with formic acid, acetic acid, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate have been studied kinetically as a function of temperature. The rate constants were measured in a discharge-flow system under pseudo-first-order conditions with a large excess of the organic reagent. No reaction could be found between O(3P) and either formic acid or acetic acid in the temperature range 300–420 K. The acetate esters, on the other hand, reacted with O(3P) at readily measurable rates over the same temperature range. The temperature dependence of the rate constants for these reactions in the temperature range 300–580 K is given, in the units L mol−1 s−1, by:[Formula: see text]The lack of measurable reaction with the carboxylic acids, the systematic increase in the preexponential factor with increasing size of the ester group, and the observation of a significant yield of acetic acid among the products of the reactions with the esters indicate that attack by O(3P) is predominantly at the ester function. Linear free energy correlations are used to compare the results for the esters with those for reactions of O(3P) with other organic compounds containing oxygen. Key words: kinetics, mechanism, reactions of O(3P) with esters.

The reactions of O(3P) with acetonitrile and propionitrile

The reactions of O(3P) with acetonitrile and propionitrile have been studied kinetically in the gas phase as a function of temperature and nitrile concentration. The rate constants obtained experimentally for the consumption of O(3P) in these reactions, in the units L mol−1 s−1, obey the following relations: O + acetonitrile: In k = 20.98 ± 0.23 − 2100 ± 200/T; and O + propionitrile: In k = 21.01 ± 0.19 − 1900 ± 200/T. Mechanisms are discussed in which the reaction is initiated by hydrogen atom abstraction and in which initiation is by addition of O(3P) to the nitrile, followed by decomposition of the addition complex. The kinetic and analytical results are best explained by the mechanism in which the reactions are initiated by RCN + O → R + OCN. In the case of the reaction with acetonitrile, the absolute rate constant is smaller than the experimental value by a factor of 7 ± 20%, independent of temperature, as a result of secondary reactions. Keywords: kinetics, reactions of O(3P) with nitriles.