Propargyl + O2 Reaction in Helium Droplets: Entrance Channel Barrier or Not?

Direct Probes of π-Delocalization in Prototypical Resonance-Stabilized Radicals: Hyperfine-Resolved Microwave Spectroscopy of Isotopic Propargyl and Cyanomethyl

Delocalization of the unpaired electron in π-conjugated radicals has profound implications for their chemistry, but direct and quantitative characterization of this electronic structure in isolated molecules remains challenging. We apply hyperfine-resolved microwave rotational spectroscopy to rigorously probe π-delocalization in propargyl, CH2CCH, a prototypical resonance-stabilized radical and key reactive intermediate. Using the spectroscopic constants derived from the high-resolution cavity Fourier transform microwave measurements of an exhaustive set of 13C- and 2H-substituted isotopologues, together with high-level ab initio calculations of zero-point vibrational effects, we derive its precise semiexperimental equilibrium geometry and quantitatively characterize the spatial distribution of its unpaired electron. Our results highlight the importance of considering both spin-polarization and orbital-following contributions when interpreting the isotropic hyperfine coupling constants of π radicals. These physical insights are strengthened by a parallel analysis of the isoelectronic species cyanomethyl, CH2CN, using new 13C measurements also reported in this work. A detailed comparison of the structure and electronic properties of propargyl, cyanomethyl, and other closely related species allows us to correlate trends in their chemical bonding and electronic structure with critical changes in their reactivity and thermochemistry.

Theoretical Kinetics Predictions for Reactions on the NH2O Potential Energy Surface

Recent modeling studies of ammonia oxidation, which are motivated by the prospective role of ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel, have indicated significant discrepancies among the existing literature mechanisms. In this study, high-level theoretical kinetics predictions have been obtained for reactions on the NH2O potential energy surface, including the NH2 + O, HNO + H, and NH + OH reactions. These reactions have previously been highlighted as important reactions in NH3 oxidation with high sensitivity and high uncertainty. The potential energy surface is explored with coupled cluster calculations, including large basis sets and high-level corrections to yield high-accuracy (∼0.2 kcal/mol 2σ uncertainty) estimates of the stationary point energies. Variational transition state theory is used to predict the microcanonical rate constants, which are then incorporated in master equation treatments of the temperature- and pressure-dependent kinetics. For radical-radical channels, the microcanonical rates are obtained from variable reaction coordinate transition state theory implementing directly evaluated multireference electronic energies. The analysis yields predictions for the total rate constants as well as the branching ratios. We find that the NO + H2 channel contributes 10% of the total NH2 + O flux at combustion temperatures, although this channel is not included in modern NH3 oxidation mechanisms. Modeling is used to illustrate the ramifications of these rate predictions on the kinetics of NH3 oxidation and NOx formation. The present results for NH2 + O are important for predicting the chain branching and formation of NO in the oxidation of NH3 and thermal DeNOx.

Helium Droplet Infrared Spectroscopy of the Butyl Radicals

Butyl radicals ( n-, s-, i-,} and tert-butyl) are formed from the pyrolysis of stable precursors (1-pentyl nitrite, 2-methyl-1-butyl nitrite, isopentyl nitrite, and azo- tert-butane, respectively). The radicals are doped into a beam of liquid helium droplets and probed with infrared action spectroscopy from 2700-3125 cm-1, allowing for a low temperature measurement of the CH stretching region. The presence of anharmonic resonance polyads in the 2800-3000 cm-1 region complicates its interpretation. To facilitate spectral assignment, the anharmonic resonances are modeled with two model Hamiltonian approaches that explicitly couple CH stretch fundamentals to HCH bend overtones and combinations: a VPT2+K normal mode model based on CCSD(T) quartic force fields and a semi-empirical local mode model. Both of these computational methods provide generally good agreement with the experimental spectra.

Can a gas phase contact ion pair containing a hydrocarbon carbocation be formed in the ground state?

So far, no conclusive evidence of a ground-state contact ion-pair containing a hydrocarbon carbocation has been given in the gas phase.

Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and anharmonic vibrational study of the HO4 + molecular ion

Molecular cations of HO₄ ⁺ and DO₄ ⁺ are produced in a supersonic expansion. They are mass-selected, and infrared photodissociation spectra of these species are measured with the aid of argon-tagging. Although previous theoretical studies have modeled these systems as proton-bound dimers of molecular oxygen, infrared spectra have free OH stretching bands, suggesting other isomeric structures. As a consequence, we undertook extensive computational studies. Our conformer search used a composite method based on an economical combination of single- and multi-reference theories. Several conformers were located on the quintet, triplet, and singlet surfaces, spanning in energy of only a few thousand wavenumbers. Most of the singlet and triplet conformers have pronounced multiconfigurational character. Previously unidentified covalent-like structures (H-O-O-O-O) on the singlet and triplet surfaces likely represent the global minima. In our experiments, HO₄ ⁺ is formed in a relatively hot environment, and similar experiments have been shown capable of producing multiple conformers in low-lying electronic states. None of the predicted HO₄ ⁺ isomers can be ruled out a priori based on energetic arguments. We interpret our argon-tagged spectra with Second-Order Vibrational Perturbation Theory with Resonances (VPT2+K). The presence of one or more covalent-like isomers is the only reasonable explanation for the spectral features observed.

Energetics and mechanisms for the acetonyl radical + O2 reaction: An important system for atmospheric and combustion chemistry

The acetonyl radical (^•CH₂COCH₃) is relevant to atmospheric and combustion chemistry due to its prevalence in many important reaction mechanisms. One such reaction mechanism is the decomposition of Criegee intermediates in the atmosphere that can produce acetonyl radical and OH. In order to understand the fate of the acetonyl radical in these environments and to create more accurate kinetics models, we have examined the reaction system of the acetonyl radical with O₂ using highly reliable theoretical methods. Structures were optimized using coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] with an atomic natural orbital (ANO0) basis set. Energetics were computed to chemical accuracy using the focal point approach involving perturbative treatment of quadruple excitations [CCSDT(Q)] and basis sets as large as cc-pV5Z. The addition of O₂ to the acetonyl radical produces the acetonylperoxy radical, and multireference computations on this reaction suggest it to be barrierless. No submerged pathways were found for the unimolecular isomerization of the acetonylperoxy radical. Besides dissociation to reactants, the lowest energy pathway available for the acetonylperoxy radical is a 1-5 H shift from the methyl group to the peroxy group through a transition state that is 3.3 kcal mol^-1 higher in energy than acetonyl radical + O₂. The ultimate products from this pathway are the enol tautomer of the acetonyl radical along with O₂. Multiple pathways that lead to OH formation are considered; however, all of these pathways are predicted to be energetically inaccessible, except at high temperatures.

Quantum-classical approach to the reaction dynamics in a superfluid helium nanodroplet. The Ne2 dimer and Ne-Ne adduct formation reaction Ne + Ne-doped nanodroplet

The dynamics of the Ne₂ dimer and Ne-Ne adduct formation in a superfluid helium nanodroplet [(⁴He)_N; T = 0.37 K], Ne + Ne@(⁴He)_N→ Ne₂@(⁴He)_N'/Ne-Ne@(⁴He)_N' + (N-N')⁴He with N = 500, has been investigated using a hybrid approach (quantum and classical mechanics (QM-CM) descriptions for helium and the Ne atoms, respectively) and taking into account the angular momentum of the attacking Ne atom, Ne₍₁₎. Comparison with zero angular momentum QM results of our own shows that the present results are similar to the quantum ones for the initial Ne₍₁₎ velocities (v₀) of 500 and 800 m s^-1 (the former one being the most probable velocity of Ne at 300 K), in all cases leading to the Ne₂ dimer (r_e = 3.09 Å). However, significant differences appear below v₀ = 500 m s^-1, because in the QM-CM dynamics, instead of the dimer, a Ne-Ne adduct is formed (r₀ = 5.45 Å). The formation of this adduct will probably dominate as the contribution to reactivity of angular momenta larger than zero is the leading one and angular momentum strongly acts against the Ne₂ production. Angular momentum adds further difficulties in producing the dimer, since it makes it more difficult to remove the helium density between both Ne atoms to lead, subsequently, to the Ne₂ molecule. Hence, the formation of the neon-neon adduct, Ne-Ne@(⁴He)_N', clearly dominates the reactivity of the system, which results in the formation of a "quantum gel"/"quantum foam", because the two Ne atoms essentially maintain their identity inside the nanodroplet. Large enough Ne₍₁₎ initial angular momentum values can induce the formation of vortex lines by the collapse of superficial excitations (ripplons), but they occur with greater difficulty than in the case of the capture of the Ne atom by a non doped helium nanodroplet, due to the wave interferences induced by the Ne induced by the solvation layers of the Ne atom originally placed inside the nanodroplet. We hope that this work will encourage other researchers to investigate the reaction dynamics in helium nanodroplets, an interesting topic on which there are few studies available.

Oxidation Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Resonance-Stabilized Radicals: The Pent-1-en-3-yl + O2 Reaction

The kinetics and thermochemistry of the pent-1-en-3-yl radical reaction with molecular oxygen (CH2CHCHCH2CH3 + O2) has been studied by both experimental and computational methods. The bimolecular rate coefficient of the reaction was measured as a function of temperature (198-370 K) and pressure (0.2-4.5 Torr) using laser photolysis-photoionization mass-spectrometry. Quantum chemical calculations were used to explore the potential energy surface of the reaction, after which Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory/master equation simulations were performed to investigate the reaction. The experimental data were used to adjust key parameters, such as well depths, in the master equation model within methodological uncertainties. The master equation simulations suggest that the formation rates of the two potential RO2 adducts are equal and that the reaction to QOOH is slower than for saturated hydrocarbons. The initial addition reaction, CH2CHCHCH2CH3 + O2, is found to be barrierless when accounting for multireference effects. This is in agreement with the current experimental data, as well as with past experimental data for the allyl + O2 reaction. Finally, we conducted numerical simulations of the pent-1-en-3-yl + O2 reaction system and observed significant amounts of penta-1,3-diene being formed under engine-relevant conditions.

Decomposition kinetics for HONO and HNO2

This work presents a detailed investigation into the isomerization and decomposition of HONO and HNO₂.

Mechanisms of the Ethynyl Radical Reaction with Molecular Oxygen

The ethynyl radical, ^•C₂H, is a key intermediate in the combustion of various alkynes. Once produced, the ethynyl radical will rapidly react with molecular oxygen to produce a variety of products. This research presents the first comprehensive high level theoretical study of the reaction of the ^•C₂H (²Σ⁺) radical with molecular oxygen (³Σ_g^-). Correlation methods as complete as CCSDT(Q) were used; basis sets as large as cc-pV6Z were adopted. Focal point analysis was employed to approach relative energies within the bounds of chemical accuracy (≤1 kcal mol^-1). Two dominate reaction pathways from the ethynyl peroxy radical include oxygen-oxygen cleavage from the ethynyl peroxy radical that is initially formed to produce HCCO (²A″) and O (³P) and an isomerization of the ethynyl peroxy radical to eventually yield HCO (²A') and CO (¹Σ⁺). The branching ratio between these two competitive reaction pathways was determined to be 1:1 at 298 K. Minor reaction pathways leading to the production of CO₂ (¹Σ_g⁺) and CH (²Π, ⁴Σ^-, ²Δ) were also characterized. The absence of CCO (³Σ^-) and OH (²Π) was explained in terms competition with more accessible reaction pathways.