Photodissociation of acryloyl chloride at 193 nm: interpretation of the product energy distributions, and new elimination pathways

The use of an automated TS search method leads to the finding of novel HCl elimination pathways.

HCN elimination from vinyl cyanide: product energy partitioning, the role of hydrogen–deuterium exchange reactions and a new pathway

A schematic diagram of HCN elimination channels from vinyl cyanide including a new CCdiss pathway.

Electron-bombardment matrix isolation and PEPICO studies as complementary techniques in ion chemistry: an FTIR study of the decomposition of the vinyl fluoride cation

FTIR spectra have been obtained for matrices formed following electron bombardment of gas mixtures containing varying amounts of vinyl fluoride (VF) in Ar (1:400 to 1:25,600; VF/Ar). The major matrix-isolated products are a π-complex of HF/C(2)H(2) , fluoroacetylene (HC≡CF) and two isomers of C(2)H(2)F(•). These products correspond well with the products of photoionization of VF near 15.8 eV. These observations support the dominant mechanism of ionization in the EB-MI environment as charge transfer of the substrate molecule to Ar(•+). Some differences are noted between the observed EB-MI products and the results from PEPICO studies, primarily in that the EB-MI products are observed as neutralized forms. The close correlation in EB-MI and photoionization results allows the EB-MI technique to be utilized as an ion structural analysis tool in complement to PEPICO studies, and allows the use of PEPICO studies to help predict and elucidate high-pressure chemistry mechanisms through EB-MI studies. The differences in the EB-MI results and ions observed using the PEPICO technique are rationalized in terms of the differences in the experimental techniques. Using VF as the test system, reagent partial pressure conditions that best complement PEPICO studies are determined. Although the major results are observed for all VF partial pressures, dilute samples give rise to further ionization of the primary products, and more concentrated samples give rise to radical-radical reaction chemistry. As a result, a nominal range of 1:3200 (VF/Ar) is demonstrated to provide the best correlation with the gas-phase PEPICO measurements.

Ultraviolet photodissociation of vinyl iodide: understanding the halogen dependence of photodissociation mechanisms in vinyl halides

The photodissociation of vinyl iodide has been investigated at several wavelengths between 193 and 266 nm using three techniques: time-resolved Fourier transform emission spectroscopy, multiple pass laser absorption spectroscopy, and velocity-mapped ion imaging. The only dissociation channel observed is C-I bond cleavage to produce C2H3 (nu, N) + I (2P(J)) at all wavelengths investigated. Unlike photodissociation of other vinyl halides (C2H3X, X = F, Cl, Br), in which the HX product channel is significant, no HI elimination is observed. The angular and translational energy distributions of I atoms indicate that atomic products arise solely from dissociation on excited states with negligible contribution from internal conversion to the ground state. We derive an upper limit on the C-I bond strength of D0(C2H3-I) < or = 65 kcal mol(-1). The ground-state potential-energy surface of vinyl iodide is explored by ab initio calculations. We present a model in which the highest occupied molecular orbital in vinyl halides has increasing X(np) non-bonding character with increasing halogen mass. This change leads to reduced torsional force around the C-C bond in the excited state. Because the ground-state energy is highest when the CH2 plane is perpendicular to the CHX plane, a reduced torsional force in the excited state correlates with a lower rate for internal conversion compared to excited-state C-X bond fission. This model explains the gradual change in photodissociation mechanisms of vinyl halides from the dominance of internal conversion in vinyl fluoride to the dominance of excited-state dissociation in vinyl iodide.

Rovibrational distributions of HF in the photodissociation of vinyl fluoride at 193 nm: a direct MP2 quasiclassical trajectory study

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations were performed to calculate rovibrational distributions of the nascent HF fragment in the photodissociation of vinyl fluoride at 193 nm. The trajectories were initiated at the transition states of the four-center (4C) and three-center (3C) HF elimination channels, using a microcanonical, quasiclassical normal-mode sampling. In general, the calculated distributions are in reasonably good agreement with experiment. In particular, the trajectory distributions show bimodal character, although not as pronounced as that observed experimentally. The calculations predict that the 3C and 4C distributions are rather similar to each other, which suggests that the low-J and high-J components of the rotational distributions cannot be specifically assigned to each of these channels.

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations on the photodissociation of CF2CHCl at 193 nm: product energy distributions for the HF and HCl eliminations

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations were carried out to determine product energy distributions for the HCl and HF eliminations that take place in the photodissociation of 2-chloro-1,1-difluoroethylene at 193 nm. The trajectories were initiated at the transition states of the HCl and HF elimination channels under microcanonical, quasiclassical conditions, and were propagated with the energies and gradients taken directly from density functional theory calculations. Good agreement with experiment is found, except for the translational energy distribution of the HF elimination channel and the average vibrational energy of the HCl fragment. Possible sources of disagreement are discussed.

A Multireference Configuration Interaction Investigation of the Excited-State Energy Surfaces of Fluoroethylene (C2H3F)

Multireference configuration interaction with singles and doubles (MR-CISD) calculations has been performed for the optimization of conical intersections and stationary points on the fluoroethylene excited-state energy surfaces. For the planar ground state geometry, the vertical spectrum including 3s and 3p Rydberg states was calculated. From this geometry, a rigid torsion around the CC bond strongly reduces the energy gap between S0 and S1 states. Furthermore, a search for the minimum of the crossing seam shows that there exists a conical intersection close to the twisted structure and two additional ones for cis and trans pyramidalized structures. These three intersections are connected by the same seam. We have shown that the Hula-Twist process is an alternative way to the direct CC twisting in order to reach this part of the seam. Other conical intersections were also located in the CH3CF and CH2FCH, H-migration, and C(3v) structures. The photodynamics of the system is discussed based on topological features of these intersections.