Showing papers on "Hydrogen atom abstraction published in 2005"

Abnormal solvent effects on hydrogen atom abstraction. 3. Novel kinetics in sequential proton loss electron transfer chemistry.

Abstract: A prolonged search involving several dozen phenols, each in numerous solvents, for an ArOH/2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (dpph•) reaction that is first-order in ArOH but zero-order in dpph• has reached a successful conclusion. These unusual kinetics are followed by 2,2‘-methylene-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol), BIS, in five solvents (acetonitrile, benzonitrile, acetone, cyclohexanone, and DMSO). In 15 other solvents the reactions were first-order in both BIS and dpph• (i.e., the reactions followed “normal” kinetics). The zero-order kinetics indicate that in the five named solvents the BIS/dpph• reaction occurs by sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET). This mechanism is not uncommon for ArOH/dpph• reactions in solvents that support ionization, and normal kinetics have always been observed previously (see Litwinienko, G.; Ingold, K. U. J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 3433 and Litwinienko, G.; Ingold, K. U. J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 5888). The zero-order kinetics found for the BIS/dpph• reaction in five s...

Electronic structure of compound I in human isoforms of cytochrome P450 from QM/MM modeling.

Abstract: Human cytochromes P450 play a vital role in drug metabolism. The key step in substrate oxidation involves hydrogen atom abstraction or C=C bond addition by the oxygen atom of the Compound I intermediate. The latter has three unpaired electrons, two on the Fe-O center and one shared between the porphyrin ring and the proximal cysteinyl sulfur atom. Changes in its electronic structure have been suggested to affect reactivity. The electronic and geometric structure of Compound I in three important human subfamilies of cytochrome P450 (P450, 2C, 2B, and 3A) that are major contributors to drug metabolism is characterized here using combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations at the B3LYP:CHARMM27 level. Compound I is remarkably similar in all isoforms, with the third unpaired electron located mainly on the porphyrin ring, and this prediction is not very sensitive to details of the QM/MM methodology, such as the DFT functional, the basis set, or the size of the QM region. The presence of substrate also has no effect. The main source of variability in spin density on the cysteinyl sulfur (from 26 to 50%) is the details of the system setup, such as the starting protein geometry used for QM/MM minimization. This conformational effect is larger than the differences between human isoforms, which are therefore not distinguishable on electronic grounds, so it is unlikely that observed large differences in substrate selectivity can be explained to a large extent in these terms.

C-H activation by a mononuclear manganese(III) hydroxide complex: synthesis and characterization of a manganese-lipoxygenase mimic?

Abstract: Lipoxygenases are mononuclear non-heme metalloenzymes that regio- and stereospecifically convert 1,4-pentadiene subunit-containing fatty acids into alkyl peroxides. The rate-determining step is generally accepted to be hydrogen atom abstraction from the pentadiene subunit of the substrate by an active metal(III)-hydroxide species to give a metal(II)-water species and an organic radical. All known plant and animal lipoxygenases contain iron as the active metal; recently, however, manganese was found to be the active metal in a fungal lipoxygenase. Reported here are the synthesis and characterization of a mononuclear Mn(III) complex, [MnIII(PY5)(OH)](CF3SO3)2 (PY5 = 2,6-bis(bis(2-pyridyl)methoxymethane)pyridine), that reacts with hydrocarbon substrates in a manner most consistent with hydrogen atom abstraction and provides chemical precedence for the proposed reaction mechanism. The neutral penta-pyridyl ligation of PY5 endows a strong Lewis acidic character to the metal center allowing the Mn(III) compound...

Hydrogen elimination from a hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) hydride: study of hydrogen activation in a ligand-metal bifunctional hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: At high temperatures in toluene, [2,5-Ph2-3,4-Tol2(η5-C4COH)]Ru(CO)2H (3) undergoes hydrogen elimination in the presence of PPh3 to produce the ruthenium phosphine complex [2,5-Ph2-3,4-Tol2-(η4-C4CO)]Ru(PPh3)(CO)2 (6). In the absence of alcohols, the lack of RuH/OD exchange, a rate law first order in Ru and zero order in phosphine, and kinetic deuterium isotope effects all point to a mechanism involving irreversible formation of a transient dihydrogen ruthenium complex B, loss of H2 to give unsaturated ruthenium complex A, and trapping by PPh3 to give 6. DFT calculations showed that a mechanism involving direct transfer of a hydrogen from the CpOH group to form B had too high a barrier to be considered. DFT calculations also indicated that an alcohol or the CpOH group of 3 could provide a low energy pathway for formation of B. PGSE NMR measurements established that 3 is a hydrogen-bonded dimer in toluene, and the first-order kinetics indicate that two molecules of 3 are also involved in the transition sta...

Hydrogen Abstraction Acetylene Addition and Diels-Alder Mechanisms of PAH Formation: A Detailed Study Using First Principles Calculations.

Abstract: Extensive ab initio Gaussian-3-type calculations of potential energy surfaces (PES), which are expected to be accurate within 1−2 kcal/mol, combined with statistical theory calculations of reaction rate constants have been applied to study various possible pathways in the hydrogen abstraction acetylene addition (HACA) mechanism of naphthalene and acenaphthalene formation as well as Diels−Alder pathways to acenaphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. The barrier heights; reaction energies; and molecular parameters of the reactants, products, intermediates, and transition states have been generated for all types of reactions involved in the HACA and Diels−Alder mechanisms, including H abstraction from various aromatic intermediates, acetylene addition to radical sites, ring closures leading to the formation of additional aromatic rings, elimination of hydrogen atoms, H disproportionation, C2H2 cycloaddition, and H2 loss. The reactions participating in various HACA sequences (e.g., Frenklach's, alternative Fren...

Autoxidation of cyclohexane: conventional views challenged by theory and experiment.

Abstract: In spite of its industrial importance, the detailed reaction mechanism of cyclohexane autoxidation by O2 is still insufficiently known. Based on quantum chemical potential energy surfaces, rate coefficients of the primary and secondary chain propagation steps involving the cyclohexylperoxyl (CyOO) radical were evaluated using multiconformer transition-state theory. Including tunneling and hindered-internal-rotation effects, the rate coefficient for hydrogen-atom abstraction from cyclohexane (CyH) by CyOO was calculated to be k(T)= 1.46 x 10(-11) x exp(-17.8 kcal mol(-1)/ RT) cm3s(-1) (300-600K), close to the experimental data. A "Franck-Rabinowitch cage" reaction between the nascent cyclohexylhydroperoxide (CyOOH) and cyclohexyl radical, products from CyOO + CyH, is put forward as an initially important cyclohexanol (CyOH) formation channel. alphaH abstraction by CyOO. from cyclohexanone was calculated to be only about five times faster than that from CyH, too slow to explain all the observed side products. The a-hydrogen (alphaH) abstractions from CyOH and CyOOH by CyOO. are predicted to be about 10 and 40 times faster, respectively, than the CyOO. +CyH reaction. The very fast CyOO.+CyOOH reaction proceeds through the unstable Cy-alphaH .OOH radical that decomposes spontaneously into the ketone (Q=O) plus the OH radical; the "hot" .OH is found to produce the bulk of the alcohol via a second, "activated cage" reaction analogous to that above. It is thus shown how the very reactive CyOOH intermediate is the predominant source of ketone and alcohol, while it also leads to some side products. The alpha-hydroxycyclohexylperoxyl radical formed during the moderately fast oxidation of CyOH is shown to decompose fast into HO2 + cyclohexanone in a rapidly equilibrated reaction, which constitutes a smaller, second ketone source. These two fast cyclohexanone forming routes avoid the need for unfavorable molecular routes hitherto invoked as ketone sources. The theoretical predictions are supported and complemented by experimental findings. The newly proposed scheme is also largely applicable to the oxidation of other hydrocarbons, such as toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene.

Production of cold formaldehyde molecules for study and control of chemical reaction.

Abstract: We propose a method for controlling a class of low temperature chemical reactions. Specifically, we show the hydrogen abstraction channel in the reaction of formaldehyde (H{sub 2}CO) and the hydroxyl radical (OH) can be controlled through either the molecular state or an external electric field. We also outline experiments for investigating and demonstrating control over this important reaction. To this end, we report the first Stark deceleration of H{sub 2}CO. We have decelerated a molecular beam of H{sub 2}CO essentially to rest, producing molecules at 100 mK with a density of {approx} 10{sup 6} cm{sup -3}.

Catalytic oxidation of ammonia on RuO2(110) surfaces: mechanism and selectivity.

Abstract: The selective oxidation of ammonia to either N2 or NO on RuO2(110) single-crystal surfaces was investigated by a combination of vibrational spectroscopy (HREELS), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and steady-state rate measurements under continuous flow conditions. The stoichiometric RuO2(110) surface exposes coordinatively unsaturated (cus) Ru atoms onto which adsorption of NH3 (NH3-cus) or dissociative adsorption of oxygen (O-cus) may occur. In the absence of O-cus, ammonia desorbs completely thermally without any reaction. However, interaction between NH3-cus and O-cus starts already at 90 K by hydrogen abstraction and hydrogenation to OH-cus, leading eventually to N-cus and H2O. The N-cus species recombine either with each other to N2 or with neighboring O-cus leading to strongly held NO-cus which desorbs around 500 K. The latter reaction is favored by higher concentrations of O-cus. Under steady-state flow condition with constant NH3 partial pressure and varying O2 pressure, the rate for N2 forma...

The reaction of acetylene with hydroxyl radicals.

Abstract: The potential energy surface for the reaction between OH and acetylene has been calculated using the RQCISD(T) method and extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit. Rate coefficients were determined for a wide range of temperatures and pressures, based on this surface and the solution of the one-dimensional and two-dimensional master equations. With a small adjustment to the association energy barrier (1.1 kcal/mol), agreement with experiments is good, considering the discrepancies in such data. The rate coefficient for direct hydrogen abstraction is significantly smaller than that commonly used in combustion models. Also in contrast to previous models, ketene + H is found to be the main product at normal combustion conditions. At low temperatures and high pressures, stabilization of the C2H2OH adduct is the dominant process. Rate coefficient expressions for use in modeling are provided.

Kinetics of the hydrogen abstraction *CH3 + alkane --> CH4 + alkyl reaction class: an application of the reaction class transition state theory.

Abstract: This paper presents an application of the reaction class transition state theory (RC-TST) to predict thermal rate constants for hydrogen abstraction reactions of the type OH + alkane --> HOH + alkyl. We have derived all parameters for the RC-TST method for this reaction class from rate constants of 19 representative reactions, coupling with linear energy relationships (LERs), so that rate constants for any reaction in this class can be predicted from its reaction energy calculated at either the AM1 semiempirical or BH&HLYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory. The RC-TST/LER thermal rate constants for selected reactions are in good agreement with those available in the literature. Detailed analyses of the results show that the RC-TST/LER method is an efficient method for accurately estimating rate constants for a large number of reactions in this class. Analysis of the LERs leads to the discovery of the beta-carbon radical stabilization effect that stabilizes the transition state of any reaction in this class that yields products having one or more beta-carbons, and thus leads to the lower barrier for such a reaction.

Excited state hydrogen atom transfer in ammonia-wire and water-wire clusters

Abstract: We review experimental and theoretical investigations of excited-state hydrogen atom transfer (ESHAT) reactions along unidirectionally hydrogen bonded solvent ‘wire’ clusters. The solvent wire is attached to the aromatic ‘scaffold’ molecule 7-hydroxyquinoline (7HQ), which offers an O–H and an N hydrogen bonding site, spaced far enough apart to form two- to four-membered wires. S 1 ← S 0 photoexcitation renders the O–H group more acidic and the quinolinic N more basic. This provides a driving force for the enol → keto tautomerization, probed by the characteristic fluorescence of the 7-ketoquinoline in the molecular beam experiments. For 7-hydroxyquinoline·(NH3)3, excitation of ammonia-wire vibrations induces the tautomerization at ∼200 cm−1. Different reaction pathways have been explored by excited-state ab initio calculations. These show that the reaction proceeds by H-atom transfer along the wire as a series of Grotthus-type translocation steps. There is no competition with a mechanism involving success...

Preparation of iron amido complexes via putative Fe(IV) imido intermediates.

Abstract: The isolation and characterization of monomeric Fe(III) amido complexes with hybrid ureate/amidate ligands is described. An aryl azide serves as the source of the amido ligand in preparing the complexes from trigonal monopyramidal Fe(II) precursors. Aryl azides more commonly react with transition metal complexes by a two-electron oxidation process to yield imido complexes, suggesting that the Fe(III) amido complexes may be formed from high valent species by hydrogen atom abstraction from an external species. The mechanistic basis for formation of the amido complexes is investigated using substrates that readily donate hydrogen atoms. Results from these experiments suggest that the Fe(III) amido complexes are generated from Fe(IV) imido intermediates that can facilitate homolytic X−H bond cleavage. The Fe(III) amido complexes are high spin (S = 5/2) with a strong absorbance band at λmax ≈ 600 nm and extinction coefficients between 2000 and 3000 M-1 cm-1. These complexes are hygroscopic, reacting with 1 equ...

Direct ab initio dynamics studies of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of hydrogen atom with n-propyl radical and isopropyl radical.

Abstract: The kinetics of the hydrogen abstraction reactions of hydrogen atom with n-propyl radical and isopropyl radical were studied using the direct ab initio dynamics approach. BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ method was employed to optimize the geometries of stationary points as well as the points on the minimum energy path (MEP). The energies of all the points for the two reactions were further refined at the QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. No barrier was found at the QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory for both reactions. The forward and reverse rate constants were evaluated with both canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) and microcanonical variational transition state theory (μ VT) in the temperature range of 300–2,500 K. The fitted three-parameter Arrhenius expression of the calculated CVT rate constants at the QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory are kCVT (n – C3H7)=1.68×10−14 T0.84 e(319.5/T) cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and kCVT (iso-C3H7)=4.99×10−14 T0.90 e(159.5/T) cm3 molecule−1 s−1 for reactions of n-C3H7 + H and iso-C3H7 + H, respectively, which are in good agreement with available literature data. The variational effects were analysed. Figure Comparison of the calculated forward rate constants at the QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory and the available experimental and theoretical data of the reaction vs 1,000/T for the two reactions.

Quasiclassical trajectory study of formaldehyde unimolecular dissociation: H2CO→H2+CO, H+HCO

Abstract: We report quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the dynamics of the two reaction channels of formaldehyde dissociation on a global ab initio potential energy surface: the molecular channel H2CO→H2+CO and the radical H2CO→H+HCO. For the molecular channel, it is confirmed that above the threshold of the radical channel a second, intramolecular hydrogen abstraction pathway is opened to produce CO with low rotation and vibrationally hot H2. The low-jCO and high-νH2 products from the second pathway increase with the total energy. The competition between the molecular and radical pathways is also studied. It shows that the branching ratio of the molecular products decreases with increasing energy, while the branching ratio of the radical products increases. The results agree well with very recent velocity-map imaging experiments of Suits and co-workers and solves a mystery first posed by Moore and co-workers. For the radical channel, we present the translational energy distributions and HCO rotation distributions at various energies. There is mixed agreement with the experiments of Wittig and co-workers, and this provides an indirect confirmation of their speculation that the triplet surface plays a role in the formation of the radical products.

Lipophilicity and Metabolic Route Prediction of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids * (6 pp)

Abstract: Aims and Background. Ionic liquid application in industry will offer several excellent solutions, but it also means that they will enter the environment sooner or later. Responsible product design should always take into consideration not only technological demands, but also the risks arising out of possible toxicity and ecotoxicity. In our strategy we are aiming to understand the fate of these entities through their life cycle in the environment as a complimentary element of their design. This paper presents results on the lipophilicity of selected imidazolium ionic liquids, a parameter that plays a key role in environmental and biological distribution. Additionally, the prediction of the most stable metabolite of a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMIM) cation – a congener representative of this group of compounds is presented. Lipophilicity was evaluated by means of reversed phase and immobilized artificial membrane chromatography and further compared to calculated data. Theoretical prediction of lipophilicity was undertaken using fragmental methodology combined with manual calculations of the geometric bond factor for quaternary ammonium and the electronic bond factor due to the presence of a charge. All the substances studied are characterized by very low partition coefficients, and lipophilicity varies linearly with elongation of the n-alkyl chain. Prediction of metabolic routes was based solely on thermodynamic data of the radical intermediates formed during the reaction with the cytochrome P450 system. The energetically most stable radical structure is generated by hydrogen abstraction from the gamma position of the BMIM cation. and Recommendations. The experimentally measured and theoretically estimated lipophilicity coefficients obtained for all the compounds studied generally indicate a relatively low lipophilicity and thus preferable partition to the aqueous phase. By means of thermodynamic data, it was also confirmed that the energetically most stable radical structure is generated by hydrogen abstraction from the gamma position on the alkyl chain in the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation, as a result of which the C1 atom is preferentially oxidized. * The basis of this peer-reviewed paper is a presentation at the 9th FECS Conference on 'Chemistry and Environment', 29 August to 1 September 2004, Bordeaux, France.

A reinterpretation of the mechanism of the simplest reaction at an sp3-hybridized carbon atom: H + CD4 --> CD3 + HD.

Abstract: A comparison between theory and experiment for the benchmark H + CD4 → HD + CD3 abstraction reaction yields a reinterpretation of the reaction mechanism and highlights the unexpected contribution of a stripping mechanism. Whereas the best analytic surface fails to reproduce experiment, a first-principles direct-dynamics (on the fly) treatment is in good agreement, showing that the H + CD4 reaction exhibits extreme sensitivity to modest differences in the potential energy surface. We find that bent H−D−C transition state geometries play an important role in the dynamics. A simple model that relates the scattering angle impact parameter and cone of acceptance accounts well for the overall reaction dynamics.

Experimental and Modeling Approach to Decolorization of Azo Dyes by Ultrasound: Degradation of the Hydrazone Tautomer

Abstract: Sonochemical bleaching of monoazo dyes C.I. Acid Orange 7 and C.I Acid Orange 8, which exist in their hydrazone forms in dye solutions, was investigated by irradiating 40 μM dye solutions using a 300 kHz emitter. It was found that the rate of bleaching was first-order with respect to the maximum absorption of the dye in the visible band and accelerated with increased acidity. Decolorization of Acid Orange 7 was slightly faster than that of Acid Orange 8 at equivalent test conditions. The oxidative degradation of Acid Orange 7 and Acid Orange 8 were modeled by means of density functional theory calculations. The adduct formation by hydroxyl radical attack to the carbon atom bearing the azo linkage was more preferred over the attack on the nitrogen atom. A competing reaction of hydrogen abstraction from the CH3 group in C.I Acid Orange 8 was found responsible for the difference in color removal rates.

On the Relationships of Substrate Orientation, Hydrogen Abstraction, and Product Stereochemistry in Single and Double Dioxygenations by Soybean Lipoxygenase-1 and

Abstract: Recent findings associate the control of stereochemistry in lipoxygenase (LOX) catalysis with a conserved active site alanine for S configuration hydroperoxide products, or a corresponding glycine for R stereoconfiguration. To further elucidate the mechanistic basis for this stereocontrol we compared the stereoselectivity of the initiating hydrogen abstraction in soybean LOX-1 and an Ala542Gly mutant that converts linoleic acid to both 13S and 9R configuration hydroperoxide products. Using 11R-3H- and 11S-3H-labeled linoleic acid substrates to examine the initial hydrogen abstraction, we found that all the primary hydroperoxide products were formed with an identical and highly stereoselective pro-S hydrogen abstraction from C-11 of the substrate (97-99% pro-S-selective). This strongly suggests that 9R and 13S oxygenations occur with the same binding orientation of substrate in the active site, and as the equivalent 9R and 13S products were formed from a bulky ester derivative (1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoylphosphatidylcholine), one can infer that the orientation is tail-first. Both the EPR spectrum and the reaction kinetics were altered by the R product-inducing Ala-Gly mutation, indicating a substantial influence of this Ala-Gly substitution extending to the environment of the active site iron. To examine also the reversed orientation of substrate binding, we studied oxygenation of the 15S-hydroperoxide of arachidonic acid by the Ala542Gly mutant soybean LOX-1. In addition to the usual 5S, 15S- and 8S, 15S-dihydroperoxides, a new product was formed and identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, UV, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and NMR as 9R, 15S-dihydroperoxyeicosa-5Z,7E,11Z,13E-tetraenoic acid, the R configuration “partner” of the normal 5S,15S product. This provides evidence that both tail-first and carboxylate end-first binding of substrate can be associated with S or R partnerships in product formation in the same active site.

Detailed modeling of the molecular growth process in aromatic and aliphatic premixed flames

Abstract: A detailed kinetic model has been developed and used to simulate aromatic growth in premixed benzene and ethylene flames. The model considers the role of resonantly stabilized radicals in the growth of aromatic species, in addition to the hydrogen abstraction carbon addition (HACA) mechanism, which involves hydrogen abstraction to activate aromatics followed by subsequent acetylene addition. Model results show that the self-combination of resonantly stabilized radicalsin particular, the combination of cyclopentadienyl radicalsis the controlling pathway for the aromatic-ring growth. The kinetic model reproduces the experimental trends of these compounds already below the flame front and their decrease within the flame front, which has been observed experimentally but never predicted numerically. The reaction mechanism has been used to identify the different behaviors of aromatic growth in ethylene and benzene flames. Benzene formation is the rate-limiting step for aromatic growth in ethylene flames. C6H6 i...

Mechanisms of initial propane activation on molybdenum oxides: A density functional theory study

Abstract: We report the first detailed density functional theory study on the mechanisms of initial propane activation on molybdenum oxides. We consider 6 possible mechanisms of the C-H bond activation on metal oxides, leading to 17 transition states. We predict that hydrogen abstraction by terminal Mo=O is the most feasible reaction pathway. The calculated activation enthalpy and entropy are 32.3 kcal/mol and -28.6 cal/(mol/K), respectively, in reasonably good agreement with the corresponding experimental values (28.0 kcal/mol and -29.1 cal/(mol/K)). We find that activating the methylene C-H bond is 4.7 kcal/mol more favorable than activating the methyl C-H bond. This regioselectivity is correlated with the difference in strength between a methylene C-H bond and a methyl C-H bond. Our calculations suggest that a combined effect from both the methylene and the methyl C-H bond cleavages leads to the experimentally observed overall kinetic isotopic effects from propane to propylene on the MoO(x)/ZrO(2) catalysts.

Kinetics of Self-Decomposition and Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reactions of Substituted Phthalimide N-Oxyl Radicals in Acetic Acid

Abstract: Kinetic data have been obtained for three distinct types of reactions of phthalimide N-oxyl radicals (PINO•) and N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) derivatives. The first is the self-decomposition of PINO• which was found to follow second-order kinetics. In the self-decomposition of 4-methyl-N-hydroxyphthalimide (4-Me-NHPI), H-atom abstraction competes with self-decomposition in the presence of excess 4-Me-NHPI. The second set of reactions studied is hydrogen atom transfer from NHPI to PINO•, e.g., PINO• + 4-Me-NHPI ⇄ NHPI + 4-Me-PINO•. The substantial KIE, kH/kD = 11 for both forward and reverse reactions, supports the assignment of H-atom transfer rather than stepwise electron−proton transfer. These data were correlated with the Marcus cross relation for hydrogen-atom transfer, and good agreement between the experimental and the calculated rate constants was obtained. The third reaction studied is hydrogen abstraction by PINO• from p-xylene and toluene. The reaction becomes regularly slower as the ring substit...

New insight into the formation of structural defects in poly(vinyl chloride)

Abstract: The monomer conversion dependence of the formation of the various types of defect structures in radical suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride was examined via both 1H and 13C NMR spectrometry. The rate coefficients for model propagation and intra- and intermolecular hydrogen abstraction reactions were obtained via high-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations. An enormous increase in the formation of both branched and internal unsaturated structures was observed at conversions above 85%, and this is mirrored by a sudden decrease in stability of the resulting PVC polymer. Above this threshold-conversion, the monomer is depleted from the polymer-rich phase, and the propagation rate is thus substantially reduced, thereby allowing the chain-transfer processes to compete more effectively. In contrast to the other defects, the chloroallylic end groups were found to decrease at high conversions. On the basis of the theoretical and experimental data obtained in this study, this decrease was attributed...

DFT study of hydrogen adsorption on Al13 clusters

Abstract: In this work, adsorption of hydrogen on Al13 clusters has been investigated theoretically using the density functional theory (DFT) approach. We have performed geometry optimization of atomic and molecular hydrogen in the proximity of Al13 and calculated the binding energy and electronic properties of the stable Al13+Hn assemblies. We have also calculated the energy barrier for the hydrogen atom transition between different adsorption sites on Al13 cluster as well as the activation energy for the dissociation and adsorption of molecular hydrogen. We found that the hydrogen atom adsorbs on the surface of Al13 cluster, without an energy barrier onto atop, bridge and hollow sites. A small barrier for H atom transition from one adsorption site to another together with the minor energy difference between the most stable isomers points towards high mobility of the hydrogen atom on the surface. The calculated dissociation–adsorption barrier for the hydrogen molecule of ∼14 kcal/mol and a desorption barrier of ∼1...

Mechanism for the Gas-Phase Reaction between Formaldehyde and Hydroperoxyl Radical. A Theoretical Study

Abstract: We present a high-level theoretical study on the gas-phase reaction between formaldehyde and hydroperoxyl radical carried out using the DFT-B3LYP, QCISD, and CCSD(T) theoretical approaches in connection with the 6-311+G(d,p), 6-311+G(2df,2p), and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The most favorable reaction path begins with the formation of a pre-reactive complex and produces the peroxy radical CH2(OO)OH in a process that is computed to be exothermic by 16.8 kcal/mol. This reaction involves a process in which the oxygen terminal of the HO2 moiety adds to the carbon of formaldehyde, and, simultaneously, the hydrogen of the hydroperoxyl group is transferred to the oxygen of the carbonyl in a proton-coupled electron-transfer mechanism. Our calculations show that this transition state lies below the sum of the energy of the reactants, and we computed a rate constant at 300 K of 9.29 × 10-14 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. Also of interest in combustion chemistry, we studied...

Benchmark calculations of reaction energies, barrier heights, and transition-state geometries for hydrogen abstraction from methanol by a hydrogen atom.

Abstract: We report benchmark calculations of reaction energies, barrier heights, and transition state geometries for the reaction of CH 3 OH with H to produce CH 2 OH and H 2 . Highly accurate composite methods, such as CBS, G2, G3, G3X, G3SX, and multi-coefficient correlation methods (MCCMs) are used to calibrate lower-cost methods. We also performed single-level CCSD(T) calculations extrapolated to the infinite-basis limit based on aug-cc-pVXZ (X = 3, 4) correlation consistent basis sets. The benchmark highlevel calculations give consensus values of the forward reaction barrier height and the reaction energy of 9.7 kcal/mol and – 6.4 kcal/mol, respectively. To evaluate the accuracy of cost-efficient methods that are potentially useful for dynamics studies of the title reaction, we further include the results obtained by hybrid density-functional-theory methods and hybrid meta-density-functional-theory methods that have recently been designed for chemical kinetics. Results obtained by popular semiempirical methods are also given for comparison. Based on the benchmark gas-phase results, we suggest MCQCISD/3, MC3BB, and BB1K as reasonably accurate and affordable electronic structure methods for calculating dynamics for the title reaction.