Ab Initio Group Contribution Method for Activation Energies of Hydrogen Abstraction Reactions

Fast Predictions of Reaction Barrier Heights: Toward Coupled-Cluster Accuracy

Quantitative estimates of reaction barriers are essential for developing kinetic mechanisms and predicting reaction outcomes. However, the lack of experimental data and the steep scaling of accurate quantum calculations often hinder the ability to obtain reliable kinetic values. Here, we train a directed message passing neural network on nearly 24,000 diverse gas-phase reactions calculated at CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12//ωB97X-D3/def2-TZVP. Our model uses 75% fewer parameters than previous studies, an improved reaction representation, and proper data splits to accurately estimate performance on unseen reactions. Using information from only the reactant and product, our model quickly predicts barrier heights with a testing MAE of 2.6 kcal mol^-1 relative to the coupled-cluster data, making it more accurate than a good density functional theory calculation. Furthermore, our results show that future modeling efforts to estimate reaction properties would significantly benefit from fine-tuning calibration using a transfer learning technique. We anticipate this model will accelerate and improve kinetic predictions for small molecule chemistry.

On-The-Fly Kinetics of the Hydrogen Abstraction by Hydroperoxyl Radical: An Application of the Reaction Class Transition State Theory

A Reaction Class Transition State Theory (RC-TST) is applied to calculate thermal rate constants for hydrogen abstraction by OOH radical from alkanes in the temperature range of 300–2500 K. The rate constants for the reference reaction C₂H₆ + ∙OOH → ∙C₂H₅ + H₂O₂, is obtained with the Canonical Variational Transition State Theory (CVT) augmented with the Small Curvature Tunneling (SCT) correction. The necessary parameters were obtained from M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ data for a training set of 24 reactions. Depending on the approximation employed, only the reaction energy or no additional parameters are needed to predict the RC-TST rates for other class representatives. Although each of the reactions can in principle be investigated at higher levels of theory, the approach provides a nearly equally reliable rate constant at a fraction of the cost needed for larger and higher level calculations. The systematic error is smaller than 50% in comparison with high level computations. Satisfactory agreement with literature data, augmented by the lack of necessity of tedious and time consuming transition state calculations, facilitated the seamless application of the proposed methodology to the Automated Reaction Mechanism Generators (ARMGs) programs.

Electronic structure-based rate rules for ipso addition-elimination reactions on mono-aromatic hydrocarbons with single and double OH/CH3/OCH3/CHO/C2H5 substituents: a systematic theoretical investigation

The recent interest in bio-oils combustion and the key role of mono-aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) in existing kinetic frameworks, both in terms of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons growth and surrogate fuels formulation, motivates the current systematic theoretical investigation of one of the relevant reaction classes in MAHs pyrolysis and oxidation: ipso substitution by hydrogen. State-of-the-art theoretical methods and protocols implemented in automatized computational routines allowed to investigate 14 different potential energy surfaces involving MAHs with hydroxy and methyl single (phenol and toluene) and double (o-,m-,p-C6H4(OH)2, o-,m-,p-CH3C6H4OH, and o-,m-,p-C6H4(CH3)2) substituents, providing rate constants for direct implementation in existing kinetic models. The accuracy of the adopted theoretical method was validated by comparison of the computed rate constants with the available literature data. Systematic trends in energy barriers, pre-exponential factors, and temperature dependence of the Arrhenius parameters were found, encouraging the formulation of rate rules for ipso substitutions on MAHs. The rules here proposed allow to extrapolate from a reference system the necessary activation energy and pre-exponential factor corrections for a large number of reactions from a limited set of electronic structure calculations. We were able to estimate rate constants for other 63 ipso addition-elimination reactions on di-substituted MAHs, reporting in total 75 rate constants for ipso substitution reactions o-,m-,p-R'C6H4R + → C6H5R + ', with R,R' = OH/CH3/OCH3/CHO/C2H5, in the 300-2000 K range. Additional calculations performed for validation showed that the proposed rate rules are in excellent agreement with the rate constants calculated using the full computational protocol in the 500-2000 K range, generally with errors below 20%, increasing up to 40% in a few cases. The main results of this work are the successful application of automatized electronic structure calculations for the derivation of accurate rate constants for ipso substitution reactions on MAHs, and an efficient and innovative approach for rate rules formulation for this reaction class.

Phenolic Hydrogen Transfer by Molecular Oxygen and Hydroperoxyl Radicals. Insights into the Mechanism of the Anthraquinone Process

Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) by ³O₂ and HO₂^• from arenols (ArOH), aryloxyls (ArO^•), their tautomers (ArH), and auxiliary compounds has been investigated by means of CBS-QB3 computations. With ³O₂, excellent linear correlations have been found between the activation enthalpy and the overall reaction enthalpy. Different pathways have been discerned for HATs involving OH or CH moieties. The results for ArOH + HO₂^• → ArO^• + H₂O₂ neither afford a linear correlation nor agree with the experiment. The precise mechanism for the liquid-phase autoxidation of anthrahydroquinone (AnH₂Q) appears to be not fully understood. A kinetic analysis shows that the HAT by chain-carrying HO₂^• occurs with a high rate constant of ≥6 × 10⁸ M^–1 s^–1 (toluene). The second propagation step pertains to a diffusion-controlled HAT by ³O₂ from the 10-OH-9-anthroxyl radical. Oxanthrone (AnOH) is a more stable tautomer of AnH₂Q with a ratio of 13 (298 K) in non-hydrogen-bonding (HB) solvents, but the reactivity toward ³O₂/HO₂^• is much lower. Combination of the computed free energies and Abrahams’ HB donating (α₂^H) and accepting (β₂^H) parameters has afforded an α₂^H(HO₂^•) of 0.86 and an α₂^H(H₂O₂) of 0.50.

Kinetics of the Hydrogen Abstraction PAH + •OH → PAH Radical + H2O Reaction Class: An Application of the Reaction Class Transition State Theory (RC-TST) and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR)

A reaction class transition state theory (RC-TST) augmented with structure-activity relationship (SAR) methodology is applied to predict high-pressure limit thermal rate constants for hydrogen abstraction by ^•OH radical from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) reaction class in the temperature range of 300-3000 K. The rate constants for the reference reaction of C₆H₆ + ^•OH → C₆H₅ + H₂O is calculated by the canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) with small curvature tunneling (SCT). Only the reaction energy is needed to predict RC-TST rates for other processes within the family, the parameters needed were obtained from M06-2X/cc-pVTZ data for a training set of 34 reactions. The systematic error of the resulting RC-TST rates is smaller than 50% in comparison with explicit rate calculations, which facilitates application of the proposed methodology to the automated reaction mechanism generators (ARMGs) schemes.

On-the-fly kinetics of hydrogen abstraction from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by methyl/ethyl radicals

This work provides a rigorous procedure, within the framework of the Reaction Class Transition State Theory (RC-TST) and the Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR), for predicting reliable thermal rate constants on-the-fly for hydrogen abstraction reactions by methyl/ethyl radicals from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a temperature range of 300-3000 K. All necessary RC-TST parameters were derived from ab initio calculations for a representative set of 36 reactions on which different error analyses and comparisons with available literature data were carried out. In addition to the good agreement between the RC-TST rate constants and the literature data, the detailed error analyses show that RC-TST/SAR, utilizing either the Linear Energy Relationship (LER) where only the reaction energy is needed or Barrier Height Grouping (BHG) where no additional data is needed, can predict the thermal rate constants for any reaction in the title reaction class with an average systematic error of less than 50% when compared to the explicit rate calculations. Therefore, the constructed RC-TST procedure can be confidently used to obtain reliable rate constants on the fly in an attempt to effectively construct detailed kinetic mechanisms for PAH-related fuels.

Feasibility of Activation Energy Prediction of Gas-Phase Reactions by Machine Learning

Machine learning based on big data has emerged as a powerful solution in various chemical problems. We investigated the feasibility of machine learning models for the prediction of activation energies of gas-phase reactions. Six different models with three different types, including the artificial neural network, the support vector regression, and the tree boosting methods, were tested. We used the structural and thermodynamic properties of molecules and their differences as input features without resorting to specific reaction types so as to maintain the most general input form for broad applicability. The tree boosting method showed the best performance among others in terms of the coefficient of determination, mean absolute error, and root mean square error, the values of which were 0.89, 1.95, and 4.49 kcal mol^-1 , respectively. Computation time for the prediction of activation energies for 2541 test reactions was about one second on a single computing node without using accelerators.

Global investigation of potential energy surfaces for the pyrolysis of C(1)-C(3) hydrocarbons: toward the development of detailed kinetic models from first principles

Detailed kinetic models (DKMs) are the most fundamental "bottom-up" approaches to computational investigation of the pyrolysis and oxidation of fuels. The weakest points of existing DKMs are incomplete information about the reaction types that can be involved in the potential energy surfaces (PESs) in pyrolysis and oxidation processes. Also, the computational thermodynamic parameters available in the literature vary widely with the level of theory employed. More sophisticated models require improvement both in our knowledge of the type of the reactions involved and the consistency of thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. In this paper, we aim to address these issues by developing ab initio models that can be used to describe early stages of pyrolysis of C1-C3 hydrocarbons. We applied a recently developed global reaction route mapping (GRRM) strategy to systematically investigate the PES of the pyrolysis of C1-C3 hydrocarbons at a consistent level of theory. The reactions are classified into 14 reaction types. The critical points on the PES for all reactions in the network are calculated at the highly accurate UCCSD(T)-F12b/cc-pVTZ//UM06-2X/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The data reported in this paper can be used for first principle calculations of kinetic constants and for a subsequent study on modeling the evolution of the species from the reaction network of the pyrolysis and oxidation of C1-C3 hydrocarbons.

A computational study of the competing reaction mechanisms of the photo-catalytic reduction of CO2 on anatase(101)

Three reaction pathways for the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to methane are investigated with density functional theory calculations.

Reactions of allylic radicals that impact molecular weight growth kinetics

The reactions of allylic radicals have the potential to play a critical role in molecular weight growth (MWG) kinetics during hydrocarbon oxidation and/or pyrolysis.

Transition state geometry prediction using molecular group contributions

Geometries of reaction transition states can be predicted accurately using group-contribution scheme with data arranged in a hierarchical tree database.

Direct measurements of rate constants for the reactions of CH3 radicals with C2H6, C2H4, and C2H2 at high temperatures

The shock tube technique has been used to study the reactions CH3 + C2H6 → C2H4 + CH4 + H (1), CH3 + C2H4 → Products + H (2), and CH3 + C2H2 → Products + H (3). Biacetyl, (CH3CO)2, was used as a clean high temperature thermal source for CH3-radicals for all the three reactions studied in this work. For reaction 1, the experiments span a T-range of 1153 K ≤ T ≤ 1297 K, at P ~ 0.4 bar. The experiments on reaction 2 cover a T-range of 1176 K ≤ T ≤ 1366 K, at P ~ 1.0 bar, and those on reaction 3 a T-range of 1127 K ≤ T ≤ 1346 K, at P ~ 1.0 bar. Reflected shock tube experiments performed on reactions 1-3, monitored the formation of H-atoms with H-atom Atomic Resonance Absorption Spectrometric (ARAS). Fits to the H-atom temporal profiles using an assembled kinetics model were used to make determinations for k1, k2, and k3. In the case of C2H6, the measurements of [H]-atoms were used to derive direct high-temperature rate constants, k1, that can be represented by the Arrhenius equation k1(T) = 5.41 × 10(-12) exp(-6043 K/T) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) (1153 K ≤ T ≤ 1297 K) for the only bimolecular process that occurs, H-atom abstraction. TST calculations based on ab initio properties calculated at the CCSD(T)/CBS//M06-2X/cc-pVTZ level of theory show excellent agreement, within ±20%, of the measured rate constants. For the reaction of CH3 with C2H4, the present rate constant results, k2', refer to the sum of rate constants, k(2b) + k(2c), from two competing processes, addition-elimination, and the direct abstraction CH3 + C2H4 → C3H6 + H (2b) and CH3 + C2H4 → C2H2 + H + CH4 (2c). Experimental rate constants for k2' can be represented by the Arrhenius equation k2'(T) = 2.18 × 10(-10) exp(-11830 K/T) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) (1176 K ≤ T ≤ 1366 K). The present results are in excellent agreement with recent theoretical predictions. The present study provides the only direct measurement for the high-temperature rate constants for these channels. Lastly, measurements of H-atoms from the reaction of CH3 with C2H2 provided direct unambiguous determinations of the rate constant for the dominant process under the present experimental conditions, the addition-elimination, CH3 + C2H2 → p-C3H4 + H (3b). Experimental rate constants for k(3b) can be represented by the Arrhenius equation k(3b)(T) = 5.16 × 10(-13) exp(-3852 K/T) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) (1127 K ≤ T ≤ 1346 K). The present determinations for k(3b) represent the only direct measurements for this reaction and are also in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions. The present experimental k(3b) values were also used to derive rate constants, k(-3b), for the more extensively studied back-process, the reaction of H-atoms with propyne. The best fit Arrhenius equation, combining the presently derived k(-3b) values with a recent experimental determination for k(-3b), can be represented by k(-3b)(T) = 3.87 × 10(-11) exp(-1313 K/T) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) (870 K ≤ T ≤ 1346 K). The present studies represent a novel implementation of the sensitive H-ARAS technique to measure rate constants for poorly characterized and difficult to isolate "slow" CH3-radical reactions with stable C2 hydrocarbons.

Ground- and triplet excited-state properties correlation: a computational CASSCF/CASPT2 approach based on the photodissociation of allylsilanes

Excited-state properties, although extremely useful, are hardly accessible. One indirect way would be to derive them from relationships to ground-state properties which are usually more readily available. Herewith, we present quantitative correlations between triplet excited-state (T₁) properties (bond dissociation energy, D₀(T₁), homolytic activation energy, E(a)(T₁), and rate constant, k(r)) and the ground-state bond dissociation energy (D₀), taking as an example the photodissociation of the C-Si bond of simple substituted allylsilanes CH₂=CHC(R¹R²)-SiH₃ (R¹ and R² = H, Me, and Et). By applying the complete-active-space self-consistent field CASSCF(6,6) and CASPT2(6,6) quantum chemical methodologies, we have found that the consecutive introduction of Me/Et groups has little effect on the geometry and energy of the T₁ state; however, it reduces the magnitudes of D₀, D₀(T₁) and E(a)(T₁). Moreover, these energetic parameters have been plotted giving good linear correlations: D₀(T₁) = α₁ + β₁ · D₀, E(a)(T₁) = α₂ + β₂ · D₀(T₁), and E(a)(T₁) = α₃ + β₃ · D₀ (α and β being constants), while k(r) correlates very well to E(a)(T₁). The key factor behind these useful correlations is the validity of the Evans-Polanyi-Semenov relation (second equation) and its extended form (third equation) applied for excited systems. Additionally, the unexpectedly high values obtained for E(a)(T₁) demonstrate a new application of the principle of nonperfect synchronization (PNS) in excited-state chemistry issues.

Thermochemistry and Kinetics of Hydrogen Abstraction by Methyl Radical from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Thermodynamic and kinetic properties relating to hydrogen abstraction by methyl radical from various sites in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been investigated. The reaction enthalpies (298 K), barriers (0 K), and activation energies and pre-exponential factors (700-1100 K), have been calculated by means of density functional theory, specifically with B3-LYP/6-311G(d,p) geometries, followed by BMK/6-311+G(3df,2p) single-point energy calculations. For uncongested sites in the PAHs, a reasonable correlation is obtained between reactivities (as characterized by the reaction barriers) and reaction enthalpies. This is reflected in a Bell-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) relationship. However, for congested sites, abstraction is accompanied both by lower reaction enthalpies (due to relief of steric strain) and also by reduced reactivities (due to significantly increased steric hindrance effects in the transition structures), so that the BEP relationship does not hold. In addition, the reaction enthalpies and kinetic parameters for the series of linear acenes indicate that abstraction is more difficult from the central rings.

An Assessment of Theoretical Procedures for Predicting the Thermochemistry and Kinetics of Hydrogen Abstraction by Methyl Radical from Benzene

The reaction enthalpy (298 K), barrier (0 K), and activation energy and preexponential factor (600-800 K) have been examined computationally for the abstraction of hydrogen from benzene by the methyl radical, to assess their sensitivity to the applied level of theory. The computational methods considered include high-level composite procedures, including W1, G3-RAD, G3(MP2)-RAD, and CBS-QB3, as well as conventional ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods, with the latter two classes employing the 6-31G(d), 6-31+G(d,p) and/or 6-311+G(3df,2p) basis sets, and including ZPVE/thermal corrections obtained from 6-31G(d) or 6-31+G(d,p) calculations. Virtually all the theoretical procedures except UMP2 are found to give geometries that are suitable for subsequent calculation of the reaction enthalpy and barrier. For the reaction enthalpy, W1, G3-RAD, and URCCSD(T) give best agreement with experiment, while the large-basis-set DFT procedures slightly underestimate the endothermicity. The reaction barrier is slightly more sensitive to the choice of basis set and/or correlation level, with URCCSD(T) and the low-cost BMK method providing values in close agreement with the benchmark G3-RAD value. Inspection of the theoretically calculated rate parameters reveals a minor dependence on the level of theory for the preexponential factor. There is more sensitivity for the activation energy, with a reasonable agreement with experiment being obtained for the G3 methods and the hybrid functionals BMK, BB1K, and MPW1K, especially in combination with the 6-311+G(3df,2p) basis set. Overall, the high-level G3-RAD composite procedure, URCCSD(T), and the cost-effective DFT methods BMK, BB1K, and MPW1K give the best results among the methods assessed for calculating the thermochemistry and kinetics of hydrogen abstraction by the methyl radical from benzene.