Crossed molecular beam experiments and theoretical simulations on the multichannel reaction of toluene with atomic oxygen

Despite extensive experimental and theoretical studies on the kinetics of the O(3P) + C7H8 (toluene) reaction and a pioneering crossed molecular beam (CMB) investigation, the branching fractions (BFs) of the CH3C6H4O(methylphenoxy) + H, C6H5O(phenoxy) + CH3, and spin-forbidden C5H5CH3 (methylcyclopentadiene) + CO product channels remain an open question, which has hampered the proper inclusion of this important reaction in the chemical modelling of various chemical environments. We report a CMB study with universal soft electron-ionization mass-spectrometric detection of the reactions O(3P,1D) + toluene at the collision energy of 34.7 kJ mol-1. From CMB data we have inferred the reaction dynamics and quantified the BFs of the primary products and the role of intersystem crossing (ISC). The CH3-elimination channel dominates (BF = 0.69 ± 0.22) in the O(3P) reaction, while the H-displacement and CO-formation channels are minor (BF = 0.22 ± 0.07 and 0.09 ± 0.05, respectively), with ISC accounting for more than 50% of the reactive flux. Synergistic transition-state theory (TST)-based master equation simulations including nonadiabatic TST on ab initio coupled triplet/singlet potential energy surfaces were employed to compute the product BFs and assist in the interpretation of the CMB results. In the light of the good agreement between the theoretical predictions for the O(3P) + toluene reaction and the CMB results as well as the absolute rate constant as a function of temperature (T) (from literature), the so-validated computational methodology was used to predict channel-specific rate constants as a function of T at 1 atm.

Reactions O(3P, 1D) + HCCCN(X1Σ+) (Cyanoacetylene): Crossed-Beam and Theoretical Studies and Implications for the Chemistry of Extraterrestrial Environments

Cyanoacetylene (HCCCN), the first member of the cyanopolyyne family (HC_nN, where n = 3, 5, 7, ...), is of particular interest in astrochemistry being ubiquitous in space (molecular clouds, solar-type protostars, protoplanetary disks, circumstellar envelopes, and external galaxies) and also relatively abundant. It is also abundant in the upper atmosphere of Titan and comets. Since oxygen is the third most abundant element in space, after hydrogen and helium, the reaction O + HCCCN can be of relevance in the chemistry of extraterrestrial environments. Despite that, scarce information exists not only on the reactions of oxygen atoms with cyanoacetylene but with nitriles in general. Here, we report on a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the reactions of cyanoacetylene with both ground ³P and excited ¹D atomic oxygen and provide detailed information on the primary reaction products, their branching fractions (BFs), and the overall reaction mechanisms. More specifically, the reactions of O(³P, ¹D) with HCCCN(X¹Σ⁺) have been investigated under single-collision conditions by the crossed molecular beams scattering method with mass spectrometric detection and time-of-flight analysis at the collision energy, E_c, of 31.1 kJ/mol. From product angular and time-of-flight distributions, we have identified the primary reaction products and determined their branching fractions (BFs). Theoretical calculations of the relevant triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PESs) were performed to assist the interpretation of the experimental results and clarify the reaction mechanism. Adiabatic statistical calculations of product BFs for the decomposition of the main triplet and singlet intermediates have also been carried out. Merging together the experimental and theoretical results, we conclude that the O(³P) reaction is characterized by a minor adiabatic channel leading to OCCCN (cyanoketyl) + H (experimental BF = 0.10 ± 0.05), while the dominant channel (BF = 0.90 ± 0.05) occurs via intersystem crossing to the underlying singlet PES and leads to formation of ¹HCCN (cyanomethylene) + CO. The O(¹D) reaction is characterized by the same two channels, with the relative CO/H yield being slightly larger. Considering the recorded reactive signal and the calculated entrance barrier, we estimate that the rate coefficient for reaction O(³P) + HC₃N at 300 K is in the 10^-12 cm³ molec^-1 s^-1 range. Our results are expected to be useful to improve astrochemical and photochemical models. In addition, they are also relevant in combustion chemistry, because the thermal decomposition of pyrrolic and pyridinic structures present in fuel-bound nitrogen generates many nitrogen-bearing compounds, including cyanoacetylene.

Mechanistic insights into benzene oxidation over CuMn2O4 catalyst

The spinel-type CuMn₂O₄ catalyst exhibits good catalytic activity towards benzene oxidation, but the catalytic oxidation mechanism is not established. Theoretical calculations were implemented to unearth the reaction mechanism of benzene catalytic oxidation over CuMn₂O₄ catalyst through density functional theory (DFT). The results indicate that benzene adsorption on both Cu-terminated and Mn-terminated surfaces are controlled by the chemisorption mechanism. The Cu-terminated surface is more active for benzene adsorption than the Mn-terminated surface. Cu atom is regarded as the primary active site. During benzene catalytic oxidation, benzene firstly undergoes dehydrooxidation reaction to generate phenoxy group (C₆H₆* → C₆H₅* → C₆H₅O*). Two reaction channels are responsible for the ring-opening and oxidation reactions of phenoxy group, including benzoquinone- and cyclopentadienyl-dominated channels. In the benzoquinone-dominated channel, C₆H₄O₂* is produced from phenoxy dehydrogenation and oxidation, and then decomposes into acetylene via the ring-opening reaction (C₆H₄O₂* → C₄H₂O₂* → C₄H₂O₄* → C₂H₂*). Compared with the benzoquinone-dominated channel, the cyclopentadienyl-dominated channel is dominant for phenoxy group oxidation. Phenoxy group decomposes to generate cyclopentadienyl. C₅H₅* is dehydrogenated and oxidized to form cyclopentadienone. Finally, C₅H₄O* is oxidized to form carbon dioxide through a nine-step reaction pathway. The ring-opening reaction (C₅H₄O* → C₃H₂O*) has the highest energy barrier of 283.45 kJ/mol, and is identified as the rate-determining step of benzene catalytic oxidation.

Dissection of the Multichannel Reaction O(3P) + C2H2: Differential Cross-Sections and Product Energy Distributions

The O(³P) + C₂H₂ reaction plays an important role in hydrocarbon combustion. It has two primary competing channels: H + HCCO (ketenyl) and CO + CH₂ (triplet methylene). To further understand the microscopic dynamic mechanism of this reaction, we report here a detailed quasi-classical trajectory study of the O(³P) + C₂H₂ reaction on the recently developed full-dimensional potential energy surface (PES). The entrance barrier TS1 is the rate-limiting barrier in the reaction. The translation of reactants can greatly promote reactivity, due to strong coupling with the reaction coordinate at TS1. The O(³P) + C₂H₂ reaction progress through a complex-forming mechanism, in which the intermediate HCCHO lives at least through the duration of a rotational period. The energy redistribution takes place during the creation of the long-lived high vibrationally (and rotationally) excited HCCHO in the reaction. The product energy partitioning of the two channels and CO vibrational distributions agree with experimental data, and the vibrational state distributions of all modes of products present a Boltzmann-like distribution.

Crossed-Beam and Theoretical Studies of the O(3P, 1D) + Benzene Reactions: Primary Products, Branching Fractions, and Role of Intersystem Crossing

Reliable modeling of hydrocarbon oxidation relies critically on knowledge of the branching fractions (BFs) as a function of temperature (T) and pressure (p) for the products of the reaction of the hydrocarbon with atomic oxygen in its ground state, O(³P). During the past decade, we have performed in-depth investigations of the reactions of O(³P) with a variety of small unsaturated hydrocarbons using the crossed molecular beam (CMB) technique with universal mass spectrometric (MS) detection and time-of-flight (TOF) analysis, combined with synergistic theoretical calculations of the relevant potential energy surfaces (PESs) and statistical computations of product BFs, including intersystem crossing (ISC). This has allowed us to determine the primary products, their BFs, and extent of ISC to ultimately provide theoretical channel-specific rate constants as a function of T and p. In this work, we have extended this approach to the oxidation of one of the most important species involved in the combustion of aromatics: the benzene (C₆H₆) molecule. Despite extensive experimental and theoretical studies on the kinetics and dynamics of the O(³P) + C₆H₆ reaction, the relative importance of the C₆H₅O (phenoxy) + H open-shell products and of the spin-forbidden C₅H₆ (cyclopentadiene) + CO and phenol adduct closed-shell products are still open issues, which have hampered the development of reliable benzene combustion models. With the CMB technique, we have investigated the reaction dynamics of O(³P) + benzene at a collision energy (E_c) of 8.2 kcal/mol, focusing on the occurrence of the phenoxy + H and spin-forbidden C₅H₆ + CO and phenol channels in order to shed further light on the dynamics of this complex and important reaction, including the role of ISC. Concurrently, we have also investigated the reaction dynamics of O(¹D) + benzene at the same E_c. Synergistic high-level electronic structure calculations of the underlying triplet/singlet PESs, including nonadiabatic couplings, have been performed to complement and assist the interpretation of the experimental results. Statistical (RRKM)/master equation (ME) computations of the product distribution and BFs on these PESs, with inclusion of ISC, have been performed and compared to experiment. In light of the reasonable agreement between the CMB experiment, literature kinetic experimental results, and theoretical predictions for the O(³P) + benzene reaction, the so-validated computational methodology has been used to predict (i) the BF between the C₆H₅O + H and C₅H₆ + CO channels as a function of collision energy and temperature (at 0.1 and 1 bar), showing that their increase progressively favors radical (phenoxy + H)-forming over molecule (C₅H₆ + CO and phenol stabilization)-forming channels, and (ii) channel-specific rate constants as a function of T and p, which are expected to be useful for improved combustion models.

Reaction Dynamics Study of the Molecular Hydrogen Loss Channel in the Elementary Reactions of Ground-State Silicon Atoms (Si(3P)) With 1- and 2-Methyl-1,3-Butadiene (C5H8)

The bimolecular gas-phase reactions involving ground-state atomic silicon (Si; ³P) and 1- and 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene were studied via crossed molecular beam experiments. Our data revealed indirect scattering dynamics through long-lived SiC₅H₈ collision complex(es) along with molecular hydrogen loss pathways, leading to facile formation of SiC₅H₆ isomer(s). We propose that the reactions of silicon with 1- and 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene possess reaction dynamics in an analogy to the silicon-1,3-butadiene system. This leads to cyclic methyl-substituted 2-methylene-1-silacyclobutene isomers via nonadiabatic reaction dynamics through intersystem crossing (ISC) from the triplet to the singlet surface in overall exoergic reactions through tight exit transition states and molecular hydrogen loss. Our study also suggests that the methyl group-although a spectator from the chemical viewpoint-can influence the disposal of the angular momentum into the rotational excitation of the final product.

The reaction of O(3P) with alkynes: a dynamic and computational study focusing on formyl radical production

Production of formyl radical, HCO, from reactions of O(³P) with alkynes (acetylene, propyne, 1-butyne, and 1-pentyne) has been investigated using cavity ringdown laser absorption spectroscopy (CRDLAS) and computational methods. No HCO was detected from reaction with acetylene, while the amount of HCO increased for propyne and 1-butyne, dropping off somewhat for 1-pentyne. These results differ from trends previously observed for reactions of O(³P) with alkenes, which exhibit the largest HCO production for the smallest alkene and drop off as the alkene size increases. Computational studies employing density functional and coupled cluster methods have been employed to investigate the triplet and singlet state pathways for HCO production. Because intersystem crossing (ISC) has been shown to be important in these processes, the minimum energy crossing point (MECP) between the triplet and singlet surfaces has been studied. We find the MECP for propyne to possess C₁ symmetry and to lie lower in energy than previous studies have found. Natural Bond Orbital and Natural Resonance Theory analyses have been performed to investigate the changes in spin density and bond order along the reaction pathways for formation of HCO. Explanations are suggested for the trend in HCO formation observed for the alkynes. The trend in alkyne HCO yield also is compared and contrasted with the trend previously observed for the alkenes.

Universal crossed beam imaging studies of polyatomic reaction dynamics

Crossed-beam imaging studies of polyatomic reactions show surprising dynamics not anticipated by extrapolation from smaller model systems.

Dissection of the multichannel reaction of acetylene with atomic oxygen: from the global potential energy surface to rate coefficients and branching dynamics

A global potential energy surface for the O(³P) + C₂H₂reaction is developed and the quasi-classical trajectory study on the potential energy surface reproduce the rate coefficient and product branching ratio.

Crossed beam polyatomic reaction dynamics: recent advances and new insights

This review summarizes the developments in polyatomic reaction dynamics, focusing on reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons with O-atoms and methane with atoms/radicals.

Relevance of the Channel Leading to Formaldehyde + Triplet Ethylidene in the O((3)P) + Propene Reaction under Combustion Conditions

Comprehension of the detailed mechanism of O((3)P) + unsaturated hydrocarbon reactions is complicated by the existence of many possible channels and intersystem crossing (ISC) between triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PESs). We report synergic experimental/theoretical studies of the O((3)P) + propene reaction by combining crossed molecular beams experiments using mass spectrometric detection at 9.3 kcal/mol collision energy (Ec) with high-level ab initio electronic structure calculations of the triplet PES and RRKM/master equation computations of branching ratios (BRs) including ISC. At high Ec's and temperatures higher than 1000 K, main products are found to be formaldehyde (H2CO) and triplet ethylidene ((3)CH3CH) formed in a reaction channel that has never been identified or considered significant in previous kinetics studies at 300 K and that, as such, is not included in combustion kinetics models. Global and channel-specific rate constants were computed and are reported as a function of temperature and pressure. This study shows that BRs of multichannel reactions useful for combustion modeling cannot be extrapolated from room-temperature kinetics studies.