Multiple dynamical pathways in the O([sup 1]D)+CH[sub 4] reaction: A comprehensive crossed beam study

Spiers Memorial Lecture: New directions in molecular scattering

The field of molecular scattering is reviewed as it pertains to gas-gas as well as gas-surface chemical reaction dynamics. We emphasize the importance of collaboration of experiment and theory, from which new directions of research are being pursued on increasingly complex problems. We review both experimental and theoretical advances that provide the modern toolbox available to molecular-scattering studies. We distinguish between two classes of work. The first involves simple systems and uses experiment to validate theory so that from the validated theory, one may learn far more than could ever be measured in the laboratory. The second class involves problems of great complexity that would be difficult or impossible to understand without a partnership of experiment and theory. Key topics covered in this review include crossed-beams reactive scattering and scattering at extremely low energies, where quantum effects dominate. They also include scattering from surfaces, reactive scattering and kinetics at surfaces, and scattering work done at liquid surfaces. The review closes with thoughts on future promising directions of research.

Theoretical study of the O(3P) + SiH4 reaction: global potential energy surface, kinetics and dynamics study

In order to understand the gas-phase hydrogen abstraction reaction between O(³P) and silane we began by developing the first full-dimensional analytical potential energy surface, named PES-2022. It is basically a valence bond function augmented with molecular mechanic terms describing in an intuitive way stretching and bending nuclei motions, and it is fitted to high level ab initio calculations. The surface presents continuous and smooth behaviour, with analytical first energy derivatives, on which the hydrogen atoms in silane are permutationally symmetric. Based on PES-2022, a kinetics study was performed using the variational transition-state theory with multidimensional tunnelling corrections in the temperature range of 300-1000 K. We observed that experimental and theoretical results show widely spread results, both in absolute value and temperature dependence, possibly because they include the reactivity from both O(³P) and O(¹D) electronic states, which present different mechanisms and multiple channels. When the comparison is performed on the same footing, O(³P) + SiH₄ → HO + SiH₃, the present results agree with Ding and Marshall's experiments and with Zhang et al.'s theoretical rate constants. The kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) reproduced the only experimental value, improving previous theoretical results. Finally, a dynamics study was performed on PES-2022 using quasi-classical trajectory calculations under two different initial conditions, at fixed room temperature and at a fixed collision energy of 8.0 kcal mol^-1. In the first case, the available energy deposited as HO(v) vibration was 47%, with population inversion, P(v = 0)/P(v = 1) = 11/89%, reproducing the experimental evidence. In the second case, the experimental product translational distribution was reasonably simulated, while the angular product distribution presented opposite behaviour, backward versus forward. On analysing this discrepancy, we found that while in the present work the O(³P) + SiH₄ reaction was reported, in the experiment both O(³P) and O(¹D) electronic states are reported. So, the comparison was not performed on the same footing. In sum, agreement of the present results with experiments permits us to be reasonably optimistic about the quality and accuracy of the new PES, and at the same time to highlight the fact that theory/experiment comparisons must be performed on the same footing.

Three body photodissociation of the water molecule and its implications for prebiotic oxygen production

The provenance of oxygen on the Earth and other planets in the Solar System is a fundamental issue. It has been widely accepted that the only prebiotic pathway to produce oxygen in the Earth’s primitive atmosphere was via vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photodissociation of CO₂ and subsequent two O atom recombination. Here, we provide experimental evidence of three-body dissociation (TBD) of H₂O to produce O atoms in both ¹D and ³P states upon VUV excitation using a tunable VUV free electron laser. Experimental results show that the TBD is the dominant pathway in the VUV H₂O photochemistry at wavelengths between 90 and 107.4 nm. The relative abundance of water in the interstellar space with its exposure to the intense VUV radiation suggests that the TBD of H₂O and subsequent O atom recombination should be an important prebiotic O₂-production, which may need to be incorporated into interstellar photochemical models.

Three-body dissociation of water, producing one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, has been difficult to investigate due to the lack of intense vacuum ultraviolet sources. Here, using a tunable free-electron laser, the authors obtain quantum yields for this channel showing that it is a possible route to prebiotic oxygen formation in interstellar environments.

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.

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.

Theoretical and experimental investigations of rate coefficients of O(1D) + CH4 at low temperature

The O(¹D) + CH₄ rates from RPMD and VUV-LIF are close to each other in the temperature range of the atmosphere.

A global full-dimensional potential energy surface and quasiclassical trajectory study of the O(1D) + CH4 multichannel reaction

The QCT calculations based on an accurate global full-dimensional PES are capable of reproducing the experimental dynamic features for O(¹D) + CH₄.

Trapped Abstraction in the O((1)D) + CHD3 → OH + CD3 Reaction

Despite significant progress made in past decades, it is still challenging to elucidate dynamics mechanisms for polyatomic reactions, in particular, involving complex formation. The reaction of O((1)D) with methane has long been regarded as a prototypical polyatomic system of direct insertion reaction in which the O((1)D) atom can insert into the C-H bond of methane to form a "hot" methanol intermediate before decomposition. Here, we report a combined theoretical and experimental study on the O((1)D) + CHD3 reaction, on which good agreement between theory and experiment is achieved. Our study revealed that this complex-forming reaction actually proceeds via a trapped abstraction mechanism, rather than an insertion mechanism as has long been thought. We anticipate that this reaction mechanism should also be responsible for the reaction of O((1)D) with ethane and propane, as well as many other chemical reactions with deep wells in the interaction region.

Visualization of chemical reaction dynamics: toward understanding complex polyatomic reactions

Polyatomic molecules have several electronic states that have similar energies. Consequently, their chemical dynamics often involve nonadiabatic transitions between multiple potential energy surfaces. Elucidating the complex reactions of polyatomic molecules is one of the most important tasks of theoretical and experimental studies of chemical dynamics. This paper describes our recent experimental studies of the multidimensional multisurface dynamics of polyatomic molecules based on two-dimensional ion/electron imaging. It also discusses ultrafast photoelectron spectroscopy of liquids for elucidating nonadiabatic electronic dynamics in aqueous solutions. (Communicated by Hiroo INOKUCHI, M.J.A.)

Imaging the O((1)D) + CD4 → OD + CD3 Reaction Dynamics: The Threshold of Abstraction Pathway

The O((1)D) + CD4 → OD + CD3 reaction was investigated using the crossed molecular beam technique with sliced velocity map imaging at four different collision energies: 1.6, 2.8, 4.6, and 6.8 kcal/mol. The vibrational ground state product CD3 was detected using a (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). Remarkably different features were found in the forward and backward scatterings, and gradually changed with the collision energy. These features were attributed to two distinctive reaction mechanisms-insertion and abstraction-that occur on the ground and excited state surfaces, respectively. Contributions from the two mechanisms were extracted from the experiment results, and a positive correlation was found between the abstraction proportion and the collision energy. The threshold for the abstraction pathway was determined and compared with results from calculations.

A crossed molecular beam study on the dynamics of F atom reaction with SiH4

In this report, the dynamics of the F+SiH4 reaction has been studied using the universal crossed molecular beam method. Angular resolved time-of-flight spectra have been measured for all reaction products in a single set of experiments. Two different reaction channels have been observed: HF+SiH3 and SiH3F+H. Product angular distributions as well as energy distributions were determined for these two product channels. Experimental results show that the HF product is forward scattered relative to the F atom beam direction, while the SiH3F product is backward scattered relative the F atom beam direction, suggesting that two reaction channels proceed with distinctive reaction dynamics. The relative branching ratios of the two channels have also been estimated.

A Crossed Molecular Beam Imaging Study of the O(1D2)+HCl→OH+Cl(2PJ=3/2, 1/2) Reaction

A crossed molecular beam study is presented for the O((1)D(2))+HCl-->OH+Cl((2)P(J)) reaction at the collision energy of 6 kcal mol(-1). State-resolved doubly differential cross sections are obtained for the Cl((2)P(J=3/2) ) and Cl*((2)P(J=1/2) ) products by velocity-map ion imaging. Both products are slightly more forward scattered, which suggests a reaction mechanism without a long-lived intermediate in the ground electronic state. A small fraction (23 %) of the energy release into the translational degree of freedom indicates strong internal excitation of the counterpart OH radical. The contribution of the electronic excited states of O--HCl to the overall reaction is also examined from the doubly differential cross sections.

Reactive scattering dynamics in atom+polyatomic systems: F+C2H6-->HF(v,J)+C2H5

State-to-state scattering dynamics of F+C2H6-->HF(v,J)+C2H5 have been investigated at Ecom=3.2(6) kcalmol under single-collision conditions, via detection of nascent rovibrationally resolved HF(v,J) product states with high-resolution infrared laser absorption methods. State-resolved Doppler absorption profiles are recorded for multiple HF(v,J) transitions originating in the v=0,1,2,3 manifold, analyzed to yield absolute column-integrated densities via known HF transition moments, and converted into nascent probabilities via density-to-flux analysis. The spectral resolution of the probe laser also permits Doppler study of translational energy release into quantum-state-resolved HF fragments, which reveals a remarkable linear correlation between (i) HF(v,J) translational recoil and (ii) the remaining energy available, Eavail=Etot-E(HF(v,J)). The dynamics are interpreted in the context of a simple impulsive model based on conservation of linearangular momentum that yields predictions in good agreement with experiment. Deviations from the model indicate only minor excitation of ethyl vibrations, in contrast with a picture of extensive intramolecular vibrational energy flow but consistent with Franck-Condon excitation of the methylene CH2 bending mode. The results suggest a relatively simple dynamical picture for exothermic atom+polyatomic scattering, i.e., that of early barrier dynamics in atom+diatom systems but modified by impulsive recoil coupling at the transition state between translationalrotational degrees of freedom.

Theoretical modeling of the hydroxylation of methane as mediated by the particulate methane monooxygenase

We present here the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations directed toward elucidation of the CH bond activation mechanism that might be adopted by the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) in the hydroxylation of methane and related small alkanes. In these calculations, we considered three of the most probable models for the transition metal active site mediating the "oxo-transfer": (i) the trinuclear copper cluster bis(mu(3)-oxo)trinuclear copper(II, II, III) complex 1, recently proposed by Chan et al. [S.I. Chan, K.H.-C. Chen, S.S.-F. Yu, C.-L. Chen, S.S.-J. Kuo, Biochemistry 43 (2004) 4421-4430.]; (ii) the most frequently used model complex, bis(mu-oxo)Cu(III)(2) complex 2; and (iii) the mixed-valence bis(mu-oxo)Cu(II)Cu(III) complex 3. The results obtained indicate that the methane hydroxylation chemistry mediated by the trinuclear copper cluster bis(mu(3)-oxo)trinuclear copper(II, II, III) complex 1 offers the most facile pathway for methane hydroxylation, and this model yields KIE values that are in good agreement with experiment. In this mechanism, the reaction proceeds along a "singlet" potential surface and a "singlet oxene" is directly inserted across a CH bond in a concerted manner. Kinetic isotope effects (k(H)/k(D) or KIE) associated with the concerted oxene insertion process mediated by complex 1 are calculated to be 5.2 at 300K when tunneling effects are included. Overall rate constants for the methane hydroxylation by the three models have been calculated as a function of temperature, and the rates are at least 5-6 orders of magnitude more facile when the chemistry is mediated by complex 1 compared to complex 2 or complex 3.

Multiple channel dynamics in the O(1D) reaction with alkanes

In this article, we briefly review the recent experimental studies of the multiple channel dynamics of the O((1)D) reaction with alkane molecules using the significantly improved universal crossed molecular beam technique. In these reactions, the dominant reaction mechanism is found to be an O atom insertion into the C-H bond, while a direct abstraction mechanism is also present in the OH formation channel. While the reaction mechanism is similar for all of these reactions, the product channels are quite different because of the significantly different energetics of these reaction channels. In the O((1)D) reaction with methane, OH formation is the dominant process while H atom formation is also a significant process. In the O((1)D) reaction with ethane, however, the CH(3) + CH(2)OH is the most important process, OH formation is still significant and H atom formation is of minor importance. A new type of O atom insertion mechanism (insertion into a C-C bond) is also inferred from the O((1)D) reaction with cyclopropane. Through these comprehensive studies, complete dynamical pictures of many multiple channel chemical reactions could be obtained. Such detailed studies could provide a unique bridge between dynamics and kinetics research.

Molecular beam studies of the F atom reaction with propyne: Site specific reactivity

The dynamics of the F atom reaction with propyne (CH(3)CCH) has been investigated using a universal crossed molecular beam apparatus. Two reaction channels have been clearly observed: H+C(3)H(3)F and HF+C(3)H(3). The substitution of F for H occurs mainly via a complex formation mechanism, producing reaction products with some contribution from a direct reaction mechanism. The HF product, however, appears to be dominantly forward scattered relative to the F atom beam direction, suggesting that the HF formation occurs via a direct abstraction mechanism. Branching ratios for the two observed reaction channels are also determined. The H formation channel is found to be the major reaction pathway, while the HF formation channel is also significant. From the measurements of DF versus HF products from the F atom reaction with deuterated propyne, the H atom picked up by the F atom in the reaction with normal propyne seems to come mostly from the CH(3) group. In addition, the H atom produced in the H atom formation channel appears to be mostly from the CH(3) group with some contribution from the CCH group.

Competitive C–H and O–D bond fission channels in the UV photodissociation of the deuterated hydroxymethyl radical CH2OD

Photodissociation studies of the CH2OD radical in the region 28,000-41,000 cm(-1) (357-244 nm), which includes excitation to the 3s, 3p(x), and 3p(z) states, are reported. H and D photofragments are monitored by using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) from the onset of H formation at approximately 30,500 cm(-1) to the origin band region of the 3pz(2A")<--1 2A" transition at 41,050 cm(-1). Kinetic energy distributions P(ET) and recoil anisotropy parameters as a function of kinetic energy, beta(eff)(ET), are determined by the core sampling technique for the channels producing H and D fragments. Two dissociation channels are identified: (I) D+CH2O and (II) H+CHOD. The contribution of channel II increases monotonically as the excitation energy is increased. Based on the calculations of Hoffmann and Yarkony [J. Chem. Phys. 116, 8300 (2002)], it is concluded that conical intersections between 3s and the ground state determine the final branching ratio even when initial excitation accesses the 3px) and 3pz states. The different beta(eff) values obtained for channels I and II (-0.7 and approximately 0.0, respectively) are attributed to the different extents of out-of-plane nuclear motions in the specific couplings between 3s and the ground state (of A' and A'' symmetry, respectively) that lead to each channel. The upper limit to the dissociation energy of the C-H bond, determined from P(ET), is D0(C-H)=3.4+/-0.1 eV (79+/-2 kcal/mol). Combining this value with the known heats of formation of H and CH2OD, the heat of formation of CHOD is estimated at DeltaHf(0)(CHOD)=24+/-2 kcal/mol.

State-to-state dynamics of the Cl+CH3OH→HCl+CH2OH reaction

Molecular chlorine, methanol, and helium are co-expanded into a vacuum chamber using a custom designed "late-mixing" nozzle. The title reaction is initiated by photolysis of Cl2 at 355 nm, which generates monoenergetic Cl atoms that react with CH3OH at a collision energy of 1960 +/- 170 cm(-1) (0.24 +/- 0.02 eV). Rovibrational state distributions of the nascent HCl products are obtained via 2 + 1 resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization, center-of-mass scattering distributions are measured by the core-extraction technique, and the average internal energy of the CH3OH co-products is deduced by measuring the spatial anisotropy of the HCl products. The majority (84 +/- 7%) of the HCl reaction products are formed in HCl(v = 0) with an average rotational energy of [Erot] = 390 +/- 70 cm(-1). The remaining 16 +/- 7% are formed in HCl(v = 1) and have an average rotational energy of [Erot] = 190 +/- 30 cm(-1). The HCl(v = 1) products are primarily forward scattered, and they are formed in coincidence with CH2OH products that have little internal energy. In contrast, the HCl(v = 0) products are formed in coincidence with CH2OH products that have significant internal energy. These results indicate that two or more different mechanisms are responsible for the dynamics in the Cl + CH3OH reaction. We suggest that (1) the HCl(v = 1) products are formed primarily from collisions at high impact parameter via a stripping mechanism in which the CH2OH co-products act as spectators, and (2) the HCl(v = 0) products are formed from collisions over a wide range of impact parameters, resulting in both a stripping mechanism and a rebound mechanism in which the CH2OH co-products are active participants. In all cases, the reaction of fast Cl atoms with CH3OH is with the hydrogen atoms on the methyl group, not the hydrogen on the hydroxyl group.