Theoretical study of the CH4+F→CH3+FH reaction. I. Ab initio reaction path

Imaging the Ion-Molecule Reaction Dynamics of O- + CD4

While neutral reactions involved in methane oxidation have been intensively studied, much less information is known about the reaction dynamics of the oxygen radical anion with methane. Here, we study the scattering dynamics of this anion-molecule reaction using crossed-beam velocity map imaging with deuterated methane. Differential scattering cross sections for the deuterium abstraction channel have been determined at relative collision energies between 0.2 and 1.5 eV and ab initio calculations of the important stationary points along the reaction pathway have been performed. At lower collision energies, direct backscattering and indirect complex-mediated reaction dynamics are observed, whereas at higher energies, sideways deuterium stripping dominates the reaction. Above 0.7 eV collision energy, a suppressed cross section is observed at low product ion velocities, which is likely caused by the endoergic pathway of combined deuteron/deuterium transfer, forming heavy water. The measured product internal energy is attributed mainly to the low-lying deformation and out-of-plane bending vibrations of the methyl radical product. The results are compared with a previous crossed-beam result for the reaction of oxygen anions with nondeuterated ̧methane and with the related neutral-neutral reactions, showing similar dynamics and qualitative agreement.

Feshbach resonances in the F + CHD3 → HF + CD3 reaction

The signature of dynamics resonances was observed in the benchmark polyatomic F + CH₄/CHD₃ reactions more than a decade ago; however, the dynamical origin of the resonances is still not clear due to the lack of reliable quantum dynamics studies on accurate potential energy surfaces. Here, we report a six-dimensional state-to-state quantum dynamics study on the F + CHD₃ → HF + CD₃ reaction on a highly accurate potential energy surface. Pronounced oscillatory structures are observed in the total and product rovibrational-state-resolved reaction probabilities. Detailed analysis reveals that these oscillating features originate from the Feshbach resonance states trapped in the peculiar well on the HF(v' = 3)-CD₃ vibrationally adiabatic potential caused by HF chemical bond softening. Most of the resonance structures on the reaction probabilities are washed out in the well converged integral cross sections (ICS), leaving only one distinct peak at low collision energy. The calculated HF vibrational state-resolved ICS for CD₃(v = 0) agrees quantitatively with the experimental results, especially the branching ratio, but the theoretical CD₃ umbrella vibration state distribution is found to be much hotter than the experiment.

A neural network potential energy surface for the F + CH4reaction including multiple channels based on coupled cluster theory

We report here a new global and full dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the F + CH₄reaction.

Variational transition state theory: theoretical framework and recent developments

This article reviews the fundamentals of variational transition state theory (VTST), its recent theoretical development, and some modern applications.

Quasi-classical trajectory study of the F + CD4 reaction dynamics

To analyze the F + CD4 gas-phase abstraction reaction, an exhaustive state-to-state dynamics study was performed. Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations, including corrections to avoid zero-point energy leakage along the trajectories, were used on an analytical potential energy surface (PES-2006) recently developed by our group for collision energies in the range 0.3-6.0 kcal mol-1. While the CD3 coproduct appears vibrationally and rotationally cold, in agreement with experiment, most of the available energy appears as FD(nu') product vibrational energy, peaking at nu' = 3, one unit colder than experiment. The excitation function reproduces experiment, with the maximum contribution from the most populated FD(nu' = 3) level. The state-specific scattering distributions at different collision energies also reproduce the experimental behavior, with a clear propensity toward forward scattering, this tendency increasing with the energy. These dynamics results show the capacity of the PES-2006 surface to correctly describe the title reaction.

New analytical potential energy surface for the F(2P)+CH4 hydrogen abstraction reaction: kinetics and dynamics

A new potential energy surface for the gas-phase F(2P)+CH4 reaction and its deuterated analogues is reported, and its kinetics and dynamics are studied exhaustively. This semiempirical surface is completely symmetric with respect to the permutation of the four methane hydrogen atoms, and it is calibrated to reproduce the topology of the reaction and the experimental thermal rate constants. For the kinetics, the thermal rate constants were calculated using variational transition-state theory with semiclassical transmission coefficients over a wide temperature range, 180-500 K. The theoretical results reproduce the experimental variation with temperature. The influence of the tunneling factor is negligible, due to the flattening of the surface in the entrance valley, and we found a direct dependence on temperature, and therefore positive and small activation energies, in agreement with experiment. Two sets of kinetic isotope effects were calculated, and they show good agreement with the sparse experimental data. The coupling between the reaction coordinate and the vibrational modes shows qualitatively that the FH stretching and the CH3 umbrella bending modes in the products appear vibrationally excited. The dynamics study was performed using quasi-classical trajectory calculations, including corrections to avoid zero-point energy leakage along the trajectories. First, we found that the FH(nu',j') rovibrational distributions agree with experiment. Second, the excitation function presents an oscillatory pattern, reminiscent of a reactive resonance. Third, the state specific scattering distributions present reasonable agreement with experiment, and as the FH(nu') vibrational state increases the scattering angle becomes more forward. These kinetics and dynamics results seem to indicate that a single, adiabatic potential energy surface is adequate to describe this reaction, and the reasonable agreement with experiment (always qualitative and sometimes quantitative) lends confidence to the new surface.

Product pair correlation in bimolecular reactions

The vast majority of chemical reactions involve polyatomic species as reactants and/or products. The added degree of complexity offers opportunities to address dynamical questions other than those already encountered in a typical atom + diatom reaction. Product pair correlation is one of them. This article introduces the basic concept, outlines the experimental approach we developed and then highlights some of the applications to bimolecular reaction dynamics. Particular emphasis is placed on the information contents and unique insights gained from this type of measurements, which otherwise would have been lost by the conventional approach.

Infrared laser spectroscopy of CH3⋯HF in helium nanodroplets: The exit-channel complex of the F+CH4 reaction

High-resolution infrared laser spectroscopy is used to study the CH3...HF and CD3...HF radical complexes, corresponding to the exit-channel complex in the F + CH4 --> HF + CH3 reaction. The complexes are formed in helium nanodroplets by sequential pickup of a methyl radical and a HF molecule. The rotationally resolved spectra presented here correspond to the fundamental v = 1 <-- 0 H-F vibrational band, the analysis of which reveals a complex with C(3v) symmetry. The vibrational band origin for the CH3...HF complex (3797.00 cm(-1)) is significantly redshifted from that of the HF monomer (3959.19 cm(-1)), consistent with the hydrogen-bonded structure predicted by theory [E. Ya. Misochko et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117, 11997 (1995)] and suggested by previous matrix isolation experiments [M. E. Jacox, Chem. Phys. 42, 133 (1979)]. The permanent electric dipole moment of this complex is experimentally determined by Stark spectroscopy to be 2.4+/-0.3 D. The wide amplitude zero-point bending motion of this complex is revealed by the vibrational dependence of the A rotational constant. A sixfold reduction in the line broadening associated with the H-F vibrational mode is observed in going from CH3...HF to CD3...HF. The results suggest that fast relaxation in the former case results from near-resonant intermolecular vibration-vibration (V-V) energy transfer. Ab initio calculations are also reported (at the MP2 level) for the various stationary points on the F + CH4 surface, including geometry optimizations and vibrational frequency calculations for CH3...HF.

State-correlation matrix of the product pair from F + CD4→ DF(ν′) + CD3(0 v20 0)

The title reaction was investigated under crossed-beam conditions at three different collision energies, E(c) = 8.4, 2.76 and 1.46 kcal mol(-1). The combination of using a (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization for tagging state-specific CD(3) products and exploiting a time-sliced velocity imaging for ion detection allows us to reveal the coincident information of the two product pairs in a state-correlated manner. The pair-correlated results are reported for the two product vibrators -- (v(2) = 0, v'), (v(2) = 1, v'), (v(2) = 2, v') and (v(2) = 3, v')-and the dynamics attributes we examined include product state distributions, energy disposals and angular distributions. Together with our earlier communications, a rather complete picture of the correlated dynamics of the title reaction emerges. One of the major findings, the anti-correlated excitations of the two product vibrators at all four energies of this study, can qualitatively be understood by kinematics arguments.

Ab initioand direct quasiclassical-trajectory study of the F+CH4→HF+CH3 reaction

We present an electronic structure and dynamics study of the F+CH4-->HF+CH3 reaction. CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ geometry optimizations, harmonic-frequency, and energy calculations indicate that the potential-energy surface is remarkably isotropic near the transition state. In addition, while the saddle-point F-H-C angle is 180 degrees using MP2 methods, CCSD(T) geometry optimizations predict a bent transition state, with a 153 degrees F-H-C angle. We use these high-quality ab initio data to reparametrize the parameter-model 3 (PM3) semiempirical Hamiltonian so that calculations with the improved Hamiltonian and employing restricted open-shell wave functions agree with the higher accuracy data. Using this specific-reaction-parameter PM3 semiempirical Hamiltonian (SRP-PM3), we investigate the reaction dynamics by propagating quasiclassical trajectories. The results of our calculations using the SRP-PM3 Hamiltonian are compared with experiments and with the estimates of two recently reported potential-energy surfaces. The trajectory calculations using the SRP-PM3 Hamiltonian reproduce quantitatively the measured HF vibrational distributions. The calculations also agree with the experimental HF rotational distributions and capture the essential features of the excitation function. The results of the SRP semiempirical Hamiltonian developed here clearly improve over those using the two prior potential-energy surfaces and suggest that reparametrization of semiempirical Hamiltonians is a promising strategy to develop accurate potential-energy surfaces for reaction dynamics studies of polyatomic systems.

Quasiclassical Trajectory Study of the F + CH4 Reaction Dynamics on a Dual-Level Interpolated Potential Energy Surface

An ab initio interpolated potential energy surface (PES) for the F + CH4 reactive system has been constructed using the interpolation method of Collins and co-workers. The ab initio calculations have been performed using second-order Möller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory to build the initial PES. Scaling all correlation (SAC) methodology has been employed to improve the ab initio calculations and to construct a dual-level PES. Using this PES, a detailed quasiclassical trajectory study of integral and differential cross sections, product rovibrational populations and internal energy distributions has been carried out for the F + CH4 and F + CD4 reactions and the theoretical results have been compared with the available experimental data.

Imaging photon-initiated reactions: A study of the Cl(P3∕22)+CH4→HCl+CH3 reaction

The hydrogen or deuterium atom abstraction reactions between Cl((2)P(3/2)) and methane, or its deuterated analogues CD(4) and CH(2)D(2), have been studied at mean collision energies around 0.34 eV. The experiments were performed in a coexpansion of molecular chlorine and methane in helium, with the atomic Cl reactants generated by polarized laser photodissociation of Cl(2) at 308 nm. The Cl-atom reactants and the methyl radical products were detected using (2+1) resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization, coupled with velocity-map ion imaging. Analysis of the ion images reveals that in single-beam experiments of this type, careful consideration must be given to the spread of reagent velocities and collision energies. Using the reactions of Cl with CH(4), CD(4), and CH(2)D(2), as examples, it is shown that the data can be fitted well if the reagent motion is correctly described, and the angular scattering distributions can be obtained with confidence. New evidence is also provided that the CD(3) radicals from the Cl+CD(4) reaction possess significant rotational alignment under the conditions of the present study. The results are compared with previous experimental and theoretical works, where these are available.

Rotationally selected product pair correlation in F+CD4→DF(ν′)+CD3(ν=0,N)

The title reaction was studied in a crossed-beam experiment by imaging of state-selected products. The rotational state selection of the CD(3) products was achieved using (2+1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. The coincident information on the DF coproducts was revealed in a state-resolved manner from time-sliced velocity map images. Significant dependences of both the correlated differential cross sections and the DF vibrational branching ratios on the "tagged" CD(3) rotation states were found. The dynamical implications of one of the major findings are discussed.

Ab initiopotential energy surface, variational transition state theory, and quasiclassical trajectory studies of the F+CH4→HF+CH3 reaction

In this work we present a study of the F+CH(4)-->HF+CH(3) reaction (DeltaHdegrees(298 K)=-32.0 kcal mol(-1)) using different methods of the chemical reaction theory. The ground potential energy surface (PES) is characterized using several ab initio methods. Full-dimensional rate constants have been calculated employing the variational transition state theory and using directly ab initio data. A triatomic analytical representation of the ground PES was derived from ab initio points calculated at the second- and fourth-order Møller-Plesset levels with the 6-311+G(2df,2pd) basis set, assuming the CH(3) fragment to be a 15 a.m.u. pseudoatom in the fitting process. This is suggested from experiments that indicate that the methyl group is uncoupled to the reaction coordinate. A dynamics study by means of the quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method and employing this analytical surface was also carried out. The experimental data available on the HF internal states distributions are reproduced by the QCT results. Very recent experimental information about the reaction stereodynamics is also borne out by our QCT calculations. Comparisons with the benchmark F+H(2) and analogous Cl+CH(4) reactions are established throughout.

Effect of absolute laser phase on reaction paths in laser-induced chemical reactions

Potential surfaces, dipole moments, and polarizabilities are calculated by ab initio methods [unrestricted MP2(full)/6-311++G(2d,2p)] along the reaction paths of the F+CH4 and Cl+CH4 reaction systems. It is found that in general dipole moments and polarizabilities exhibit peaks near the transition state. In the case of X=F these peaks are on the products side and in the case of X=Cl they are on the reactants side indicating an early transition state in the case of fluorine and a late transition state in the case of chlorine. An analysis of the geometric changes along the reaction paths reveals a one-to-one correspondence between the peaks in the electric properties and peaks in the rate of change of certain internal geometric coordinates along the reaction path. Interaction with short infrared intense laser fields pulses leads to the possibility of interferences between the dipole and polarizability laser-molecule interactions as a function of laser phase. The larger dipole moment in the Cl+CH4 reaction can lead to the creation of deep wells (instead of energy barriers) and new strongly bound states in the transition state region. This suggests possible coherent control of the reaction path as a function of the absolute phase of the incident field, by significant modification of the potential surfaces along the reaction path and, in particular, in the transition state region.

A Theoretical Study of the Mechanism of Selective Fluorination of Saturated Hydrocarbons by Molecular Fluorine. Participation of CHCl3 Solvent Molecules in the Ionic Process

The fluorination reaction of methane and isobutane by molecular F(2) with and without CHCl(3) solvent was studied with the ab initio and ONIOM theoretical calculations. The electrophilic pathway for the RH + F(2) reaction in general is a two-step process, consisting of hydride abstraction leading to an intermediate of the type R(+)(delta)...HF...F(-)(delta), followed by complicated rearrangement to give the electrophilic substitution product, RF + HF. In the case of methane, the overall barrier for this reaction is too high for the reaction to take place under mild conditions even in the presence of CHCl(3) solvent molecules. In the case of isobutane without CHCl(3), the electrophilic pathway has a high rate-determining barrier of 25 kcal/mol, and is not likely to take place; the radical process forming t-Bu* + HF + F* may be preferred. However, the t-Bu(+)(delta)...HF...F(-)(delta) intermediate and, in particular, the transition state TS2 for rearrangement of the intermediate are highly ionic, and are stabilized dramatically when a few CHCl(3) solvent molecules form a solvation cage. The electrophilic reaction for isobutane + F(2) has a low overall barrier when at least three CHCl(3) molecules are present and can take place under mild conditions with full retention of configuration.

State-specific correlation of coincident product pairs in the F + CD4 reaction

When a chemical reaction forms two molecular products, even if the state-resolved differential cross section (DCS) for each product is obtained individually, the coincident attributes of the coproducts are still lacking. We exploit a method that provides coincidence information by measuring the state-resolved, pair-correlated DCS. Exemplified by the reaction F + CD4 --> DF + CD3, a time-sliced ion velocity imaging technique was used to measure the velocity distribution of a state-selected CD3 product and to reveal the information of the coincident DF in a state-correlated manner. The correlation of different product state pairs shows a striking difference, which opens up a new way to unravel the complexity of a polyatomic reaction.