RRKM and master equation kinetic analysis of parallel addition reactions of isomeric radical intermediates in hydrocarbon flames

Mechanism and kinetics of the oxidation of 1,3-butadien-1-yl (n-C4H5): a theoretical study

Ab initio CCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ-f12//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) calculations of the C4H5O2 potential energy surface have been combined with Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus Master Equation (RRKM-ME) calculations of temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants and product branching ratios to unravel the mechanism and kinetics of the n-C4H5 + O2 reaction. The results indicate that the reaction is fast, with the total rate constant being in the range of 3.4-5.6 × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1. The main products include 1-oxo-n-butadienyl + O and acrolein + HCO, with their cumulative yield exceeding 90% at temperatures above 1500 K. Two conformers of 1-oxo-n-butadienyl + O are formed via a simple mechanism of O2 addition to the radical site of n-C4H5 followed by the cleavage of the O-O bond proceeding via a van der Waals C4H5OO complex. Alternatively, the pathways leading to acrolein + HCO involve significant reorganization of the heavy-atom skeleton either via formal migration of one O atom to the opposite end of the molecule or its insertion into the C1-C2 bond. Not counting thermal stabilization of the initial peroxy adducts, which prevails at low temperatures and high pressures, all other products share a minor yield of under 5%. Rate constants for the significant reaction channels have been fitted to modified Arrhenius expressions and are proposed for kinetic modeling of the oxidation of aromatic molecules and 1,3-butadiene. As a secondary reaction, n-C4H5 + O2 can be a source for the formation of acrolein observed experimentally in oxidation of the phenyl radical at low combustion temperatures, whereas another significant (secondary) product of the C6H5 + O2 reaction, furan, could be formed through unimolecular decomposition of 1-oxo-n-butadienyl. Both the n-C4H5 + O2 reaction and unimolecular decomposition of its 1-oxo-n-butadienyl primary product are shown not to be a substantial source of ketene.

Spectroscopic characterization and photochemistry of the vinylsulfinyl radical

The simplest α,β-unsaturated sulfinyl radical CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ has been generated in the gas phase by high-vacuum flash pyrolysis (HVFP) of sulfoxide CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)S(O)CF3 at ca. 800 °C. Two planar cis and trans conformers of CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ were isolated in cryogenic matrixes (N2, Ne, and Ar) and characterized with IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. In addition to the photo-induced cis ⇋ trans conformational interconversion, CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ displays complex photochemistry. Upon irradiation with a purple light LED (400 nm), CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ isomerizes to novel radicals CH3SCO˙, ˙CH2SC(O)H, and ˙CH2C(O)SH with concomitant dissociation to a caged molecular complex CH3S˙CO. Subsequent UV-laser (266 nm) irradiation causes fragmentation to ˙CH3/OCS and additional formation of an elusive carbonyl radical CH3C(O)S˙, which rearranges to ˙CH2C(O)SH upon further UV-light irradiation (365 nm). The vibrational data and bonding analysis of the two conformers of CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ suggest that both are floppy radicals in which the unpaired electron conjugates with the vicinal π(C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) bond, leading to significant contribution of the canonical resonance form of ˙CH2-C(H)SO. The mechanism for the isomerization of CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)SO˙ is discussed based on the observed intermediates along with a computed potential energy profile at the CCSD(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level of theory.