The dynamics of chlorine-atom reactions with polyatomic organic molecules

Benchmark ab initio characterization of the multi-channel Cl + CH3X [X = F, Cl, Br, I] reactive potential energy surfaces

We determine benchmark geometries and relative energies for the stationary points of the Cl + CH3X [X = F, Cl, Br, I] reactions. We consider four possible reaction pathways: hydrogen abstraction, hydrogen substitution, halogen abstraction, and halogen substitution, where the substitution processes can proceed via either Walden inversion or front-side attack. We perform geometry optimizations and obtain harmonic vibrational frequencies at the explicitly-correlated UCCSD(T)-F12b/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, followed by UCCSD(T)-F12b/aug-cc-pVQZ single-point computations to make finite-basis-set error negligible. To reach chemical (<1 kcal mol-1), or even subchemical (<0.5 kcal mol-1) accuracy, we include core-correlation, scalar relativistic, post-(T), spin-orbit-splitting and zero-point-energy contributions, as well, in the relative energies of all the stationary points. Our benchmark 0 K reaction enthalpies are compared to available experimental results and show good agreement. The stationary-point structures and energetics are interpreted in terms of Hammond's postulate and used to make predictions related to the dynamical behavior of these reactive systems.

ManyHF-based full-dimensional potential energy surface development and quasi-classical dynamics for the Cl + CH3NH2 reaction

A full-dimensional spin-orbit (SO)-corrected potential energy surface (PES) is developed for the Cl + CH3NH2 multi-channel system. Using the new PES, a comprehensive reaction dynamics investigation is performed for the most reactive hydrogen-abstraction reactions forming HCl + CH2NH2/CH3NH. Hartree-Fock (HF) convergence problems in the reactant region are handled by the ManyHF method, which finds the lowest-energy HF solution considering several different initial guess orbitals. The PES development is carried out with the Robosurfer program package, which iteratively improves the surface. Energy points are computed at the ManyHF-UCCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12 level of theory combined with basis set (ManyHF-RMP2-F12/cc-pVTZ-F12 - ManyHF-RMP2-F12/cc-pVDZ-F12) and SO (MRCI+Q/aug-cc-pwCVDZ) corrections. Quasi-classical trajectory simulations show that the CH3-side hydrogen abstraction occurs more frequently in contrast to the NH2-side reaction. In both cases, the integral cross sections decrease with increasing collision energy (Ecoll). A reaction mechanism shifting from indirect to direct stripping can be observed from the opacity functions, scattering angle, and translation energy distributions as Ecoll increases. Initial attack angle distributions reveal that chlorine prefers to abstract hydrogen from the approached functional group. The collision-energy dependence of the product energy distributions shows that the initial translational energy mainly transfers to product recoil. The HCl vibrational and rotational energy values are comparable and nearly independent of collision energy, while the CH2NH2 and CH3NH co-products' vibrational energy values are higher than the rotational energy values with more significant Ecoll dependence. The HCl(v = 0) rotational distributions are compared with experiment, setting the direction for future investigations.

Vibrational mode-specific dynamics of the F- + CH3CH2Cl multi-channel reaction

We investigate the mode-specific dynamics of the ground-state, C-Cl stretching (v₁₀), CH₂ wagging (v₇), sym-CH₂ stretching (v₁), and sym-CH₃ stretching (v₃) excited F^- + CH₃CH₂Cl(v_k = 0, 1) [k = 10, 7, 1, 3] → Cl^- + CH₃CH₂F (S_N2), HF + CH₃CHCl^-, FH⋯Cl^- + C₂H₄, and Cl^- + HF + C₂H₄ (E2) reactions using a full-dimensional high-level analytical global potential energy surface and the quasi-classical trajectory method. Excitation of the C-Cl stretching, CH₂ stretching, and CH₂/CH₃ stretching modes enhances the S_N2, proton abstraction, and FH⋯Cl^- and E2 channels, respectively. Anti-E2 dominates over syn-E2 (kinetic anti-E2 preference) and the thermodynamically-favored S_N2 (wider reactive anti-E2 attack angle range). The direct (a) S_N2, (b) proton abstraction, (c) FH⋯Cl^- + C₂H₄, (d) syn-E2, and (e) anti-E2 channels proceed with (a) back-side/backward, (b) isotropic/forward, (c) side-on/forward, (d) front-side/forward, and (e) back-side/forward attack/scattering, respectively. The HF products are vibrationally cold, especially for proton abstraction, and their rotational excitation increases for proton abstraction, anti-E2, and syn-E2, in order. Product internal-energy and mode-specific vibrational distributions show that CH₃CH₂F is internally hot with significant C-F stretching and CH₂ wagging excitations, whereas C₂H₄ is colder. One-dimensional Gaussian binning technique is proved to solve the normal mode analysis failure caused by methyl internal rotation.

Benchmark ab initio stationary-point characterization of the complex potential energy surface of the multi-channel Cl + CH3NH2 reaction

We characterize the exothermic low/submerged-barrier hydrogen-abstraction (HCl + CH2NH2/CH3NH) as well as, for the first time, the endothermic high-barrier amino-substitution (CH3Cl + NH2), methyl-substitution (NH2Cl + CH3), and hydrogen-substitution (CH2ClNH2/CH3NHCl + H) pathways of the Cl + CH3NH2 reaction using an accurate composite ab initio approach. The computations reveal a CH3NH2Cl complex in the entrance channel, nine transition states corresponding to different abstractions, Walden-inversion substitution, and configuration-retaining front-side attack substitution pathways, as well as nine post-reaction complexes. The global minima of the electronic and vibrationally adiabatic potential energy surfaces correspond to the pre-reaction CH3NH2Cl and post-reaction CH2NH2HCl complexes, respectively. The benchmark composite energies of the stationary points are obtained by considering basis-set effects up to the correlation-consistent polarized valence quadruple-zeta basis augmented with diffuse functions (aug-cc-pVQZ) using the explicitly-correlated coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples CCSD(T)-F12b method, post-(T) correlation up to CCSDT(Q) including full triples and perturbative quadruples, core correlation, and scalar relativistic and spin-orbit effects, as well as harmonic zero-point energy corrections.

Theory Finally Agrees with Experiment for the Dynamics of the Cl + C2H6 Reaction

Since the pioneering reaction dynamics studies of H + H2 in the 1970s, theory increased the system size by one atom in every decade arriving to six-atom reactions in the early 2010s. Here, we take a significant step forward by reporting accurate dynamics simulations for the nine-atom Cl + ethane (C2H6) reaction using a new high-quality spin-orbit-ground-state ab initio potential energy surface. Quasi-classical trajectory simulations on this surface cool the rotational distribution of the HCl product molecules, thereby providing unprecedented agreement with experiment after several previous failed attempts of theory. Unlike Cl + CH4, the Cl + C2H6 reaction is exothermic with an adiabatically submerged transition state, allowing testing of the validity of the Polanyi rules for a negative-barrier reaction.

Benchmark ab initio characterization of the abstraction and substitution pathways of the OH + CH4/C2H6 reactions

We report benchmark ab initio stationary-point properties for the hydrogen-abstraction, hydrogen-substitution, and methyl-substitution pathways of the OH + CH₄/C₂H₆ reactions.

An accurate potential energy surface and ring polymer molecular dynamics study of the Cl + CH4→ HCl + CH3reaction

Thermal rate coefficients for the Cl + CH₄/CD₄reactions were studied on a new full-dimensional accurate potential energy surface with the spin–orbit corrections considered in the entrance channel.

Stereodynamical control of product branching in multi-channel barrierless hydrogen abstraction of CH3OH by F

Comprehensive dynamical simulations of a prototypical multi-channel reaction on a globally accurate potential energy surface show that the non-statistical product branching is dictated by unique stereodynamics in the entrance channels.

Hydrogen abstraction from methanol (CH₃OH) by F atoms presents an ideal proving ground to investigate dynamics of multi-channel reactions, because two types of hydrogen can be abstracted from the methanol molecule leading to the HF + CH₃O and HF + CH₂OH products. Using the quasi-classical trajectory approach on a globally accurate potential energy surface based on high-level ab initio calculations, this work reports a comprehensive dynamical investigation of this multi-channel reaction, yielding measurable attributes including integral and differential cross sections, as well as branching ratios. It is shown that while complex-forming and direct mechanisms coexist at low collision energies, these barrierless reaction channels are dominated at high energies by the direct mechanism, in which the reaction is only possible for trajectories entering into the respective dynamical cones of acceptance. Perhaps more importantly, the non-statistical product branching is found to be dictated by unique stereodynamics in the entrance channels.

Imaging H abstraction dynamics in crossed molecular beams: O(3P) + propanol isomers

Direct rebound dynamics are revealed for bimolecular reaction of the ground state O(³P) atom with propanol isomers, involving the post transition state long-range dipole–dipole interaction between the dipolar OH and hydroxypropyl radicals.

Detailed benchmark ab initio mapping of the potential energy surfaces of the X + C2H6 [X = F, Cl, Br, I] reactions

We provide benchmark relative energies for the stationary points of three different channels of the halogen atom + ethane reactions.

Taking the plunge: chemical reaction dynamics in liquids

The dynamics of chemical reactions in liquid solutions are now amenable to direct study using ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques and advances in computer simulation methods. The surrounding solvent affects the chemical reaction dynamics in numerous ways, which include: (i) formation of complexes between reactants and solvent molecules; (ii) modifications to transition state energies and structures relative to the reactants and products; (iii) coupling between the motions of the reacting molecules and the solvent modes, and exchange of energy; (iv) solvent caging of reactants and products; and (v) structural changes to the solvation shells in response to the changing chemical identity of the solutes, on timescales which may be slower than the reactive events. This article reviews progress in the study of bimolecular chemical reaction dynamics in solution, concentrating on reactions which occur on ground electronic states. It illustrates this progress with reference to recent experimental and computational studies, and considers how the various ways in which a solvent affects the chemical reaction dynamics can be unravelled. Implications are considered for research in fields such as mechanistic synthetic chemistry.

Primary vs. secondary H-atom abstraction in the Cl-atom reaction with n-pentane

Velocity map imaging (VMI) measurements and quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations on a newly developed, global potential energy surface (PES) combine to reveal the detailed mechanisms of reaction of Cl atoms with n-pentane. Images of the HCl (v = 0, J = 1, 2 and 3) products of reaction at a mean collision energy of 33.5 kJ mol^-1 determine the centre-of-mass frame angular scattering and kinetic energy release distributions. The HCl products form with relative populations of J = 0-5 levels that fit to a rotational temperature of 138 ± 13 K. Product kinetic energy release distributions agree well with those derived from a previous VMI study of the pentyl radical co-product [Estillore et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2010, 132, 164313], but the angular distributions show more pronounced forward scattering. The QCT calculations reproduce many of the experimental observations, and allow comparison of the site-specific dynamics of abstraction of primary and secondary H-atoms. They also quantify the relative reactivity towards Cl atoms of the three different H-atom environments in n-pentane.

Full-dimensional analytical potential energy surface describing the gas-phase Cl + C2H6 reaction and kinetics study of rate constants and kinetic isotope effects

Within the Born–Oppenheimer approximation a full-dimensional analytical potential energy surface, PES-2017, was developed for the gas-phase hydrogen abstraction reaction between the chlorine atom and ethane, which is a nine body system.

Angular Scattering Dynamics of the CH4 + Cl → CH3 + HCl Reaction Using Nearside-Farside, Local Angular Momentum, and Resummation Theories

The differential cross section (DCS) for the CH4 + Cl → CH3 + HCl reaction is studied at six total energies where all of the species are in their ground states. The scattering (S) matrix elements have been calculated by the rotating line umbrella method for a dual-level ab initio analytic potential energy surface. We make the first application to this reaction of nearside-farside (NF) and local angular momentum (LAM) techniques, including resummation orders (r) of 0, 1, 2, and 3 for the partial-wave series representation of the full scattering amplitude. We find that resummation usually cleans the NF r = 0 DCSs of unphysical oscillations, especially at small angles. This cleaning effect is typically most pronounced when changing from no resummation (r = 0) to r = 1; further resummations from r = 1 to r = 2 and from r = 2 to r = 3 have smaller effects. The NF DCS analyses show that the reaction is N-dominated at sideward and large angles, whereas at small angles there are oscillations caused by NF interference. The NF LAM analysis provides consistent and complementary information, in particular for the total angular momenta that contribute to the reaction at different scattering angles. The NF analyses also provide justification for simpler N-dominant dynamical theories such as the semiclassical optical model, which provides an explanation for the distorted mirror image effect for the moduli of the S matrix elements and the DCSs, as well as the use of a hard-sphere DCS over limited angular ranges.

Computational Study of Competition between Direct Abstraction and Addition-Elimination in the Reaction of Cl Atoms with Propene

Quasi-classical trajectory calculations on a newly constructed and full-dimensionality potential energy surface (PES) examine the dynamics of the reaction of Cl atoms with propene. The PES is an empirical valence bond (EVB) fit to high-level ab initio energies and incorporates deep potential energy wells for the 1-chloropropyl and 2-chloropropyl radicals, a direct H atom abstraction route to HCl + allyl radical (CH2CHCH2(•)) products (Δ(r)H(298K)(⊖) = −63.1 kJ mol(-1)), and a pathway connecting these regions. In total, 94 000 successful reactive trajectories were used to compute distributions of angular scattering and HCl vibrational and rotational level populations. These measures of the reaction dynamics agree satisfactorily with available experimental data. The dominant reaction pathway is direct abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the methyl group of propene occurring in under 500 fs. Less than 10% of trajectories follow an addition–elimination route via the two isomeric chloropropyl radicals. Large amplitude motions of the Cl about the propene molecular framework couple the addition intermediates to the direct abstraction pathway. The EVB method provides a good description of the complicated PES for the Cl + propene reaction despite fitting to a limited number of ab initio points, with the further advantage that dynamics specific to certain mechanisms can be studied in isolation by switching off coupling terms in the EVB matrix connecting different regions of the PES.

Perspective: Bimolecular chemical reaction dynamics in liquids

Bimolecular reactions in the gas phase exhibit rich and varied dynamical behaviour, but whether a profound knowledge of the mechanisms of isolated reactive collisions can usefully inform our understanding of reactions in liquid solutions remains an open question. The fluctuating environment in a liquid may significantly alter the motions of the reacting particles and the flow of energy into the reaction products after a transition state has been crossed. Recent experimental and computational studies of exothermic reactions of CN radicals with organic molecules indicate that many features of the gas-phase dynamics are retained in solution. However, observed differences may also provide information on the ways in which a solvent modifies fundamental chemical mechanisms. This perspective examines progress in the use of time-resolved infra-red spectroscopy to study reaction dynamics in liquids, discusses how existing theories can guide the interpretation of experimental data, and suggests future challenges for this field of research.

Dynamics of chlorine atom reactions with hydrocarbons: insights from imaging the radical product in crossed beams

We present a comprehensive overview of our ongoing studies applying dc slice imaging in crossed molecular beams to probe the dynamics of chlorine atom reactions with polyatomic hydrocarbons. Our approach consists in measuring the full velocity-flux contour maps of the radical products using vacuum ultraviolet "soft" photoionization at 157 nm. Our overall goal is to extend the range of chemical dynamics investigations from simple triatomic or tetraatomic molecules to systematic investigations of a sequence of isomers or a homologous series of reactants of intermediate size. These experimental investigations are augmented by high-level ab initio calculations which, taken together, reveal trends in product energy and angular momentum partitioning and offer deep insight into the reaction mechanisms as a function of structure, bonding patterns, and kinematics. We explore these issues in alkanes, for which only direct reactive encounters are found, and in unsaturated hydrocarbons, for which an addition-elimination mechanism competes with direct abstraction. The results for alkene addition-elimination in particular suggest a new view of these reactions: The only pathway to HCl elimination is accessed by means of roaming excursions of the Cl atom from the strongly bound adduct.

Quantum rate coefficients and kinetic isotope effect for the reaction Cl + CH4 → HCl + CH3 from ring polymer molecular dynamics

Thermal rate coefficients and kinetic isotope effect have been calculated for prototypical heavy-light-heavy polyatomic bimolecular reactions Cl + CH4/CD4 → HCl/DCl + CH3/CD3, using a recently proposed quantum dynamics approach: ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD). Agreement with experimental rate coefficients, which are quite scattered, is satisfactory. However, differences up to 50% have been found between the RPMD results and those obtained from the harmonic variational transition-state theory on one of the two full-dimensional potential energy surfaces used in the calculations. Possible reasons for such discrepancy are discussed. The present work is an important step in a series of benchmark studies aimed at assessing accuracy for RPMD for chemical reaction rates, which demonstrates that this novel method is a quite reliable alternative to previously developed techniques based on transition-state theory.

Theoretical Study of the Validity of the Polanyi Rules for the Late-Barrier Cl + CHD3 Reaction

The Polanyi rules, which state that vibrational energy is more efficient in promoting a late-barrier reaction than translational energy, were questioned recently by an experimental unexpected finding that the CH stretch excitation is no more effective in promoting the late-barrier Cl + CHD3 reaction than the translational energy. However, the present quantum dynamics study on the best-available potential energy surface for the title reaction reveals that the CH stretch excitation does promote the reaction significantly, except at low collision energies. Further studies should be carried out to solve the disagreements between theory and experiment on the reaction.

Dynamics of the O(3P) + CHD3(vCH = 0,1) reactions on an accurate ab initio potential energy surface

Recent experimental and theoretical studies on the dynamics of the reactions of methane with F and Cl atoms have modified our understanding of mode-selective chemical reactivity. The O + methane reaction is also an important candidate to extend our knowledge on the rules of reactivity. Here, we report a unique full-dimensional ab initio potential energy surface for the O((3)P) + methane reaction, which opens the door for accurate dynamics calculations using this surface. Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the angular and vibrational distributions for the ground state and CH stretching excited O + CHD(3)(v(1) = 0,1) → OH + CD(3) reactions are in excellent agreement with the experiment. Our theory confirms what was proposed experimentally: The mechanistic origin of the vibrational enhancement is that the CH-stretching excitation enlarges the reactive cone of acceptance.

Vector correlations in the F + HO → HF + O reaction and its isotopic variant

The F + H(D)O → HF(DF) + O reactions have been studied using quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculation method, based on the three different potential energy surfaces (PESs) of Gomez-Carrasco et al. (J Chem Phys 2004, 121:4605; J Chem Phys 2005, 123:114310; Chem Phys Lett 2007, 435:188). Facilitated with the analysis of the QCT results, the pictures for product scattering and product polarizations have been presented to investigate the vector correlations in the two reactions, with effects of isotope substitution and electronic state as well as collision energy being revealed at a chemical stereodynamical level.

Dynamics of reactions between two closed-shell molecules

The crossed molecular beam technique has been utilized to investigate a large number of elementary reactions. However, most of the studied reactions involve atoms or radicals; reactions between two stable molecular reactants are, in fact, seldom studied with the crossed molecular beam method. In this perspective, reactions between two stable molecules are reviewed and discussed. With crossed molecular beams and vacuum UV photoionization, the nascent products have been unambiguously identified. Consistent pictures of the reaction paths have been constructed based on the experimental data and ab initio calculations. Furthermore, there are intriguing features about the reaction barriers. The F(2) + organosulfur reactions are barrierless, demonstrating the first examples of such interactions between two closed-shell reactants. The barrier of F(2) + alkene reaction decreases with more methyl substitution groups at the C=C double bond, yet the absolute barrier heights from experiment and theory disagree with each other by ~2 kcal mol(-1), leaving an issue to be resolved in the future.

Chemical Reaction Dynamics in Liquid Solutions

The dynamics of bimolecular chemical reactions can be examined in liquid solutions using infrared absorption spectroscopy with picosecond time resolution. On such short time scales, the transient absorption spectra reveal vibrational mode and quantum-state-specific energy disposal, followed by vibrational relaxation as the energy is dissipated to the surrounding solvent. Comparison with energy disposal measurements for gas-phase reactions under single-collision conditions offers direct insights into the modification of the energy landscape and the nuclear dynamics in the presence of the solvent. The reactions of CN radicals with organic molecules in chlorinated solvents exemplify the dynamical information that can be obtained. The potential to extend such experiments to a range of reactions and solvents is discussed.