A Theoretical Study of the X-Abstraction Reactions (X = H, Br, or I) from CH2IBr by OH Radicals: Implications for Atmospheric Chemistry

Transient isomers in the photodissociation of bromoiodomethane

The photochemistry of halomethanes is fascinating for the complex cascade reactions toward either the parent or newly synthesized molecules. Here, we address the structural rearrangement of photodissociated CH₂IBr in methanol and cyclohexane, probed by time-resolved X-ray scattering in liquid solution. Upon selective laser cleavage of the C-I bond, we follow the reaction cascade of the two geminate geometrical isomers, CH₂I-Br and CH₂Br-I. Both meta-stable isomers decay on different time scales, mediated by solvent interaction, toward the original parent molecule. We observe the internal rearrangement of CH₂Br-I to CH₂I-Br in cyclohexane by extending the time window up to 3 μs. We track the photoproduct kinetics of CH₂Br-I in methanol solution where only one isomer is observed. The effect of the polarity of solvent on the geminate recombination pathways is discussed.

Reactivity of Hydrogen Peroxide with Br and I Atoms

The reaction mechanisms of Br and I atoms with H₂O₂ have been investigated using DFT and high-level ab initio calculations. The H-abstraction and OH-abstraction channels were highlighted. The geometries of the stationary points were optimized at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, and the energetics were recalculated with the coupled cluster theory. Spin-orbit coupling for each halogenated species was also explicitly computed by employing the MRCI level of theory. Thermochemistry for HOBr and HOI has been revised and updated standard enthalpies of formation at 298 K for HOBr and HOI are the following: Δ_fH°_298K(HOBr) = (-66.2 ± 4.6) kJ mol^-1 and Δ_fH°_298K(HOI) = (-66.8 ± 4.7) kJ mol^-1. The rate constants have been estimated using transition state theory (TST), canonical variational transition state theory (CVT), and CVT with small curvature tunneling (CVT/SCT) over a wide temperature range (250-2500 K). For the direct abstraction mechanism, the overall rate constant at 300 K was predicted to be 2.58 × 10^-16 and 7.42 × 10^-25 cm³ molecule^-1s^-1 for the Br + H₂O₂ and I + H₂O₂ reactions, respectively. The modified Arrhenius parameters have been estimated for the overall reactions: k_Br+H2O2(T) = 4.80 × 10^-26 T^4.31 exp(-5.51 (kJ mol^-1)/RT) and k_I+H2O2(T) = 3.41 × 10^-23 T^3.29 exp(-56.32 (kJ mol^-1)/RT).

A Density Functional Theory and ab Initio Investigation of the Oxidation Reaction of CO by IO Radicals

To get an insight into the possible reactivity between iodine oxides and CO, a first step was to study the thermochemical properties and kinetic parameters of the reaction between IO and CO using theoretical chemistry tools. All stationary points involved were optimized using the Becke's three-parameter hybrid exchange functional coupled with the Lee-Yang-Parr nonlocal correlation functional (B3LYP) and the Møller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2). Single-point energy calculations were performed using the coupled cluster theory with the iterative inclusion of singles and doubles and the perturbative estimation for triple excitations (CCSD(T)) and the aug-cc-pVnZ (n = T, Q, and 5) basis sets on geometries previously optimized at the aug-cc-pVTZ level. The energetics was then recalculated using the one-component DK-CCSD(T) approach with the relativistic ANO basis sets. The spin-orbit coupling for the iodine containing species was calculated a posteriori using the restricted active space state interaction method in conjunction with the multiconfigurational perturbation theory (CASPT2/RASSI) employing the complete active space (CASSCF) wave function as the reference. The CCSD(T) energies were also corrected for BSSE for molecular complexes and refined with the extrapolation to CBS limit while the DK-CCSD(T) values were refined with the extrapolation to FCI. The exploration of the potential energy surface revealed a two-steps mechanism with a trans and a cis pathway. The rate constants for the direct and complex mechanism were computed as a function of temperature (250-2500 K) using the canonical transition state theory. The three-parameter Arrhenius expressions obtained for the direct and indirect mechanism at the DK-CCSD(T)-cf level of theory is 1.49 × 10(-17) × T(1.77) exp(-47.4 (kJ mol(-1))/RT).

Gas-Phase Reactivity of Cesium-Containing Species by Quantum Chemistry

Thermodynamics and kinetics of cesium species reactions have been studied by using high-level quantum chemical tools. A systematic theoretical study has been done to find suitable methodology for calculation of reliable thermodynamic properties, allowing us to determine bimolecular rate constants with appropriate kinetic theories of gas-phase reactions. Four different reactions have been studied in this work: CsO + H2 = CsOH + H (R1), Cs + HI = CsI + H (R2), CsI + H2O = CsOH + HI (R3), and CsI + OH = CsOH + I (R4). All reactions involve steam, hydrogen, and iodine in addition of cesium. Most of the reactions are fast and (R3) and (R4) proceed even without energetic barrier. In terms of chemical reactivity in the reactor coolant system (RCS) in the case of severe accident, it can be expected that there will be no kinetic limitations for main cesium species (CsOH and CsI) transported along the RCS. Cs chemical speciation inside the RCS should be governed by the thermodynamics.