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The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the molecular structure on the rate and product distribution during olefin pyrolysis. Particular focus is on characterizing the reaction pathways, leading to the formation of molecular weight growth species. Propene, the smallest olefin that can form allylic radicals, and the three butene isomers were selected as model olefins. The experimental data were taken from several earlier studies that were conducted in a tubular flow reactor at an absolute pressure of ∼0.82 atm over a temperature range of 535–810 °C with a residence time of ∼2.4 s. The variations among the four olefins in terms of the observed conversions, generation of light products, and formation of molecular weight growth species were compared to the predictions of a fundamentally based detailed kinetic model with generally very satisfactory results. It was found that addition reactions of resonantly stabilized radicals to unsaturated products that can form unusually stable adducts, espe...

The pyrolysis of isobutene was investigated using a tubular flow reactor at an absolute pressure of ∼0.82 atm over a temperature range of 610–860 °C with residence times ranging from ∼0.5 to ∼2.4 s. The initial concentration of the fuel ranged from 5 to 50 mol%. These data were compared to the predictions of a fundamentally based detailed kinetic model. The model accurately predicted the observed fuel conversion, production of light products, and the formation of several important molecular weight growth species. The primary pathways that lead to the fuel decay and the formation of major products are discussed. In particular, H-atom abstraction from isobutene results in the formation of the 2-methyl allyl radical, which undergoes a β-scission reaction to form allene plus methyl. The subsequent addition reaction of 2-methyl allyl to allene is energetically favored and provides a route to the formation of stable molecular weight growth products that are readily converted to benzene and toluene. The potential energy surface for this reaction was derived from CBS-QB3 calculations and the corresponding temperature and pressure dependent rate constants are obtained. The model predictions were also compared and generally are in good agreement with multiple published isobutene pyrolysis data sets that were measured under significantly different conditions.

An ignition quality tester was used to characterize the autoignition delay times of iso-octane. The experimental data were characterized between temperatures of 653 and 996 K, pressures of 1.0 and 1.5 MPa, and global equivalence ratios of 0.7 and 1.05. A clear negative temperature coefficient behavior was seen at both pressures in the experimental data. These data were used to characterize the effectiveness of three modeling methods: a single-zone homogeneous batch reactor, a multizone engine model, and a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. A detailed 874 species iso-octane ignition mechanism (Mehl, M.; Curran, H. J.; Pitz, W. J.; Westbrook, C. K. Chemical kinetic modeling of component mixtures relevant to gasoline. Proceedings of the European Combustion Meeting; Vienna, Austria, April 14–17, 2009) was reduced to 89 species for use in these models, and the predictions of the reduced mechanism were consistent with ignition delay times predicted by the detailed chemical mechanism acr...

Correction for ‘Unravelling the impact of hydrocarbon structure on the fumarate addition mechanism – a gas-phase ab initio study’ by Vivek S. Bharadwaj et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2015, 17, 4054–4066.

The primary objective of this work is to develop an improved fundamentally-based mechanism that describes the molecular weight growth kinetics observed during propene pyrolysis. Earlier attempts to describe the kinetics in terms of theoretically plausible reactions generally under-predicted the low temperature reactivity. To address this issue, propene pyrolysis experiments were performed at 575–875 °C with nominal residence times of ∼2.4, 1.2 and 0.5 s at ∼0.83 atm. These data were compared to a kinetic model that includes several reactions that involve allyl radicals. Specifically, electronic structure calculations at the CBS–QB3 level were performed for various allyl radical reactions, including addition, recombination, and hydrogen abstraction. This updated model is able to capture the observed fuel conversion, production of major products, and formation of molecular weight growth species. The sensitivity and rate of production analyses show that allyl reactions play important roles for both fuel conversion and product formation. In particular, allyl addition to propene leads to production of CH3 and H. The H-atoms can add to propene to form CH3 radicals, and both CH3 and H can abstract from propene to regenerate allyl, completing the reaction chain. This model also successfully predicts the fuel conversion and major products for selected literature propene pyrolysis data.

A systematic comparison of sulfur poisoning on Ni/YSZ and Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4, a commercially available reforming catalyst, demonstrated the heightened and rapid degradation of Ni/YSZ methane reforming activity. Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 has nearly 15 times the hydrogen uptake capacity of Ni/YSZ which implies a difference in active nickel area. Because of this difference in active nickel surface area, Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 was diluted in pure α-Al2O3 to achieve the same active nickel surface area as Ni/YSZ. The turnover frequencies (TOF) for steam methane reforming without sulfur on Ni/YSZ and Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 were similar, although there was some deactivation on Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 possibly as a result of coking which was observed visually. Sulfur deactivation on both catalysts was examined for H2S, SO2, and COS at concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 ppm. Ni/YSZ deactivated rapidly to an activity close to zero. Ni/K2O-CaAl2O4 deactivated quickly in the first 20 min, but then reached a non-zero steady state activity. The relative deactivation rates for the sulfur species examined were COS > SO2 ≥ H2S. Reaction temperatures of 650 °C, 750 °C, and 800 °C were evaluated, but temperature did not strongly affect deactivation rates for either catalyst. The overarching result of this study is that Ni/YSZ methane reforming activity is more sensitive to sulfur deactivation than a commercial reforming catalyst. The effect is so strong, that the use of Ni/YSZ with any hydrocarbon fuel may require removal of sulfur to sub-ppm levels.

The reactions of allylic radicals have the potential to play a critical role in molecular weight growth (MWG) kinetics during hydrocarbon oxidation and/or pyrolysis. Due to their stability (when compared to alkyl radicals), they can accumulate to relatively high concentrations. Thus, even though the rate coefficients for their various reactions are small, the rates of these reactions may be significant. In this work, we use electronic structure calculations to examine the recombination, addition, and abstraction reactions of allylic radicals. For the recombination reaction of allyl radicals, we assign a high pressure rate rule that is based on experimental data. Once formed, the recombination product can potentially undergo an H-atom abstraction reaction followed by unimolecular cyclization and β-scission reactions. Depending upon the conditions (e.g., higher pressures) these pathways can lead to the formation of stable MWG species. The addition of allylic radicals to olefins can also lead to MWG species formation. Once again, cyclization of the adduct followed by β-scission is an important energy accessible route. Since the recombination and addition reactions produce chemically-activated adducts, we have explored the pressure- and temperature-dependence of the overall rate constants as well as that for the multiple product channels. We describe a strategy for estimating these pressure-dependencies for systems where detailed electronic structure information is not available. We also derive generic rate rules for hydrogen abstraction reactions from olefins and diolefins by methyl and allyl radicals.

In this work, we present high-pressure rate rules and branching ratios for the addition of HO2 to olefins through the concerted addition channel to form an alkyl peroxy radical (HO2 + olefin → RO2) and through the radical addition channel to form a β-hydroperoxy alkyl radical (HO2 + olefin → β-QOOH). These rate rules were developed by calculating rate constants for a series of addition reactions involving olefins with varying degrees of branching. The individual rate expressions were determined from electronic structure calculations performed at the CBS-QB3 level of theory combined with TST calculations. The calculated rate constants were found to be in good agreement with those reported in the literature. Next, we calculated apparent pressure- and temperature-dependent rate constants for HO2 addition to the terminal site of 1-butene using an energy-grained master equation (ME) approach and QRRK calculations with a modified strong collision (MSC) approximation. The two methods gave similar results for both reaction classes. We found that, for the radical addition reaction, the high-pressure limit for the stabilization channel is not reached until unusually high pressures (1000 atm). Instead, this reaction leads to the direct formation of an oxirane + OH. In general, the results for the major channels are in reasonable agreement with prior theoretical and experimental data. Finally, to explicitly examine the effect of pressure, we compared concentration-time profiles for the reactions of HO2 plus butene in air that were obtained using both high-pressure and pressure-dependent mechanisms at 10 and 100 atm. These simulations showed that, contrary to general expectations, the manifestation of pressure falloff effects in kinetic modeling studies might be more prevalent at increasing pressures. This behavior is attributed to the reaction of β-QOOH with O2, the rate of which increases with increasing pressure of air. This bimolecular reaction competes with the unimolecular reactions of β-QOOH under conditions where falloff effects are important for that channel.

The intramolecular ring closure reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals potentially play an important role for the formation of molecular weight growth species, especially during the pyrolysis and oxidation of alkenes under low to intermediate temperatures. In this work we investigated a series of intramolecular cycloaddition reactions of both allylic- and alkyl-type dienyl radicals. In the first set of reactions, a resonant linear radical is converted into a non-resonant cyclic radical. In the second set, a non-resonant linear alkenyl radical isomerizes to either a resonant cyclic radical or a cyclic carbinyl radical. In both cases, three different reaction schemes are examined based on the location of the partially-formed resonance structure in the cyclic transition state. For each reaction scheme, both the endo- and exo-pathways were investigated. High pressure rate parameters are obtained from the results of CBS-QB3 electronic structure calculations combined with canonical transition state theory calculations. The results are discussed in the context of a Benson-type model to examine the impact of the partially-formed resonance stabilization on both the activation energies and pre-exponential factors. The results are compared to previously reported rate parameters for cycloaddition reactions of alkenyl radicals. The differences in the activation energies are primarily due to the bimolecular component of the activation energy. However, in some cases, the presence of the partial resonance structure significantly increases the strain energy for the ring that is formed in the transition state. The pre-exponential factors are also impacted by the formation of a partial resonance structure in the transition state. Lastly, the C6H9 potential energy surface is examined to show how the trends that are outlined here can be used to estimate rate parameters, which are needed to analyze pressure-dependent reaction systems.

The unimolecular reactions of hydroperoxy alkyl radicals (QOOH) play a central role in the low-temperature oxidation of hydrocarbons as they compete with the addition of a second O(2) molecule, which is known to provide chain-branching. In this work we present high-pressure rate estimation rules for the most important unimolecular reactions of the β-, γ-, and δ-QOOH radicals: isomerization to RO(2), cyclic ether formation, and selected β-scission reactions. These rate rules are derived from high-pressure rate constants for a series of reactions of a given reaction class. The individual rate expressions are determined from CBS-QB3 electronic structure calculations combined with canonical transition state theory calculations. Next we use the rate rules, along with previously published rate estimation rules for the reactions of alkyl peroxy radicals (RO(2)), to investigate the potential impact of falloff effects in combustion/ignition kinetic modeling. Pressure effects are examined for the reaction of n-butyl radical with O(2) by comparison of concentration versus time profiles that were obtained using two mechanisms at 10 atm: one that contains pressure-dependent rate constants that are obtained from a QRRK/MSC analysis and another that only contains high-pressure rate expressions. These simulations reveal that under most conditions relevant to combustion/ignition problems, the high-pressure rate rules can be used directly to describe the reactions of RO(2) and QOOH. For the same conditions, we also address whether the various isomers equilibrate during reaction. These results indicate that equilibrium is established between the alkyl, RO(2), and γ- and δ-QOOH radicals.

The reactions of alkyl peroxy radicals (RO(2)) play a central role in the low-temperature oxidation of hydrocarbons. In this work, we present high-pressure rate estimation rules for the dissociation, concerted elimination, and isomerization reactions of RO(2). These rate rules are derived from a systematic investigation of sets of reactions within a given reaction class using electronic structure calculations performed at the CBS-QB3 level of theory. The rate constants for the dissociation reactions are obtained from calculated equilibrium constants and a literature review of experimental rate constants for the reverse association reactions. For the concerted elimination and isomerization channels, rate constants are calculated using canonical transition state theory. To determine if the high-pressure rate expressions from this work can directly be used in ignition models, we use the QRRK/MSC method to calculate apparent pressure and temperature dependent rate constants for representative reactions of small, medium, and large alkyl radicals with O(2). A comparison of concentration versus time profiles obtained using either the pressure dependent rate constants or the corresponding high-pressure values reveals that under most conditions relevant to combustion/ignition problems, the high-pressure rate rules can be used directly to describe the reactions of RO(2).

The competition between substitution (S N 2) and elimination (E2) has been studied for the reactions of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and tert- butyl iodide with Cl − , CN − , and HS − in the gas phase. Previous studies have shown a dominance of the S N 2 mechanism for sulfur anions and for some cyanide–alkyl iodide reactions. Although our results support this conclusion for the reactions studied, they reveal that competition between the S N 2 and E2 pathways exists for the isopropyl reactions. Steric and electronic effects, upon alkyl group substitution, produce looser and less stable S N 2 transition states, however, they can favor the E2 process. These opposing effects on barrier heights produce E2/S N 2 competition as steric hindrance increases around the α-carbon, however the relative differences in intrinsic barrier heights lead to significantly different branching ratios. This interpretation is discussed in terms of reaction efficiencies, kinetic isotope effects, linear basicity–reactivity relationships, electrostatic models, and transition state looseness parameters.

The photoelectron spectrum of the oxyallyl (OXA) radical anion has been measured. The radical anion has been generated in the reaction of the atomic oxygen radical anion (O(•-)) with acetone. Three low-lying electronic states of OXA have been observed in the spectrum. Electronic structure calculations have been performed for the triplet states ((3)B(2) and (3)B(1)) of OXA and the ground doublet state ((2)A(2)) of the radical anion using density functional theory (DFT). Spectral simulations have been carried out for the triplet states based on the results of the DFT calculations. The simulation identifies a vibrational progression of the CCC bending mode of the (3)B(2) state of OXA in the lower electron binding energy (eBE) portion of the spectrum. On top of the (3)B(2) feature, however, the experimental spectrum exhibits additional photoelectron peaks whose angular distribution is distinct from that for the vibronic peaks of the (3)B(2) state. Complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method and second-order perturbation theory based on the CASSCF wave function (CASPT2) have been employed to study the lowest singlet state ((1)A(1)) of OXA. The simulation based on the results of these electronic structure calculations establishes that the overlapping peaks represent the vibrational ground level of the (1)A(1) state and its vibrational progression of the CO stretching mode. The (1)A(1) state is the lowest electronic state of OXA, and the electron affinity (EA) of OXA is 1.940 ± 0.010 eV. The (3)B(2) state is the first excited state with an electronic term energy of 55 ± 2 meV. The widths of the vibronic peaks of the X̃ (1)A(1) state are much broader than those of the ã (3)B(2) state, implying that the (1)A(1) state is indeed a transition state. The CASSCF and CASPT2 calculations suggest that the (1)A(1) state is at a potential maximum along the nuclear coordinate representing disrotatory motion of the two methylene groups, which leads to three-membered-ring formation, i.e., cyclopropanone. The simulation of b̃ (3)B(1) OXA reproduces the higher eBE portion of the spectrum very well. The term energy of the (3)B(1) state is 0.883 ± 0.012 eV. Photoelectron spectroscopic measurements have also been conducted for the other ion products of the O(•-) reaction with acetone. The photoelectron imaging spectrum of the acetylcarbene (AC) radical anion exhibits a broad, structureless feature, which is assigned to the X̃ (3)A'' state of AC. The ground ((2)A'') and first excited ((2)A') states of the 1-methylvinoxy (1-MVO) radical have been observed in the photoelectron spectrum of the 1-MVO ion, and their vibronic structure has been analyzed.

Direct comparisons of the reactivity and mechanistic pathways for anionic systems in the gas phase and in solution are presented. Rate constants and kinetic isotope effects for the reactions of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and tert-butyl iodide with cyanide ion in the gas phase, as well as for the reactions of methyl and ethyl iodide with cyanide ion in several solvents, are reported. In addition to measuring the perdeutero kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for each reaction, the secondary alpha- and beta-deuterium KIEs were determined for the ethyl iodide reaction. Comparisons of experimental results with computational transition states, KIEs, and branching fractions are explored to determine how solvent affects these reactions. The KIEs show that the transition state does not change significantly when the solvent is changed from dimethyl sulfoxide/methanol (a protic solvent) to dimethyl sulfoxide (a strongly polar aprotic solvent) to tetrahydrofuran (a slightly polar aprotic solvent) in the ethyl iodide-cyanide ion S(N)2 reaction in solution, as the "Solvation Rule for S(N)2 Reactions" predicts. However, the Solvation Rule fails the ultimate test of predicting gas phase results, where significantly smaller (more inverse) KIEs indicate the existence of a tighter transition state. This result is primarily attributed to the greater electrostatic forces between the partial negative charges on the iodide and cyanide ions and the partial positive charge on the alpha carbon in the gas phase transition state. Nevertheless, in evaluating the competition between S(N)2 and E2 processes, the mechanistic results for the solution and gas phase reactions are strikingly similar. The reaction of cyanide ion with ethyl iodide occurs exclusively by an S(N)2 mechanism in solution and primarily by an S(N)2 mechanism in the gas phase; only approximately 1% of the gas phase reaction is ascribed to an elimination process.

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectrum of the peroxyacetate anion, (CH3C(O)OO−) was measured. Analysis of the spectrum shows that the observed spectral features arise almost exclusively from transitions between the trans-conformer of the anion and the X˜22A″ and Ã2A′ states of the corresponding radical. The electron affinity of trans-CH3C(O)OO is 2.381 ± 0.007 eV and the term energy splitting of the Ã2A′ state is 0.691 ± 0.009 eV, in excellent agreement with two prior values [Zalyubovsky et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 107, 7704 (2003); Hu et al. J. Phys. Chem. 124, 114305/1 (2006); Hu et al. J. Phys. Chem. 110, 2629 (2006)]. The gas-phase acidity of trans-peroxyacetic acid was bracketed between the acidity of acetic acid and tert-butylthiol at Δa G298( trans-CH3C(O)OOH) = 1439 ± 14 kJ mol−1 and Δa H298( trans-CH3C(O) OOH) = 1467 ± 14 kJ mol−1. The acidity of cis-CH3C(O)OOH was found by adding a calculated energy correction to the acidity of the trans-conformer; Δa G298[ cis-CH3C(O)OOH] = 1461 ± 14 kJ mol−1 and Δa H298[ cis-CH3C(O)OOH] = 1490 ± 14 kJ mol−1. The O–H bond dissociation energies for both conformers were determined using a negative ion thermodynamic cycle to be D0[ trans-CH3C(O)OOH] = 381 ± 14 kJ mol−1 and D0[ cis-CH3C(O)OOH] = 403±14 kJ mol−1. The atmospheric implications of these results and relations to the thermochemistry of peroxyacetyl nitrate are discussed briefly.

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectrum of the peroxyformate anion has been measured. The photoelectron spectrum displays vibronic features in both the 2A'' ground and 2A' first excited states of the corresponding radical. Franck-Condon simulations of the spectrum show that the ion is formed exclusively in the trans-conformation. The electron affinity (EA) of the peroxyformyl radical was determined to be 2.493 +/- 0.006 eV, while the term energy splitting was found to be 0.783-0.020+0.060 eV. Extended progressions in the C-OO (973 +/- 20 cm-1) and O-O (1098 +/- 20 cm-1) stretching modes are observed in the ground state of the radical. The fundamental frequency of the in-plane OCO bend was found to be 574 +/- 35 cm-1. The gas-phase acidity of peroxyformic acid has been determined using an ion-molecule bracketing technique. On the basis of the size of the trans- to cis- isomerization barrier, the measured acidity was assigned to the higher energy trans-conformer of the acid. The gas-phase acidity of the lower energy cis-conformer of peroxyformic acid was found from the measured acidity for the trans-form and a calculated energy correction: DeltaaG298(cis-peroxyformic acid) = 346.8 +/- 3.3 kcal mol-1 and DeltaaH298(cis-peroxyformic acid) = 354.4 +/- 3.3 kcal mol-1. Using a negative ion EA/acidity thermochemical cycle, the O-H bond dissociation energy (D0) values of the trans- and cis-conformers of peroxyformic acid to form the trans-radical were determined to be 94.0 +/- 3.3 and 97.1 +/- 3.3 kcal mol-1, respectively. The heat of formation (DeltafH298) of the trans-peroxyformyl radical was found to be -22.8 +/- 3.5 kcal mol-1.

We have measured the gas-phase acidities of nine compounds: formic acid, acetic acid, 1,3-propanedithiol, 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-propanethiol, 1-propanethiol, ethanethiol, and methanethiol, with acidities ranging from 338.6 to 351.1 kcal mol −1 using proton transfer kinetics and the resulting equilibrium constants. These acids were anchored to the well-known acidity of hydrogen sulfide; the measured acidities are in good agreement with previous experimental values, but error bars are significantly reduced. The gas-phase acidity of 3-methyl-1-butanethiol was determined to be 347.1 (5) kcal mol −1 ; there were no previous measurements of this value. Entropies of deprotonation were calculated and enthalpies of deprotonation were determined.

Reaction rate constants and deuterium kinetic isotope effects for the reactions of BrO(-) with RCl (R = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and tert-butyl) were measured using a tandem flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube instrument. These results provide qualitative insight into the competition between two classical organic mechanisms, nucleophilic substitution (S(N)2) and base-induced elimination (E2). As the extent of substitution in the neutral reactants increases, the kinetic isotope effects become increasingly more normal, consistent with the gradual onset of the E2 channel. These results are in excellent agreement with previously reported trends for the analogous reactions of ClO(-) with RCl. [Villano et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 728.] However, the reactions of BrO(-) and ClO(-) with methyl chloride, ethyl chloride, and isopropyl chloride were found to occur by an additional reaction pathway, which has not previously been reported. This reaction likely proceeds initially through a traditional S(N)2 transition state, followed by an elimination step in the S(N)2 product ion-dipole complex. Furthermore, the controversial alpha-nucleophilic character of these two anions and of the HO(2)(-) anion is examined. No enhanced reactivity is displayed. These results suggest that the alpha-effect is not due to an intrinsic property of the anion but instead due to a solvent effect.

The reactivities of mono- and dihalocarbene anions (CHCl − , CHBr − , CF 2 − , CCl 2 − , and CBrCl − ) were studied using a tandem flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube instrument. Reaction rate constants and product branching ratios are reported for the reactions of these carbene anions with six neutral reagents (CS 2 , COS, CO 2 , O 2 , CO, and N 2 O). These anions were found to demonstrate diverse chemistry as illustrated by formation of multiple product ions and by the observed reaction trends. The reactions of CHCl − and CHBr − occur with similar efficiencies and reactivity patterns. Substitution of a Cl atom for an H atom to form CCl 2 − and CBrCl − decreases the rate constants; these two anions react with similar efficiencies and reactivity trends. The CF 2 − anion displays remarkably different reactivity; these differences are discussed in terms of its lower electron binding energy and the effect of the electronegative fluorine substituents. The results presented here are compared to the reactivity of the CH 2 − anion, which has previously been reported.

The current uncertainty in many reaction rate constants causes difficulties in providing satisfactory models of interstellar chemistry. Here we present new measurements of the rate constants and product branching ratios for the gas phase reactions of C+ with NH3, CH4, O2, H2O, and C2H2, using the flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube (FASIFT) technique. Results were obtained using two instruments that were separately calibrated and optimized; in addition, low ionization energies were used to ensure formation of ground-state C+, the purities of the neutral reactants were verified, and mass discrimination was minimized.

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectra of the N-methyl-5-pyrazolide anion and the N-methyl-5-imidazolide anion are reported. The photoelectron spectra of both isomers display extended vibrational progressions in the X2A' ground states of the corresponding radicals that are well reproduced by Franck-Condon simulations, based on the results of B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations. The electron affinities of the N-methyl-5-pyrazolyl radical and the N-methyl-5-imidazolyl radical are 2.054 +/- 0.006 eV and 1.987 +/- 0.008 eV, respectively. Broad vibronic features of the A(2)A' ' states are also observed in the spectra. The gas-phase acidities of N-methylpyrazole and N-methylimidazole are determined from measurements of proton-transfer rate constants using a flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube instrument. The acidity of N-methylpyrazole is measured to be Delta(acid)G(298) = 376.9 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(acid)H(298) = 384.0 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1), whereas the acidity of N-methylimidazole is determined to be Delta(acid)G(298) = 380.2 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(acid)H(298)= 388.1 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1). The gas-phase acidities are combined with the electron affinities in a negative ion thermochemical cycle to determine the C5-H bond dissociation energies, D(0)(C5-H, N-methylpyrazole) = 116.4 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1) and D(0)(C5-H, N-methylimidazole) = 119.0 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1). The bond strengths reported here are consistent with previously reported bond strengths of pyrazole and imidazole; however, the error bars are significantly reduced.

Spectroscopic studies of the SF6- and c-C4F8- anions are reported to provide experimental benchmarks for theoretical predictions of their structures and electron binding energies. The photoelectron spectrum of SF6- is dominated by a long progression in the S-F stretching mode, with an envelope consistent with theoretical predictions that the anion preserves the Oh symmetry of the neutral, but has a longer S-F bond length. This main progression occurs with an unexpectedly strong contribution from a second mode, however, whose characteristic energy does not correspond to any of the neutral SF6 fundamental vibrations in its ground electronic state. The resulting doublet pattern is evident when the bare ion is prepared with low internal energy content (i.e., using N2 carrier gas in a free jet or liquid nitrogen-cooling in a flowing afterglow) but is much better resolved in the spectrum of the SF6-.Ar complex. The infrared predissociation spectrum of SF6-.Ar consists of a strong band at 683(5) cm(-1), which we assign to the nu3 (t1u) fundamental, the same mode that yields the strong 948 cm(-1) infrared transition in neutral SF6. One qualitatively interesting aspect of the SF6- behavior is the simple structure of its photoelectron spectrum, which displays uncluttered, harmonic bands in an energy region where the neutral molecule contains about 2 eV of vibrational excitation. We explore this effect further in the c-C4F8- anion, which also presents a system that is calculated to undergo large, symmetrical distortion upon electron attachment to the neutral. The photoelectron spectrum of this species is dominated by a long, single vibrational progression, this time involving the symmetric ring-breathing mode. Like the SF6- case, the c-C4F8- spectrum is remarkably isolated and harmonic in spite of the significant internal excitation of a relatively complex molecular framework. Both these perfluorinated anions thus share the property that the symmetrical deformation of the structural backbone upon photodetachment launches very harmonic motion in photoelectron bands that occur far above their respective adiabatic electron affinities.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to (1) confirm the presence of ferritin on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) as suggested by voltammetry, (2) determine whether ferritin desorbs upon reduction, (3) verify whether iron is released when ferritin is reduced in the presence of an iron-chelating agent, and (4) ascertain whether the protein-iron complex could be electrochemically reconstituted. The N 1s signal increases dramatically after the ITO electrode is exposed to ferritin. Substantial decreases in the Fe/N peak ratio support the hypothesis that iron release can be electrochemically induced by reducing ferritin in the presence of an iron-chelating agent. These data reveal that ferritin adsorbs onto ITO from solution at controlled electrode potential and that ferritin can be electrochemically induced to release iron without the need for homogeneous reducing agents. However, following the exposure of an ITO/ferritin ("emptied") to ferrous ion at positive electrode potential, the XPS spectrum reveals a substantial increase in the iron signal and a decrease in substrate signals. These results indicate that iron deposits directly onto the ITO substrate, casting doubt on the previous conclusion that adsorbed ferritin can be electrochemically reconstituted.

The fumarate addition reaction mechanism is central to the anaerobic biodegradation pathway of various hydrocarbons, both aromatic (e.g., toluene, ethyl benzene) and aliphatic (e.g., n-hexane, dodecane). Succinate synthase enzymes, which belong to the glycyl radical enzyme family, are the main facilitators of these biochemical reactions. The overall catalytic mechanism that converts hydrocarbons to a succinate molecule involves three steps: (1) initial H-abstraction from the hydrocarbon by the radical enzyme, (2) addition of the resulting hydrocarbon radical to fumarate, and (3) hydrogen abstraction by the addition product to regenerate the radical enzyme. Since the biodegradation of hydrocarbon fuels via the fumarate addition mechanism is linked to bio-corrosion, an improved understanding of this reaction is imperative to our efforts of predicting the susceptibility of proposed alternative fuels to biodegradation. An improved understanding of the fuel biodegradation process also has the potential to benefit bioremediation. In this study, we consider model aromatic (toluene) and aliphatic (butane) compounds to evaluate the impact of hydrocarbon structure on the energetics and kinetics of the fumarate addition mechanism by means of high level ab initio gas-phase calculations. We predict that the rate of toluene degradation is ∼100 times faster than butane at 298 K, and that the first abstraction step is kinetically significant for both hydrocarbons, which is consistent with deuterium isotope effect studies on toluene degradation. The detailed computations also show that the predicted stereo-chemical preference of the succinate products for both toluene and butane are due to the differences in the radical addition rate constants for the various isomers. The computational and kinetic modeling work presented here demonstrates the importance of considering pre-reaction and product complexes in order to accurately treat gas phase systems that involve intra and inter-molecular non-covalent interactions.

Intramolecular H atom shift reactions of alkyl radicals and cycloaddition reactions of alkenyl radicals are two important reaction classes in hydrocarbon combustion and pyrolysis. In this work, we derive high-pressure rate estimation rules that are based on the results of electronic structure calculations at the CBS-QB3 level of theory combined with transition state theory calculations. The rules for the H atom shift reactions of alkyl radicals cover the 1,2- up to the 1,7-H shifts. The rules for the cycloaddition reactions of alkenyl radicals are for both the endo- and exo-cycloaddition and include the formation of three- to seven-member ring products. The results are in good agreement with available experiment measurements and other theoretical studies. Both types of reactions proceed via cyclic transition state structures. The impact of ring size and substituent groups on pre-exponential factors and activation energies are discussed in the context of a Benson-type structure-reactivity relationship. Similar relationships between the pre-exponential factors and the number of internal rotors lost in formation of the transition state are derived for both H-shift and cycloaddition reactions. The activation energies are found to be more complicated. The ring strain contribution to the barrier is much lower for the exo-cycloaddition reactions than it is for the other two investigated reaction systems. The ring strains for the H-shift and endo-cycloaddition are similar to one another and are comparable to that of cycloalkanes for three- to six-member rings, but are significantly lower for the larger rings. The results suggest that the 1,6-H shift and 1,7-endo-cycloaddition reactions might be faster than previous estimates.

The gas-phase reactions of F(-)(DMSO), F(-)(CH(3)CN), and F(-)(C(6)H(6)) with t-butyl halides were investigated. Reaction rate constants, kinetic isotope effects, and product ion branching ratios were measured using the flowing afterglow selected ion flow tube technique (FA-SIFT). Additionally, the structure of F(-)(DMSO) was investigated both computationally and experimentally, and two stable isomers were identified. The reactions generally proceed by elimination mechanisms; however, the reaction of F(-)(C(6)H(6)) with t-butyl chloride occurs by a switching mechanism. These reactions are compared to previous studies of microsolvated reactions of t-butyl halides where the solvent molecules were polar, protic molecules.

A fundamental issue in the gasification of biomass is that in addition to the desired synthesis gas product (a mixture of H(2) and CO), the gasifier effluent contains other undesirable products that need to be removed before any further downstream processing can occur. This work assesses the potential to selectively remove hydrocarbons from a synthesis gas stream via gas-phase partial oxidation. Specifically, the partial oxidation of methane-doped, ethylene-doped, and methane/ethylene-doped model synthesis gas mixtures has been investigated at ambient pressures over a temperature range of 760-910 degrees C and at residence times ranging from 0.4 to 2.4 s using a tubular flow reactor. For the synthesis gas mixtures that contain either methane or ethylene, the addition of oxygen substantially reduces the hydrocarbon concentration while only a small reduction in the hydrogen concentration is observed. For the synthesis gas mixtures doped with both methane and ethylene, the addition of oxygen preferentially removes ethylene while the concentrations of methane and hydrogen remain relatively unaffected. These results are compared to the predictions of a plug flow model using a reaction mechanism that is designed to describe the pyrolysis and partial oxidation of small hydrocarbon species. The agreement between the experimental observations and the model predictions is quite good, allowing us to explore the underlying chemistry that leads to the hydrocarbon selective oxidation. The implications of these results are briefly discussed in terms of using synthesis gas to produce liquid fuels and electrical power via a solid oxide fuel cell.

The gas-phase reactivity of the CHCl*- anion has been investigated with a series of halomethanes (CCl4, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, and CH3Cl) using a FA-SIFT instrument. Results show that this anion primarily reacts via substitution and by proton transfer. In addition, the reactions of CHCl*- with CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 form minor amounts of Cl2*- and Cl-. The isotopic distribution of these two products is consistent with an insertion-elimination mechanism, where the anion inserts into a C-Cl bond to form an unstable intermediate, which eliminates either Cl2*- or Cl- and Cl*. Neutral and cationic carbenes are known to insert into single bonds; however, this is the first observation of such reactivity for carbene anions.

The competition between bimolecular nucleophilc substitution and base-induced elimination is investigated through kinetic isotope effect measurements for gas-phase reactions of RCl + ClO- (R = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and tert-butyl) utilizing a FA-SIFT instrument. The overall reaction rate constants and the kinetic isotope effect for the reaction of C2H5Cl + ClO- are compared to computational results. [Hu, W. P.; Truhlar, D. G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 860.] Experimental results show that as the degree of substitution in the neutral reactant increases the E2 channel becomes dominant. The systematic change in the overall kinetic isotope effects indicates that, for the reaction of ClO- with C2H5Cl, both the SN2 and E2 pathways do occur, as predicted by computation; however the experimental reaction rate constants and KIE deviate strongly from the computational result.

The gas-phase reactions of F−(CH3OH) and F−(C2H5OH) with t-butyl bromide have been investigated to explore the effect of the solvent on the E2 transition state. Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were measured using a flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube (FA-SIFT) mass spectrometer upon deuteration of both the alkyl halide and the alcohol. Kinetic isotope effects are significantly more pronounced than those previously observed for similar reactions of F−(H2O) with t-butyl halides. KIEs for the reaction of F−(CH3OH) with t-butyl bromide are 2.10 upon deuteration of the neutral reagent and 0.74 upon deuteration of the solvent. KIEs for the reaction of F−(C2H5OH) with t-butyl bromide are 3.84 upon deuteration of the neutral reagent and 0.66 upon deuteration of the solvent. The magnitude of these effects is discussed in terms of transition-state looseness. Additionally, deuteration of the neutral regent and deuteration of the solvent do not produce completely separable isotope effects, which is likely due to a crowded transition state. These results are compared to our previous work on SN2 and E2 solvated systems.