skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Kinetics of methyl radical-hydroxyl radical collisions and methanol decomposition.

Journal Article · · J. Phys. Chem. A
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp067585p· OSTI ID:947070

The CH{sub 3} + OH bimolecular reaction and the dissociation of methanol are studied theoretically at conditions relevant to combustion chemistry. Kinetics for the CH{sub 3} + OH barrierless association reaction and for the H + CH{sub 2}OH and H + CH{sub 3}O product channels are determined in the high-pressure limit using variable reaction coordinate transition state theory and multireference electronic structure calculations to evaluate the fragment interaction energies. The CH{sub 3} + OH {yields} {sup 3}CH{sub 2} + H{sub 2}O abstraction reaction and the H{sub 2} + HCOH and H{sub 2} + H{sub 2}CO product channels feature localized dynamical bottlenecks and are treated using variational transition state theory and QCISD(T) energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. The {sup 1}CH{sub 2} + H{sub 2}O product channel has two dynamical regimes, featuring both an inner saddle point and an outer barrierless region, and it is shown that a microcanonical two-state model is necessary to properly describe the association rate for this reaction over a broad temperature range. Experimental channel energies for the methanol system are reevaluated using the Active Thermochemical Tables (ATcT) approach. Pressure dependent, phenomenological rate coefficients for the CH{sub 3} + OH bimolecular reaction and for methanol decomposition are determined via master equation simulations. The predicted results agree well with experimental results, including those from a companion high-temperature shock tube determination for the decomposition of methanol.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
947070
Report Number(s):
ANL/CHM/JA-58003; JPCAFH; TRN: US200903%%1019
Journal Information:
J. Phys. Chem. A, Vol. 111, Issue 19 ; 2007; ISSN 1089-5639
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH