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Title: Combined Experimental and Computational Study on the Reaction Dynamics of the 1-Propynyl (CH3CC)–1,3-Butadiene (CH2CHCHCH2) System and the Formation of Toluene under Single Collision Conditions

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry. A, Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment, and General Theory
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
  2. Florida International Univ., Miami, FL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Samara National Research Univ. (Russia)
  3. Florida International Univ., Miami, FL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry

In our research, the crossed beams reactions of the 1-propynyl radical (CH3CC; X2A1) with 1,3-butadiene (CH2CHCHCH2; X1Ag), 1,3-butadiene-d6 (CD2CDCDCD2; X1Ag), 1,3-butadiene-d4 (CD2CHCHCD2; X1Ag), and 1,3-butadiene-d2 (CH2CDCDCH2; X1Ag) were performed under single collision conditions at collision energies of about 40 kJ mol–1. The underlying reaction mechanisms were unraveled through the combination of the experimental data with electronic structure calculations at the CCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ-f12//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) + ZPE(B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory along with statistical Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) calculations. Together, these data suggest the formation of the thermodynamically most stable C7H8 isomer—toluene (C6H5CH3)—via the barrierless addition of 1-propynyl to the 1,3-butadiene terminal carbon atom, forming a low-lying C7H9 intermediate that undergoes multiple isomerization steps resulting in cyclization and ultimately aromatization following hydrogen atom elimination. RRKM calculations predict that the thermodynamically less stable isomers 1,3-heptadien-5-yne, 5-methylene-1,3-cyclohexadiene, and 3-methylene-1-hexen-4-yne are also synthesized. Since the 1-propynyl radical may be present in cold molecular clouds such as TMC-1, this pathway could potentially serve as a carrier of the methyl group incorporating itself into methyl-substituted (poly)acetylenes or aromatic systems such as toluene via overall exoergic reaction mechanisms that are uninhibited by an entrance barrier. Such pathways are a necessary alternative to existing high energy reactions leading to toluene that are formally closed in the cold regions of space and are an important step toward understanding the synthesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in space’s harsh extremes.

Research Organization:
Florida International Univ. (FIU), Miami, FL (United States); Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-04ER15570; FG02-03ER15411
OSTI ID:
1603095
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry. A, Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment, and General Theory, Vol. 123, Issue 19; ISSN 1089-5639
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 10 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (1)

A Barrierless Pathway Accessing the C9H9 and C9H8 Potential Energy Surfaces via the Elementary Reaction of Benzene with 1-Propynyl journal November 2019